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  • Sunrise Point, Bryce Canyon
    United States of America

    Things to Do in Bryce Canyon National Park

    Bryce Canyon National Park is an otherworldly fairyland of elegant beauty and shocking colors. Renowned for its rock formations that pierce the sky like rust-colored stalagmites, the canyon’s ethereal desertscape is nothing short of breathtaking. Bryce’s spire-clad environment is utterly…

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  • Utah State Parks
    United States of America

    6 Incredible State Parks in Southern Utah

    Southern Utah is a land of hyperbolic beauty and awe-inspiring desert scenery. Boasting glorious red rock formations and chiseled canyons, it is a destination that is at once dazzling, unique, and otherworldly.  Utah’s national parks understandably get much of the…

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  • Fire Wave Hike
    United States of America

    Things to Do in Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park

    Valley of Fire State Park may be only 50 miles from downtown Las Vegas, but it feels world’s away from the city’s casino-flanked strip. Throughout the park, the stillness of nature replaces a constant whirl of slot machines, and age-old…

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  • Picture Lake in the Heather Meadows
    United States of America

    Driving the Mount Baker Scenic Byway to Artist Point

    Artist Point lies at the end of the Mount Baker Scenic Byway, near Washington’s border with Canada. A striking viewpoint of epic proportions, it boasts a 360 degree canvas of picture perfection.  Artist Point’s craggy snow-clad mountains puncture the horizon…

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  • Palouse Falls Pinnacles
    United States of America

    11 Scenic Waterfalls in Washington State

    When I close my eyes and think of Washington State, rainfall is one of the first things that comes to mind. The northwesternmost corner of the continental US is notoriously wet and dreary.  For most of the year, a thick…

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  • Burr Trail Road in Utah
    United States of America

    Driving the Burr Trail Road in Utah

    Southern Utah’s desolate swath of desert features towering rock spires, chiseled canyons, and lonely dirt roads. It is a place that beckons to explorers and adventure-seekers. A place synonymous with the American West. A place where signs of life abound,…

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“Traveling with kids is just parenting in anothe “Traveling with kids is just parenting in another location.” 

if I could get a dollar every time I heard someone say those words, I would probably be able to fund my next vacation. 
 
And I kind of get it, though I don’t really agree. 

Vacations aren’t really the same once you have little kids. You can’t just laze by the pool for hours and doze off with a book in hand.  Parenting duties don’t magically disappear when you buy a plane ticket. You still have to navigate sleep schedules, deal with tantrums, lug around an obscene amount of bags, and ensure bellies are full of snacks. 

So no, traveling with the kids does not magically make me feel more rested and relaxed. But it does fill my cup in so many other ways.

-It allows me to slow down and watch the kids interact with the world 
-It gives me a break from cooking and household chores
-It helps me feel like I haven’t fully abandoned the Erika that I was pre-kids
-It fills me with my happiest parenting memories 

And I think that it is great for the kids too. 

-It exposes them to other ways of living and helps them understand our shared humanity 
-It teaches them flexibility, adaptability, and patience 
-It ignites their curiosity about anything and everything 

This last trip of to Costa Rica was our first time traveling with two kids. It was sometimes stressful, sometimes difficult, always exhausting, rarely relaxing.

If you think that relaxation is necessary for a successful vacation, then you’ll probably agree that traveling with kids is just parenting with a different backdrop.

But if you travel for the thrill of new experiences, the break from routine, or the enjoyment of seeing new places, then traveling with kids is no obstacle. 

In some ways, bringing them along for the ride makes the experience even better.
Four days into our trip to Costa Rica, I left my c Four days into our trip to Costa Rica, I left my camera at our hotel near Rincon de la Vieja. I only realized my mistake once I arrived at the Monteverde Cloud Forest. And by that point, it was too late to turn around without disrupting our plans for the following day. 

Luckily, I was able to retrieve my camera en route to the airport, prior to returning home. 

I’m so happy I was reunited with my camera, but incredibly disappointed that I don’t have better quality pictures from the second part of our trip. 

Here are a few snapshots of the wildlife from the first three days.
2024. Another year come and gone. Wishing time wou 2024. Another year come and gone. Wishing time would slow down, but grateful for the memories made.
Happy due date to our sweet Selene! I have so many Happy due date to our sweet Selene! I have so many things to be thankful for this year, but the arrival of our new travel buddy tops the list. 

I can’t wait for this next year of adventure as a family of four!
It’s been a busy summer of travels to the Caribb It’s been a busy summer of travels to the Caribbean, Minnesota, Europe, Seattle and Eugene. And then, just like that, I dropped Elio off to school for the first time. 😭 

Looking forward to a year of growth, new transitions, and expanding friendships. And of course, some new exciting travels whenever we can squeeze them in!
Snapshots of the incredible wildlife on South Geor Snapshots of the incredible wildlife on South Georgia Island 🐧 🦭
The White Continent. #antarctica #7thcontinent # The White Continent. 

#antarctica #7thcontinent #atlasoceanvoyages #whitecontinent #instatravel #erikastravels
Loving summer ☀️ Loving summer ☀️
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