Category: Trip Planning

I learned this the hard way: your nicest sunglasses are not meant for travel. Early on, I ignored every warning about leaving them at home, dropped my favorites somewhere between a cobblestone street and a taxi trunk, and never saw them again.

Now I keep one pair in the car and another exclusively for trips. Over time, a few models have earned a permanent spot in my bag — along with some small accessories that seem minor until you need them.

The Sunglasses I Actually Pack

I mix city walking with outdoor days, so versatility matters more to me than brand prestige. Here is what has worked.

Goodr Sunglasses — Best Budget Option

These are the pair you do not need to worry about. I had a pair of Goodrs that served perfectly well, and when they eventually disappeared on a trip, it was no great tragedy. There are plenty of models to choose from, but the real benefit is peace of mind: lose them or scratch them and you can move on without stress.

Ombraz Armless Sunglasses — Editor’s Pick

I have been using Ombraz sunglasses for years, and they are my go-to for outdoor days. Instead of sidearms, they come with a built-in cord that adjusts to fit around your neck or sit on top of your head. They pack flat, stay secure in wind, and are ideal if you take your glasses on and off frequently — which I do whenever Sam hands me the camera.

I have both the Dolomite and Classics shapes. If you have a low nose bridge like I do, the Nose Pad Risers make a noticeable difference. They also sell Side Shields, which came in handy at Burning Man when the dust was relentless.

Pair Eyewear — Most Versatile

Pair Eyewear works on a simple but clever idea: a base frame with magnets that lets you swap out top frames. The same glasses become prescription eyewear in the morning and sunglasses by afternoon. I appreciate not having to carry two pairs when we travel.

Maui Jim Polarized Sunglasses

For traditional-style shades, I prefer Maui Jim. I like the oversized frames that protect the skin around my eyes, but it is really the lenses that matter — they do not just darken everything. The polarization eliminates glare and actually enhances colors, so natural light looks clearer rather than muted.

Mine makes everything look a little like sunset, which I think is a fair trade for the price.

Accessories Worth Packing

A good pair of sunglasses is only as useful as you can keep it protected. These two small additions have saved me more than once.

The Bristow Lens Jacket — A Slim Glasses Case

This slim case was invented by Jacob, a friend of mine, and his college roommate — they raised over $144k on Kickstarter for it. Rather than enclosing the whole frame in a bulky case, the Lens Jacket slips just over the lenses, which are really the part that needs protection. It folds into your bag or pocket without adding weight.

The exterior is supple sheepskin leather and the interior has a soft fuzzy liner. I was told a bomber jacket inspired the design, and honestly, it makes sense.

A Glasses Chain

I saw a friend wearing one of these and immediately knew I needed one. Paired with the Lens Jacket, my glasses look like they come with their own tiny purse, which I think is rather charming. It also means I can take them on and off without hunting for a safe place to set them down — helpful when you are moving through airports or trying to snap photos.

My only note: the chain does tangle if it gets bunched up at the bottom of my bag alongside keys and cards. I am considering trying a stone-beaded version next time, which seems less prone to knots.

A Few Final Thoughts

The right sunglasses for travel do not have to be your most expensive pair — they just need to fit how you actually move through a day. A cord that keeps them from slipping off, lenses that handle glare without washing out the world, and a slim case that does not take over your bag: those are the details worth getting right.

What about you? Do you have a travel pair of sunglasses that has survived every trip, or are you still looking for one?

Keep Reading

• Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
• Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
• 7 Lessons I Learned After Traveling with My Daughter for 5 Y

A friend called me last spring while stuck in an airport lounge in Dublin. Her daughter had woken up with a fever, their connecting flight was cancelled, and she was trying to figure out if her American health plan covered anything at the nearest clinic. She sounded exhausted in that particular way only parents know — the kind where you are doing three things at once and none of them feel like they are working.

I thought about that call a lot while Sam and I were booking our next family trip. We had spent weeks comparing flights, reading hotel reviews, and arguing over whether to pack Biscuit’s favourite toy for the car ride (we did). But there was one thing on the checklist we used to skip: travel insurance.

Not anymore. After years of travelling just the two of us, then adding our daughter into the mix, I have come to see family travel insurance as non-negotiable. It is not about expecting disaster. It is about protecting the time, money, and energy you pour into a trip that probably took months to plan.

Why Family Travel Insurance Actually Matters

Family trips carry higher stakes than solo travel. More people means more moving parts, and usually a much bigger upfront investment. Here is why I will never skimp on this again:

• The costs add up fast. Flights, hotels, tours, activities — for a family of three or four, we are talking thousands of dollars before you even book. Cancel one day before departure and the financial hit is real.
• Kids get sick at the worst possible moment. A fever the night before the flight or a stomach bug mid-trip can derail everything. One evening last year, our daughter spiked a temperature two days before a weekend getaway, and we had to choose between pushing through or cancelling. Insurance covered both options.
• Delays multiply quickly. One delayed flight means meals, hotel nights, and transport for everyone, not just one person. A four-hour delay with three hungry people is its own kind of adventure.
• Lost baggage is harder with littles. Replacing clothes, medications, and the things you cannot live without on the road is exhausting enough on your own — now imagine doing it while holding a toddler.
• Most domestic health plans barely cover you abroad. Many families assume they are protected until they discover the hard way that their everyday insurance offers little to nothing overseas. In the US, standard plans rarely include international emergency care. If you are travelling from the UK or EU, your NHS coverage or European Health Insurance Card helps within Europe, but it does not extend to non-EU destinations.

Trip Protection vs. Travel Medical Insurance

One of the most common points of confusion is the difference between these two types of coverage. They sound similar, but they are not the same thing.

Trip protection covers the logistics of your journey:

• Trip cancellation for covered reasons (illness, severe weather, job loss)
• Trip interruption if you need to cut a trip short
• Travel delays — meals, lodging, and transport while you wait
• Lost or delayed baggage

Travel medical insurance covers your health:

• Emergency medical treatment
• Hospital stays
• Emergency medical evacuation — which can cost $25,000 to $75,000 on its own
• Round-the-clock travel assistance services

Many family plans bundle both together, though coverage amounts and limits vary. A typical comprehensive plan for a family of four might run between $300 and $800 depending on the trip cost and destination — not cheap, but nowhere near the cost of an uncovered emergency.

What I Like About Family Vacation Insurance

Covering multiple travellers under one policy keeps paperwork and claims simpler. When you are already juggling kids, schedules, and a carry-on that somehow holds everything and nothing at once, fewer forms to fill out is worth something.

I also appreciate the flexibility. You are not locked into a one-size-fits-all option. You can choose your deductible, coverage length, and overall limits based on how your family actually travels. For our last trip, we picked higher medical limits because we were going somewhere remote. No skydiving for us, so we skipped that add-on.

Atlas Journey: What It Covers

This post was written in partnership with WorldTrips. All opinions are my own — I just want to help you make confident travel decisions, the same way I try to figure things out for myself before every trip.

For US residents, Atlas Journey is WorldTrips’ primary trip protection plan, and it works well for families. Depending on the plan level, it can include:

• Trip cancellation and interruption benefits
• Travel delay coverage
• Baggage protection
• Emergency medical benefits (varies by plan)
• 24/7 travel assistance — which is more useful than it sounds when you are in a foreign country at 2 a.m.

This kind of coverage fits well for family cruises, international vacations, or any trip booked far in advance where the financial commitment is meaningful.

Optional Add-Ons Worth Considering

Some trips call for extra flexibility, and there are two upgrades I think about every time we plan something big.

Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) is an optional upgrade on select plans. Your standard trip cancellation benefit reimburses you only for reasons listed in the policy — illness, severe weather, that sort of thing. CFAR goes further: it allows partial reimbursement, typically 50% or 75%, if you cancel for reasons not covered by the base plan, like a change of heart or general concerns about travelling.

There is an important catch. CFAR usually must be added within two to three weeks of making your first trip payment. For our last cruise, we booked flights six months ahead and added CFAR that same week — glad we did, because Sam’s work schedule shifted and we were able to recover 75% of the cost when we postponed.

There is also a Pet Care upgrade, which can provide cancellation coverage if your pet falls ill or passes away before the trip. If you are bringing your furry friend along, it covers vet costs on the road too. We have not used this one yet — Biscuit’s travel adventures so far have been limited to the car — but I keep it in mind for future trips.

Filing a Claim: What to Expect

No one enjoys dealing with insurance claims, but knowing what to expect helps more than you would think. Here is what I have learned:

• Claims require documentation — keep receipts for everything, medical reports from any doctors you visit, and written proof of delays (airline emails count).
• Read your full policy documents before you travel, not when something goes wrong. I know this sounds tedious, but skimming the coverage details once at home saves hours of stress later.
• A little organisation upfront — a folder on your phone for photos of receipts, for example — makes the whole process less painful.

How to Choose the Right Plan for Your Family

Family travel insurance is not about finding the cheapest option. It is about finding the right fit.

Think of it like booking flights. You would not choose a route with three layovers when a direct flight exists, and you would not pick a motel near the highway when a comfortable hotel is within budget. Insurance works the same way.

When comparing plans, start here:

• Decide what type of insurance fits your trip best. A weekend road trip needs different coverage than a three-week international adventure.
• Prioritise the benefits that matter most to your family. If you are travelling with young kids, medical evacuation might be worth more than baggage protection.
• Choose coverage limits and deductibles that match your budget. Know how much you could comfortably pay out of pocket if something went wrong — then build from there.
• Read the fine print on exclusions. Pre-existing conditions, high-risk activities, and trip duration caps vary between providers.

A Final Thought

Family travel insurance is not about expecting the worst. It is about giving yourself breathing room when plans change — because they always do.

Trips with kids are full of moments you will carry for years. They are also full of unexpected detours, last-minute cancellations, and the kind of chaos that makes you laugh in hindsight but stress over in real time. Having the right coverage in place won’t stop things from going wrong, but it can make those stressful situations feel manageable instead of overwhelming.

Read the policy details carefully and choose a plan that reflects how your family travels. When you are far from home with the people you care about most, that peace of mind is worth every cent.

Keep Reading

• S’mores Puppy Chow
• Roasted Tomatoes: A 15-Minute Side That Tastes Like Summer
• Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Sandwiches

I fell in love with France the first time I visited Bordeaux back in 2010. Friends from a trip in Thailand showed me around, introduced me to the food and the wine, and somehow managed to make an entire country feel like home before I had even seen half of it.

Then came Paris. Stepping out of that metro station onto the Champs Elysees — the lights, the energy, the sheer weight of history in every direction — something shifted inside me. It was as though I had always known that city and was finally coming back to it.

Paris has not let go since. Over the years, I kept returning, spending months at a time exploring neighborhoods I could never quite map in my head. In 2019, I even lived there for a few months.

Last August, after another trip, it hit me: what if I moved back?

I was feeling worn down by the pace of everyday life at home, creatively stuck, and honestly not sure what came next. Sam understood — he always does — and we started talking about what a change of scenery might do for both of us.

France made sense. It is cheaper than most American cities I could name, I already had friends there, I have wanted to learn French forever, and it would be the perfect base for exploring the rest of Europe. Plus, writing from a cafe in Paris has always felt like one of those things you picture yourself doing someday.

But how exactly do you move to France?

The four visa options

France does not have a digital nomad visa, and the standard Schengen tourist visa caps you at three months. So if you want to stay longer, there are four main paths:

• Student visa
• Long-term visitor visa (VLS-TS visiteur)
• Entrepreneur visa
• Talent visa

The student visa is the most straightforward. You enroll in a full-time program at an accredited school and show you have enough funds to support yourself — around 600 Euros per month. A friend of mine is on this right now, doing a nine-month intensive French course. The nice part: you can work part-time on it. The catch? If you leave the program, the visa gets voided. After finishing, though, you can switch to a job-seeker visa for up to six more months.

I considered the entrepreneur visa but found the process daunting. You have to set up your business in France, show it makes money with at least one French client, and prove it supports you at minimum wage level or above. The authorities scrutinize your finances closely, and you need to register the business and pay French taxes. All of that takes months.

Then there is the talent visa, aimed at people who are recognized experts in their field — think academics or artists with verifiable credentials. You would need to show how your work contributes to French culture and demonstrate a source of income. It is solid for someone planning a long-term stay where they physically work.

Both the entrepreneur and talent visas sounded thorough, which is another word for time-consuming. Since I was not sure France would be my forever home, I did not want to lock myself into that kind of process.

The path I chose: VLS-TS visiteur

I went with the long-term visitor visa — officially called the VLS-TS visiteur. It lets you stay in France for up to 12 months and can be renewed from within the country, pretty much indefinitely. A lot of Americans (and most retirees) use this one.

The trade-offs are real: I cannot physically work here, and I am not part of the French social welfare system. But it does allow me to open a bank account, and if you have passive income or savings, it is a perfectly viable way to live in France long-term.

Can you work remotely on this visa?

This was my biggest question. The French government has not built a system that catches up with remote work yet. They define “work” as something you do physically — the kind of job that could take a position away from a French person.

Could I run walking tours in Paris? No. Could I work at a cafe? No. But does writing this blog count as work? What about a weekly newsletter with affiliate links?

The gray area is considerable. The French tax office said last July that remote work is considered taxable, but there are no official laws codifying that — it is their opinion and nothing has moved on the legal front since. My visa does not even come with a tax number, so technically I could not pay taxes even if I wanted to.

When the visa office asks how you will support yourself, “income from work” is one accepted source. I was completely open that my income comes from this blog and my writing projects. It worked out fine.

The best thing to do is talk to a lawyer. I recommend Daniel Tostado — yes, that is his real name — one of the largest American-French immigration firms in Paris. He meets regularly with government officials to clarify exactly these kinds of rules and gave me solid advice.

The application process

Getting this visa turned out simpler than I expected. Here is how it works:

1. Fill out your application on the French government website.
2. Take the application number to TLScontact and book an appointment (France outsources appointments to them).
3. Show up with your documents. They check everything, take biometrics, collect fees, and send your passport to the embassy.

The main things you need to prove are that you have accommodation for at least 90 days and enough income to support yourself. The authorities just want to make sure you will not become a burden on their system.

What I brought to my appointment

I tend to over-prepare, so here is what I took with me:

• A printed copy of the application
• Appointment confirmation
• Extra passport photos
• Proof of accommodation (Airbnb, hotel, or a friend’s home — if it is someone else’s place, they need to own it)
• A letter stating I would not work in France
• A financial summary explaining why I am moving and where my income comes from
• Health insurance meeting French requirements (I used Mondassur)
• Three months of bank statements showing regular deposits
• A second bank account, my tax returns, and my W-2

The second bank account, tax returns, and W-2 were not required, but the woman at the appointment said more proof never hurts. Another friend of mine managed with only what the form asked for. I just did not want to take any chances.

Waiting for approval

Officially, processing takes up to 15 days. In practice, everyone I know got their passport back within a week.

The hardest part is the waiting itself — you do not know whether you are approved until your passport is returned. I found myself scrolling through Reddit threads, and most denials came down to two things: insufficient income proof or accommodation issues. Get those right and you are in good shape.

Once you have your visa

You can enter France any time after the start date printed on it. After arrival, you have 90 days to register your visa with the state — they include a QR code with instructions when you get your passport back. It is mostly paperwork from there.

Once that registration is done, there is nothing else to do. You stay in France (and can travel through Europe) until your visa expires.

A note on all of this

If you are thinking about moving to France, these options should give you a starting point. But I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice — always seek counsel from an immigration professional for your specific situation.

Have you ever considered living abroad on a long-term visitor visa? Or does the paperwork alone make you want to book a three-week trip instead? I would love to hear what you think in the comments.

Keep Reading

• Strawberry Spinach Salad
• A Crochet Dress Pattern for Little Ones: The Delightful Days
• How to Boil Eggs: Exact Times for Runny, Jammy, and Hard-Boi