Family Travel Unpacked: Make the Most of Travel With Kids

Melissa Conn
  • 4.7 (14)
  • Places & Travel

Family Travel Unpacked is a family travel podcast for parents who want to travel with kids more easily, confidently, and joyfully. Hosted by Melissa from The Family Voyage, each episode breaks down real-life family travel strategies, smart planning tips, and destination inspiration so travel with kids actually feels doable. From packing hacks and family vacation planning to hotel tips, points and award travel for families, and travel mistakes to avoid, you’ll laugh, learn, and walk away ready to plan your next stress-free family trip.

  1. 1d ago

    London with Kids: What We Loved, What Surprised Us, and What We'll Do Differently Next Time

    Family travel to London with kids: what we loved, what surprised us, and what we'd do differently on our next trip We just spent five days in London with the kids, and rather than walk you through a stop-by-stop itinerary (that's what the blog article is for), this episode is the honest debrief: each of our four favorite things from the trip, where we ate, what caught us off guard about the city, and what's already on the list for next time. IN THIS EPISODE Where we stayed near King's Cross and why the location mattered more than the room sizeEach of our four top picks: Harrods, the Tower of London and Changing of the Guard, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, and two West End/Globe showsWhere we ate - afternoon tea at the Ampersand, Hobson's Fish & Chips, a 100% gluten-free splurge at Niche, and Mango IndianWhat surprised us about London, good and badWhat we'd do differently on our next visitTimestamps 00:00 — Introduction02:11 — Getting There & Getting Around04:34 — Where We Stayed07:00 — The Highlights: Our Four Favorite Things15:32 — Food Highlights12:36 — What Surprised Me16:02 — What We'd Do Differently Next TimeResources Where to Stay in London with Kids on Points (by Program)Changing of the Guard guided tourTower of London ticketsEpisode 42 — How We Planned London & Azores on Points Episode 49 — London + Azores: A Kid's TakeBest Credit Cards for Family Travel  Join the newsletterComing Soon on the Blog Full London with Kids Itinerary (day-by-day, with map)Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: Tips & TricksDon't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop! Chase Sapphire credit cards

  2. Aug 21

    19 Perfect Fall Break Destinations for Families (Region by Region)

    Episode Description My most popular article of the year — now an episode. A region-by-region fall break guide for families, plus four spots that didn't make the original article. East Coast Fall Break Escapes: New York City · Finger Lakes · Washington DC · Colonial Williamsburg · Philadelphia · Boston · Sarasota · Orlando · Iceland Midwest Fall Break Favorites: Chicago · Cleveland · Louisville · St. Louis · Aruba & Curaçao Mountain/West Fall Break Options: Arizona · San Diego · Yosemite · Hawaii  · La Paz, Mexico Plus: why fall beats spring break and summer for weather, crowds, and price — and how we use points and miles to book most of it without a strict budget. Season 2 of Family Travel Unpacked starts here. Hit follow so you don't miss what's next. Timestamps 00:00 — Season Two Kickoff01:48 — Why Fall Break Works04:21 — East Coast Fall Break Escapes15:49 — Midwest Fall Break Favorites20:41 — Mountain/West Fall Break Options26:23 — Wrapping UpResources Awesome Fall Break Destinations for Families  East Coast NYC attractions for kids: Finger Lakes with kidsWatkins Glen hiking tips Best things to do in DC with kidsWilliamsburg, Jamestown & Yorktown itinerary Colonial Williamsburg tipsFun things to do in Sarasota with kidsOrlando with tweensTips for Universal Studios Orlando Best Iceland toursVisiting Iceland on a budget Midwest Louisville weekend itineraryLexington, KY weekend itinerary (Louisville day trip)Day trips from Cleveland St. Louis with kidsMountain/West Scottsdale & Phoenix with kids8 great things to do in Arizona with kidsSan Diego with kids Where to stay in San Diego with kidsThings to do on Oahu with kidsThings to do on Maui with kidsThings to do on Kauai with kidsBig Island 5 Day ItineraryDon't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop! Chase Sapphire credit cards

  3. Aug 11

    Travel with kids for FREE? Yes please! (Replay)

    Our Trip Fell Apart (But Our Points Didn't) — Plus How to Travel for Free with Kids A Southwest delay killed our Charleston beach trip — but because it was booked on points, we walked away without losing a dime. Here's exactly how we unwound three different award bookings, plus a full breakdown of how to earn and use points to travel with kids for free. Melissa was supposed to be recapping a family beach getaway to Wild Dunes, a Hyatt resort near Charleston. Instead, a cascading Southwest delay forced a last-minute cancellation — and this episode walks through how to cancel an award flight, an award hotel stay, and a rental car booking without eating the cost. Then it's a deep dive into the credit card and points strategy that makes free family travel possible in the first place. In This Episode How to cancel an award flight and get every point backWhat really happens when you cancel a hotel award stay inside the cancellation windowTwo ways to avoid a last-minute hotel cancellation feeWhy rental car bookings through travel portals (Capital One, Chase, Priceline) can get complicatedWhy earning points is harder for families than solo travelersThe fastest way to earn points: credit card sign-up bonusesBest starter cards for family travel (Chase Sapphire Preferred, Ink Business)How to search and book award flights (Google Flights, PointsYeah, AwardTool, airline alliances)What a repositioning flight or drive is, and when it's worth itThe Southwest Companion Pass strategy for familiesHotel points strategy for families (Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Choice)Practical tips for booking flights and hotel rooms with kids Chapters 00:00 Intro & catching up  01:00 The Wild Dunes trip and the cancellation cascade  03:00 Unwinding the points: flight, hotel, and rental car  08:30 Why points are harder to use for families  09:30 Earning points: sign-up bonuses and transferable points  13:00 Booking award flights (tools, alliances, repositioning)  18:30 The Southwest Companion Pass  20:30 Hotel strategies: Hyatt, IHG, Hilton, Choice  25:00 Practical tips and wrap-up Chase Sapphire credit cards Best Travel Credit Cards for Families Southwest Companion Pass Four Reasons I LOVE Award Travel How to get discounted rental cars Chase Freedom credit cards Chase Ink Business credit cards Capital One Venture X credit card Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop! Chase Sapphire credit cards

  4. Jul 28

    Philadelphia Recap: 24 Hours in the City of Brotherly Love

    Planning a weekend trip to Philadelphia? We spent 24 hours in the city using points for flights and a free hotel night, hitting Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and some of the best Israeli food in the country. We flew nonstop on American using Alaska Atmos points, stayed at the Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square on a free night certificate, and packed in a museum, three restaurants, and a same-day Independence Hall reservation — all in one night. In this episode: Booking nonstop American flights with Alaska Atmos points (9,000 for first class out, 4,500 for economy home)A free night at the Hyatt Centric Rittenhouse Square using a Hyatt credit card certificateThe Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History's exhibit on the Jewish merchants who supplied the American RevolutionDinner at Zahav, brunch at Dizengoff, and lunch at Goldie — three spots from chef Michael Solomonov's CookNSolo groupBooking a same-day Independence Hall tour through recreation.govWhere past Philly trips with the kids fit in — the Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Museum of the American RevolutionTimestamps (estimated — confirm against final recording before publishing) 00:00 — Intro  01:15 — How we booked it: Alaska Atmos points  03:00 — Past Philly trips & who it's for  04:30 — Weitzman Museum exhibit  06:00 — Zahav, Dizengoff, and Goldie  08:00 — Independence Hall in 25 minutes  09:30 — Liberty Bell and Rittenhouse Square  11:00 — Hyatt Centric review + outro Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop! Chase Sapphire credit cards

  5. Jul 21

    Boston With Kids Recap: Taking a Bite of Beantown

    Boston with kids doesn't have to mean one long trip — after two separate weekend visits in the same year, here's what's worth doing, where to stay on points, and the one expense that caught us off guard. In this episode 50 recap, I compare two Hyatt Regency stays booked on free night certificates, share the Alaska Atmos points trick that got us into first class for less than economy, and break down where to eat, tour, and skip the rideshare surprise that cost us the most. In this episode: Why we're recapping two different Boston trips — one with our daughter last summer, one solo-parent-turned-family-reunion this year — in a single episodeBooking first class on American Airlines for just 9,000 Alaska Atmos points each, because airfare spiked and economy award seats disappearedHyatt Regency Boston vs. Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor: same category 4 free night certificate, two completely different tripsBoston Tea Party Museum and a guided Freedom Trail walking tour — why paying for a guide beat doing it ourselves in our 20sThe surprise expenseGetting around Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor without a car: the shuttle, the $2.40 ferry, and why weekends are trickier than weekdaysWho Boston is best for, from toddlers to a no-kids weekend awayBoston travel resources Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Freedom Trail guided tour  Duck boat tour Hyatt Place Boston/Seaport Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop! Chase Sapphire credit cards

  6. Jul 14

    London vs. Azores Recap: A Kid's Take

    Wondering whether London or the Azores is the better pick for your next family trip? In this episode of Family Travel Unpacked, my 12 year old takes over as our tween travel expert and gives her honest, unfiltered review of both destinations, from Harrods and the West End in London to hiking, hot tubs, and Europe's only tea plantation in São Miguel, the Azores. We just got back from London and the Azores, and this trip felt like two completely different vacations back to back — a huge European capital followed by a small, nature-focused island. Shoshana breaks down what surprised her, her favorite hotel, how gluten-free eating (she has Celiac disease) compared between the two, and which destination won her over in the end. We also booked this entire trip on points, covering flights and hotels for basically nothing out of pocket until we landed. The full breakdown of the 600,000-plus points we used is back in Episode 42, and full-length, in-depth episodes on London and the Azores individually are coming later this summer and into fall. In this episode: What it's really like traveling with a tween through London vs. São Miguel, AzoresHotel reviews: The Standard London vs. DoubleTree by Hilton São MiguelMust-do family activities in London, including the Jellycat store at Harrods and the West End show HadestownWhy São Miguel felt like "the Hawaii of the Atlantic" — hiking, the rooftop and indoor pools, and Europe's only tea plantationNavigating gluten-free and Celiac-friendly eating in London and the Azores, including a splurge-worthy dinner at Niche Gluten FreeShoshana's honest verdict: London or São Miguel, and what she'd do differently next timeA reminder that this trip was booked almost entirely on points — full breakdown in Episode 42Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro & the Episode 42 points recap  01:23 — Bringing in our tween travel expert  02:16 — London highs and lows 04:00 — Azores highs and lows 06:09 — Gluten-free travel: London vs. the Azores  08:04 — Wrapping up Don't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop! Chase Sapphire credit cards

  7. Jul 7

    The Ins and Outs of Unaccompanied Minor Travel

    Kids Flying Alone? Everything Parents Need to Know About Unaccompanied Minor Travel Can kids fly alone — and how does it actually work? This episode covers everything parents need to know about domestic unaccompanied minor travel, from airline policies and fees to what really happens at the airport. Melissa shares firsthand experience from multiple solo flights her own kids have taken, breaks down the rules for every major US carrier, and explains how to use points to book UNMR tickets. Jacob and Shoshana also join to share advice directly for kids about to take their first solo flight. In this episode: What unaccompanied minor (UNMR) service is and which ages it applies toAge-based nonstop vs. connecting rules — and why United is the strict outlierFee structures and policies for American, Delta, United, Southwest, and AlaskaHow to book UNMR flights with points — and when partner bookings get complicatedCredit cards that can offset the $150 UNMR fee (Amex Platinum, Hilton Aspire, Citi Strata Elite, and more)The airport process step by step: two-hour arrival, gate passes, regular security (no PreCheck/CLEAR), waiting until the plane is airborneWhat to have ready before you get to the check-in counterWhat to tell your child if the pickup adult isn't there when they landBaggage strategy: backpacks only, ship the big bags for camp tripsKeeping in touch: Apple Watch, Apple Cash, Airalo eSIM, FlightAwareJacob and Shoshana's advice for kids taking their first solo flightTimestamps: 01:30 — What UNMR service is03:45 — Airline policies and fees09:00 — Accompanying adult age rules09:45 — Booking with points12:30 — Credit cards that offset the fee13:30 — The airport process21:00 — Preparing your child25:15 — Jacob and Shoshana's adviceDon't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop! Chase Sapphire credit cards

  8. Jun 30

    6 Sneaky Ways We Rack Up Travel Points (No New Cards Required)

    Six low-effort habits for earning more travel points and miles as a family - no new credit cards required. In this episode, you'll learn six specific strategies to earn extra points and miles without opening a single new credit card. From shopping portals and smarter everyday spending to a gift card trick that can fund hundreds of thousands of points a year, this episode covers it all, including a couple of strategies most people never think to try. In this episode: How shopping portals and browser extensions stack bonus points on every online purchaseWhy the Chase Freedom Unlimited beats the Sapphire cards for everyday spending — and how to combine points across cardsThe office supply store gift card trick that can add tens of thousands of points a yearHow the Paze digital wallet is currently offering a huge bonus on Chase cardsWhy watching your email and mailbox for targeted offers can pay off in a big wayHow Card Pointers Plus automatically finds and activates credit card offersHow to ask for retention offers when an annual fee comes dueWhy referral links are a win-win for you and your friendsTimestamps 00:00 — Intro 01:15 — Shopping portals 04:10 — Smarter daily spend cards & gift card strategy 09:17 — Targeted offers 11:08 — Card Pointers Plus 12:35 — Retention offers 15:01 — Referral bonuses 17:04 — Wrap-up Links & Resources Shopping Portals & Cash Back Rakuten (sign up and get a $50 bonus) TopCashback (sign up and get a $10 bonus)Doctor of Credit (for gift card deals) - Staples and Office DepotPaze merchant directoryTools Card Pointers PlusCredit Cards Mentioned Chase Sapphire Preferred / ReserveChase Freedom UnlimitedChase Ink Business cardsUnited credit cardsRelated Reading Chase Sapphire Preferred: What's Changing and What You Should Do About ItThe Southwest Companion Pass Trick Free ebook: The Busy Mom's Guide to Free TravelDon't miss this inspiring, practical travel with kids podcast hosted by family travel expert Melissa Conn, founder of The Family Voyage, certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and mom of two who proves family travel is achievable for everyone. Blog The Family Voyage Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel Check out my favorite travel gear and my Etsy shop! Chase Sapphire credit cards

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4.7
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Family Travel Unpacked is a family travel podcast for parents who want to travel with kids more easily, confidently, and joyfully. Hosted by Melissa from The Family Voyage, each episode breaks down real-life family travel strategies, smart planning tips, and destination inspiration so travel with kids actually feels doable. From packing hacks and family vacation planning to hotel tips, points and award travel for families, and travel mistakes to avoid, you’ll laugh, learn, and walk away ready to plan your next stress-free family trip.

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