Our Next Adventure

Family Travel Blog

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  • For every good photo of a child, there's an equal and opposite bad photo. Trust me, it's science.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Swipe through 👉🏻 for evidence!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ We've arrived in San Diego and hit the ground running exploring all of the city's best sights with the girls! Yesterday, we explored the New Children's Museum (so fun, by the way!), along with a stroll through Old Town San Diego and a romantic (😏) family Valentines dinner on Convoy. ⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ For the weekend, we've got a jam-packed itinerary planned including Balboa Park and Coronado Island!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Have you been to San Diego? What are your favorite spots?!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ☀️ @our.next.adventure⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
  • Have you seen our guide to Zion National Park?⁠?⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ [click the link in our bio if you missed it. 😉]⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ If I had to describe Zion in a word, it’d be: awe-inspiring.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Like seriously, this place just BLEW us away and I would 1000% recommend any nature-loving families include it on their bucket list for 2020!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ BEST WAY TO GET TO ZION? ∙ We found a cheap flight deal to St. George, then rented a car (it's about an hour's drive to the town of Springdale, just outside of Zion National Park).⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ WHEN TO GO? ∙ I recommend going in the early spring or late fall to avoid the massive crowds!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ WHAT TO BRING? ∙ Good hiking shoes, layered clothing, and a lightweight backpack for lots of snacks and water!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ HOW MUCH TIME DO WE NEED? ∙ 2 days would be sufficient, though you can hit all the highlights in 1 (or could easily spend 3 days if you love hiking!) Consider adding an extra day for a trip to Bryce Canyon, about a 2 hour drive from Springdale.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ What's your favorite US National Park that families MUST visit!?⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✌🏻@our.next.adventure⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
  • Hey, new friends! 👋🏻 I think we're well overdue for a re-introduction!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ We are the Ishmaels: Matt, Laura, Evelyn and Sophie! A family of 4 based in Omaha, Nebraska (USA), but obsessed with traveling in every spare moment of life. Last year we ventured off to 6 different countries over the course of the year, plus a few US cities in between.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ After years of trial and error, we've finally found a good balance between our life at home and travel abroad giving us the best of both worlds!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Though, I'm sure that'll all change again when Evelyn starts kindergarten in the fall. 😖⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Our baby, Sophie, is disabled, but that hasn't stopped us one bit. Where there's a will, there's a way, and man, we've got a lot of will! 😆⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ What are you biggest challenges when it comes to getting out and traveling as a family?⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ . ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✌🏻@our.next.adventure⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
  • Hey, hey, hey...look who's 2 years old today!!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Lil Miss Sophie, you turned our lives upside down when you entered this world two years ago. But I am so so so forever grateful that we get to have you in our lives.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ ⁠The day you were born, I joined the secret club of moms of kids with complex medical needs. It's a whole complicated, difficult, frustrating world I wish I didn't have to know. ⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ But for you, I will fight every day. Because what others don't realize (and what I didn't realize before you were born), was that special kids can teach us so much about life. ⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ How to really show compassion and kindness. How to show grace and practice patience. How to show love without speaking.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Even though you can't say 'i love you' yet, your sloppy kisses tell us all we need to know. Even though you can't take your own steps, we will carry you with us everywhere.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ You are our bravest little adventurer, and today we celebrate you! 💜⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ 🥳 @our.next.adventure⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
  • Brunch at the cutest little cafe in all of Vienna. 🍳⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ When we toodled over to Kleines Cafe, I wasn't expecting a seat. We'd been to our fair share of "Instagram famous" places, and I braced myself for reality.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ But to my surprise, it was rather quiet in the little square outside the cafe. I poked my head in and found just 6 little tables inside, all full.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Already resigned, I declared we needed to move on. We had two hungry girls and when you're traveling with kids, you don't have time to wait around for things like this.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ But it was Evelyn who insisted. "Please?? Can we just ask???" For some reason, she was so drawn to the Kleines Cafe. Who was I to kill her hopes and dreams of brunch in this adorable place?⁠ 😄⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ So I went back in one more time, just to ask. And wouldn't you know it, as I opened the door, a table was just leaving!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Without hesistation, Evelyn and I swooped in.⁠ We huddled around the little corner table and had one of our best meals of the whole trip in that tiny cafe. ⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ So lesson learned: sometimes you have to throw reason to the side and follow your tiny tour guide. Especially when they're as experienced as Evelyn. 😆⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Have your little travelers led you to any amazing discoveries?⁠⠀ ⁠.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ✌🏻@our.next.adventure⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
  • Hello 2020! 🍾⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ I know I'm about a week late, but to me, the new year doesn't reaaaally start until the first full week of January.⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Today, it's back to school and schedules, and with that comes me feeling productive and blogging again!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ I've got some pretty simple goals for the blog this year, mainly catching up on the mountain of blog posts I need to write!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Last year our travels took us to Mexico City, Barcelona, Lisbon, Florida's 30A, San Francisco, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. So I think I've got enough material for an eternity! 😜⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ Tell me, where would you like to hear about first?? 👇🏻⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ 🌎 @our.next.adventure⁠⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
  • Swipe 👉🏻 for our 2019 #TopNine!⁠⠀ .⁠⠀ 2019 has been quite a big year of travel for our family. We’ve finally got our feet back after a couple of rough years navigating this new life with our special needs babe.⠀ .⠀ A few highlights from 2019:⠀ .⠀ • Spending 2 weeks in Lisbon and eating pasteis de nata nearly every day.⠀ • Navigating 15 Christmas Markets across Europe. ⠀ • Sophie turning 1, a BIG milestone for any #holoprosencephaly baby.⠀ • Freezing our faces off while eating EVERYTHING at the markets in Vienna.⠀ • Sunny days in Alfama, pinching ourselves that places like this really exist.⠀ • Watching Evelyn grow from our travels as more of the things she sees and experiences stick with her.⠀ • Taking Sophie to her first country in Europe - SPAIN! 🎉 An achievement at one point I wasn’t sure would ever happen.⠀ • Realizing there are just too many amazing places in the world and deciding to make travel our official family hobby. 😆⠀ • Reminding ourselves that nothing else really else matters besides being happy, healthy and all together.⠀ .⠀ What will you take with you from 2019 into 2020? What are you leaving behind?⠀ .⠀ .⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⠀ ✌🏻@our.next.adventure⠀ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⠀
  • From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 🎄

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