I've visited 93 countries, 57 of them with kids. These 5 underrated spots are great places to enjoy with your family.
23.04.2024 - 20:05
/ insider.com
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Karen Edwards , who blogs about her family's travels around the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
Since 2000, I've visited 93 countries and 57 of them have been with my four children who are all under the age of 10.
I am a nurse by background, but I have been blogging about traveling with my husband and kids since 2014. I cover a lot of off-the-beaten-track destinations and write itineraries for places I've been to, explaining how they work for families with children.
Many popular family destinations tend to be overcrowded. They're usually the ones that get a lot of media exposure or are shown in viral videos on social media. In America, it'd be places like Disneyland in California or Disney World in Florida, while for Europeans, it might be some of the Spanish resort areas.
Although my family and I have visited these places, we have always come away disappointed. They often lack educational experiences, feeling like pointless affairs.
I think traveling to underrated spots makes trips feel more exclusive and you can learn more about the cultures of the countries you visit — it also keeps you away from tourist traps.
Our family visited Tanzania in 2019 in collaboration with a tourism brand. We were there for 12 days.
Our flights to the country were kind of expensive; we paid about $9,000 for our then-family of four, including a stop in Zanzibar at the end of the trip for a few days. However, overall, the entire trip didn't end up costing us that much.
We had some really unique experiences in Tanzania. We went to Mto Wa Mbu village, which is beneath a banana plantation, and we went on a safari tour in its Lake Manyara National Park.
Interestingly, Tanzania is one of the few places in the world where lions are known to climb trees. I remember seeing them sit in tall trees; it was quite unusual, but my kids really enjoyed how close they were to the animals.
Throughout our trip, we actually felt like we were experiencing life in Tanzania. Our campsite was on a river's edge in the depths of nature. It was nice not to feel surrounded by tourists.
Many people mistakenly believe that Dubai is a country, but in reality, it's a city in the United Arab Emirates, with Abu Dhabi being its capital.
My family and I moved to Abu Dhabi in 2021 and lived there for 18 months. The city does have a lot of similarities to glitzy and glam Dubai, but you get a more down-to-earth experience.
There are amazing festivals in Abu Dhabi where they display their culture in different formats, whether that be through local food or crafts. It does feel authentic because it's usually mainly locals participating and organizing them.
The city sits at the