You’ll find us using vacation rental properties when we travel. We have a go-to list of sites that help us locate the perfect home for our family’s needs and preferences. Each site is different and has its own quirks and benefits. The site that always seems to stand out to me though is Airbnb. Airbnb has a friendlier vibe than some of the other rental sites and encourages communication between property owner and renter.
Family Travel in Barcelona: 5 Kid Friendly Sights
Our life of travel and adventure spans back much further than the start of the “Wild Tales of…” blog. Yes, before Bergen (3 years old) and Baby #2 came along, countless miles on the road were logged around the United States and in many international destinations.
One of the most noteworthy occurred right at the time my husband, Slaed and I met. Slaed took a hiatus from his regular Seattle life and moved to Barcelona, Spain for 6 months. During his time there and thanks to several trips previous, he became quite the expert on the city. While kids of his own were barely on his radar then, two of his best friends, and a huge reason for his Spanish travels, had young families, and he often tagged along on their outings.
I thought it would be fun to pick his brain and learn about the place he called home for a short while. First, our suggestions for accommodations:
Where to Stay
- “El Born”: This “old city” district features family friendly hotels and lodging and is close to the Parc de la Ciutadella.
- “Barri Gotic”: The oldest area in the city and where Slaed called home for his 6-month stay, this is the central district of Barcelona and also has plenty of family friendly accommodations.
If you are ready to start researching possible lodging options, try using the hotel, B&B & apartment rental site, Venere. You’ll find it easy to search based on budget, landmark proximity and city areas, and ratings by reviewers.
Now for what to see and do! Together we came up with our top 5 (in no particular order) sights and activities for families to enjoy while visiting this unique and historic city.
Family Accommodations on Oahu’s North Shore: Haleiwa Getaway
“Where’s our town, Mom?
Where’s our vacation rental?”
Once Bergen (3-years old) started asking us this each time we journeyed “away from home” after just a day or so on Oahu, we knew we’d found the right spot for our recent Hawaiian travels. Even though we took him on some pretty awesome adventures, from beaches to pineapple trains to historic landmarks and delicious meals, by the end of the afternoon or evening, he was always ready to return to our rental house.
Similar to our Kauai vacation rental set-up, we chose a home that was walking distance to the beach, but also close to town. At the same time, we also wanted the surrounding area to be quiet enough to be able to relax and recharge. Finally, let’s not forget that we’re flying all the way to Hawaii and staying for a week. The price has to be reasonable. Were we happy with our choice of rental? Absolutely.
Central Washington Getaway: Cozy Cabin Retreat in Cle Elum
Sometimes you need a vacation after your vacation, or a vacation after our “staycation“. After choosing to stay in Seattle for Christmas and New Year’s gratefully hosting family and loving the extra time to enjoy the city without rushing away on an airplane, we were ready.
Ready for a quick getaway. We chose Central Washington’s Cle Elum area (just an hour and a half drive) because of it’s proximity to home combined with a complete change of scenery and opportunity to unplug. Our wishes were to be close to some hiking trails and have a comfortable place return to and easily cook a few meals.
With this truly being a budget adventure, our usual desire to be close to town wasn’t an issue. We’d cook all of our meals rather than eating out) and make our own coffee, and all of our recreation and entertainment would be found in our immediate surroundings.
The vacation rental we found in the Teanaway Valley was just right for our needs.