While planning our California family vacation from Australia, we asked our 18-year-old twins and their two friends one question: After visiting Los Angeles, should we go to Disneyland or Palm Springs?
21.01.2025 - 23:41 / cntraveler.com
Much ink has been spilled about the best airports for layovers and the world’s greatest airline stopover programs, but I’d like to make the case for families to pad big trips with a couple of nights in a kid-friendly layover city.
Having recently wrapped up an 88-day trip around the world with my 2.5-year-old son, I’d argue that one of the things that kept Julian and me sane while leaping from continent to continent were the stopovers I booked between longer stays. Not only did these extended layovers break up some miserable long-haul routings, they minimized the jet lag of changing time zones and gave us a chance to tack a kind of mini-vacation onto the main event.
Without further ado, here are six of my favorite layover cities for children.
Manly Beach is a great place for kids to watch surfers and enjoy the sunshine.
The Sydney Opera House isn't just a world-class performing arts facility; its architecture is also fascinating for kids to explore.
Why it’s great: If you’re traveling anywhere in Australia, there’s a good chance you’ll be flying through Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) first. Crossing the international date line is no joke, so it’s wise to pad your itinerary with a few chill days. Sydney offers just the ticket with its gorgeous beaches and gardens, excellent cafes, and child-friendly pubs.
Where to stay: Capella Sydney is the embodiment of quiet luxury. While that doesn’t sound like a great match for a Tasmanian devil toddler, the concierge team bends over backward to make families feel welcome—arranging, upon request, white-gloved chauffeurs with car seats to collect them at the airport and greeting children with trays of marsupial-shaped cookies. The breakfast buffet was among the most sumptuous we experienced anywhere in our travels, and I was grateful that the well-trained staff was intuitive enough to entertain Julian while I loaded up my plate. The hotel offers thoughtful kids activities like bracelet making and a dedicated afternoon tea service through its Little Stars program but can also arrange off-site excursions like whale watching on the Tasman Sea (best for older kids).
What to do: It sounds 101 but my son had a blast just toddling up the steps of the illustrious Sydney Opera House and feeding Pringles to the sea gulls. His fascination with fowl continued apace at the Royal Botanic Garden, where he chased Australian ibises around trash cans and excitedly pointed out rainbow lorikeets perched in the trees. Kicking up sand while watching the wet-suited surfers at Manly Beach was another fan favorite. Food-wise, it’s hard to go wrong at a laid-back Australian cafe: Even a micro-chain like Girdlers offers fun, healthy options like the Happy Box, served with grilled
While planning our California family vacation from Australia, we asked our 18-year-old twins and their two friends one question: After visiting Los Angeles, should we go to Disneyland or Palm Springs?
Feb 6, 2025 • 6 min read
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is America's second busiest airport and one of its largest hubs. Travelers today can get from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Fiji with one quick stop at DFW; a route that 20 years ago would have taken three or more flights to complete.
We've been trumpeting the great rail renaissance for a while now, and the trend sees little sign of slowing down, especially with Australia's latest addition to the world of luxury train suites.
Feb 4, 2025 • 5 min read
Jan 31, 2025 • 10 min read
Jan 30, 2025 • 7 min read
Planning an international trip for six people is challenging; doing it with four teenagers requires extra preparation. When my twin sons graduated from high school in Australia, we celebrated with a three-week adventure across the US and Mexico.
Jan 29, 2025 • 8 min read
Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate credit cards to write unbiased product reviews.
New Zealand's government is relaxing visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while in the country, in a bid to boost its struggling economy.
A few months after I left my husband, I downloaded multiple dating apps. It felt like foreign territory, as I'd met my ex-husband in college before dating apps existed — a time when "swiping right on Tinder" held no meaning.