Welcome - The Working Mom's Travels

Can a full-time working mom have a family & still travel?

The answer is YES. The stories here are proof. As a mother of two little ones, I’m here to prove that parents do not have to give up our traveling ways once we have children. Here you will find accounts of my personal travel experiences – with and without my children – as I balance it all: a non-travel related career, a family, and a travel lifestyle.

Please see below for my most recent stories, or use the menus above to locate information on specific destinations. Thanks for reading! Travel on!

ChicagoFamily Staycation | Renaissance Chicago O'Hare Suites Hotel

Chicago family staycation at Renaissance Chicago O’Hare Suites Hotel

By Francesca on September 21, 2017 in Chicago, Hometown travel, Hotels, Illinois, Lodging, Travel With Children, USA

I’ve said for years that Chicago is an exceptional place for travelers to live. With its diversity, top-notch art and entertainment, and world-class museums, Chicago residents like myself can “travel” without even leaving the city. Sometimes day trips to different neighborhoods quench the travel thirst. Other times, you just need an overnight staycation to really […]

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Conner Prairie Interactive History Park | Hamilton County, Indiana

Conner Prairie: Using the past to shine light on the future in Hamilton County, Indiana

By Francesca on September 9, 2017 in Indiana, Travel With Children, USA

Conner Prairie is an interactive history park in Hamilton County, Indiana, and is the state’s first Smithsonian Institute affiliate. I mentioned in my Hamilton County overview that Conner Prairie is one of the best historical and educational attractions we have ever visited, and I still stand by that statement. Spanning more than 1,000 wooded acres, Conner Prairie presents […]

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Ultimate Australia road trips for adventurous families

By Francesca on August 29, 2017 in Travel Inspiration, Travel With Children

Written by special contributor, Nicole Noel Hiding some of the most spectacular sights on this humble planet of ours, the continent of Australia truly is every travel lover’s dream-come- true. Whether you enjoy a strong, urban vibe and plenty of picnic opportunities in Melbourne, or prefer to go somewhere off the beaten track such as […]

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Medora, North Dakota: Gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park

By Francesca on August 22, 2017 in Lodging, National Parks, North Dakota, USA

Medora, North Dakota is the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP). Founded in 1833 by French nobleman the Marquis de Mores, the small town in the valley of the Little Missouri evokes images of big adventures. Medora is located just off of Interstate 94 and right next to the South Unit entrance of TRNP. […]

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Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead | Overland Park, Kansas

A delightful day at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas

By Francesca on August 5, 2017 in Kansas, Travel With Children, USA

If it hadn’t been for my earlier visit to Assiniboine Park and Zoo in Winnipeg, I probably would have taken a pass on visiting Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas. Visiting Assiniboine and seeing all the wonderful work being done in the name of education and conservation changed how I think about zoos. […]

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Share your travel style with Rhea Footwear and To The Tens

By Francesca on July 31, 2017 in Community, Contest, Travel Gear

Fact: I am not the most fashion-forward mama out there. My “style” over the years has gone from preppy to grungy to outdoorsy to where we are today: comfy casual. I’m not creative at all when it comes to the visual arts so, when I do go clothes shopping, I pay more attention to the mannequins’ ensembles […]

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Journey to Churchill | Assiniboine Park and Zoo | Winnipeg, Manitoba

How a visit to Assiniboine Park and Zoo in Winnipeg changed how I think about zoos

By Francesca on July 19, 2017 in Canada, Winnipeg

Let me start out by saying that I’ve never been a “zoo person”. It has always pained me to see majestic creatures penned in captivity. I realize many zoos do great conservation work and also genuinely care for the animals’ well-being. However, I made a personal decision several years ago to not support zoos in […]

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Highlights of Hamilton County, Indiana

By Francesca on July 12, 2017 in Hotels, Indiana, Lodging, Travel With Children, USA

Hamilton County, Indiana, lies approximately 30 miles northeast of Indianapolis. I’ve been to Indy several times in my life but never stopped to have a look around Hamilton County. After spending a recent weekend there with the kids, I realized all that we’d been missing out on! The “crown jewels” of Hamilton County are the […]

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Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens | Overland Park, Kansas

Photo walk through Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

By Francesca on June 7, 2017 in Kansas, Photos, USA

During our spring trip to Overland Park, Kansas, the kids and I visited Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. What I figured would be, maybe, a 2-hour visit turned into a 5-hour adventure. If it wasn’t for an unfortunate splinter (in Lucia’s finger), we easily could have spent another couple of hours exploring the gardens. […]

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Canadian Museum for Human Rights | Winnipeg, Manitoba

Visiting the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba

By Francesca on June 3, 2017 in Canada, Winnipeg

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Opening of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, established by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the only museum of its kind. It is dedicated solely “to the evolution, […]

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