10 Family Travel Blogs that Prove You Can Work, Travel and Have Kids

A list of the best family travel blogs … and an exploration on family, travel + career life. 

Work, travel or family?
Pick two out of three.

Just kidding!

There’s a misconception that women (and men) cannot work, have a family and travel the world.

Spoiler alert: you can. Introducing the best family travel blogs, proving that you really can have it all.

What is “all?”

Whatever you want it to be.

When I grow up, I want to travel the world, own a business, provide jobs, solve problems, be active in my favorite philanthropy, take a big honeymoon trip, have a kid for each hand, invest in real-estate … and take a dance class.

Actually, I don’t ever want to grow up, but I want to do all of those things at some point — especially, that dance class.

Unfortunately, it’s 2017 and there has been more than one point in my life where people have told me that I should pick between a career and a family (or I wouldn’t be writing this article).

Not cool.

What about Jessica Alba and The Honest Company? What about Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s Ines and James? Didn’t you hear Ryan Gosling dedicate his Golden Globe to Eva Mendes and baby #2?

For starters, don’t tell me that I can’t do something when I can show you that it can be done.

You can be a great mother (or father) whether you do or don’t work; whether you work for someone else or whether people work for you. Make it work. Period.

Above all, our lives aren’t stagnant — our lifestyle evolve, mirroring our needs and wants over time.

Growing up, my mom has had a full-time job, ran a non-profit, supported my dad in building his business and still never missed a game or pep rally. She is my #1 role-model. Currently, she’s back in school getting her Masters (while working, while running a non-profit, while supporting my dad in his businesses, while being their for her children and parents — while frequently traveling for fun with my dad).

You can work, travel and support each other and raise a family. That’s my norm; I won’t define yours. You can be a stay-at-home mom or dad, choose not to have kids, or can do both whenever you’re both ready.

I’m not crazy. This isn’t anything new. LOTS of people around the world have a career and family.

You also don’t have to be a family blogger to do these things (if that wasn’t implied). However, since I’ve had the luxury of meeting some very inspirational parent entrepreneurs, I’d like to share my favorite family travel blogs so far:

1. Jet Set Family by Nicole Standley

“What originally began as a travel journal to document Jet-Set Tot’s adventures has become a go-to guide for parents who are still consumed by wanderlust, looking for the feel of a higher-end ‘couples getaway’, but now have to ‘double-date’ with J.I.T.’s or Jet-setters In Training! We make it a point only to feature best-of-the-best on The Jet-Set Family, and unless mentioned otherwise, I have personally experienced every product, resort and service.”

I had the pleasure of meeting Nicole on a trip in Mexico and she continues to be a mentor and friend. Find more lifestyle, travel and entertainment on http://jetsetfam.com/

2. Scout the City by Sai

“Welcome to Scout The City! Take a glimpse into the life of my fashionable four year old little girl who goes by the name London Scout. If you’re guessing that the lady in the pic is her mom then your guess is right. You can call me Sai De Silva and I baked this little feisty, witty, humorous being in my belly for 36.5 weeks until she decided to make an appearance super early.”

Scout the City is an award-nominated family blog focusing on fashion, lifestyle and travel. Sai is currently pregnant with her first son.

I had the pleasure of meeting these two on our trip to Hawaii with Disney Animation Studios for the movie of Moana.   They’re just as lovely in person as they are online!

Picture left London and Sai.

Learn more on Scout the City.

3. Travel Babbo by Eric Stoen

Eric Stoen is a writer and photographer specializing in family travel, based in California. His goal is to encourage everyone to take their kids to unique destinations. He’s traveled with his three kids (ages 7, 9 and 11) to 43 countries on 7 continents — including Antarctica, Kenya, and Palawan. Every year, each of his kids choose any destination in the world (literally) for a one-on-one trip. Eric is an Ambassador for AFAR Magazine and Travelocity, and has won Conde Nast Traveler’s Photo of the Year award.

I had the pleasure of meeting Eric at TBEX Thailand. Find more family travel and photography on travelbabbo.com .

Photo credit: Eric’s Family via Marta in Venice for Flytographer

4. Surf + Sunshine by Jeana

“Research lab rat turned travel mom, Jeana writes about gadgets, food, entertainment, crafts and of course, travel at  SurfandSunshine.com. When she’s not using her powers for social good, she enjoys photography, cooking and building LEGOs with her son.”

After meeting Jeana in the Caribbean, she was a life-saver in teaching me tech security for my website (the one you’re reading right now). Running multiple sites, she’s is as much as an expert in building a business online as she is in travel!

Jeana and her son for Nixon.

5. La Jolla Travel Mom by Katie Dillon

“I am a freelance lifestyle and luxury travel writer who loves mother-daughter trips, Pinterest, my husband’s sense of humor, a nice glass of wine and one very needy pitbull mix.”

A former expat having resided at the Four Seasons Hong Kong, Katie now writes for Four Seasons Magazine, Luxury Retreats Magazine, Taste by Four Seasons, USA Today, and more. She has over 115,000 followers across social media and calls sunny San Diego home.

See more on LaJollaMom.com

Katie Dillon and her daughter Stella, captured by Flytographer.

6. Explore with Erin by Erin Holmes

“We are the Bender’s and we have travelled to over 65+ countries. We left our home in Perth, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and have been travelling the world nomadically ever since — that’s nearly 5 years!

We have stayed in hostels and 5 star luxury resorts, travelled on scooters and cruise liners, danced with leprechauns and abseiled cliffs. It’s an open-ended, unplanned, round-the-world trip discovering amazing places for families.”

 

7. Bucket List Family by the Gee Family

“After selling his mobile scanning app to Snapchat last year for $54 million, Garrett Gee was faced with a decision: What to do next?” – People Magazine

Garrett and Settie met on a mission trip while in college. She was the bread-winner as he pursued developing an app called Scan. Four years later, the young millionaire couple s
old everything to travel the world and develop their own philanthropy. They are AMAZING.

They’re basically the perfect family.  And you know how I feel about inter-cultural relationships.

Learn more on The Bucket List Family

The Gee Family via BucketListFamily.com

8. Hej Doll by Jessica Doll

“(Hi Doll)  is a travel, life, & style blog inspired by the simple modern luxuries found in California and beyond. Curated by Jessica Doll, a professional photographer, avid traveler, & stylish mama living in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jessica was recently named one of the top 20 San Francisco based bloggers by Flip Key, and is one of the top travel blogs on bloglovin’. Recently she has partnered with Travel & Leisure Magazine, and Four Seasons.”

More fashion, lifestyle and minimalism on HejDoll.com

I had the treat of meeting Jessica in Napa over wine. She’s the queen of Nor Cal <3

9. Latina Travel Mom by Pattie Cordova

“Pattie Cordova is a Latina mother of two kid bloggers, wife to her business partner, and daughter of immigrant factory workers. She owns LivingMiVidaLoca.com – an award-winning site that covers family travel, parenting, food, beauty, and home life. Pattie has been seen on TV screens across the U.S. in a Disney Channel feature and most recently, along with her family on an “8 Tips for the Perfect Beach Day” video for Visit California. In 2015, Pattie spoke at the inaugural #WeAllGrow Summit on video best practices and took home the TECLA Award at Hispanicize for Best Latino Parenting Blogger category.”

 The Cordova family visiting D.C..

10. OC Travel Mom by Shelby Barone

Shelby is the founder of OC Mom Media, and is the most influential online mom in Orange County. She has been a freelance writer in Orange County to almost all of Orange County’s top publications over the past 10 years, and has over 100,000 followers on social media.

She is founder of the largest online resource site for families in Orange County ~ The OC Mom Blog, OC Mom Dining, OC Mom Travel and OC Mom TV. Along with her three children, she shares her passion for encouraging moms to get outside and savor the natural beauty that OC has to offer families living, visiting or dreaming of the OC. ocmomblog.com

Which do you find to be the best family travel blogs?

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