The 2012 Go! BiB Award Finalists

What a perfect time of year to be highlighting eight brilliant blogs all about travel! Browse their blogs and you’re sure to find inspiration for some holiday adventures that you and the family can embark on this summer!

Family travel blogging runs the gamut from round-the-world travelogues to just-down-the-road outings. Blogs in this category are passionate about travel and discovery and it shows, via pictures, evocative descriptions and a realistic perspective of travelling with kids. And we all know how challenging travelling with children can be!

Without further ado, in no particular order, I give you the Go! BiB Award Finalists:

Expat Baby Adventures

In her own words:

I’m a 30 something (although I have started counting backwards now) first time mammy that lives in Dubai. A paediatric nurse, pre school teacher and still don’t have a clue what I’m doing. Whoever said quaifications were useful is a big eejit in my book. I have a wee son LPV and fantastic husband who, let’s face it, has the patience of a saint!!!

We’re loving the Why? post that featured recently on Expat Baby Adventures! So many perfect questions! Expat Mammy also has a brilliant post, Travel Schmavel, which gives great advice on dealing with low-cost airlines. We’re sure you can empathise with Expat Mammy and her Babysitting Difficulties as an expat. It’s hard enough finding a babysitter in this country! Congratulations Expat Mammy!

You can follow Expat Mammy and Expat Baby Adventures on Twitter(@expatmammy) and Facebook.

Family Affairs and Other Matters

In her own words:

Single parent of 3 learning to survive divorce whilst attempting to keep her family & her sense of humour in tact. Blogger, traveller and fitness instructor.

Lucy has been blogging for quite some time now and if you want a plethora of travel posts and amazing advice, tune in to Lucy’s Travel section of her blog. The Top Tips for Planning Your Disney Holiday are brilliant and we love Lucy’s take on Social Media and the Travel Market. Well-known for the elephant bums on her header, Lucy is proof positive that blogging can take you far indeed.

Family Affairs and Other Matters can be found on Twitter (@FamilyAffairs).

It’s a Small World After All

In her own words:

Steve and I have a shared love of travelling, and it’s been something that we’ve talked fondly about returning to over the last few years. Our memories of previous trips together have sustained us through the years of sleep deprivation and tantrums. It seems obvious to us that, as our children grow older, we should share this love of travel with them.

We also think that travelling with our children will change our experience in a positive way. We will immediately have something in common with many of the people we meet, which will hopefully enable us to gain a deeper understanding of the countries we visit.

Victoria and the family arrived back in the UK in July of last year after spending 9 months travelling the world. Their adventures were amazing and they continue to make London life a wonderful adventure, especially after adding a rather adorable chocolate lab to the mix. They’ve had a wonderful trip to modern Youth Hostels recently as well as remembering snowball fights in the New Zealand mountains. One of my favourite features on Victoria’s blog is Home Sweet Home which is a running picture of everywhere they’ve stayed…from the front door. Makes me want to think about a similar adventure!

It’s a Small World After All can be found on Twitter (@vwallop).

London Baby

In her own words:

We lived in a tiny, central London flat; not being much of a homebody to begin with, my new-born and I immediately set out in October 2005 to discover what London has to offer the under 5’s. I have found this city to be amazingly friendly to carers of small children. In 2007, we moved to a different neighbourhood and I discovered an entirely new part of Central London. Now that our son has joined us in 2009, I can continue to discover London for babies, toddlers and mums with more than one small child.

My reviews are the result of nearly three years of caring full-time for my daughter, and now infant son, in London while also experiencing being a parent travelling to different cities and towns in Europe and North America. This web site is based on all the friendly chats that we have had in playgrounds here in London and elsewhere about destinations and activities for our small children. Further, as a teacher I have accompanied and led groups of children around greater Chicago and London and I bring these experiences to this site.

Looking for things to do in London with your babies and toddlers? Well, look no further! Laura highlights Parks and Playgrounds, Paddling Pools and Outdoor Water Fun as well as specific neighbourhoods in and around London. This blog almost makes me want to move to London with my family so I can check everything out too! That’s a great accomplishment in a blog.

Follow London Baby on Twitter (@londonbabymum)

 Mum’s Gone To…

In her own words:

Hi. My name is Trish Burgess and my blog was born after I decided to type up my travel diaries. They began with ‘Mum’s Gone to Iceland’ in 2007 and since then we’ve had family jaunts from Canada to Cyprus, Barcelona to Berlin.

 

Originally from Newcastle upon Tyne, I read Geography at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, before embarking on a career with the John Lewis Partnership.

 

I now live in South Lincolnshire with my GP husband, Dougie and teenage son, Rory. I’m very lucky to have had some great holidays recently: it won’t be long before our son will prefer holidaying in Ibiza with his mates, so I’d best make the most of now. In amongst the travel posts there is also random scribbling on other mummy blogger topics: I can’t be on holiday all the time…more’s the pity!

In addition to fabulous travel posts, Trish also brings us travels back in time through her father’s memories like Memories of the Coronation. You’ll also want to check out Trish’s Picture Postcard: Niagra Falls; someone alert the Niagra Falls Tourist Office…hire her! While you’re at it, check out Copenhagen too! I wonder if Trish will plan our next holiday for us?

Please follow Mum’s Gone To on Twitter (@mumsgoneto) and Facebook.

Scribbler in Seville

In her own words:

I’m a journalist, translator, teacher, wife and mother living in southern Spain.

I write (for blogs, magazines, newspapers and websites) about Seville and its quirks, excitements and frustrations; about living here as an expat; about bringing up bilingual atheist children who can exist happily between two cultures; about being married to an Andalucian builder (insert mañana joke here); and about keeping a sense of humour – especially for the more surreal everyday experiences in this crazy, upside-down country.

We love Fiona’s most recent post about not being able to attend the BiBs…we’ll miss you love! And what a great trip back to the UK Fiona and family had to celebrate The Queen’s Jubilee…where did you steal the sun from? If you’re heading to Seville any time soon, do check out Fiona’s “Up with the Gods” post. And I’m sure she won’t mind if you call in for tea as well.

You can find Scribbler in Seville on Twitter (@Seville_Writer) and on Facebook and Pinterest.

The Mum Blog

In her own words:

Liz is currently the UK’s No 1 Travel Blogger and says that seeing the world through her son’s eyes is one of the greatest pleasures of her parenting experience. The past year has seen her writing about destinations as varied as the Bahamas, New Zealand, Vienna and Yorkshire, and she’s a firm believer that travel is an important part of education even if it does mean time off from school. In her day job she’s a professional journalist and travel writer, and she was recently appointed Editor of glossy travel magazine Cruise International.

We’re loving Liz’s Escape Place…hmmm, where’s mine? We have to admit, we did have a little chuckle over Liz’s NASCAR driving experience and really love the photo of her with her helmet on. If you’re thinking about Disneyland Paris, you must check out Disneyland Paris 20th Anniversary Celebrations…you’ll be booking a trip in a flash!

Liz Jarvis can be found on The Mum Blog, Twitter (@LizJarvisUK) and Pinterest

Travels with my Family

In her own words:

I am a traveller, writer, designer, sailor, mother and wife.

Simple, succinct and perfect…we love the whole idea behind Jane’s blog. Off they’ve gone on a boat and are having amazing adventures, homeschooling and seeing so many gorgeous sights! This could really get your sea legs kicking or your itchy feet itching to take off to the same glorious ports. I’ve learned quite a lot about St Maarten from Jane’s posts…simply gorgeous! Do check out the Food on Board category as well…lovely recipes and a pretty stunning apple pie as well.

You can find Jane and her Travels with my Family on Flickr and Facebook.

So there we have it! 8 amazing travel blogs that are sure to get you dreaming of warmer climates, following travel tips and finding some amazing destinations to explore as well. Best of luck to the finalists! See you at the BiB Awards on 22 June at BritMums Live!