A family trip to the Italian Riviera

June 16, 2023 by Ben Lutz in Blog, Activities, Europe, Italy

Just north of Cinque Terre along the Ligurian coast, you will find TONS of beach towns that all have similar characteristics: long beaches, umbrellas, charming restaurants featuring seafood, focaccia and pesto, and beach-front playgrounds. In my opinion, there isn’t a BAD choice you can make when choosing a beach town to explore, however, Laigueglia’s peaceful ambiance makes it an ideal destination for a relaxing weekend getaway with your family. It’s a delightful seaside town nestled on the northern coast, just about 2 hours east of the French / Italian border. The town's picturesque streets are lined with colorful buildings adorned with flower-filled balconies, exuding a charm that instantly captivates visitors. If you are looking for the perfect holiday along the Ligurian coast and choose Laigueglia, you won’t be disappointed.

Rainy Day Activities in Monaco for Families

The FUNemployed Family

June 10, 2023 by Ben Lutz in Blog, Activities, Europe, Italy

Monaco is a small country located on the French Riviera, known for its luxury, glamor, and beautiful views of the Mediterranean. It is the second smallest country in the world, and easily walkable in a day from one end to another. However, what do you do when it rains? Don't worry, Monaco has plenty of indoor activities to offer for kids and adults alike. Here are some tips to make the most of a rainy day in Monaco with kids.

Pisa & Lucca daytrip with Kids

The FUNemployed Family

June 09, 2023 by Ben Lutz in Blog, Activities, Europe, Italy

Are you looking for a fun-filled family adventure in Tuscany? Look no further than a day trip to Lucca and Pisa with your kids! From the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa to the delicious Paniko Gelato in Lucca, this day trip has something for everyone.

Cinque Terre Daytrip with Kids

The FUNemployed Family

June 06, 2023 by Ben Lutz in Blog, Europe, Italy

Cinque Terre is a charming destination located on the Italian Riviera. It’s comprised of five colorful villages, each unique and beautiful in its own way, perched on rocky cliffs overlooking the Ligurian Sea. Cinque Terre is an excellent destination for families, with plenty of activities to keep both parents and children entertained. Visiting Cinque Terre is an easy weekend trip from Florence by train.

How to Hit The Open Road, European Style!

April 27, 2019 by Ben Lutz in Destination Guide, Blog, Travel Tips, Europe, Paris, Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, spain, Stuttgart, Lucerne, Vaduz

One of our favorite ways to explore a new place is by driving through it! So, naturally, in Germany (home of the Autobahn), we had to take a road trip and explore the area!

A Letter To My Daughter

April 12, 2019 by Ben Lutz in Blog, Kids, USA, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Europe, French Polynesia, California, Bali, Lake Tahoe, Travel Tips

THE STORY OF HOW YOU INSPIRED ME TO FOLLOW MY DREAMS

Note: Ben wrote a heartfelt letter to Liesel on our flight from Tahiti back to the US. After more than 7 months abroad and 10 months of full-time travel, he was a mixed bag of emotions about where we’d come from, what we’d done, and where we were going next. He wrote this for Liesel so that someday she would be able to read it and understand why we uprooted her stable, predictable life in California.

Top 3 Family Friendly Places to Visit in 2020

January 01, 2019 by Ben Lutz in Destination Guide, Blog, Travel Tips, Lake Tahoe, Paris, Thailand, Europe, USA, Koh Lanta, Hiking, Kids, France

We had a hard time narrowing it down, but below are our top 3 destination picks for Family travel, depending the type of vacation you’re looking for!

Dubrovnik: Beautiful but CROWDED

November 18, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Cavtat, Croatia, Destination Guide, Dubrovnik, Europe, Travel Tips, Video

We recently spent time in Cavtat and Dubrovnik, Croatia and came away with 3 things that will help future travelers! How to deal with the crowds, a cliff jumping bar and where we found the best views of the city! All of that is in this short video! : )

Dubrovnik with a Toddler

October 19, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Blog, Destination Guide, Europe, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Cavtat, Kids, Travel Tips

Dubrovnik has grown immensely in popularity over the past ten years, thanks to things like Yacht Week and a little TV show you may have heard of called “Game Of Thrones”. If you’re visiting in the spring, summer or fall, be prepared for crowds, but don’t let that deter you. There are plenty things to do in Dubrovnik with toddlers!

Exploring the Dubrovnik Coast with Kids

October 18, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Budgeting, Cavtat, Destination Guide, Dubrovnik, Europe, Travel Tips, Video

This video goes through all the pros, cons and budget tips of our time near Dubrovnik, Croatia.

In our opinion, you should AVOID staying in Dubrovnik. While pretty, Dubrovnik can be extremely overcrowded, expensive and not always easy for young kids (tons of stairs, etc) We recommend checking out the towns within an hour of Dubrovnik for a more enjoyable, authentic experience. We believe CAVTAT is where it's at!

In this episode, we rent a boat and cruise the coast, watched some AMAZING sunsets, frolicked in the water right in old town Cavtat and took a ton of drone footage of this beautiful section of Croatia.

Beaches, Bikes & Flamenco in Europe's oldest city

October 08, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Cadiz, spain, Video, Travel Tips, Europe, Destination Guide

Welcome to Western Europe's oldest city! That's right! Cádiz, Spain has a rich history and food culture and is right on the beach, which makes it an awesome destination for any type of traveler!

In this episode, we rent bikes and cruise around town to the beach, we check out a local flamenco show and of course we continue to eat all the delicious tapas! And, as always, we share our pros, cons, and budget tips!

How to Enjoy Tapas with Kids in Seville, Spain

September 22, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Europe, Kids, spain, Travel Tips, Video, Seville

We may have just found our new favorite European city! Seville (or Sevilla to the locals) is extremely family friendly, has some of the most amazing tapas and food culture we've seen and is sprinkled with amazing architecture.

In this episode, we eat our way through Sevilla (WITH OUR TODDLER!). Yes, the late night food culture is kid friendly as long as your kids can stay awake! We also visit one of the most beautiful plazas in Europe (Plaza de Espana) and tour through the world's largest gothic cathedral.

Exploring Switzerland on a Budget

September 16, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Switzerland, Lucerne, Video, Travel Tips, Europe, Destination Guide, Budgeting

In this video we give our insider tips on what it's like traveling to beautiful, but super expensive, Switzerland! And, we're doing it with a toddler in tow!

We stay in Zug and visit Lucerne as a day trip. We break the pedal boat speed record, frolic in the hillsides, visit multiple unique playgrounds and discuss how to get around in one of the most expensive countries in the world.

Discovering the Most Charming Place in Europe

September 08, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Destination Guide, Europe, France, Germany, Kids, Travel Tips, Video, Colmar, Riquewihr

In this video we give our insider tips on what it's like traveling to the wine and charm center of France, the Alsace region! And, we're doing it all with a toddler!

We stay in Colmar and visit Riquewihr, the inspiration for the setting of The Beauty and the Beast! Also, we visit some cheeky monkeys in this episode and fly the drone!

Is Germany the Most Kid Friendly Country?

September 01, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Budgeting, Destination Guide, Europe, Germany, Kids, Travel Tips, Video, Stuttgart, Heidelberg

In this video we give our insider tips on what it's like traveling to Heidelberg and Stuttgart, Germany with with a toddler. We talk through what daily life is like here in the southeastern German state of Baden Württemberg. The good and the bad, but mainly we try to keep it real... and funny, if we can. We share Pros (the good stuff), Cons (the not so good stuff) and a Budget Tip in every episode!

How to: Paris with Kids

August 26, 2018 by Ben Lutz in Destination Guide, Europe, France, Kids, Paris, Travel Tips, Video

Paris was Liesel’s 1st European destination and we give our insider tips on what it's like traveling to Paris with a toddler. We conquer the metro system with no elevators, visit the Eiffel Tower at night and we all eventually conquer our extreme jet lag!