The Talking Suitcase

Experience the World With Kids

Gift Guide for Traveling Kids

by 2 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Travel Gift Ideas for Kids

Do you know someone who travels a lot with their kids?  Or may be you’re looking for inspiration on what to get your mini travelers.  We put together a gift guide for traveling kids to help you out this holiday season.  These items were suggested by my kiddos when they were younger and approved by their travel fanatic parents.

Travel Gift Ideas For Kids:

:: PROGRACE Kids Camera Waterproof – Let kids record their own adventures.

  • Camera Gift Boys Photography – kids camera is ideal Vlogging Youtube video camera for kids toys gift, starter children digital camera age 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 year old christmas birthday presents.
  • Multifunctional Kids Camcorder – This kids action camera has CMOS image sensor, HD 1080P/30fps videos and 5MP photos, 40 photo frames, 7 color video modes, 4X digital zoom, burst shooting, time-lapse photo, face recognition.
  • Kids Waterproof Camera Depth UP To 98ft – Really kids underwater camera comes with strong case and accessories for skating swimming bike skateboard helmet. Cool kids camera can take pictures and videos. Great action camera for kids sports toy!

:: VTech KidiZoom Camera Pix – Young travelers can snap pictures without parents worrying about damage to the camera.

  • Take real digital photographs with the durable Kidizoom Camera Pix by VTech; real 2.0 mega pixels camera; 4x digital zoom; Frustration Free Packaging means it comes easier to open in a plain brown box
  • The kid-friendly Kidizoom Camera Pix includes all the tools that budding photographers want in a digital camera; durable design protects from drops and tumbles
  • Selfie mode detects your face and automatically takes the perfect picture; four built-in games add to the fun; includes a video recorder and voice recorder for more creative ways to play.Operating Temperature:0 – 40°C

:: KODAK PIXPRO FZ55-BK 16MP Digital Camera – Older kids can capture their own memories with a digital camera just like their parents but for a lower price tag.

  • 16 Megapixel CMOS Sensor
  • 5X Optical Zoom – 28mm Wide Angle Lens
  • 1080P Full HD Video – Vlogging Camera
  • SD Card Compatibility: At least Class 10, no more than 512GB (SD, SDHC, SDXC)
  • 2.7″ LCD Screen – Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery

:: Trunki: The Original Ride-On Suitcase – Little travelers can ride on their luggage when they get tired or bored!

  • Hard-wearing and light weight plastic
  • Award-winning British design, made in the UK and China
  • Ride-on, tow-along, carry-on suitcase, ideal for vacations, sleep overs, weekends away
  • Perfect for planes, trains and automobiles and att home, encourages pretend play and doubles as toy trunk
  • Free five year warranty & holds up to 75lbs

:: Wired Headphones For Kids – While earbuds are smaller and easier for travel, they aren’t as comfortable for my kids.  Plus they tend to turn those up too loud.

  • On-ear headphones has padded soft cushions with a soft touch finish. Adjustable headband for a perfect fit, and a lightweight design for kids age 3 and up. Foldable design for a more compact and easy storage. The cord is a 5 feet long nylon braided cable. Designed for kids, girls, boys, children, toddlers, home/online school, training.
  • 24-Month Hassle-Free Warranty, Easy to Reach Customer Service.
  • There is NO microphone, remote or volume control on these headphones but you can still speak into the device’s mic that you are plugged into. The receiving end will hear you through the device mic’s.

[Read more…]

Free Printable Cruise Planner

by 1 Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Free Printable Cruise Planner

Some of our favorite family vacations have been on board a cruise ship.  These massive cities on water provide great food, entertainment and the ability to move from place to place without the hassle of changing hotels.  Before taking your next adventure on the high seas, download my FREE printable cruise planner.  You’ll find plenty of space to enter your flight and cruise information, as well access to my cruise packing list and travel checklist.

Click HERE to download the printable cruise planner or you can print each image below.

Don’t miss our printable packing list for cruise vacations to help with your packing needs. We’ve included over 21 things to pack for a cruise, so you don’t forget anything and have purchase it one the ship.

Cruise Planner with cruise and flight information

[Read more…]

6 Unusual Jobs to Travel for FREE

by Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

6-Unusual-Jobs-to-Travel-for-FREE

I know you want to find out how to travel for FREE.  There are a ton of great ideas out there, but we’re going to look at usual jobs to travel for free.   While it isn’t often you can travel completely for free, there are some wonderful ways to make it happen.

Keep in mind some of these are true life changes that enable travel to be commonplace and included in part of your life.  Others are simply methods you can work toward providing your family with a great fun filled free vacation.

You’ve probably heard that working on a cruise ship is a great way to combine work and travel.  It is and many people choose this path.  It didn’t seem that unusual to me, so it’s not on the list.

I also didn’t include teaching English abroad with these TEFL courses.  There are a ton of great programs around the globe that will allow you to travel to a foreign country while making a living.

Now that we’ve got those 2 jobs out of the way, lets move on to the more unusual.

Unusual Jobs to Travel for Free:

Become a trucker.  This one may seem unlikely to work, but you would be surprised at how many individuals enjoy seeing the country simply by getting behind the wheel of a truck making deliveries.  This is something that is a huge life change, but can work for many individuals, couples and even families.   Packing the kids up and homeschooling on the road is also an option that allows families to see new places while making a living.

Obviously, this career choice can have many drawbacks.  Long separations between the driver and family can be difficult for everyone including a marriage.  If you have a young kids, this likely isn’t the job for you.  You also have to be okay with the solitude that comes from being on the road for extended periods of time.

Become an RV park caretaker.  There are tons of RV parks nationwide that are looking for individuals to live and work in the park.  You bring your RV and get free hookups in exchange for running the front desk or doing a few maintenance jobs here and there around the park.  You can stay in one place for a few months, then move on to another location that is in need.

Become a hotel reviewer.  Just like many restaurants look for critics, so do hotels.  Start searching online for hotel review programs, or join a media group that gives you discount or free stays in exchange for photographs and reviews.  These vary from hotel to hotel, but they are a great usual job to travel for free.  Look for the PR or media contact at the hotel chains you want to consider and let them know you are looking to do reviews of their facilities.

Sometimes they want to know if you have a social media following, website or other publication that could reach more potential customers.  Other times they simply need and want reviewers for one and two night stays in various locations.

Work vacations around business travel.  This is one hidden trick to traveling for free that takes a bit of planning but can easily be managed.  If you often travel for business purposes, you can easily combine things like a 2-3 day business trip with exploring a new city.  Choose travel locations you haven’t been to and enjoy the non business or work related hours to explore, take in local culture and learn something new.  Many times you can negotiate staying an extra day if you have a cheaper flight option, or if you pay for that extra night in the hotel yourself.

Do road tests on vehicles.  If you have mechanics experience or an engineering background, many car manufacturers will pay you to take their vehicles on road trips to test out their performance under various conditions.  They often have some required skills, and sometimes this is only open to full time employees for the car company, but it is a great industry to look into for single individuals who don’t mind driving long distances under various conditions for testing purposes.  Not a great idea for couples or families to do.

Transport RV’s across country.  Almost every RV manufacturer has a program that allows you to pickup an RV and drive it to a different location for delivery.  If you live near cities where RV’s are manufactured, this could mean a free trip for you.

You will have to consider the costs of food, gas and your return trip, but a discounted sight seeing RV trip can be a great choice for many families.  Just ensure that the company allows you to bring along your spouse or family.

These usual jobs to travel for free are great for many individuals and families to look into.  Traveling is a thing that many are passionate about and is easy to incorporate into daily life when you think outside the box.

What other jobs ideas can you share?

You might also like 8 Simple Tips to a Plan Road Trip & Pack Smart.

8 Hidden Gems Across the United States

by Leave a Comment

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

The United States is famed for having a massive variety of cities, sights, sounds, and landscapes. Every state offers something new and unique, and you can almost feel like you are stepping into a new world when you cross a state line. However, many people tend to overlook and skip some of the country’s most incredible hidden gems.

Valley of Fire State Park

The Valley of Fire is one of the most beautiful natural sites in the entire country. You can access it via Las Vegas, either by driving or using a private jet charter. The 46,000-acre park is in the Mojave Desert and is home to different types of plants and wildlife. While it can get extremely hot and nearly impossible to explore because of the heat, the Valley of Fire Park is often overlooked due to visitors choosing Death Valley instead. However, you will be missing out on some of the most breathtaking views you could ever imagine.

Blackwater Falls State Park

The Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia is another hidden gem due to any visitors thinking it is just like any other park; this couldn’t be further from the truth. Found in the Allegheny Mountains, the 62-foot-high waterfall is the centerpiece of the park. Surrounded by amazing walking and hiking trails, the area is perfect for a picnic, a day at the falls, and spending a night or two camping amongst the trees and under the stars.

[Read more…]

What to Wear on an Alaska Cruise: Printable Packing List

by 7 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

Planning an Alaska cruise but not sure what to wear? I spent a lot of time researching packing for an Alaska cruise prior to our trip and paid special attention to other cruisers attire while onboard and in port. I probably looked like a crazy stalker, staring at people and making notes on my phone 🙂

Weather in Alaska can change drastically during the day and even hour by the hour. Our driver from Anchorage to Seward told us that in Alaska you can wait 10 minutes or drive 10 miles and the weather will change – and not necessarily for the better. We definitely discovered this on our trip. One minute it was sunny, and we were wearing short sleeves while the next the wind started to blow, and we added layers and pulled our hoods up.

The month you travel will also affect your packing, to a degree. The Alaska cruise season is May-September. If traveling during the first or last month, expect cooler temperatures. August will be nice and warm, but it is what’s considered the start of the rainy season. We traveled the first week of June. The weather was lovely with only a little rain. We were told the week prior was cold and rainy while the week before that saw snow!

The key to dressing in Alaska is layers. I’ll start our Alaska cruise packing list discussing what to wear at port/on excursions.  You’ll also want to consider your plans for pre and post cruise as this can affect your outdoor clothing as well. You may need to pack a little differently for land tours. For example, Fairbanks can get hotter than you’d expect in the summer, so you’ll want those tanks and shorts.

[Read more…]

Travel Tips & Tricks

More Travel Tips Posts

Getting Away Without Kids

More Adult Getaways

Travel Foodie

More Travel Food

Google+