Traveling as a family is one of the most transformative gifts we can give our kids and ourselves. But here’s something we’ve realized after more than seven years of traveling full-time:

There is no single “right” way to travel.
And honestly? That’s the beauty of it.

Throughout our journey, our travel style has evolved over and over again. Some seasons of life pushed us toward slow travel, while others were made for road trips, fast-paced adventures, or joining organized groups. Sometimes we wanted routine and stability. Other times, we craved movement, spontaneity, and a bit of chaos (in the best way).

The truth is…
👉 Families travel differently.
👉 Families change over time.
👉 And your ideal travel style may shift from trip to trip, and that’s perfectly okay.

In this blog post, we’re sharing a complete, honest overview of the different ways families can travel, what each one offers, what to expect, and how to choose (or combine!) the styles that fit your family best.

We’re not here to convince you that one way is “better.” We’re here to open the door to possibilities so you can travel with more confidence, ease, and joy, whether you’re planning one trip a year or building a lifestyle around exploration.

Let’s dive in. 🌏💛

Cosimo, Emma, and Luca at the airport in Bolivia

1. Slow Travel

Stay longer. Settle in. Let life unfold.

Slow travel has become the backbone of our family’s full-time journey. To us, it means staying in one place long enough to understand its rhythm, not just its landmarks.

For our family, slow travel looks like:

Renting a small house or apartment for a few weeks or more.
Finding a favorite café.
Getting to know the local fruit seller.
Joining weekly classes or workshops.
Cooking meals at home.
Letting the kids create their own routines.

Slow travel works beautifully if you:
✔️ Work remotely
✔️ Worldschool or homeschool
✔️ Get overwhelmed by fast-paced itineraries
✔️ Want depth over quantity

What we love about slow travel:

Kids feel grounded and settled.
We make real connections with locals.
We spend less by avoiding constant transportation.
We learn more naturally through everyday experiences.

The downside?
You may see fewer places, but the places you do see become part of your story.

We value these seasons of slow travel because they give us the rare chance to simply be. They also balance out the periods when we need to move quickly due to short visas, logistics, or costs. When we slow down, we truly enjoy living like locals.

Often, we arrive with big plans because “we have the time”… and then we end up doing very little, simply because we’re content just being there.

And that’s the magic of slow travel: life doesn’t rush past you.
It unfolds gently, one meaningful moment at a time.

During our time in Hoi An, Vietnam, for example, we had a long list of things we wanted to see. And while we eventually did some of them, most of our days were spent biking everywhere, visiting the market to buy fresh vegetables from our favorite lady, and watching the sunset from our kitchen while preparing home-cooked meals. Those simple moments became our favorite memories of the entire stay.

Our living room view in our house in Hoi An, Vietnam

2. Fast Travel / Multi-Stop Trips

The classic “vacation” travel style has its own magic.

Fast travel means visiting multiple destinations within a short period of time. Think:

10 days in Italy, exploring four cities.
2 weeks in Southeast Asia, hopping between countries.
A one-month whirlwind around Europe.

Families love this style because it packs a lot of variety into a short window, perfect for bucket-list trips or limited time off work.

We’ve done fast travel many times, especially in places where everything feels new and exciting (Japan, Morocco, India, Australia).

Why fast travel works:
✔️ You maximize experiences
✔️ You see a lot in a short time
✔️ It’s thrilling, stimulating, and full of energy

Challenges to expect:

Kids get tired more quickly.
Constant packing and unpacking can be draining.
Everyone needs downtime afterward.

We do a fair amount of fast traveling ourselves. Most recently, during our trip to Bolivia, we spent three intense days exploring the Salar de Uyuni, also known as the Salt Flats. We took an overnight bus from La Paz, arrived in Uyuni eight hours later, jumped straight into our private tour, and spent three unforgettable days visiting some of the most surreal landscapes we’ve ever seen.

It was exhausting and breathtaking all at once, absolutely worth it. But we also planned slow days before and after that side trip to balance out the intensity.

Our advice?
Build in a rest day every 3–4 days where you do nothing:
No tours, no rushing, no sightseeing. Just be.

It makes the entire trip smoother, happier, and far more enjoyable for everyone.

Portrait with our tour car on Salt Flats in Uyuni, Bolivia

3. Public Transportation Adventures

Buses, trains, ferries, and the stories that come with them.

Public transportation is one of our favorite ways to immerse ourselves in local life. It’s affordable, eye-opening, and often surprisingly fun, especially with kids.

We’ve taken:

Night trains across Asia
Long-distance buses in Peru and Turkey
Tuk-tuks in Thailand and Vietnam
Ferries in Greece
Motorcycle taxis in the Philippines (yes, with all five of us!)

Why families love this style:
✔️ It’s budget-friendly
✔️ Kids find it adventurous
✔️ It’s fantastic for learning geography and culture
✔️ You’re surrounded by real, everyday life

But of course, there are limitations:

Unpredictable schedules
Long travel times
Difficult with lots of luggage
Less flexibility

Taking the bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap in Cambodia

We use public transportation most when we're:

Exploring cities
Traveling through countries with strong bus or train systems
Trying to keep our trip more eco-friendly

Lately, we’ve really enjoyed crossing borders over land rather than flying. For example, when we traveled from Vietnam to Cambodia, we took a ferry that stopped at the border, handled all the visa procedures for us, and then continued to Phnom Penh. From there, we rode tuk-tuks around the city and later took a public bus to Siem Reap.

We absolutely loved traveling this way; it was inexpensive, adventurous, and allowed us to interact with locals much more naturally. It also supports local businesses and gives you a deeper, more authentic glimpse into the true rhythm of daily life.

Public transportation may not be the most convenient option, but the memories, stories, and human connections it creates make it one of the most enriching ways to travel.

4. Guided Tours & Day Trips

Perfect when you want to learn, not plan.

There are destinations where guided tours truly enhance the experience. Think of…

Complex historical sites
Nature reserves
Cultural workshops
Regions where logistics are complicated
Countries where safety or language is a factor

We’ve joined tours in Bhutan, Bolivia, Mongolia, Tanzania, and India, and each one has taught us something we would never have discovered on our own.

What we look for in a good tour:
✔️ Small group or private options
✔️ Kid-friendly pacing
✔️ Guides who are passionate storytellers
✔️ Hands-on, immersive elements

When done well, tours bring depth, insight, and ease to your travels, especially when your brain needs a break from planning every detail yourself.

Over the years, we’ve taken many tours during our full-time travels. Some have been group tours, but for the most part, we prefer private ones, as we’re a family of five, which makes logistics much smoother.

Wearing their traditonal outfit during our trip to Bhutan

In some destinations, tours are not just helpful, they’re required.
For example, you cannot visit Bhutan without being on an organized tour.
In other places, such as India, tours simplify life tremendously and help you gain a deeper understanding of the culture. In countries like Tanzania, joining a guided safari allows you to experience wildlife safely while learning from experienced experts.

For shorter, one-day tours, we may choose a group option if it’s more cost-effective for our family. One of our go-to companies to search for day tours is Viator loads of options at different prices. But for longer experiences, private tours tend to work best for us.

What we love most is how much insight a knowledgeable local guide can provide. A single conversation can open your eyes to traditions, history, and everyday life in ways you might never uncover on your own.

Sometimes, a tour isn’t just about seeing a place, it’s about truly understanding it.

Our private safari car for our trip in Tanzania

🚗 5. Road Trips & Renting a Car

Freedom. Flexibility. Space to breathe.

With three kids, road trips quickly became one of our favorite ways to explore. Having our own car gives us a kind of freedom that’s hard to match. It allows us to:

Stop whenever we want.
Visit hidden spots.
Carry snacks, backpacks, jackets, and camera gear with ease
Take spontaneous detours.
Adapt to the kids’ energy levels.
Enjoy the journey as much as the destination

Some of our most memorable road trips have been in:

Iceland
The U.S.
Italy
Tunisia
Morocco
Australia
… and many more.

Road-tripping gives families space to breathe, literally and figuratively.

Since we often rent cars, we’ve tried many platforms over the years. We now use Discover Cars because it consistently makes the process easier. We like it because it:

Compares many rental companies at once.
Let’s us filter by family size (a must for a family of five!).
Offers traveler-friendly pickup options.
Shows transparent pricing and insurance terms.
Works in almost every country we visit.

We tend to rent a car when:

A destination is more spread out
Public transportation is limited
We want maximum flexibility
We’re exploring nature or smaller cities.

Including a car in your travel plans doesn’t mean you have to drive everywhere; it simply opens the door to more spontaneous, meaningful moments along the way.

In our 7+ years of full-time travel, we’ve rented cars countless times and have loved the independence they give us. It also helps us understand a country in a completely different way. For example, after driving in Japan, we realized it might be our favorite country to drive in. The highways are spotless, safe, and well-organized, and the rest stops are next-level (imagine ramen, not fast food!).

In other places, driving was more of an adventure. In Morocco, we once got pulled over for going just 3 km over the speed limit, but after a small “tip,” we were on our way again. Moments like that taught us a great deal about the local culture, rules, and humor.

Above all, the independence of having your own car is incredible. And in many countries, especially for a family of five, renting a car is not only more convenient, it’s often more economical than taking trains, buses, and additional transportation.

Road trips aren’t just about getting from point A to point B.
They’re about everything that happens along the way.

🚐 6. RV & Campervan Travel

Your home… on wheels.

For many families, traveling in a campervan or RV is the ultimate dream, and we completely understand why.

We’ve done campervan trips in New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland, and absolutely fell in love with the lifestyle. We loved the freedom, the flexibility, the ability to sleep in nature, and the sheer simplicity of unpacking only once and taking your whole “home” with you.

Why families love campervan travel:

Kids can nap, snack, and relax freely
You control the pace of your journey
You always have your own bathroom and kitchen
It feels adventurous, cozy, and so different from everyday life

Challenges to keep in mind:

Long driving days
Fuel costs
Finding campsites
Tight sleeping spaces
Not ideal in extreme heat or cold

But for families who love nature, independence, and the feeling of waking up somewhere completely new, it’s truly magical.

Best spot to sleep while visiting Croatia

We loved it so much that during the COVID-19 pandemic, we finally bought our own campervan and traveled through some incredible parts of Europe. Having our house on wheels always with us felt comforting and freeing at the same time. And the places we got to sleep, on top of mountains, beside quiet lakes, in the middle of forests, were experiences we could never have had otherwise.

It’s a beautiful adventure to experience with kids, challenges, and all.

🌍 7. Organized Group Travel (Pop-Ups, Retreats, Learning Trips)

Community + structure = a beautiful combo.

In recent years, more families are joining:

Worldschooling pop-ups
Family retreats
Group travel itineraries
Learning experiences abroad

And it’s easy to see why. Community is powerful. Kids make friends within minutes. Parents find support, connection, and understanding. And best of all, you don’t have to plan every little detail yourself.

We know this firsthand. Over the years, we’ve hosted several family pop-ups around the world, including a beautiful one last year in our hometown of Florence, Italy. Our next one will be in Barcelona in May 2026, if you want to register click here. These gatherings always create something special: community, learning, and friendships that last far beyond the week together.

We spent our days exploring, learning, and enjoying shared experiences with friends we already knew, and many new ones. There is something magical about watching families grow closer, kids learn together, and adults find their own tribe along the way.

This style of travel is especially wonderful for:

Families new to international travel
Families craving community on the road
Solo parents traveling with kids
Anyone wanting deeper learning through curated activities

The only downside?
A little less flexibility, since you follow a group schedule. But the shared experience, the connection, the friendships, the sense of belonging, make it more than worth it.

🎒 8. Backpacking / Minimalist Travel

Light, simple, spontaneous.

Backpacking with kids may sound intimidating, but it can actually be one of the most liberating ways to travel as a family.

When we travel lightly, we:

Move more freely
Spend less
Focus on experiences rather than things
Stay present
Bond through shared challenges and discoveries

This style works wonderfully in places like:

Asia
The Americas
Europe

And here’s the truth: you don’t need to be a 20-year-old backpacker to embrace minimalist travel.

We’ve never been traditional backpackers, not because we had anything against it, but simply because we started traveling with suitcases and never fully shifted. But we do love the moments when we stay somewhere longer and take short side trips with nothing but our backpacks. It feels freeing, simple, and refreshing.

Minimalist travel is far more accessible (and family-friendly!) than most people realize. Sometimes carrying less opens the door to experiencing so much more.

Traveling light for our 4 day trip to Uuyni in Bolivia

🏖 9. Resort-Based or Luxury Travel

Rest, recharge, reconnect.

There are seasons in family life when a resort or luxury stay is exactly what you need.
Maybe you’ve been traveling fast.
Maybe you’re exhausted.
Maybe you want the comfort of:

A pool
Room service
On-site activities
Kids’ clubs
Absolutely zero planning

Jumping in the sea in Mexico at our resort

We’ve done resort stays between big travel chapters, and they always help us reset. Once in Mexico, we fell in love with the resort so much that we extended our stay by five extra days. It had just opened, so they were offering a special rate, the kids adored every minute of it, and honestly, after a few challenging months, it was exactly what our hearts and bodies needed.

Not every trip needs to be an adventure.
Sometimes the best gift you can give yourself and your family is rest.

🔀 10. Mixing & Matching Your Travel Styles

Your perfect travel style may be a combination of many.

Here’s something most people never say out loud: you don’t have to choose one travel style and stick with it forever.
Your style can, and should, shift as your life changes.

It evolves with:

Your kids’ ages
Your budget
Your energy
The amount of time you have
And whatever season of life you’re in

You might…

Slow travel for a month.
Road trip the following season.
Join a pop-up or group experience.
Take a guided tour.
Enjoy a resort stay.
Use public transportation.
Backpack lightly for a short adventure.
And then rent a car for more flexibility.

There are no rigid labels here.
Family travel is fluid, flexible, and deeply personal.

In our 7+ years of full-time travel, we’ve tried every style and embraced them all. Each one brought something different, something meaningful, something worth remembering. They’ve shaped who we are as travelers, as parents, and as individuals.

And now, after all this time, we instantly know how we want to approach each new destination.
Take our upcoming month-long trip to Canada, for example: we’ll fly in, rent a car, drive between our stops, stay with friends, book a few Airbnbs, and even do a house sit. It’s a mix of everything, and it fits us perfectly for this moment in our lives.

Your ideal travel style doesn’t have to be one thing.
It can be everything you need, exactly when you need it.

Luca in 2019 proudly sitting on his suitcase

💛 What Matters Most

No matter how you choose to travel, what matters is:
✨ You’re creating memories
✨ You’re connecting as a family
✨ You’re learning together
✨ You’re experiencing the world in a way that feels right for you

There is beauty in every style of travel, fast or slow, independent or guided, luxurious or minimalist.

And the “best” way to travel?
It's the one that fits your family right now.

Travel is not a race or a checklist.
It’s a way of living, connecting, and rediscovering yourself, one journey, one country, one small magical moment at a time.

Different Ways to Travel as a Family: How to Choose What Fits Your Journey