Tired of package holidays and all-inclusive? Do you miss new ways to experience the world with your family?

I don’t think we ever really thought about it before we had a child. Whether we should travel in a specific way now that we had become a family with children. I think we just continued where we left off before having a child and brought the child with us into the world to discover along the way what worked and what didn’t.

Many things changed in our way of traveling when we had a child. Our freedom to travel 100% as we pleased was significantly curtailed, and we developed new habits as Sebastian grew older.

We’ve tried a bit of everything to figure out what works best for our family. I think it will be an ongoing evolution that changes depending on the life we lead. However, we’ve noticed there are certain areas where we stand out from many of the families we know and meet. It’s an idea of how to travel with children so that both kids and adults have a good time that sets us apart.

For us, there’s no wrong way to travel. But if you’re used to traveling on package holidays and all-inclusive trips and would like to be inspired to embark on more adventurous journeys with your family, these 3 travel choices where we differ from other families with children might inspire you.

Stay tuned, and you’ll get insight into the benefits of traveling non-inclusive, choosing the beach over the pool, and seeking experiences instead of amusement parks.

Non-inclusive

Ok, a corny title. But we actually prefer to travel to hotels or resorts where all-inclusive isn’t part of the accommodation package.

When food isn’t just served for you, you’re forced to go out and find another place to eat. That can lead to exciting things:

  • You discover new places: Since you’re already heading out to find food, you might as well experience different new locations along the way.
  • Greater culinary experiences: Often, the food at an all-inclusive hotel is some kind of buffet. This often makes the food a bit bland, and it’s usually the same dishes served every day. When you have to find your own meals, you can choose the variety and likely enjoy a broader local food experience.
  • Less overeating and healthier meals for everyone: The result is often healthier choices. The reason being that with a buffet, there’s plenty of food, and if there’s a dish that tastes particularly good, it’s easy to grab one or three more servings (read: us). At a regular restaurant, meals are typically served in portions, which naturally sets a limit.
  • For us, eating together is a shared experience: We sit and talk over the meal. We rarely get that experience with all-inclusive (or buffets in general) because there’s always one or two people up grabbing food. Someone has to stay at the table while food is being fetched.
We eat local (spicy) food in Mae Sa Valley.
We eat local (spicy) food in Mae Sa Valley.

The Beach over the Pool

There’s no doubt it’s great to be able to swim and splash around when traveling to warm countries – our son thinks so too. The question is, should it be in the pool or in the sea by the beach? We prefer the sea, and there are several reasons why:

  • At the beach, you can do so much more than just swim. You can play ball, toss a frisbee, build sandcastles, and much more. In other words, there are plenty of activities you can do together. This gives you more quality time and also allows you to relax with a book without worrying about your child possibly drowning in the pool or being trampled by other kids.
  • The sea has many exciting elements that a pool doesn’t. There are fish, crabs, stones, and much more in the ocean. It’s a great opportunity to bring snorkeling gear and splash around, discovering the many underwater wonders. It offers both learning and exciting adventures.
  • Pools are often overcrowded with people, which can lead to high noise levels and, frankly, dirty water (kids peeing in the pool and possibly not washing before jumping in) – making it a bit of a bacteria bomb that can cause infections. The sea, on the other hand, is so vast that even if someone pees in the water, it gets diluted so quickly it becomes almost negligible.
Sebastian found a huge conch shell on the beach. Here he proudly shows it off. Koh Chang, Thailand.
Sebastian found a huge conch shell on the beach. Here he proudly shows it off. Koh Chang, Thailand.

Experiences over Amusement Parks

When we go on vacation, it’s important for us to have a good balance of relaxation and experiences. For us, experiences do not mean spending two days at an amusement park, whether it’s a water park, an outdoor playground, or another theme park. That’s why we usually avoid visiting amusement parks, and we also tend to skip hotels and resorts that focus on them.

We believe there is so much more to experience in the world than just a theme park. It could be anything from museums (which our son actually enjoys) to breathtaking natural experiences. The point is – in 10 years, will you remember that one amusement park? Or will you remember the things you saw when you visited the London National Museum, for example? For us, there’s no doubt about what we’ll remember.

Amusement parks certainly entertain children, and they get to burn off some energy. But was it a significant family experience? Personally, I don’t find much joy in amusement parks, which means I’m not very involved in the play – and, therefore, don’t experience much quality time with our son. When we walk through the streets of London and our son asks about something he sees, we can explain what it is and talk about it – and in that way, we share a memorable experience.

That being said, there are exceptions to every rule. We have tried all-inclusive, and we happily swim in pools. This is mostly a reflection of what we aim for when we have the option to choose.

What kind of travel experiences would you like to have with your family? We’d love to hear from you!