Sharing some silly + sweet smiles with you.
There's always room for happiness and tickles in our home...
or in this case our homes away from home.
This blog post is an everyday, East Coast, Mom of 3, Perspective of Travelling in Nova Scotia. I included some fun photos, travelling tips to make your adventures run a little smoother and a few location hot spots. Happy travelling and I hope you can learn to thrive as a Mom; we are in this together Mama.
This year I've chosen to slow down and focus on investing more quality time together. I'd like to teach/role model the art of simplicity to my babies/children. The JOY and MEMORIES made are beyond value and are worth so much more than any item, structured gathering or electronic distraction. Finding family-friendly travel destinations has gotten to be more and more challenging with a growing family. Often we find it difficult to find spots that cater to more than 4 people. As a family of five, with young babies/children, it is super important that where we do go has what we need to function away from home.
As a family, we decided to start checking out spots, locally, to mix up our everyday routine and teach our kids the adventure of travel and seeing new places/people.
Here is a sneak peak of some weekend trips/getaways... sharing the perks, things you will need (that you don't always think about) when travelling with your family, and tips to help guide you to having (hopefully) an amazing family trip!
TRIP 1:
Our first family "Home Away from Home" Trip to an 'Air b n b':
Destination: The Heart of Wolfville
Nova Scotia, Canada.
Upon arriving, we ventured on foot, along the boardwalk and checked out some local shops. In the winter it was pretty neat to show the kids the shores of Minas Basin (which is part of the Bay of Fundy), We went to a local restaurant for some delicious dinner and headed to check out a quiet and quaint spot, minutes from downtown.
Adventuring, as a family of five and a total family party of 9 people (5 kids and 4 adults), we found the sweetest home in Wolfville to disconnect, hang up our winter gear, allow the kids to be kids (explore and use their imaginations together, run freely between rooms, jump on beds), make homemade mini pizzas, share a ton of giggles, have a sleepover and cozy up with our fuzzy socks by the fire.
I am truly grateful for these memories that make life so intrinsically beautiful and road trips have become our new favorite adventure!
Having company/friends/family come alongside on the trip made the trip that much more fun!!! The kids all played together and the adults got to mingle too!
Such cute and local vibes made our trip feel like a quaint, but cozy getaway. The huge dining table and separate seating area by the windows made late night card games and morning coffees that much more enjoyable.
The wood stove was luxury, once we had the kiddies tucked in, we warmed up with our fuzzy socks + had some "mommy wine time."
Family-Friendly Travel:
Traveling with kids - Essentials that you will absolutely NEED to PLAN + PREPARE FOR when travelling with your family...
Baby Gear + Baby/Child Seating
Pack and Play/Crib/Bassinet
Find out (prior) if the travel destination offers this and I highly recommend bringing your little ones bedding and or stuffed animal, book and noise machine for bedtime routine consistency. This will allow your child to feel more comfortable and hopefully provide you with a smoother bedtime when you are away from home and your normal routine.
High Chair/Booster/Bib+ Feeding Utensils/Bottles/Sippy-cup
We bring our the top half of our high chairs and they strap onto most common chair styles. I would always double check that where you are going offers what you need or ensure that you have the everyday essentials. Nothing worse than being in a new place with no soother at bedtime or highchair for that exciting pancake breakfast.
Think about the location + physical surroundings of your destination (this is important because...)
If you are going somewhere remote that is pretty awesome...
I highly recommend you double check both of the following:
What stores are nearby and the hours they are open (in case you need to zip out for something you did forget to pack or in case of an emergency).
The physical outdoor surroundings of the location/place you are staying. This matters if you are going to be going outdoors to explore with your kids or they tend to run off when exploring. I had a scare with a high cliff campground before so now I am extra cautious to double check, if we did have an escape artist on our hands, where they could quickly get to matters! Point being, just check out the yard, the area and the physical surroundings of the spot you are going to and make sure you are comfortable with it. Sounds obvious, but sometimes photos can be deceiving.
More Family-Friendly Travel Pointers:
Little Tips + Tricks
(for a carefree family trip... make it a little easier and put in the prep work you'll thank yourself later...)
Pack the following and have these things easily accessible...
For your drive:
Drinks: I pack a ready to grab sippy cup or thermos for each child, also, a water bottle or coffee thermos for mom and dad!
Snacks: I use freezer bags and make each child a snack pack with things depending on their age and preference. (Apple sauce (individual packaged items that are easy to grab), crackers and fresh fruit are a few of my favorite snack items).
Blankets: I encourage the kiddies to be cozy on the drive, to enjoy the (hopefully) scenic view and or nap along the way. Also, I find my kids sleep better with their own blankets and their favorite stuffed animal.
Things to make it a little cozier for your trip:
Blanket, bath robes and or pillows for Mom + Dad. We didn't bring blankets on this trip and I found it to be super chilly without my cozy throws that I'm used to.
Slippers (warm socks), a few books, bath toys for the kids.
A candle or room spray, for the bathroom or late night ambient vibes.
A refillable water bottle or tumbler to keep hydrated.
A noise machine or little speakers to play some relaxing music or help the kiddies sleep.
TRIP 2:
A spacious and cooking friendly "Winter Getaway" Trip to an 'Air b n b on the lake front':
Destination: A short and scenic drive to a remote home in: Windsor
Nova Scotia, Canada.
Nothing soothes your soul like a little family getaway… kid friendly and kid approved... here's why:
spacious layout and bedrooms for kids to play freely
an open concept kitchen so we could bring a few meal kits and make some tasty adult dinners once the kids were tucked in
on the lakefront but enough space to run outside and play among the trees and relax on the dock
How I felt/and took notes on being in this serene landscape:
✔️ positive vibrations + positive people = love energy…
✔️ nature continues to gift us these little precious moments with our family + this beautiful earth we live on…
✔️ life is a gift + memories make up what we leave this world with (so let’s maximize the happy ones)
✔️ sometimes we just need to take a little adventure and slow down, soak it all in +be grateful…
Even though it was a bit chilly... we were lucky enough to have a day of sunshine and we soaked it in. While the babies napped we sat on the patio in the sun, shared a drink and filled our mama cups. This little secluded and pretty serene sanctuary even had a little green for some fun putting of golf balls.
Sharing a few cute memories and a photo of this little heart tree stump I spotted while adventuring among the trees with my son.
A constant reminder to be thankful for nature, life and these good times.
Reminder: life is the true gift…
adventuring is worth every effort+
sharing/exchanging love is the most important thing you can do in this lifetime
..alongside making beautiful memories that your kids and family will never forget!
A few take aways I learned from this trip...
It's better to overpack then to under pack when it comes to weekend getaways!
You can never be too prepared when it comes to weather changes, so pack for all weather occasions (this trip went from sunshine to very chilly wind/rain within minutes).
Remember to keep some sort of routine with bedtimes (it's okay to keep the kids up a bit later but you don't want to deal with a cranky toddler the next day).
Keep filling your life with experiences...
Time is precious, waste it wisely...
Say yes to new adventures.
TRIP 3:
A beautiful road trip (about 45 minutes from Halifax) along the Eastern Shore (the most stunning ocean/scenic view passing Lawrencetown beach),
to visit a lovely Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre.
Destination: Hope for Wildlife
In: Seaforth,
Nova Scotia, Canada.
Family-friendly travel tips (for a day trip)
The sun was shining bright and the waves were crashing on the shore... a beautiful breezy day in Nova Scotia. I brought jackets and hats for layering and ideally warm and cozy sweaters by the ocean is a must!
What the boys wore:
Warm knit sweaters,
comfy pants, for exploring and nature walks +
layered tops.
This location I found to be a bit up hill for a few of the sites and a bit muddy... so I would highly recommend boots and windbreakers to fight off any unwanted dirt and cold breezes.
The Food: I packed a few individual wrapped snacks like unsweetened apple sauce packets + ritz crackers and cheese packets. The hit was honestly the cake rolls! I also made PB+J sandwiches for a quick and easy lunch on the go. I was super thankful I packed what I did because the canteen on site wasn't open at the time of year and there were, little to few spots, available for food along the way. I find stopping or delaying feeding the kids is always a regret, so I focused on being prepared this time around with a few cooler bags and a packed lunch. I always say better to be over prepared then underprepared, when it comes to food!
The adventure:
A FEW MUST HAVES/ TIPS!!!
Bring a jogger stroller (preferably one that easily goes uphill on outdoor trails and through mud), bring drinks for the kids (always better to be hydrated) + baby wipes/hand sanitizer (clean your hands after the animal pets)!
Hope for Wildlife was an amazing experience and we will definitely be venturing back out that way again soon. A beautiful drive and a lovely family-friendly adventure for the entire family!