I traveled to Spain with my 3 young kids. Here are 5 things I loved and one that I hated.

29.08.2023 - 20:09 / insider.com

My family of five just came back from a two-week trip around northern Spain and Madrid. We were there visiting family and sightseeing, and it was the first time my 5-year-old son and 3-year-old twins visited the country. 

The kids had a blast while trying new foods, visiting new places — ruins and forts were a hit — and being immersed in a new, different culture. As we were about to board our flight back home, my son was already asking when we could go back to Spain for more adventures.

While this wasn't my first time visiting Spain — I've been going to see my family there since I was little — it was my first time visiting with children. Here are some of the things I loved about our time there and one that I didn't. 

We have young twins, so we push a ginormous double stroller wherever we go. Spain was no different, except that there were millions of steps in some of the little towns we visited.

Here in the US, people look away when they see my husband huffing and puffing carrying the stroller, but in Spain, people were literally (not kidding) jumping up to help him. My husband sometimes insisted that he could carry it down a few steps alone, and people were not having it and helped him anyway. 

In places such as airports and urgent-care centers, families have priority. So we skipped all lines and were ushered through like VIPs, including boarding first on the plane. It was a stark contrast when we landed back in Boston with three overtired kids and had to stand in a never-ending line despite having Global Entry. 

Wherever we went with the kids, people would say hello to them, offer them candy, or squeeze their cheeks. All of our Airbnb hosts left bags of treats for the kids, which was a surprise since I hadn't seen this anywhere else in the world. 

While my kids are not super picky when it comes to eating, they're still kids and love the same food as other kids their age: hamburgers, pasta, and chicken fingers. On our first night there, I panicked when I realized the restaurant we chose had no kids menu. The server quickly offered an option for the kids, which they devoured. 

This happened over and over wherever we went. The kids were given a simpler version of a dish the restaurant had. My kids often chose either steak or fish with french fries or veggies.

I liked the no-kids-menu dining experience because it encouraged my kids to try new things. During one of our last meals, we offered to go to a pizza place for lunch — they absolutely love pizza — and they all declined and asked for ham and olives instead. 

In the US, it's common to see kids watching a TV show on their iPads or other tablets during a meal. I get it; kids can be hard to handle in certain situations, and all parents are doing their