It seems to me that the off-the-beaten-path places are usually our favorites. Last summer we found our way to Kazanlak, which is in the middle of nowhere, Bulgaria. When we showed up to our hotel, the woman at the front desk (or rather, front bar) pulled out a notebook full of handwritten scribbles. There wasn’t a computer in sight. They lost our reservation, no surprise there, and then just happened to have a free room that was exactly what we had booked. I stood there trying to figure all of this out via a game of charades, as there was no one around who spoke English. It was half frustrating and half fantastic.
Just outside the the city center there is a place known as “the valley of the roses.” Seventy percent of the world’s rose oil is pressed from the roses grown in that little basin in the Balkan Mountains. Every year, over the first weekend in June, they commence the rose picking season with a local festival. We showed up for the “rose picking ritual” and found ourselves loners and outcasts among two sets of people: the native Bulgarians (dressed in traditional red and green clothing) and an asian tour bus group (dressed in fanny packs and DSLR cameras). The Bulgarian locals were gathered on large family-style blankets surrounding copious amounts of home cooked food. The tourists congregated to stare at them through their camera lenses, like people gathered around a very important fish tank.
Our four-year-old got away from us in the crowd and plopped herself right onto the lap of one of the Bulgarian grandmothers, and instead of being scolded she was promptly fed and fawned over. This led to an unspoken invitation for the rest of our little family to join in the household meal. Our baby was passed around from grandmother to grandmother, and in return we were passed musaka, palachinka, banista, and other amazing local foods. 
You guys, THIS is what I am talking about when I tell you that traveling with kids opens crazy doors. Without our naughty little children we would have missed out on this amazing moment. The festival continued with dancing and celebration followed by the crowning of the rose queen and the picking of the roses — which we actually got to help with. Awesome, right? And they let us keep as many roses as we could carry. We took ours home and turned them into potpourri, and pressed them into the pages of our journals. It was so much fun!
Okay, now for the important logistical information. To GET THERE you’ll need to rent a car. There is pretty much no other way to do it unless you go with a tour group, but the roads are well paved and driving was easy in Bulgaria. It’s about a 3-hour-drive from Sofia or a 2-hour-drive from Burgas (Side note: I would very highly recommend seeing Burgas and the surrounding areas of Sunny Beach and Nessebar). Once you are there you will want to stay in the city of Kazanlak. Hotels are sparse online but not impossible to find. We stayed at Complex Artemida which was a bit backward but totally beautiful. I would absolutely stay there again. Make sure to book early if you are going to be there the weekend of the festival. It’s probably the only time of year that they get guests, but the hotels definitely fill up.
The actual rose picking ritual is about a 15-min-drive from the city center (located in село Розово, also known as Rozovo) and anyone can show you how to get there. We had no trouble finding it as it is a very small town. The entrance cost us 10 Bulgarian Lev/ person and you have to pay in cash. Our kids (all age 4 and under) were free. There were also free festivities going on all weekend long in the city center, including performances and parades. You’ll also find lots of vendors set up everywhere, selling anything and everything rose themed. We came home with some rose extract and some rose oil. We also tasted rose water, rose jam, rose candy, and rose everything else.
I like to know what is going on before I get somewhere, but I had the hardest time tracking down any information about the festival online.
I finally figured out the schedule by tracking down and emailing the local tourism office. They sent me back an email with the itinerary as well as a link to Kazanak.com. It might still have last years schedule listed but the itinerary is relatively the same from year to year. The website is in Bulgarian but if you open it in a browser with a translation option (like Google Chrome) it is easy to navigate.
Also on this trip, we made stops in Burgas, Sunny Beach, Nessebar, Plovdiv, and Sofia. Honestly, this is one of my favorite adventures we have had yet. The Bulgarian county side is beautiful, the Bulgarian beaches are wonderful, and the Bulgarian ruins are truly unique. Don’t live you life without taking a road trip across Bulgaria. Just don’t do it! And trust us when we tell you that you should go in June so that you can stop and smell the roses.
Why did no one tell me about Stockholm sooner? I’m a little bit jaded toward all of my travel friends for failing to inform me just how amazing Sweden is. Especially for kids. Our family recently took a little weekend trip up north, and we give Stockholm 5 great big, gold stars for family friendliness. What an unexpected delight. We spent 2 days here but I wish we could have spent 2 weeks. Kids of all ages will find loads of fun activities in Stockholm, Sweden.
Gamla Stan:
Polkagris Kokeri Candy Shop
Djurgårdsbron Bridge – It’s about a half and hour walk or a twenty minute tram ride 
The Vasa Museum:
Skansen
At the entrance, I would recommend paying the extra fee to take the tram up to the top, because the walk up is very steep and will be difficult for kids. You can also ask for a map and a timetable of events: there are demonstrations and feeding times that will help you make the most of your time. You can also download a free app that will help you navigate this amazing childhood treasure.
Museums – There are several museums that we didn’t have time to visit, including: The Nordic Museum (pictured), The Junibacken (children’s museum), and The Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology. You might also want to pop by The ABBA Museum. It’s right around the corner from Gröna Lund. Go ahead and get your Dancing Queen on — we won’t judge. If you make it to these places before we do, be sure to let us know how you liked them.
Getting Around: As far as getting to the city center is concerned, it’s pretty straight forward from the airport. You can take a train from the airport terminal to the central train station. The train is called the 
The Hermitage – One good thing about visiting this museum during peak tourist season is that while it may be crowded and noisy, it is crowded and noisy. Thus, your kids don’t have to be the portrait of perfection. No one will notice if they are a little bit wiggly or even a little bit loud. Even in the off-season, the Hermitage is a pretty busy place, so plan for a crowd almost any time of the year. With the little ones in tow you’ll never see it all, so here is a great 
St. Isaac’s – This Cathedral took 40 years to construct. It is 333ft. tall and is plated in pure gold. From both the inside and outside it is a beautiful building. The interior used to have canvas paintings, but due to the cold, damp environment, the paintings began deteriorating, and have been replaced almost entirely with mosaics. There is a ticket office on the North East side of the structure (near the tour bus parking), where you can buy tickets to enter the museum and the dome, which you can climb for a fantastic view of the city. There are 200+ stairs to get to the top. We carried our littlest one but our 3-year-old made the trek just fine. The top is completely protected, so there is no worry of kids falling from a height. Keep in mind that St. Isaac’s, as well as many of the other top tourist sites in the city, is closed on Wednesday’s.
In the park to the north of the cathedral, there is a wonderful little playground where the kids can take a break and play for a while. It’s about half way between St. Isaac’s and the statue of the Bronze Horseman (and just a bit to the east). The Bronze Horseman is a giant statue of Peter the Great, and is situated atop 
The Peterhof Palace – This gem is often called the Russian Versailles — and for good reason. The interior is both interesting and beautiful, and for an extra fee you can take a short tour. The real reason to go, however, is to see the gardens. Wow! 500 acres of fountains, sculptures, and immaculately groomed flora: all right on the waterfront. You can spend a whole day here, but you can certainly squeeze it in to a half day if you are short on time. As you wander, you’ll find lots of fun things for the kids. Many of the fountains are designed to splash in and get you wet. Our kids had a great time playing in the water and skipping through the shaded pathways. What a backyard. This is a wonderful way to spend a summer day. Here is a great list of some of the fun things not to miss with 
The Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood – This was our FAVORITE thing that we saw in St. Petersburg. When you picture Russia in your mind, this is what your imagination draws up. The church was built on the site of the assassination of Emperor Alexander II. It is constructed in the classic 17th century Russian style. Bright colored mosaics and onion domed towers adorn the outside of the church. The exterior is stunning, but pales in comparison the interior. Once inside, you’ll find more than 7,500 square meters of mosaics: the majority having been made with real gold leaf. This church, all by itself, is worth the trip to St. Petersburg (Closed Wednesday’s).
The Peter and Paul Fortress – This fortress is a bit off the beaten path, but it’s a fun area to walk around and explore. Every day at noon, a blank shot is fired from the cannon at the Naryshkin Bastion. It’s a tradition that dates back to 1873 as a way for the citizens to synchronize their watches. On Saturdays, after the shot is fired, you can watch the ceremonial changing of the guard. Aside from the Naryshkin Bastion, the fortress houses a museum, a bell tower, and the beautiful Peter and Paul Cathedral.
Getting there – Overall, just remember that Russia has very strict entrance and exit laws. Thus, you will most likely need a visa to enter. It can be a bit confusing, so we would recommend going through a third-party organization to secure your visa’s and make sure can safely enter and exit the country. However, if you enter by Ferry from Helsinki, Stockholm, or Tallinn, you can sidestep the visa requirements (but you are only allowed to stay for 72 hours). The St. 
Gdańsk – While Poland is not technically a Baltic State, there are a few places in the northern part of the country that border the Sea and are worth a visit. Our first must see stop along the Baltic Coast is Gdańsk, Poland. It is a great city with a long, rich history. The entire Old Town of Gdańsk is really remarkable. Right along the water there is a beautiful and well-preserved medieval port crane. It was built in 1442, making it the oldest one in Europe. We would also recommend that you don’t miss the National Maritime Museum (where you can board and explore the SS Sołdek), The Green and Gold Gates, Artus Court, St. Mary’s Church, and the beautiful Amber shops. For a half day trip, you can sail (on one of the fancy ships in the harbor) to the Hel Peninsula. That’s right, you can take a Pirate ship to Hel!
Kaunas – Just a bit inland and to the North of Poland is Kaunas, Lithuania. It’s a great place to stop for a day or two. The main street leading up to the town hall is lined with fun and traditional Lithuanian shops and art galleries. Some great things to see in this city include: The St. Michael the Archangel Church (pictured), The Žmuidzinavičius Museum (Also called the Devil Museum. This may be a little scary for the under 5 crowd), Ninth Fort, and The Kaunas Castle. Directly south of the Castle, you’ll find a lovely park. It’s great for a stroll on a sunny day. Just as the path curves, there is a little playground where the kids can stop and run around for a bit. If you continue on, you’ll eventually run into the river. Just across the bridge there is a tall staircase where you can climb to get a great view of the city. For an off-the-beaten-path experience, take a 20 min. drive east to visit the 
Riga – Riga is one of those cities that you visit and think “I can’t believe I never thought to come here before”. It’s not Paris, it’s not Rome. But it is worth a weekend stop. Every August, this city puts on the annual Riga City Festival. We’ve been 2 years in a row now. It is definitely the time to be there. During the festival there are lots of free performances and activities.
All up and down the river you’ll find lots of booths selling yummy local street food. And in the main square, there are hundreds of vendors set up to sell hand crafts and homemade goods. It really brings the city to life.
Český Krumlov is about a 2-hour drive south of Prague and even without the festival this adorable and authentic medieval city would be worth the trip. If you don’t have a car, the best way to get in is by 
The Sights: The view of the faded but colorful castle tower is visible from all over the town. There are several great points where you can get a really great look at it. Across the northern bridge you will climb by ramp and road to the castle. It’s bumpy in places but fairly stroller friendly. If you continue up the hill past the castle, you will find the castle gardens as well as a great view of the city. The town is very small making it pretty easy to find your way around.
Shops and Venders: At the Castle base are booths where authentically dressed vendors sell all kinds of handmade goods. We came home with some local honey as well as some beautiful and fragrant lavender soap. Also, as you wander through the tiny streets you will find little shops that sell all kinds of children’s toys, trinkets, and treats. During the festival, in the main square, there are lots of food tents set up. It’s a street food kind of feeling but it’s all quite yummy. Make sure to bring cash as most places won’t take a credit card.
Performers: In the main square, you will also find a large stage. The majority of the performances happen here. However, as you meander in and out of the ally ways, you will likely run across some smaller performances. We happened upon a fantastic 2-man puppet show. The actors were over the top and very kid friendly. They were so animated and fun that it didn’t even matter that the performance was entirely in Czech. We also ran across some jugglers and other street performers that were hired by the festival. You can check the schedule for these performances as well as for larger demonstrations like sword fighting and jousting.
Kids Rides & Games: Just on the other side of the city wall, there is a great big children’s section. This was our very favorite part. Here we found all kinds of old timey carnival rides. The target age for this area is probably 2-8 but our 1-year-old did just fine. This section was full of all kinds of swings and games. There was also a medieval style merry-go-round.
A large man pushes a large wooden arm as he runs side-by-side with the carousel to propel the children as they sit in little brown baskets. Our kiddies couldn’t get enough. We spent several hours here and it wasn’t long enough.
Weather. Rain, snow, wind… we don’t want them but they come anyway. This is another thing that can ruin your fun if you aren’t ready for it. So, be ready. The snow is colder in t-shirts, I promise. But it’s really not that bad in a winter coats with hats and gloves and all the fixings. The biggest thing to make sure the weather doesn’t hurt your travel is to embrace it. Check before you go and pack for it. I know it sounds like such a simple thing but a poncho can save your vacation. This is another place where will also benefit from some planning. If the weather says rain on Tuesday, consider making that your museum day.
We also take extra care to protect our wallets and passports when we travel. I cannot even imagine losing these items in a foreign country. Keep them close to you and watch for pickpockets. Keep your wallet in your front pocket and your passport close. You might even consider 
Getting Lost can be a big pain. Make sure you have a good map of the city and always write down the address of your hotel. Make note of landmarks and street signs. Make a special effort to pay attention to how you got somewhere and don’t be afraid to ask for directions. Even if you don’t speak the language, charades can get you pretty far.
That being said, there are some things that you can do to help. 1). make sure that your trip has things for both child and parent fun. You have your list of things to see but don’t forget theirs. Traveling with kids, you will see things that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. They want to visit the park and the zoo and the toy store. Sometimes these stops are more fun than you might have originally thought. You’ll get a real feel for the people and the culture by experiencing some of these more normal, day-to-day activities. It will also help your children feel like this trip is for them. We’ve found that an hour at the park or an hour-long nap can work wonders for their mood and their willingness to be dragged along to the next destination on the bucket list. 2). Never underestimate the power of a bribe. The promise of ice cream once bought us an extra two hours in the Louvre. SO worth it! 3). We’ve found it helpful to plan some extra time in your days. Everything just takes a little longer with kids. Good time management when you travel is a great stress fighter.
Rasnov Fortress – The best thing about this fortress is its placement in the Mountains. I still dream about that view. The second best thing about it are the actors. There are about 5 or 6 paid actors who dress up in old medieval clothes and pretend to be people from the time period. We’re not sure if they are famous or not because they all sell autographed photos, postcards, buttons, and kitchen magnets of themselves in their costumes. It’s so great! There is such a fun feeling in the air here. My new dream job is to work at Rasnov. It’s a good little hike to get to the top but it’s worth it. Again, I say, look at that view! 
“kurtos”. SO yummy! It’s hard to get a decent view of the outside of the castle unless you are willing to drive away from it. But the inside is beautiful. Funny that it’s closest fictional ties are to Dracula when it feels as though it should be home to Prince Charming (except for maybe the torture room, but that’s an extra fee anyway). Once inside, the self guided tour takes about an hour. It really is rather impressive. For more information on visiting the castle, click 
The cemetery and the church at the top of hill are also worth the hike. Sighișoara is said to be be birth place of Vlad the Impaler – 
Biertan Fortified Church – Another spontaneous stop. We saw a sign that said “Castle 2 Kilometers —>” and we went. A bit off the beaten path, but that’s part of the charm. The castle is the focal point of this tiny town as it reigns supreme from its home on the hill-side. It’s surrounded by a little farming community of about 1,500 people. The tour isn’t expensive but it closes at 5pm and they won’t let you in after 4:30. We barely made it and we’re glad we did. Biertan is also just a short 30 min. drive from the city of Medias (where you can’t drive a car anywhere in the old town so plan for a little walking).
If it’s a city that you are looking to see, we would suggest staying in Sighișoara and Brașov. The city of Brașov is right off the main highway and it’s adorable. It is nestled right up against the mountain and has a great little old town square. Not to mention the best chocolate I’ve ever tasted in my life. And we’ve been to Belgium. It’s a little shop called “
and hours of Pat Benatar mix tapes. Thanks for the sibling bonding that came from having to sit on “the hump” in the middle of our station wagon between my squabbling sisters every summer as we drove across the vast Nevada desert. Thank you for recent remembrances of driving with my own kids as we sang “Old McDonald” across the entire state of Kansas. Thanks for making the tradition possible.
Make sure that you can reach them. If there is an extra seat in the car, it goes next to the baby. That way you can sit next to them if you need to. For the very little ones make sure to bring a bottle. If you are nursing, bring a breast pump so that you can feed them without having to take them out of their car seat. Bring along toys that are brightly colored and make noise. Check the car seat before you leave and make sure they are safe and comfortable.
you are taking a long trip soon, you may want to wait to start potty training until you get home. If you are already in the full swing of things, you might consider putting some extra planning into your road trip bathroom strategy. You may let your toddler wear pull-ups for the duration of the trip. You just never know how long it will be until they can get to a bathroom. You also might consider brining along their little kiddy potty. Then you can pull over on the side of the road wherever you are. If neither one of these ideas is your style, just make sure to take frequent potty breaks and have extra clothing easily accessible – just in case.
Strategic Packing 
Don’t buy into the myth that you can’t take your little kids on long trips. So many people think “My kids couldn’t possibly sit still for 10 hours in a car” (or a plane or a train or a minivan or whatever). Here’s why it’s a bad idea to wait: If they don’t learn to road trip as children they will only hate it more as teenagers. Teach them young and they will get used to driving long distances; wait until they are older and they will probably hate it forever. Your kids will be better travelers at 5, 12, 16 and 40 if they get used to it at age 2. So, buckle up, hit the road, roll down the windows and breathe in that warm summer air.
Jack & Jill see the world 