Travelkin: A Site for Sustainable Family Travel

Eat, Play, Snooze in Queenstown, New Zealand

At first glance, Queenstown is a town for young people. Well, older than our then 4 and 6 year olds, but younger than their parents (totally said without dating ourselves!). We’d been once before in the summer time. It was packed, with people everywhere, and the camper van sites had so little space that we couldn’t buy a powered site. Post lockdown, COVID-19, winter travel to the city has brought smaller crowds, shorter lines, and ample space to park and play. And still, Queenstown maintains its cool, fun vibe. Even for energetic families with differing tastes for fun.

Queenstown Pods for Families at Jucy Snooze

Pods Aren't Just for Dolphins: A Weekend @ Jucy Snooze Queenstown

If you’ve been at Travelkin before, you know that we have a soft spot for Jucy. Our super fun weekend at the Christchurch Snooze location seasoned us, and now we are always happy to see that cute Miss Lucy icon, and to experience the simple sustainability that Jucy offers. This time we Snooze’d in Queenstown, and spent a weekend in their famous pods*.

Akaroa Dolphins Tour: Not Just Dolphins!

…although the dolphins are pretty darn spectacular! But in the aftermath of our half day tour with Akaroa Dolphins, I was left intrigued and enchanted by everything about the environment these special animals call home.

A Winter Weekend in Christchurch

In colloboration with @Jucysnooze, @JUCYworld, Jucy, Christchurch.

Christchurch winters are bright and cool compared to Northern Europe or the northeast of the USA, even with snowy mountains as a backdrop, and ski weekends just 30 minutes away. So from May until December, layer up and prepare for city center days that mix indoor action with outdoor fun!

Sustainable Simplicity @ Jucy Snooze

Sustainability is in simplicity. As a family of frequent flyers we’ve come to prioritise sustainability, because we want our children to be able to show their children the world, just like we have the privilege of doing. When we’re looking for accommodation, there are only a few non-negotiables: cleanliness, space, filtered water, and comfortable beds. That is what you get at Jucy Snooze but also, much more!

10 Ways to Connect to Mother Earth Through PLAY

Play is powerful. Play heals, teaches, motivates, and brings us closer to ourselves and and the people around us. As Maria Montessori put it, ‘Play is the work of the child’. Of course, our children love play, and they LOVE toys. They would have millions if they could. And while our delayed journey towards toy minimalism is not the subject of this post, there is an aspect of it we feel is so important and that we’ve managed to implement: playing outside without toys.

Sandboarding with Kids (VIDEO)

On our stop for a family adventure in the peruvian desert.

The oasis of Huacachina is a famous spot for some extensive Sandboarding and crazy buggy rides.

It looks a bit like a scene of the film "MAD MAX"! ;)

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Tyrona National Park - Colombia (VIDEO)

Come along on a family adventure through the Tayrona National Park in Colombia. We spent the day on indigenous land, among coastal mountains, hiking, swimming and horse back riding.

Off the Beaten Track: Lake Titicaca with Kids

Lake Titicaca is high, far, and well disconnected from any reality you or your children are accustomed to--unless you live in the heart of nature with deep connections to indigenous culture. (And if you do, why are you leaving?) Is traveling to Lake Titicaca with children worth the trouble and effort? Here’s what you need to know before heading out on those sacred Peruvian waters.

13 Things To Do With Kids In Costa Rica

Costa Rica is perfect. It has every landscape imaginable. It's got African diasporic culture, indigenous culture, Latinidad, and a healthy expat community. It's incredibly biodiverse, and protective of its enviroment, but it has all the comforts of the gentrified palate--think bagels, tacos, and fancy coffees. In our six weeks traveling the country, we enjoyed a freedom from crime and harassment (both state-sponsored and otherwise), that we often don't experience in our own urban, 'First World' centers. Bugs aside (oh so many bugs!!), Costa Rica is perfect.