This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What’s There

It’s a compact park, but it’s genuinely well done. There’s a great splash pad, the Muddy Puddles area, which has some fun water slides mixed in, six toddler-friendly rides, a playground, character shows with Peppa and her friends, carnival-style games, a movie theater playing Peppa Pig episodes, a restaurant, and a gift shop, plus more to explore for little kids. The theming throughout is great, it really does feel like walking into the show.

If you want your kids in the splash pad, bring bathing suits without zippers. We learned this one the hard way and had to turn our daughter’s suit inside out on the spot.

We didn’t eat at the restaurant ourselves, but it looked good, and the theming inside was cute enough that I’d consider it next time.

We also caught one of the character shows, and my daughter was clapping wildly for Peppa and her friends the entire time. It was a genuine highlight of the visit.

How Long to Plan

We spent about two to three hours there, and you could probably stretch it to five if your kids are especially into it. I’d plan for this as a half-day activity rather than a full day. Lines for the attractions were short the whole time we were there, so you’re not losing much of your visit standing around waiting.

The Six Rides

• Daddy Pig’s Roller Coaster – A mild first coaster experience (minimum height 36 inches)
• Grampy Rabbit’s Dinosaur Adventure – A ride past dinosaurs and prehistoric mountains (minimum height 34 inches)
• Mr. Bull’s High Striker – A gentle, kid-friendly drop ride (minimum height 36 inches)
• Grandad Dog’s Pirate Boat Ride – A calm family boat ride (no height requirement)
• Peppa Pig’s Balloon Ride – A soaring hot-air balloon experience (no height requirement)
• Peppa’s Pedal Bike Tour – An interactive bike path for children (no height requirement)

My son absolutely loved the roller coaster, he had so much fun on it that we rode it more than once. My daughter’s favorite was the pirate boat ride, she was thrilled to captain her own little ship. And honestly, the bikes were a huge hit with both of them, more than I expected going in.

Combining with Legoland

We didn’t combine our visit with Legoland Florida, but you definitely could, they share the same parking lot, so it’s an easy pairing if you want to make a full day of it. One thing worth knowing: parking costs extra on top of admission.

Getting Around with a Stroller

Bringing a stroller is genuinely easy here. There’s stroller parking all over the park, so you’re never stuck dragging it somewhere inconvenient. Diaper changing stations in the restrooms were plentiful and clean everywhere we went too.

Hours

The park is typically open daily from 10am to 5pm, though this can shift by season and day of the week, sometimes closing as early as 4pm. Worth double-checking the official hours before you head out, since they do change.

Getting Tickets

You can book official tickets here ahead of your visit.

Looking for more Florida day trip ideas? Browse everything under Florida with Kids.

Planning a family trip to Florida or anywhere else? Email me at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and I’ll help you put it together.

The post Peppa Pig Theme Park with Toddlers: A Half-Day Win appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Getting Up the Mountain

Mount Rigi has been nicknamed the “Queen of the Mountains” for a couple hundred years now, and it’s home to the very first cogwheel railway ever built in Europe, dating back to 1871. Queen Victoria herself was famously carried up in a sedan chair back in 1868, just a few years before the railway made that unnecessary. All of which is to say, this mountain has been a beloved family destination for a very long time, and it’s easy to see why once you’re there.

We ate breakfast at the hotel, which was included, and headed out to explore. You take a cable car up the mountain, booked through the SBB Mobile app, and it’s genuinely one of the most fun parts of the whole trip. The walk to the cable car is easy but does involve stairs, so it’s not stroller-friendly at that point, and if you have mobility issues, I’d recommend a taxi instead.

The cable car takes about 10 minutes up to Rigi Kaltbad. From there, you can also take a short cogwheel train (about 15 more minutes) up to Rigi Kulm.

If you want to cover the cable car, cogwheel train, and unlimited travel around the mountain in one purchase, the Rigi day pass is worth booking ahead of time.

Rigi Kaltbad

Rigi Kaltbad has a large mountain playground that’s easy to get to with a stroller, along with shops, restaurants, and plenty of walking trails. The entire mountain is car-free, which makes it especially easy and relaxed with kids. We spent a good amount of time here before heading further up.

Rigi Kaltbad to Rigi First

From Kaltbad, you can walk to Rigi First, a simple, flat, stroller-friendly walk. It’s an easy, low-key stretch that works well if your kids need a break from being carried or strolled.

Rigi Kulm, the Summit

From First, take the cogwheel train up to Rigi Kulm, the summit. Kulm has the Rigi Kulm Chapel, a small alpine walking loop around the summit ridge, and a short trail toward Rigi Staffel. There’s also a small railway museum up top, a nice tie-in given the mountain’s railway history.

Where We Ate

We had lunch back at Restaurant Alpina in Kaltbad on our way back down, cozy Swiss classics and genuinely good for families.

Other restaurant options near Rigi:

Near Rigi Kaltbad:

• Rigistübli (Hotel Rigi Kaltbad) – Self-service with regional dishes and soups, has a terrace
• Berggasthaus Unterstetten or Bergsonne – Traditional mountain fare
• Panorama Restaurant Kaltbad – Kid-friendly with an outdoor terrace

Between First and Kulm:

• Chalet Schild – A chalet-style stop with outdoor space and a game area

At the summit (Rigi Kulm):

• Summit Restaurant (Kulm) – Full sit-down with panoramic lake and Alps views, a great option for a scenic lunch if your schedule allows
• Rigi Kulm Hotel Restaurant

Heading Back

After the cable car back down to Weggis, we had dinner reservations at Riva, a lovely waterfront restaurant right in town. This was genuinely one of the best days of the entire trip, and I’d recommend it to any family visiting this region.

For general tips on getting around Switzerland, currency, language, and a few other practical things, check out the tips section in our Lucerne and Weggis post.

Before You Go

I put together a free Hotel Upgrade Guide with the exact strategies I use to get room upgrades, resort credits, and better rates. Grab it below.

Want Help Planning Your Trip?

If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland or anywhere else in Europe and want help with accommodations, activities, or building out the perfect itinerary, I do this for families all the time and it costs you nothing.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Mount Rigi with Kids: The Best Day of Our Switzerland Trip appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

Getting There

We used points transferred to LifeMiles to book business class tickets from Tampa to Zurich, with a layover in Montreal. I was nervous about the 1.5 hour layover, but immigration for Americans on a connecting flight through Montreal is simple and only took a few minutes. We even had time to check out the Air Canada lounge before our next flight.

Zurich Airport to Lucerne

We landed in Zurich the next morning and used the SBB Mobile app to book a direct train straight to Lucerne. The train station is inside the airport, and the app itself is genuinely easy to use, you’ll end up relying on it for basically every form of transportation for the rest of the trip. The trains are also incredibly kid-friendly, many of them even have playgrounds!

Once we got to the Luzern train station, we stored our bags there before heading out to explore. None of the lockers were big enough for our luggage, so we went up to the main office and they held our bags for a small fee. Simple, and worth doing so you’re not dragging suitcases around Old Town.

Exploring Lucerne

From the train station, walk into the big open square, Bahnhofplatz, then head slightly left toward the wooden bridge, Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge). Walk across it, take in the painted panels, and check out the water tower, Wasserturm, right next to it.

Once you cross the bridge, you’re in Old Town. We spent time wandering Weinmarkt, Hirschenplatz, and Spreuer Bridge, all within easy walking distance of each other.

For lunch, we had a shortlist of options: Wirthaus Galliker, Restaurant Zunfthausrestaurant Pfistern, Fondue House Du Pont, or just grabbing sandwiches from a bakery in Old Town and heading to a playground if the kids needed a break. We ended up at Restaurant Schiff, where we split a fondue and the kids ordered off the kids menu. Everyone left happy.

After lunch, we walked to the Lion Monument. It’s worth knowing going in that this one is a somber stop rather than a lighthearted photo op, it’s a memorial carved into a rock face honoring Swiss Guards killed in 1792, and Mark Twain once called it the most mournful piece of stone in the world. There’s a park nearby, though, which gives kids a place to run around after.

From there, we headed back toward Lake Lucerne, walking southeast to rejoin the waterfront promenade, where we watched swans and got ice cream.

One thing worth knowing: Lucerne itself is extremely busy. I’d genuinely recommend doing what we did and basing yourself just outside the city instead. Weggis ended up being one of our favorite stops on the entire trip.

If we’d had more time in Lucerne, we also would have checked out the Swiss Museum of Transport, which came highly recommended to us. We ran out of time and had to save it for next visit.

Getting to Weggis

We grabbed our luggage from the train station and walked to the ferry dock, following signs for Schiff. We booked our boat tickets through the same SBB Mobile app, you just put in your starting point and destination and it shows you all the available options, boats included.

We booked second class tickets, but next time I’d book first class instead, since it opens up more seating options. The boat is technically part of Switzerland’s public transportation system, but it doesn’t feel like it at all. It’s toddler and family friendly, with elevators, storage for luggage and strollers, and food and drinks available, though our ride was short enough that we didn’t need much. If the weather’s good, try to sit on the right side of the boat, on the upper deck outside.

Weggis

We got off the boat and walked a short distance to our hotel, Seehof Hotel Du Lac. I booked this through my travel agency, as it was by far the most cost-effective option for a nice hotel. After checking in and unpacking, we headed back out to explore. There are a few small playgrounds within easy walking distance, and an ice cream stand set up right near the boat station. We spent the evening just walking along the water, eating ice cream, and letting the kids explore.

For dinner, we kept it simple with pizza at Pizzeria SeeHotel Gotthard, right near both the waterfront and our hotel.

From here, we spent our second full day exploring Mount Rigi right from Weggis, which gets its own post since there’s a lot to cover.

A Few General Tips for Visiting Switzerland

You probably don’t need a rental car. Public transportation here is reliable and genuinely easy to navigate, trains, boats, and cable cars all included. Download the SBB Mobile app before you go, since you’ll use it constantly.

Learn a few phrases in Swiss German. Plenty of people speak English, but it’s worth knowing please, thank you, and how to order at a restaurant, along with how to ask if someone speaks English in Swiss German. We ran into a couple of spots without an English speaker available. That said, if you don’t speak a word of it, you’ll almost certainly still be fine.

Switzerland uses Swiss Francs, not Euros. It’s easy to assume otherwise since it’s surrounded by the EU, but Switzerland isn’t a member. Cards are widely accepted, but it’s worth having a little cash on hand too.

Public drinking fountains are everywhere, and the water is safe to drink. This is a genuinely great one for families, refilling water bottles for free while you’re out all day with kids adds up.

Sundays are quiet. Most shops, including grocery stores, are closed on Sundays, so plan any errands or shopping around that.

Bring the right power adapter. Switzerland uses a different plug type (Type J) than most of the rest of Europe, so a standard EU adapter won’t always work. Double-check before you pack.

Before You Go

I put together a free Hotel Upgrade Guide with the exact strategies I use to get room upgrades, resort credits, and better rates. Grab it below.

Want Help Planning Your Trip?

If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland or anywhere else in Europe and want help with accommodations, activities, or building out the perfect itinerary, I do this for families all the time and it costs you nothing.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Lucerne and Weggis with Kids: The First Stop on Our Switzerland Trip appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

We got in from Zurich on the train around 11:30am, stored our luggage at the station, following signs for Gepäckaufbewahrung, and set off to explore Zurich’s Old Town, the Altstadt.

Exploring Old Town

We walked Bahnhofstrasse, the famous shopping street that starts right at the main train station, then wandered through Limmatquai and the Old Town alleys, stopping to stroll along the river. We grabbed coffee and chocolate at Confiserie Sprüngli, and stopped by Grossmünster Church, Fraumünster Church, and Bürkliplatz. If you have extra time, the Rathaus and Münsterhof are worth a look too, though we treated those as optional.

We had lunch in Old Town, then had the choice to either take a boat ride or ride tram line 4 or 6 down to the lake, Zürichsee, to walk the promenade.

Old Town restaurant options:

Classic Swiss and local favorites:

• Zeughauskeller – A historic Swiss beer hall with hearty dishes like sausages, rösti, and schnitzel, casual and easy with kids
• Haus Hiltl – A world-famous vegetarian restaurant with a buffet and kids’ options, relaxed and fun
• Trattoria Sempre Zürich – Italian classics, pasta and pizza, easy for picky eaters
• Spaghetti Factory – Another solid Italian option with pasta kids tend to love
• Restaurant Brasserie Johanniter – A casual Swiss brasserie on Niederdorfstrasse with a relaxed vibe

More options nearby:

• Zum Königstuhl – Schweizer Restaurant in Zürich Niederdorf – A lovely Swiss spot tucked into a historic corner
• Restaurant Enja – A great all-around menu with friendly service
• Swiss Chuchi Restaurant – Classic Swiss meals, including fondue if you want to try it again
• Raclette Factory – Cheese-focused menu, a comforting meal kids generally love

The Victorinox Flagship Store

One stop worth calling out on its own: we visited the Victorinox flagship store in Zurich, where you can customize your own Swiss Army knife. Victorinox has been making these since 1884, when founder Karl Elsener opened a small cutler’s workshop, and the company is still family-run today. My son and husband both loved picking out and personalizing their own, and we brought home a few as gifts.

Where We Stayed Before Flying Home

We took the train back to the airport and stayed at Hyatt Place Zurich Airport The Circle, which was incredibly convenient. There’s a direct walkway from the hotel straight to the airport the morning of your flight, so I’d genuinely recommend staying at The Circle before any early flight out of Zurich. There are a few hotel options there, so I’m sure there is one that fits your needs.

We flew home on Swiss, this time in economy, still booked on miles.

How We Booked It

All of our hotels on this trip were booked through my travel agency rather than directly, and it ended up being significantly cheaper doing it that way.

For general tips on getting around Switzerland, currency, language, and a few other practical things, check out the tips section in our Lucerne and Weggis post.

Before You Go

I put together a free Hotel Upgrade Guide with the exact strategies I use to get room upgrades, resort credits, and better rates. Grab it below.

Want Help Planning Your Trip?

If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland or anywhere else in Europe and want help with accommodations, activities, or building out the perfect itinerary, I do this for families all the time and it costs you nothing.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Zurich with Kids: Old Town, a Swiss Army Knife, and Flying Home appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

Even if you show up completely unprepared and ignore every piece of advice in this post, you will be fine. Your kids will have you, the flight will pass, and everything will be okay.

That said, I do have some things that make our flights noticeably more manageable, so here’s what actually works for us.

Before You Even Get to the Gate

If you have any flexibility in booking, fly nonstop when you can, and try to time the flight around naptime or an overnight red-eye. Sleep working in your favor changes everything.

Once you’re at the airport, let your kids run and burn off energy right up until boarding instead of sitting still and waiting. A tired kid is a much easier kid on a plane.

If budget isn’t a limiting factor, or your points and miles make it possible, booking business class for your kids is a genuine game changer on overnight flights, since the seats recline and they can actually sleep the whole way. Some people have opinions about kids in business class. Honestly, who cares what they think, it’s awesome.

New Toys They’ve Never Seen Before

Novelty does a lot of heavy lifting here. For babies, the little suction toys that stick to the airplane window and spin are great. For older kids, look for something you think they’ll like that they’ve genuinely never had before, fidget boards with switches, magic pen drawing boards with their favorite characters, magnetic travel blocks, that kind of thing.

We also have tablets that our kids exclusively use on airplanes and on trips. They never get them at home, which makes them a huge novelty. For our family, screen time works on vacation, and I’ve made peace with that. The flight goes better, long car rides go better, and we’ll even let our son use it at a nice dinner once he’s finished eating. We throw out most of our normal screen time rules for vacation, and honestly, it makes everything smoother.

Something for Ear Popping

Lollipops, bottles, juice, gum, whatever your kids will actually do. My kids were great on planes while they were still breastfeeding, since I could just nurse them during takeoff, landing, and whenever else they needed it. Once that wasn’t an option anymore, they needed something else to help with the ear pressure.

I get ring pops for my kids now, and since they only get them when we fly, it’s a big deal to them every time. I also prep them a few days before a flight by showing them YouTube videos of planes taking off, which helps build some excitement instead of just anxiety about the unknown.

A Baby Carrier for a Lap Infant

If you’re flying with a lap infant, wearing them in a carrier is a game changer. Some airlines will have you take the baby out of the carrier for takeoff and landing, but the rest of the flight, it’s so nice to have your arms free, especially if the baby falls asleep on you.

Window Seats (Usually)

My kids love looking out the window, so we prioritize window seats whenever we can. It’s a simple thing, but it buys a surprising amount of quiet entertainment.

That said, some parents actually prefer the aisle for the opposite reason, it means you’re not trapped next to a sleeping stranger when you need to get up for a diaper change or a bathroom run. It really depends what you’re optimizing for. We’ve just always leaned window since our kids get so much mileage out of watching the ground disappear.

Gate-Check the Stroller

Bring the stroller all the way to the gate and check it there instead of at bag drop. We actually lost our stroller doing this once, we got it back, but it happened, and we still gate-check every time anyway, because navigating an airport with young kids and no stroller is so much harder than the small risk is worth.

Take Walks and Breaks

Let your kids walk up and down the aisle with you when it’s safe to do so. It’s not exciting, but breaking up the flight with a little movement helps more than you’d expect, for them and for you.

Bring Way More Snacks Than You Think You Need

Pack all their favorites, and if there’s something they don’t normally get at home that you know they’ll love, even better. A flight is a good excuse to bring out the good snacks.

A Few Prep and Hygiene Habits

Do one last diaper change in the airport bathroom before you board, since airplane lavatories are cramped and genuinely awkward for this. Once you’re in your seats, we also wipe down the tray table, armrests, and seatbelt buckle before settling in. Takes two minutes and it’s worth it.

A Few Things People Don’t Always Know

TSA allows more than the standard liquid limit for breast milk, formula, and baby food, so don’t stress about the usual 3-1-1 rule applying to those.

Noise-canceling headphones or soft earplugs can help with general cabin noise for a baby’s ears, separate from the ear-popping issue during takeoff and landing.

If you have a lap infant, you’ll need proof of their age either way, a passport for international flights, and often a birth certificate copy or passport for domestic flights too, since airlines need to confirm they’re actually under 2. Keep a photo of it on your phone just in case.

One Bonus Tip: Ask About the Cockpit

This is a long shot, but it costs nothing to ask. Once you’ve landed, ask the pilot if your kids can peek into the cockpit. Expect a no most of the time, security and scheduling usually make it impossible. But on our last flight of the day, the pilot actually invited my son up to check it out, and it made his whole trip. Worth asking, just don’t expect it.

Give Everyone Some Grace

Manage your own expectations going in. You won’t get much sleep. You won’t read your book. You will survive, and it will be worth it. It’s a new, different experience for your kids too, so try to be patient with them, and with yourself.

Planning a flight with young kids and want a second opinion on timing, layovers, or seat selection? Email me at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and I’ll help you think it through.

The post Tips for Flying with Infants and Toddlers appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

We spent two nights at Great Wolf Lodge Naples last weekend, Sunday through Tuesday, and the kids had an absolute blast. Since you can access the water park anytime on your actual check-in day, we drove down already in our bathing suits, which turned out to be a smart move.

We booked a Family Suite. Some of the other suite options looked more fun on paper, but most have built-in bunk beds and my kids are still young enough that bunk beds felt like a safety risk rather than a perk. I could just picture them climbing all over the top bunk, so we kept it simple.

Check-In Was Rough

The line to check in was long, about 30 minutes, which isn’t the best start when you’ve got excited kids in bathing suits ready to go. Once we got through it, though, we headed straight for the water park and the day turned around fast.

The Water Park

This is obviously the main event, and it delivers. The indoor water park has slides for a wide age range, some built for younger kids and some geared toward older kids and adults, plus a playground area with a few smaller slides mixed in. There’s also a splash pad zone, a play pool with basketball hoops and lily pads to hop across, and a wave pool.

One of the standout features is the giant tipping bucket, a massive bucket mounted above part of the park that fills up over several minutes and then dumps a huge rush of water down on anyone standing underneath. My kids thought this was the funniest thing at the entire resort.

Outside, there’s an additional pool and a hot tub if you want a break from the indoor chaos. All of this, the slides, the pools, the wave pool, is included in your stay, no extra cost.

MagiQuest

Beyond the water park, MagiQuest is probably the biggest draw for a lot of families, ours included. Kids pick out a wand, and older kids go on an actual quest around the resort, following clues to complete an adventure. It seemed like both kids and parents were genuinely into it, not just tolerating it.

What I appreciated most is that they have a toddler-specific option. Instead of the full quest, which a toddler obviously can’t follow, the wand just triggers something fun, lights, sound, movement, when you point it at different spots and treasure chests around the resort. It’s about $6 per toddler (plus the cost of the wand itself), and it’s good for your entire stay. It’s a nice way to let a younger kid feel included without expecting them to understand a real scavenger hunt.

Everything Else There Is to Do

Beyond the water park and MagiQuest, there’s a genuinely long list of extra activities, all at an additional cost, though nothing felt outrageous:

• Bowling
• Mini-golf
• An arcade (we spent a lot of time and a fair amount of money here)
• A gem mining area
• A VR headset game room with a few surprisingly toddler-friendly options, my son loved the dinosaur one
• A ropes course
• An adventure trail
• A Build-A-Bear Workshop

Beyond the paid activities, the resort also runs a rotating lineup of included events for kids, story times, crafts, a bedtime story, yoga, and other seasonal activities. These are worth checking the daily schedule for, since they’re a nice, lower-key break from the water park and don’t cost anything extra.

Where to Eat

There are a handful of dining options on site. Dunkin was a lifesaver in the mornings, since the coffee in the room wasn’t good. There’s also an ice cream parlor, a sit-down dinner restaurant called Fireside, a buffet for breakfast and dinner, and a fast-casual option for lunch where you order ahead online or at a kiosk and pick up your food on either the water park side or the resort side.

I’ll be honest, the food was mediocre and overpriced, which is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a resort like this. If you want great food, I’d recommend leaving the resort.

The Service Issues, Because I’m Not Going to Pretend They Didn’t Happen

A few things happened during our stay that are worth mentioning. During check-in, the front desk employee excused herself to go “drink water” and was gone for about five minutes, which was just strange. We also asked four separate times for a crib to be brought to our room, and at one point they brought us an unrequested iron and ironing board instead, still no crib. Restaurant service was slow too. It took about 20 minutes just to get our drink order taken.

To be fair, everyone we interacted with was friendly, just seemingly overwhelmed. The resort was very busy during our stay, and we went in the middle of summer, so a quieter time of year might mean a smoother experience.

Getting Out of the Resort: Downtown Naples

We also left the resort for an evening and drove into downtown Naples to walk around 5th Ave South and Third Street South, which turned out to be a really nice change of pace from the resort bubble. Both stretches are easy, walkable, and full of shops and restaurants, a good way to stretch your legs and let the kids burn off some energy outside of a water park setting.

USS Nemo, Which Genuinely Surprised Us

While we were out, we ate dinner at USS Nemo, and I need to talk about this because it caught us completely off guard. It’s tucked into an unassuming strip mall, the kind of location that gives you zero expectations walking in, and the food was outstanding. We brought the kids and the whole family ate there together.

We split the foie gras appetizer to start and we both ordered the miso sea bass, which might be one of the best things either of us has eaten in Florida. We genuinely love seeking out great restaurants wherever we travel, and this ended up being one of the top five restaurants we’ve eaten at in this entire state. Not what we expected walking into a strip mall, and exactly the kind of find that makes a trip better.

Is It Worth It?

This is not a luxury resort, and it’s not trying to be one. If you want a higher caliber stay, you could book somewhere else in Naples and just buy a day pass to the water park instead. But the actual point of this trip was to keep the kids entertained, and on that front, it delivered completely. They didn’t notice or care about any of the service hiccups. They had the time of their lives.

I’ll probably go back, just with more realistic expectations next time, and I might look into staying elsewhere in Naples and buying a day pass instead of booking the room directly.

Want Help Booking This Trip?

Whether you want to book Great Wolf Lodge Naples exactly like we did, or you’d rather stay somewhere more upscale in Naples and just add on a day pass to the water park, I can help put that together as your travel advisor, at no extra cost to you.

Email me at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and let me know what you’re thinking.

The post Great Wolf Lodge Naples: An Honest Review After Our Weekend Stay appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

What Points and Miles Actually Are

At the most basic level, points and miles are a currency you earn instead of cash back. You spend money the way you already do, on groceries, gas, your phone bill, whatever, and instead of getting 1-2% back in cash, you earn points that can be worth significantly more when you redeem them for travel.

The reason this matters is redemption value. A dollar of cash back is always worth a dollar. A point, redeemed well, can be worth two, three, sometimes four times that. That gap is where the “free” trips actually come from. Nobody is giving you anything for free. You’re spending money you were going to spend anyway, and choosing to get paid in a currency that’s worth more if you use it right.

One more basic distinction that matters a lot: not all points work the same way. Some cards are tied to one specific airline or hotel, so the points you earn can only ever be used with that one brand. Other cards earn a flexible, transferable currency instead, points that can be moved into several different airline or hotel programs depending on where you actually want to go. Flexible currencies are almost always the better starting point, since they don’t lock you into one loyalty program before you know what you actually like to book.

Why This Is Worth Learning

I know this can feel like a rabbit hole that’s not worth the time. Here’s why I’d push back on that. I genuinely don’t think I’ve paid cash for an airplane ticket in YEARS. We didn’t pay full price for most of our United Kingdom trip, five people across six stops, and we still saved over $13,000 compared to paying cash the whole way. That’s not a fluke or a one-time trick. It’s the same basic system applied consistently, trip after trip.

You don’t need to become an obsessive points person to benefit from this. You need to understand a handful of concepts and build one or two habits. That’s genuinely most of it.

Flights Are Where Points Actually Shine

Here’s something that took me a while to fully internalize: points and miles are not equally good for every type of redemption. They’re genuinely great for flights, especially long-haul and premium cabin seats where cash prices are steep. They’re a lot shakier for hotels, especially anything higher-end.

The reason comes down to what you’re giving up. When you book a hotel through a points portal, the room itself gets booked, but a lot of what actually makes a stay great, confirmed upgrades, welcome amenities, extra points earning, someone who can call the property directly if something goes sideways, tends to disappear. Hotels prioritize their best treatment for bookings that come through preferred channels, and a points portal booking usually isn’t one of them. You end up with a room, but not necessarily the best version of that room, and no one in your corner if something needs fixing.

Flights don’t have that same problem. A ticket is just a ticket, so this is genuinely one of the best ways to stretch your own points.

The Part Most Beginners Get Backwards

Here’s something that surprised me when I first started: your everyday spending is not where the real value comes from. It’s a nice bonus, but it’s slow. The real engine of this whole hobby is welcome bonuses, the big chunk of points a card gives you for signing up and hitting a spending requirement (usually spending a set amount of money on the card within the first 3 months or so) in the first few months. A single well-timed welcome bonus can hand you more points than a full year of grocery and gas spending combined.

That reframes the whole approach. You’re not trying to funnel more of your life through one card and hope it adds up. You’re strategically applying for cards with strong bonuses, meeting the spend requirement with money you were already going to spend, and collecting the bonus. Then you decide whether to keep using the card or move on to the next one. If you decide not to keep it, you can usually cancel it after a year without penalty.

The Starter Framework

If you’re starting from zero, here’s the order I’d actually do this in.

1. Pick one card built around a flexible, transferable point currency. Not a card tied to one specific airline. A flexible currency can move to multiple airline partners, which means you’re not locked into one loyalty program before you even know what you like to book.

The easiest way to actually decide which card to open is to work backwards from a real trip. Think of somewhere you want to go in the next year or two. Look into which airlines actually fly that route, then figure out which transferable point currencies have a transfer partnership with those airlines. That tells you exactly which card makes sense to open. By the time you’ve met the card’s spend requirement, you’ll likely be right around the point where you can transfer your points and book the flight for the trip you had in mind from the start.

2. Put your normal spending on it. Groceries, gas, subscriptions, whatever you’re already paying for. The goal isn’t to spend more, it’s to redirect spending you were doing anyway onto a card that earns a currency worth more than cash back.

3. Use those points for flights. This is where your points work hardest. Save the hotel side of the equation for the next section. Once you’re ready to actually transfer points into an airline program to book, there’s an important detail to know about transfer ratios, covered a bit further down.

4. Add a second card only once you understand the first one. This is where things start to snowball, but it’s also where beginners get overwhelmed and give up. One card, used well and redeemed well, will get you further than three cards you don’t fully understand.

Before you open a second or third card, it’s worth knowing that banks have their own rules about how often you can apply and how often you can earn a bonus on the same card. Chase, for example, has something called the 5/24 rule, and some cards have “lifetime language” that limits you to earning that card’s welcome bonus only once, ever, no matter how much time has passed. These rules vary by bank and by card, and they genuinely matter once you start applying for more than one, but that’s a deeper topic than this post is meant to cover. For now, just know it’s there, and do a little research on the specific cards you’re considering before you apply for a second one.

What I’d Actually Do for Hotels, If You’re Just Starting Out

Given everything above, my honest recommendation for beginners is to prioritize your points for flights and let me handle the hotel side as your travel advisor. Booking through a preferred travel advisor channel often unlocks confirmed upgrades, resort credits, welcome amenities, and bonus points that a points portal booking simply doesn’t offer, and it doesn’t cost you anything extra to book that way. You keep your points for what they’re usually best at, and you still walk away with a great room.

I say usually on purpose. Once you get more comfortable with this, there are real exceptions where redeeming points for a hotel is a genuinely great move, certain loyalty programs and certain properties price out extremely well on points if you know where to look. And honestly, if budget is the thing standing between you and a trip you really want to take, using points to cover a hotel you couldn’t otherwise afford is a completely valid call. That’s actually been true for our family more than once. The advice above is a strong beginner default, not a rule that applies to every single situation.

If you’re not sure which card even makes sense for a trip you’re planning, this is exactly the kind of question I’m happy to help with. Email me the trip you’re thinking about and I can help point you toward the right card to open.

A Few Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Early On

• Sign-up bonuses matter more than day-to-day earning rates. The bulk of the value in this hobby comes from bonuses, not from slowly accumulating points on your grocery bill.
• Transfers to airline programs aren’t always one-to-one. When you move a flexible currency into an airline’s mileage program, some partners transfer at a full 1:1 ratio and others transfer at a discount, so your points can shrink the moment they land. On the flip side, banks periodically run transfer bonuses that boost your points by 25% or more, so it’s worth checking before you transfer rather than assuming the number you see today is the number you’ll get. And once points transfer into an airline program, they generally can’t move back, so confirm the flight, the price, and the available award space before you pull the trigger, not after.
• Award availability isn’t guaranteed. Just because you have points doesn’t mean your exact dates and flight will have award space open. Booking further in advance gives you more options, and award search tools can alert you when space opens up on a route you’re watching. If you want business class seats for a family of 4, you generally need to book a year in advance or last minute.
• The cheapest way to book a flight isn’t always through the airline you’re actually flying. Award pricing can be surprisingly inconsistent, and sometimes a partner airline’s program prices the exact same flight lower than the operating airline’s own program does. It’s worth a quick check before you book.
• This only works if you’re not carrying a balance. If you’re paying interest, none of this math works in your favor anymore. Points and miles are a strategy for people who already pay their card off in full, not a reason to start not doing that.

The Short Version

If you take nothing else from this post: pick one card that earns a flexible, transferable currency, put your normal spending on it, use the points for flights, and let me handle your hotels. That’s genuinely most of it. Everything else is just detail you’ll pick up as you go.

Where to Go From Here

This post is meant to be the starting point, not the whole picture. I’ll be sharing the specific cards I actually use and recommend in a future post, since that’s the kind of thing that changes as offers shift and I want to keep it current rather than let it go stale here.

In the meantime, if you want to see this in action, here’s exactly how we booked our entire United Kingdom trip using this same approach.

Ready to Use Your Points the Smart Way?

Use your points and miles for what they do best, usually flights, and let me handle the hotel side as your travel advisor, no extra cost to you, and often better perks than you’d get booking it yourself. Not sure which card to open for a trip you’re planning? Send me the details and I’ll help point you in the right direction.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Points and Miles 101: How To Start Earning Free Flights appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Why This Stretch of Florida Is Covered in Shark Teeth

If you’ve never done this before, it sounds almost made up: you walk into ankle-deep water, scoop up some sand, and there are shark teeth in it. Here’s the actual reason why.

Millions of years ago, during the Miocene epoch, most of Florida was underwater, covered by a warm, shallow sea packed with marine life, sharks included. Sharks constantly shed and regrow teeth their whole lives, so an enormous number of them settled into the seafloor over time. That layer, called the Peace River Formation, sits close to the surface along this stretch of coast, and constant wave action slowly erodes it, releasing fossilized teeth onto the beach pretty much every day. It’s part of why Venice calls itself the Shark Tooth Capital of the World, and Manasota, Caspersen, and Venice Beach all sit on the same fossil-rich shelf.

What’s wild to me is that my home beach on Anna Maria Island is only about 30 miles north as the crow flies, and we almost never find teeth there. It really does come down to this specific stretch of coastline and how the fossil layer erodes here versus everywhere else nearby.

Why We Chose Manasota Over Caspersen Beach

Caspersen Beach is the most talked-about spot for this, but the parking lot there is currently unavailable, so we went with Manasota instead, which I’d call a very solid choice. It has plenty of parking, lifeguards, showers, and bathrooms, all of which matter a lot more once you’ve got toddlers in tow. We walked about five minutes down the beach to get away from the crowd near the entrance and set up there.

What You Actually Need

• A sand shovel/scooper built for exactly this. You can also use a small plastic one if that’s what you have!
• A sifter (the little plastic ones that come with basic beach toy sets work totally fine)
• A floating shark tooth sifter if you want one, which made a real difference for me specifically since I was managing kids in the waves at the same time. My friend didn’t have one and did just fine, so it’s a nice-to-have, not a requirement.
• Life jackets for any non-swimmers in your group. This was probably my best tip of the day. Get your toddler in a life jacket and you can actually be hands-free while you dig.

How to Actually Find Teeth

You can find teeth just walking along the sand, and we did pick up a couple that way. But we had by far the best luck right at the edge of the water, where there’s a little sand and shell shelf and the waves break. Take your shovel, scoop some of that sand and shell mixture into your sifter, sift the loose sand away, and look for small black triangles left behind. Once you know what you’re looking for, you start spotting them fast.

We found a huge range of teeth in an hour, all on the smaller side, but people do find megalodon teeth in this area, so keep an eye out for anything unusually large. We also came home with a fossilized puffer fish mouth plate and what I’m fairly confident was a fossilized stingray barb, so it’s not just sharks you might walk away with.

Where to Eat After

We headed north to Nokomis for lunch at Pop’s Sunset Grill, which turned out to be a great call. It’s kid-friendly, we sat close to the water, and the kids stayed entertained watching dolphins and boats go by while we ate.

A few other kid-friendly spots in the area worth trying:

• Dockside Waterfront Grill – Waterfront seating and a relaxed, family vibe.
• Nokomo’s Sunset Hut – Casual and easygoing, good if you want something low-key after a beach morning.
• Sharky’s on the Pier – A Venice classic right on the Gulf, with a laid-back setup that’s easy with kids.

More to Do Nearby

If you want to extend the day, Centennial Park in downtown Venice has a great splash pad and playground, an easy stop to let the kids run off any extra energy after a morning of digging in the sand.

I also haven’t made it to Wellen Park myself yet, but it’s on my list. From what I’ve read, downtown Wellen Park is built around an 80-acre lake with a splash pad, playgrounds, a 2.8-mile walking trail, and kayak and paddleboard rentals right on the water, plus a mix of casual and sit-down restaurants. It sounds like a strong option either paired with a beach day or as its own outing, and I’ll update this once we’ve actually been.

Looking for more Florida day trip ideas? Browse everything under Florida with Kids.

Planning something bigger than a day trip? Email me at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Shark Tooth Hunting at Manasota Beach with Toddlers appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

This post is the map. Below, I’ve broken the trip down by region, with a quick take on each stop and a link to the full guide for all the details, where to stay, what to do, where to eat, and everything we’d do differently. If you’re planning your own UK trip with kids, use this as a starting point and pull whichever regions fit what you’re after.

England

London

London was our first stop, and it’s more stroller-friendly and kid-tolerant than people expect. We’ve actually done it twice with little ones, once with just our son as a baby, and again with both kids as part of this bigger trip. Parks everywhere, free museums, a Tube system that mostly works with a stroller, and food that’s a lot better than London gets credit for.

Read the full London with Kids guide.

The Scottish Highlands

This was the heart of the trip, and if you only have time for one region of Scotland with kids, this is the one I’d point you toward.

Inverness

Inverness was our first stop in Scotland and it earned its reputation as the gateway to the Highlands. We stayed at a working farm just outside the city, took a short Loch Ness cruise, and used it as a home base for day trips to castles and battlefields nearby.

Read the full Inverness with Kids guide.

Isle of Skye

From Inverness, we drove to Skye, stopping at Eilean Donan Castle along the way. Skye is bigger and slower to get around than it looks on a map, so we picked a section and focused on it rather than trying to see the whole island. Fairy Glen and the Fairy Pools were both very doable with toddlers, and Old Man of Storr and Quiraing were better appreciated from a viewpoint than a full hike with little ones.

Read the full Isle of Skye with Kids guide.

Glencoe

We left Skye by ferry and made our way to Glencoe, stopping first at Glenfinnan to catch the Jacobite Steam Train crossing the viaduct, the real-life inspiration behind the Hogwarts Express. Glencoe itself is some of the most dramatic scenery in the Highlands, and we stayed right on the water at a hotel where the kids spent hours skipping rocks. This region is also where we started picking up Outlander filming locations, including Doune Castle and Midhope Castle, on the drive south.

Read the full Glencoe with Kids guide.

The Scottish Borders

Schloss Roxburghe

After Glencoe, we headed south to the Scottish Borders for three nights at Schloss Roxburghe, a castle hotel we found through the points and miles world that turned out to be one of the most family-friendly luxury properties we’ve stayed at. Kids club, a playground on the grounds, and a pool schedule that split the day between family time and adult time. The surrounding area is packed with castles, abbeys, and day trip options if you’re driving down toward England.

Read the full Schloss Roxburghe review.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh was our final stop, and it closed the trip out well. It’s genuinely easy to navigate with kids, walkable, and dense with things to do, Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, playgrounds tucked into the city, plus a real cluster of Harry Potter and Outlander spots if your family is into either. We also snuck away for a few evenings once my mom was on kid duty, and Edinburgh’s bar scene deserves its own mention.

Read the full Edinburgh with Kids guide.

How We Paid for All of It

This was a big trip for our family, five people across six stops, and we didn’t pay full price for most of it. We used a mix of transferable points, free night certificates, and cash where it made sense, and ended up saving over $13,000 compared to what it would have cost paying cash the whole way.

See exactly how we booked the entire trip here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a UK and Scotland trip with kids be?
We spent just over two weeks covering London, the Highlands, the Borders, and Edinburgh, and it felt full without being rushed. If you’re tighter on time, I’d rather you cut a region entirely than try to squeeze all four into a week.

Do you need a car for this whole trip?
Yes, for most of it. London and Edinburgh are both walkable on their own, but everything in between, Inverness, Skye, Glencoe, and the Borders, requires a car. We picked up a rental after London and dropped it off before flying out of Edinburgh.

What age is best for a trip like this?
We did this with a 4 year old and a 1 year old, and it worked, but it wasn’t effortless. The driving days are long, and a lot of the Highlands scenery is more of a “look out the window” experience than a hands-on one for younger toddlers. If your kids are old enough to handle a hike or two, you’ll get more out of the outdoor stops.

Is this trip better for Harry Potter or Outlander fans?
Honestly, both. Glencoe and Edinburgh alone cover a real mix of filming locations and inspiration spots for each, so you don’t have to choose one over the other to build a trip around it.

How far in advance should you book something like this?
We booked most of our hotels using points and free night certificates, which meant planning several months out to make sure award availability lined up with our dates. If you’re paying cash, you have more flexibility, but I’d still book 3 to 4 months ahead for peak summer travel.

Before You Go

I put together a free Hotel Upgrade Guide with the exact strategies I use to get room upgrades, resort credits, and better rates. Grab it below.

Want Help Planning Your Trip?

If you’re planning a trip to the UK or Scotland and want help figuring out where to stay, how to sequence your stops, or how to pay for it with points, I do this for families all the time and it costs you nothing.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post UK & Scotland with Kids: Our Full Trip Guide appeared first on The Family Takeoff.

We drove up to Edinburgh from Schloss Roxburghe in the Scottish Borders for the final leg of our United Kingdom summer trip.

This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Where to Stay in Edinburgh

We stayed at the Residence Inn Edinburgh, which turned out to be a great location. It sits basically inside the University of Edinburgh campus, which makes it quieter than most other areas in the city while still being centrally located and walkable to Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Mile, and most of the major tourist attractions.

This isn’t a luxury or fancy property. It’s clean, offers free breakfast, and fit all five of us in one room, which is really what we needed for this leg of the trip. I used free night certificates to book it. See exactly how I booked our entire United Kingdom trip here.

If you’re looking for something with more of a wow factor, a few other hotels in Edinburgh worth considering:

• Kimpton Charlotte Square
• The Gleneagles Townhouse
• Prestonfield House
• The Balmoral

Things to Do in Edinburgh with Kids

Edinburgh Castle Pre-book your timed-entry tickets. They sell out often, and you don’t want to plan a whole day around this and get shut out.

The Royal Mile After the castle, we walked down the Royal Mile and explored the pubs, restaurants, and shops along the way. It stretches from Edinburgh Castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, so it’s an easy through-line for your day.

Scotch Whisky Experience This one didn’t work for us. It’s dark inside and it scared my toddler enough that we had to leave partway through. I think this would be a fine stop for adults or families with older kids, but it was a miss with a little one.

The Scottish Storytelling Centre One of my favorite finds on the Royal Mile. It has a great bookstore and is an easy, low-key stop to break up a day of walking.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse The official Scottish residence of the King, and worth a stop if you’re already headed down the Royal Mile.

Meadows Play Park A solid playground near the Residence Inn Edinburgh if your kids need to burn off energy.

Arthur’s Seat Sunrise or sunset if you’re up for it, but the middle of the day is probably easier if you’ve got toddlers with you. It’s a real hike with uneven terrain, so plan accordingly if you’re bringing little ones.

Grassmarket Square Great for wandering and street shopping, and an easy add-on if you’re already down near the castle.

Dynamic Earth Pair this with the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Arthur’s Seat since they’re all right next to each other. It’s interactive and hands-on, which makes it a good fit for kids.

National Museum of Scotland Free to enter and genuinely great for families. Plan for more time here than you’d expect.

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh A big outdoor space that’s easy to let kids run around in after a lot of walking on cobblestones.

Princes Street Gardens Has a playground, so this is a good stop to break up sightseeing with actual play time.

The Kids Secret Garden A small playground-type spot near the Residence Inn Edinburgh, good for a quick stop close to the hotel.

Dean Village One of the most photogenic spots in the city and an easy, flat walk.

Calton Hill Similar views to Arthur’s Seat but a much easier climb, so a good alternative if Arthur’s Seat feels like too much with kids.

Harry Potter Fans, This One’s for You

The Elephant House Cafe Known as the birthplace of Harry Potter since JK Rowling wrote here in the 1990s. It closed for four years after a 2021 fire but reopened in December 2025, so it’s back and worth the stop.

Victoria Street Said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley, and it’s a fun, colorful street to wander regardless.

Greyfriars Kirkyard Home to Tom Riddle’s actual gravestone, which is a fun little pilgrimage stop for HP fans.

Alnwick Castle If you’re up for a day trip, Alnwick Castle over the border in Northumberland is where several Harry Potter scenes were filmed, Hogwarts flying lessons included.

The Jacobite Steam Train This is the real-life inspiration behind the Hogwarts Express, and we actually rode it during our stop in Glencoe. If you want to fit it into your trip, it’s worth planning around Glencoe rather than Edinburgh since that’s where you’ll catch it.

Outlander Fans, This One’s for You

Bakehouse Close The street behind here was used as the filming location for Jamie’s print shop in Outlander.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse Already mentioned above, but worth calling out again here since it plays into the Jacobite history Outlander fans will recognize.

The World’s End – A real pub on the Royal Mile that’s mentioned by name in Gabaldon’s Voyager (book three), where Jamie has to bail Mr. Willoughby out of trouble. The show’s version was built on a studio set, but this real pub carries the same name and history, sitting right on the old Flodden Wall boundary. Book ahead, it fills up fast.

More Outlander Filming Locations If you’re chasing Outlander spots beyond Edinburgh, check out my Glencoe post, where I cover some of the filming locations we visited on this same trip.

Where to Eat in Edinburgh with Kids

Dishoom One of my favorite restaurants, period. It’s Indian food, but it’s approachable and kid-friendly, and the atmosphere is lively enough that my kids were happy just people watching while we ate.

Oink Quick, walk-up hog roast rolls right on Victoria Street, next door to the Harry Potter shop. Good for a fast, casual bite between sightseeing stops, though seating is limited.

Duck & Waffle A buzzy, all-day spot in St James Quarter with brunch, dinner, and a relaxed vibe that works fine with kids in tow.

The Outsider Modern European food with a genuinely great Edinburgh Castle view from the dining room. Casual enough for kids, and worth booking ahead for a window table.

Ciao Roma Italian, easy and familiar if your kids need a reliable pasta night.

Tapas3 Spanish tapas, good for sharing plates if your kids are willing to try a bit of everything.

Salt Horse Casual beer and burgers, an easy low-key option with kids.

Lanna Bakery A great stop for breakfast or a bakery snack, but not really set up for a full meal.

If You Have a Babysitter… We Loved These Spots

When we’re in a new city, we love sneaking away to check out some of the world’s best bars. On this trip, my mom watched the kids for an evening so we could get out and explore a few spots in Edinburgh.

Date night spots:

• Hey Palu Cocktail Bar – An intimate bar with great cocktails and a fun atmosphere. Book ahead.
• Panda & Sons Cocktail Bar – A speakeasy with inventive, funky cocktails. Named one of the top 50 bars in the world. Also book ahead.
• Lamplighters – The rooftop bar at The Gleneagles Townhouse.
• The Spence – The cocktail bar on the ground floor of The Gleneagles Townhouse.
• Wedgwood – Classic Scottish dishes done well, a great pick if you want a proper sit-down dinner.

Classic pubs worth a stop:

• Greyfriars Bobby’s Bar – Classic pub food, right near Greyfriars Kirkyard if you’re already in the area.
• Albanach Pub – A Highland-style pub on the Royal Mile with a lot of atmosphere.
• Abbotsford Bar & Restaurant – A historic Victorian bar with real character.
• Deacon Brodie’s Tavern – Named after the inspiration for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and a classic Royal Mile stop.

If you’re lucky enough to get a babysitter, or you’re visiting without kids, this mix of classic pubs and proper date-night spots covers Edinburgh’s nightlife beyond the usual tourist rounds.

FAQs About Edinburgh with Kids

How many days do you need in Edinburgh with kids? Two to three days is a good amount of time. That’s enough to hit the castle, walk the Royal Mile, and fit in a playground or two without feeling rushed.

Is Edinburgh stroller-friendly? Mostly, but the Old Town has a lot of cobblestones and some steep hills, so it’s not effortless. A sturdy stroller helps, and a carrier is worth having as backup for the hillier stretches.

Do you need a car in Edinburgh? No. The city itself is walkable, and Ubers are easy to find when you need them. You’d only want a car if you’re planning day trips outside the city, like Alnwick Castle.

Is Edinburgh Castle worth it with toddlers? Yes, but book your timed-entry tickets ahead of time. It’s a lot of walking and some uneven ground, so pace yourself and don’t feel like you need to see everything.

Is the Scotch Whisky Experience good for kids? Not in our experience. It’s dark inside and it scared my toddler enough that we had to leave early. I’d save this one for adults or families with older kids.

Before You Go

I put together a free Hotel Upgrade Guide with the exact strategies I use to get room upgrades, resort credits, and better rates. Grab it below.

Want Help Planning Your Trip?

If you’re planning a trip to Edinburgh or anywhere else in Scotland and want help with accommodations, activities, or building out the perfect itinerary, I do this for families all the time and it costs you nothing.

Shoot me an email at madison@thefamilytakeoff.com and tell me where you’re headed.

The post Edinburgh with Kids: The Ultimate Family Friendly Guide appeared first on The Family Takeoff.