With its dense evergreen forests, 41 national parks, and over 180,000 lakes, Finland is a destination inspiration for nature-lovers. It also has intriguing, walkable cities that are lovely year-round and really come alive in the summertime. With so much for your family to explore in Finland, it may be difficult to figure out where to go, what to do, and how to start planning a trip. In this blog, we share information about a family road trip across four regions of Finland. We also offer travel tips, places to visit, and worldschooling ideas to help you discover Finland on a journey that works for your family.

Finland Tourism

Finland is a country of 5.5 million residents located by the Baltic Sea in northern Europe. Often recognized as “the happiest country in the world,” it is known for its excellent education system and healthy outdoor lifestyle. It is also a popular travel destination attracting an increasing number of families, solo travelers, students, and digital nomads. 

Currently Finland is a less frequented destination for US-based travelers than the rest of Scandinavia and mainland EU. Among the Nordic countries, Finland still has the fewest visitors. Most come from Germany, followed by the UK, Sweden, and Estonia. Interestingly, despite the cold temperatures, visitors in wintertime tend to stay longer and spend more money per day on average than summer travelers because they book more tours and package trips. Much of Finland’s tourism is from the Finns themselves, who have increasingly chosen to travel domestically in recent years. According to Good News Finland, nearly ⅔ of Finns have regular use of a second home, either their own (58%!) or someone else’s. The rest of us might take note of how eager Finns are to spend time in their own backyard.

Midsummer flora

So might Finland be the new Iceland, a destination whose tourism has exploded over the last decade? That remains to be seen. According to a recent study by the Helsinki Tourism Foundation, Helsinki is lagging behind its regional compatriots such as Copenhagen and Oslo in terms of post-COVID tourism recovery and growth. Prior to the COVID pandemic, tourism accounted for about 2.7% of Finland’s GDP. After dropping to 1.4%, its rebound has been a bit slower than in other countries, but projections are that tourism will exceed 25 billion euros in 2025. In fact, airlines have recently been adding new flights and connections to Finnish cities after recording over half a million foreign visits to Finland in December 2023 alone. 

When we visited Finland, it felt uncrowded, welcoming, and easy to navigate. Combined with its stunning landscapes, intriguing cultural destinations, and excellent infrastructure, now seems like a great time to visit before word gets all the way out.

Why We Chose to Visit Finland

As our kids get older, trips together are becoming less frequent and therefore all the more special. Finland was a unanimous choice for this journey, offering something for everyone–city nightlife, outdoor recreation, delicious food, and a relaxed vibe. Given our July timing, we also wanted to head for the outer latitudes in hopes of finding milder summer weather–in July, average temps in Finland range from 59-68°F, offering ideal conditions for outdoor adventures.

Late in our planning game, some friends decided to join us on the trip. We’ve traveled with them before and know we groove well together–they loved the road trip we’d scoped out, and only minor adjustments were needed so we could stay together at each accommodation. Our kids were definitely excited they’d have peers along. We traveled to Finland with older teens, but almost everything we experienced would be suitable and fun for younger kids, too. 

Boat sheds near Tampere

Planning a Trip to Finland

Finland offers four distinct regions, from Helsinki in the south, Lakeland in the east, the Coast and Archipelago in the west/southwest, and Lapland in the north. Deciding where to go is linked to when you plan to visit and what you’d like to do. Winters are excellent everywhere for skiing, skating, and ice-swimming, and of course the season lasts longer in the north. Lapland is also known for its vast arctic wilderness and Santa Claus attractions. Spring and fall are best for catching the Northern Lights, and your chances increase as you head farther north. Fall is outstanding for foliage colors across Finland’s dense forests. Summer is known for extremely long days, cottage stays, abundant crops, water sports, and hiking, and the archipelago coast and lake regions are idyllic during this time. Finland’s larger cities have interesting things to do year-round, and of course, no matter when you go, sauna is always in season. 

Most international visitors arrive in Helsinki, the capital city. Other major international airports in Finland include Turku, Rovaniemi, and Kittilä. Direct flights from the US can be difficult to find except from a few major east-coast cities, so travelers often need to connect via EU hubs such as Stockholm, London, or Frankfurt. Visitors can also arrive by boat from Sweden, Germany, Poland, and the Baltics, but the only options for arriving by car are via the Baltics ferries or by crossing from Sweden or Norway in the far north.

Booking.com–our favorite booking site–works well for Finnish city and lodge accommodations. For smaller venues, we needed to take a local angle and translate Finnish websites into English to find the best options. Speaking of the Finnish language, it’s not an easy one to catch onto quickly, but learning a few basics in advance is definitely helpful. Many but not all locals speak English, and everyone we met appreciated our attempts to converse. As usual, thank you goes a long way: “thank you” in Finnish is kiitos (KEE-tose), one of our favorite versions of gratitude ever! You basically sound like fellow Scandinavian Bjork whenever you say it properly.

A Sample Road Trip through Central and Southern Finland

Driving in Finland

One of our goals for this trip was to fly to a country and not fly again until returning home. We hoped for a meandering, low-key road trip where we could make spur-of-the-moment stops in small towns and at UNESCO World Heritage sites. Picking up our rental car from DiscoverCars as we departed downtown Helsinki was quick and convenient, and driving in the city was fairly straightforward. It became downright easy in the countryside, where good road conditions, clear signage, and sparse traffic made for low-stress days. Fuel was expensive, but the rental car companies offer primarily hybrid options as the default. Here’s our route as a reference, which we built for a max of 4-5 hour drive times between major stops.

Our driving route through southern Finland

For those who prefer not to rent a car but still want to go further afield, the extensive and reliable Finnish train and bus systems can help you reach most destinations. Check out the Perille service for transportation options, costs, and estimated environmental impact. 

First Stop – Landing in Helsinki

As our flight destination city, Helsinki was a natural first stop. Other travelers may prefer to venture further on immediately, saving the departure city exploration for the end of their trip. But we’d had long journeys from Colorado and California and anticipated needing to rest and settle in.

Filled with parks, eclectic restaurants, picturesque ports, quirky museums, and public saunas, Helsinki was recently voted the most livable city in Europe for expats. We spent our time wandering its streets, checking out the architecture, visiting government buildings, and eating fantastic international food (Georgian at Rioni was a favorite). A stroll along the shaded paths of the Kaisaniemi Botanical Gardens provided a nice afternoon respite after checking out the Helsinki Art Museum, and everyone enjoyed the parks filled with summer crowds until late in the evening. Beyond the city we explored the island fortress of Suomenlinna and crossed the Gulf of Finland to visit Tallinn, Estonia–both full-day trips we found worth our time.

Museum on the island fortress of Suomenlinna

Helsinki was the only stop where we stayed at a traditional hotel. Given our need for two rooms (tall teenagers can no longer comfortably share a bed), Hotel U14 offered nicely designed family room combos–two hotel rooms connected by a small hallway with an additional, outer locked door, so we could feel both separate and together. We also wanted access to a front desk for late-night check-in, plus breakfast available on site as everyone’s schedules reset. Hotel U14 is where we learned about egg butter! My morning toast will never be the same.

Helsinki worldschooling ideas:

• Suomenlinna. This island fortress and UNESCO site has a fascinating history that includes Swedish, Russian, and Finnish eras. Take the passenger ferry to explore its footpaths, historical buildings, and six museums.
• Tallinn, Estonia. Book in advance for the 2.5-hour-each-way ferry (and maybe a napping cabin) to check out old town Tallinn and its fascinating KGB history.
• Seurasaari Open-Air Museum. You can find tours and events at this seasonal outdoor museum showcasing historic Finnish farmsteads, manors, and cottages.

Evening stroll around Olavinlinna Castle

Second Stop – Serene Nature in Lakeland

Ready to immerse ourselves in the much-touted Finnish wilderness, our next destination was Lakeland, northeast of Helsinki. An afternoon stop in the picturesque town of Porvoo along the way was fun for an outdoor lunch, bit of shopping, and a meander along the river famous for its row of red wooden houses. The onward drive dissolved the world into a palette of greens and blues, taking us through rolling countryside surrounded by increasingly dense woodlands and vast stretches of shimmering water as we approached Rantasalmi.

The grounds at Hotel and Spa Järvisydän

We stayed at Hotel and Spa Järvisydän, a unique destination property dating back to 1658. Noted on nearly every Finland travel blog, the property has been run continuously by the same family for 11 generations! Award-winning for its focus on sustainability, it seemed to be filled with Finns. Järvisydän offers many accommodation types, including hotel rooms, cottages, a boat, those Scandinavian igloos you’ve seen all over social media, and even what they call “birds nests.” We opted for its rustic family cabins. On site dining options were fine but not memorable, so it’s worth exploring beyond the property for some meals. Activities are plentiful, though, and include nature trails, bike rentals, cooking and craft classes, tours and fishing excursions. Our visit highlights included boating to Linnansaari National Park on Lake Saimaa and a long evening stroll in nearby Savonlinna. The onsite, family-friendly “spa” experience, which includes over a dozen pools, steam rooms, and saunas, is not as fancy as it sounds and is also not to be missed. We loved it so much we went twice.

Lakeland worldschooling ideas:

• Sauna. Lakeland Finland is one of the best regions to experience authentic Finnish sauna. Why is sauna so important to the country’s cultural history?
• Olavinlinna Castle. This well-preserved 15th century castle sits on a strait connecting two lakes and was the site of numerous battles. 
• Saimaa Ringed Seals. One of the most endangered seals in the world, these ice-lovers can only be spotted on Lake Saimaa.

The spa-ahhhhh….

Third Stop – Farms and Parks in Central Finland

Our stay at Ylä-Tuuhonen Farm in Ruovesi gave us a chance to slow down and enjoy this quieter region. The farm offers verdant pastures, needle-covered hiking trails, a lapiz-colored lake with free canoes, and locally-grown food that was some of the best I’ve ever eaten. We visited during Midsummer, when the country closes down and everyone heads to their summer cottages to relax and celebrate. At the farm those celebrations included singing, flag-raising, and a special-occasion smoke sauna that took hours for the owners to prepare.

This is an excellent region for exploring some of Finland’s outstanding national parks. Basing in Ruovesi or a nearby town offers easy access to Helvetinjärvi National Park, Seitseminen National Park, and Isojärvi National Park. Each showcases canyons, woods, and trails for all skill levels–some on boardwalks hovering over the delicate landscape. In addition to the national parks you’ll find Siikaneva Swamp Nature Reserve, Ryövärinkuoppa Nature Reserve, and Juupajoki Gorge Nature Reserve. You may not need to pack a picnic, either–even the snack shops at the national parks had fantastic, healthy food. There’s simply so much natural “farm to table” here, no special advertising required.

Boardwalks make the hiking a bit easier at Helvetinjärvi National Park

Central Finland worldschooling ideas:

• Petäjävesi Old Church. Built in 1763-65, this ornately carved Nordic wooden church tells stories of everyday Finnish life across four centuries.
• Canyon geology. Use your proximity to Helvetinjärvi National Park to study the rocks that compose its canyons, plus the topography of the surrounding region. 
• Midsummer. Midsummer is Finland’s main national holiday. The central region, dotted with thousands of lakeside cottages, is an excellent spot to read about its history and experience how people celebrate the holiday today.

Traversing the archipelago

Final Stop – Turku Archipelago

A seaside house in Kustavi, near the easternmost point of Finland, was our base in this region. This is where the locals go for a saltwater vacation, a fact we quickly discovered when trying to find a house to rent for two US families. Most properties are listed only on Finnish sites–the owner of ours said we were the only non-Finns he’d ever rented to, and he initially seemed quite apprehensive about it. The cabin he’d built by hand perched unobtrusively on rocks overlooking an inlet of the Baltic Sea and snugly accommodated our two families. Rocky coastline and thick forest–with the occasional moose passerby–surrounded the house, and nearby towns offered fresh food markets, cute cafes, charming marinas, and delicious ice cream shops. Many people visit this region to drive or cycle the Archipelago Trail–check out the loop map to help you decide where to base and visit. 

In truth, we spent much of our time at the house. We grilled on the deck, played card games, basked in the pale nordic sun, and savored our final days together in Finland. A trip highlight was launching our kayaks toward a blurred horizon of pink and orange skies reflected in calm seas for a paddle under the midnight sun.

Kayaking under the midnight sun

Turku archipelago worldschooling ideas:

• Rauma. Another UNESCO site, you can study the history and well-preserved architecture of one of the oldest harbors in Finland. 
• Swedish trade. The archipelago offers a unique vantage point for studying the historical interplay and trade routes between Finland and Sweden.
• Turku Art Museum. Turku is a vibrant university city with abundant cultural offerings. Check out one of the most comprehensive art collections in Finland here, featuring both contemporary and iconic pieces. 

Finland – To Be Continued…We Hope

Of the four main stops on our Finland journey, each of the four people in our family had a different favorite. Nowhere felt touristy, and the few other travelers we met were either Finns or visitors from nearby Russia. And although Finns have a reputation for being reserved, we found them universally kind and helpful, generously welcoming us into their homes and traditions. Our family fell hard for this beautiful country, and we hope to someday visit its mystical north in wintertime. 

If in doubt, just say kiitos!

If you like this post, you might also like destination inspiration for Costa Rica, Yellowstone, The Pantanal, Thailand,  Greece, and Alaska.

The post Destination Inspiration: Finland appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.

I met Sabrina Chapman at TravelCon 2024, a conference for digital travel creators. She was in Portland, Oregon for the conference with her son Brighton, who travels with her for both business and leisure. We connected over our shared love of family travel and education, and I knew our Fernweh Families audience would appreciate Sabrina’s perspectives as much as I did. She shares more of her family’s store here.

Please tell us about your family and journey.

My son Brighton (5) and I love traveling for fun, of course, but as the owner of a boutique influencer marketing agency specializing in travel and hospitality, my travels also frequently involve attending events, influencer programs, conferences, and trade shows. I also contribute reviews of hotels to a media company.

I’ve always had wanderlust and would travel through Europe with a Lonely Planet guide and a backpack for months at a time in the early 2000s. They didn’t have digital nomads then, but if they had, I certainly would have been one.

Decades later, as a single mom, I bring my son along on every trip I take. His first flight was to NYC when he was 6 months old. I was throwing a launch party for a tech startup. Together we create educational travel itineraries that blend enjoyable activities with learning experiences, all while maintaining balance so I can run a business.

First time on a plane, headed to New York City

What was one of the most important ingredients in getting your family on the road–what did you do that worked out well?

As a working mother traveling with my 5-year-old, my first priority is always childcare planning. Whether it’s arranging for a babysitter service, finding a drop-in childcare center, or booking a camp, I ensure this is taken care of well in advance before planning anything else for the trip.

For instance, when I attended TravelCon in Portland this spring, my first step was securing a fantastic care center that provided frequent photo and activity updates. Once that was in place, I organized our hotel accommodation to be conveniently located near both the care center and the conference venue. This approach allowed flexibility for our meal plans and other activities.

During each work trip, I aim to include at least one educational experience, though I keep this flexible depending on the weather and our energy levels. After the conference in Portland, for example, we visited the Oregon Zoo where my son got to see bald eagles for the first time. It was a great opportunity to discuss their significance in American history.

Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, Georgia

What’s outside your window right now? What fascinates you about where you are?

Right now, I’m writing from Rosemary Beach, a stunning coastal town along Florida’s Emerald Coast. I booked an Airbnb for the week where I work remotely during the day while my son attends Camp SkyWay at Camp Helen State Park. Choosing this specific camp was strategic. Since he doesn’t have siblings or cousins, the memories he’s creating with friends at camp capture the quintessential essence of a childhood summer. While we were eating sushi last night he recounted that they had a talent show that day. He sang a song from the movie Madagascar while a few other kids danced. Oh, my heart!

In the evenings, we have been finding joy in exploring the beaches and trying out local restaurants. What captivates me most is the crisp sea air, listening to my son share stories about the new friends he’s made at camp, and creating summer memories.

Trail Ride in the Catalina Foothills

Can you describe a time when learning for your child or family happened organically and profoundly…when you learned outside any “plan” you started with?

During our recent trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, I initially didn’t expect Brighton to take away much beyond having fun, getting Mickey ears, and enjoying the rides.

However, something unexpected happened. He was deeply moved by “Living with the Land,” a serene boat cruise showcasing multimedia agricultural displays and four operational greenhouses at The Land Pavilion in Epcot. Following that experience, we had lunch at Garden Grill Restaurant, where he met Farmer Mickey and ate fresh produce grown on-site at Epcot.

This visit sparked a profound curiosity in Brighton. For about a month afterward, he would regularly ask questions like what food was like in the 1940s or even earlier, such as the 1800s. I did my best to answer his questions, and together we delved deeper into these topics through research and exploration. This experience turned out to be much more than just a fun trip—it ignited a lasting interest in history and agriculture for Brighton.

What are some of the unique aspects of long-term travel and/or worldschooling as a single parent?

Traveling as a single parent is both emotionally and physically demanding. It involves balancing the responsibilities of parenting with the desire to explore new places and meeting my clients’ needs. To manage it all effectively, I prioritize my own health by dedicating at least 30 to 60 minutes to it each day. Whether it’s attending a yoga class, visiting a fresh juice bar for wellness shots, or simply taking a power nap, these moments of self-care are crucial to prevent burnout while on the road. Taking precautions like this helps me maintain a healthy balance during our travels.

What do you wish you knew before you started, or what would you like to share with other families before they launch?

Begin with a small step: if you haven’t traveled with your children yet, choose a nearby destination for a one or two-night stay. Use this experience as a learning opportunity and gradually expand your travels from there. Consider it a practice run to build up for more distant destinations and longer trips.

Point Pinos Lighthouse

Do you attend any organized travel programs or tours? If so, how do they fit in with overall journey and worldschooling plan/approach?

During summer, fall, and spring breaks, I actively seek out camps in different cities that offer robust hands-on learning programs aligned with our travel destinations. For instance, last summer, we enrolled in a sea life camp in Newport Beach. This summer, Brighton participated in SkyCamp at Camp Helen, where he is enthusiastically engaging with the topics and showing natural curiosity. He is interested in trees and arbor because we are physically in nature.

Metaphorically speaking, what is something you’ve lost and something you’ve found during your journey?

I’ve let go of the notion that everything must be perfect when traveling. That the bags have to be labeled, packed in cubes and every t-shirt rolled in a certain way. Planning certainly helps, but navigating the inevitable obstacles and challenges of travel is part of the adventure. Traveling with children is not all joy and aspirational Instagram-worthy pics, although the nuggets of inspiration are what fuel the journey. But there is fatigue, anxiety, and even sadness. It’s in overcoming these hurdles, embracing the unknown, and discovering new places as a family that the true beauty of traveling with children unfolds.

I’ve found boundless passion to continue this journey of work-learning-travel-life with my son. There are moments when memes about needing vodka, a week of sleep, and a million dollars seem spot-on. I’m jet lagged, juggling suitcases and a car seat, with my child asking to be carried, my phone buzzing with emails, and feeling like I might just lose my mind, but I find another wind to carry on. Why? The connection I find with my son while exploring new places — whether it’s kayaking on a lake in the ponderosa pine-filled forests of Northern Arizona, talking about dinosaurs at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, or looking at sea turtle nests on the beaches of Florida — is inspiring and makes every challenging moment worth it.

What’s your favorite story to share about this experience?

I’m always trying to save money when flying. Recently, I had a client pitch in Miami. We flew in and out Miami International, or so I thought. I had typed and printed our daily itinerary with flights, hotels, babysitting, etc., so felt that I was SO organized for this trip. I even booked Lyft early so we would be at the airport with plenty of time.

When we got to the Miami International Airport and tried to check-in, the ticket counter said that we were at the wrong airport. I remembered that at the last minute I found a better price on flights if we flew into Miami and out of Fort Lauderdale but hadn’t updated our itinerary. There wasn’t enough time to get to Fort Lauderdale in rush hour. And it was the last flight for the airline of the day. I had an oh, (expletive) internal moment. Brighton started crying big crocodile tears. I knelt down and said don’t worry, we are going to figure this out. It’s okay and mama bear hugged him. Within the next hour, I had a hotel booked and a Lyft on the way. I used this as a learning lesson for Brighton as a valuable reminder that life doesn’t always go as planned, and mistakes happen. What’s important is how we respond and problem-solve in those moments of adversity. This experience taught us a priceless lesson in flexibility and staying calm under pressure.

What are you excited about seeing/doing/learning next?

I have several promising global business opportunities on the horizon, and this year will mark the first time I’ll be traveling abroad with my son. I’m incredibly excited to introduce him to diverse cultures, lifestyles, cuisines, and traditions. At just 5 years old, he’s already captivated by learning about how food grows, exploring different culinary delights (he loves nigiri!), and embracing enriching experiences. It’s a global journey I can’t wait to share with him.

Thank you so much to Sabrina and Brighton for sharing their story with us. To follow along with their journeys, you can find them at:

Instagram: @sabrinachapman

TikTok: bespoke8marketing

LinkedIn: Sabrina Chapman

You can also check out other Fernweh Families on this blog to get inspiration for your own adventures.

Palm Springs

The post Fernweh Families: The Chapmans appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.

Several years ago, our family of four traveled the world for two amazing years of education and adventure. Those worldschooling experiences were meaningful and enriching, chock full of learning, togetherness, and memories to savor. Across the years, we’ve tried to bring what we loved from that time into any chance we have to travel together.

Both of our boys are now in college, so my husband Mark and I are freshly-minted empty nesters. This year presents a new window of opportunity for us to hit the road. We both work remotely, and Mark’s recent career change means we don’t have to be rooted anywhere until 2025. We are also planning to relocate away from Colorado, prompting a chance to untether and lighten our load. So, we’ve decided to become full-time RVers again–without the kids this time, except when they visit “home” from far away. We’ll still have our dog Timber with us, though! Now 80 in canine years, he’ll be along for the ride.

This blog is for anyone sorting out how to launch RV travel, whether or not you have kids in tow. We have some experience to rely on and share, and still much to learn along the way, too. 

Launching in sub-zero temps.

Choosing a Home

Mark and I met in college and bonded over our shared love of travel. We had both spent our childhoods RVing with our grandparents, and long before we could afford an RV of our own, we road-tripped and tent-camped as a couple and later with our two sons. In 2014, we bought our first RV: an Airstream 30’ Flying Cloud. We fell in love with its practicality, flexibility, and style, plus it was the only Airstream with bunks for the kids. Soon after the purchase, we sold our house and cars, donated and stored our belongings, and hit the road for two years to travel across North America as a family.

After settling into a sticks-and-bricks house again in 2016, our teenagers quickly outgrew the Flying Cloud bunks. We sold that trailer (to another family launching full-time travel!) and purchased a different Airstream with a bit more space. We used it for many weekend trips, school holiday vacations, and an amazing 10-week summer journey across the Pacific Northwest. We’ve now swapped rigs again for one with a better layout and features for Mark and me. As we hit the road, we’re re-learning what we need to know about towing, mechanical systems, and DIY repairs. 

A temporary intervention.

Airstreams have always suited us given their nimbleness and seamless indoor-outdoor living, but they have some major tradeoffs in terms of living space and storage. Many traveling families we’ve spoken with prefer a larger RV with dedicated bedrooms and more generous living and kitchen spaces. There are so many recreational vehicle options for families, including motorhomes, pop-up campers, fifth-wheelers, toy haulers, travel trailers, and camper vans. Choosing what works best for your family–especially for long-term travel–takes some research. If you are considering RV life, here are a few of our favorite resources to help you learn more.

• How to Choose The Right RV For You: Tips from Experienced Full-Time RVers – starter guidance from an RV club
• Find Your Perfect RV or Camper Based on Your Lifestyle – THOR Industries – insights from one of the largest networks of RV companies
• Find the Right RV for You | Go RVing – a fun tool to get your gears turning
• The Complete Guide to Finding the Right RV… for YOU! – Follow Your Detour – a blog post offering insights from one couple’s experiences and recommendations for choosing your own rig
• 2024 Expert Guide To Choose The Best RV For Full Time Living – The Adventure Detour – another blog, this time zeroing in on choosing an RV for full-time travel

Prepping for Launch

Our idea to live on the road again percolated for a few years before it became a solid plan. Then the plan started with some big decisions–the first was to sell our home and move into a rental. We also began the process of downsizing, both during and after that move.

Next it was time to start chipping away at a lengthy to-do list. Planning to launch in early 2024, we extended our lease and created a multi-month gameplan. The number of things to take care of can seem overwhelming–so much so that we cover them across several chapters in Wonder Year. We had things to close up at home, financials to sort through, healthcare appointments to schedule, an RV to purchase, and a year of travel to sort out. In case it’s helpful as a reference, here’s a copy of the to-do list we were using.

During our Wonder Years, we reserved some popular campsites ahead of time but also booked many sites along the way, stopping when and where our hearts desired. That’s become a lot harder to navigate since COVID, when RV purchases grew dramatically. There are now over a million full-time RV households in the US (about 30% are families), and an estimated 11.2 million households own an RV! That’s a lot of people vying for the best sites, so if you like to book ahead of time, securing preferred spots requires good planning. You’ll need to map out your route, research and select desired locations, target your necessary amenities, choose your desired sites, and then know what dates bookings go live. It takes some legwork, but hopefully you’ll be rewarded with roomy sites and gorgeous views.

Some of our favorite RV travel planning tools include:

• RV LIFE Pro – extensive site that includes amenity details and customer reviews with links for booking
• Allstays – shares campsites across the US and Canada; note the app is better than the website
• Hipcamp – listings of private RV spots and campsites, often in interesting locations with unique amenities
• Campground Views – offers detailed photos of many campsites to help you choose your favorites
• Google Earth – another fun way to check out parks, campgrounds, and local attractions before you go

If you are more of a go-with-the-flow traveler and don’t want to be beholden to reservations, boondocking (also known as dispersed camping) may be more your speed. Getting off the grid often yields more privacy and even better views, but without utility hookups. Dispersed camping requires a different kind of planning (including what you’ll do for power, water, and sewage) but can be fantastically liberating and easier on the environment. Check out the Bureau of Land Management, The Dyrt, and Boondocking.org to learn more.

Cuddling up to a view, Timber always knows how to go with the flow.

On the Road

Launch date: January 13, 2024. Which became the 14th, the 15th, then the 16th, then the 17th and 18th…throwing our best-laid plans into immediate disarray. An ice storm and sub-zero temps kept us in Colorado, waiting it out at The Residence Inn. And the early bumps continued–during our first two months on the road, we encountered heavy rains, tornado warnings, endless mud, a frozen water line, nonexistent internet service, and thickets of off-season mosquitoes. Plus we realized that, despite having carefully packed the RV, we didn’t need about a quarter of what we’d brought along. 

But bumps and problem-solving and detours are all part of the journey. As we navigated them, we were also sorting out the time and space needed for work, teaching university classes, and future travel planning. That felt a bit familiar, too: the first few months of our Wonder Year had been much the same, but with twice the people. There’s always a learning curve and things to work out when embarking on a long-term trip.

Mark and I invented a funny-not-so-funny game: “Is THIS the day we turn the corner?” Finally, we did, in New Orleans in March. We also decided to slow down our travel, canceling some stops to stay longer in other locations. It’s all gotten easier and we’re finally in a groove of better-balanced calendars, responsibilities, adventures, and rest. Here are a few tips from Wonder Year we’ve been using and would recommend to fellow travelers. 

• Stay flexible and leave space for mishaps and unexpected events. Create contingency plans in case things get really rough. Also, have insurance for the big stuff, like something happening to your RV.
• Slow down if needed, and don’t hesitate to change your itinerary if another plan will work better–it’s ok to relax your own expectations. Know cancellation policies for your bookings to help avoid penalties.
• Schedule downtime in your travels. You aren’t on vacation trying to jam-pack experiences into a week–you are living your whole life on the road. You’ll need some quieter, rest-filled days, too.
• Tap into networks to help with problem-solving. We belong to Airstream Addicts, an online group of over 80K members who can help answer almost any question about living in, maintaining, and repairing a trailer. Similar groups exist for other RV brands, plus there are social media travel groups, in-person clubs, and knowledgeable camp owners and hosts who might be able to help.
• In addition to reaching out for resources, build social connections as you travel. Join a traveling club, meet other campers for dinner, say hello to the people parked next to you, head into town to find new friends, and visit loved ones along your path. It all helps fill your tank when you don’t have roots.

Reorganizing and culling again – with RV life, less is definitely more.

Looking Ahead

We at Wonder Year are passionate about long-term travel and worldschooling–it’s an exciting evolution in how we collectively think about family life and educating our kids. Mark and I are grateful for having worldschooled and hope to bring a similar mindset to traveling as empty-nesters. We want to explore whatever this new phase holds for us and are looking forward to having time to learn and reflect while being away from the busyness of rooted life. 

We also believe that everything you do at “home” can be done when your home is an RV. Our biggest lesson has been that living simply aligns well with our values of freedom, curiosity, and gratitude. Learning and exploring alongside the people we love is a gift, curiosity fuels us and keeps us open-minded and young at heart, and the novelty of traveling seems to slow down time–all of which matter more and more the older we get.

Is there anything you hope to bring back into focus as you travel? How else do you value your time on the road?

A peaceful place to land.

The post Wonder Year 2.0 – Empty Nesting in an RV appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.

We were lucky to catch up with Lainie for an extended chat from her home in Guanajuato, Mexico.

So many of us in the worldschooling community know who you are. For those newer on the scene, can you tell us about your journey?

Sure. In 2008, I was a business owner and a single parent living in Los Angeles. I had worked in advertising and marketing for 18 years, the last eight of those with my own agency. When the economy crashed in 2008, I knew I was going to close my business. I wasn’t going to bring back my staff the following year, and my clients started going away. I remember being frustrated and overworked, with lots and lots of stress. And then just having this inspired thought one night late in the office. My son ​Miró was nine at the time and it was too late for him to be in the office, but I still wasn’t done with my work. He was playing a video game, and I just said to him, ​Miró. And he stopped. He looked over at me and I said, What do you think if we just get rid of all this stuff? And you and I go have an adventure? 

I didn’t even know where that inspired thought came from. I wasn’t planning on it, hadn’t been thinking of it. It just came out of my mouth. And he said, Are you sure? And then before he replied, he said, I have one question: if we do it, do I have to go to school? And I said, no. And he’s like, yeah, let’s do it. 

So we started excitedly talking about it. We decided that we would leave the following year, get rid of our stuff, sell it or give it away to downsize. We were going to just travel for a year, and I wanted to go south. Our plan was to go into Mexico and then head south overland via bus, take the time that we needed in each location and end up in Ushuaia, Argentina. I created a little nest egg so when we came back, we’d have some money to restart. All the things we needed to do to make this trip our trip, we did in partnership. And then one year turned into 15 years, and we never did make it to Ushuaia! We just haven’t gone home. 

What does community mean to you? How have your programs helped foster a sense of community among worldschoolers?

I guess the best place to start is that the desire for community never came from an outward need. It came from the inner desire to connect. And a lot of that is an extension of the mental health work that I did to prepare myself to be a good parent. When we started out on our journey, it was just the two of us, and that was enough. For the first couple of years, it was about the connection between Miró and me–creating a stronger bond, really talking about our inner worlds while experiencing the outer world, healing, learning together, and growing together. 

A lot of the traveling was so rewarding, so fulfilling. And coming from hyper-commercialism and -consumerism, we shed that and started living on way less money and connecting with the humanity around us more. We really started to ground ourselves in being present in our lives by cooking together, going to the market and having relationships with the vendors, being friendly with them and being invited in and exploring their lives, and by meeting people from all over the world. It was really about digging deep and the cultural exploration and the conversations about our own worldviews and about our humanity that helped us to expand. 

When ​Miró hit adolescence, he started to kind of feel disconnected with the journey we were on. Just with the biological changes that happen around that time, he was feeling isolated. We had conversations about it–do we want to go back, do we want to make changes in our life? We were living high in the Andes, in Peru, and his only ability to connect with others was through the local children of potato farmers. There were expats around, but they were mostly coming through and leaving to go to Machu Picchu. We weren’t forming relationships with them. 

So, our idea was to create a temporary learning community for teens. It would include immersive learning and social learning with all the people around us. It was just another inspired idea that sent me down a path of learning everything I could about teenage brain psychology. I learned about conflict resolution and about holding space. I learned about sacred ceremonial spaces by studying a Native American tribe, and I learned philosophies on how to facilitate power. I learned everything I could about the stages of development in the adolescent brain. That allowed me to tap back into the tools that I used in my own mental health journey. And then I was like, okay, I feel prepared. Let’s do it. 

How did all this lead to the Project World School retreats?

Soon after, ​Miró and l launched our first business together, Project World School. And for the first few years, it was amazing. We created our circle structure and functioned in a partnership, but in the early years he was mostly a participant. And a friend of mine, a French traveler, helped me co-facilitate based on the structure we designed before the retreat. I learned so much about hosting communities.

As we did our first retreat, we figured out what worked and what didn’t, then we adjusted the next year. With those changes, the retreats became a little more polished. Communities are very much based on intention. I learned everything I could about the participants and the stages of development that they were in, and the ways and tools to serve them. 

Our retreats are based on consent and consensus. We interview people before they come in, and we start off with a set of agreements. We talk about what the next day is going to be in our evening circles. We use consensus because if one person doesn’t want to do it, that means their needs are not being met. We try to accommodate everybody who has opted into this experience and find out what is not working, and to use tools and strategies for managing and holding space for people when they’re outside of their comfort zone so they feel seen, heard, and understood. It’s really about intentional communities, and because it is temporary, there is this greater sense of urgency to fill every moment. And as the organizing adult, I am taking responsibility for the safety, wellness, and mental health of the teens–they are other people’s children I am serving. 

We had about a 75% return rate for retreats before the pandemic when we were doing anywhere from three to five retreats a year. We had great experiences; people felt very connected to it. We ran ten conferences in different places around the world. Our first one was in 2016, and we ran them until COVID, and our most recent one was in March 2023 in Mexico.

What do those events look like now? 

We do two kinds of trips with teens. We do a short format for the younger teens stepping into being on their own for the first time. Then we’ve done a longer format–we just did one in Thailand in November. 

We’re going to be doing a bit of restructuring to Project World School. We’ll continue the shorter trips.

​Miró wants to do an 18+ trip, which will have a different flavor, more like peer/mentor. ​He’ll soon be turning 25. It’s a great transition and he’s really excited to start leading. The biggest challenge for me in stepping away from the longer trips is the caretaking and safeguarding I do as a mom, which gives parents confidence when they’re sending their kids to a retreat. I’m accountable and responsible for all these kids. 

What about your early online offerings?

First, ​Miró and I produced a podcast. And it was like our mom and son project together – it really wasn’t for other people to listen to. Every place that we went to, we would research together and talk about either the history of the place or find a story about it. And then we’d find somebody interesting, and we’d interview them. Like I remember we were in Panama and ​Miró was really interested in two things at that time, zombies and pirates. And that became a part of the podcast. It just was so much fun putting together the episodes. 

They became popular in a strange way. They were on our website–there were no streaming services at the time–we just uploaded the files, and we played them and had our show notes pages. It was just a lot of fun. And then we started getting travel questions from people who listened. There were hardly any other travel blogs, especially family blogs, especially single-parent family blogs. So I was blogging, too. I’d write about travel fears and all that stuff. 

Can you tell readers a bit about your Facebook groups?

I started getting a lot of travel questions in Facebook groups I was in. And somebody said to me, why don’t you start a Facebook group for traveling families? At the time, we were unschooling. I knew intuitively a year of travel would be way more educational than fifth grade, but I discovered there was something called unschooling, and we were already doing it in partnership. I started including unschooling into my blog and getting questions about that as well. 

One of the people we ended up interviewing for our podcast was a young man, Eli Gerzon, who was unschooled as a youngster and through his teen years. When he became a young adult, he started traveling more, but he always hated the word unschooling so he called it worldschooling. I was like, that is the coolest thing ever! We met him when he was in his late 20s, and he was doing other things, so he had outgrown it. So when I started getting questions, I was like, I’m going to call this worldschooling. 

Eli had started a Facebook group called Worldschoolers. It was dormant for like five years; there were less than 200 people in there. I asked him if I could take over the group because I had a vision for it, and he said sure. I built it up to more than 40,000 members. It was built so we could tap into the brain trust of the community, because I couldn’t answer everything. Instead, everyone could ask each other. 

Later I moved away from the Worldschoolers page, and now I manage another page called We Are Worldschoolers. The Summits have dedicated pages I administrate, too.

Let’s switch gears to some of your other projects. You wrote a book called Seen, Heard & Understood. Can you tell us about it?

It’s about understanding parenting and partnering with teens for greater mental health. The book is a combination of personal stories and scientific research. It’s a psychological exploration for the reader to understand themselves in order to connect in the spaces where teens or adolescents are needing connection. The book talks about how to manage the trigger responses you have when interacting with them. I wanted to understand that from a neurobiological perspective, a hormonal perspective, and an evolutionary psychological perspective. And then understand it from a sense of self and use connection as the foundation, not coercion. The book has a lot of information, but I made it easy to absorb. I’m not a PhD or MD; I’m a researcher and a mom who has lived this.

And you’re writing another book now, too? 

Yes. It’s about partnership parenting which is really anarchist parenting, like how to parent without rules, without the authoritarian paradigm, what tools to use and how to manage moving through challenges. There’s neuroscience and psychology and all this stuff wrapped into it–there’s a lot of multidisciplinary places that I’m pulling from. I’m going to self-publish it like I did my first book.

You have a new class on getting started with worldschooling. Can you tell us more?

We’re doing a three-hour course on how to create your family culture, with tools and strategies on how to worldschool from a family culture perspective. This is such an important part of anybody’s worldschooling journey. Every worldschooler should understand it as a foundation before they set out. Before they budget, before they sell their stuff, before they make their itinerary: they need to get their house in order. We also wanted to make the class very low cost–it’s just $25–and accessible online. 

Did I see that you are also planning a Summit reunion?

Yes, that too! Because everybody’s telling me they want another Summit, and I kind of miss them. There’s a big part of me that knows I’m kind of an elder now. My son is grown. But I miss creating conferences. I miss the community. I loved the connections and for me it was very, very important to normalize the worldschooling experience for kids–for them to meet other kids who worldschool.

What’s outside your window right now? What fascinates you about where you are?

I love Guanajuato, where I live. It’s colorful. It’s a university town, there are young people and we have a big arts festival here. There’s theater, music, and all kinds of art everywhere. My house is funky, and I have an art studio and being able to paint again is really lovely. I have a garden on the roof. There’s a peach tree and a lemon tree. This is the place for me at this stage of my life. ​Miró lives in his own apartment in town.

If you could go back to the beginning of your journey, are there things you wish you’d known that you’d share with others? 

I really didn’t know what I didn’t know and what I needed. I mean, people ask me for advice all the time. And, you know, it’s always like, slow down, let life unfold, be present. But those are things that you have to experience in order to know their value.

Which of those is the hardest for you to live by?

I guess being present, because I come from a culture of busyness, of productivity. My mother would say, if you’re lazy, you’re worthless; you’re doing nothing, you’re not contributing. And so I had this really tough relationship with relaxing. And although I already got really good at multitasking and reaching lots of goals, there’s still a part of me–even though it’s been healed–that doesn’t feel worthy unless I am doing, doing, doing. When I was a kid, I used to say to myself, I’m going to live a great life and show them. It put me in that habitual belief that I still need to show them, whomever “them” are. 

Do you think that’s why you keep creating new things? 

Probably, but I wouldn’t know what else to do with myself. I spend time in the garden. I play with my dogs. I paint.

Do you feel like you get to enjoy your creations, too?

Remaining curious and playful are core values to me, and I am really in my element when I’m with teens. I will always carry the responsibility of holding space, but I get to unapologetically be playful, too. I get to do improv and be crazy and tell stories and work on shocking the teens and getting them to laugh and connect. That’s where I feel most alive. 

What else are you doing with teens?

I offer a 12-week online course for teens. Our 13th cohort is going to happen soon. This is where I teach the tools in my book, and create a safe space for teens to be exactly where they are on their journey. These courses are filled with weekly challenges, reflections, accountability, and sharing. Most teens feel a sigh of relief when they finally recognize two things: there are tools to manage stress, anxiety, depression, and other experiences; and, they are not alone.

I also show up weekly for two online meetups for teens. Thursdays are for teens 15 and older. There’s a 21-year-old there who started at 17, and she still comes! And I do a group on Saturdays for tweens and younger teens ages 11-14. The meetups are totally free, online safe spaces. The first hour we have conversations. We talk about philosophy. Like today we talked about whether a person’s nature can change. Or we do “Would You Rather,” so we can talk about their choices. And then the second hour we play, like games or drawing or creating music or writing stories. So it’s playful, it’s joyful. And they know I’m that adult who shows up for them every week so they know they’re important. And they won’t let me quit.

Clearly, you’re giving a gift and the participants gain a lot from it. And listening to the energy in your voice, it sounds like you do, too.

I love it. I love it. It’s just my honor to do it. 

We are grateful to Lainie for spending time with us and sharing her personal stories and thoughtful perspectives. You can use these links to find out more about her offerings for teens, parents, and the worldschooling community at large. 

Mentoring and courses for teen mental health: https://transformativementoringforteens.com/about/

Partnership parenting courses: https://partnershipparent.com/

Trips and retreats: https://projectworldschool.com/

Summits: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ProjectWorldSchoolFamilySummit

Worldschooling community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weareworldschoolers

Lainie’s personal page: https://www.instagram.com/ilainie/

The post Community Connectors: Lainie Liberti appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.

I connected with Ashley Davis as we were leaving our campsite in Galveston, Texas. My husband and I hadn’t spent much time in the “yard” of our site that week, so we hadn’t met as many of our neighbors as usual.  As we were breaking camp, I glanced next door and noticed a nicely kitted workout space in our neighbor’s fifth wheel. Figuring that might point to full-timers, I struck up a conversation with Ashley and her husband, Lennon. We quickly connected over our love of RV life and expressed a shared wish that we’d met sooner during our stay. In lieu of more time together, Ashley thoughtfully offered to share more of their family’s story here in our Fernweh Family series. We know you’ll enjoy meeting the Davises, too.

Please tell us about your family. 

Lennon’s background was in manufacturing and he made the shift to a new career field as a drone pilot shortly after we got on the road. He’s also a reservist in the Air National Guard. He’s always loved to travel. I work remotely as a Marketing Manager; together Lennon and I also work as video content creators for brands. I’ve always loved travel and grew up going abroad more than state-side, so a life of travel is a literal dream. Lennon and I traveled quite a bit together before we had our son. Ace is 5 years old and the light of our lives. He loves traveling full time and is always excited to go to new places and try new things.

Please tell us a bit about your journey.

Lennon and I have been together for 15 years, married for 10. We’ve lived in 3 states together and owned 3 houses. Every time we were in a house we never felt “settled.” It always felt nice, but like something was missing. We’d moved from Charleston, SC to Pennsylvania to be closer to family back in 2019, and while that was great and we enjoyed our time with them, COVID hit and we felt so incredibly trapped. We had a big beautiful house, but what did that really matter or mean? 

Lennon and Ace walk to the Washington Monument in D.C.

I came to Lennon with the idea of RV life after seeing someone doing it online, and he was interested in it. We actually drove around Iceland in a camper van back in 2017, so an RV seemed like it would be significantly simpler! We talked more about it and agreed it was what we wanted to try. Neither of us had lived in an RV or even spent time in one before buying ours and hitting the road. But, we renovated our house, sold it during the height of the market, researched the RVs that were best suited for us, and got ours. 

We already planned on homeschooling our son even in a house, so that was not going to be a big change for us. We hit the road at the end of April 2022. When we first started out, we hit a new state once a week for 7 weeks and while it was fun, it was exhausting. It felt too fast-paced like we couldn’t enjoy where we were enough, so we slowed down tremendously, and now we spend at least 3-4 weeks in each location, sometimes more, sometimes less. Our goal is to hit all 50 states and then make our way through Central America. But we are in no hurry! We also plan to continue mixing international travel in–our goal is four trips per year abroad…maybe more someday!

The Davis family at the immersive art exhibit WonderSpaces in Austin, TX

What was one of the most important ingredients in getting your family on the road–what did you do that worked out well?

We discussed the idea for a while and didn’t just jump in. We researched heavily and created a plan to achieve our goal. We knew we wanted to buy the truck and RV outright to not have payments on these items because debt heavily weighs you down. So, we renovated our house and sold it at the height of the market to capitalize on earnings. This was the best thing we could’ve done. We also had to ensure we were in a good place in terms of income, since Lennon quit his day job and I would be working remotely. 

What’s outside your window right now? What fascinates you about where you are?  

Right now I am looking at palm trees on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other. This is our first time in Galveston, TX, and it’s definitely beautiful. We’ve spent this winter in Texas, mostly because I thought it would be warmer (oops). I think what fascinates me about this particular area is how it doesn’t feel like “Texas.” Whenever I envision Texas, I picture cowboys and ranches and farms, maybe some desert. I thank movies for these depictions. When it’s actually warm here you feel more like you are on an island or in a tropical climate. 

Can you describe a time when learning for your child or family happened organically and profoundly…when you learned outside any “plan” you started with? 

As I mentioned, we always planned to homeschool. But with travel, our son is learning things where they have actually happened, or experiencing them in person. I think had we stayed in a house, we’d be doing a very specific program and while the education would be there, it would’ve been drastically different. Instead of reading about everything in a book, or watching it in a movie or documentary, he gets to learn about it in person. He’s seeing and doing so much, all the time, and getting endless information, but it’s also fun for him. I truly can’t imagine him trying to sit all day in a classroom, it feels so incredibly foreign.

Lennon and Ashely in front of Seljalandsfoss in Iceland.

What have you discovered about your family by being on the road together? 

How much we truly love being together all the time. I’ve heard of families full-timing only to learn they don’t mesh well in such a small space and so much togetherness, but we love it. Our only regret is not doing it sooner. 

What does community mean to you, and how have you found it during your travels? 

This community is incredible, especially fellow full-timers. We love meeting other traveling families on the road. It’s great when you meet people you can relate to in so many ways, and usually when they full-time with kids that also means they homeschool. Our son is so incredibly social, so when he gets to meet other kiddos on the road and make new connections, he is ecstatic. This community is always eager to help out one another. It’s like a beautiful traveling “village,” if you will. We’ve met friends on the road that we’d never have met if we didn’t get on the road, friends who I believe will be lifelong. We’ve also met friends who we plan to caravan with in the future. 

Are there other traveling families you follow online who particularly inspire you?

Oh goodness, yes! I didn’t know how many people actually full-timed until about 5-6 months on the road. I started discovering more people online which was really awesome. I’ve made some really close friends via Instagram which sounds so crazy, but it’s so awesome. Some families and couples who really inspire me are @outherewandering, @gills_on_wheels, @heartandsaultravel, @georgeandcris, @wanderlusttravelcouple. 

What do you wish a fellow full-timing family had told you before you left home? 

To really spend some time in the RVs and write out a list of must-haves. I did so much research and knew we wanted a separate room for our son, but mistakenly thought that could also double as an office, and that hasn’t really worked that way. If we went back in time, we’d have opted for a toy hauler instead of our current fifth wheel. It’s kind of like buying your starter house and learning what you do and don’t want for your next house. Now we know, and we will make our next decision according to what we’ve learned. 

What’s your favorite story to share about this experience? 

Not sure I would say it’s a story exactly, but something we didn’t realize would happen is the complete lack of interest in settling down in one location now. In fact, traveling has made it way harder to determine where we’d want to be! We love something about many places we’ve been to and have so many places we want to see. We know we’d want to be someone warm, but have no idea where that would be! We plan to do this for at least 5-7 more years.

What are you excited about doing next?

We are so excited to continue our journey in general, but we specifically look forward to visiting all 50 states and continuing to add in international trips. I think we just love the journey itself, because that is what it’s all about, and it is something we are always excited about. Now that we are constantly traveling and having endless new experiences, I can’t imagine not doing it.

Thank you so much to Ashley, Lennon, and Ace for sharing their story with us. To follow along with their journey, find them at:

Instagram

Facebook

TikTok

YouTube

You can also check out other Fernweh Families on this blog to get inspiration for your own adventures.

Fantastic view from the front of the family’s rig in Key West, FL.

The post Fernweh Families: The Davises appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.

Below, Jamie shares a bit about their experiences in her own words.

Please share a bit about your journey.

When I was in college, I had my first opportunity to live in another country when I went to Baja, Mexico for a 6-month school program. It changed my life. I loved the experience of being immersed in another culture and thoroughly enjoyed the beauty that surrounded me with the people, their way of life, and the natural landscape. It was an experience that I have wanted my son to have. I had been looking for opportunities for a while and more so in the last few years, knowing my son would not want to be going on these excursions with his mom much longer and leaving his friends and his activities. An opportunity came my way last year and I was able to start up my own business and make enough money to be able to travel and work. 

Jace making a bowl in pottery class.

What was one of the most important ingredients in getting your family on the road – what did you do that worked out well? 

Determination. I had my mind set and was going to do whatever it took to make it happen, which included finding someone to take care of my house and dog for a month, setting up my business to still function while in Peru, getting his dad on board for this trip to Peru, saving up enough money to be able to go, and not letting my anxiety about such a huge undertaking so far away from home stop me.

Why did you decide to attend a Working Without Borders program? How did it fit into your overall journey and worldschooling plan/approach?

I had a childhood friend that I had reconnected with on Facebook recently and was reading her posts on her worldschooling journeys. As soon as I saw what she was doing, I thought to myself, “This is it!” Working Without Borders was the perfect program for me because it offered programs that were during my son’s summer break. I felt a month-long program was the perfect amount of time for us. It was long enough to really get to know the area and the people and he could still have half his summer to do other things at home. WWB also had everything planned out for us, including safe and comfortable living arrangements, transportation, schooling, after school classes, and weekend adventures. 

Where was the WWB program you attended? Please tell us what the experience was like for you and your son. Are there specific aspects of the program you feel are a good fit for single parents?

We attended the Sacred Valley program in Peru. It was the most wonderful experience and was above and beyond my expectations. Jace left for classes at a local school around 7am and returned around 5pm after attending different classes after school each day that taught the visiting kids about local cooking, music, outdoor adventure, art, and pottery. While he was busily engaged and learning during the day, I was able to do my job remotely from my home office–my bungalow’s back patio overlooking a river and mountains! Jace was totally immersed in the culture and made friends with local students in spite of the language barrier, and that was one of the most important experiences I wanted for him. 

What are the lasting impressions of your WWB experience? How has it impacted you and your son?

It was an incredible eye-opening experience that allowed my son to experience getting to know kids from another part of the world and to learn how much they had in common, as well as understanding and appreciating the cultural differences.

What are some of the unique aspects of long-term travel and/or world schooling as a single parent? What do you wish you knew before you started, or what would you like to share with other families before they launch?

It was financially difficult to come up with the money and it was a little scary to be the only available on-site parent being responsible for making decisions for my son in a foreign country.

Learning how to harvest potatoes with members of the Huama Community.

What does community mean to you, and how have you found it during your travels? Have you attended other organized programs besides WWB?

Community is essential to thrive, to learn from others, to share experiences with others, to make this world a better place. WWB provided a great community for all the families who participated–both visiting families and local families. Building community is one of the best strengths of WWB.

What have you discovered about your family by being on the road together?

I loved traveling with my son, Jace, and this experience reaffirmed my belief that he is an incredible human being. I am constantly amazed and impressed with who he is becoming. His willingness to try new things is delightful. It is not easy to go to a totally new country without friends, cousins, or siblings. His trust in me and my decisions for this trip humbled me. He took all the new experiences in stride and fully participated in all the opportunities and adventures the program provided him. He even handled being the only boy of the visiting families without complaint.

What’s your favorite story to share about this experience?

On the last day of school, the local teachers and students held a gratitude ceremony that was heartfelt and beautiful. The students, both local and visiting, all went around a circle and shared words of gratitude. At the end of the ceremony, my son was surrounded by a large group of kids chanting his name and giving him hugs. He was loved. He had made his mark. This is exactly what I had hoped would happen for him.

What are you excited about seeing/doing/learning next? 

I would love to go on another trip next summer with Jace. If we cannot afford another extensive trip abroad so soon after Peru, then I am hoping we can visit a National Park or two this coming year.

From the Wonder Year team: We so appreciate Jamie telling us about her family’ travel experiences, including the time she and Jace spent attending a Working Without Borders program. If you are interested in learning more about WWB for your family, you can start with the blog post here.

One of the many dishes the kids made in cooking class.

The post Fernweh Families: the Neilans appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.

In our book, we encourage traveling families to have a “know before you go” approach to community programs and gatherings, and we love that Working Without Borders describes their ideal participant to help you do just that. We also admire their manifesto of inclusion, camaraderie, personal growth, contribution, kindness, and adventure.

Sam shares his experiences and insights with us below.

Please tell us a bit about your background and your family.

From being an exchange student in Australia to a Fulbright Scholar in Costa Rica, the most formative experiences of my life have involved living abroad. My wife’s upbringing, spanning the Middle East, Hong Kong, and France, similarly shaped her worldview. Together, our passion for global exploration led us to French Polynesia with our kids during the pandemic. These experiences and our collective love for diverse cultures laid the foundation for Working Without Borders, a venture born out of a desire to offer families the transformative power of cross-cultural immersion in a post-pandemic world.

Local and visiting kids stroll together through a village in the Sacred Valley of Peru.

Why did you start Working Without Borders?

It began with a dream. A long-shared, long-deferred daydream, imagining we could live abroad, working remotely in an exotic paradise, with our kids. It took a pandemic to make the dream come true for us. In August 2020, we made our big move as a family to Tahiti. Lo and behold, experiencing freedom and joy in French Polynesia gave rise to a bigger dream. We looked for ways to “pay it forward,” helping parents like us to experience living and working remotely in a beautiful location, amongst a community of like-minded families, with kids and teens learning alongside similarly-aged local youth.  

What’s the educational philosophy behind WWB?

Our educational philosophy is rooted in the principles of worldschooling. We make highly immersive, cross-cultural, project-based, experiential learning opportunities possible. By collaborating with local communities, schools, and camp providers, we foster a deep sense of global citizenship in participating youth. This approach not only broadens their horizons but also cultivates critical thinking, adaptability, and empathy. Engaging directly with diverse cultures and environments equips them with invaluable life skills, heightened cultural awareness, and a genuine appreciation for the interconnectedness of our global community.

Families enjoy lunch at the Medellin Botanical Garden to kick off the Family Learning Adventure in Colombia’s City of Eternal Spring.

How do you select locations? What goes into the planning and how long does it take?

Finalizing a new destination usually spans several months. So far, we’ve targeted locations in the Americas and the Pacific, catering to parents working in those time zones. Considerations such as walkability, climate, safety, and local attractions guide our choices. Partnering with a dedicated local ally, who resonates with our vision, is pivotal. Together, we assess accommodations, workspaces, and kids’ camps, and coordinate activities, events, and excursions. Our primary goal is to cultivate a setting where families bond seamlessly, nurturing a close-knit community.

There are many worldschooling communities out there—what sets yours apart?

As a licensed, insured, and bonded travel company specializing exclusively in worldschooling programs, we offer unparalleled professionalism, specialization, and reliability. This ensures parents have peace of mind about the experiences awaiting their families. Parents can confidently work remotely, knowing their kids are in good hands and interacting with local youth. This consistency, quality, and connection with local families sets us apart from many hubs and other programs. 

Two young girls participating in the Sacred Valley Family Learning Adventure marvel at the wonders of Machu Picchu.

What have you learned along the way? How has WWB evolved?

After running month-long programs in French Polynesia, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Peru, we’ve honed our blueprint for delivering transformative experiences. We’ve established specifications tailored to the families we attract, encompassing everything from airport pickups and welcome meals to workspaces, kids’ camps, and weekend excursions. We’ve figured out the right balance between structured activities and free time. Moreover, we’ve pinpointed the optimal group size to ensure our programs are economically viable while ensuring an intimate experience where everyone can get to know each other. 

What programs are on the schedule for 2024?

We’re offering the Sacred Valley Family Learning Adventure in Peru twice in 2024. This 29-day program immerses families in Andean culture, from Inca history to local community engagement. Kids and teens collaborate with local peers on projects and field trips, while parents can work remotely or explore the region. Weekends feature curated trips, including Machu Picchu, all fostering deep cross-cultural connections.

Next year, we’re also offering two instances of the Family Learning Adventure in Medellín, Colombia’s City of Eternal Spring. Over 29 days, families will immerse themselves in Medellín’s dynamic urban blend of culture, innovation, and history. Children will participate in a language camp on a lush hillside, enhancing their Spanish, while parents can work remotely or delve into the city’s cultural and natural attractions. The program fosters a strong sense of camaraderie and community, highlighted by shared experiences like game nights, field trips, and weekend outings.

Visiting and local families hike together in the Andes Mountains during the Sacred Valley Family Learning Adventure.

From the Wonder Year Team: We are so inspired by Sam’s mission and thank him for his commitment to the worldschooling community. We hope this introduction to Working Without Borders is helpful when planning your family’s journey. You can find more information on WWB at:

https://www.workingwithoutborders.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/workingwithoutborders4U

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/working.without.borders/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/working-without-borders/

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Once we’d finalized the book content edit, it was time to shift creative gears toward the interior and cover design for Wonder Year. Our publisher, Wonderwell, engaged a designer with a keen eye and artistic expertise to assist us with the process, which took a phased approach across several months. 

Phase 1 – Interior Design

The first phase was to design the book’s interior. We met our designer, Morgan Krehbiel, and shared background on Wonder Year so she could get a sense of our direction. Morgan then offered a first draft of sample interior pages and included questions for us on preferred page layout, fonts, and colors. She captured our desired look and feel beautifully on the first pass, and few modifications were needed. 

We wanted readers to be able to consume our book sequentially or in stand-alone sections, so spatial layout and navigational ease was important. Placement of headers, subheaders, sidebars, and textboxes all make this more manageable for the reader. And fonts convey such a range of moods! We loved several of the first round selections for the body and subheaders. The main title font didn’t feel quite right, as it called attention to itself rather than the text. We played with a few options and landed on an alternate font called that felt understated, clean, and approachable. 

We agreed with most of Morgan’s first-round color selections for the book. Of the palette of nine colors, we swapped only two. For one, we ended up choosing something a bit more edgy and outside the norm of our “earthy” color family for a bit of unexpected “pop” threaded through the book. Can you guess which one it was from this set? 

Given the nature of Wonder Year, we decided that interior artwork and photos would enhance the reader’s visual experience and help bring the text to life. “Milepost” artwork graphics give one’s eyes a place to rest. Finding the right set of artwork, and then custom-coloring it for our book, took additional design time. 

Photo selection and editing was a huge undertaking. We decided to use our own travel photos, as we didn’t want the imagery to look like “stock.” We each had thousands of images, so it took many rounds of review and selections to choose photos that would enhance the story and provide the reader with inspiration of what a Wonder Year can be. We also had to balance families, geographies, activities, and storytelling moments to support the how-to content and travel vignettes. Many snapshots taken by  phones could only be used in small insets. We needed full-spread chapter openers to have been taken using our best cameras. After finally locking in our team selections and placement, there was a late curveball from our publisher, who told us to cut one-third of our photos to help reduce the book’s page count! We hope where we ultimately landed feels just right.

Phase 2 – Cover Design Ideation

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but then everyone does it anyway. A book’s cover makes a huge difference in whether consumers will even pick it up, much less purchase and read it. Our cover design process started with visual brainstorming, including visiting bookstores to snap photos of other covers that caught our attention. Morgan told us that it was helpful to take notes along the way on what we liked and what we didn’t. Here’s what we shared with her:

• “We’re drawn to single or simpler image vs. collage of many images, hand-drawn art vs. icon style or a computer-generated feel, cover designs that have a sense of movement, imagery that conveys or hints at what the book is about, and titles that are easy to read vs. buried in a lot of other design features

• Our desired vibe is trusted friend, curated, expert, approachable, natural, how-to, and inspirational. We want to capture a sense of wonder, togetherness, and adventure. 

• We’re leaning away from using a cover photo, as it’s hard to find a single image that represents the whole worldschooling experience and that is inclusive of many types of travelers. We are also less drawn to collage of multiple images, as they feel busy. 
• We don’t want color-blocking design or strong, straight/bold-lined graphics, which seem to be used more for fiction and business books. These designs also compete with the casual, organic feel we’re going for.”

We captured ideas on a Pinterest board – check it out  so you can see what inspired us. Based on this feedback and a conversation together, Morgan designed a set of first-round mockups for our review. 

Phase 3 – Design Iteration and Selection

The review of initial designs screened for the main messages conveyed. Modern? Travel? Family? Guidebook? Those ideas are woven into the font, layout, imagery, and colors. Synchronicity with the interior art was important, too, so everything would feel cohesive to readers.

We kept two potential designs from round one, requesting some changes so we could consider them further. We eliminated two others that didn’t feel on target. In place of the eliminated options, we asked for a few fresh ideas and offered some additional direction.

Round two yielded two new designs that became our front-runners. Option A provided an image that clearly conveyed travel and movement and we liked its “scenes” theme, but we wanted it to have a clearer feeling of family. Option B clearly conveyed family travel and caught our attention. Although the vote within our author team was initially split, after a few iterations, Option A was eliminated because it was difficult to see its interesting details from even a short distance. Option B provided everything our cover needed and was our winner!

For quick look at some of our cover options, check out the video reel here.

This was a runner-up direction. What do you think?

Phase 4 – Refinement

The cover then underwent a series of changes and feedback rounds on final details. The end result needed to clearly communicate travel, education, and family, and it needed to work for both digital screens and bookstore shelves. 

This was really the nitty-gritty: we added backpacks to our family travelers and adjusted their sizes and straps. The family’s clothes were changed, as was the height of one of the kids to convey that a Wonder Year is for all ages. We spent considerable time ensuring the family felt inclusive. Then, what should they be walking on and toward? We also looked at title and subtitle font options, including subtle differences in letter slant to convey a sense of movement. Which word should the subtitle wrap on to make it easy to read? Should we raise the font, or add embossing, foiling, or a textured cover? Where do we put our names? The devil was in these details. We asked Morgan for a lot, and were ultimately thrilled with the refinements when we signed off on the final version.

Almost there. We thought the child on the right was too young, and maybe we wanted to add backpacks. Oh, and we changed the title in the 7th hour.

Phase 5 – Full Cover Development

Once the front cover design was locked in, we turned our attention to the full wrap, including the back cover and cover flaps. This included the book summary (so important for catching readers’ attention in 30 seconds or less), credits, social media contacts, and selection and placement of endorsements. Finally, we added our abbreviated author bios and photos, which made it all feel really, really, real!

As you can see, A LOT goes into the book design process. 

So…here’s our final cover. Looking back at the early list for our designer, how did we do??

The post Judging a Book by its Cover appeared first on Wonder Year Travel.

Maxime stretching across a “rock fall” area in Capitol Reef National Park

Our fifth Fernweh Family are the Lebobes. A French-American family, the Lebobes were living and running their own business in Italy prior to launching their long-term travels. We caught up with Terry (41), Guillaume (44), and their three sons Maxime (9), Léo (7), and Noah (5) as they were tent camping in the Southwest United States. 

Please tell us a bit about your journey.

We were originally inspired by friends to do a 3-month trip in the summer. But after realizing how complicated it would be to organize

The boys made some friends who lent them their transparent boat in Moalboal, Philippines

putting everything on pause for three months, we decided to go all the way. We left our jobs and sold our business to travel for 15 months. We initially expected to be traveling more slowly but with one-month visas and a compelling desire to see everything, we have traveled more quickly than planned! We usually spend between four days and a week in most places. We tend to crave more time in places close to nature and move relatively quickly through cities as we find that we are all happier in nature! 

What was one of the most important ingredients in getting your family on the road – what did you do that worked out well? 

Selling our business and renting out our home were two essential yet potentially challenging items we needed to achieve before making this trip a reality. But in both cases, the universe was on our side. We found friends and acquaintances for both almost immediately!

What’s outside your window right now? What fascinates you about where you are?  

Does a tent window count? We’ve been camping for the past three weeks on a road trip through some of the most amazing American national parks of the southwest. The geology and nature in these places just take our breath away! 

Can you describe a time when learning for your kids or family happened organically and profoundly…when you learned outside the “plan” you started with?

We have learned so much about geology! We knew we would learn a bit but the US National Park Junior Ranger programs have sparked an incredible interest from the kids to learn about how these wonderful rock formations were first created! 

What have you discovered about your family by being on the road together?

That our kids are incredibly adaptable and can thrive in many situations if we give them the opportunity! For example, now they can sleep anywhere (and we parents almost can too).

Noah making art with nature in Canyonlands National Park

What does community mean to you, and how have you found it during your travels?

We have had less of a community than expected during our travels but we have met a surprising number of families traveling long term and have connected well with them! We clicked immediately with several of those families and have kept in touch and even met up in subsequent places on the road. 

What’s your favorite story to share about this experience? 

Seeing elephants in the wild in Sri Lanka! We prefer to avoid visiting zoos or even elephant sanctuaries, anywhere where animals are in captivity, so we were very excited to go on a safari in Sri Lanka to see elephants in the wild. And it did not disappoint! We spent hours

Working on zip line and jumping skills in Laos

following around an incredible group of 20 elephants and it was definitely one of the most amazing experiences of our trip. 

What are you excited about seeing/doing/learning next?

We’re excited to see where we will be one year from now as we currently have no idea! We will be returning home to our house and school for one year but the kids want to do another year of travel and the parents need to figure out what new business we will create! We are excited about the possibility of moving long term to a new city in Europe but only time will tell! 

We appreciated Terry and her family checking in with us to share a bit about their many adventures. To follow along with their journey, you can find them at @greentribu.ontheroad and  facebook.com/greentribu.ontheroad. 

Check out other Fernweh Families on this blog to get inspired and learn all the different shapes your Wonder Year might take.

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Using the world as a classroom is a fantastic way to teach your kids. But leaping into long-term family travel and worldschooling requires courage and conviction. Sometimes you need inspiration to help you believe that leaving (almost) everything behind could be totally worth it. Or, you might be in the dreaming stage, not yet ready or able to launch but longing to explore from home and immerse yourself in stories of what is possible.

360 Degrees Longitude: One Family’s Journey Around the World by John Higham

The OG of worldschooling memoirs, 360 Degrees Longitude: One Family’s Journey Around the World was released in 2009, years before e-readers caught on and trip planning was done via apps. Author John Higham and his wife September began planning their trip ten years before leaving their comfortable Bay Area life for an around-the-world adventure. This memoir is the story of their journey and an inspiring must-read for others hoping to travel long term with their family, too.

Higham brings the reader along chronologically on a trip spanning 12 months, 24 time zones, and 28 countries. Engaging and funny, he couples anecdotes with thoughtful descriptions of destinations and the people his family meets along the way. His two children, Katrina, 11, and Jordan, 8, when their trip begins, are always in the loop–helping choose destinations and plan adventures. Designed partially as a biking trip across Europe, a playground accident in Switzerland leaves Katrina with a broken leg. The family nimbly adjusts to this and a series of other misadventures that Higham never shies away from sharing with would-be travelers. Entries from the kids’ journals round out his story, as does John’s innovative use of Google Earth, which allows readers to access photos and videos of destinations the Highams visited across the globe. Clever (or, using John’s term, “stupid”) facts at the end of the book punctuate the experience.

360 Degrees Longitude helped lay the groundwork for what it means to be a citizen of the world. Highlighting what their family learned along the way, the author shows it’s possible to navigate almost anything when they’re doing it together. As Higham shares in his introductory message, he wrote the book to “take you to distant lands and meet the people who live over there to show that, at the end of the day, humankind in all its wonderful weirdness is the same all over the planet.”

The World is Our Classroom: How One Family Used Nature and Travel to Shape and Extraordinary Education by Cindy Ross

Ross, a lifelong writer, began worldschooling her kids in the ’90s. The term worldschooling was either extremely niche or nonexistent, but her interactions with her children and the world define the term organically. She began by spending time in nature and in the garden with her very young kids, wondering together before Google could explain. They spent summers hiking the Continental Divide with toddlers and llama support, learned American history by riding a Conestoga wagon along the Oregon Trail, and even partnered with local naturalists for their science lessons. The notion of learning from participation with the world grew naturally from these experiences. Her chapters have titles like “Learning from Play,” “Learning from International Travel” and “Learning about Values and Priorities.” Each chapter is full of anecdotes and ends with a section called “Nuts and Bolts” to outline how to get it done. 

This book outlines how worldschooling looked before online education and screens were a thing. There are thousands of ideas to inspire you if you want less time on tech. Ross and her husband also kept their kids in public schools and supplemented their education incrementally with long stretches in the American wilderness and in more than 12 countries.

The memoir has the strength of perspective. Ross’ children are now in their late 20s, and the book weaves the roots of their current passions into the narrative. Sierra and Bryce (also the illustrator) each have several pages at the end where they sum up their childhood in their own words. These words by Sierra, as she describes her current work in environmental stewardship, particularly struck me. She says, ” [Experiential education] is a cycle whereby we become informed about the world by participating in it, and with this knowledge are both empowered and gain the tools to change it.”

How to Be a Family: The Year I Dragged My Kids Around the World to Find A New Way To Be Together by Dan Kois

So many parents are pressured by and face tough questions about modern-day work, “screen age” parenting, and the realization that life is short. But it takes a moment of awakening or some sort of existential shake-up to pull up stakes and get out of one’s bubble. Dan Kois, his wife Alia, and daughters Harper and Lyra did just that. In search of greater connection and meaning, they set out on a global family adventure that took them to New Zealand, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, and rural small-town America in Hayes, Kansas. How to Be a Family is an honest, hilarious, and heartfelt account of the experience of togetherness through the fantastic and the mundane, the gorgeous and the gross.

The raw and accessible quality of this book invites readers into the metaphor of life as a journey. We feel the Kois family dynamics, their vulnerabilities and victories. Anyone who has experienced long-term family travel might chuckle throughout, knowing exactly how it feels to be tumbled into a family unit while living outside of your comfort zone. But whether or not you have taken a trip around the world, How to Be a Family is a good read, a parenting odyssey that will entertain, inspire, and challenge you to think about your parenting style and family culture. Many parents want their kids to feel engaged and connected and have agency in their own lives. Travel is empowering that way. Kois captures it beautifully when he writes, “…and the thing I love most about this trip is the way that moments from this year are already becoming family lore, retold by children who are finally old enough to contribute to their own tales.”

How to Become a Family reminds us that sometimes the best adventure is the one where we’re simply together with family and friends.

We Came, We Saw, We Left by Charles Wheelan

We Came, We Saw, We Left is a fascinating story about one family’s experiment in taking a gap year. Intelligent and full of charm, the Wheelan family solves one problem after another and strings together nine months of adventure, mishaps, deep learning, and togetherness. An economist, professor, and author, Charles Wheelan also has a way with storytelling, especially when it comes to acquainting you with the idiosyncrasies and proclivities of his three kids. Many readers will feel inspired to start planning their own family gap year after reading We Came, We Saw, We Left. Others may be spooked and instead plant a garden. 

This travel memoir offers a great job of portraying the imperfections and improvisations that go along with long-term family travel. For example, day 10 for Team Wheelan was marked by a lost pair of kiddos in Medellin, Colombia. On the verge of panic, Charles and his partner, Leah, held their breath and resisted accusation while they waited on the metro platform for that text to come, which it eventually did. Buoyed by reunion and a round of beverages, the family recounted their errors: “Over dinner, we reviewed our ‘rookie mistakes’: taking the metro at rush hour; not making sure we all knew the stop; not having a plan if we were separated; not giving enough money to Katrina for a taxi; and so on.” Overcoming a mega-obstacle early on, talking about it, and learning from it together, gave the family confidence. They recounted, “Maybe we would be able to pull off this crazy adventure travel thing after all.”  

We Came, We Saw, We Left draws you into the rhythm of the road–into spaces where kids don’t go off to school and parents don’t go off to work. It shows that on a family gap year, things get mixed up at the edges while bonds of togetherness grow stronger around every unexpected turn. 

While there are many other worldschooling memoirs out there, these first four will get you started. Full of inspiration, perspective, poignancy, and humor, they might just be a litmus test for you: Could this lifestyle be for me? Is it something I want to do for a summer? A year? Or, perhaps I’m selling everything to buy a one-way ticket? 

All of these books are available as e-books at Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon. There’s still time for a great summer read! And if these whet your worldschooling appetite and you need help figuring out what to do next, you can check out our book, too. 

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