Hi there.
Hi. I’m Kristen.
Welcome to Midwest Travel Mama.
I’m a mom of three, travel writer, content creator, and the voice behind Adventure Travel with Kids. My mission is simple: to help families travel more through detailed itineraries, destination guides, practical planning advice, and real-world tips that make adventure travel with kids easier.
Because here’s the truth:
Traveling with kids doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
You don’t need a perfectly planned vacation, a huge budget, or years of travel experience to create incredible memories with your family. You just need the right information and the confidence to get started.
How Midwest Travel Mama began
Like many parents, I assumed that travel would become more difficult once we had kids. Then in 2020, my husband and I packed up our 1 & 3 year old and set off on a 16-hour road trip for our very first family vacation. We had no idea how it would go.
But somewhere between the snacks, roadside stops, lazy days on the beach, and making the sweetest memories, I realized something important: Travel wasn’t harder with kids. It was just different.
Seeing destinations through their eyes made every experience more meaningful, and even the simplest adventures became something special.
From that point on, I became obsessed with planning our next trip.
What started as a hobby quickly turned into a passion for creating detailed itineraries, discovering hidden gems, finding family-friendly hikes, and helping other families realize that adventure is absolutely possible with kids in tow.
What You’ll Find Here
Today, Midwest Travel Mama is a resource for families looking to adventure more and stress less.
Here you’ll find:
• Detailed destination guides
• Family-friendly road trip itineraries
• National & state park guides
• Weekend getaway ideas
• Hidden gems across the Midwest + United States
• Travel planning tips and hacks
• Family-tested hotel and attraction recommendations
• Practical advice for traveling with kids
Every guide is based on our family’s real experiences and designed to help you spend less time researching and more time making memories.
Why I love Family Travel
For me, travel has never been about checking destinations off a list. It’s about connection. The slow moments as a family. No distractions – laundry, dishes, a messy house. Just me & them.
It’s about watching my kids discover something new for the first time. Long road trip conversations, campfire dinners, hiking to a waterfall together, and seeing the world through their eyes. Meeting them at the exact stage of life they are in during this exact moment in time.
Some of our favorite memories have happened hundreds of miles from home. Others have happened just down the road. Along the way I’ve learned that the destination matters way less than you may think.
Adventure Travel with Kids
In addition to the blog, I host the Adventure Travel with Kids podcast, where I share destination inspiration, detailed itineraries, travel planning strategies, budgeting tips, and practical advice for families who want to explore more together.
Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway, a national park adventure, or the family road trip of a lifetime, my goal is to help you travel with confidence as a family.
Let’s Adventure Together
Whether you’re searching for your next family vacation, planning an epic road trip, or simply looking for inspiration to get outside and explore with your kids, I hope you’ll find the resources and encouragement you need.
Adventure is waiting. Let’s go find it together.
