“When we leave our homes, we leave behind the web of possessions and accumulated to-do lists and focus on spending time together” – Mara Gorman
There’s a new family travel book on the market! Why would we review the competition? Well, because it’s a great book with lots of new perspectives to offer. I read it cover-to-cover, enjoyed it, learned from it, and smiled regularly. It’s a quick read with no nonsense. Mara’s inherent philosophy is that everything can be travel. She describes her first trip with her son – a trip down the block to visit neighbors. Mara’s vision of family travel encompasses all activities that get parents and kids out the door, exploring the world together. In fact, that’s the byline “Inspiring families to see the world together.”
The first section of the book is titled “The what and why of travel.” While there’s something in it for everyone, it is truly aimed at the nervous parent. The parent who not only isn’t sure “how” to travel but isn’t even clear on “why.” During this section Mara builds momentum, like a snowball gaining speed and size. She starts with how hard it can be to just go visit neighbors with a 4-day old baby and by the time she finishes up, she has convinced even the most intrepid new parent that travel is an essential part of raising a child. She explains that travel makes you a better parent, inspires your children to ask questions, prioritizes experiences over things, offers meaningful focused time together, and exposes your children to the world and other cultures. Everyone wants those things. Let’s go!
Next subject? Of course, it’s planning. I love planning and there were lots of new ideas in here and a great set of resources too – websites, travel aps, search engines, and more. There are anecdotes from Mara’s own travels with her two sons as well as anecdotes from other travel writers. When I hit the section “A detour can be your friend”, I thought “geez, I bet we’d travel well together!” This chapter includes tips and ideas for camping, RV travel, hotels, resorts, planning an itinerary, and even preparing the kids. It is packed with simple little tips such as wearing your heaviest clothes when you fly so that you don’t have to lug them around or picking hotels with on-site breakfasts.
The middle section of the book is dedicated to the logistics of being on the loose. Mara dedicates a nice section to tips for road trips. Having managed a one year road trip with a toddler, she speaks with wise authority and includes great tips about, for example, planning surprises and music to keep the peace.
By the last section, this book is really rolling along. It has gained momentum and energy and Mara delves into “Special considerations in family travel.” It’s a finale full of travel stories and ideas for enriching any trip with kids. There’s an extremely helpful section on safety. I particularly liked her list of what to pack with respect to safety and emergency contacts. Her “Ages and Stages” section includes seasoned perspectives on multi-generational travel. There’s even tips for traveling with teens (yes please!) that she’s collected from experienced travelers.
Big bonus! At the end of the book, there is a “Resources” section full of books and websites to help you with every aspect of family travel, from apps to use on the road to websites for other traveling families. I plan to keep my copy of this book in our own family travel library.