So, where do we go?

Darrel and I have been so blessed to be lifelong travelers. Both of our families have always emphasized the importance of world travel, and we both have the travel bug. Thank you, Mom, Dad, Pete and Carol! What a gift you have bestowed on us and our children! But as some of you may know, once you have children, travel is just....a lot. While we have traveled with the kids, we wanted to wait until they were old enough to endure world travel and appreciate the places we visited. Now that Finn is 13 and Penny Lane is 11, we feel they are old enough to do both.

Cuba

   We initially agreed on an ambitious seven-month adventure. However, Finn was particularly hesitant about such a long trip away from home and routine, so we compromised by scaling it back to a more manageable 10.5 weeks during the summer, allowing us to test the waters and adjust as needed. Darrel and I had wanted to explore more of Asia, having already traveled extensively through Europe, but the summer monsoon season there made it impractical. Instead, we settled on the summer of 2026 (May through August) for our journey, starting with Morocco, a destination we'd planned last year before Darrel's meniscus knee surgery forced a postponement, followed by a loop through Europe and ending in the eastern Mediterranean.

                                San Miguel, Mexico at Christmas

We decided to focus on one major city or area per week, acknowledging that even months in any single country wouldn't reveal all its wonders, and we wanted to balance quality of travel life with seeing many different choice locations. Our goal was to give the kids a flavorful taste of diverse cultures to spark their curiosity so we could return for deeper explorations of their favorites later. 

                             Cliff Dwelings in Sedona, Arizona

Our 10.5 week itinerary kicks off in Morocco, where we're checking off haggling in the vibrant souks of Marrakesh and sleeping under an incredible blanket of stars at an Agafay Desert camp. From there, we move through Europe with about a week in each spot to tick off some standout experiences:

Marveling at Gaudí's masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona

Seeing the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Watching the Ravens of the Tower of London

Cruising the canals by boat in charming Amsterdam

Tasting world-famous chocolates and waffles in Brussels' Grand Place

Exploring the fairy-tale old town bridges, castles, and valleys of Luxembourg

Hiking to Germany's highest waterfalls in Triberg, Black Forest

Taking the cogwheel train up Mount Pilatus for breathtaking views over Lake Lucerne in Switzerland

Touring the ancient Colosseum in Rome

Standing atop the Acropolis overlooking Athens

Watching the famous sunset over white-washed buildings and blue domes in Santorini

Exploring the Hagia Sophia, where East meets West in Istanbul

Aspen, CO

 → Marrakesh/Agafay Desert (Morocco)

 → Barcelona, Spain

 → Paris, France

 → London, England

 → Amsterdam, Netherlands

 → Brussels, Belgium

 → Luxembourg, Luxembourg

 → Triberg (Black Forest), Germany

 → Lucerne, Switzerland

 → Rome, Italy

 → Athens, Greece (My ancestral homeland!)

 → Santorini, Greece

 → Istanbul, Turkey

Costa Rica

   As I sit here mapping out our big family adventure, I keep wincing at how this itinerary came together. It took many revisions, and I wish we could add more.... It may not be a perfect mix of those “you-have-to-see-it-once-in-your-life” cities and the sweet little stops that just made sense along the way, but we wanted to balance top stops with convenience. 

Nags Head, North Carolina

Darrel and I agreed on the classics like Paris, London, Rome, Athens, and Istanbul. But then there are the others that slid into place almost like puzzle pieces just by location. Brussels for the chocolate and waffles, tiny Luxembourg because it’s right there between stops, has fairytale castles, Triberg in the Black Forest for the world's largest cuckoo clock and enchanted woods, and Lucerne for Swiss lakes and mountains that are pure postcard magic. They keep the route flowing without huge detours.

                                       Taos, New Mexico

We have had SO many people say, "why aren't you going to such and such, you are really missing out." Believe me, I WANT to go to your recommended stop, too. This itinerary made the most sense for us given our time and financial limitations. But don't worry....we will be going back to this area of the world again in the future. So, tell us your recommendations!