Niko Explores: Family Travel

About us

We’re Justin and Christina.  For the past decade we’ve been traveling the world together, and in 2019, our daughter came along and joined the adventure. At 5 years old, she’s just visited her 10th country.

Over the past ten years we’ve learned to travel lighter, cheaper, and how to survive jet lag with a toddler.

On these pages, we’ll share the our travel itineraries and experiences so that you can learn from our successes and misadventures. 

We love Ireland.

In July of 2024, we spent 2 weeks in Ireland and Northern Ireland. We know that someday we will return to explore more of this beautiful country. Ireland has so much to offer, and we were happy to explore from the streets of Belfast to the shores of the Dingle Peninsula.

Trip Reports
Malahide Castle & Gardens
Malahide Castle & Gardens

Malahide Castle made it to our list because it is touted as a kid-friendly castle due to it’s fairy trail, diverse food choices, and small castle (which is easy to navigate in a tour). The playground at Malahide is also extensive and suitable for kids from all ages.

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Black Taxi Tour: Belfast
Black Taxi Tour: Belfast

If you visit Northern Ireland and ask for any advice on what you should do, most people will say to take a Black Cab tour. And I did not fully understand why until we listened to this advice and took a tour one summer day.

These political tours take you through the murals of Belfast and help make the Troubles more real. If you visit Belfast on your own, you might find yourself down by the Titanic museum or the W5 museum with children, or wandering around the grounds of Queen’s University, but you will likely not find yourself on the Falls road or Shankhill road.

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Ireland with kids: Why we loved the Dingle Peninsula
Ireland with kids: Why we loved the Dingle Peninsula

The Dingle Peninsula is on everyone’s radar, and for good reason. This southwest coastal town is beautiful, and is the perfect place to spend a few days in the summer. We visited Dingle in July of 2024 with our 5-year-old daughter, as part of our road trip around Ireland and Northern Ireland.

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Northern Ireland with kids: Antrim Coast
Northern Ireland with kids: Antrim Coast

Some of the most iconic photos from the Emerald Isle are often of Northern Ireland’s east coast. In two days on the Antrim Coast, you can easily visit well-known natural treasures, while also taking a beach day. Here’s our family friendly guide to the Giant’s Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede bridge, and the beaches of Portrush.

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Ireland with kids: Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher
Ireland with kids: Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher

Many hiking enthusiasts head to Doolin, Ireland to explore the Cliffs of Moher.

However, if you are traveling with kids, you will probably not be hiking the slow cliffside trail, so you will need to find other kid-friendly activities in County Clare. We found Doolin to be a great home base for two nights while we explored the west coast of Ireland and the Cliffs of Moher.

Here are our some of our favorite activities and places from our 48 hours in Doolin.

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We adore Switzerland.

In 2023, we spent 1 week in Switzerland; from Basel, to Mürren, to Lucerne, we fell in love with this country.

Trip Reports
Schilthorn and Piz Gloria: Trip Report
Schilthorn and Piz Gloria: Trip Report

On a chilly day in July, we took a few aerial cableways (very large and sturdy gondolas) from our hotel in Murren up to the Schilthorn.  On the way back down, we stopped at the Birg Thrill Walk. All in all, if you wanted to explore this part of the Bernese Oberland, you could spend an entire day working you way from top to bottom.

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36 hours in Lucerne & Mount Pilatus
36 hours in Lucerne & Mount Pilatus

Lucerne (Luzern) is a popular town in Switzerland, and for good reason. It sits on a beautiful lake, is halfway between the Bernese-Oberland and Zurich, and is a great starting point for family-friendly adventures on the way to Mount Pilatus.

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Lauterbrunnen and Mürren with a kid
Lauterbrunnen and Mürren with a kid

You guys—Rick Steves was right! The Bernese Oberland is a must-see place in Switzerland. But I’m not sure he knew that the this area is also heavenly for children and families; we spent 5 weeks in Europe, and this was one of our favorite places.

When I think of the Bernese Oberland, I think of stunning views, epic adventures, and the best playgrounds for kids. We visited in June, and spent 4 wonderful days in this region with our 4-year-old.

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Recent posts

We are enchanted with Scotland

We spent 16 days in Scotland in 2018; we traveled via bus, train, car, ferry, and plane. We ended our trip in Edinburgh at the Fringe Festival. This is one of our favorite counties, and one we hope to experience it again with our daughter. We’re thinking the next time we may need a camper van.

Trip Reports
Scotland Bucket List: Top 5 Experiences
hiking, Scotland, UK Travel
Scotland Bucket List: Top 5 Experiences
hiking, Scotland, UK Travel
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hiking, Scotland, UK Travel
Two Weeks in Scotland: Itinerary
camping, Itineraries, Scotland
Two Weeks in Scotland: Itinerary
camping, Itineraries, Scotland

Mountains, lochs, endless beaches, and lovely people.  By the time we finished our first week in Scotland, I felt so comfortable that I nearly forgot we were traveling on our daily trips to Tesco or the nearest CoOp. 

Below is an outline of our activities, accommodations, and what we wish we did differently.  We traveled during the end of July and beginning of August of 2018. We spent 15 days in Scotland, and it was so beautiful that we are already longing for a return trip. 

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camping, Itineraries, Scotland
16 days in Scotland: Budget (2024)
Scotland, spending report, Travel Budget
16 days in Scotland: Budget (2024)
Scotland, spending report, Travel Budget
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Scotland, spending report, Travel Budget

We are obsessed with Iceland.

We spent an unforgettable week in Iceland for our honeymoon, where we explored the stunning landscapes, from majestic waterfalls and geysers to the otherworldly lava fields and glaciers. The experience was a magical blend of natural beauty and adventure, making it a perfect start to our married life. A few years later, in 2021, Justin returned to Iceland for a guys’ trip specifically to tackle the renowned Laugavegur trail.

Trip Reports
A Day Trip to the Icelandic Highlands
hiking, Iceland
hiking, Iceland
A Day Trip to the Icelandic Highlands
hiking, Iceland
hiking, Iceland

We took a guided day trip to Landmannalaugar with Arctic Adventures and fell in love with the rambling F-roads, and the unspoiled beauty of this area.  If you are enjoying a road trip in Southern Iceland or even just taking day trips from Reykjavik, we highly recommend adding the highlands to your Iceland bucket list.

hiking, Iceland
hiking, Iceland
7 days in Iceland: Budget
Europe, Iceland, spending report, Travel Budget
Europe, Iceland, spending report, Travel Budget
7 days in Iceland: Budget
Europe, Iceland, spending report, Travel Budget
Europe, Iceland, spending report, Travel Budget

How much does 1 week in Iceland really cost?

Iceland is becoming quite popular, and this small island nation has adapted to serve more tourists each year.   But, it can still be quite pricy to visit, especially for Americans who may be used to low fuel prices and cheap fast food. We visited in the summer of 2017 when AirBnBs were available on family farms and hotels were hard to come by.  

Europe, Iceland, spending report, Travel Budget
Europe, Iceland, spending report, Travel Budget
Southern Iceland Itinerary
Europe, Iceland, Itineraries
Europe, Iceland, Itineraries
Southern Iceland Itinerary
Europe, Iceland, Itineraries
Europe, Iceland, Itineraries
Europe, Iceland, Itineraries
Europe, Iceland, Itineraries

We are National Park Lovers.

Before her fourth birthday, our daughter had the incredible opportunity to visit eight national parks across the United States and Canada. We have immersed ourselves in the beauty of these parks by camping in various locations, from the rugged landscapes of California to the picturesque scenery of Maine. Our family has enthusiastically pitched our tents in a diverse array of national parks, cherishing each unique experience and natural wonder along the way.