Long live Monday Escapes!
I’ve now combined all of my past Monday Escapes posts in this one archive to save the highlights of this link up and my personal memories from the two years I had the pleasure of being involved.
Contents - jump to what you'd like to know
What was Monday Escapes?
Monday Escapes was a place for bloggers to link up their travel memories and was hosted by myself, Karen at Mini Travellers, Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos and Lisa at Travel Loving Family.
The posts didn’t have to be about a trip abroad or even be a written post. We welcomed favourite snapshots – famous sights, scenes, dramatic views or even favourite family photos.
Likewise, posts didn’t have to be about holidays or weekends away, they could also include day trips, walks, attractions – any travel experience that people wanted to share.
We ran the links between 2016 and 2018. Here is the archive of posts:
Monday Escapes – 19 September 2016
Hello happy travel linkers and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire.
I’ve just got back from a brilliant and exhausting weekend in Cornwall in the South West of the UK. We were there to review Trevella Holiday Park and visit some of the county’s wonderful family attractions. I have soooo much to write about now, but as a sneak preview here’s one of my favourite pictures from the past few days. It’s Tin Box Tot checking out the wonderful array of pumpkins on show at The Lost Gardens of Heligan.
Two weeks ago Lisa and I hosted our first Monday Escapes link up with a whopping 58 bloggers joining in. Thanks to each and every one of you. You are amazing and we so enjoyed reading about all your adventures.
This week you’ll find the link up over on Extraordinary Chaos with Sarah and Karen as your hosts. Sarah is linking Things to do in the Burgundy backroads, Karen is linking up Surf Snowdonia for kids, Lisa is linking UK family-friendly attractions hand picked by local mums, and I am linking Florence with toddlers: what to see in 4 hours.
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
One of the best and worst jobs of hosting is picking a few favourites to share. There were so many fantastic posts and Instagram pictures. After a lot of deliberating my top posts from last time were:
South Africa travels: The Wine Tram by Clara Wiggins: The Expat Partner’s Survival Guide. Clara’s post gave me serious trip envy. I loved the idea of having a day off mum duties to go on a wine tour.
Austria with kids: 5 things to do in Innsbruck by The Curious Pixie. Sima shares some great tips for places to visit in Austria and her photos are spectacular.
Lisa’s favourites were:
Why we don’t wait to take our kids to Disney World by Becoming a traveling family. Allison shares her four reasons why her and her husband do not wait to take their young children to Disney. Lisa read the post with great interest as it is a subject she’s debated a lot with her husband have during the past year.
Activities with kids in Bali by Piccolo Explorer. Cindy shares her top recommendations for places to visit with kids in Bali including the Bali Turtle Sanctuary to release baby sea turtles back into the wild and a visit to the Ubud Monkey Forest to hand feed the monkeys!
Monday Escapes – 17 October 2016
Hello happy travel linkers and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire. We’ve been playing tourists at home here in Devon for the past two weeks, enjoying a ride on the English Riviera Wheel and a visit to Sharpham Estate where a fun Apple Day was being held.
Two weeks ago it was the turn of Sarah and Karen to host and we had 41 inspirational travel posts linked up. Thank you to everyone who took part.
I’m thrilled to be hosting the linky here on Tin Box Traveller with my fabulous co-host, Lisa. You’ll find her post Tips for cruising with kids from experienced cruisers at the top of the list with my post Barcelona with kids: L’Aquarium de Barcelona review. Sarah is also linking Chilling with the girls at Greenback Barns while Karen is linking up Large Beautiful Barn Nr Richmond for Weekend Break.
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
One of the best and worst jobs of hosting is picking a few favourites to share. There were so many fantastic posts and Instagram pictures. Here are Sarah and Karen’s picks from last time:
North Devon Glamping Vintage Versos style by The Curious Pixie. Sarah said: ‘I love Sima’s galloping trip, I have never been tempted to camp but this could temp me to take the plunge.’
Surviving trips and outdoor expeditions with other people’s kids by Potty Adventures. Sarah said: ‘David’s post about volunteering to travel with other peoples children gives me faith that there are people willing to do things for others.’
Our family holiday {Levante Beach, Rhodes} by Mummy of boy girl twins. Karen said: ‘Jess’s holiday with her gorgeous twins contains beautiful photos that will make you want to hop on a plane to Greece right now!’
Are the Glenan Islands the most beautiful in Europe? by The Pigeon Pair and Me. Karen said:’I simply couldn’t believe this was in France. The views are just like the Carribbean, and it is always fantastic to be introduced to somewhere new in Europe.’
Monday Escapes – 31 October 2016
Hello happy travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire.
While my Monday Escapes colleagues have all been off or are away on holidays I’ve been enjoying some days out close to home, proving that you don’t always have to travel far to explore new places (although I’m not-so-secretly lusting after all the breaks the ladies have been taking).
Here’s a snap shot of some of our adventures in the past fortnight from walking part of the UK’s South West Coastal Path to exploring the gardens of Saltram House near Plymouth.
Two weeks ago it was the turn of Lisa and myself to host Monday Escapes and we had 42 inspirational travel posts linked up. Thank you to everyone who took part.
This week the linky is being hosted by Karen at Mini Travellers.
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
One of the best and worst jobs of hosting is picking a few favourites to share. There were so many fantastic posts and Instagram pictures. Here are mine and Lisa’s picks from last time:
A walk to Burra Ness Broch by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary. I like the level of detail Elizabeth has included in her post about a walk and overnight stay on Yell in Scotland. It sounds like a magical place and I’d love to spook myself with a stay at Winehouse Lodge Cottage
Alta Alella Vineyard | Explore Costa Barcelona with kids by One Tiny Leap. Maria has shared her experience of a vineyard that offers family-friendly tours on the Costa Barcelona. Aside from her stunning photography which sells the experience in itself, what’s not to love about a vineyard that welcomes kids?
100+family things to do in the United Arab Emerites by Baby Globetrotters. Lisa says: ‘I’m seriously impressed with how many attractions there are to visit with kids in the UAE by Keri at Baby Globetrotters.’
10 best cruise ports in photos by Wanderlust Family. Lisa says: ‘Wandermust Mummy made me want to hop back on a cruise ship with her article featuring her favourite 10 cruise ship ports including Venice and Copenhagen.’
Monday Escapes – 14 November 2016
Hello happy travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire. Thank so much for joining us. This week we have some exciting news about a new sponsor for Monday Escapes. Check out Lisa’s post for more details and to link up. I’ve just got back from a long weekend in Swansea, South Wales, and have so much to write about in the coming weeks. Here’s a rare family photo taken during a tour of Oystermouth Castle in Mumbles. It’s a Norman fortification that has amazing views across Swansea Bay and it was a great privilege to find out some of its history.
Before Wales I was in London for my first World Travel Market. One word: epic! I’ve got a stack of business cards and people to email, but I’m not quite sure where to start. Apart from the business of meeting with travel brands, it was brilliant to meet up with the Monday Escapes team and some of you wonderful people who link up every fortnight. If you went, I hope you had as good an event as we did!
Now, on to the linky. Two weeks ago it was the turn of Sarah and Karen to host Monday Escapes and we had 33 inspirational travel posts linked up. Thank you to everyone who took part. This week the linky is being hosted by Lisa at Travel Loving Family. I’m linking up Discovering The Lost Gardens of Heligan with children, Sarah is linking A Champagne Cruise at Cameron Lodges on Loch Lomond and Karen in linking Amathus Beach Hotel, Limassol for a family holiday
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
One of the best and worst jobs of hosting is picking a few favourites to share. There were so many fantastic posts and Instagram pictures. Here are Sarah and Karen’s picks from last time: A Moroccan Roadtrip Across the Atlas Mountains by Man Vs Globe – Karen says: “This is something I have always wanted to do so I loved reading this post about Becky and Dave’s trip across the Atlas Mountains.” Helvellyn 10 Miles Circular Route by The Helpful Hiker – Karen says: “In contrast to the heat of the Atlas Mountains I also really enjoyed this post about a misty wet hike up to Helvellyn.” Review Part 1 – Universal Orlando Resort, travel with Virgin Holidays and Arrival at Cabana Bay Beach Resort by Parent Shaped – Sarah says: “I love Penny’s Universal post. As an Orlando lover the retro styling of this hotel really made me want to visit.” Top 5 Things to do in Morocco by Travelsewhere – Sarah says: “David’s post made me want to visit Morocco and explore the Blue City of Chefchaouen.” @BumbleBeeMum
Monday Escapes – 28 November 2016
Hello happy travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire. This week you can link up over on Sarah’s blog. If you joined in last time, that’s also the place to check whether you were one of out favourite posts and have been chosen as the winner of our fortnightly prize from our linky sponsors Lonely Planet.
Since the last Monday Escapes linky I’ve been suffering with a winter bug that’s meant a few more hours in bed and less time to spend on the blog. However, there’s still been lots going on behind the scenes including some local days out in Devon and a trip to a posh do in Bristol for me. It’s all on my Instagram account if fancy taking a look.
Now, on to the linky. Two weeks ago it was the turn of Lisa and myself to host Monday Escapes and we had whopping 51 inspirational travel posts linked up. Thank you to everyone who took part. This week the linky is being hosted by Sarah and Karen who will be checking out each and every one of your posts between them. Sarah is linking up Luxury Lodge Life at Cameron Lodges, Loch Lomond Part 1, Karen is linking Four Seasons Limassol, Cyprus for a 5* family holiday, and I am linking Weekend in Wales: a Swansea Bay family adventure.
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
One of the best and worst jobs of hosting is picking a few favourites to share. There were so many fantastic posts and Instagram pictures. Here are mine and Lisa’s top picks from last time:
The delectable town of Bacharach by California Globetrotter – I enjoyed Lorelei’s tour of this delightful German town which has given me a taste for returning to the Rhine Valley. Her photos are chocolate box perfect.
A return to the Castelo de Almourol by The adventures of Daisy the bus – Jonny’s recollection of a visit to this remote Portuguese castle and his return a decade later with his wife and family of four was a great read. I’m intrigued to find out what happened to ‘the pirate’
Food On My Camera Roll by With Love – Lisa said: “I loved Mandy’s article featuring droolworthy food photos from her homecity Atlanta travelling through to my old hometown, Savannah! I thought I was imagining it when I saw some of my old favourite restaurants pop up on my computer screen!”
Things to do in Chiang Mai with kids by Five Adventurers – Lisa said: “Nisbah has inspired me to add Chiang Mai to my ever growing travel wish list.” @bumble_bee_mum
Monday Escapes – 12 December 2016
Hello happy travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire. This week it’s my turn to host the linky – yay!
Christmas has well and truly arrived in the UK and we’ve been making the most of it with our two girls. Some of our favourite day trips from the past few weeks have been to our local National Trust properties in Devon. Here’s a few snaps I’ve shared on my Instagram account of our visit to Coleton Fishacre for its garden illuminations and to Saltram House for its fairy tale themed decorations.
Now, on to the linky. This will be the last #MondayEscapes of 2017 as we’re going to give you all (and ourselves) a well deserved break on Boxing Day (26 December). Thank you to everyone who has continued to link up with us and who has joined us during the past few months. We wish you and your loved ones a very happy holiday season. We will return on Monday 2 January.
As always, we are absolutely delighted to link up with Lonely Planet to offer our number one favourite blog post of the week either a destination guide, or a title from the Lonely Planet Kids range (See T&C’s below). Just another great reason to link up with Monday Escapes!
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
Two weeks ago it was the turn of Sarah and Karen to host Monday Escapes. Here’s their top picks from last time:
Wreak diving Fiji: Diving the Raiyawa at Tivua Island – Snorkels to Snow. Sarah said: “Snorkel and Snow’s post about diving in Fiji just blew my mind. Not only is the photography breathtaking, but at times I was holding my breath. This sounds like such a wonderful experience.”
Things to do around Duinrell with toddlers – Kiddieholidays. Sarah said: “Jo’s post about visiting Duinrell made me want to visit, with gorgeous photos and so many inspiring suggestions.”
Captivating Córdoba, Spain – with kids – Topsy Turvy Tribe. Karen said: “Topsy Turby Tribe’s post about Córdoba with Kids has made me want to visit with mine. I love how she has given loads of top tips and points out that the Spanish really do love children and always try to include them in everything.”
Captivating Cordoba, Spain – with kids – Emma & 3. Karen said: “I love Emma’s review of Lapland UK, proving you can have just as much fun at home as abroad!”
Our Lonely Planet book winner
Karen and Sarah agreed that their overall favourite post was by Jo at Kiddieholidays. Congratulations Jo! Please get in touch so we can organise your prize.
Monday Escapes – 2 January 2017
Hello happy travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire. This week it’s the turn of Karen to host the first linky of 2017. Hop on over to her blog to link up your travel-related posts, old and new.
Since last time, we’ve had a Christmas break in Cornwall. We were invited to stay at the wonderful Bosinver Farm Cottages where kids can do all the things they love. Yes, that includes getting extremely muddy. Our seven day holiday in the far South West involved lots of time exploring the farm, seeing the local sights and relaxing together as a family. Perfect! Expect more on Bosinver in the weeks to come.
Now, on to the linky. We are absolutely thrilled to link up with Lonely Planet to offer our number one favourite blog post of the week either a destination guide, or a title from the Lonely Planet Kids range (See T&C’s on Mini Travellers). Just another great reason to link up with Monday Escapes!
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
Three weeks ago it was the turn Lisa and myself to host Monday Escapes. Here’s our top picks from last time:
Phi Phi Island Thailand – with or without kids? by Our Globetrotters – I enjoyed Keri’s account of her kid-free week in Thailand which also came with lots of tips for visiting with family and some sobering sustainable tourism facts about how visitors are impacting this beautiful destination.
Pangkor Laut Resort experience -5-star resort by The Radom Writings of Rachel – Rachel had a surprising and fabulous luxury break close to home in Malaysia. The secluded resort she picked for her anniversary sounded like the perfect couples getaway.
Strasbourg is THE ‘City of Christmas’ by California Globetrotter – Lisa said: “Lorelei from California Globetrotter has firmly placed Strasbourg on my travel wish list for next Christmas! Her photos capture the festive atmosphere perfectly and the Vin Chaud (mulled wine) and warm crepes sound delicious!”
ICE HOTEL and a wedding dress by FeetDoTravel – Lisa said: “I love hearing about unconventional weddings and so was captivated by FeetDoTravel’s story of marrying in Lapland with outside temperatures of -33°c! Their photos of riding sleighs pulled by reindeers and sipping drinks in ice bars are truly inspiring. Not too keen on the idea of icicles forming on my eyelashes though.”
Our Lonely Planet book winner
Find out with was our overall favourite post and the winner of out Lonely Planet book over own Karen\’s blog.
Monday Escapes – 30 January 2017
Hello happy travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire. This week it’s the turn of Sarah and Karen to host the linky. Hop on over to Sarah’s blog where you’ll find the InLinkz tool to add your travel-related posts, old and new.
Before we go any further can I remind you to check the notes below about how to join in with Monday Escapes. In particular, please make sure you’re adding the badge or a link back to one of the hosts and comment on this weeks’ host posts and at least two others. Linkys work best when we all share the love.
Right, back to the fun stuff! The weekend before last we went on our first short break of 2017. I’ve linked up a post about our weekend in Surrey but here’s a sneak preview of where we stayed at Bel & The Dragon in Churt.
Also linked up by your hosts today are some postcards from Costa Barcelona by Lisa and a tour of Rome with kids by Karen.
Now, on to the linky. We are absolutely thrilled to link up with Lonely Planet to offer our number one favourite blog post of the week either a destination guide, or a title from the Lonely Planet Kids range (See T&C’s on Extraordinary Chaos). Just another great reason to link up with Monday Escapes!
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
Two weeks ago it was the turn of Lisa and I to host Monday Escapes. Here’s our top picks from last time:
10 tried and tested tips for flying with infants and toddlers by Flip Flop Globetrotters – Lisa said: “Lisa shares her expert tried and tested tips after 10 months of travel, 25 flights and 32,645 miles with her young son.”
How to find the best hotel in Paris by TravelLatte – Lisa said: “Love TravelLatte’s guide to finding the best hotel in Paris. As someone who always finds it an absolute nightmare to select a hotel, particularly when booking a city break, I think starting a hotel search with an itinerary followed by budget, style and reviews makes complete sense.”
Historical travel with kids: 12 must-see sites in Europe by ExPitterPattica – Claire said: “Expitterpattica’s post was really inspiring. She has continued to see some of Europe’s iconic sights after starting a family and has great tips for instilling wanderlust in children from a young age.”
Finding exotic destinations in France by Dais Like These – Claire said: “Dais Like These’s collection of exotic spots in France was fantastic. They looked more like places you’d find in the Caribbean. It’s made me think differently about a holiday across the Channel.”
Our Lonely Planet book winner
Find out with was our overall favourite post and the winner of out Lonely Planet book over on Sarah’s blog.
Monday Escapes – 13 February 2017
Hello happy travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire. This week it’s the turn of Lisa and myself to host the linky. Below you’ll find the InLinkz tool to add your travel-related posts, old and new.
Before we go any further can I remind you to check the notes below about how to join in with Monday Escapes. In particular, please make sure you’re adding the badge or a link back to one of the hosts and comment on this weeks’ host posts and at least two others. Linkys work best when we all share the love.
Right, back to the fun stuff! We’ve had a busy few weeks of Tin Box birthdays, plus friends and family visiting us in Devon. While it’s all been lovely, it’s actually a relief to have a few quiet weeks ahead of us before we set off on our next set of adventures in March. We’re hoping for some bright, sunny days to accompany us on short breaks in Bath in Somerset and Sidmouth in East Devon. A touch of spring will definitely be welcome in Sidmouth as we are going to be camping for the first time this year. Wish us luck!
Now, on to the linky. Today I am linking our visit to see the tropical butterflies at RHS Wisley in Surrey. Also linked up by your hosts are a great competition from Travel Loving Family, a relaxing stay at Brompton Lakes by Extraordinary Chaos and a woodland retreat reviewed by Mini Travellers.
We are absolutely delighted to link up with Lonely Planet to offer our number one favourite blog post of the fortnight either a destination guide, or a title from the Lonely Planet Kids range (See T&C’s below*).
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
Two weeks ago it was the turn of Sarah and Karen to host Monday Escapes. Here’s their top picks from last time:
Why you have to walk the Brooklyn Bridge by Ruth at Tanama Tales. Sarah said: “Ruth’s post about walking the Brooklyn Bridge has made me want to revisit the Big Apple. I have never wandered the streets of Brooklyn and this has inspired me to.”
Colours of Kimberley by Lyn from A Hole in my Shoe. Sarah said: “Lyn from A Hole in My Shoe shares her friend Landi Bradshaws photography. The amazing colours of Kimberley are just breathtaking and made me want to head straight there with my camera.”
Ardanaiseig Hotel – visiting Scotland’s most romantic hotel with…toddlers by Janice at Tots2Travel. Karen said: “This proves that you can travel to a romantic hotel with toddlers.”
Chinese New Year and the Terracotta Army by Tas at Not my year off. Karen said: “I really wish I had booked tickets to see this exhibition when I read Tas’s post.”
Our Lonely Planet book winner
Drum roll! The winner of our Lonely Planet book this fortnight is Ruth from Tanama Tales. Congratulations Ruth! Drop me an email and I can arrange your prize. Now, on to this time’s Monday Escapes.
Monday Escapes – 27 February 2017
Hello happy travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos, Karen at Mini Travellers, Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself, Claire. This week it’s the turn of Karen and Sarah to host the linky. Hop over to Karen’s blog to link up your posts.
Before we go any further can I remind you to check the notes below about how to join in with Monday Escapes. In particular, please make sure you’re adding the badge or a link back to one of the hosts and comment on this weeks’ host posts and at least two others. Linkys work best when we all share the love.
Right, back to the fun stuff!
We had a quiet school half term here in Devon, mostly thanks to a horrible cold that left us not wanting to do much. We made up for it last week with days out with friends and a visit to our local woodland adventure park. The trip that I enjoyed the most was to Exeter – Devon’s capital – for a meet up with other local bloggers and a wander around the city centre.
We’re now looking ahead to a busy March with lots of UK adventures planned. First up we have a weekend break in Bath – a UNESCO heritage site and the home of one of the best surviving examples of a Roman bath house. Expect to see lots more about this on the blog in the coming weeks.
Now, on to the linky.
We are also absolutely delighted to link up with Lonely Planet to offer our number one favourite blog post of the fortnight either a destination guide, or a title from the Lonely Planet Kids range. (See T&C’s below). Just another great reason to link up with Monday Escapes!
This fortnight’s featured Monday Escapes posts
Two weeks ago it was the turn of Sarah and Karen to host Monday Escapes. Here’s their top picks from last time:
Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge: PNW nature at its finest by Rob and Chris at 2TravelDads – I love hearing about the places travel bloggers call home, and what they recommend doing and seeing there. Rob and Chris have really sold me on a visit to Dungeness in the US.
10 Highlights from the Ruins of Pompeii by Bryna at Dotted Line Travels – I had a rather disappointing visit to Pompeii last year which was nothing to do with the site – it was the quality of our guide that was the problem. Bryna’s visit to Pompeii looks wonderful in comparison. It’s given me an urge to return and see it her way!
Fun Activities in St, Louis With Kids by Christin at Smart Mouse Travel – Lisa says: “Cristin’s guide to St Louis brought back many great memories of my year studying in Midwest, USA. St Louis was my favourite place to head for the weekend!”
Our Week in Wales by Polly from Our Seaside Baby – Lisa says: “Polly’s post from Our Seaside Baby has got me very excited for our upcoming trip to Bluestone. She shares her highlights of staying at the resort and also visiting nearby Tenby beach which looks.”stunning.
Pop over to Mini Travellers to find out which was our number one post from last time.
Monday Escapes – 13 March 2017
We’ve just arrived home from a fun-filled weekend in the UNESCO city of Bath in the UK. Our primary reason for visiting was to see one of my cousins get married. It was such a lovely occasion with a bit of (but obviously not enough) time to catch up with our family in Somerset. Of course, being in such an amazing city, we couldn’t help but do a little exploring too.
Somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for a long time is The Roman Baths. I’m sure I didn’t appreciate it as much as I would have without our two girls getting too close to the water and dashing past all the exhibits, but I’m still glad we went. I’ll be writing more about our time in Bath and the fantastic Bath Mill Lodge Retreat where we stayed. Keep a look out!
Time for Monday Escapes
Here are our favourite posts from last time…
Let’s road trip – the ‘best bits’ from central Scotland by Love from Scotland. Karen said: “I absolutely love this post the photos are simply stunning and it makes me want to book a trip Scotland and do this exact route this summer.”
Walking through the earth’s strata by Four Acorns. Karen said: “I also really enjoyed reading about Four Acorns day out walking, and can’t believe the photos are actually take on an iPhone as they are brilliant.”
9 spots with the best views of London by A Backpack Full of Adventures. Sarah said: “Vicky’s post highlighting the best views of London is a must for a visitor and the Sky Garden is firmly at the top of her wish list after making it up the Shard last week.”
A taste of Champagne in Epernay by Wandermum Sarah said: “Elizabeth’s tour of Epernay which made me want to book a crossing to France right now. We love Champagne, who doesn’t? And what a wonderful way to spend a couple of days.”
Monday Escapes – 27 March 2017
Hello and welcome to Monday Escapes everyone! Last time I told you we had just returned from a visit to the UNESCO city of Bath. This time we’re frantically trying to catch up with the washing after a very different type of trip. Instead of staying in a luxury lodge just outside a city, we were glamping deep in the Devon countryside at Oakdown Holiday Park. I love variety, don’t you? I’ll be sharing more about our first camping experience of 2017 in the coming weeks. Before then, I’ve written about our weekend in Bath and have linked up a post about seeing famous Roman Baths with our two pre-schoolers.
Today you’ll find the link to add your Monday Escapes posts on Sarah’s blog.
Our favourite posts from last time
Lisa loved this post – An Indian Adventure – by Danielle from Severn Bites. As a professional bread maker Danielle travels around the world seeking inspiration for her cooking. Her holiday in Kerala, India, looks incredible and makes Lisa want to return for she barely scratched the surface of what the area offers during her one day cruise ship visit!
Lisa also loved this post by Wandermust Family featuring the couples pre pregnancy and pre parenthood travel bucket list. The gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda sounds pretty epic!
I particularly enjoy reading articles that make me think differently about destinations I believe I already know. That’s why I’ve selected this post by Smart Mouse Travel as it made me want to go back to Las Vegas with my kids – Las Vegas with Kids, No Really!
I also enjoyed reading this comprehensive city guide to Ronda, Spain – 5 Reasons to Visit Ronda, Spain. The guide, written by the Topsy Turvy Tribe, features all the best historical and child-friendly places to visit in the city.
Hop over to Sarah’s post to see which one of these great blogs was our top link up from last time.
Monday Escapes – 10 April 2017
Hello and welcome to Monday Escapes everyone! The Easter school holidays are in full swing here in Devon and we’ve already spent a week away in St Ives, Cornwall – pop over to my Instagram for a taster of our trip. However, I know many of you are only just starting your holidays – I’m a tad jealous! I’m consoling myself by flicking through our wonderful photos from the sunny South West of England and looking ahead to our long Easter weekend in Hampshire.
Do let me know if you have any Easter holiday plans or whether you’re saving yourself for the main holidays?
Today its the turn of Lisa and myself to host Monday Escapes and you’ll find the InLinkz Tool below for adding your blog posts. If it’s your first time here please check out the guidelines for linking and please show your fellow linkers some love.
I’m linking up our glamping trip from a few weekends ago, while Lisa is sharing her luxury stay at St Mawes in Cornwall. Karen has some top tips for staying in a motorhome with kids and Sarah is reminiscing about her visit to the Mercedes Benz Museum in Stuttgart.
Favourite posts from last time
Karen and Sarah had a tough time choosing their favourites from last time. Here are the posts they loved:
Sarah just loves the Creative Travel Guide guest poster Natalie’s honest account of volunteer teaching in Fiji. The people sound like the warmest wonderful people, this post is truly inspirational.
And Sarah adored Ruth’s post about Vajdahunyad Castle in Budapest. Not only is her photography breathtaking but the castle looks the place of dreams.
Karen loved this post by Ladies What Travel about their stay at Poets House, Ely. And the image of the bath made her want to curl up in it.
And lastly Karen was invited to visit Camp Wilderness but could’t go. She was delighted to see what fun was had that day by the lovely Kippers and Curtains family.
Our Lonely Planet winner
Karen and Sarah’s overall favourite from last time was…Creative Travel Guide! Get in touch Katie and we’ll arrange to get your Lonely Planet guide to you.
Monday Escapes – 24 April 2017
Hello and welcome to Monday Escapes everyone! The Easter holidays are now officially over in all parts of the UK so today feels like a proper ‘back to work’ day. Thank goodness for all your travel and days out posts to lighten the mood!
Last week we had Tin Box back out on the road for the first time this year visiting family and friends in Hampshire. There’s been a bit of a pause in our caravan adventures as Mr Tin Box has been working away for a while and I don’t have a towing licence to go out on my own. It was so nice to set up and let the kids roam free on our campsite. We also discovered and rediscovered a few great places to take our kids in our old home county.
I’ll be sharing these on the blog in the coming weeks but in the meantime, here’s some snaps from my Instagram:
Monday Escapes – 8 May 2017
Hello travel fans and welcome to another Monday Escapes. Firstly I’d like to give a massive shout out to all our regular linkers who we met up with at the Traverse travel blogging conference in Greenwich, London, last week. What a great event and how brilliant to put faces to blog names. If you weren’t able to make it this year then maybe we’ll see you at #Traverse18 in Rotterdam? Here’s a bit of what you missed:
As well as enjoying the delights of a child-free weekend in England’s capital, I’ve been busy catching up with blog posts about our recent trips to Cornwall and Hampshire. This month is going to be a little quieter on the travel front while we move house in Devon. However, our next big adventure isn’t far off as I’ll be flying to France with my two girls before the end of May. Mr Tin Box is staying at home to decorate the new house – I think I got the best deal!
Today you’ll find the link to add your Monday Escapes posts on Travel Loving Family.
I’m linking up my perfect weekend wardrobe for London, Lisa is linking a review of Tattersall Lakes, Karen is linking tips for exploring Cyprus with kids and Sarah is linking up her tips for road trips with teens.
Our favourite posts from last time
Karen and Sarah’s favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes were:
A Year in a French Forest by Lou Messugo. Karen says: “I could just imagine stumbling upon all these designs and how exciting that would be. A natural treasure hunt.”
Karen also loved Charly’s post about the Picos de Europe on PODTravels. She says: “I keep looking at booking flights to Bilbao and explore and this may just have given me the kick I need to book it!”
“Brigitte’s post took my breath away,” says Sarah about Groove is in the Heart‘s post. “This incredible tree in Namibia has seen 800 years of history and protected and saved many lives a truly incredible story and something I would love to visit.”
And Swapna’s post about the Humbolt Penguin Reserve on Practical Mom also caught Sarah’s eye. She says: “This post is incredible. Such stunning animals how they should be in their own habitat. I just love it. Such stunning pictures.”
Hop over to Lisa’s post to see which one of these great blogs was our top link up from last time.
Monday Escapes – 22 May 2017
Hello travel fans and welcome to another Monday Escapes. It’s been all go in the Tin Box household since the last linky. We picked up the keys to a new house and were moving in over the weekend. I’m back to work today for a rest! Then next weekend the girls and I are flying off to France. I can’t for that moment I have a glass of Sauvignon Blanc in my hand and a week of continental adventures ahead of us.
The good thing about having our travels limited by preparing for the house move is that we have had the excuse to explore locally in Devon. Here’s a couple of my Instagram shares from Saltram House and Smeaton’s Tower, both in the city of Plymouth.
This week I’m linking up 22 fantastic family events in Devon. Meanwhile, Lisa is sharing a fabulous competition to win a week in an Italian villa, Sarah is linking more about her holiday in Ikos and Karen is sharing her family day out in a Ford Kuga.
Today you’ll find the link to add your Monday Escapes posts on Extraordinary Chaos.
Our favourite posts from last time
Mine and Lisa’s favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes were:
Tracey from Tracy’s Travel’s in Time spent 2016 trying to visit as many UNESCO sites in the UK as possible. She has put together a post featuring 26 of the UNESCO UK sites with short descriptions and inspiring photos.
Lisa also loved this guide to Budapest by Ruth at Tanama Tales. It makes us all want to go!
I enjoyed Lorelei’s picture-perfect tour of the stunningly beautiful half-timbered and quirky buildings of Idestein in Germany on California Globetrotter. This is why it’s on her bucket list of European destinations she must return to soon.
Trish from Mum’s Gone to tells the incredible story of Bletchley Park and the work carried out there during WWII. This is somewhere I’ve wanted to visit since watching The Imitation Game. What an incredible place!
Hop over to Sarah’s blog to see which one of these great blogs was our top link up from last time.
Monday Escapes – 5 June 2017
Hello travel fans and welcome to another Monday Escapes. The past fortnight has been a bit of a whirlwind for my family. First we moved house and then I took the girls off to France for a week in the countryside. Internet was in short supply in our new home and abroad so I’ve still got lots to share about our trip with Al Fresco Holidays. We lazed by our caravan, played at the pool, zipped through a forest, and marvelled at the Atlantic coastline. Here’s a few of my favourite snaps from a first rummage through my camera.
Today I’m hosting the linky with Lisa from Travel Loving Family and you’ll find the tool to share your wonderful post with us below!
I’ve linked up my pre-holiday checklist for France, Sarah is linking up her Brittany wish list, Karen is sharing her experience visiting museums in Swansea, and Lisa has reviewed kid and adult Micro Scooters.
Our favourite posts from last time
Our favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes are:
Exploring the Rose Granite Coast by Catherine’s Cultural Wednesdays. Karen is heading to Northern Brittany in late August so was really excited to read this post and look at all the beautiful photos.
She also loved the post from Jenny at Let’s Talk Mommy about their sunny family day out to Chester Zoo. Jenny and her family really made the most of the day and took some fantastic photos.
We also loved Travel with Nanob‘s post about a day trip to Shibazakura Festival. If you didn’t read this post do head over and have a look as the photos are lovely!
Finally we loved this post on Glamping at Dorset Valley Yurts by Otis & Us. It has Sarah (who only does luxury?!) thinking about glamping so it must have been good!
Katy is also our winner of the Lonely Planet Book this month. Katy, please do get in touch with one of us to claim your prize.
Monday Escapes – 19 June 2017
Hello travel fans and welcome to another Monday Escapes. Since last time we’ve had a few weeks to acclimatise to our new home in Devon after our trip to France, and we’ve snuck in a long weekend on the edge of the stunning Peak District National Park. The weather has been with us for most of it, particularly this weekend just gone when we celebrated Fathers’ Day close to come. To be honest, it felt like somewhere a whole lot more tropical. Here’s a few of our Instagram posts to bring you bang up to date with our adventures:
Today Karen and Sarah hosting the Monday Escapes linky and you’ll find the tool to share your wonderful posts on Mini Travellers.
I’ve linked up our Al Fresco Holidays mobile home break in France, Karen is sharing a review of a holiday in Normandy, Sarah is linking up part two of her holiday at Ikos Olivia in Greece, and Lisa is linking reasons to visit Wychwood Festival next year.
Our favourite posts from last time
Our favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes are:
Lisa loved Piccolo Explorer’s wonderful post about their Family Holiday in Orlando where they visited Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Elizabeth’s post and pictures (oh, the pictures!) made me dribble. She was treated to a tour of Paris’ best bistros and experienced some amazing food. This is why the French are renowned world-wide for their gastronomy. Yum!
Monday Escapes – 3 July 2017
Happy Monday travel fans and welcome to Monday Escapes! This week Lisa at Travel Loving Family and myself are hosting. We’re very much looking forward to reading about all your adventures.
For my part we’ve spent the past two weeks having some fabulous Tin Box adventures within an hour and a half from home. Devon is a county with a huge amount to explore and having a caravan gives us a lot of flexibility to hitch up for staycations. It’s also been a few months since we were last out in our own van. Spending two weekends in a row in our happy little caravan reminded me why I love it so much. The fresh air, relaxed camping atmosphere and home from home accommodation makes holidays even more special.
As always I’ve got an enormous backlog of blog posts waiting to be written but here’s a taster of what we got up to from Instagram:
This week I’ve linked up our luxury lodge break on the edge of the Peak District in the UK, Karen is sharing five reasons why she loved Sani Dunes – a new resort in Greece, Sarah is linking up her fab tips for beating jet lag, and Lisa is linking her money saving tips for holidaying at Bluestone in Wales.
Here’s where you can link up this week.
Our favourite posts from last time
Our favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes are:
Karen loved this post from Kids & Compass about travelling to Petra with Kids. It’s been on her wish list for a very long time and she is very happy to see it doesn’t need to be done without the kids – oh and the Indiana Jones thing is a firm fave too!
Karen also loved all the photos and descriptions of food in Tanama Tales post about Arthur Avenue and where you really need to go to get good Italian food in NYC.
Sarah just loves Lorna’s post about Russell in New Zealand the pictures make her want to wander this gorgeous streets.
As a huge Disney fan Sarah found Amanda’s tips to save fortunes staying on site at Walt Disney World just genius!
Hop over to Travel Loving Family to see who our overall winner is and link up this week!
Monday Escapes – 17 July 2017
Hello travel fans and welcome to another week! This is going to be our last Monday Escapes linky until Monday 4 September while us hosts scatter for our various summer breaks. I’m sure many of you will be doing the same. We can’t wait to hear about your adventures when we return.
This week Karen and Sarah are hosting, and you can link up on Extraordinary Chaos.
Since last time I’ve been enjoying time in Cornwall in the far south west of the UK. First the girls and I took a mid-week trip to Hendra Holiday Park in Newquay. This is something that will become such rarer from September as my eldest starts school – sob! We followed up our Newquay getaway with a spa break – yes, with the kids! It’s not something I’d thought of doing until we were invited to the China Fleet Country Club on the Cornwall-Devon border. But it was a great success. Pop back over the summer to read more about how we fitted in pampering around two under fives!
In the meantime, here’s a taster of what we’ve been doing in the past two weeks from my Instagram:
This week I’ve linked up our stay at at five-star campsite on the edge of Dartmoor, Karen is sharing her experience Gorilla trekking with kids, Sarah is linking a review of Sani Dunes in Greece and Lisa is linking her advice for planning a family holiday to Orlando.
Here’s where you can link up this week.
Our favourite posts from last time
Mine and Lisa’s favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes were:
Molly’s post about Popeye Village in Malta is packed full of beautiful pictures of her fun visit. Who knew this place existed?! The five-year-old in me is itching to go!
Monday Escapes – 11 September 2017
Hello there after what seems like a lifetime of Mondays without this lovely travel community and linky. Did you have a great summer? We can’t wait to hear all about it in your linked posts. Join in using the InLinkz tool at the bottom of this post.
But first, the Monday Escapes team have an exciting announcement. The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that Monday Escapes has restarted a week later than promised. This is partly down to us all needing extra time to catch up after our summer adventures, but it is also because we’ve been working on a new project.
Drum roll please…
Karen, Sarah, Lisa and I have launched a new family travel website: Cruising With Kids. Our aim is to share what’s new and exciting in the cruising industry for families with kids of all ages. We are so excited about this new venture and can’t wait to get our teeth into it.
As you all know, starting a new blog isn’t plain sailing and we’re going to need the support of this wonderful blogging community to keep us afloat. Sorry, I’ll stop now! However, if you’d like to write a guest post for us then we’d love to hear from you at [email protected].
And we’d be very grateful for a few follows on our new social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
Snapshots of our Tin Box summer
I can’t quite believe how much we crammed into the past seven weeks – it’s been busy, magical and exhausting. Here’s a taster from Instagram:
Windsor, Berkshire
Norfolk Broads, Norfolk
Just So Festival, Cheshire
Canonteign Falls, Devon
Read a full round up of our UK summer road trip.
Our favourite posts from last time
Karen and Sarah’s favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes were:
Monday Escapes 25 September 2017
Happy Monday travel fans! Is anyone else is shock that its nearly October? Whatever the season where you are I hope you’re safe, happy and looking forward to some exciting travels in the final three months of 2017.
In case you missed our announcement two weeks ago I’m going to share with you again the news that the Monday Escapes team have launched a new family travel website: Cruising With Kids. Our aim is to share what’s new and exciting in the cruising industry for families with kids of all ages. We are so excited about this new venture and can’t wait to get our teeth into it.
If you’d like to write a guest post for us then we’d love to hear from you at [email protected] and we would also be very grateful for any follows on our new social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
What have we been up to?
Since the last Monday Escapes linky I’ve been out in Tin Box again with the family, soaking up every last ounce of summer. However, we didn’t venture far from home and spent a weekend just down the road in Devon. It was still full of new discoveries, proving adventure is never far away.
Our favourite posts from last time
Our favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes were:
Monday Escapes – 9 October 2017
What a whirlwind two weeks since our last Monday Escapes link up. I’ve been to London for a great blogging conference, caught up with many of my favourite bloggers, and visited a cruise ship in Southampton. That’s not to mention lots going on at home with friends visiting us in Devon and a few less pleasant bouts of sickness. Thankfully we’re all well again now and looking forward to some calmer weeks regrouping at home.
This week you will find the Monday Escapes link up over with Lisa at Travel Loving Family.
What have we been up to?
Here’s a bit more of what’s been keeping me busy in the past few weeks:
While in London I was invited to afternoon tea at the Waldorf Hilton with a group of blogging friends. We had a fabulous afternoon chatting and enjoying some delicious treats served up in decedent surroundings.
Following swiftly on from warm scones and melt in your mouth, crustless sandwiches was an Instagram walk along the South Bank. This was one of the fringe events for the Britmums #BML17 conference at County Hall next to the London Eye. It was brilliant to wander slowly along the Thames picking out features I’d usually rush past on a way to a meeting or event. I can highly recommend taking a leisurely walk in London next time you are there. The conference itself was also fantastic – I got plenty of ideas for blog improvements and spent some quality time with on and offline friends including the Lisa and Sarah from the Monday Escapes/Cruising With Kids team.
As if that wasn’t enough fun, last Wednesday I was one of 150 bloggers invited onboard MSC Preziosa for the #BlogCampOnboard event with Trips100. I think this has to have been the best venue ever for a blogging event! It’s just over a year since I was last on a cruise ship so I was very excited to take a tour and find out more about MSC’s family cruising credentials. Lisa has linked up a post all about it today.
Our favourite posts from last time
Our favourite posts from the last Monday Escapes were:
Monday Escapes – 23 October 2017
Hi there travel fans! It feels like Autumn has finally arrived in the UK with some seriously blustery weather over the weekend. Storm Brian did its very best to stop us enjoying a couple of days on Dartmoor in Devon but thankfully there were some breaks in the rain to allow us to see some of this beautiful national park. More of that in a bit…
This week you will find the Monday Escapes link up over with Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos.
What have we been up to?
As I mentioned earlier we’ve just got back from a weekend on Dartmoor where we stayed at the Moorland Garden Hotel. It’s a 4 star, family and dog-friendly hotel with plenty of character. Tin Box Dog was particularly impressed to have a bowl, towel and bed waiting for her when we arrived.
Dartmoor is an amazing place for walks and one that we particularly enjoyed during this visit was around Buckland Abbey – once the home to Sir Francis Drake who was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe.
The weekend before last we went on our own voyage…we’ll a river boat cruise, followed by a bus ride and journey on a steam train. The Round Robin is one of the best ways to see South Devon and is great fun for families. I’m linking up a post all about it on this week’s Monday Escapes.
It’s been a busy but fun few weeks in our home country of Devon and we’re going to be doing some more local exploring during the school half term this week. Whatever you’re up to have a great fortnight!
Our favourite posts from last time
Lisa loved reading Mary’s account of her family’s travels around Belgium and France in their caravan.
When planning a trip she tried to cram in as many stops as possible including a stopover in Paris and a visit to beautiful Bruges (where her son flashed the locals!).
Melissa has completely convinced Lisa to book a winter short break in Seville after reading this post!
And Claire loved drooling over the stunning architecture of the Reichstag in this post by Sharon. She is yet to visit Berlin but will be adding this onto her bucket list.
This is a superb round-up of a 10 day itinerary in India. Jenny and Jason cover everything from places to visit to how to get there and where you should spend more time if you can. Such a handy guide for anyone planning a similar trip.
To find out the winner of our Lonely Planet guide check out Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos’ post where you’ll also find he InLinkz tool for linking up.
Monday Escapes – 6 November 2017
We did it! We survived half term. To be fair, it passed in a flash and I’m a bit sad that Tot went back to school last week. I’m sure we’ll be seeing plenty of school holiday fun in this week’s link up, plus lots of inspiration for travels further afield. I can’t wait to read what you’ve been up to!
By the way, if you’re wondering about my featured image today it’s the Poppy Tour at the Naval War Memorial on the seafront at Plymouth in Devon. I thought it was appropriate with Armistice Day approaching.
This week I’m hosting Monday Escapes with Lisa from Travel Loving Family. You’ll find the linky tool at the bottom of this post.
What have we been up to?
The past two weeks were dominated by the half term school holiday, which we spent staycationing in Devon. The great thing about living in a holiday destination is that there’s always something going on. My toddlers love animal-themed days out so visiting little and large beasts pretty much summed up our week.
We’re now very much in the mood for Christmas – it’s OK to mention it now, right? If you do happen to be visiting the West Country during the festive period my top Devon Christmas events post might be handy.
Our favourite posts from last time
Karen really respects the planning that went into this trip by Dan and Celine at Baby Can Travel and the ability to continue doing what they love, ‘hiking’, with the little ones in tow, or on their backs!
This time’s winner of the Lonely Planet guide is the TraveLynn Family! Congratulations and get in touch to claim your prize!
Monday Escapes – 20 November 2017
I don’t know about you but our calendar is beginning to fill up with Christmas commitments – visits to Santa, festive events and…a winter glamping trip in a Mongolian yurt! I can’t wait for that and, yes, I shall be packing my thermals!
This week Monday Escapes is being hosted by Karen at Mini Travellers and Sarah from Extraordinary Chaos. You’ll find the linky tool on Karen\’s post.
What have we been up to?
The weekend before last we took Tin Box out for its last caravan weekend away of the year. We’d be quite happy to keep caravanning all year round but we have a lot going on in the next month so now’s the time to put her into hibernation. We did have a great weekend though and stayed at a five star site overlooking Dartmoor in Devon. I’ll be sharing more about it another time.
During our caravan weekend we visited Totnes Castle. It’s one of the best preserved motte and bailey castles of its time in England. The views from the top looking over South Devon and Dartmoor were fabulous.
Over on Cruising with Kids your four Monday Escapes hosts have been sharing our thoughts on cruising with babies (yes, it most certainly can be done!), our latest fab giveaway, and our thoughts on whether shore excursions are worth the money.
Our favourite posts from last time
This post by Larger Family Life is about something extraordinary. I had no idea that papier-mâché could be used to make such intricate art – The Papier-Mâché Artists Of Puglia.
Exploring Our World talks about an incredibly moving place with so many questions left unanswered – much like the events of the war. I chose this post because it made me want to add it to my list of places I want to see when I visit Berlin – Visiting the Berlin Holocaust memorial.
Lisa couldn’t resist choosing this post by Helen at Actually Mummy – 10 weird but wonderful things you will see in Cambodia. Helen’s descriptions and photos of a local guy showering in the street during a heavy rain shower, a car full of fish on the way to market and a whole family riding on a moped had her grinning from ear to ear!
Lisa also loved this post by KellyAnn Schiavo which captures her family city break to Paris perfectly, including the family shot of them all wearing rain ponchos during a particularly heavy rain shower. Our holiday to Paris – A city tour.
The winner of the Lonely Planet guide is Sharon from Exploring Our World! Congratulations Sharon please do get in touch to claim your prize.
Monday Escapes – 4 December 2017
Hello there travel fans! So it’s December: a time for family, joy and…travel planning, of course! With this in mind this is our last Monday Escapes of 2017. Enjoy your Christmas break and do make sure you put a note in the diary to join us again on Monday 8 January 2018!!
Have you got any big 2018 adventures in the bag already? Our travel calendar is looking pretty bare thanks to some uncertainty about where Mr Tin Box’s Royal Navy job will take him next. But hopefully we’ll be able to start booking up trips soon. By the way, if you have any tips on solo travel with kids, hit me with them!!
This week Monday Escapes is being hosted by myself and Lisa from Travel Loving Family. You’ll find the link up tool on Lisa’s post.
What have we been up to?
Since last Monday Escapes I’ve had a cheeky solo night away in Bristol where I indulged in hot mulled cider and a bit of partying with work. However, I’ve been making up for it ever since with plenty of Christmassy days out with our girls. Here’s a little round up in the medium of video – look away now if your already sick of think Christmas!
Over on Cruising with Kids we’ve had some great guest posts from other cruise loving bloggers with their tips for cruising with Disney and why cruises are great for kids.
Our favourite posts from last time
Karen said: “You will definitely want to visit when you see the spectacular photos in this post by Keri at Our Globetrotters. We are gutted we missed this area when we were in Oman the other week.”
Karen said: “Life as our Little Family‘s Kerri-Anne has made me determined to put Disneyland on our list for Christmas 2018. It sounds just wonderful.”
Sarah said: “This post from 5 Lost Together is so inspiring and offers so many hints and tips on how travelling the world as a family can be achieved. I feel travel is such a huge part of a child’s education and such a wonderful gift to give our children.”
Sarah said: “I love Donna from Live Love Do‘s post and itinerary suggestions for a boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads this is something I have always wanted to do.”
To find out who was the winner of our Lonely Planet guide visit Lisa’s blog post.
Monday Escapes – 8 January 2018
Happy New Year to you and yours! Thanks so much for joining us for the first Monday Escapes of 2018. I hope you’ve had a great break whatever you got up to at home or away. I know I can speak for the whole Monday Escapes team when I say we’ve been up to our eyeballs in festive fun and adventures.
If you want to get straight to the linky Sarah is this week’s host over at Extraordinary Chaos. If you ‘d like a taster of what Christmas and New Year had in store for the Tin Box family then read on. Oh, and don’t miss out on the favourite posts Lisa and I picked from December below! There were some corkers!
What have we been up to?
Our glamping weekend at Caalm Camp was definitely a late highlight of our year. For a bit more of a taster of what it was like check out my YouTube video:
Over on Cruising with Kids we’ve had some great guest posts from other cruise loving bloggers the latest from the fab Christina highlighting the magic of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo Boutique.
Our favourite posts from last time
Lisa loves this rather humorous, and very honest, article featuring visiting Rome in the summer with kids. It sure does look and sound very hot!
Lisa also absolutely adores the photos in Nano’s article featuring a day at a wine estate in New Zealand. The photos of the delicacies she captured by camera before delving into will have your mouth watering! Take a look for yourself…..
And lastly I wish I had the stomach I used to for rollercoasters. Ava from My Meena Life has done a great review of the coasters at Bush Gardens Williamsburg. Check out her scoring system – love it!
To find out who we have chosen as the winner of the Lonely Planet guide see Sarah’s post.
Monday Escapes – 22 January 2018
After ending last year on a travel high, the beginning of 2018 has been relatively quiet in comparison. It’s even taken a little while to start planning our adventures for 2018. This has made me seriously twitchy. I know you’ll understand! But I’m glad to say we now have a few trips in the diary and a few more in the making. Phew!
So where are we off to first? Aside from a work related stay in Hampshire on the South Coast, I’ve got a trip to Italy with a team of other bloggers in March. This is something I’m really looking forward to as it means I get a return visit to Florence and, fingers crossed, a first trip to Siena. ‘Returning’ is the reoccurring theme to our travel plans so far as at Easter I’m going to be heading to Cornwall with the whole Tin Box family. This will be the third year in a row we’ve been in Cornwall for this particular school holiday and I cannot wait to do a bit more exploring.
What have we been up to?
As I mentioned, we’ve been at home for the past few weeks and, if you didn’t know, home is in Devon in South West England. Here’s the type of view I have to put up with around these parts.
One thing being at home is good for is allowing me to catch up with lots of blog writing. As well as some recommendations on places to visit Devon I’ve shared my advice for cruising with a baby and a bit about why I’ll be doing some solo parenting trips this year. If you have any tips let me know! Here’s a lovely moment from a solo trip I did with the girls in 2017:
Over on Cruising with Kids we’ve had this great guest post about cruising with Disney around Alaska and Sarah has put together a round up of the best family-friendly ships launching in 2018.
Our favourite posts from last time
Here’s the posts that caught Sarah and Karen’s eyes last time:
Karen says: “As someone who just loves books and hasn’t actually progressed to a kindle out of choice, this post about the fabulous bookstores in Holland was a dream to read.” Your Dutch Guide – Amazing bookstores in The Netherlands
Karen said: “I loved the photogrpahy in this post by Dotted Line and it really took me back to the sunsets we saw in Cambodia.” Dotted Line Travels – Catching the Sunrise at Angkor Wat
Sarah said: “I love Lisa’s informative and honest post about New Year in Vebier and despite her balanced review it has made me crave the atmosphere Switzerland promises for New Year celebrations.” Australian Travel Barbie – New Year’s Eve in Verbier, Switzerland: the good and the bad
Sarah said: “Sharon’s post on the WWII heroes of Prague was a touching and informative post highlighting just how many heroes the war made worldwide. It’s so important to not forget these brave peoples stories.” Exploring Our World – Prague’s Heroes of WWII
And the winner is…
The winner of the Lonely Planet Guide this time is Esther from Your Dutch Guide. Well done Esther! Drop me a line to arrange your prize from the Lonely Planet collection.
Monday Escapes – 5 February 2018
Happy Monday travel fans. Thank goodness January is over. Here in Devon in the UK it was wet, cold and uninspiring. Now that February is well underway I’m looking forward to Spring and plenty of exciting adventures. First up is the half term school holiday next week. Will you be going off on any trips? I’d love to hear about them. In the meantime I’m looking forward to reading plenty of posts about your recent travels. Do link them up over on Mini Travellers.
What have we been up to?
We spent the whole of January at home in Devon and while it was lovely to recharge our batteries by visiting our local beaches, attractions and coastal walks I’m itching to start exploring further afield. I’m pleased to say the month ahead involves a visit to Hampshire and to Cornwall. Watch this space to see what we get up to!
Here’s a flash back pic from last summer when we spent a bit of time in East Devon. Isn’t it beautiful? I’ve written about some of the great family activities and attractions in this region famed for its Jurassic Coastline. It’s a great read ahead of half term if you’re visiting our area.
Finally I’ve been waxing lyrical about Longleat in Wiltshire – the UK’s No.1 safari park. It’s a top family day out even in the rain. We visited in December and had a brilliant day despite the drizzle. Here’s a video from out day:
Over on Cruising with Kids we’ve had this great guest post about an Afternoon on Your Own in Barcelona and we’ve put together a post about Everything Families Need to know about Symphony of the Seas.
Our favourite posts from last time
Here’s the posts that caught Lisa and my eyes last time:
I last visited Athens as a teenager and it was a bit of a flying visit, hopping off a cruise ship and heading to a flight home. I did get to see the Acropolis but would love to wander the streets and sample the food after reading this very detailed post by Erin about falling in love with the Greek capital.
I love this honest account of a visit to Amsterdam by Caity. She’s shared what worked and what didn’t work during her four day stop here with her best friend. Her tulip field pictures are to die for!
Lisa said: “Travelling with Our Kids have shared an invaluable guide to travelling with kids who have food intolerances included tried and tested apps which they have found helpful.”
Lisa said: “The Travelling Teacher shares her top ten things to see and do in Banff, Canada. Canada has been top of my travel wish list for as long as I can remember and even more so now. The family’s road trip sounds and looks incredible. Check out these photos…”
Find out who was our ultimate favourite and is the winner of a Lonely Planet destination guide over on Mini Travellers. You’ll also find this week’s link up tool there for your blog posts.
Monday Escapes – 19 February 2018
Happy Monday! If you’re looking for travel inspiration you’ve come to the right place. Monday Escapes is all about sharing experiences and ideas for exploring the world close to home and further afield. Since last time I’m relieved too say we’ve kicked off our 2018 travels. More on that in a minute.
This week you can link up and read everyone’s blogs over on Travel Loving Family‘s post.
What have we been up to?
I was really starting to feel cabin fever in January, so even a UK trip was welcome. However, the very first adventure of the year was a solo one for Mr Tin Box. He jumped on a plane to Rome for a weekend watching the opening England match of the Six Nations rugby tournament. There was a spot of sightseeing and getting some Instagrammable snaps for me too!
Back at home we relocated to Hampshire for a week to see family and spend a few days working. In between the serious stuff we found a bit of time to explore this county we know quite well including a trip across into West Sussex to see Uppark House.
And our eldest little traveller turned five-years-old! She had a wonderful day with cousins and a few friends.
Over on Cruising with Kids: we’ve had a brilliant guest post about a family cruise to Papua New Guinea; Lisa has a very exciting 80s-themed cruise coming up; we’ve sharing some thoughts on why kids love cruising; and there’s a round-up of what you can expect from the new Explorer Academy kids clubs on Celebrity Cruises.
Our favourite posts from last time
Here’s the posts that caught Karen and Sarah’s eyes last time:
Karen says: “There are some beautiful photos in this post from Kiddieholidays about the North York Moors and I would never have thought of it as a place to take toddlers before.”
Karen says: “This Complete Guide to Petra by Go Live Young is exceptional in the level of detail and will be my go to guide when I finally book.”
Sarah says: “I just adore the photos in Bryna from Dotted Line Travel‘s post featuring the Angkor Archaeological Park in Cambodia. If this alone isn’t a reason the visit Cambodia I don’t know what is?”
Sarah says: “After reading Emma from Wanderlust and Wet Wipes‘ post about visiting Jordan and staying in a Martian Dome I am desperate to visit Jordan. What an incredible experience.”
To find out this week’s winner check Lisa’s post.
Monday Escapes – 5 March 2018
Wow! What a fortnight of weather we’ve had the in the UK. Just after the last Monday Escapes we headed to Cornwall for a short break during which we basked in sunshine on the beaches (albeit in our bobble hats). Then, just as we thought Spring had arrived, last week ‘The Beast from the East’ stormed through the country. It’s very rare for us to get snow on the South Coast of Devon but by golly we got it this time!
The kids were off school and nursery; Mr Tin Box had to hitch several lifts to get home from where he’s been working during the week in Cornwall; and we made the girls’ first snowmen. We were lucky not to have had any problems due to the adverse weather but I’m thankful that things now look to be warming up. Not least because it’s less than two weeks until I board a plane to Italy with the other Monday Escapes ladies and an extended group of UK family travel bloggers. Yippee! Our next Monday Escapes will be brought to you live from Tuscany.
What have we been up to?
Epic sunsets featured a lot during our weekend in Cornwall. This one was captured at Porth Beach which is just down the road from where we stayed at Sands Resort Hotel & Spa. You can read more about this hotel in the post I’ve linked up today.
While in Cornwall we spend a lot of time enjoying the Atlantic coastline including a visit to somewhere I’ve wanted to tick off my Cornish bucket list for a while. Legend has it that the site of Tintagel Castle is where King Arthur was conceived. It’s a myth of course, but we did enjoy the views and this striking statue paying homage to the story.
And I couldn’t leave you without one Devon snow picture. Mr Tin Box captured the chocolate box cottage during part of his journey home. By this point no cars were moving on the roads and walking the final few miles was his only choice. The upside was discovering picturesque places like this on the way.
Over on Cruising with Kids we’ve have been chatting about the explorer academy on Celebrity Cruises, its wonderful how kids can learn as they travel and Celebrity seem to be working hard on getting the right balance between education and fun. We also have a few exciting trips planned, including a cruise onboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas for Lisa, myself and our kids.
Our favourite posts from last time
Lisa loves this guide to Dubrovnik by Dear Mummy Blog. “I’ve haven’t yet watched Game of Thrones (I’m clearly missing out) I have however been to Dubrovnik several times and like Baby Isabella’s mum fell in love with the walled city. It should be on the top of everyones travel wish list!”
Claire has read lots of similar posts, but this one about why the 5 Lost Together Family travelled with young kids really struck a cord with her. They’ve given their kids some epic experiences that no classroom can replicate!
To find out who we have chosen as the winner of the Lonely Planet guide see Sarah’s post.
Monday Escapes – 19 March 2018
Ciao from Italy! Today we are bringing you Monday Escapes from Tuscany where we’ve spent a long weekend being hosted by the Giovanni family and Bookings For You at their amazing luxury villa. Our itinerary has been packed full of sightseeing in Siena and Florence, indulging in gourmet Italian home-cooking and catching up with a brilliant group of UK family travel bloggers. I can’t wait to share more about our trip on the blog but in the meantime do hop across to my Facebook page and Instagram account to check out our stay.
What have we been up to?
Aside from Tuscany, here’s a taster of what’s the Tin Box family has been up to since last time.
I’m incredibly excited to share that we’ve added a cruise to this year’s travel plans. In May the girls and I will be hopping onboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas for an 80s themed trip. The picture above is Tin Box Tot during our last cruise in 2016. She hasn’t stopped chatting about our next voyage since I told her.
After our weekend in Cornwall at the end of February we had a few weeks at home, and it’s just as well as any travel plans would have been scuppered by the snow that hit the UK at the beginning of March. It allowed is some quality family time exploring locally in Devon, particularly our favourite beach, Blackpool Sands, which had been transformed by the recent storms.
Our favourite posts from last time
Here are Sarah and Karen’s favourite posts from the last link up:
Sarah said: “Vaucluse Deamer‘s post about the Fete Du Citron festival blew my mind the skill involved and the sheer beauty of the floats makes it a must to add to the travel wish list. You really need to click this link and study the images they are breathtaking.”
Sarah said: “Caity from The Pamplemousse Papers‘ tour of Bergen took on many modes of transport to ensure she saw the best of the Fjords and has left me thinking if you are going to do the Fjords then this is the perfect way to see everything.”
Karen said: “This post from Travelynn Family caught the eye of both Sarah and Karen, it’s an exceptional post about a truly exceptional trip. I’ve trekked some of this area before and is truly inspired at the children’s ability to walk the difficult terrain – and keep going!”
Karen said: “Allison from Becoming a Traveling Family‘s posts are always inspiring with beautiful photos. Her post about San Diego on a budget made me remember fondly a trip there pre-kids and in particular the noise of the seals.”
And the winner is…
Our winner of the Lonely Planet guide this time is Vaucluse Deamer. Do get in touch to claim your prize!
Monday Escapes – 9 April 2018
Hello and welcome back to Monday Escapes. We know many of you are going to be busy over the Easter holidays but we hope you can spare a few minutes to join us and share your travels! Lisa and Sarah are your hosts this week, you will find the linky over on Travel Loving Family.
The past three weeks have been fun-filled, brilliant and exhausting. It all started in Italy where I was with the rest of the Monday Escapes team and a group of nine other travel bloggers staying in a luxury Tuscan villa. We spent the weekend touring Volterra, Sienna and Florence. I still have so much to write about but I do hope you can spare a few minutes to check out my posts about Villa Le Capanne and our guided tours of Florence.
Here’s the Monday Escapes team catching our breath on the back steps of the Duomo di Siena.
From Tuscany I had a few days back home before travelling along the UK’s South Coast to the Isle of Wight where we discovered why it’s such a great holiday destination. Take a look at my video produced for Peakdean Resorts here:
Finally, I’ve just finished seven loads of washing from our week staying at Hendra Holiday Park in Cornwall. The weather wasn’t great but we still had a wonderful time. Here’s some highlights:
Phew! As if that’s not enough, we’ve also been busy over on Cruising with Kids:
Lisa and I are counting down the days until we dress in our brightest leg warmers to review an 80’s cruise with Royal Caribbean and Sarah is getting ready to cruise not once but twice over the next few weeks! Look out for her review of the brand new Norwegian Bliss and Performing Arts cruise onboard Celebrity Silhouette during which she hopes to meet Alfie Boe.
Our favourite posts from last time
Here’s the posts that caught mine and Lisa’s eyes last time:
This post about Xel-Ha in Mexico was a very welcome blast from the past for me. I visited this natural lagoon and adventure park about 15 years ago. It’s great to see it’s still going strong and Jo’s post from Where Jo Goes has given me an itch to return.
I love being introduced to new ways to holiday and Catherine’s post from Cultural Wednesday about her stay in a Landmark Trust property in the middle of Rome sounds wonderful. The history of the place is incredible and thankfully it’s being preserved.
Lisa said: “I loved this guide to a long weekend in Montreal by Caity at Pamplemousse Papers. She visited during the city’s 375th birthday celebrations and shares stunning photos of some of the lesser known sights.” How pretty is this photo?
Lisa said: “I also loved this guide to Lake Garda byTravelling with our Kids. I visited nearby Lake Maggiore in the summer and reading this post made me want to return to the region to explore further afield.” Just look at this view from their flight on the way over:
Pop over to Lisa’s post to find out who was chosen as this week’s winner.
Monday Escapes – 23 April 2018
Hello travel fans and welcome to a much sunnier Monday Escapes than we’ve had in a while. I do hope Spring has arrived where you are too. Here in Devon we’ve got a little giddy about the warmer weather and have broken out the summer wardrobe. I’ve got to admit that one of the main reasons is to check that it still fits ahead of my cruise in a few weeks time! I’ve also had confirmation of a trip to Costa Barcelona the following week so it’s flip-flops and shorts for me from now on *crosses fingers*.
This week Karen from Mini Travellers and I are your hosts and you will find the linky tool to add your posts at the bottom of this page.
In the meantime, here’s a few of our highlights from the past fortnight including a round up of our Easter holiday in Cornwall:
In the second week of the holidays we were invited to review the new Being Brunel Exhibition at SS Great Britain in Bristol. If you’re in the city I can highly recommend a visit to the ship having been there a few times before. The new exhibition is a great addition with plenty of interactive features for kids to enjoy.
While in Bristol we stayed at the fabulously central SACO Apartments on Broad Quay. We could see a glut of the city’s family attractions from our 8th floor balcony and loved the stylish decor – I wanted to move in!
We rounded up our Easter holidays with a day out at Greenway House and Gardens. It was the holiday home of crime writer Agatha Christie and is an extraordinary place to visit. The house is packed full of curiosities and the gardens have wonderful views of the River Dart. I’ve written a bit about it before. However this was our first real time looking around the gardens and we’ll definitely be returning to see them during the different seasons.
I’ve been desperately trying to catch up with posts about our Easter travels and my trip to Italy in March but have not quite covered it all yet. If you do want an overview take a look at where we stayed at Easter and our days out at The Minack Theatre, Bodmin & Wenford Steam Railway and Pirates Quest in Newquay.
Over on Cruising with Kids we’ve got some tips for you to avoid jet lag – essential if you’re not cruising out of Southampton.
Our favourite posts from last time
Here’s the posts that caught Lisa and Sarah’s eyes last time:
Sarah chose Temples of Angkor: Angkor Wat by Dotted Line Travels. She said: “Brynas post from the Temples of Angkor show not only the sheer beauty of the temples but also the rawness. I would just love to sit as the sunsets and enjoy the view.”
Sarah also loved Mama Travels Earth‘s Top 10 things to do in and around Stamford with kids. She said: “Angharad’s post about exploring Stamford made me realise that there is so much more to see if our beautiful country. We just need to get out there and find it.”
Lisa loved this road trip guide to La Mancha by Memories of the Pacific. She said: “Cristina is 50% Manchego and visits the region every year. She shares her top tips for the best places to visit and eat. Her photos are superb and will make you want to join her on a road trip!”.
Lisa also enjoyed this post about what two do in 48 hours in Edinburgh by Side Street Style. Lisa said: “Laura has published a brilliant guide to Edinburgh with kids, including a vlog on travelling for the first time on a sleeper train. She has completely convinced me to visit the city again soon, this time with my kids in tow!”
This week’s winner
Congratulations to Christina from Memories of the Pacific – you are our winner this time. Get in touch and I will organise your Lonely Planet guide prize.
Monday Escapes – 7 May 2018
Ahoy from Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas! As you read this I’m bobbing somewhere around the Bay of Biscay – fingers crossed it’s not too choppy and I can enjoy reading some of your posts as we approach Bilbao in Spain. If you’ve missed me banging on about what I’m doing this week then lucky you! If not you’ll know that both Lisa from Travel Loving Family and I are on the Back to the 80s Cruise with Cruise.co.
It’s a relief for us that Sarah from Extraordinary Chaos and Karen from Mini Travellers are your main hosts this week. You will find the linky tool to add your posts at the bottom Sarah’s post.
In the past two weeks all I seem to have been doing is packing and cracking on through my long to do list. Don’t you find that those last few days before you take a trip are a bit sleepless? On the bright side I have been able to share more on the blog about our Easter adventures like our stay at SACO Apartments in Bristol. I also did a little video tour:
We’ve also had some time at the weekends to make the most of the touches of summer that have been brushing the South Devon coast.
Over on Cruising with Kids we’re very excited to welcome Donna from Like Love Do to the editorial team. She has just got back from a cruise onboard the new Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas so has been sharing her thoughts on it. Meanwhile Sarah was on the inaugural sailing of Norwegian Bliss from Germany to Southampton. Both ships have so much to offer families traveling with teens. Cruising is changing at such a rate – it’s so exciting. I’ve also written about some of the shore excursions you must do if you call in Livorno, Italy, including visiting the beautiful city of Siena.
And, as you know, Lisa and I are currently onboard Navigator of the Seas. Keep an eye out for our InstaStories – you need to see Lisa’s fancy dress!
Our favourite posts from last time
Karen loved Your Dutch Guides post about LEEUWARDEN she said: “I’d never heard of this place at all but the combination of Beer, cheese, seals, and a prison you can eat in, makes this place sound like such fun.”
This post by Travelling with our Kids made Karen want to explore this part of Scotland this summer.
Claire enjoyed reading this post by Suzi from Raising Badgers about returning to a place she used to holiday as a kid with her own family.
Claire said: “I also used to spend a lot of my holidays in the Yorkshire Dales so this brought back a lot of great memories.”
Claire also said: “It was so interesting reading about the eerily beautiful village of Imber which was taken over for military training in the 1940s. Keri from Ladies What Travel tells the story of this place well.”
Monday Escapes – 21 May 2018
Hey there travel fans! I’m back in the UK after an incredible fortnight of travel. Last Monday Escapes I was sailing south onboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas to review the Back to the 80s cruise with my girls. Then last week I joined a press trip with Britmums to explore the countryside, coast and culinary delights of Costa Barcelona. Being home in Devon is a bit of culture shock!
This week it’s Lisa from Travel Loving Family and I hosting the linky. If you’re a blogger who would like to link up then you’ll find the tool on Lisa’s blog.
The Monday Escapes team have been lucky to experience some incredible adventures in the past month so I hope you enjoy reading about them in our linked posts. We’re also looking forward to reading about your trips. But first here’s some highlights from my fortnight of travel:
My girls could not have been more excited to start the fortnight with a cruise onboard Navigator of the Seas. While I was onboard with Lisa and her son, it was still a huge challenge for my parenting skills to keep both Tot and Baby under control when all they wanted to was run riot, but it was the most amazing week.
By far my favourite port of call during the cruise was Lisbon in Portugal. It is colourful, architecturally amazing and family-friendly. We hopped on a tuk tuk for a city tour before hanging out at the urban beach in front of the Eurovision Village.
Hot on the heels of the cruise I joined a press trip exploring the culture, cuisine and sights of Costa Barcelona in Spain. It was an incredible trip and opened my eyes to so many top-notch reasons to visit this region aside from the delights of the city. We stayed at the AC Hotel Gava Mar which was an oasis of calm in-between busy days on the coast and in the countryside.
Just one of the great ways we were invited to discover Costa Barcelona during the four day trip was by bicycle, riding 1okm from Roca Grossa to Santa Susanna in the Maresme region. It was difficult not to pause to take in the views of small coves or stop for refreshment at the many seafront restaurants. I have so much more to share about this trip and the cruise in the coming weeks.
It’s been go, go, go on Cruising with Kids – Lisa and I shared daily updates whilst cruising on
Navigator of the Seas. Sarah has shared a video tour and guide for cruising with teens onboard the spectacular Norwegian Bliss. She set sail onboard Celebrity Silhouette on Saturday to review a Performing Arts cruise. Keep your eyes peeled as she plans to post daily updates on Cruising with Kids whilst onboard with her family.
Last but certainly not least, Donna has recently returned from reviewing the brand new Symphony of the Seas (check out her guide and review here) followed by a short three day cruise onboard the newly refurbished, Independence of the Seas.
Our favourite posts from last time
Here are the posts that caught Karen and Sarah’s attention last time:
Sarah says: “Angharads post from Mamma Travels Earth about visiting Heritage Le Telfair Mauritius made mewant to book, this is my kind of holiday and the pictures had me longing
for a deserted beach.”
Sarah said: “I loved Caity’s post – Travel Expectations vs. Reality Through the Lens of Lake Atitlán which I felt was an honest encounter of how you should manage expectations on a trip. We have all had those disappointing moments haven’t we?”
Karen said: “This post from LadiesWhatTravel made my heart jump into my mouth looking at all the people on the skybridge. Could you do it? Don’t Miss These 7 Things to See and Do in Langkawi!”
Karen said: “This post shows just how beautiful and idylic this part of Spain is. I loved Heidi as a child and quite fancy showing the movie version to the girls this weekend and then taking them to see thevillages. Getting Lost in the Spanish Mountains.“
Hop over to Lisa’s blog to see who we’ve chosen as this week’s winner of the Lonely Planet travel guide.
Monday Escapes – 4 June 2018
The past two weeks has involved lots of catching up: with washing, work and family. We spent the May half term staycationing in Hampshire with the Tin Box grandparents and cousins before heading back to Devon in time for the Torbay Airshow. It was a busy but chilled out week that has got me excited for out next chunk of family time during the summer holidays. Our plans are still very much in the formation stage but I know we’re going to have fun whatever they entail as we know Mr Tin Box has a whole three weeks off. Bring it on!
This week the link up is being hosted by Karen and Sarah. You’ll find the linky tool on Mini Travellers.
But first here’s some highlights from our fortnight of travel in the UK:
A lovely day out in Hampshire if you enjoy pretty gardens and picnics is Hinton Ampner National Trust near Winchester. We spend a few hours letting the kids enjoy the formal lawns and hedged walkways in the sunshine.
Another family day out in Winchester is Marwell Zoo where they have opened a new Tropical House. We were able to visit with our annual membership cards for Paignton Zoo in Devon which is part of the same conservation trust as Marwell.
We rounded up our week in Hampshire with a visit to the Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson near Portsmouth. It is currently hosting the 14-18 NOW art installation, Poppies Wave, which was first seen at the Tower of London. It commemorates the centenary of World War I and will finish its tour at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester after the summer. It’s a beautiful and thought-provoking sight. We saw the same installation when it was in Plymouth last autumn. It feels like a privilege to have seen it twice.
Over on the blog I’ve been busy sharing my thoughts on how family-friendly Royal Caribbean’s older ships are and a round up of the great things there are to do with kids in Costa Barcelona. On YouTube there’s load of new videos from our travels, like this one of out seven day cruise on Navigator of the Seas:
Our favourite posts from last time
Here’s the posts that caught Lisa and Claire’s eyes last time:
This post by Dawn who writes 5 Lost Together is brilliant for anyone planning a similar trip to Uluru. I’d heard that Uluru was far out and that probably would have put me off, but this has made me think again!
Claire said: “This was hilarious to read and the videos also made me chuckle. A great reminder by the Gilbert family that travel doesn’t have to be serious. In fact, the crazier the better for making memories!”
Lisa said: “My kids are desperate for a dog and the main thing that puts me off is the logistics of what we would do with it when travelling so I found this post very enlightening! You clearly can still travel with a pooch.”
Lisa said: “Like Nicky, I have recently visited the SS Great Britain with my family and can also vouch that it is a brilliant family friendly attraction. Also like Nicky, I climbed the rigging and attempted to walk across the yard arm… its not for the faint hearted. My legs shake just thinking about it! Fantastic birds eye views over Bristol though!”
Hop over to Karen’s Blog, Mini Travellers, to find out whose post was out favourite.
Monday Escapes – 18 June 2018
Hey there travel peeps! Here in Devon we’re on the run down to the school summer holidays and our tiny little country roads, complete with grass down the middle, are starting to get busy. We’ve had a couple of reasons to venture outside our rural South West county in the past two week including a very royal day out and, at the other end of the holiday spectrum, a relaxing glamping break in Cornwall. More on these snippets of travel goodness in a minute.
This week the Monday Escapes link up is being hosted by myself and Lisa at Travel Loving Family. You’ll find the linky tool right here on Tin Box Traveller. Just scroll to the bottom of this post.
Alternatively, have a leisurely browse over what I’ve been up to in the past fortnight and then link up:
Two weeks ago I left the girls in the care of their grandparents and hopped in the car to Hampshire for a tour of the Royal Princess cruise ship. It was fabulous and I’ve written a bit more about why I’d love to go on a Princess Cruises holiday now.
A couple of days later it was ‘about face’ for a trip West into Cornwall where we were invited to stay with Classic Glamping in a safari tent just outside Launceston. I took along my parents and had the most wonderful relaxed weekend with them and the girls in the middle of no where.
To round up our weekend we paid a visit to Hartland Abbey on Dartmoor in Devon where we saw this incredible egg sculpture in the Great Barn. Harland Abbey is famous for being the home of the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe – Sir Francis Drake. But both times we have been it has been hosting exhibitions by the artist Andrew Logan. His work, made of recycled materials, is striking.
On Cruising with Kids we’ve been so busy that it’s called for a round-up of our recent adventures including a visit to France for Lisa to see MSC Cruises’ next new ship MSC Bellissima floated for the first time. Sarah has also written everything you need to know about cruising on Celebrity Silhouette and we’ve got not one but two great giveaways running: win a copy of the children’s travel book Great Voyages or a personalised travel wall print from My Icon Story.
Our favourite posts from last time
Here’s the posts that caught Sarah and Karen’s eyes last time:
Karen loved this post about Visiting the Merlet Animal Park from Picolo Explorer. You just have to go over and look at the pictures of the goats. Karen also LOVED the stunning photos in Kerri’Anne from Life As Our Little Family’s review of her wigwam glamping trip at May Half Term.
Sarah said she adored this post from Sharon at Exploring Our World. We all love a castle don’t we? And Sharon has gathered and awe inspiring collection in her post.
Sarah said that if street art is your thing Bryna from Dotted Line Travels’ post on street art in Montreal is awe inspiring. She said she could spend all day looking at street art. There is something so raw but so beautiful about it.
And Sarah and Karen’s favourite post this time is Sharon at Exploring Our World! Do get in touch to claim your pride Sharon.
Monday Escapes 2 July 2018
Hey there blogging friends and travel fans. I do hope you’ve been enjoying the same amazing weather we have here in Devon, England. It’s lifted my spirits and given us plenty of reason to spend time outdoors. Before I launch into what we’ve got up to and the rest of Monday Escapes…
…we have some news
As a team, Lisa, Sarah, Karen and I have decided that we are going to step away from Monday Escapes. We love our little community but are struggling to balance our time between our blogs, families and travels. This will be our last link up of Monday Escapes *weeps* but we hope you understand.
Thank you all for supporting us over the years and if anyone wants to pick up the Monday Escapes mantle just let us know.
Now, what have I been up to this past fortnight:
We spent this fortnight at home in Devon and despite living her nearly three years now it’s beaches still dazzle me. When we stopped at North Sands near Salcombe for an ice cream and paddle we could have been on the Mediterranean. Salcombe is a must visit Devon town if you are visiting the area.
Mr Tin Box is working away a lot in June and July so when we had him home for 24 hours last weekend we made the most of it with a walk at one of our favourite South Devon beauty spots, Berry Head at Brixham. The girls loved spending time with him and it was fun to pretend he didn’t need to go away again…at least for a few hours. Moments like this are precious.
As well as enjoying time in Devon I’ve been busy writing about our recent dog-friendly glamping break in Cornwall, things to do in North Devon with kids, UK staycations and top island holidays.
I’ve also got a giveaway to win a Energizer smartphone worth £299!
Over on Cruising With Kids Lisa has been out to France checking out all of MSC’s exciting plans. We are working with them as ambassadors for their new ship Bellissima which we are all super excited about. And Donna has been sharing her tips on getting the best out of drinks packages, which in itself is a dark art.
This weeks Monday Escapes is being hosted by Sarah at Extraordinary Chaos and Karen at Mini Travellers. You’ll find the link up tool on Sarah’s blog.
Our favourite posts from last time
Claire said: “This hideaway discovered by Keri from Ladies What Travel sounds like the perfect place to unwind in the mountains. I’d love a pot of tea on the balcony with views of Olympus.”
And she also said: “I’m a bit biased because I went on this trip with Catherine but I loved all the extra details she’s added into this post about our day in Sant Cugat. I’ve learnt a lot more about the wonderful places we explored.”
Lisa loved this honest post by the Gilberts at Learning Brave who took their kids on a sightseeing drive to the Austrian Alps. An experience neither of them will ever forget I’m sure!
And Dan and Linda’s guide to day trips from Paris. “Surely a a trip to the city of love followed by a trip to the coast or countryside is a winning combo?”
Monday Escapes – 10 September 2018
And in a flash the summer was over! I do hope you had an amazing time and made some fantastic memories whatever you got up to. I know we did. More on that in a moment…
As we announced before the summer holidays Karen at Mini Travellers, Sarah from Extraordinary Chaos, Lisa from Travel Loving Family and myself are waving a fond farewell to Monday Escapes.
The amazing news is that Monday Escapes is going to live on with two fabulous new hosts: Katy at Otis & Us and Daisy at Dais Like These. We are so pleased to see the linky continue and hope that you will continue to give Katy and Daisy your support.
Now, a bit about our summer
We spent the first week of our summer in North Devon catching up with family and friends at a campsite close to the Devon and Cornwall border. It was chilled out, sadly not always sunny, but we love this area. There’s so much to do in North Devon and we got to visit one of our favourite Devon beaches, Hartland Quay.
View this post on Instagram
Next up with a press trip to Seaton in East Devon where we had the opportunity to discover a lot of places we’d not been before – all despite it being an hour and a half down the road from where we live. A highlight was a boat trip along the Jurassic Coast with Stuart Line Cruises. Here’s a video:
A super proud mummy moment for me over the summer was when we took Tot and Baby to try out the new Go Ape Junior Adventure near Exeter in Devon. This was Baby’s first high ropes course experience and she aced it!
View this post on Instagram
Our last trip of the summer was to Lake Garda where we were invited to stay with Al Fresco Holidays. Mr Tin Box wasn’t able to join us so I asked Tin Box Grandma and Grandpa along.
We had a brilliant week and managed to squeeze in plenty of sightseeing around the lake and a trip to Venice.
View this post on Instagram
Our favourite posts from last time
Before we go we have to give a shout out to a couple of Karen and Sarah’s favourite blogs from our last linky.
The ladies loved 7 fun beaches in the Netherlands by Your Dutch Guide. Sarah said: “I adore Esther’s post of beaches in the Netherlands, its not something I would think of when visiting and would have planned in countryside and city breaks However the beaches look incredible.”
This post The Hiding Place by Learning Brave was also a hit. Sarah said: “The Gilbert family’s account of their trip to the hiding place is not only incredibly beautiful but also makes you think long and hard about human kindness. Exploring places like this as we travel is such a wonderful way to find out about history.”
Our final Lonely Planet guide winner
The winner of the Lonely Planet guide is Esther from Your Dutch Guide! Congratulations Esther. Please get in touch to claim your prize.
All that’s left to do is to thank you all so much for taking part in Monday Escapes over the years. Karen, Sarah, Lisa and I have loved reading all your posts and really appreciate the support from this fabulous blogging community.
Similar Posts
10 must see castles in Devon and Cornwall
Follow in the footsteps of West County nobles and defenders by visiting these dramatic and characterful castles in Devon and Cornwall
Royal Seven Stars Hotel, Totnes – a family-friendly place to eat in South Devon
During our recent day out on the Round Robin in South Devon we were invited to eat at the Royal Seven Stars Hotel in Totnes. If you’ve ever visited the bohemian market town of Totnes you’ll know you can’t miss the Royal Seven Stars. It’s in a prime location at the bottom of the high street…
11 ways to explain the value of things to your kid (travel edition)
Traveling with your young family can be an incredible experience. However, it can also be draining and intimidating. If you have young children, then you’ll be familiar with the constant echoes of ‘are we there yet?’. So, why do we even bother taking our children on trips? Well, it’s an essential part of their growth…
Holidaying in South Devon: a caravan staycation
We landed on our feet, or steadies, when we came to live in Devon. It’s a county with 300 miles of coastline, two national parks, an array of family attractions and hundreds of beach resorts, holiday parks and camp sites. The latter means we are spoilt for choice when planning caravan staycations in Tin Box….
5 amazing experiences in Sri Lanka with kids
If you’re planning to visit Sri Lanka with kids or want to ensure you’ve lined up the best activities during your stay, then we’ve got some Sri Lanka travel inspiration for you. Here are five amazing experiences you must fit into your Sri Lanka family holiday: Things to do and places to visit in Sri…
3 Comments
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Lovely to hear Monday Escapes will live on but sad to see you guys step down. Can understand why though, running this must have been such hard work! Thanks to you all for running the link up – its been great fun and I’ve made some new friends.
Also congrats on the awards – all the best! K x
Keri | Ladies What Travel recently posted…Turning a walking holiday into a disabled-friendly road trip
Congrats on your BiB shortlisting! Well deserved, and I’ve liked that adorable Christmas cupcake photo so fingers crossed for you all to get a visit to Santa’s Lapland 🙂
Thanks so much for all your hard work on Monday Escapes. Great to hear it will be continuing! Congratulations on the nominations too. Amazing news! Xx