When we moved abroad back in October 2025, I never imagined we would end up standing in front of Van Gogh’s portrait in Amsterdam, craning our necks at the striped pillars of the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, or walking through the childhood home of Anne Boleyn in the heart of the Garden of England. If you’re starting to map out your own route, Expedia is usually my first stop for pinning down those initial flights and family-sized home bases.

Traveling across Europe with our kids has handed us some of the most extraordinary moments of our lives. It has also handed us some very hard lessons, both in parenting and in logistics. Here are five MVP tips that have genuinely helped us move through these countries with two small children and most of our sanity still intact.

If your kids are past stroller age, a scooter is one of the single best investments you will make for family travel in Europe. It gives them autonomy and keeps them moving without you having to carry them every ten minutes.

We have Micro Scooters and we swear by them completely. You can find them and all their accessories on Amazon—from baskets for their "treasures" to the essential shoulder straps for when they’re done riding. Think of the scooter as the next logical step in the stroller-to-scooter pipeline.

One thing worth knowing: older European cities are full of cobblestones waiting to ambush you. If you are towing a child behind you at any speed when they hit one of those patches, there is a solid chance someone is going over their handlebars. You will learn to spot the danger zones quickly. Usually after the first incident.

Public transport in Europe is a completely different animal than it is back in the US—it actually works. We have relied on it for the majority of our time here.

However, there are exceptions. Getting to more remote spots like Chatsworth House or Leeds Castle often requires a bit of creative problem-solving. For those day trips where the train won't cut it, we book through DiscoverCars to find a vehicle that actually fits our car seats and gear.

In major cities like London or Barcelona, a car is a burden. Between the expensive parking and the stress of a Hyde Park roundabout, you’re better off leaning into the metro. If you do get stuck or the kids hit a wall, just grab an Uber to get back to your hotel quickly. To make sure you can actually call that ride without hunting for Wi-Fi, I highly recommend setting up Tello for reliable data the moment you arrive.

You don't have to read everything — just the right thing. 1440's daily newsletter distills the day's biggest stories from 100+ sources into one quick, 5-minute read. It's the fastest way to stay sharp, sound informed, and actually understand what's happening in the world. Join 4.5 million readers who start their day the smart way.

Join for free today!

Eating out with kids in Europe does not have to be a nightmare. Most restaurants are genuinely built around the table as a shared experience, and kids are part of that culture.

A few things that have helped us:

One of the biggest surprises of living here is how much is free for families. Most major museums—especially in London and France—waive entry for children. But honestly, the best free activity is just going outside. European parks and playgrounds are often better than paid attractions.

To find the best local spots that aren't just the "top 10" tourist traps, I frequently check the GetYourGuide app. It’s great for finding guided family walks or even just seeing which historic sites have free entry days you might have missed. Always ask about "family pricing" before you pay; it’s rarely advertised but almost always exists.

At the end of the day, they are kids. You know what will work and whether a guided tour is going to be a core memory or a hostage situation.

Try not to have conversations about money or stressful logistics in front of them. To keep that side of things simple, we use Wise for all our spending. It handles the currency conversions automatically so we aren't fumbling with math while a toddler is mid-meltdown.

And because even the best-laid plans can go sideways, we never travel without insurance through Ekta. Knowing that a sudden fever or a lost bag won't derail our entire life abroad provides the peace of mind we need to actually enjoy the journey.

Whether you are on a short vacation or a full relocation, the beginning is the hardest part. Kids who travel become more adaptable, curious, and comfortable with the unfamiliar. And so do you. That is worth a rough first week every single time.

The Blog is only half the story. Moving a family across the world is 10% planning and 90% "figuring it out as we go." If you want to see the daily chaos, the travel hacks we use in real-time, and what life actually looks like when the cameras aren't perfectly positioned, come hang out with us: