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Before we took our kids to Europe the first (and second) time, I spent months planning. 

I researched hotels, transportation, activities, restaurants, packing lists, schedules—you name it. And even with all that planning, there were things I simply couldn’t understand until we actually did it. We’ve taken our girls (now ages 5 & 8) to Europe twice now, and seen 9 countries. And there are definitely things I wish we knew before we traveled internationally with kids. So, now you can learn what I learned, before you travel.

Hi! I’m Casey Trinkaus. A travel advisor with Memory Lane Travel Company, and the mom behind the Explore With Kids Travel Blog. Welcome!

1. Your kids don’t need to see EVERYTHING.
It is so tempting to cram every major attraction into a Europe itinerary because you’re spending all that money to get there—but kids still need downtime. You cannot build your itineraries like you would if it was an adults-only trip, and for someone who likes to plan and see everything, that is a very hard adjustment.

A successful family trip, especially an international one, is not measured in how many sites you checked off during your visit. I promise.

I structured our days to start around 9:00 AM, meaning everyone was up around 8:15 AM to get ready and eat breakfast before we left. This allowed the girls to sleep in (they’re normally up by 7:30 AM), and allowed me (uninterrupted) time to get myself ready and organize what we needed for the day. It is amazing how much you can get done in 30 minutes when you don’t hear “hey mom!” every 15 seconds 😂.

We would spend a majority of our day exploring. My rules for getting places are simple, and have never failed me. If something is more than a 15-minute walk, we take some form of transportation to get there. That could be the metro, a bus, or a taxi, but those little legs were not walking it. Why? Because every step they take adds to the “I’m tired” pile, and I prefer to use those steps walking museum and sites than between things.

Mid-day hotel breaks were absolutely essential this go-around. When we were in London and Scandanavia in 2025, we could go all day and be totally OK. But in Italy and the Adriatic this year, the heat was so intense no one felt great being outside from about 1-4 PM. So, we listened to our bodies and rested in the AC during that time. That decision killed me a little bit, because it felt like wasted time. However. That single decision made our trip successful. I realized a few days in that we were actually helping ourselves have more fun when we were out and exploring by taking that rest time in the afternoons. Totally worth it. And we really didn’t miss anything!

Evenings are crucial too. Don’t schedule things too late. Europe tends to run “later” in general than the US. But you don’t have to. We found the sweet spot to be returning to the hotel by 8:00 PM, and in bed by 9:00 PM for our girls. Mind you, at home they really don’t go to bed until aroudn 9:30 PM (yes, even my little one, it’s ridiculous but that’s her normal, don’t come at me!), so that was early for them. But, they were tired and that worked! If we pushed them to stay up, we usually saw it in their behavior the next day. So even if they say “I’m not tireddddd”, do not be fooled parents. Strict bedtimes are critical while traveling!

2. Travel days are vacation days, too.

You cannot treat a travel day like a normal sightseeing day. That doesn’t mean don’t do anything, but that means take into consideration the fact that everyone is a little off-kilter on day one.

We’ve taken redeye flights both times we’ve flown to Europe with the girls.

The first time, we landed at 6:25 AM, so I booked an airport hotel for the night before and let the hotel know we wouldn’t be arriving until around 8:00 AM the morning of departure. This allowed everyone to grab a snack and then nap for a few hours before we ventured into London. Yes, this was an extra expense, but, it totally changed everyone’s behavior on day 1, and made it so much more successful. Most London hotels have a noon checkout, so we slept for about 3 hours before heading out.

On our trip this year, the girls were a year older and we thought “hey, they’ve done this before, we can just jump right in” because THAT’S WHAT EVERY PERSON WILL TELL YOU TO DO. Just “power through and go to sleep at a ‘normal hour’ for that time zone and you’ll wake up in the morning feeling readjusted and ready to go”. Well, folks. I’m here to tell you that is not my experience one bit.

Yes, everyone made it through that first day. We landed in Florence, dropped our bags, grabbed lunch, and climbed Giotto’s Bell Tower. Everyone was so excited, the girls practically ran up the 400+ steps. That night, they didn’t want to go to sleep at 9:00 PM because Florence was lively and they wanted to party with the crowds outside. The next day was OK. We had a few behavioral hiccups but nothing too bad. But by day 3? Disaster, folks. The girls, especially our 5-year-old, were SO out of whack. And we knew it was because they were too tired. So, will I do the “power through” approach with young kids again? Absolutely not. And will I advise my clients to “power through” if they’re traveling with kids? Absolutely not. I’m sure it works for some. But not my crew.

I also understand the extra expense and the nap may not be everyone’s preferred method of utilizing your travel day either. So, consider doing something slower that day, and ending your day earlier than you’d expect. Order room service if you’re in a hotel that offers it and watch TV, take a shower, and relax that first night. Don’t push yourselves too hard, don’t stay up too late because everyone still seems OK (they’re excited and running on adrenaline, they are not ‘not’ tired). And that’s how you get through that initial travel day.

3. Your kids can handle more than you think—but probably not the way you expect.

Kids might surprise you with what they’re capable of: walking through cities, navigating airports, eating unfamiliar foods, sleeping somewhere new, etc. But then again, the weirdest thing could trip them up. Let’s talk:

My girls are very accustomed to figuring out “new” things by now. But you know what threw them off for the entire Europe trip this year? Push button toilets. They just did not understand how to push the buttons, why there were 2 buttons, or why sometimes they were on the toilet tank and sometimes they were on the wall. They also struggling with a specific type of bathroom lock that was new to them that was all over Italy, where instead of sliding a latch to lock the door, you flipped the whole “latch” in a circle. The girls normally go in their own stalls now and we all just meet at the sinks, and the amount of times I had to stand in front of bathroom doors because someone couldn’t figure something out was rather comical.

Then again. I truly didn’t think our 5-year-old would be able to make it on a 2-hour mosaic walking tour without some serious intervention, and that child did not ask to be held once. So, you truly never know.

We teach “you need to be comfortable being uncomfortable” in our house. When you find yourself in a new situation, you can pause and take a moment to figure out how to tackle it. We talk about navigating or asking for directions, we talk about being brave and trying new foods, we talk about sleeping in new beds with a pillow that isn’t yours. So you can practice and train to handle a ton of situations you’ll face while traveling, but you never know when something like a push button toilet is going to defeat you.

4. You don’t need to pack for every possible scenario.

I see you, overpackers. The ones that try to envision EVERY possible clothing need and fit it into a carry-on suitcase. And I get it. I’ve been there. I’ve been terrified to be without something I *might* need. But. You can’t go international with that mindset.

First off, cobblestones and narrow walkways do not mix with suitcases. And the bigger the suitcase, the more difficult it becomes to maneuver.

Second, you honestly don’t need half of what you packed. I promise. If you’re going for a week in the summer, the kids need one daily outfit & undies, a swimsuit (if water is involved), a cardigan for cooler nights, 2 sets of PJs, and some socks/shoes. If you’re going for longer, I’d suggest finding a place to do laundry and still only packing enough for a week. Sink Suds work great for quick washing like undergarments, and travel laundry lines will allow you to hang swimsuits overnight to dry. You don’t need all the shoes – you need one pair of sneakers, one pair of sandals (or Crocs if that’s your vibe), and water shoes if you’re going to a pebble beach. That’s all. Shoes take up WAY too much space to bring more.

If you find you really need something that you didn’t pack, you buy it. Prices are really not much more expensive in Europe than in the US for the basics, and they are very easy to find.

What do you need to pack outside of clothes?

Everything that will make your kiddos sleep better. Trust me. Sound machine, comfort blanket, lovey, Yoto player, sleeping mask, etc. That’s your priority in that suitcase.

You should also pack Motrin, or whatever your preferred kids pain reliever is, and kids Tums (that dosage can be hard to come by internationally). We also found mosquitoes to be really bad this trip and ended up going to a pharmacy with a photo of Italian hydrocortisone and asking the pharmacist to show us where it was. So I’m adding hydrocortisone to my list if you’re going somewhere hot in the summer that’s bug-heavy, because we used it a ton and it was a bit of a pain to communicate what we needed given none of us speak Italian. Plus the usual toiletries.

5. Your kids will remember things you didn’t expect.

Parents spend so much time planning the big experiences – the Colosseum, the Tower of London, etc. and your kids will remember the most RANDOM things, that are absolutely not the big experiences. And that is 100% OK. You have to be OK with that too. The notion that “we’ll go when they’re bigger” works well for some experiences that kids should be older for to appreciate more, or that require a more strict behavior code that your kiddo might not be ready for. But the notion that “we’ll go when they remember” is silly to me, because they DO remember, always, it’s just not always what you’re expecting they’re going to remember. But that’s part of the adventure in my book – everyone experiences the same trip differently, so generally, everyone will remember it differently as well.

Remi, our 5-year-old, loves to reminisce about the lobster playground. She has no idea where it was (Oslo, Norway) but she remembers how COOL it was that you could climb inside a lobster. Truth be told, that playground wasn’t even on my itinerary. We just started walking around and found it. Like, what? I planned this awesome day, including visiting Akershus (the castle they based Frozen on; we were Elsa-obsessed back then) and the Fram (a triangle shaped museum hosting a full size polar artic exploration vessel) and that’s honestly what stood out to her most that day. The lobster playground.

Same thing with Gemma, our 8-year-old. Now, she does remember a little more than I’m giving her credit for here, but when she was 4, we visited St Martin and had the best day at a local hotel where we had a poolside cabana and there was a pool right on the boardwalk and amazing beach access. She remembers very little from the day, outside of the 2 little girls we met on the beach that lived in St. Martin and having the best afternoon building sand castles with them. Definitely can’t be upset that that’s the memory that stuck! But again, she doesn’t know (and frankly doesn’t need to know in my opinion) all the planning that went into finding that hotel, how we got there (water taxi), what it cost, etc. etc. She remembers meeting people who lived on an island and thought it was the coolest thing ever.

So. Take the trip. Make the memories. Even if they’re all different and not what you’re expecting. You still showed your kiddos a different place, and allowed them to see that the world is so much bigger than wherever you come from.

6. Don’t underestimate jet lag—but don’t obsess over it either.

Parents can get very anxious about sleep when traveling internationally. As you read in point #2 in this post, we’ve tried both methods for adjusting to jet lag. For us, an early morning nap worked better, but that’s only part of what you’re dealing with, because jet lag really does take a few days to wear off. And that’s OK. I have talked to so many parents that basically look at jet lag as the Oggie Boogie Man (cue the song from Nightmare Before Christmas, if your family is as obsessed with the movie as mine is 😉). And it’s not. It’s real and needs to be handled, so don’t underestimate it and think everyone will just roll right into a big timezone change, but don’t let jet lag be the reason you don’t explore.

Here’s what I tell clients when planning for jet lag:

• Pick how you want to handle the lack of sleep when you arrive (nap or power through method).
  
• Plan to spend that first day mostly outside, doing things that will allow kids to be kids, without as many behavior contraints. IE. go play at a playground or explore a park, don’t make them spend all afternoon in an art museum.
  
• This is a day I recommend lowering our dietary standards a bit. A little candy from a local shop (which is always exciting to try), an ice cream or gelato midway through the day, something like that, will keep them moving. Snacks, instead of meals at lunchtime, are always a good choice here too. We need subsistence, but sometimes sitting down for lunch is too much and the “yuck” behavior starts to show.
  
• Pick a dinner spot that has food that is familiar to your kiddo. I’m not saying McDonalds (though no judgement here if that’s what works for your crew – Happy Meals in London came with cucumber strips and canteloupe, so I’m all about it), but pick something that has a “known” meal option. Think: chicken fingers (from our experience nuggets are hard to come by outside of the US), cheeseburger, pasta, etc. Tonight is a night to pick substance over adventure for food.
  • Or alternately, if you have rented a place with a kitchen, consider picking something up from your local grocery store and cooking it at your rental. My kids love to watch TV in other countries, even if they can’t understand it. So, they get to spread out on a couch and watch something for a bit (remember, even foreign TV is all a part of the experience) and the parents can cook (or reheat, I love a good frozen pizza), allowing everyone time to decompress.
    
• Aim for bed earlier, if even you napped in the morning. 8 PM on our first night is my go-to. Keep in mind both my girls usually don’t go to sleep until 9:30 PM at home, so that’s a big jump for us, but it works well. They might say they aren’t tired, but boy do they fall asleep fast. This means parents too, by 9 PM.
  
• Be prepared for everyone to be awake at 4 AM on the first night. Our first international trip, this actually didn’t happen, and the girls slept through until about 7:30 AM, but in Italy this year, we had a mini-party from 4-5:30 AM, then everyone slept again until about 8:00 AM. Don’t be frustrated if you’re up in the middle of the night. It’s pretty common. Just keep the lights dimmed, no screens, and hang out. It’s tough, but if you go into the night expecting it to happen, it sucks a little less. We listen to Yoto player stories, we color, we look at maps and itineraries of where we’re going that day, etc. And just remind the kiddos that they do need to sleep more (it’s still dark outside, it’s pretty easy to show them you aren’t fibbing) and eventually they do recognize that they need more sleep, and it happens.
  
• Don’t plan something super early on the morning of day 2, because well, you’ve probably been up for a decent bit of the night and everyone should sleep in to start the trip off right. 10 AM is the earliest I plan anything on day 2.

7. Leave room for the trip to be imperfect.

I am a person who over-plans bascially everything. I have always been like this, which makes me a very good travel advisor, but not always the best at pivoting when something does not go exactly as I’m expecting it to. Traveling with kids however, has completely changed that mentality.

Something will go wrong.

Someone will be tired.
Someone will complain.
A restaurant won’t be what you expected.
You’ll miss a train.
It will be hotter than anticipated.
An attraction won’t live up to the hype.

And that’s OK.

There are very few things I get stressed out about while traveling anymore. (In case you’re curious, I get stressed about timed things – trains, timed tickets for attraction entrances, etc. because I’m more of a “if you’re on time you’re late” kind of person, and my family is more of a “on time is on time” sort of crew. But even this stress is really diminished compared to when we first starting going places with the girls, because now I’ve learned that outside of transportation, which yes, you do need to be on time for, most timed attraction tickets give you a solid 15-30 minute buffer for entry, so there’s no need to be worried.)

Nothing about your trip will go perfectly. This will make you appreciate when things do go smoothly, but it always means when things don’t, your kids will be watching how you handle them, and it’s important to teach them how to handle them. That’s where I’m going with this.

Turn an unexpected hiccup into a teachable moment. At the end of the day, we’re all here to show our kids new things, in an effort to make them more well-rounded. And you know what’s a great well-rounded skill? Being able to pivot. Being able to take a breath when things get stressful instead of panic. Being able to use technology, like Google Maps and Google Translate, to figure out where you need to go or what something says. Being able to be uncomfortable in a new place, and not let it wreck your day. All of those things. So. If there is a hiccup, turn it into a teachable moment.

Or, if it’s a big hiccup, call or text your favorite mom travel advisor (me, duh!) and I’ll handle it. That’s a reason to book with a travel advisor like me. I 100% understand (and have probably dealt with) whatever is happening that is stressing you out. And I’m here to help. Before, during, and after your trip.

If you were my best friend and you told me you were thinking about taking your kids on your first international trip, I’d probably tell you two things:

Do it. And don’t be afraid.

Will it be different than traveling without kids? Absolutely. Will everyone be tired at some point? Probably. Will you have moments where you wonder why you thought crossing an ocean with children was a good idea? More than likely.

But you’ll also watch your kids navigate a new country, try foods they’ve never seen before (or variations of them they’ve never had before), hear a language other than their own, ride in trains or taxis, explore places they’ve only seen in books, and experience the world in a way they simply can’t from home.

And those experiences you are offering them are more than worth it.

You don’t have to plan the perfect itinerary. You don’t have to see every landmark. You don’t have to have every minute of your trip figured out. You just need to give yourself—and your kids—some grace, leave a little room for the unexpected, and remember that the goal isn’t to have a perfect vacation. It’s to have an experience you’ll all remember. Even if one of you only remembers the lobster playground one day.

They only get one childhood, and you only get one parenthood. So if my kids don’t remember something? I do. And that means the world to me.

And if the thought of planning an international trip with kids still feels completely overwhelming? That’s where I come in. 😉 As a mom and a travel advisor, I love helping families figure out the logistics, the details, and all those little things you don’t know you need to think about until someone tells you. Working with me eliminates some of that stress, and allows you to go into your trip with all the knowledge you need to make it a success.

Because I want you to come home saying, “We did it. And we’re so glad we went.”

Ready to plan your next international trip as a family? Let’s talk. Send me a message on Facebook, or send an email to Casey@MemoryLaneTravelCo.com. If you fill out a Europe trip inquiry form, that will answer most of the questions I’ll ask you ahead of time.

I can’t wait to help you plan an amazing international adventure!

– Casey