I was a bit late to the travel scene. While my family took vacations, they usually stayed within our home states (Minnesota first, then Wisconsin). When we attended the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, I was completely blown away. Every day and every new experience was a thrill. By the time I spent a summer term abroad in Denmark during college, I was hooked.
Embracing Solo Adventures
In my 20s, I traveled to nearly 50 countries—most of them on a career-break, around-the-world trip at age 29 after saving up enough funds. Travel introduced me to countless cultures, adventures, landscapes, and wildlife. Most importantly, it introduced me to people: kind and generous strangers, friends I made along the road, and even my now-wife of seven years! We met on a two-month overland camping and safari trip in Africa, bonding instantly over the thrill of each new destination and the challenges that tested our adaptability. It was this shared sense of adventure that laid the foundation for our relationship.
Just as important as the places and people, travel introduced me to myself. Each journey shaped me in some way. Leaping into the unknown time and time again helped me realize I could do (or at least attempt) almost anything.
The things that went wrong on my trips were never as bad as I’d feared, and often came with an unexpected silver lining. Take the time a dog bit me in China: despite my initial panic, I didn’t have any lasting injury, and I successfully navigated five rounds of rabies vaccinations with the help of local clinics and kind strangers—even without speaking the language. Moments like this forced me out of my comfort zone and helped me build the confidence that I could handle just about anything.
The Universal Magic of Travel
The wonderful thing about travel is that everyone has their own story to tell. No two people experience the same place in the same way, yet we often share that universal spark of wonder and inspiration. Now that I’m a mom, these are the exact experiences I want to give my kids.
Transitioning to Family Travel
My wife, Dani, is Australian, and after our daughter was born in Sydney, we brought her to meet my family in the U.S. when she was just three months old. Having family on opposite sides of the world pushed us to stick to our promise of making travel a key part of our family life. We learned quickly on that flight that, yes, we could travel with a baby—even if it sounded daunting (and required a bit more luggage for two devout minimalists).
We’ve since taken dozens of trips—visiting relatives, hiking, camping, and even exploring places like Iceland and Bali. Now, with two kids (ages 5 and 1), we’ve found our stride as a traveling family.
Balancing Everyone’s Needs
Moving from solo travel to traveling as a family means your own wants and needs are no longer the only ones that matter. Similar to going from solo to couple travel, we talk before and throughout each trip—discussing destinations, itineraries, and pacing—and we adapt when someone’s hungry, tired, or simply needs a breather. With our kids, we typically plan one main activity per day, then leave time for optional stops if everyone’s still energetic.
And what do we gain in return? A brand-new perspective on the world through our kids’ eyes. It’s this aspect of our vow to travel with our kids that I hadn’t given much thought to, but am enjoying more and more as they grow. Watching our five-year-old marvel at a live lava demonstration in Iceland brought back the sense of awe I felt when I first stood on an active volcano in Vanuatu. Seeing locals in Bali delight in making faces to entertain our five-month-old built instant connections that transcended language barriers.
Raising Adventurous Spirits
Now that my daughter is in kindergarten, she’s forming her own outlook on life. Because of our travels—and how we talk about adventure—she’s already embracing the family spirit. She once said, totally unprompted, “We don’t care if it’s raining, because we’re an adventure family.” She’s flown internationally so many times that when we get to the airport, she doesn’t ask how long the flight is, but how many planes it will take to get to our destination.
As she and her younger brother grow, I hope traveling will give them the same gifts it gave me: connection, adventure, community, and personal transformation—each in a way that’s uniquely theirs.
Tips for Getting Started with Family Travel
- Start Small: If the idea of traveling with little ones seems intimidating, begin with weekend getaways or nearby trips before tackling international journeys.
- Embrace Flexibility: Build wiggle room into your schedule. If you only manage one significant outing per day, that’s still a win! (And can give you the confidence that it’s ok to throw out the routine once in a while)
- Invite Adventure: Encourage your kids to participate in small decisions. It empowers them and fosters excitement.
- Stay Open to Surprises: Even if things don’t go as planned, you’ll often discover memorable moments you never saw coming.
Ready to plan your own family adventure or take your travels to the next stage? Visit my blog at livebold.travel for fresh ideas, tips, and community support for making every trip—solo, couple, or family—truly life-changing. Get inspired, get practical advice, and make the leap. Your next great story is waiting!
Alissa Condra is the founder and author at Live Bold, a blog and travel company focused on inspiring people, especially families with young kids to make the leap to travel and adventure. She shared stories, planning resources, and is currently working on an app to support these goals. (Sign up for the waitlist if you’re interested in trying it out.)
