Family travel is our favorite adventure and the glue that binds our family together. Traveling with kids is different, but it doesn’t have to be hard. We’ve learned so much about the world and how to navigate it with each trip we’ve taken, and our goal is to share our experiences with other families so that you can join in on the fun.
I started this website back in 2017 as we began planning our family’s full-time travels. I can’t believe it’s been almost 8 years! There have been plenty of ups and downs during that time but through it all I still love what I do: sharing my experience and expertise with other travelers.
To get started, you can check out our Trip Reports by Destination or Travel Gear and Tips.
About Us
I’m Melissa, the 40-something wife of Ronnie and mom to Jacob and Shoshana. I was born in Virginia, but spent almost half of my life in sunny Los Angeles. Since returning from our family gap (two) years, we have relocated to Ohio and I now work full-time on this website along with Travel Car Seat Expert and Los Angeles Traveler (still very much a work in progress). One day I swear I’ll catch up on all the places we’ve been!
In a previous lifetime, I spent several years studying the weather on Mars (no joke!) and then a decade as a trader and analyst in the financial sector. I’m the most serious person in our family and I carry around a head full of random, useless information (just ask my friends!).
Ronnie is an LA native and is slowly adjusting to life in the midwest. He got his first real taste of travel during his semester abroad in Vienna, which he chose in part for easy access to the rest of Europe.
Local food and drink provide a lens for his travel experiences. Ronnie works in the non-profit world and brings so much heart to our family. Ronnie’s a class clown and it’s rubbed off on our kids.
Our son Jacob got his first taste of travel at 3 months old, when he visited Arizona and Hawaii within a month. The last time I updated this about page (2019), his favorite destination has been Thailand… but today he’d tell you it’s Japan!
He really wanted me to update this about page since it was showcasing him as a “little kid”. He’s not going to get a total reprieve, because I love the old photo of him too much to get rid of it entirely. Now that he’s a teenager, Jacob spends his time playing video games, practicing guitar and trumpet and working toward his black belt in Okinawan karate – he’s getting close! He has also pushed our family to take up skiing (as if regular travel wasn’t already expensive enough) so you’ll probably see some more winer content her on the blog in the next few years. He’s a fascinating conversationalist with a biting sense of humor.
Last but certainly not least, Shoshana joined the team almost three years later and got her first passport stamps at 3 months when we visited Germany and the Netherlands. She started off as a peaceful, easy-going kid – that’s what allowed us to travel full-time when she was just 3 years old – and she’s grown into a joyful goofball who takes after Dad’s foodie tendencies. After her recent diagnosis with Celiac Disease, we’re learning how to continue honoring her love of diverse foods while respecting her medical needs.
Shosh doesn’t mess around when it comes to her favorite destination: it’s Hawaii, all day, every day. She’s been to all of the major islands, including some extended and return visits. When she isn’t soaking up the Aloha spirit, she focuses on singing, dancing and piano along with karate and drinking bubble tea with friends.
You’ll also see some frequent guest stars here on the blog these days! We do a lot of multi-generational travel with Ronnie’s family so you’ll often see grandma along with aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. We treasure the time spent together, and it also helps me to experience destinations through the lenses of toddlerhood up through senior travel so that I can report back to you.
