Meet Marae and Roger from Brave Family Travel, a dynamic family passionate about traveling the world and creating unforgettable memories. With over a decade of full-time travel experience, including three years of exploring with their little ones, they believe that adventure is the best education. Their mission is to inspire other parents to embark on journeys with young children, fostering family bonds and connections along the way. Keep reading for practical tips and insights on traveling as a family!

Tell us about yourself and your family!

We are a family who loves traveling, believe it is the best education, and have made it our mission to help other parents travel with little kids. We also believe it is one of the best ways for families to bond and connect, especially in the early years of life. We (Roger and Marae) have been traveling full-time for 10+ years, and 3 of those years have been with kids.

When we got pregnant with our first, everyone kept expecting us to announce that we’d settle down or kept reminding us to 'hurry and travel now before the baby comes.' We decided this wasn’t going to be the narrative we adopted as a family, and we started traveling with our first baby when she was 6 weeks old.

My first step is creating an idea book or photo album, especially if I’m going to destinations where I’m planning outfits to match the place. I think trips are ideal moments for family photos and always try to get at least one set of family photos. Therefore, I try to match or at least coordinate our outfits.

I generally pack according to the weather and the activities we have planned. One thing I always do is bring my kids’ clothes that are about to be outgrown. They wear these outfits on the flight or on busy days during the vacation, and then I leave them behind. This creates more room in my luggage for bringing back gifts.

I am a huge fan of packing cubes and compartments. I arrange outfits by days so that we go on vacation knowing what to wear each day, instead of worrying about what everyone will wear day after day.

I only bring their shampoo or soap if I know it’s not available at our destination or if I’m traveling for an extended period. I always pack their magnesium lotion to help everyone sleep easier on vacation (my favorite is from Natura Nutrire). I also always pack reef-safe (zinc-based) sunscreen.

For packing them, I store them in a plastic bag, like a ziploc, in case they open during travel it doesn’t make a mess.

I normally pack a small backpack with toys for the trip, and they get to bring only what they can fit in their little backpack.

Compression socks for me, and a hat for the kids. I always forget the hat and end up buying one on vacation. Also, reusable swim diapers for the little ones.

Always pack layers so you always have something to wear in case of cold weather. I also usually travel with an emergency kit, so we have the essentials on hand for any sudden minor injuries.

Packing cubes!!! I literally just remove the cube from the luggage and place it in the drawers at our destination. I’ve also seen moms using the hanging shoe rack hack, but we don’t usually travel with that much. For families who do, this hack is amazing!

Less is more. You never use everything you bring, and if you need something at your destination, you can usually find it there. Don’t stress about it.

Obsessed with Meems matching outfits for girl and babies. Like Mer St. Barth's

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