Home

Packing tips for families and a free packing list printable.

building your travel capsule wardrobe for summer

Sunny weather is just around the corner, and you know what that means–It’s nearly time for summer travel and summer wardrobes! Do you have any summer family trips planned? One thing I’ve learned over the years–when packing for a family vacation you need to be able to pack concisely. Even a short weekend trip for our family of nine can more than fill the back of our vehicle. That’s when a travel capsule wardrobe can come in handy! So keep reading as I share some of the tips for creating a capsule wardrobe specifically for summer travel–plus all the tips if you need to do some pre-travel shopping! Some links contain affiliates, all opinions are my own. building your travel capsule wardrobe wardrobe essentials When it comes to packing for your summer travels, less is definitely more. Instead of stuffing your suitcase with every summery item you own, just in

April 16, 2024

the little dove blog

Come explore all things motherhood, lifestyle, travel and fun! We are here to help families find joy in the everyday.

all things travel

get creative

lifestyle

Let's be friends.

Stay up to date on all the fun here at the Little Dove blog.

recent posts

Packing tips for families and a free packing list printable.

building your travel capsule wardrobe for summer

Sunny weather is just around the corner, and you know what that means–It’s nearly time for summer travel and summer wardrobes! Do you have any

Free bug worksheets for preschool and kindergarten.

bug worksheets for preschool

Spring is here and with it comes all sorts of creepy crawlies. I’m not a fan of most real bugs, but I am a fan

Cambria Hotel & Suites Anaheim Review.

best hotels near Disneyland: which is right for you?

Living in northern California, but annual passes to various SoCal theme parks over the years, means that we have stayed at a lot of hotels.

Small thrill rides your kids will love wait at Gilroy Gardens.

Gilroy Gardens tips for visiting this central California gem

Do you love theme parks? Think you’ve heard of all the theme parks California has to offer? You might be surprised to hear that the

A rainbow-themed baptism.

our rainbow themed baptism and talk

Last year our fourth born chose to be baptized. It was such a special day, and if life hadn’t been so crazy I would have

Sitting on a beach in Mexico in front of a Carnival cruise ship thinking about what a great deal cruises are!

the real cost of cruising–what’s included and what’s not

Ahoy! Warmer weather is upon us and with it comes the promise of spring, which of course means Spring Break adventures! Did you know that

let's be social

littledove.justine

Why is a Power-Up Band™ the best souvenir from U

Why is a Power-Up Band™ the best souvenir from Universal Studios Hollywood your money can buy??

Besides photos 📷 (to preserve those family vacation memories forever) and postcards 💌 (because who doesn't love fun snail mail AND they're inexpensive), Power-Up Bands will give you the best bang for your buck.

Not only are they super interactive within Super Nintendo World, but your child can use them at home on their Nintendo Switch game systems as an Amiibo, unlocking exclusive content for characters in certain games. 🎮 A souvenir with a practical purpose after the trip is over? Yes, please! 🙌🏼

Power-up bands will currently cost you $42+ tax and no passholder discount applies. You can purchase them from Universal City Walk, stores in the Upper and Lower lots, and from the vending machines within Super Nintendo World.

⭐️ The golden Power-Up Band is limited edition to celebrate the anniversary of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood opening. It is available from retail locations and will cost you $10 more. ⭐️

👉🏼 Did you know these bands doubled as an Amiibo?
Planning a trip to @unistudios? Book through @getawaytoday and use the affiliate code LITTLEDOVE for the best discount on tickets.
#YoungFamilyJaunts
.
.
.
#supernintendoworld #unistudios #familytraveltips #bestsouvenirs #amiibos

What matters most to you when booking a hotel?

👉🏼 Is it room size and storage space?
What about the location to local attractions?
Do you love when a breakfast buffet is included?
Or do you only care about the pool?

During our recent year as Disneyland passholders, we stayed at a LOT of hotels—I kind of saw it as my personal mission to try out as many as possible so you wouldn't have to! 😘

You can find ALL the reviews in the blog archives, but this week I picked four of our favorite family-friendly hotels in Anaheim and made a quiz you can take to find out what the perfect hotel near the Disneyland Resort is for you family!

💙 Bonus—they're all partners with @getawaytoday, which means you can save big on your stays! Use LITTLEDOVE to save even more on certain packages! 💙

https://www.littledoveblog.com/2024/04/best-hotels-near-disneyland/

#YoungFamilyJaunts
.
.
.
#anaheimhotels #disneycreator #familytravelblogger #GetAwayToday #visitanaheim #disneyfam

You might be surprised to know that—[partner] a

You might be surprised to know that—[partner]

as a mom of 7 little mess makers, I actually CAN'T STAND messes. 🙅‍♀️

Making the bed in the morning sets the tone for the whole day and makes their rooms seem so much tidier! 🛌🏼

That's why we love the zippered bedding from @beddys, because it makes it so much easier for even my littlest ones to make their own beds! 🙌🏼

Beddy's is celebrating their 10th anniversary all month long with special deals, including the one happening RIGHT NOW on their site:

💙 25% off for 1-2 items
💙 30% off for 3+ items

(Although no code is needed for this special sale, if you use my specific affiliate link, I make a small commission, at no cost to you! Thank you for helping support when you can! Just comment "LINK PLEASE," and I'll send it your way!)

👉🏼 Do you make your bed every day?
.
.
.
#beddys #momof7 #honestmotherhood #tidyhometidymind
.

As a family of nine, food can be a BIG part of our

As a family of nine, food can be a BIG part of our travel budget. 💸
So, how do we save money?

We pack snacks, of course, and will often pack our lunches for travel days in a cooler. But what if you don't have a fridge or basic kitchen appliances at your destination? 🤔

🧇 Waffles in our mini @bydash are a favorite for breakfast OR dinner.
🥣 Cup of noodle soup, either in the microwave (if they have one) or boiling water in a coffee maker, is perfect for cold weather travel.
🥜 Peanut butter sandwiches are a classic choice. Honey doesn't need to be refrigerated or stock up on fast food jelly packets before your trip. 😉
🥛 Cereal with shelf-stable milk is a good option if your kids love cereal! Just make sure all the milk can be finished in one meal.
🍩 Super simple carb options like mini muffins, pop tarts, or protein bars are convenient options too, and perfect for travel mornings when you're in a hurry!

When possible, we like to book hotels with breakfast included, but it's not always the most affordable, closest, or best sleeping arrangement for our family. So that's not make or break for us. 🤷‍♀️

Don't worry, we also make sure to work unique eating experiences into our travel budget too. 😉

👉🏼 How do you save money when traveling?
#YoungFamilyJaunts
.
.
.
#budgettravel #familytraveltips #travelbloggerlife #havekidswilltravel

Living the dream. 💁‍♀️ This is the first

Living the dream. 💁‍♀️

This is the first weekend of Season of the Force at @disneyland. ⭐️
👉🏼 Are you a Star Wars fan?

Now, until June 2nd, you can enjoy specially themed food and drinks, Hyperspace Mountain overlay at Space Mountain, new adventures on Star Tours, and more!

💙 Use my affiliate code LITTLEDOVE for a discount on multi-day tickets and packages to Disneyland from @getawaytoday! 💙
#YoungFamilyJaunts
.
.
.
#SeasonOfTheForce #DisneyCreator #GetAwayToday #travelblogger #budgettraveltips #starwars

Load More... Follow on Instagram