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Your guide to having the ultimate trip to New York City. Wondering how to navigate the subway, how to save money on your trip, the do's and don't of Times Square? Then continue reading this blog If you already follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I've just returned from an Incredible, action packed 4 nights in New York City with my 9 year old daughter and my mother. If you don't follow me on Instagram, then head on over to see all of my videos and highlights on the trip - @bringthekidstravel. This was my first ever time in New York City and while we had the most amazing time ever, there were definitely a few times where we got a bit stressed or lost :O ! I want to share my experience with you, including all of the things we learned while over there and wish we knew before we went to make that journey to the city that never sleeps just a little bit easier! So, if you are heading to the Big Apple soon, or just considering if this is the trip for you. If have any questions like; What should you tip in NYC?, How do tourists use the Subway in NYC? or Is New York City suitable for families? then read on to see all of my biggest tips and recommendations! You can also click the links below to move between sections. How to get around the City Tipping Etiquette Money The Weather Keeping Kids Entertained How to get Around the City Wondering how to get around the City can be a real concern for people going for the first time. You may have a number of questions such as; Is the Subway safe?, how do I get a taxi and will I be ripped off?, should I book a hop on hop off tour? As someone who has just come back from 4 days in NYC with a 9 year old girl, I can honestly tell you that the Subway is 100% the way to travel!! For our trip we did a mixture of walking, Subway and the odd taxi, which I will get to later. But first here are my tips for taking the Subway in NYC: If you have taken any of the metros/undergrounds in London/Europe then I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the NYC Subway. When you first arrive in NYC, go into one of the Subway stations and buy a 1 week card from the machine. This ticket will cost you $33 and can be used for unlimited trips for a week. You will pay a $1 fee for the physical card. Things to note with this ticket: - You cannot use Revolut card to buy it. The machines are one of the only places we came across where a Revolut card didn't work. You can choose to pay by cash (dollars) or using your debit/credit card. - If using your debit card, you must select credit card on the machine and when it asks for your zip code enter 00000. - You cannot use the weekly card twice in a row (within 18 minutes of swiping the first time), so no sharing cards between people, and also if you swipe at the wrong station, then go back out and enter across the road, the card won't work. If this happens and someone is working there, you can ask them to let you in. If there's no one there, you can use contactless payment with your phone or bank card to get through. Note: A pay per use metro card can be shared between people, but not the weekly one. - The rule for children is: Up to 3 children under 44 inches/3.6 feet/1.1 meters are free of charge, they just go under the barrier or around the turnstile with you. - When swiping the card, face the black strip toward you and swipe at medium speed, the screen should say go and you can move through. If you swipe too slow or fast it won't work. My poor mother got stuck at every single turnstile we thought we were going to kill her haha!! - All sorts of people at all sorts of kiosks will try to sell you the weekly ticket and that you can only buy it from them. This is not true, buy it from the machine unless an official security guard or someone at the information booth at the subway tells you otherwise. 2. To navigate your way around here are some things to note: - Use Google Maps to plan our your journey when you have WIFI. - On google maps, take note of the Letter of the subway you want to take - A/C/E/J etc. - Also, take note of the station this train is going to (the last station), google maps will also tell you this. I always screenshot the directions from Google Maps so that I'm not worried too much about internet. - Take note of the number if stops you need to take. - The biggest way you can get confused it the direction of the train - Uptown means that North so you might see signs saying "Uptown and Bronx". If your destination is north or where you are on the map then look for a train saying uptown - e.g. if you are at the 9/11 memorial and want to go to Times Square, you will go 'Uptown'. - If you need to go South, you will typically see 'Downtown & Brooklyn' on the signs. - If you also take note of the final destination of the train from Google Maps, you will be able to use this to help figure out which train to take. Note: If you realise that you are going the wrong way, just get off at the next stop and take the next train going in the opposite direction. 3. If you and your child end up getting separated on a subway, e.g. they get on and you don't in time. Make sure to tell them to get off at the next stop if that ever happens and wait there for you. Tell them not to move from the next stop when they get off. It's usually only 7/10 mins between trains so you will be reunited again in no time. 4. The subways run differently at night time. Especially after 9 pm. I would strongly recommend getting taxi's after 8/9pm. There usually won't be as much traffic on the road so you should be ok pricewise. Taxi's What are the best ways to hail a cab or get a taxi in NYC? Hail a cab - Look at the lights on the cab roof. If the numbers in the middle are lit, then the cab is free to be hailed. Lights off mean the cab already has a fare. Outer lights lit means off duty. Just step to the edge of the curb and raise your arm for them to see you. We were lucky and got one straight away after our broadway, but as with everywhere in the world, hailing a taxi can be difficult at other times. Lyft or Uber app - We used the Lyft app 3 times when we were in NYC and it was great. You just download the app, turn your location, enter your destination and it tells you a price. We were super lucky each time and got a taxi driver within 10 minutes. You pay the fare and tip through the app itself so there's no hidden charges. We used Lyft to get to the airport for our flight home for €80 and it was very handy. TIP: Be 100% sure of your destination when you get into the taxi and confirm with them before setting off. I put in the wrong address the first time and ended up across town. It was a nightmare and he had another fare so wouldn't take us any further. Tipping Etiquette Unlike in Europe, tipping in America is common practice and is considered rude not to. As I am not used to tipping everywhere I go, this was something I was worried about before going. How would I know when to tip, how much, did I need to have cash with me everywhere I went. But I needn't of worried at all, everything was straight forward so if it's something you're worried about let me put your mind at ease. When to tip: basically you tip everywhere that a service is provided. If someone carries your bags to your hotel room, if you order a coffee in a café, if you eat in a restaurant, if you get a taxi. Typically you tip between 10%-20%, we kind of stuck at the 15% and gave 20% at sit down meals. Every card machine gives you the option to select your tip amount when paying so there's no need to have cash to leave on the table. Even taxis let you pay by card and give you the option to tip so nothing to worry about :) Money Ok so currency is obviously in US Dollars. We used Revolut cards for the entirety of our trip and found it super easy and convenient, no need to order Dollars before leaving. The Revolut card will allow you to pay in USD without charging you a crazy transaction fee. You can also use your card to take money out of the ATM if you want to have a bit of cash on you. There are no ATM withdrawal fees for the first $500/month. Just ensure to use an ATM that doesn't charge an extra fee for using. NYC Weather The weather can change very quick in NYC so make sure to bring layers with you. When we were there we had mild and dry (approx. 6 degrees celcius) one day to absolutely freezing (-16 degrees celcius) the next. So be prepared for everything!! We went in February so definitely be ready for wind and rain here. We found that the wind was the worst as it really cut through you like a knife, so make sure to have a hat or eat muffs, warm socks and gloves! It can be very hot in the summer so again make sure to do your research and bring a range of clothes so you don't end up having to buy more when you're there. Keeping Kids Entertained New York is an amazing city with so many museums, sites from movies and shops that it can be easy to get carried away and forget about the little feet. I'm a huge fan of mixing kids activates in with adult ones. So if you want to bag yourself a couple hours roaming around the Met museum, make sure to bring your kids to a playground first to let them run off their energy, or how about designing a treasure hunt for them at the museum. Pick 10 exhibitions or pieces of art and add a small picture of each to a word document on your computer. Print this out before your trip and then get the kids to tick off each item as they come across them. Not only will this keep them engaged and stop them complaining, but they will also, unbeknownst to themselves, learn a little bit of history and culture. Don't do too much in one day, pick 2/3 main attractions for each day and stick to that. There's no point in packing everything into a few days and everyone being miserable each evening because they are so tired. Here are some great things to do with kids in New York: - Visit some of the many really cool playgrounds scattered throughout the city. - See the billboards in Times Square and check out the merchandise stores like M&M and Disney store. - Go to a Broadway show - Wicked was huge hit with our 9 year old. Other shows like Aladdin and the Lion King are popular too. - Cycle around Central Park and have a picnic. - Have some of the crazy desserts NYC has to offer such as Frozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity or a giant Freakshake from Black Tap. - Stop for dollar pizza or a hot dog from a cart. - Visit the Natural History museum. - Go souvenir shopping in China Town. - The Harry Potter Store - See the city from above at an observation tower. This is only a small list of things to do with kids. Keep an eye for my next blogpost where I'll go into detail of some of the great things to do with kids in the Big Apple. So there you have my top tips for a smooth and enjoyable trip to New York City. If you have any other questions at all, fell free to leave a comment below or send me a DM on my Instagram Page @bringthekidstravel

Top sights and things to do in New York. Whether you are going with friends, as a couple or on a family trip to NYC on a budget, here you will find a list of our favourite attractions we think you have to see in New York City. 1. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge This is a must when visiting New York, especially if for the first time. I recommend doing it either for sunset or sunrise, that way you will get to see that gorgeous orange sky!! If going for sunset you can head to Time Out Market for food. They have a range of different vendors where you can try out some famous local food and desserts. They also have a rooftop bar where you can listen to some music, have a cocktail or two and look at the stunning Manhattan skyline from across the bridge. If going for sunrise I recommend grabbing breakfast in Dumbo area and going for a spin in Jane's Carousel. This antique carousel was built in 1922 for an amusement park in Ohio. It has since been restored and can now be found inside a glass box right at the bridge. It's open year round and will be great fun for kids and adults alike :) I mean who doesn't love a carousel!! 2. See the Statue of Liberty on the Staten Island Ferry We absolutely loved this experience as we got to feel like a local for a few minutes :) The Staten Island Ferry can be found at 'Whitehall Terminal' just across from Battery Park in the Financial District. The ferry is completely free and takes you right passed the Lady of Liberty herself. The ferry takes about 20 minutes in total and you get amazing views of the Manhatten skyline. When you arrive at Staten Island you must get off the ferry and you can choose to hop straight on the return ferry or check out the area. The ferry goes every 30 minutes and times can be checked on the website. If you want super up close views of the Statue of Liberty, this might not be the way for you, but if you want a quick boat trip that's super convenient, doesn't need to be booked in advance and costs nothing, then this will not disappoint. 3. Get a taste of Broadway at Ellen's Stardust Diner Yes this diner is probably one of the first things you will see when you google 'What to do in NYC' but that is for a reason!! This diner is absolutely one of a kind and is a must visit for your trip to New York, especially if you have kids/teens or if you just love a fun atmosphere. All of the waiters are trained singers and have amazing voices. They sing while walking around serving people and even get up on the tables singing all sorts of Broadway musicals. What I loved the most about this is that so many of the singers actually get cast from this restaurant so who knows you could be getting served pancakes by the next Idina Menzel (Elsa). 4. Cycle around Central Park There's no doubt that Central Park is on your bucket list, and I can't think of a better way to view of than on a bike. We hired bikes for two hours from a company called Bike Rental Central Park. If you book online in advance you can get a good discount on bikes. We rental our bikes for 2 hours, which cost €16/adult and €12/child. If you have enough time I'd recommend getting the bikes for at least a half day so you can really take your time and have a picnic. This is such a kid-friendly thing to do in NYC. Bring some cash with you so you can stop at one of the carts for a hotdog or pretzel. There are a number of top sights to see at central park and will all be highlighted on the map provided by the company. If you have kids with you, there are a number of different playgrounds and rocks to climb. Make sure to watch out for the squirrels! One thing to note is that you must stick to the cycle paths, which are one way. When not on the cycle path you must de-mount the bike and walk. 5. See the City from above at Summit One Vanderbilt There are a number of observation towers to choose from in NYC so it can be hard to choose, which is best. We went for Summit One as it provides a full experience. There are 3 floors with different views of all angles, with lights, mirrors and a full sensory experience. The views of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler building were to die for! I highly recommend going 30 minutes before sunset so that you can experience the beautiful orange sky as the sun goes down. They also have a rooftop cocktail bar where you can treat yourself to a vino or cocktail while taking in the views. Be warned, it will set you back $18/cocktail, $14/wine and $10/beer. The prices were: $39/adult and $33/child with an extra $10 per person if you want to visit for sunset. 6. Experience another culture in China Town China Town in New York City holds the a large concentration of Asian immigrants and will offer you a feast for the senses. With street after street of food establishments, shops, cafe's and food markets. Take a walk along Canal St. where you can do some souvenir shopping (much cheaper than any of the NYC stores in Times Square). Try out the wide selection of restaurants and bakeries in the area, grabbing yourself some dumplings, pork buns, or bubble tea before heading to Columbus Park where you can relax, soak in the culture and watch the locals playing games such as Chinese checkers. 7. See the dinosaurs at the Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History is a must if visiting the Big Apple with Kids, especially if they have watched 'A Night of the Museum'. There's so much to see here so I recommend giving yourself about 3 hours here and deciding in advance what exhibits you want to visit. The place is so big that you will wear yourselves out trying to see everything. Exhibits worth seeing at the museum are: Northwest Coast Hall - Amazing exhibition showing sculptures, totem polls and momumental carvings from the Pacific Northwest Coast natives. Blue Whale Model. Hall of Pacific Islands -> Rapa Nui (Easter Island) AKA "Dum Dum give me gum gum". The Hall of Biodiversity - a full rainforest, a fossil of a dodo bird, Siberian tigers. Mammal Halls - see a number of life-size animals such as elephants, cheetahs, monkeys and apes. Centre for Space and Earth - a number of space exhibitions and meteorites All of the Fossil Halls - especially dinosaurs Hall of Human Origins - learning about how we have evolved from Neanderthals and chimpanzees. Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall & Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda 8. Experience the city from a different viewpoint by walking the Highline The Highline is fantastic way of spending an hour or two in New York without spending any money. It's an elevated park built on an elevated abandoned freight rail line on the West Side of Manhattan. The highline is 2.33 km long and about 30 feet above street level so gives you amazing views of the streets below. A really nice thing to do is to walk along the Highline through Chelsea and end up in Chelsea Market for a bite to eat and a drink. This is an indoor market with an assortment or bars, restaurants and food stalls. Here you will find something to suit all tastes and budgets! 9. Experience all of the hustle and bustle at Times Square TS is a controversial one but in my opinion you can't visit New York and not see TS. From the lights, the billboards, the different shops and restaurants to Broadway itself, TS is the heart of New York. My recommendation would be to go here once, get your pics, check out a few of the shops and then you're done :) Some tips: avoid the characters walking around like the plague. Unfortunately they will come directly up to your children and I did see a few people with toddlers getting stuck for photos. If you get a photo with them you have to pay or form what I heard they can get quite aggressive. My advise would be to stay away form them at all costs but if you have a child that really wants the pic then ask how much first so you're not stung. 10. Go to a Broadway Show This is a costly experience but definitely worth it in my opinion. We went to see Wicked and it was absolutely incredible. From the singing, the acting and the stage set, it was an experience never to forget. We booked our tickets in advance on the official website www.broadwaydirect.com as we were bringing our 9 year old daughter and wanted to be sure to get tickets to a child-appropriate show. The tickets weren't cheap at $150 per person but it was really worth it. We got excellent seats, only 5 rows from the front. If you have a specific show in mind I definitely recommend booking far in advance to get the good seats. If you don't mind what show you want to see, there are a number of booths around Times Square where you can get tickets on the morning of the show for much cheaper. So there you have my top 10 things to see in New York City. If you're a first timer to the Big Apple, this is the perfect starting point to for planning your itinerary Make sure to subscribe to my page for updates on all of my blog posts. Next up will be my 'top tips for a trip to NYC' followed by a sample '4 day itinerary' and 'things to do with kids in NYC' I would love to hear in the comments if you have been to any of these or if you have any other favorite things to do in New York that I haven't mentioned here. Thanks for reading, Jess x

1. The Blue Lagoon The Blue Lagoon is a must stop place when you arrive in Iceland. As this thermal experience is only 26 km from the airport, I recommend stopping off here first to really get your holiday off to the best start!! Make sure to book in advance on the Blue Lagoon Website. Check out my Ultimate Iceland Guide Part 1 blog post here to read more about what tickets to buy and some tips about your visit :) 2. Geysir Hot Spring Area You can't go to Iceland without making a stop at this natural phenomenon. This Geysir, called Strokkue is the most famous one in Iceland and it shoots boiling water from 20-40 metres up into the air. Strokkur erupts every 5-10 minutes so you'll have plenty of chances to catch this amazing spectacle on camera! Located in the area you'll also find a visitor centre with toilet facilities, a cafe and gift shop. This is great if you're on a self-drive tour, as you'll be doing a lot of driving. 3. Thingvellir National Park This national park is famous for a number of reasons! 1. Its a Game of Thrones filming site, remember the walk up to the Bloody Gates, where Lysa Arren lived in the vale? Well here you can take that walk for yourself!! 2. This park sits on the plane of two tectonic plates: North America and Europe, which are supposedly moving away from each other at a speed of 1-18 mm per year. 3. Home to the beautiful Öxarárfoss Waterfall. So pack yourself a picnic and head out on an easy but exciting hike through this national park. Just take note of sunset hours as once the sun goes down it's very dark here!! 4. Gullfoss Waterfall If you go to Iceland you are going to see a lot of waterfalls, but trust me each one is more beautiful and unique than the last. This waterfall is only 1h30 minutes from Reykjavik, along the Golden Circle. It's open all year round but some of the viewpoints may be closed due to ice in the winter. Please take heed of the signs if one of the viewpoints are closed, they are there for a reason. The unique thing about this waterfall is that you actually view it from above, rather than below. So it looks like the water is falling down into the Earth, it's quite a sight to see. 5. Fridheimer Greenhouse This is a gorgeous stop for a bite to each on your drive around the golden circle. Located only a 20 minute drive from Gulfoss waterfall, this is a great place to stop. Located in a huge tomato greenhouse, everything they serve is tomato based. We went for the tomato soup buffet, which included as much tomato soup as you wanted, salad, and gorgeous crusty bread. I also tried the tomato beer, which was surprisingly nice! 6. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall It's really hard to decide, but I think this waterfall was my favourite. Not only can you walk right up to this waterfall, but you can actually go behind it too and get some amazing pics! It really is something out of a fairy tale. Located along the Golden Circle I would recommend checking out this location on the same day as the black sand beach. 7. DC 3 Plane Wreck This site isn't as well known as some of the others on here but it is well worth the visit. You can choose between walking to the plane wreck, which is about a 1h30 min walk (in very strong wind) or you can book a shuttle bus there and back. We loved having a climb around the plane wreck and looking out across the black sand. It was very eerie but felt a bit like a movie set! Be warned though, if going in winter, as it's by the sea the wind is next level!! 8. Kerid Crater Another awesome site that's not quite as knows as some of the others is Kerid Crater. This site was actually right beside out accommodation, which you can check out in my 'Ultimate Iceland Guide' blogpost here. This is a Volcanic Crater lake located in Iceland's Volcanic zone. It was formed approx. 3000 years ago when a magma chamber of a volcano collapsed after eruption, resulting in this funnel shaped crater you can see below. You can view the lake form the top but also walk around the path to get down to the bottom. Just be careful if the lake is frozen and don't risk standing on the ice. 9. Black Sand Beach This site is just off the Golden Circle in a town called Vik but is an absolute must see. The town itself is beautiful and has a gorgeous church up on the hill and a number of nice restaurants to eat in. Check out the brewery we ate in here. The black sand beach is iconic because...you guessed it, the sand is black! That's not a filter in the picture below, the place literally looks straight out of a black and white movie!! It's also another Game of Thrones filming site. 10. Reykjavík City Lastly, you can't go to Iceland without visiting the city itself!! I recommending giving yourself a day here to explore the sites, or if you're going without kids, stay for a night to experience the nightlife but bring your money as it is expensive! There are a number of gorgeous things to see in Reykjavík such as; the Sun Voyager, Hallgrimskirkja church, Harpa Concert Hall, and Rainbow Street to name just a few. Keep an eye out for my next blog post which will cover Reykjavík city in more detail :) This is just a selection of the amazing things to do in Iceland. Feel free to commend if you have any questions at all. And remember, all of these places, bar the Blue Lagoon and Kerid Crater (only a few euro) are free to park at and enter. There is absolutely no need to book expensive bus tours, you are so much better off hiring your own car and viewing this place at your own pace! Make sure to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss out on any upcoming posts :) Thanks for reading Jess x

The Ultimate Iceland Guide Known as the Land of Fire and Ice, since the popular TV series Game of Thrones, Iceland is more popular than ever!! But is it possible to see this Island full of waterfalls, ice, horses and geothermal wonders without spending your life savings? Read on to find out how you can book this once-in-a-lifetime holiday and find out the perfect 4-day Itinerary. As with any DIY holiday, the key to an affordable, enjoyable and easy-going trip is pre-planning!! If you put in the work now, you will have the trip of a lifetime that you and your family will talk about forever! This guide will do a lot of the hard work for you and help you to book your ideal trip, feel free to ask me any questions in the comments :) One thing I really want to say here is that you will see a lot online about Golden Circle tours that take you to the Geysirs and Waterfalls etc. but please don't book these, you will save yourself so much money by hiring a car and going yourself as there is absolutely no charge to see any of the sites in Iceland except for the Blue Lagoon. Iceland was also the perfect place for us to drive on the other side of the road for the first time as there's hardly any traffic! So, let's get started!! Step 1: Book your flights We flew with Iceland Air and we were beyond happy with them. - free kids snack box,, free movies on flight, free soft drinks. Cost of flights to Iceland can vary depending on the time of year and how far in advance you book, but it's definitely worth keeping an eye on the website as they have regular deals! Step 2: Car Hire - Northbound Icerental 4x4. We booked a Suzuki Grand Vitara 2011. Pickup at Reykjavík airport and return to airport. We paid 28280 ISK (€400) for 3 nights/4 days. Tip: Don't go for a brand-new car when hiring, we felt way more relaxed with a slightly older car as we didn't need to worry as much about gravel and dents etc. We took photos of all existing dents and scratches on the car and added on collision damage waiver-third party liable insurance and super collision damage waiver. You can also add on 'Sand and Ash' insurance, we didn't feel like we needed it so didn't add it on, but definitely make this decision yourself! The most important thing for car hire in Iceland is that you 100% need a 4x4 and not a Dacia Duster, which is what you will see advertised a lot for cheap! You need a good old fashioned 4x4 that can withstand strong winds and icy roads. Word of advice too, be careful when opening your doors as it is very windy in some parts of Iceland, especially if you go near the sea. I have read stories of people's doors being blown off 😮 Other than that, don't be afraid to drive in Iceland, honestly, we read so much crap online that we were absolutely terrified to drive over there but it was fine!! Just drive slowly, check the sunrise and sunset times if you don't want to drive in the dark and make sure you hire the correct car! (Not a Dacia!!!) Step 3: Accommodation My biggest top tip for you is to stay in accommodation outside of Reykjavik in the golden circle. You will spend most of your time driving through the Golden Circle so there's no point driving back to Reykjavik each evening. We stayed in Minniborgir cottages. They were fab!!! You can book a cottage with private hot tub or use the public ones. There's a reception with bar onsite where you can get beers and breakfast. We sat in the hot tubs each evening looking out for the Northern Lights. Unfortunately, they weren't visible at the time we were there, but the sky was so clear, and we enjoyed looking at the stars. There's plenty of apps you can download on your phone that will tell you when the Northern Lights are visible each evening. For our final nights, we chose to stay in an airport hotel so that we could drop the car off early and explore Reykjavik on our last day and then get a good night sleep before heading to the airport in the morning. We stayed at the Hotel Keflavic. It was a really good airport hotel super close to airport, with a shuttle bus. It also had a lovely and affordable restaurant next door where we could have dinner and let Lily play in the kids area. Best Time of Year to Go This really depends on what you are looking for. Iceland is beautiful all year round, but if you want to try and see the Northern Lights you need to go between x and x. We went in November, and it was perfect for what we wanted from this trip. We wanted hiking and nature and to spend as much time outdoors as possible. There was no snow when we went, except for the last day, but that suited us perfect, and it was easier to navigate our way around. It gave us a better look at the amazing landscapes. 3-day itinerary Day 1 When we landed in Reykjavík airport, we were collected by Northbound 4x4 and brought to their office to collect our car. We then drove straight to the Bonus Supermarket near to the Blue Lagoon. We did a small grocery shop, grabbing snacks, breakfast food and stuff for dinners too. Then we headed straight for the Blue Lagoon. This Geothermal Spa is only 22 km from the airport, so I would highly recommend going here either when you arrive in Iceland or just before going home. We found it to be the absolute perfect start to our holiday in Iceland. The Blue Lagoon is a Geothermal Spa located in a lava field. Its location is favorable for geothermal power and its water is supplied by the nearby geothermal power station. This spa is most famous for its mineral-rich steamy hot water and soft white silica mud, which is known to have an abundance of skin and health benefits and if applied to the skin is thought to have anti-aging benefits (that's me sold!!!). You might read that the Blue Lagoon is overpriced, too touristy, not worth it as man-made etc. But we really enjoyed it and totally felt that it was worth what we paid. There are lots of thermal baths and more natural ones that you can visit throughout Iceland, but as we were going with our 7-year-old at the time, we wanted to go to one where the water temperatures were controlled. I would definitely recommend booking this experience in advance. You can book on the Blue Lagoon Website. We went for the Comfort package, which includes entrance to the Blue Lagoon, a silica mud mask for your face, use of a towel and a free drink of choice. The cost was €84.61 per adult and children are free. Children under the age of 8 are required to wear arm bands. They share a locker with the parent and don't get a free drink. However, you can buy juice when collecting your free alcoholic beverage. You can choose to eat at the spa itself, but prices were bananas!! We have a few snacks in the car after the Blue Lagoon and then headed back to our cabin to cook dinner! Top tip: Put a hair mask in your hair and tie it up high. The Sulphur in the water can really dry out your hair. Day 2 Each day we got up at around 8am and had brekkie in the cabin then made sure to be on the road for sunrise, this was 9am in November. It was so lovely driving through the Golden Circle as the sun was rising! Our first stop was the Geysir Centre. We used Google Maps on our phone to navigate us everywhere and we never had any issues. We had a paper map in the car too, just in case, but never needed to use it. The internet in Iceland is superb, we always had 4g no matter where we were (Ireland please take note!!!) and all coffee shops and restaurants etc. had Wi-Fi. Strokkur is Iceland's most visited geyser due to its activity, and it definitely will not disappoint!! It is found in a geyser geothermal area and blasts water up to 40 meters high every 10-15 minutes. I won't go into the science behind geysers and why they erupt, but it is definitely something worth reading into if going to Iceland as it's fascinating!! Here you will also find the Geysir Centre, which has plenty of information about this rare phenomenon, a lovely gift shop and a coffee shop. We stopped here for coffee and some cakes and found it again to be very reasonably priced. Next stop was the first of many amazing Waterfalls of our trip: Gullfoss Waterfall. Did you know that Foss means waterfall in Icelandic, so all of the waterfalls in Iceland will be called something Foss. In this case, Gullfoss, which means golden waterfall. This waterfall is beautiful to visit and is quite unique in that you will view it from above, compared to the other ones you will see on your trip. This actually makes it look like the waterfall is going into the ground! This is because the waterfall plunges right into a gorge, thereby looking like it's disappearing into the earth... How magical is that!! There are multiple viewpoints for seeing this waterfall, the lower points are open year-round, but some will be closed off in winter, so bear this in mind when trying to decide when you want to go. Also, it can get quite icy and slippery here so definitely where appropriate footwear and maybe invest in crampons for the kids...the first time you fall on your butt will be funny, but the 3rd and 4th time will literally be a pain in the butt 😉😉 There is also a visitor centre here where you can use the restroom. We stopped for a delicious hot chocolate to warm us up after our walk around the falls. Next stop... Lunch time!! For lunch we went to the incredible Fridheimar greenhouse. The theme of this family run farm style restaurant is tomatoes!! From tomato beer to tomato soup to tomato cakes, you can experience all things tomato here while sitting in the greenhouse amongst all the cultivated plants. You can even go on a free tour of the greenhouse, where they will tell you all about how they grow the tomato vines and also show you their very hard workers... the bees!! If eating here I would highly recommend getting the soup buffet! Here you can have all you can eat tomato soup with sour cream, freshly baked bread, cucumber salsa and butter. It was delicious!! We also tried the tortillas with Basel, mozzarella and tomatoes and the tomato bear. It was all 10/10. After your meal you can walk around outside and see the beautiful Icelandic horses. Make sure to reserve your table for here in advance on their website. Our last stop of the day was Þingvellir National Park - This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the only one on the Iceland mainland, which is surprising as it is probably one of the sites you will hear the least about, or certainly it's nowhere near as popular as the Geysers and some of the waterfalls. But this was definitely one of my favourite stops!! This may be attributed to my extreme Game of Thrones nerdiness ;). Remember the 'Bloody Gates', the entrance to the Eeyrie where Aunt Lysa lived?? Well, that's Þingvellir National Park. You will find this on the 'Oxarfoss trail', which is the road to the Oxarfoss waterfall. Remember the brutal battle between Lady Brienne and the hound?? That was also filmed at Þingvellir National Park :) Ok ok, enough GOT, why else is this place worth visiting? This park is located in an active volcanic area. It's most famous and most interesting feature is that it is the part of Iceland where you can essentially stand on two different continents. This is because Iceland is divided by the Mid-Atlantic Rift and therefore some parts of Iceland are on the 'North American Tectonic Plate' and the rest is on the 'Eurasian Plate'. Iceland is actually the only place in the whole world where you can see this rift above sea level and at Þingvellir National Park you can literally walk in it! As you enter this park by descending a cliff into a valley you are looking at North America and as you go through the park you ascend on the other side at Eurasia. The whole valley in between is known as the rift valley. Every year these tectonic plates move apart by approx. 2.5 centimeters and have done so for millions of years. This results in the lava fields and this giant gorge that you see when you stroll through this World Heritage Site. Now don't worry if Geography and 'Tectonic plates' aren't your thing, there is plenty more to see in this park. From lava fields to an abundance of hiking trails, wildlife to waterfalls, you will not regret spending a couple of hours here!! Check out Things to do - Thingvellir National Park for a list of things to do and hiking trails in the area. Day 3 Day 3 of our Iceland adventure and we had a lot to look forward to. We got up for sunrise again and made our way to the amazing Seljalandsfoss waterfall. This was my absolute favorite waterfall because you can walk right behind it, it was everything I imagined when I thought of Iceland! Next, we headed to the DC-3 plane wreckage located on Sólheimasandur black sand beach. This is the remainder of a US Navy Aircraft that had to make an emergency crash landing in 1973. There's something so eerie about seeing this abandoned carcass of a plane in the middle of nowhere resting on top of black sand, it's also the perfect place for getting some really good photos. Previously this site wasn't as accessible as you had to walk 4km there and back on very rocky terrain to see the crash, so it really was only suitable for very fit people, especially with the unforgiving winds that will push you back. Now though you can book a shuttle through Arcanum tours for €20.18 per adult and €10.44 per child return. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes, but I would definitely advise to book in advance. This is absolutely worth seeing, especially if you like photography. You will get out of this world shots here. I recommend wearing a pop of colour going here like red or yellow. It shows up really good in photographs against the eery black sand. Warning, it is freeeezing here if you go in the winter. It's also by the sea so the wind is out of this world! I'm adding this picture below of this poor person to the right trying to battle their way through the wind lol! Funny story, Lily's glove literally blew off her hand and Ross ran to get it. He tried to dive for it but missed and was blown down a hill 🤣🤣🤣 Honestly, I think it was the highlight out out trip, I'm devastated I don't have it on camera lol!! After this windy stop we headed to Vik so we could grab lunch and see the famous Black Sand Beach. Vik was the furthest we had gone on our trip so far and is outside of the Golden Circle. Vik is 187 km or approx. 2h 30 mins from Reykjavic, so I would highly recommend that you stay somewhere on the Golden Circle if you're hoping to visit the famous beach. We had a lovely lunch in Smidjan Brugghus. This is a cute little Micro Brewery in the middle of Vik where you can get delicious burgers, chips and BBQ style food and try all of their craft beers. You will pay approx. €20 for a burger and chips, €10 for a glass of wine or beer and you can buy some of their cans to take away for approx. €3.50 per can. After we fueled up, we headed for Reynisfjara beach or better known as the Black Sand Beach. This beach is super famous because.... you guessed it, the sand is black😁! Black sand is formed when volcanic material, such as basalt, rocks and lava is eroded. This beach has amazing cliffs of basalt columns that look like pyramids and incredible sea stacks right in the middle of the ocean. Bonus: it's also a GOT filming location!! This beach is shown in episode 5 and 6 of season 7. You will also see it in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'. Note it is windy and cold at this beach so please wrap up warm and be careful, don't go too close to the water in winter or enter the caves if the tide is coming in. Make sure to stop off at the church at Vik for gorgeous views and some pictures too before you go. Last stop of the day before we fell into bed was Skogafoss waterfall, one of Icelands largest waterfalls. If you go when the sun is shining, keep an eye out for the amazing rainbows it can reflect due to the contant spray of water, you might even be licky enough to see a double rainbow! This is the waterfall in Game of Thrones that John and Dani fly to with their dragons. It is absolutely stunning and enormous!! I would highly recommend walking up the steps (all 370 of them) to see the waterfall from the top. On your way up, keep an eye out for the troll in the cliff edge! So, there you have it, our first 3 days of Iceland. My next post will be day 4 - a quick stop to Kerid Crater followed by a full day in Reykjavic. So make sure to subscribe so you don't miss it!! Subscribe

From Black Pudding to Model Trains and Blue Flag Beaches, here are the top things to do in and around Clonakilty, West Cork and where to stay. Where to Stay Incheydoney Beach The West Cork Model Railway Village Clonakilty Black Pudding Visitor Center Supervalu & Picnic Michael Collins House Skibbereen Market Kinsale Where to Stay 📍Clonakilty Park Hotel Located in the seaside town of Clonakilty, the Park Hotel is absolutely brilliant for families! Offering both family hotel rooms and self-catering options, this hotel works for all sizes of families! We went in 2021 with my 8-year-old Lily and my 11-year-old brother Philip. We stayed in a family room which had a double bed and two singles. The room itself was fine, nothing to write home about and the beds were a bit too close together. We were also there during the heatwave last year and there was no air conditioning in the room, which wasn’t great when 6 months pregnant!! These two things would probably be the only negatives I would say about our 3-night stay in this hotel! it has a multitude of facilities for families and kids such as: - soft play area - kids club - pool - mini golf - cinema - activity course - outdoor food van - evening disco and games - games room Things to Do Incheydoney beach - Located just 10 minutes from Clonakilty, this blue flag beach is absolutely stunning and the perfect place to spend the day. It's known as one of the most beautiful and family friendly beaches in West Cork and it's really not hard to see why! The sand is white, the sea is a gorgeous blue and the views are to die for. There are toilet and shower facilities on site, a coffee and ice-cream van and the gorgeous Incheydoney Hotel and Spa if you want a bite to eat after taking a dip in the sea or having a surf lesson. Parking can be a little tricky here, as with a lot of beaches in Ireland, so have a little bit of patience while looking for a space and be prepared to walk a little bit to the beach. I promise it will be worth it. The West Cork Model Railway Village - Located just on the outskirts of Clonakilty, this is the only model village in Ireland. It shows a cute replica of Clonakilty and the surrounding towns and villages that grew along the old railway line in the 1930's - 1950's. Younger kids will love watching and following the little trains around the village, and the whole family will enjoy sailing their own boats down the river. What we loved the most about our visit here was that we were able to point out the places we have been to already and pick out where we would like to go next, like Kinsale and Skibbereen. There's also a road train onsite that brings you out of the park and around the town of Clonakilty. This was really enjoyable for the kids as they could wave to all of the people they passed, and we were able to see parts of Clonakilty we hadn't seen before, like the Emmet Square Park. The train is definitely worth doing and only costs a couple of euro extra on top of your entry ticket. Tickets for this can be bought at reception while entering the park. There's a lovely playground onsite too with a play train and picnic benches, the perfect place to stop for a bite to eat. They also have an indoor play area which was closed when we were there due to Covid but is open now again! Once you're finished exploring the model railway village you can pop into the tearooms for tea/coffee and a bun in the train carriage and have a browse in the gift shop for a little souvenir. Prices and €10 per adult and €6.50 per child. Clonakilty Black Pudding Visitor Centre - This is a bit of a quirky one, but I think it's worth doing if you have a spare hour. Mr. Sheddon and I went to this while the kids were at the kid's club in the hotel. You can't go to Clonakilty without tasting some of their famous pudding, so why not pair that with a tour of the factory to see where and how it's made and learn a little bit about the history of the secret recipe. It's a self-guided, interactive tour that involves testing your sense of smell, walking into a replica of a butchers form the 80's and watching a clip from the Late Late Toy Show with Gay Byrne himself! The tour finishes with some samples of the black, white and veggie pudding and their sausages. You can have them there at the cafe with free tea or coffee or take them outside to enjoy the sunshine (if you're lucky enough to get any) on one of the picnic benches. For €10 per adult and €5 per child, you can't go wrong really. Supervalu - Just hear me on this one! - Ok I know, I'm telling you to go to a supermarket!! But hear me out, I swear I'm not crazy. This Supervalu just hits different! From mounds of spices like in the souks of Morocco, to every kind of cheese you could imagine, multiple types of balsamic vinegars and salad dressings that you can pour yourself into glass bottles and multiply types of teas and coffee beans it's a foodie's paradise, and the perfect place to pick up all of your bits for a picnic. You just have to trust me and check it out :)! Michael Collins House - For anyone that has any interest in Irish History, this is a must visit. Located in the centre of Clonakilty at Emmet Square, this museum is fully dedicated to Michael Collins and everything he did in the fight for Irish Independence. The museum has interactive displays, audio visuals and artefacts that will keep the whole family interested, even the smaller ones. There are also history talks and tour guides available on site if you want to get a bit more information and delve deeper into Irish history. Entry for adults is €5 and €2 for children over 5. There's a love park at Emmet Square too where you can an enjoy the snacks you picked up at Supervalu. Skibbereen - Skibbereen is a cute little market town about 25 minutes from Clonakilty. It really shows off the Irish charm with its colorful buildings and quaint coffee shops and pubs. If you plan to visit, make sure to go on a Saturday for the market, which can have up to 150 stalls in the summer months and is open from 9am - 2:30 pm. A great place to taste some of the local wares, pick up some fresh eggs and homemade breads or find some vintage jewelry and antiques. Kinsale - This is where to go to get the insta shots! Kinsale is a historic port town in the West of Cork. It's best known for its beautiful colored buildings but also has a multitude of restaurants and bars to visit. It's definitely worth the day trip if you are in West Cork. Make sure to Subscribe to my blog to get updates straight to your inbox :) Thanks for reading Jess x

Ever thought about trying glamping with your family, friends or significant other? Then read this review of weekend of glamping in Waterford at the Comeragh Pods. As a family that loves the outdoors and camping but find Autumn and Winter a bit cold to get our tent out, we were delighted to discover this new glamping site in Co. Waterford, right next to the greenway. First Impressions Nestled within the surrounds of the Comeragh Mountains, these glamping pods have the most stunning views of the Irish countryside. While being out in nature, the area also very close to a range of amenities such as bars, coffee shops, Waterford city, and the seaside town of Dungarvan. When we first arrived at the site, we received a warm from their son. We were shown the facilities and given the key to our pod. He recommended lots of restaurants and things to do in the area which was greatly appreciated. Later we met Tracy and Padraig, who were so friendly and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. They dropped up the smore making kit that we had ordered and showed us how to use the gas firepit. They also informed us that their hot tub, which was only delivered that day, was up and running and we were welcome to be the first to use it, yay!!! We experienced a variety of weather conditions while we were there, from sunshine to wind to full on torrential rain, and I can happily safe that the pods were cost, comfy and fab during all of this. When the sun was shining, we enjoyed sitting out on the veranda of the communal area or on one of the picnic benches while Lily played football. When it was windy and raining, there was nothing nicer than sitting in our cosy pod with a glass of wine and looking out at mother nature. In the evening time we sat on the veranda of the communal area again, wrapped in the blankets provided, and toasted marshmallows over the gas firepit. Things to do in the area Waterford Greenway You can choose to bring your own bikes, just walk, or avail of bike hire from Waterford Greenway Bike Hire. Please note that they are not currently running their shuttle service (we discovered this after we cycled 24 km and had to get my mam to collect us🤣🤣). Bike hire costs are as follows: €25 per adult bike and €10 per child bike per day. The little baby cart at the back is free. They also provide helmets free of charge. I would recommend, if you have small kids, starting your journey at Durrow. This way you can cycle through the incredible tunnel and see the stunning views as you cycle into Dungarvan. Here you can check out the amazing food on offer. In Dungarvan would recommend eating at: - The moorings - and Chips - The tannery Places I would recommend stopping for a bite to eat along the greenway are: - Coach House Coffee - The Railway Cottage Both are absolutely fab and well worth checking out!! Crough Woods You can have a leisurely stroll through the woods, spotting the different types of trees, leaves and plants. If you have small kids, why not bring little Ziplock bags with you and set them a nature hunt challenge. You can print something online or use a pen and paper to write up what they need to find. e.g. - pine cone, mushroom, berry etc. You can stop for a picnic in the woods and if you're feeling energetic, you can continue all the way up to Mahon Falls. Check out the All Trails website for more information on this trail. Make sure to stop in Crough coffee for a delicious cup of 3fe coffee!!! Mahon Falls Mahon falls is an 80 metre waterfall set in the Comeragh mountains. It's a really easy and family friendly walk to the waterfall with a gravel path the whole way. You could bring a buggy but just as you get to the waterfall there's a small river to cross so you would have to carry the buggy here. I'd recommend using a baby carrier for ease. We love to pack a little picnic too and a flask of hot chocolate to enjoy at the waterfall. Coumshigaun Lake This is definitely a more challenging hike than Mahon falls, but absolutely worth it for the views you will be rewarded with! We walked to the lake and back with Lily (7 at the time) and the pug, so it is definitely doable. You can walk the entire loop of the lake too, which is longer and more of a challenge if you're up to it. Again, you can find details on this hike on All Trails. Dunmore east A quaint fishing village just outside of Waterford city, you will find an abundance of things to do here. From delicious food to cliff walks, beaches and coves, to adventure sports at dunmore adventure, it's definitely worth the visit! Tramore Another seaside town in Waterford with loads to do. In the summer and Easter holidays they have an amusement park, which is really good! There's also arcades open year-round, a swimming pool with slides - Splash World, and plenty of chippers around to get your fish and chips. Dungarvan One end of the Greenway, Dungarvan is a harbor town knows for its great food. Make sure to take a look at some of the food suggestions above. It's a really nice place to take a stroll along the harbour, and also take a drive out to Clonea stand. What to pack As all of the required facilities were there, we didn't need to go overboard with the packing. We had our usual suitcase with clothes, walking gear and swimwear. As the pods were warm and cosy, we didn't need extra warm clothes for at night. Blankets are provided in the communal area too for sitting out by the fire, which was a lovely touch. Tea and coffee facilities are provided. We ordered the breakfast hamper for our first morning and it fed the 4 of us for 2 days. There was so much there (check out my highlights on Instagram). We always bring a few games/toys with us when camping so that we can avoid tv and screens as much as possible. We picked up a few cheap games and toys from deals and also brough cards, uno and a football. There was also plenty of family games and books provided for use at the communal area, which was a really nice touch!! Drink - bring beer and wine, are you even glamping if you don't take the obligatory cheers photo with your vino in the hot tub?? We cooked a chili in the slow cooker on Thursday night and brought that with us for the first night with microwaveable rice. It was the perfect thing for our first night and meant we didn't need to worry about takeout etc. The second day we had dinner in Dungarvan so just munched away on cheese and crackers for the evening back at the pod. Otherwise we brought microwave popcorn, some fizzy drinks and crisps and jellies for Lily 😊 Some of the things we brought with us to make the staycation more comfortable were: These lightweight and small travel cots are the business. We bring ours everywhere with us, they are light and easy to carry, can be put up and folded down in seconds, and will fit into smaller spaces such as glamping pods and tents. This has to be the holy grail of baby equipment!! We would absolutely lost without this, especially as Kai can't have any of the pre-made formula cartons due to his allergies. So, you get a grey flask, which keeps your water hot for hours!!! Then you have your white flask which glows orange when it is too hot for the baby to drink. You add your hot water and your scoops of formula and shake it until the light turns green (Usually 1-2 minutes). Green means it's cool enough for the baby to drink....and that's it!! No more running into a restaurant to ask for hot water that you then need to try and cool which baby is getting cranky! Another lifesaver when travelling! If you're staying in an air bnb or some kind of campsite, it's very unlikely that you will be provided with a highchair. This folds up small and light and can be clipped onto almost any chair. A great way to contain baby/toddler while you eat, and also a way to feed them at the table when they are too small to sit on a chair by themselves! The best baby carrier there is!! We use ours all the time, it took us all over Italy and was the perfect thing to have when we were walking around Dungarvan after cycling the greenway as we didn't have the buggy! Great when going on hikes or the woods etc. You can wear baby at your front facing in (can be worn from newborn), at your front facing out or on your back! Since we've discovered packing cubes, we wouldn't be without them! Especially when you're going camping or glamping, you have limited space for storage, so you want to condense your stuff into as small a space as possible. You honestly won't believe how much stuff you can roll up into a packing cube!! *Note - Amazon links are affiliated links The Final Score So that's my review on The Comeragh Pods, Waterford!! I would highly recommend this place for families, couples, girls/lads' getaway, you name it!! 🥂 We're already looking forward to returning with my parents in the near future! Make sure to subscribe to my blog to be kept in the loop and check out my Instagram @bringthekidstravel for videos and more pictures of the pods! Have you ever been glamping before?? Let me know in the comments :)

Hi guys, so I am Disneyland Paris obsessed!! I've been 7 times so far and have booked in a number of different ways so I wanted to share with you the best way that you can visit the magical kingdom without breaking the bank!! So far, I have been to Disneyland Paris on a package holiday, I've stayed in Disney hotels, Disney Partner hotels, I've stayed in my mam's campervan in the car park of Disney (Amazing option if you have a camper!!), I've visited for the day from Paris, and most recently I stayed in an Air Bnb in Val D'europe! Which one of these was my favourite?... Val D'Europe hands down!! Such a great location and so much cheaper than the Disney Hotels! So how do you book such a package? Keep reading below to find out... Step 1: Book your Flights You have two options here, fly into Charles De Gaulle or fly into Orly. Personally, I would never fly into Beauvais with Ryanair, it's too far to Disneyland and really not worth the hassle! 1. Aer Lingus fly to CDG and you can get some really good deals with them. If you buy their cheapest flight option, you each get a backpack to bring onboard the plane and a 10kg suitcase to check in at the gate. If you are flying with a baby (under 2) you can bring your 10kg bag onboard if you want and can also two baby items (buggy and extra such as travel cot or car seat). Top Tip - If stuck for luggage space, squeeze some clothes into the bag for your travel cot or car seat. Majority of airlines do not check what's inside the bag and there is no weight limit. You will need to pay extra for seats if you all want to sit together, but Aer Lingus, unlike Ryanair, try to allocate seats together for people who didn't book in advance. CDG is only 47 km to Val D'europe or 35-minute drive in light traffic. *Aer Lingus aren't the only airline to fly to CDG so it's definitely worth shopping around for the cheapest option. You can use a tool like Skyscanner to find the cheapest and easiest flight option but please remember to book with the airline itself once you've found your flight (don't book with Skyscanner). 2. Vueling fly to Orly, Paris. They also have some really good deals from time to time so definitely worth keeping an eye out for special offers. Vueling basic fare doesn't include any checked in luggage, you only get a backpack, so you will need to pay extra for this - €27 per person per flight for a 20 kg bag or €14 per person per flight for a second carry-on bag (10 kg) and priority boarding. You also need to pay to select seats with Vueling too, approx. €7pp for the cheapest seat each way. Orly airport is about a 40-minute drive to Val D'europe. Step 2: Book your Park Tickets. I would recommend booking tickets through AttractionTickets.com. They have an office in Ireland and tend to work out a bit cheaper than booking direct through DisneylandParis.com. You have multiple options when booking tickets - you can book 2 park hopper tickets or 1 park tickets. I would always recommend booking the 2-park hopper, even if only going for 1 day. This allows you to go in and out of the Disneyland Paris Park and the Walk Disney Studios Park. Especially with the new Marvel land you do not want to miss out on the Studios Park!!! Top Tip: With Disneyland Paris you now have to book your park dates in advance so I would recommend checking ticket availability just before paying for your flights as there would be nothing worse than booking the flights and then not being able to get park tickets 😫 Step 3: Book your Accomodation Val D'Europe is such a great place to stay for visiting Disneyland Paris. It is located in the town of Marnee la Valee and was actually created by the Walt Disney Company, so it is super accessible. We stayed in the Adagio City Aparthotel, which we booked through Air BnB. This Aparthotel is made up of private apartments, which you can book through Air BnB and also apartments owned by Adagio. So, if you're not comfortable using Air BnB, you can book direct on www.adagio-city.com. Both options give you access to their swimming pool, lobby, car parking, breakfast which can be paid at reception (€15/adult €7/child), and most importantly free shuttle bus to the park. I have attached the bus table below but please note that times are likely to change but you will get a copy for yourself when you check into your accommodation. Things I loved about staying in this area: The shuttle bus was always way quieter than the Disneyland hotel shuttles and there was never a fear of the bus being full. It is actually closer than Santa fe and Hotel Cheyenne, the shuttle only took about 5 minutes. The food options in this area. You are really spoiled for choice with the restauratns in Val D'europe. They have every type of cuisine you can imagine and at pretty standard prices. The outlet shopping - Think Kildare Village on steroids. They had Gucci, Prada, YSL, Balenciaga. Really nice for a stroll around and some window shopping when you want a break from Disney. I particularly enjoyed watching people walking around with bags and bags of designer purchases and trying to imagine what they work as ;) Giant Penney's enough said :) Pick up some last-minute Disney merch before going into the park. You have a kitchen so can cook your own food, store snacks and drinks etc. in the fridge. Step 4 - Book your transport. Here you have multiple options again. I would highly recommend using the 'Rome2Rio' website or app to find out the best way to get to your accomodation. You can get the TGV train from Charles De Gaulles airport to 'Marne La Vallee Chessy' followed by a second train to 'Val D'europe'. You can also book private transfers with the Magic Shuttle. This can be booked direct with Magic Shuttle or through Abbey Travel. Costs are €23/adult each way and €10/child each way. The magic shuttle leaves from Charles de Gaules and Orly airport. 💗So, there you have it, 4 easy steps to book the Disney Holiday of your dreams. Make sure to Subscribe to my blog as I'll be regularly posting Disney Deals as I see them.

Hi guys, so I wanted to share a couple of Disneyland Paris deals for the Christmas season to show you what kind of prices you can get. (Please note all prices are correct at time of posting) I’ve stuck with flights from Dublin to Charles De Gaulle as I find Beauvais airport (Ryanair) is just too far away and I don't have any personal experience with Orly airport. We flew into Beauvais airport once and never again!! It's just not worth it!! The distance is too far and it's very expensive for transport! So the dates I’ve looked at are: Option 1: 15th-18th December - 3 nights 2 days in park. Option 2: 15th-19th December - 4 nights 3 days in park. Option 1: 2 adults 3 Children Flights Flights are Aer Lingus for 2 adults & 3 Children including backpacks and 10kg checked in bag each. Total cost is €625.75. Link = https://www.aerlingus.com/app/make/passenger-info Accomodation For accomodation I have chosen an Air bnb in the same complex that we stayed in last month (Aparthotel Adagio Serris). I would pick this option time and time again as it's in a superb location, close to amazing restaurants, shopping and a free shuttle bus to Disney. It also comes with access to the pool and option to pay for breakfast in the onsite restaurant. You have your own kitchen too so great for storing snacks, making brekkie and coffee etc too. Make sure to check out my Instagram highlights! Price for 2 adults 3 children is €487.02. Link = https://abnb.me/c2a9nAZqltb Transport Transport is with Magic Shuttle, which is a dedicated Disney bus. We have used them before and found them pretty good, especially for the cost! Link = https://magicalshuttle.co.uk/booking/ Cost: €152 return for 2 adults 3 Children. Disney Tickets Disney tickets can be bought direct through the Disneyland website, but I like to use Attraction Tickets as they are a well known and well recommended company in Ireland. If you have your flights etc. booked, make sure to book the dated tickets, and choose your dates as checking out. Link = https://www.attractiontickets.com/en-ie Total costs of tickets: €702 for 2 days for 2 adults 3 children. Total cost of the holiday: €1966.03 or €393.21 pp. If you're hoping to book for 2 adults and 2 children you can change the number of people in all of the links above. The total price would be approx. €1572.84. Option 2: Option two is for 4 nights and 3 days in the Disney Park. Flights Aer Lingus flights to CDG in Paris. Thursday 15th Dec - Monday 19th Dec. Link = https://www.aerlingus.com/app/make/passenger-info Accomodation The same accommodation as above. Link = https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/53582720?adults=2&children=3&check_in=2022-12-15&check_out=2022-12-19&federated_search_id=bff77062-d071-4a46-8d8b-4e7bea1b48ba&source_impression_id=p3_1663255006_VqJKk9ShD88mag9D Transfer Magic Shuttle again. Please note, I have selected Magic Shuttle to make things easier for transports. If you don't mind public transport, you do have the option to take a train followed by bus. This would reduce cost by a lot but can be a bit more stressful with kids and bags. It really depends how comfortable you are in foreign countries :) Link = https://magicalshuttle.co.uk/booking/ Tickets 3 day/2 parks hopper Link = https://www.attractiontickets.com/en-ie/paris-attraction-tickets/disneylandr-paris-tickets/3-day2-parks-disneylandr-paris-hopper-ticket Total cost of trip: €2648 or €529.60 pp. An alternative here would be to stick with the 2 days in Disneyland and use your 3rd free day to visit Paris City as you are only 45 minutes by train away!! In this case your trip would cost €2120.75 or 424.15 pp (not including costs to get to Paris City). Again if you want to adjust this holiday to 2 kids/1 child or just 2 adults, you can adjust in the links above :) Happy Booking!!

Day 3 of our Hungary trip and it was time for the main event - the Formula 1 at the Hungaroring race track. One of the older formula 1 tracks, Hungaroring was built in 1986 and was the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix held behind the Iron Curtain. Continue reading to see how you can go to see the Formula 1 at this underrated Hungarian race track!! Located approximately 20 KM outside of the city of Budapest, Hungaroring is one of the more affordable F1 races to go to. I purchased the tickets as a Christmas present for Mr. Sheddon from ‘Motorsport Tickets’ and found them very easy to deal with! If you book when the tickets are first released you can avail of early bird offers with ‘general admission’ tickets going for around €60-70 for 3 day weekend. The general admission tickets mean that you don’t have access to an actual seat but can walk around and try find a spot on the ground to watch. Because it’s quite a hilly circuit, there are lots of great vantage points so if you want a really affordable weekend, general admission wouldn’t be too bad. As these were to be a Christmas present, I decided to book seats for us. We were in Silver 2, just in front of the last turn and had a fantastic view of the finish line! I think I paid about €120 per ticket, which was so good for the three days. The other great thing about the Hungary Grand Prix was the cost of food and drink!! When we went in 2019 it was approx €3 for a cold can or pint of Heineken and around €5 for food, so really really affordable, especially compared to some of the more popular tracks like Silverstone and Monaco. Langos - a traditional Hungarian street food. It’s a deep fried flat bread served with sour cream and grated cheese. Simple but delicious!!! They even had buckets of cocktails like Mohitos and Sex on the Beach. Who needs Thailand 😉 All of the amenities at the track were great actually, plenty of toilets so no long walks or crazy queues. Large number of stands for food and drinks, all accepting card so no need to worry about cash. We used our Revolut cards for everything. Free drinking water located around the track, which was brilliant especially in that heat!! There were plenty of shops to buy merchandise from all the different teams - the prices for these were similar to what you would pay online. How to get to the Race Track Even though the Hungaroring circuit is only 20 km away from Budapest city, it’s not the easiest to get to and can take a small bit of figuring out. Here is a list of the ways to get there and what we did to get there. Taxi - an expensive option at approx. €40 each way. Also not the best option for the last day as you will struggle to get a taxi with the thousands of other people also looking to travel back via this route. We had planned to take a taxi home but knew there was no possible way of doing this unless we wanted to wait for hours and hours to get one. Train - this is probably the slowest method and what we did on the first day. To be honest we found it very complicated and wouldn’t really recommend going this way. So you need to get to the last station at the eastern end of the red metro line (M2) called ‘Örs Vezér Tere’ (just put this station into Google maps and it will tell you how to get there!). When you get to this station you need to exit, cross the road under an underpass where you will find a small train stop. Board the train going to Gödollo. Get off at the Kerepes Hèv station. This is where things got confusing for us. We got off at this station with a few other people and we had read that there should be a free shuttle bus, however, there wasn’t! We waited around for about 30 minutes and eventually had to ask a couple if we could share their taxi with them 🙈 I’m not sure what happened to the shuttle bus or if it ever turned up, but we didn‘t try this option again! I have read that the shuttle buses are going from that station this year, but I’m just sharing the experience that we had. Free Shuttle - this was the option that we took for the Saturday and Sunday. We went to the same metro station noted above - Örs Vezér Tere’. This time you head outside the station and you will see a number of bus stops and signs for the F1. You will also see massive queues for for the buses, that's that’s how you know you are in the right place. I think we queued at most around 40 minutes for the shuttle bus on the main race day and maybe 20 minutes on the Saturday, which was fine. We picked up breakfast in the metro station (it has loads of food outlets) and ate them while we queued. The bus then takes you directly to the entrance gates so it was definitely worth the wait!! Formula 1 top tips Budapest in August is hot🥵 and also has random rain showers! Make sure to bring a light rain jacket and a hat with you as you will be sitting for hours. The beer Is cold, cheap and delicious, but make sure to drink plenty of water too. In that heat it can be very easy to get dehydrated and a bit too drunk. Comfy shoes!! Unfortunately on the day of the main race you will be standing for a long time to get home, make sure your feet are comfy!!Have a backpack and some easy to reach snacks - it’s a full day there with queues for the food stands and to leave, make sure you have some snacks with you to keep you going! Don’t queue for the official bus on the last day, you will wait for literal hours!! Instead bypass the queue and walk straight out of the gates. Walk to the train station (approx 15 mins walk) and wait for a train back to the city. There will still be a large queue, but there's a pub at the station so you can use toilets and get refreshments while you wait.

Disclosure: Some of the images in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to yourself. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and how much we have liked them. Hi guys, I've put together a list of some of the must have items for a smooth holiday with a baby. All of these items have been tried and tested by us and our little man Kai (10 months old). When travelling with a baby it's so important to have items that aren't too bulky, are easy to transport and just make life easier!! That way you can have a bit of extra time so have that Aperol Spritz or Pornstar Martini while on your vacation 😉🥂 #1 Travel Cot For us a travel cot was really important. We originally bought a Baby Elegance one but it was just too big and bulky. No way could we drag that around Italy with us. So we changed for the BabyLo Lightweight travel Cot. It's super lightweight and folds up nice and handy. It also comes with a mattress and sheet that neatly folds up into the same bag. Kai really likes it and will happily play in it during the day too so it would be really handy to pop baby into for a few minutes while on your holidays. BabyLo Lightweight Travel Cot #2 Lightweight Stroller I spent so long researching all of the strollers out there to find the perfect one. I was looking for a stroller that was lightweight, folded up nice and compact, but still had sturdy wheels that could handle the cobblestones of Italy. I also didn't want to spend an absolute fortune. We ended up going with the Cosatto Whoosh 3 and are delighted with it. We've had it for a month now and Kai (7 months) absolutely loves it! We had only gotten it for holidays but now use it all the time instead of the bigger travel system that we have. It lays completely flat for when baby is sleeping, has a large hood that can block out the sun, has a removable activity bar, coffee cup holder, rain cover and folds up super small!! It was just over £200, which is a really good price for the quality of it! Definitely a must buy from me! Cosatto Whoosh 3 #3 Stroller Organiser These are really handy to attach to your stroller if heading out for a couple hours. It can hold a couple nappies, wipes, some snacks and a sippy cup. This saves you lugging around the big changing bag all of the time. We picked up the below one from www.kaleidy.com for only €9.99 and have found it really handy!! 4# Buggy Rockit This item is a bit on the pricey side, but we found it worked so well for us on our holidays and I would 100% buy it again. It clips onto the handle of the stroller and rocks the buggy when turned on. We used it when Kai fell asleep in the buggy, and we wanted to stop at a restaurant/coffee shop. We found it would get us maybe an extra hour or so of nap time, which while on holidays can be priceless! Think about being able to have that extra glass of vino or being able to watch that show in the hotel bar in the evenings!! #5 Baby Swimming Floatie Such a handy item so you can pop baby in the pool and let them kick their little legs about and splash in the water while still feeling safe and secure! We picked up this one on amazon because it has a SPF 50+ sunshade over it. Super handy if you have a little troublemaker who likes to pull their hat off over and over. It comes in sizes small (3-6 months), medium (6-12 months) and large (2-24 months). Laycol Baby Swimming Float #6 Paddling Pool A paddling pool is super handy if you have a baby or toddler with you. You can set it up right beside your sun lounger and they will happily play away with a little bit of water and some toys. This is a great way to keep the kiddies entertained when you don't want to have them in the sea/pool all of the time. We picked this one up on Amazon as it has a little roof on it so it will also provide some shade for them. We actually use it at home too full of plastic balls and its great fun! Bestway Toddler Paddling Pool with Sunshade #7 Sunglasses Sunglasses are really important when on summer holidays with a baby. There will be times when you can't 100% keep baby in the shade so sunglasses will help to protect their eyes. We found these ones really good as they have an elasticated band that goes around their head that keeps them in place. UV Protection Polarized sunglasses #8 0.5 Tog Sleeping Bag When on holidays it can sometimes be very hot at night and can be stressful trying to keep baby warm but not too hot. We always use sleeping bags throughout the year and find the 0.5 tog ones perfect for holidays. They can be worn with a short-sleeved or long-sleeved vest, depending on the temperature. #9 Sound Machine Our baby can't sleep without white noise playing so we always bring a sound machine with us. This little owl will play white noise all night long and can be charged via USB. It is the perfect size to use in your hotel room or out on the move for buggy naps. USB Powered White Noise and Sound Machine #10 Nightlight White light can be too stimulating for a baby and reduces the amount of melatonin their body makes. This nightlight has a nice yellow tone and can be easily turned on and off by tapping the top. It's perfect for night feeds or for finding your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night without stubbing a toe and waking the baby with your yelps of pain ;) So, there you have my top 10 items for travelling with a baby. Let me know in the comments if you have any of these products or if you have any other items you would recommend for a stress-free holiday with your young ones ❤❤❤

I actually went to Budapest for my hen party back in January 2015. At the time we were looking for cheap flights and drinks and somewhere I hadn’t been before. Wow I did not expect Budapest to be as lovely as it was. We had an absolute ball, from cocktails to ruin bars, a sneaky stripper 🙈 and thermal baths. I just knew I absolutely had to go back and maybe spend a few sober days there 😂 So, as Mr. Sheddon (aka Ross) is a huge Formula 1 fan and there’s a race track just outside Budapest, I thought hey, why not combine the two! Fast forward to July 2019 and we were off to the Capital of Hungary for 5 nights! Read the details below to see where we stayed and what we did so you can start to plan your trip to Budapest! First things first, where did we stay? I almost always prefer to stay in apartments when I go abroad, especially if it’s for more than a couple days. I find you get much more bang for your buck and can sometimes find some really quirky places. We stayed in two different apartments during our week in the city. First we stayed in ‘Play Apartments’. I found this apartment fantastic, really clean, excellent location and had everything we needed. A bit noisy at night time as it was in the middle of the city but we didn’t mind. This was €67 per night *Pictures taken from booking.com website. Link: http://www.booking.com/Share-KGObTe I actually wish we had stayed in that apartment for the full duration of our trip but I saw this next apartment ‘Lavender Circus Apartments’ on the Budapest episode of ‘Travel Man’ and had to book it. The apartment was nice but it was definitely a bit of a disappointment. The location was still good but I didn’t like the layout of the apartment at all. It was a loft style with the bed up some steps, which isn’t ideal if you need to pee in the middle of the night 🙈 This was €100 per night. This stairs was not fun at the end of our night on the town ;) *Picture taken from booking.com website. Link: http://www.booking.com/Share-GcDIQJ Day 1 St Stephen's Basilica, Central Market Hall, New York Café, Mazel Tov Restaurant We got an early morning flight from Dublin to Budapest airport via Ryanair. The flights were super cheap and you can always find really good deals with them. Flight time was only 2h 50 mins so by the time we ordered a coffee and had a short nap we were landing! There are a few different ways to get from Budapest airport to the city centre, and it’s super easy: Bus 100E from terminal 2 - this is the cheapest option, takes approx. 50 mins and is less than €3 pp. the buses leave every 20 mins. Taxi - Fötaxi is a reliable company and you can find stands a both terminal. This will take you approx 30 minutes and will cost you between €20-€25 depending on traffic. Shuttle Bus - Can be booked via the GetYourGuide website and costs €10.50 pp. This will take approx 50 minutes depending on how many drop offs there are. We chose to go by taxi, which was super handy! The currency in Budapest is Hungarian Florence or ‘HUFs’. I find when travelling to a different country the easiest thing to do is take your money out of an ATM when you get to the airport or use a currency exchange. I would highly recommend signing up for a REVOLUT card. They have great currency exchange rates and no ATM charges for the first €500. You can also keep an eye on exchange rates in advance of your holiday and buy the currency to keep on your REVOLUT account for when you need it. We took money out of the ATM at the airport to pay for the taxi. Day one was all about finding our feet, getting used to the heat (31 degrees celcius🙈) and just enjoying ourselves. We dropped our bags off at the apartment and went straight for a drink at the Liberty Bridge. The bar was called ‘Up and Down’, we only had a drink there so can’t comment on food, but the view was definitely lovely 😍. The Liberty Bridge is a gorgeous landmark connecting Buda and Pest over the Danube river. At each end is a public square, Gellert Ter, which is on the Buda side, and Fovam Ter, which has the Great Market Hall (see below :)). It was also the first bridge in Budapest to be rebuilt after they were all heavily damaged during WW2. After that we found our way to St. Stephen's Basilica. This is a Roman Catholic Basilica named after the first King of Hungary and is one of the largest religious buildings in Hungary. We didn't go inside but you can explore the inside and either take the stairs or the elevator to the top for views of the city for only €3 per adult and €2.50 per student. After all of our walking around in 30 degree heat we were starving!! So we headed to the Central Market Hall for a browse and a bite to eat. A really nice place to escape from the heat and buy a few souvenirs. Some interesting food choices too like donkey sausage :O. We got some hot dogs and beers and bought a few trinkets to take home. Good prices for souvenirs here compared to the more touristy shops! After this we went back to the apartment to get officially checked in and then went to New York Cafe for cocktails and cake. This place is known as the most beautiful Cafe in the world and it really is stunning! No booking was required, we waited for about 15 minutes for a table as we were only having drinks and desert. To be honest I don't think I would have a full meal here as it is a bit pricey but definitely worth checking out for a drink. They had a string quartet playing the Game of Thrones theme tune when we were there, which was brill! Finally we went to Mazel Tov for the main meal. I had heard about this place on no other than Instagram and it did not disappoint!! Located in the Jewish District, it serves Middle Eastern Food. I had the shawarma plate, sweet potato wedges and a few different cocktails. Oh and the deep fried pitta bread is an absolute must!! Make sure to book a table in advance as this place is very popular. Day 2 Fisherman’s Bastion, Buda Castle, Pontoon Bar, Szechenyi Thermal Baths, Boat Tour, Ruin Bars The Fisherman's castle and Buda Castle are located on the Buda side of Budapest at the 'Castle District' and are an absolute must see if you are visiting the city! This district can easily be reached by Tram, Metro, Bus, or walking. Just type it into google maps and let your phone guide you ;) There are a couple of options for then reaching the top of Castle Hill and : Walk up the hill - plenty of routes can be found on google or using google maps. Get the bus up the hill and walk through the entire district. Funicular railway - this takes approximately 2 minutes but you will have to queue if there during peak times/seasons. It costs €5 / 2000 HUF for adults return and €2.76 / 1100 HUF for children return. Official Budapest Castle Bus from 'Clark Adam Square'. This is a hop on hop off bus that takes you to the Fisherman's Bastion, Buda Tower and Old Town, Buda Castle and Castle Garden Bazaar. This was the option we took and found it brilliant! It costs €10 / 4000 HUF for adults and €5 / 2000 HUF for kids. It's open from 9:00-16:00 every day and departs every 20 minutes. You will find people selling these tickets at the bottom of castle hill. Next we walked back over the Chain Bridge, which I would highly recommend for the stunning views of the Danube. We found a really cool bar called Pontoon, where we could get some beers and cocktails and sit on the bank of the river underneath the bridge. How fab!! After our drink at Pontoon we headed for the Szechenyi Thermal baths. There are a number of Thermal Baths to visit in Budapest and Szechenyi Spa is the biggest and oldest at over 100 years old. It contains 18 geothermal pools, some indoor and some outdoor and is open 365 days of the year. I've been both in the summer and the winter and had a different but enjoyable experience at both. Visiting the baths in winter are exciting and reminded me of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. There's something so nice about sitting in a warm outdoor swimming pool while the outside temperature is 0 degrees celcius! In the summer you can spend the day relaxing by the pool on the sun loungers and having food and drinks. Tickets can be bought directly on the website, when you arrive at the baths or on GetYourGuide. Tickets are €30 per person with a private cabin to get changed in and leave your stuff. They also hold pool parties throughout the summer, details can be found on the website for the baths - http://szechenyispabaths.com/ After the baths we got an evening boat tour on the Danube. We booked this on the Viator website, it was about €16 per person and included a welcome drink (watered down cocktail). Cocktail aside, I would highly recommend this tour as you get to say great views of the city including the Hungarian Parliament Building. Next we went back to the apartment for a quick change and headed out towards the Ruin Bars. Ruin bars are these strange, weird but wonderful bars in Budapest where you can get cheap drinks, take a multitude of instagram worthy pics and dance the night away. Located in the Jewish Quarter, these bars started around 2000's in the Jewish Ghetto as a place for people to get cheap drinks in an abandoned building. Since then the concept of ruin bars has exploded and they are not one of the most popular sites in Budapest. One of my favourites is Szimpla Kert, which is sorta dingy and full of random pieces of Junk but somehow it works. From old bikes, cars turned into seating areas to bath tubs with cushions that you can sit in and smoke a shisha, this place is like nowhere else you've been before! Food court beside Szimpla Kert. The BBQ box was amazing!!! Krampus Tiki Bar - would highly recommend for the crazy cocktails!! Shisha in a bathtub, where else would you do this lol! Things to Do & See Fisherman’s Bastion Buda Castle Boat trip on the Danube Szechenyi Thermal Baths St Stephens Basilica Chain bridge Liberty bridge Heroes square Shoes on the Danube Where to Eat/drink Mazel Tof Hotel New York Pontoon Bar Szimpla Kert Ruin Bar Krampus Tiki Bar Market Hall Market Up and Down at Liberty Bridge Here is a 2 day Sample Itinerary that I would recommend. I've changed it up a little bit from how we did it at the time to make it more efficient and also added in a few of the things that we didn't visit as I saw them on my first trip here :) Day 1 - St. Stephens Basilica Liberty Bridge Market Hall for lunch New York Cafe for Dessert & Cocktails See Shoes on the Danube Evening boat tour on the Danube Dinner at Mazel Tav Day 2 - Walk or take the tram/metro to the Szechenyi Chain Bridge Visit Fisherman's Bastion Lunch/Cocktails at Fisherman's Bastion Buda Castle Pontoon Bar for a drink Heroes Square Thermal Baths Eat at food court beside Szimpla Kert Ruin Bars (possibly book bar crawl/tour) Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a notification when our next blog post is live - days 3-5 of our Budapest trip - the Formula One!!