Erika's Travels
  • Home
  • About Erika
  • Countries
    • Africa
      • Benin
      • Botswana
      • Cape Verde
      • Egypt
      • Ghana
      • Lesotho
      • Malawi
      • Namibia
      • Senegal
      • South Africa
      • Sudan
      • Swaziland
      • Togo
      • Zambia
      • Zimbabwe
    • Asia
      • Armenia
      • Azerbaijan
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Georgia
      • Hong Kong
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Jordan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Laos
      • Lebanon
      • Myanmar
      • Oman
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Tajikistan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • United Arab Emirates
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Andorra
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Kosovo
      • North Macedonia
      • Malta
      • Moldova
      • Netherlands
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Serbia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Ukraine
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Caribbean
        • Anguilla
        • The Bahamas
        • Cuba
        • Dominican Republic
        • Jamaica
        • Puerto Rico
        • Saba
        • Saint Lucia
        • Saint Maarten/Saint Martin
        • US Virgin Islands
      • Central America
        • Costa Rica
        • Nicaragua
        • Panama
      • Mexico
      • United States of America
        • Alaska
        • Arizona
        • California
        • Hawaii
        • Montana
        • Nevada
        • Oregon
        • Utah
        • Washington
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • Guam
      • Marshall Islands
      • Micronesia
      • Palau
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Polar Regions
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Erika
  • Countries
    • Africa
      • Benin
      • Botswana
      • Cape Verde
      • Egypt
      • Ghana
      • Lesotho
      • Malawi
      • Namibia
      • Senegal
      • South Africa
      • Sudan
      • Swaziland
      • Togo
      • Zambia
      • Zimbabwe
    • Asia
      • Armenia
      • Azerbaijan
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Georgia
      • Hong Kong
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Jordan
      • Kazakhstan
      • Kyrgyzstan
      • Laos
      • Lebanon
      • Myanmar
      • Oman
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • Sri Lanka
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Tajikistan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • United Arab Emirates
    • Europe
      • Albania
      • Andorra
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Denmark
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Kosovo
      • North Macedonia
      • Malta
      • Moldova
      • Netherlands
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Serbia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Ukraine
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Caribbean
        • Anguilla
        • The Bahamas
        • Cuba
        • Dominican Republic
        • Jamaica
        • Puerto Rico
        • Saba
        • Saint Lucia
        • Saint Maarten/Saint Martin
        • US Virgin Islands
      • Central America
        • Costa Rica
        • Nicaragua
        • Panama
      • Mexico
      • United States of America
        • Alaska
        • Arizona
        • California
        • Hawaii
        • Montana
        • Nevada
        • Oregon
        • Utah
        • Washington
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • Guam
      • Marshall Islands
      • Micronesia
      • Palau
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Polar Regions
  • Contact
START HERE
Link 1
Africa
Link 1
Asia
Link 1
Australia & Oceania
Link 1
Europe
Link 1
North America
Link 1
South America
  • Lime Kiln Lighthouse
    United States of America

    6 Awesome Things to Do on San Juan Island

    San Juan Island is one of Washington State’s favorite summer destinations. Situated within eyeshot of Canada in the northern Puget Sound, the fleck of emerald land defies the hustle and bustle of nearby Seattle.  On San Juan Island, the pace…

    Read More
  • North Cascades National Park-Ste
    United States of America

    Cascade Loop Road Trip in Washington

    Washington’s Cascade Loop paints a dramatic portrait of the Pacific Northwest’s raw and wild scenery. The area’s roadside attractions feature granite mountain peaks that reach toward the sky, quaint towns nestled among greenery, and emerald islands sprinkled across cobalt waters.…

    Read More
  • Skagit Valley Tulip Fields
    United States of America

    Skagit Valley Day Trip from Seattle

    Every year during springtime, Seattleites flock to the Skagit valley in order to capture Instagram-worthy selfies against a backdrop of tulip fields. The rows of red and purple and pink are a spectacular sight to behold. And it is no…

    Read More
  • Winter Wonderland Leavenworth
    United States of America

    Leavenworth in Winter: A Bavarian-Style Getaway

    Leavenworth Washington is a little slice of southern Germany that lies in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. Located at the eastern edge of Washington’s Cascade Mountains, the logging-town-turned-Bavarian village is more than 5,000 miles from the place it was…

    Read More
  • Tamolitch Pool in Oregon
    United States of America

    Driving Oregon’s McKenzie-Santiam Scenic Byway

    In Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, two geologically fascinating ecosystems collide. On the west side of the Cascades, lush Douglas fir and red cedar forests conceal waterfalls and glimmering lakes. On the drier east side, ponderosa pines prevail and cloudless skies abound. …

    Read More
  • Aerial View of the Central Oregon Coast
    United States of America

    Central Oregon Coast Road Trip Attractions

    The central Oregon coast is a land defined by its natural diversity. It is a sprawling patchwork of forests, lakes, dunes, and marine gardens. Along its tumultuous expanse, rocky headlands loom high above the ocean, providing astounding vistas of craggy…

    Read More
Load More

@Instagram

“Traveling with kids is just parenting in anothe “Traveling with kids is just parenting in another location.” 

if I could get a dollar every time I heard someone say those words, I would probably be able to fund my next vacation. 
 
And I kind of get it, though I don’t really agree. 

Vacations aren’t really the same once you have little kids. You can’t just laze by the pool for hours and doze off with a book in hand.  Parenting duties don’t magically disappear when you buy a plane ticket. You still have to navigate sleep schedules, deal with tantrums, lug around an obscene amount of bags, and ensure bellies are full of snacks. 

So no, traveling with the kids does not magically make me feel more rested and relaxed. But it does fill my cup in so many other ways.

-It allows me to slow down and watch the kids interact with the world 
-It gives me a break from cooking and household chores
-It helps me feel like I haven’t fully abandoned the Erika that I was pre-kids
-It fills me with my happiest parenting memories 

And I think that it is great for the kids too. 

-It exposes them to other ways of living and helps them understand our shared humanity 
-It teaches them flexibility, adaptability, and patience 
-It ignites their curiosity about anything and everything 

This last trip of to Costa Rica was our first time traveling with two kids. It was sometimes stressful, sometimes difficult, always exhausting, rarely relaxing.

If you think that relaxation is necessary for a successful vacation, then you’ll probably agree that traveling with kids is just parenting with a different backdrop.

But if you travel for the thrill of new experiences, the break from routine, or the enjoyment of seeing new places, then traveling with kids is no obstacle. 

In some ways, bringing them along for the ride makes the experience even better.
Four days into our trip to Costa Rica, I left my c Four days into our trip to Costa Rica, I left my camera at our hotel near Rincon de la Vieja. I only realized my mistake once I arrived at the Monteverde Cloud Forest. And by that point, it was too late to turn around without disrupting our plans for the following day. 

Luckily, I was able to retrieve my camera en route to the airport, prior to returning home. 

I’m so happy I was reunited with my camera, but incredibly disappointed that I don’t have better quality pictures from the second part of our trip. 

Here are a few snapshots of the wildlife from the first three days.
2024. Another year come and gone. Wishing time wou 2024. Another year come and gone. Wishing time would slow down, but grateful for the memories made.
Happy due date to our sweet Selene! I have so many Happy due date to our sweet Selene! I have so many things to be thankful for this year, but the arrival of our new travel buddy tops the list. 

I can’t wait for this next year of adventure as a family of four!
It’s been a busy summer of travels to the Caribb It’s been a busy summer of travels to the Caribbean, Minnesota, Europe, Seattle and Eugene. And then, just like that, I dropped Elio off to school for the first time. 😭 

Looking forward to a year of growth, new transitions, and expanding friendships. And of course, some new exciting travels whenever we can squeeze them in!
Snapshots of the incredible wildlife on South Geor Snapshots of the incredible wildlife on South Georgia Island 🐧 🦭
The White Continent. #antarctica #7thcontinent # The White Continent. 

#antarctica #7thcontinent #atlasoceanvoyages #whitecontinent #instatravel #erikastravels
Loving summer ☀️ Loving summer ☀️
Copyright © 2025 Erika’s Travels