London vs. Azores Recap: A Kid's Take

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, Azores * Hotel reviews: The Standard London vs. DoubleTree by Hilton São Miguel * Must-do family activities in London, including the Jellycat store at Harrods and the West End show Hadestown * Why São Miguel felt like "the Hawaii of the Atlantic" — hiking, the rooftop and indoor pools, and Europe's only tea plantation * Navigating gluten-free and Celiac-friendly eating in London and the Azores, including a splurge-worthy dinner at Niche Gluten Free * Shoshana's honest verdict: London or São Miguel, and what she'd do differently next time * A reminder that this trip was booked almost entirely on points — full breakdown in Episode 42 Timestamps: 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 [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/] Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel [https://thefamilyvoyage.myflodesk.com/tv1hthnbg6] Check out my favorite travel gear [https://amzn.to/4nKTZFp] and my Etsy shop [https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheFamilyVoyage]! Chase Sapphire credit cards [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19w/WC4862W6YX]

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 to * Age-based nonstop vs. connecting rules — and why United is the strict outlier * Fee structures and policies for American, Delta, United, Southwest, and Alaska * How to book UNMR flights with points — and when partner bookings get complicated * Credit 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 airborne * What to have ready before you get to the check-in counter * What to tell your child if the pickup adult isn't there when they land * Baggage strategy: backpacks only, ship the big bags for camp trips * Keeping in touch: Apple Watch, Apple Cash, Airalo eSIM, FlightAware * Jacob and Shoshana's advice for kids taking their first solo flight Timestamps: * 01:30 — What UNMR service is * 03:45 — Airline policies and fees * 09:00 — Accompanying adult age rules * 09:45 — Booking with points * 12:30 — Credit cards that offset the fee * 13:30 — The airport process * 21:00 — Preparing your child * 25:15 — Jacob and Shoshana's advice 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 [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/] Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel [https://thefamilyvoyage.myflodesk.com/tv1hthnbg6] Check out my favorite travel gear [https://amzn.to/4nKTZFp] and my Etsy shop [https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheFamilyVoyage]! Chase Sapphire credit cards [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19w/WC4862W6YX]

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 purchase * Why the Chase Freedom Unlimited beats the Sapphire cards for everyday spending — and how to combine points across cards * The office supply store gift card trick that can add tens of thousands of points a year * How the Paze digital wallet is currently offering a huge bonus on Chase cards * Why watching your email and mailbox for targeted offers can pay off in a big way * How Card Pointers Plus automatically finds and activates credit card offers * How to ask for retention offers when an annual fee comes due * Why referral links are a win-win for you and your friends Timestamps 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 [http://www.rakuten.com/r/MSTRAU8?eeid=28187] (sign up and get a $50 bonus)  * TopCashback [https://www.topcashback.com/ref/melc] (sign up and get a $10 bonus) * Doctor of Credit (for gift card deals) - Staples [https://www.doctorofcredit.com/tag/staples/] and Office Depot [https://www.doctorofcredit.com/tag/office-depot-max/] * Paze merchant directory [https://www.paze.com/merchant-directory] Tools * Card Pointers Plus [https://cardpointers.com/thefamilyvoyage] Credit Cards Mentioned * Chase Sapphire Preferred / Reserve [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19w/WC4862W6YX] * Chase Freedom Unlimited [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/18a/15JZOOQYHO] * Chase Ink Business cards [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/21f/GL7ZXXY212] * United credit cards [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/215r/U2RD6AE4J4] Related Reading * Chase Sapphire Preferred: What's Changing and What You Should Do About It [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/chase-sapphire-preferred-whats-changing-and-what-you-should-do-about-it/] * The Southwest Companion Pass Trick [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/southwest-companion-pass-trick/]  * Free ebook: The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel [https://thefamilyvoyage.myflodesk.com/tv1hthnbg6] 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 [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/] Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel [https://thefamilyvoyage.myflodesk.com/tv1hthnbg6] Check out my favorite travel gear [https://amzn.to/4nKTZFp] and my Etsy shop [https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheFamilyVoyage]! Chase Sapphire credit cards [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19w/WC4862W6YX]

What to Pack for Alaska (BONUS EPISODE)

Packing for Alaska? There are a few items that most people overlook — and after three trips, Melissa knows exactly what they are. In this bonus episode, she shares the five things she never travels to Alaska without, including one she loves so much she packed a spare pair for a friend. In this episode: * Why rain pants belong on every Alaska packing list (even if it doesn't rain) * The collapsible lunch containers that save Alaska days * The bug protection hack that doesn't touch your liquid allowance * What to actually look for in waterproof hiking shoes for families * Why binoculars are non-negotiable in Alaska What to pack: * Rain pants: women's in multiple lengths [https://amzn.to/4vw7ugR] | kids [https://amzn.to/3SqL81E] * Insect repellant shirt [https://on.ltk.com/+TOhOy0G1SvJgq6SNkCrvwQ] * Silicone collapsible lunch containers [https://amzn.to/4gmYpSX] * Waterproof hiking shoes: Columbia men's [https://amzn.to/3mfxU44] | Columbia women's [https://amzn.to/4gD14Yr] | Adidas teen [https://amzn.to/44q6Zc7] | kids [https://amzn.to/3imUAxX] * Binoculars [https://amzn.to/43Ya2YW] Alaska travel planning resources: * Full Alaska packing list [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/packing-list-for-alaska-in-summer/] * Alaska itinerary eBook [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/alaska-itinerary-ebook/] * All Alaska resources [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/alaska-travel-blog/] 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 [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/] Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel [https://thefamilyvoyage.myflodesk.com/tv1hthnbg6] Check out my favorite travel gear [https://amzn.to/4nKTZFp] and my Etsy shop [https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheFamilyVoyage]! Chase Sapphire credit cards [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19w/WC4862W6YX]

Alaska With Kids: Anchorage Edition with My Teen (Part 3)

Thinking about visiting Alaska with teens? My 14-year-old son joins me for a mother-son Alaska recap — and spoiler: he caught a king salmon just 12 hours after landing and hasn't stopped talking about it since. We cover four days of adventures based entirely out of Anchorage, and I break down how we pulled off the whole trip on points without paying for flights or hotels out of pocket and highlight our favorite things to do in Anchorage and on day trips. In this episode: • King salmon fishing on the Knik River (yes, we both caught one) • Biking the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail — 25 miles, multiple moose, and a very dramatic race back to the bike shop • The Phillips Cruises 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier, including calving glaciers and a whole lot of sea otters • Driving the Turnagain Arm: eagles at Bird Point and wildlife at Beluga Point • A scenic float into the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge • The Alaska Native Heritage Center — surprisingly not just educational • Where to eat in Anchorage (the halibut and chips at 49th State Brewing deserve their own billing) • How we booked this entire trip in five weeks on Alaska miles, Southwest points, and Hyatt points Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro 01:44 — King salmon fishing near Anchorage 06:07 — Biking the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail 10:39 — Phillips 26 Glacier Cruise from Whittier 17:29 — Alaska Native Heritage Center + Eagle River Nature Center 20:16 — Kenai River float into the National Wildlife Refuge 23:00 — Where to eat in Anchorage 25:47 — Alaska with a teen wrap up 28:50 — Flights, hotel, and rental car logistics 36:21 — Wrapping up Resources: Alaska travel planning hub [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/alaska-travel-blog/] Anchorage guide [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/anchorage-travel-guide/] Day trips from Anchorage [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/best-day-trips-from-anchorage-alaska/] Renting a car in Alaska [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/renting-a-car-in-alaska-tips/]Alaska packing list [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/packing-list-for-alaska-in-summer/]Rental car savings [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/how-to-get-discounts-on-car-rentals/] Alaska itinerary eBook [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/alaska-itinerary-ebook/] Award travel: How to travel free with kids [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/how-to-travel-free-with-kids/] Best credit cards for family travel [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/best-credit-cards-for-family-travel/] Southwest Companion Pass guide [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/southwest-companion-pass-trick/] Related episodes: • Ep. 17 — Southwest Companion Pass basics • Ep. 32 — Alaska by land • Ep. 41 — Companion Pass + World of Hyatt Activities mentioned: Knik River fishing charter [https://fishingbooker.com/charters/view/38670#a_aid=fxc73jf3juxu4&a_cid=81193698]Phillips Cruises 26 Glacier Cruise [https://tidd.ly/4afOf2s] Alaska Native Heritage Center [https://tidd.ly/4oLkBbh] Kenai Rever float trip, Cooper Landing [https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/drifterslodge/items/417474/?asn=fhdn&asn-ref=thefamilyvoyage&ref=thefamilyvoyage&bookable-only=yes&full-items=yes&marketplace=yes&flow=no&branding=no] 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 [https://www.thefamilyvoyage.com/] Get your free ebook The Busy Mom's Guide to Free Travel [https://thefamilyvoyage.myflodesk.com/tv1hthnbg6] Check out my favorite travel gear [https://amzn.to/4nKTZFp] and my Etsy shop [https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheFamilyVoyage]! Chase Sapphire credit cards [https://www.referyourchasecard.com/19w/WC4862W6YX]