For me, travel started out as checking sites and cities off my bucket list. After 15 years and the joy of bringing three kids along, travel has morphed into visiting small lesser known locations. This has allowed us to discover exciting things unknown to our family, be active together, and enjoy a new culture at a slower pace than in a city or large touristy town. It is also much easier on our travel budget because these towns and villages tend to be much cheaper to book accommodations in.

It can be overwhelming to research and pick smaller villages and towns to visit abroad. We first learned this great travel technique when we did a home Swap in a tiny village at the foot of the French Alps. Staying at that village gave us a glimpse into authentic travel and culture experiences with kids and since that first home exchange, we now prioritize lesser known villages and towns when searching for stays on AirBnb or in small resorts or guest houses.

We have found there are so many benefits of traveling this way, and though it may not be for everyone, this kind of travel planning has alot of benefits. It’s refreshing and beneficial to search “beyond the usual trail.”

• By staying in lesser known destinations abroad, we are often the only Americans. It feels special to make new discoveries with our kids in a place that enlightens the adults as well!
• These villages often provide the perfect jumping off point for exploring the region with day trips. After spending days as a family exploring, it feels like home to come back to a quiet village with children.
• Lesser known destinations are budget friendly. They are often a third to a quarter of the price of staying in a well known town or city. For example, in a popular tourist town like Cortina, Italy accommodation for five is around $300-$400 a night. However in a small village, accommodations are closer to $100-$150 a night.
• Traveling this way forces a family to focus more on active travel and organic discoveries because there isn’t a “bucket list” of sites that need to be checked off.
• Though there is always fantastic dining available, most of the time within walking distance, the quiet nature of a small village allows for visits to the market and cooking or sampling pre made local cuisine at home.

*Check my Creative Travel Tab to see write ups of some wonderful options abroad. I will be adding more destinations, organized by country as I add photos and videos to my Instagram account*

Get out there,

Meghan