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Shaz's Family Travels

A writer with a deep appreciation for wildlife, conservation and a profound case of travel bug fever

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  • Top Tips: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
  • Rome’s Curious Crypt
  • Virginia with Kids: Luray Caverns and attractions
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You guys! 3,000+ 🤩We are so excited and deeply humbled to be connecting with so many new travel-loving families here on IG. Thank you for connecting with us- sharing your adventures and engaging with us about ours. . We’re seeing a lot of new faces in our feed - we’re excited to get to know you better! Here is a little bit about us: . We are an American Midwestern family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦who both work full time jobs, have fulfilling careers, and love to travel and take adventures as often as we can. . We (Sharon and Alex) loved to travel and explore globally before we had children, but we were discouraged by so many people suggesting our travel days are over because we became parents. They are so wrong! . Traveling and exploration with our children is deeply enriching and fun! We love connecting with like minded, travel-loving families here on IG. We are finding inspiration, learning travel tips and gaining insights that help us plan our travel. We also pay it forward by providing travel tips and inspiration for others about some of the places we experience. . I’m Sharon - the curator and creator of this account. I’m a military veteran (US Navy) former journalist, and full time communications professional who specializes in the animal care, welfare and conservation space. My side hustle is writing a travel blog when time allows (goals!) Link is in our bio. . Alex specializes in change management and organizational transformation, and is the best Dad ever. . Our kids are 7 and 4 and the light of our lives. . We are excited to engage and connect with families here on IG, be inspired and share inspiration. Thanks for connecting! Happy Travels! . . . . . . . . . #travelingfamilies #adventurefamily #travelbrood #gowithnugget #familytravelblogger #familytravelfriends #familytraveltips #exploretheusa #takemoreadventures #goadventuretogether #albertaviews #mybanff #lakemoraine #banffcanada #albertatourism #albertacanada
Ever feel like you’re doing all the work and someone else is getting a free ride?🤪 . Silly Saturday over here. Summer isn’t over JUST yet- getting in as many swims as we can (hotel pool FTW). . What are you up too this weekend? . . . . . . . #familytravelfriends #adventurefamily #familytravelblogger #lifewithlittles #thesearethegoodolddays #everydaymoments #theyreonlylittleonce #travelmoment #gowithnugget #travelmadfam #travelwithkids #travelbrood #downersgrove
“Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life,” Albert Einstein. . Weekends are “family time!” in our home, and we’re rejoicing it’s Friday. How about you? . . . . . . . . . #familyadventures #maketimeforfamily #familytravelfriends #lifewithlittles #thesearethegoodolddays #everydaymoments #theyreonlylittleonce #kidsinnature #outdoorenthusiast #outdoorfamilies
TANGLE FALLS, Jasper NP, Canada 🇨🇦 Feeling a bit tangled up midweek juggling all the responsibilities at work, home, and school. The calm of the weekend has long since past and next weekend seems too far out of reach. Can anyone else relate? . I’m trying to find strategies and be more intentional during times of daily chaos to stop, breathe, look around, lest life become a rat race you never win. What we lose - quickly- is time, and we miss the things of beauty that could bring us joy. . Today I’m reflecting on Tangle Falls. You wouldn’t know it, but this beautiful picture of peace is sitting at the edge of chaos. It is literally right next to a major roadway! . Countless people drive right past it, head down, racing from point A to B that they never even notice this gem sitting in plain sight begging to be noticed and appreciated if only we would slow down and look around a bit. . Today is a day of reflection and intention. More beauty, less chaos. Whose with me?! 🙋🏼‍♀️ . . . . . . #livelovecanada #albertaviews #beautifulplanet #landscapecaptures #wilderness_culture #earthawesome #landscapes_captures #landscapeslovers #albertaviews #travelcanada #thinkoutside #albertatourism #exploreoutdoors #takemoreadventures #discovercanada #discoveralberta #familytravelblogger #familytravelfriends #parentswhowander #canadianrockies #artofdestinations
THE SINKS - Smoky Mountains National Park . Jumping into the week like..... 🙌🏻🙌🏻 . To be honest, our Monday morning wasn’t quite so enthusiastic, but this is our little self pep talk to turn it around and jump in with enthusiasm- who knows what this week will have in store. Maybe it will be incredible! #mondaymotivation . Do you have anything fun lined up this week? . . . . . . . #familytravelfriends #greatsmokymountains #madeintn #adventurefamily #familytravelblog #explorethestates #usatravel #roadtripusa
TURTLEBACK FALLS 🐢Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina . Contemplating life and death at the final stop of our waterfall chasing adventures in North Carolina. Located about 5 minutes hike up the trail from Rainbow Falls, this simple waterfall has both been a fun place for play AND claimed the lives of multiple people and pets (likely when the currents washed them downstream and over the torrential Rainbow Falls). . If you look up Turtleback Falls on IG you will find photos and videos of people sliding down the falls (similar to what we did and loved in the safe and controlled environment at Sliding Rock also located in Pisgah National Forest). . When we set out on this trail we thought this might be a fun place to slide and play based on seeing all those videos...then we saw soooo many DANGER ⚠️ signs posted along the trail warning people to stay out of the falls - citing multiple deaths ⚠️ It was jarring and very different from what we expected based on IG posts and TripAdvisor reviews. . There is simply nothing more heartbreaking than watching your children beg their daddy not to die 😭 . There was nobody there when we visited. Obviously we played it safe by NOT playing in the water. . If you plan a hike here, and you see photos of people riding these falls, be forewarned that it is risky business attempting it, and some people don’t make it. . What about you? Are you a rule follower or a risk taker? . . . . . . . . #pisgahnationalforest #hikingviews #landscape_capture #earthawesome #outdooradventure #familytravelfriends #familytraveltips #wilderness_culture #wildernessnation #artofdestinations #discover_carolinas #explorenc #ncoutdoors #goadventuretogether #adventurefamily #parentswhowander #explorethestates #visitnorthcarolina #turtlebackfalls

Blogs I Follow

  • OUR CROSSINGS
  • Walk over the World
  • Simply Wander
  • thewanderingrumpus.com/
  • Patsey Family Travels
  • DQ Family Travel
  • An Adventure is Calling
  • Well Travelled Munchkins
  • OCTSTW
  • 3 Sisters Abroad
  • Limitless Travelling With K
  • Squirrel Must Travel
Picturesque Porto: Two Terrific Days
Porto, Portugal, Travel Writing

Picturesque Porto: Two Terrific Days

Portugal – how did you fly so far beneath the tourism radar for so long? This country may be one … Continue reading Picturesque Porto: Two Terrific Days

10 Tips to Avoid Certain Disaster & Getting Devoured by Bears: Exploring Yellowstone with Kids
Camping, National Parks, Travel Writing, Yellowstone and Grand Teton

10 Tips to Avoid Certain Disaster & Getting Devoured by Bears: Exploring Yellowstone with Kids

Ten tips for camping or lodging with kids in Yellowstone National Park Continue reading 10 Tips to Avoid Certain Disaster & Getting Devoured by Bears: Exploring Yellowstone with Kids

Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, Norway
Norway, Travel Writing

Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, Norway

A few years ago I journeyed to the northernmost accessible town on the planet: Longyearbyen located on the island of … Continue reading Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, Norway

Scuba Diving with Sharks in Grand Bahama
Caribbean, Grand Bahama, scuba diving

Scuba Diving with Sharks in Grand Bahama

Grand Bahama is a laid-back island where sun, sand and scuba diving is the primary attraction. One of our adventures … Continue reading Scuba Diving with Sharks in Grand Bahama

Seeing, and Saving, Serengeti National Park
Africa, Tanzania, Travel Writing

Seeing, and Saving, Serengeti National Park

The dry golden grasses swayed elegantly in the breeze, stretching for miles as far as the eye could see. The … Continue reading Seeing, and Saving, Serengeti National Park

Cincinnati’s enchanting cemetary
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Cincinnati’s enchanting cemetary

One of Cincinnati’s most impressive and little-known attractions is a cemetery. Cincinnati is proudly called the “Queen City” with its … Continue reading Cincinnati’s enchanting cemetary

Pristine “Green” Panamanian Paradise
Panama, Travel Writing

Pristine “Green” Panamanian Paradise

To classify Panama’s picture-perfect Coral Lodge as “off the beaten path” would be an understatement. It took a small plane, … Continue reading Pristine “Green” Panamanian Paradise

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Blog at WordPress.com.
OUR CROSSINGS

the beauty of a life of travel

Walk over the World

A writer with a deep appreciation for wildlife, conservation and a profound case of travel bug fever

Simply Wander

curated travel guides to help you wander simply and simply wander

thewanderingrumpus.com/

The Wandering Rumpus

Patsey Family Travels

Just an ordinary family, sharing our extraordinary adventures

DQ Family Travel

Family Travel around the USA

An Adventure is Calling

Well Travelled Munchkins

Travel with Children

OCTSTW

3 Sisters Abroad

Travel - home and away and Chronic Illness's

Limitless Travelling With K

Squirrel Must Travel

Sharing Destination Inspiration, One Nut at a Time

Shaz's Family Travels
Blog at WordPress.com.
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