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Planning a family vacation? The Family Traveler’s Handbook is here!

By Mara 23 Comments

The Family Traveler's Handbook: Inspiring Families to See the World I’m happy to announce today that after months of work The Family Traveler’s Handbook: Inspiring families to see the world is available for sale. Cue the confetti please!

I have spent most of my life traveling. I traveled with my family when I was young, I backpacked across Asia in my twenties, I have been camping every year since I can remember, it’s a big part of my life! I have learned a lot in my travels but it took a lot of help to get there. I remember looking at forums for advice, asking my more experienced friends and getting tips from locals and I couldn’t have done it without all of this help.

And I still need help now – my husband and I are thinking about getting a teardrop camper and have been looking on sites like campingfunzone.com to decide whether or not we should go for it. I have owned a caravan before so I know how to tow them, how to keep them well maintained and, most importantly, the best places to go while camping. I only got rid of the caravan because I moved house and even still have equipment like a leisure battery charger and portable camping toilets! So, I do think we’d make good use of the teardrop camper but we’re not sure if the kids would actually enjoy it. Obviously, if you do decide to go caravanning, it can be one of the easiest (and cheapest!) ways to explore the world. You have the convenience of a kitchen and bed wherever you go, and you don’t have to worry about cramming your luggage into the back of the car. Remember to keep a set of Quality Trailer Parts handy though, you don’t want to be stuck on the side of a motorway with a broken tow instead of lying on the beach! Anyway, I digress. Considering all the traveling I’ve done and all the help I have received, I didn’t see why I should stop traveling just because I have a family now – or why you should feel you need to stop traveling if you’ve started a family too!

When I started my site over five years ago, I did so because I met so many fellow parents who, when I told them about the traveling I did with my then very young children, would shake their heads and say, “I don’t know how you do it. I feel like we never go anywhere now that we have kids.” Since the earliest days of my blog, I’ve wanted nothing more than to show other parents not just that they can travel with their kids but that family travel is one of the best ways to enjoy purposeful, uninterrupted family time. It’s the best way to teach children about the world. In fact, I think it’s a great way to parent.

I believe these things so much that I’ve written an entire book about them.

Mara Gorman The Family Traveler's Handbook

A new definition of family travel

Some adults get locked into the idea that there is one way to travel because kids are involved – they think they can’t go backpacking, check out art museums, dine in restaurants, or visit other continents because those are activities reserved for adults or because it will be too challenging.

Like I have on my site, my book redefines family travel by showing parents that with planning and flexibility they can do almost anything they did before they had children. It encourages them to use day trips and weekend getaways as practice runs and to consider outdoor adventure travel and extended travel as viable options for family travel. You could read more on how to integrate adventure into your family vacations on blog pages of websites like Smoky Mountain Ziplines or other similar sites.

Whether you’re setting out on your first family camping trip or looking for tips on getting through that long flight, you’ll find what you need.

The Family Traveler's Handbook Camping with kids

What sets my book apart?

Like the posts on The Mother of all Trips, my book is a mix of narrative and advice, tips and stories. You’ll get the information you need to plan a trip, create an itinerary, choose where to stay, live like a local, visit museums and cultural attractions, and keep your child safe and healthy on the road. Much of what you’ll find in the book is here in the nearly 800 posts I’ve written since June of 2008. What the book does is tidy up all that information and offer it all in one place.

I was lucky enough to get the creative contribution of many other family travelers when I was working on my book, and it also is full of their wisdom and insight. My goal is that when you read it that you feel like you’ve just sat down over coffee with a dozen well-traveled friends who give you the kind of spot-on advice parents really need before they venture out with their kids.

And do I need to remind you that the holidays are coming soon? This book makes a great gift for anyone planning a winter or spring break family vacation. Or maybe it’s just what the new parent in your life needs to inspire them to get out the door.

Tommy taking pictures from the London Eye

Along with a return to a more regular posting schedule (getting the book ready has meant some pretty prolonged absences from The Mother of all Trips during the past four months) during the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some insights from the book that will highlight the kind of information you’ll find in it.

To learn a bit more about the book, please visit my page on The Traveler’s Handbook Series site. And while you’re there, be sure to check out some of the other titles as well – there are seven other equally inspiring and informative books on a whole range of travel topics written by passionate travel experts.

Win a signed copy of The Family Traveler’s Handbook

Buy print copies of The Family Traveler’s Handbook on Amazon; you can also purchase it for your Kindle. The book is also available on the Barnes and Noble website. You can buy it for your tablet on iTunes and it’s available internationally on sites like Amazon.co.uk.

I’ll soon be setting up a link on this site where you can order signed copies of the book but from now until next Wednesday I’m offering a chance to win one of five signed copies.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finally, I want to thank all of my readers and online friends for coming back and sharing in this family travel adventure of mine. I’ve been so grateful for your companionship during the past five years and I can’t wait to see where the road will take us next.

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Filed Under: Family travel tips, Family Traveler's Handbook

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Comments

  1. Brandi says

    November 13, 2013 at 9:24 am

    Congratulations on the release of your book! So excited for you!!

    Reply
    • Mara says

      November 14, 2013 at 2:29 pm

      Thank you Brandi!

      Reply
  2. Beth says

    November 13, 2013 at 10:01 am

    Congratulations!

    Reply
    • Mara says

      November 14, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      Thanks Beth.

      Reply
  3. Carrie Drozdz says

    November 13, 2013 at 10:32 am

    I totally agree with you! “showing parents that with planning and flexibility they can do almost anything they did before they had children”

    Reply
    • Mara says

      November 14, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      It’s a good mantra to live by, isn’t it?

      Reply
  4. Auntie Becky says

    November 13, 2013 at 12:09 pm

    I’m not going to enter, I’m buying it right now! Congrats Mara!!

    Reply
    • Mara says

      November 14, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      Aw, you know I’d give you a copy Becky.

      Reply
  5. Elizabeth Atalay says

    November 13, 2013 at 1:33 pm

    Congratulations!

    Reply
    • Mara says

      November 14, 2013 at 2:31 pm

      Thanks so much Elizabeth.

      Reply
  6. wanderingeducators says

    November 13, 2013 at 7:01 pm

    Congrats, Mara! You’ve had so many amazing tips and stories over the years – wonderful to compile a book for even MORE people to read! Brava!

    Reply
    • Mara says

      November 14, 2013 at 2:31 pm

      Thanks Jessie – coming from you that means a lot.

      Reply
  7. Keryn @ walking on travels says

    November 15, 2013 at 11:58 am

    Unbelievably excited for you lady! You have worked so hard on this book I know and deserve all the success it will bring!

    Reply
  8. Joan Gorman says

    November 16, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    You’ve made your parent so proud! Congratulations — I’ve watched the work you’ve put into this and it is the culmination of years of thought, research, and your beautiful writing! Love you.

    Reply
  9. Jay@TravelIdeaz says

    November 18, 2013 at 9:53 am

    Brilliant article. I got to get my whole family on this thing, like right now! 🙂 Thanks really.

    Cheers!

    Reply
  10. Nadine D says

    November 20, 2013 at 1:41 am

    Congratulations, this is awesome news 🙂 Love the picture with London in the background. Although, FYI I wouldn’t recommend England in winter unless you really really like the cold lol.

    Reply
  11. Emilie says

    November 25, 2013 at 3:40 am

    Congrats! This is excellent. I also meet a number of parents asking me how we can still travel now that we have very young children so I’m delighted they now have a book to refer to 😉
    I know what book to read next on my Kindle! Thanks Mara.

    Reply
  12. Summer says

    November 28, 2013 at 11:04 pm

    Congratulations on publishing your book! I came across your blog because of the post about going carry on only, something I like to do with my family (so much I wrote a post about it recently too!). I’ll be adding your book to my holiday reading list. (:

    Reply
  13. My Traveling Troop says

    November 30, 2013 at 9:07 am

    Congrats on your book’s release!

    Reply
  14. Melissa says

    February 10, 2014 at 11:52 am

    This looks like a fantastic book for families that like to travel together a lot. I will be attending a new hampshire conference later this year and will be bringing my family, so I may need to pick up this book beforehand.

    Reply
  15. Capital Resorts says

    December 8, 2014 at 5:47 pm

    Travel is something everyone should experience if they can. We are lucky to get some personal wisdom from some as well traveled as yourself. Thanks for all the great reads!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Review: The Family Traveler's Handbook - Albany Kid Family Travel says:
    November 19, 2013 at 10:31 am

    […] delighted to share a new book from one of my favorite travel writers, Mara Gorman–aka The Mother of All Trips–who is raising the bar when it comes to family travel. The Family Traveler’s Handbook: […]

    Reply
  2. Book Review: The Family Traveler’s Handbook | Tips For Family Trips says:
    December 10, 2013 at 2:02 am

    […] Gorman’s family travel blog, http://www.MotherofAllTrips.com, has been one of my favorite family travel blogs for some time. So, when Mara Gorman recently […]

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I'm a family travel expert & award-winning writer who loves to eat. Explore this site and you'll find lots of stories about my adventures, and family travel tips. More about Mara

The Family Traveler's Handbook: Inspiring Families to See the World

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"packed with enough tips and vacation ideas that even a veteran traveler can learn how to plan, pack, or book their next trip smarter." Jen Leo, LA Times Travel Web Buzz columnist

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