Episode #49: Our Most Popular Family Travel Episodes (1 Year B-Day): London, Paris, Japan, Maui & More
48 episodes, thousands and thousands of downloads, and one full year of The Traveling Family Circus podcast!
It’s hard to believe it has already been a year since I started this podcast. What began as a place to share our family’s adventures, travel tips, and everything we’ve learned traveling as a family of seven has become something I’m incredibly grateful for.
One of my favorite parts of creating the podcast has been having a place to document our travels. Recording an episode gives me a chance to relive each trip, remember what we loved, talk about what we would do differently, and preserve so many of the experiences we’ve had together as a family.
But the most rewarding part has been hearing from YOU.
Seeing thousands of podcast downloads, reading your reviews, hearing from families who have used my recommendations, and seeing so many of you download my free travel guides and purchase my detailed itineraries has made this first year so fulfilling. Knowing that something I shared helped another family plan a trip, save money, or simply feel more confident traveling with their kids is exactly why I keep doing this.
To celebrate our first anniversary, I’m looking back at the five most popular episodes from the first year of The Traveling Family Circus.
Interestingly, all five are destination episodes! It makes sense because so many of you find the podcast while searching for help planning a specific family vacation. So if you’re new here, these five episodes are a great place to start.
TOP 5 MOST POPULAR EPISODES OF YEAR ONE
Our Maui episode was one of my earliest episodes, and it continues to be one of the most popular.
Maui is an incredible destination for families, but there is a lot to consider when planning a Hawaii vacation with kids. Where should you stay? Which beaches are best for families? Which activities are worth the money? How much should you plan each day?
In Episode 5, I walk through our family’s experience in Maui and share our favorite activities, tips, and recommendations.
I also created a much more detailed Maui travel guide and itinerary for families who want additional help planning their vacation. That guide has become one of my most popular resources as well.
If you’re planning a family trip to Hawaii, start with Episode 5.
#4: Tokyo DisneySea Guide, Episode 26
Tokyo DisneySea was part two of the Japan trip my husband and I took together, and this episode has quickly become one of the most listened-to episodes on the podcast.
DisneySea is unlike any other Disney park, and there is a lot to understand before your first visit. In this episode, I walk through our experience and share the things I wish we had known ahead of time, along with tips to help you make the most of your day.
Even though this particular Japan trip was a couples trip, I always look at destinations through the eyes of a mom of five, so I included plenty of information for families considering Tokyo DisneySea with kids.
If Japan and Disney are both on your bucket list, listen to Episodes 25 and 26 together.
#3: Paris With Kids, Episode 11
Paris with kids is such a good example of why I created The Traveling Family Circus.
You can find endless lists of the top things to see in Paris, but traveling with children requires a different approach. Families need to know what is realistic in one day, where to stay, what kids will actually enjoy, how to get around, and how to experience the city without exhausting everyone.
One of our biggest family travel strategies is what I call the Rule of One. We generally plan one major activity each day and leave room around it for meals, exploring, rest, and spontaneous stops.
You don’t have to see everything to have an amazing trip.
If you’re planning Paris with kids, Episode 11 will help you start putting together a family-friendly itinerary.
#2: Japan Travel Guide, Episode 25
Japan was one of our favorite trips, and Episode 25 covers our experience traveling to Tokyo and exploring Japan.
This particular trip was just my husband and me, but throughout the episode I share tips and observations for anyone considering Japan with kids.
Japan can feel intimidating when you first start researching it. Transportation, language differences, food, hotels, and simply figuring out where to begin can feel like a lot. My goal with this episode was to share our actual experience and make planning a first trip to Japan feel much more manageable.
Then head straight into Episode 26 for my Tokyo DisneySea guide.
#1: London With Kids, Episode 10
The most popular episode from the entire first year of The Traveling Family Circus is London With Kids!
London is one of my favorite international destinations for families. There is so much history, plenty for kids to do, and many ways to experience the city without spending a fortune on activities.
It also happens to be one of my favorite examples of how being flexible with travel deals has allowed our family to travel more.
We scored round-trip flights to London for around $450 per person after finding an incredible airfare deal. For a family of seven, finding deals like that can completely change what is possible within a travel budget.
In Episode 10, I share our experience visiting London with kids and my recommendations for planning a family trip there.
Recording in my closet away from my noisy kids :)
WHAT I’VE LEARNED AFTER 48 PODCAST EPISODES
One of the biggest things I’ve learned this year is that you don’t have to be an expert on everything to help someone else.
I’m not trying to tell families that there is one perfect way to travel. I’m sharing what we actually did, what worked for our family, what didn’t, what I would spend money on again, what I would skip, and what I wish I had known before we went.
I’ve also learned that the little details matter.
Sometimes I’ll debate whether something is too specific to mention, only to have someone reach out later and tell me that particular tip was exactly what they needed.
That has encouraged me to continue sharing the practical details that can make family travel easier.
Most importantly, I’ve learned that family travel does not need to be perfect to be worth doing.
We’ve had tired kids. We’ve missed things. We’ve changed plans. We’ve spent money on activities that weren’t worth it. We’ve had travel days that didn’t go according to plan.
And we’ve still made some of our very favorite family memories.
You don’t need a perfect itinerary, unlimited budget, perfectly behaved children, or months of planning to take an incredible family trip.
My hope is that The Traveling Family Circus helps make it feel a little more possible.
LOOKING AHEAD TO YEAR TWO
I’m so excited for another year of The Traveling Family Circus.
There are many more destinations and family adventures coming, but I also want to continue sharing the practical side of traveling with kids. We’ll talk about points and miles, finding cheap flights, international travel, packing, hotels, Disney, road trips, traveling as a large family, and the systems we’ve developed after taking so many trips with our five kids.
But I also want to hear from you.
What travel questions do you have? What destinations are you planning? What part of traveling with kids feels difficult or overwhelming? Are there specific topics you want me to cover during year two?
Send me an email and let me know. My contact information is linked in the show notes, and your questions may even become future podcast episodes.
THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING FIRST YEAR
Finally, thank you.
Thank you for listening, downloading episodes, sharing the podcast with friends, leaving reviews, downloading my free guides, purchasing my detailed travel guides, and trusting my recommendations when planning your own family adventures.
Forty-eight episodes in one year is something I’m proud of, but the numbers aren’t the best part.
The best part is knowing that something I started as a way to share our family’s adventures has become a resource that is helping other families get out and experience the world together.
I can’t wait to see where year two takes us.
Here’s to another year of family adventures, more memories, and making traveling with kids a little easier.
Happy travels!
LISTEN NEXT
Episode 25: Japan Travel Guide + Kid-Friendly Tips
Episode 26: Tokyo DisneySea Guide
And if The Traveling Family Circus has helped you plan a trip, I would love for you to leave a review or share the podcast with another family who loves to travel. It helps more families find the show and means so much to me!
Email me at: Jacq.HappyLittleTraveler@gmail.com and let me know!
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