Wanderlust Print – You can print this and choose your favorite print to put it in. I love everything about it and the coloring is subtle enough that it can fit in any room!

To Travel Is To Live – Wooden Quote Block with the quote “to travel is to live”, with a very subtle world map in the background. I love the way the wood grain is interwoven through the map.

Personalized Travel Map – They make this map unique to you! Each family member can track their own travels on it. I love how beautiful and colorful it ends up being and a great way to record memories.

Antique London Map Pillar Candle – I love the vintage look of these candles but they show off the complex street system in London. Gorgeous!

Personalized Globe – Not only can this globe be personalized with your names but it also allows for pushpins to display where you’ve been and where you plan to go. On my wish list for sure!

Love Travel Heart Garland – Show off your love for the places of the earth, with this gorgeous heart garland made from maps!

Blue Travel Pillow – Tiny blue airplanes and flight routes adorn this beautiful throw pillow. Wouldn’t this be gorgeous on your couch?

Fabric Kite Map – This would look gorgeous on a wall or shelf in the home. There is nothing like a fabric map and turning it into a kite is just genius!

Compass Rock – Sweetly painted rock to look like a compass. This would look pretty, several in a jar or just one or two set on a ledge.

Shower Curtain Map – Get that rustic wanderlust look in your bathroom with this gorgeous shower curtain!

Do you have a favorite room that displays your wanderlust? Which of these will you add to it?

The post Decorating Ideas That Will Feed Your Wanderlust appeared first on Traveling Family Blog.

Tree House Tents for Car Camping

Change your car camping experience with the Yakima Car Top Tent.  It turns any car into a tree house.  Use it in a parking lot, in a meadow, at the beach or in your friends yard.  The view is awesome!  Having seen one of these in action this summer in San Isabel Forrest the boys and I decide it is a must have!

If a tree house style tent is not super cool enough, try out this Tepui Tent with a hard shell and a bike rack. Get this, you can even keep your bikes on the rack while the tent is open on top of the car.  How cool is that!!  These tents won’t ship until the end of 2016 be the first in you bike club to have one.  By the way, they work for paddle boards and kayaks too!

Camping Lights with Chargers

The Pika 3-1 Rechargeable Lantern is about the coolest thing going.  It recharges. It can charge you phone and other devices off its charge.  I know, I know, if you are out camping you don’t want devices, but my son saved us from wandering the backwoods of the pan handle of Oklahoma by finding our location on google maps satellite.  Without a charge, no maps, without out maps we might still be lost in Oklahoma in the cold.

Camping Food Storage & Prep

Part of the fun of camping is the strange combinations you can make with the bits of food you have left.  Anyone up of hot dogs wrapped in cheese covered by smashed Fritos.  I hate to throw away food while we are camping, but I also hate food poisoning.   With a Yeti cooler this is never a problem.  Amazing and pricey these coolers do everything but pitch the tent.  You won’t need to stop for ice twice a day or pull a sopping wet loaf of bread out of the top of the cooler. These coolers are super tough; they also make a great extra seat.

The best part about camping is the food.  The worst  part is making and cleaning up the food.  The Grub Hub Camp kitchen will end this struggle forever.  With its fold up pack back format, it is smaller and easier to pack than that silly folding table you have been lugging in and out of the car.   With a pantry, hanging racks, shelving and cooking counters, the Grub Hub even has a kitchen sink and drying racks!  The best

The post Camping Gear Must Haves appeared first on Traveling Family Blog.

It doesn’t matter where we are going, our family always packs light. Even when we show up with 3 bags for the 4 of us, we still feel like we overpacked and there are things we could’ve done without.

We know how much clutter weighs us down in our home, and we’ve found the same is true for travel as well. You’re always worrying that you’ll forget something, or something will get stolen, when you bring too much. If you have just enough, those worries seem much less.

This Summer, our family drove to Florida with a couple other families, including my in-laws. It was an amazing trip, and we packed light as always. Even with few bags to our names, we still have essentials that we can’t quite do without on a trip!

Our Road trip travel essentials 

Clothes:

Tip: Wear your heaviest pair of pants, a shirt, your heaviest jacket (if needed) and your regular undergarments for your travel days. Wearing your heaviest/bulkiest things can save you a lot of space and weight in your bag.

• 2 pairs shorts
• 3 tank tops
• 1 regular shirt
• 1 set pajamas
• 2 swim suits
• 5 sets undergarments

Since we stayed in a condo, I knew we’d have easy access to a washing machine and dryer so that made packing light as far as clothing goes, a lot easier. 

Entertainment: 

• If you have some sort of an e-reader, you’ll be set for travel entertainment. However, if not, you might need to use half of your bag for books. My husband and I found that we were both doing this a bit too much and now we both have digital ways to read.

Even if you aren’t sold on the whole ebook thing for everyday reading, it really can’t be beat for reading on the go. Especially since most libraries now have a collection of ebooks too. There’s nothing like being mid-road trip, finishing a book and downloading another (for free) in just a matter of minutes!

• Deck of cards OR some fun pass-around games on some one’s phone. If you are traveling with friends and family this is a great way to keep your bag light, but have something everyone can do together in the evenings as well.
• You could bring along board games if you are road-tripping and have extra room in the car. We brought some of our favorites on this trip for sure.

Toiletries: 

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Sunscreen
• After sun lotion
• Laundry detergent (all® free clear mighty pacs® are perfect)

I know you might be thinking we’re cray for including laundry detergent as a travel must-have but hear me out!

If you have some one if your family with sensitive skin like we do, then this is a must-have to keep everyone comfortable and having fun while on your trip.

At home, we get the all® free clear liquid but the all® free clear mighty pacs® are perfect for a trip!

Make room in your bag, or in the car if you are going on a road trip, for the detergent that is right for your family. Always be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging exactly!

We stopped by Target on our our way to Florida this Summer to stock up on everything we needed. Since we were going on a road trip, all® free clear liquid was an easy addition to the back of the car, and one that’s always worthwhile. I know it will be gentle on my daughter’s sensitive skin, fight all our vacation stains, whiten our whites and brighten our colors.

My husband and daughter both break out if they use detergents with heavy scents or other additives, so all® free clear is a must for us, no matter where we are. All® free clear comes to the rescue with its perfume-free, dye-free hypoallergenic formula that removes 99% of the top everyday and seasonal allergies*. It is the #1 Recommended brand by dermatologists, allergists, and pediatricians for sensitive skin that lets you worry less and live more.

I’ve learned that taking care of this one little detail can really help my daughter experience our trips to the fullest, as she is free to be herself and have fun without itchiness or irritation!

• While we were there, we were also able to stock up on the snacks and food we’d need for the trip, and car-entertainment for the kids. While I’m happy with a quick ebook, we all know kids need a lot more than that, especially when they can’t read yet.

I can’t wait for the day my kids are old enough to read in the car, but for now, we’ll stick with these ideas for them.

We already had plenty of sand toys, but you can get those pretty much anywhere all® free clear liquid is sold too!

You can enter to win a year of all free clear® here! 

*Dog and cat dander, dust mite matter, ragweed pollen, grass/tree pollen. All® free clear is not intended to treat or prevent allergies.

What are your must-haves for a beach road-trip? Share in the comments and don’t forget to buy all® free clear!

Check out more ideas on how to be free here! 

The post How to not overpack when you’re taking a road trip appeared first on Traveling Family Blog.

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Three weeks before the writing of this article I was in a tiny town in Guatemala among the Achi tribe. I didn’t know they wouldn’t have potable water from the tap, but my friend Sawyer let me drink that sweet, sweet liquid with zero ill effects. Let me give you four reasons why you need one of these.

1. Lasts Like a Million Years

Okay, so a million years might be a slight exaggeration, but not by much. If you take care of your Sawyer Mini and maintain it correctly, it is rated to filter up to 100,000 gallons of water. If you buy it for individual use, and filter a gallon a day, it can last (depending on the water nastiness level), up to 273.9 years. Can you live that long? Maybe in a few years when science gets us there, but not yet!

2. Filters Out a Bazillion Creepies

Again, possibly a slight exaggeration, but despite the word Mini in its name, this beast filters 99.9999% of all bacteria. It hurls into the shrieking abyss things so evil, I don’t even know what they do or how to pronounce them! Things like cryptosporidium. You know that has to be nasty. Want an extra scoop of cryptosporidium along with your Tang and Cliff Bar? I don’t. Want to remove all that gnarly cryptosporidium? Use the Sawyer Mini and don’t die.

I personally have used the Sawyer Mini to drink straight from rivers where I can guarantee someone pooped not long before I got there. I’ve had to drink from the same place where people from people have bathed, washed clothes, pooped (did I already mention poop?), and so many other things. Also, all the poop. Not once have I ever gotten sick from the water.

3. Easy to Pack

If you are like me your backpack is like real estate, and every item must be scrutinized before it is given a few square inches. After a few years of wandering the globe like a hobo married to a pilot (don’t ask how that happened), you start to realize how little you need to do so, but when going to developing nations, a water filter is a must. The Sawyer Mini is small, only 8 x 4 x 3 inches, and that’s before you roll it up and turn it into something like 3 x 2 inches. The container itself is a super durable plastic pouch that can be stuck anywhere, and the filter is a small cylinder that isn’t flexible, but can fit in a shoe or side pouch no problem. When out on a journey you can stick it in your pocket and whip it out at the first stream you find. You won’t even have to paw through your bag while everyone stares at your unmentionables.

The other great thing about the Sawyer Mini is that is weights almost nothing, and we travelers all know how precious weight is. Whether you are trying to stay under that fifty pound weight limit on airlines, or are going on a long hike, weight is a major factor. With a field weight of two ounces I dare you to find a lighter filter.

4. Doubles as a Water Bottle

This is another thing I love about the Sawyer Mini. It comes with a straw attachment so you can feel like you are drinking a Slurpee, but it isn’t, it’s clean water. It makes drinking water fun. Sure there are water bottles with built in filters, and many other water filters are designed strictly for group use, but this is designed for both. Having a personal filter is great, but there has been more than one occasion where I have been in a wasteland of dirty water, and the group filter got clogged or punctured. They didn’t have personal filters and I don’t particularly like the idea of everyone drinking from my single bottle. With the Sawyer Mini this isn’t a problem. It has a straw for personal use, but it’s designed in such a way that you can easily direct the filtered water into another person’s bottle, or even a larger container for the whole group.

I have used a lot of filters over the years, and many are great, but the Sawyer Mini is something special. It is my favorite by far. It is so versatile, and works so well, and the incredible price (about $20) is unbeatable for what you get. The Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System is a must have for any avid traveler,

The post Our Favorite Water Filter (Review of the Sawyer Mini Filter) appeared first on Traveling Family Blog.

Here are some sweet gadgets to quell the discomforts of globetrotting while still allowing you to have those unforgettable experiences.

Alps Mountaineering Eclipse Table

For a single person on the road, one may not see much value in this. I am often traveling with my family, and many are the times we have stopped on the side of the highway during a thousand mile drive, only to pile out of the car, make our sandwiches, and then proceed to eat off of our luggage or the hood. With this awesome portable table, whether you are camping, road tripping, or on your yearly family camel caravan across west Texas, you will have a foldable table (with drink holders!) for a far more comfortable eating situation.

Poweradd Apollo3 8000mAh Power Bank Solar Charger

I have two of these babies. They were both gifts, and two of the best gifts I have ever received without a doubt. It doesn’t matter how fully charged and airplane moded your iPad is. On a thirty hour flight to the gorgeous land of China, that iPad battery is going to die. Unless! You have one of these awesome PowerAdd mobile chargers. On my recent trip to Guatemala we had a power outage for an entire day and I had to give a two presentations equaling close to five hours of speaking. All of my notes were on my iPad, and I had to work on them between sessions. If it hadn’t been for this charger I would have been dead in the water during my latter sessions. The ability to charge it by the sun is also an amazing plus.

The PowerAdd Solar Charger has two ports, so it can charge two devices at once. It can fully charge your devices at least twice. I charged my phone twice and iPad once before it died on one occasion.

Scrubba Wash Bag

I know I’ve said this before, but I spend a lot of my time in the middle of nowhere. I’m talking no running water, no electricity and just a makeshift toilet made from a hole and a shredded tarp (beautiful mountain view though!). So many times in those situations you get filthy, especially your children, and no matter how well you packed, you run out of clothes. Some people will tell you just to take your laundry down to the river, which is valid in certain conditions, but rocks and washboards destroy fabric. If you don’t mind tossing out your clothes after your trip, no big deal, but if you are traveling several months out of the year like me, you can’t afford to buy a whole new set of clothing every time you head out. The Scrubba Wash Bag may not be as gentle as a washing machine, but it certainly is more so, and gets your clothes cleaner than rocks!

Rerii Swiss Knife Multifunctional USB Cable

You know what drives me crazy? When I want to charge my device while on the road or in the airport, and having to untangle the nest of cables in my computer bag, looking for the right one. They are cluttered, take up space, get all twisted together, and eventually break. With the Rerii Swiss Knife USB cable that problem goes away. You pull out the sweet knife shaped charger, whip out your charger of choice, and plug in. No frantic searching when you only have half an hour before your next flight, just get the thing charging!

The Small Mini Iron

You know that problem we all run into when our three-piece, diamond studded suit gets all wrinkly after the police chase us all night because we stole it? Well, do I have the solution for you! The makers of the Small Mini Iron may not be the most creative in actually naming their product, but they came up with a brilliant idea in making a tiny iron. This thing only weighs one pound, heats up in fifteen seconds, and is super compact.

HDMI Pocket Projector Mobile

Did you know these were a thing? A projector that fits in your hand and still has a decent image? I didn’t until someone gave one to a friend of mine. These things are amazing on so many levels. The bulb lasts up to 20,000 hours, you can hook it up to mobile devices for any presentations, or campfire movies you may want to show (nothing quite like A Turtle’s Tale 2 over s’mores!). The HDMI Pocket Projector Mobile will even show your videos and images in HD quality. Did I mention it also can run on battery for up to two hours? Just enough time to find out if Sammy survives global warming! Spoiler: he doesn’t; I assume. He’s a turtle named Sammy, what shot could he possibly have?

Do you have favorite travel gear that makes your life easier? Tell us about your must-haves in the comments!

The post Crucial travel gadgets for the serious traveler appeared first on Traveling Family Blog.

For traveling dads, you can help get them ready for a road trip in style, with something useful for the car. One of our partners, RAVPower sent us some great products to try, and we realized that it would make the perfect last minute Father’s day gift for traveling dads!

RAVPower has so many cool gadgets for dad, there’s a lot to choose from, but we went with the most practical!

Start with a car phone charger. What I really appreciated about this one was that it is a USB charger, so it works with phones, tablets and anything else with a USB that dad might need to charge. If you’ve ever tried to navigate a road trip using the GPS on your phone, you know how quickly that sucks power, this will help dad not get lost and keep him in communication with you if he’s traveling solo.

I love how small and lightweight it is. It would be easy to fly with and then use in a rental car too.

Thinking through what else dad might need in his car, jumper cables are definitely at the top of the list.

It’s always good to carry these in your car, but what I really loved was how compact these car jumper cables can be stored.

These zip up neatly into the case and ours neatly fit into the glove compartment. (related: have you ever tried to photograph a glove compartment…not easy to do!)

Get ready for Father’s day this year by grabbing some great gadgets for dad from RAVPower!

What are you doing for Father’s Day this year? Tell us in the comments!

The post Father’s Day Gift Idea For the Traveling Dad appeared first on Traveling Family Blog.

What is one to do in line at disney? How about spend time coloring and playing Disney themed games? These are all free downloads so you an print them out for your own trip at Disney. Simply click the title of whichever download you want and your free sheets will begin to download.

Finding Dory Coloring Sheets

Finding Dory Maze

Alice Through the Looking Glass Coloring Sheets

Alice in Wonderland Printable Jigsaw Map

Alice Through the Looking Glass Maze

Star Wars the Force Awakens Coloring Sheets

Zootopia Coloring Sheets

Jungle Book Spot the Differences

Jungle Book Maze

In addition to all of these fun, FREE Disney coloring pages, check out these fun road trip activities, a lot of them would be fun in-line activities too!

Check out our affiliates for more fun Disney gear!

The post What to do in line at Disney (Printable Disney Coloring Sheets) appeared first on Traveling Family Blog.