North America, New England, National Parks Christina Nikodemski North America, New England, National Parks Christina Nikodemski

4th of July in Bar Harbor, Maine

Bar Harbor, Maine is the perfect town to spend 4th of July. We love the pancake breakfast, the parade, and the fireworks. We also love bring able to hike and camp in Acadia National Park while attending this small town July 4th celebration.

If I could choose one place to spend 4th of July every year for the rest of my life, it would be in this beautiful town.

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miles and points, airline miles Christina Nikodemski miles and points, airline miles Christina Nikodemski

3 European Getaways using American Airlines miles

If you live on the East Coast of the U.S. and near an American Airlines hub like we do, then you will want to make sure that you are stocking up on points that will help you get across the country or across the Atlantic.

American has great deals where you can fly from the East Coast to Europe for 30,000 points or fewer. You just have to plan in advance (or hope for a last minute deal).

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Finland, Europe, Winter Travel Christina Nikodemski Finland, Europe, Winter Travel Christina Nikodemski

Lapland Bucket List: 4 days in Rovaniemi

How much does it really cost to visit Santa Claus Village? How does one visit Lapland on a budget? To be honest, I do not know! We attempted to visit Lapland on a budget, but it was challenging to complete our bucket list AND keep things affordable. Snowmobiling across a frozen lake, and being pulled around in a sled by reindeer is not cheap. We spent 4 days and nights in Rovaniemi, Finland in December of 2024. We stayed over Christmas, so that definitely increased our costs.

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Scotland, UK Christina Nikodemski Scotland, UK Christina Nikodemski

48 Hours in Edinburgh, Scotland with kids

Edinburgh, Scotland is one of our favorite capital cities to visit. It has the perfect blend of history, culture, and family-friendly museums packed into a walkable area. Our first visit was in August of 2018 and we enjoyed the famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival. (If you have older children, then I would look into attending during Fringe).

For our second visit, we stayed for 4 nights in June and planned about 48 hours of activities to keep our 6-year-old daughter engaged and happy.

Here’s our favorite museums, activities, and restaurants in Edinburgh that can keep the whole family happy.

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Europe, France Christina Nikodemski Europe, France Christina Nikodemski

Family-Friendly Paris: A visit to Luxembourg Gardens- (Jardin du Luxembourg)

Read about our kid-friendly morning in Paris.

If you are looking for one place to add to your Paris itinerary and are traveling with young children, then I recommend spending one morning in Luxembourg Gardens (in French- Jardin du Luxembourg). Your child can have a quintessential Parisian experience and the gardens offer a nice break for parents who want to escape the hustle and noise of the city.

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Italy, Europe Christina Nikodemski Italy, Europe Christina Nikodemski

The Dolomites with kids

If you need a place that checks off boxes for both adventure-loving adults and fun-loving children, that will not 100 degrees in the summer, then the Dolomites is it. South Tyrol, this area of Northern Italy is one of the most beautiful places we have visited and features Germanic influence and a confluence of Austrian and Italian culture.

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