TRAVEL IN STYLE & BRING THE KIDS!
What a genius concept, KID & COE. I was convinced that travel with children meant trading the boutique hotels for the crazy, theme park style resorts- the kind where you need a holiday, post-holiday. Don't get me wrong, these resorts definitely have their place. We recently spent a fun few days in Disneyland watching Archie and 1500 other kids splashing about the noisiest Pirate themed water slide on the planet, bells ringing, kids squawking & hubby and I taking turns to slink off to the "quiet area." Fun? Yes. Relaxing? HELL NO!
Cue KID & COE, a vacation rental website featuring unique family friendly properties around the world. This is how the modern family travels- a home away from home with plenty of room for everyone. And the best part, is the kids will love it just as much as you! I mean, check out the family friendly spaces- you'll never want to leave! Read on for the scoop on the best family destinations & tips for travelling with kids from the talented duo behind the brand. HAPPY PACKING! xo
Founder Zoie Kingsbery Coe & Co-Founder/Creative Director Laurence Martin share their insight, tips & tricks about travel for the modern family.
What inspired you to start Kid & Coe?
We were on tour in Sydney as a family and were lucky enough to be checking into the Four Seasons, planning to stay there for a few weeks. But within two days we realised it wasn’t going to work for us as a family. Once Luca was asleep at night, we were tiptoeing around him in the dark, whispering so we wouldn’t wake him. I think all parents that have stayed in hotel rooms with their kids know this scenario! We realised he wouldn’t be eating any healthy home-cooked meals and we just needed more space to enjoy our family time together.
That’s how it started. From that I realised that staying in a house as a family was the way to go. Spending too much time going through uninspiring websites looking at uninspiring houses that claimed they were family-friendly made me realise there was a real lack in the market for people who need the space of a home the most. I found myself asking, why isn’t there a website that speaks to the modern parent-hip, fresh, stylish and a pleasure to use and browse? I couldn’t find the kind of website that spoke to me, so we built it!
List your top 3 family friendly travel destinations?
Zoie: Ibiza: Not so many people realize that there’s a whole side to the island that doesn’t revolve around nightlife. It has a very European and bohemian way of life. Nothing makes me happier than watching Luca and India Rose running around naked on a beach with five other children, all of them speaking different languages but managing to communicate just fine.
Sydney: I think Sydney is the one of the most kid-friendly city I’ve ever visited - there’s such a wealth of things to do - beaches, aquariums, zoos, Chinatown. It’s the perfect collision of nature and city. And I love it’s shopping… that’s family-friendly right?
Brazil: The Bahia region of Brazil is also a great place to visit as a family - the culture is so warm and children are very welcomed. We have some fantastic properties for rent in Brazil and it’s on the same time zone as the US, so jet lag doesn’t affect the kids (or adults!) as much
Lo: Ok, maybe I’m biased, seeing that I grew up there, but visiting Pasadena now with my own son has really opened my eyes to what an INCREDIBLE city it is for little ones. Not only is it ideally placed between desert, ocean and mountain, it also boasts one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the world (The Huntington) as well as a spectacular indoor-outdoor playspace (Kidspace) and oh, did I mention perfect weather year round? #winning
And again, biased here… New York City just IS the most beautiful city on Earth. There’s no better place to teach your little ones about diversity and cultures living in harmony than our Big Apple. Pile on the green spaces, killer food, and kid-centric art events, music venues, and theatre and you’ll be hard pressed to run out of quality things to do with your roost.
Yes, I love a good city, but the great outdoors is a bit like the perfect babysitter. Whether it’s Long Island, Upstate NY or pretty much anywhere with space for your kiddos to romp about would be at the top of my list of places to visit. Hop in a car and go.
I know it's like picking a favourite child, but do you have a favourite Kid & Coe property?
Zoie: Honestly, it’s exactly like picking a favorite child...impossible. But next on my list to explore with my kids would have to be our Galapagos property: Galapagos
Lo: This is a newer addition to our lineup, and in one of my favorite parts of the world. The Bartole Residence, tucked into the Golfe de Saint-Tropez is Mediterranean luxe-living at it’s best.
Can you share any tips for travelling with kids?
Zoie: You can’t underestimate the novelty of fun little new presents on the airplane. We wrap ours up to make the process really drawn out. I usually buy new playdoh (perfect airplane toy), little sticker books, the little eye-spy books that you can make go on for hours… and hours... I always bring those stacking cups for hide the goldfish on the plane, and then they’re perfect sand and bathtime toys. I’ll be honest, I also let mine watch as much TV as they want on long airplane rides! The main thing I’ve found for international travel is to acclimate to local time as soon as possible and keep the kids in natural daylight as much as you can.
Lo: Oh yes. Aside from picking out the most comfortable clothes your kids own (we love Kira Kids) and easy on-and-off shoes (Henri’s Adidas shell tops are just the best), I pack a carry-on full of new goodies to surprise Henri with along the way. Some recent favorites include Chronicle Books’ The Giant Play and Learn Book by Pascale Estellon, Plus Plus building pieces, My First Autobahn, and a trusty ball for kicking around the airport. Beyond that, I stick to regular nap and sleeping schedule and make sure there are plenty of healthy snacks along to avoid toddler meltdowns.
What are your must have travel items?
Zoie: A big ol’ wrappy scarf, these Muji duffel bags that look great, fit in your suitcase and you can fill with goodies on the way home, a stack of magazines that I will try my best to get through and Aquaphor for everything - wins best of prize for kids chapped skin, lip gloss, and hand cream!
Lo:I recently discovered an amazing bag that I wouldn’t travel without now. Leader Bag is built for on-the-go mamas and schlepping gear across cities (or over mountains). You can use the little diaper changing pouch as an evening clutch too. In the bag? super-soft XL scarf, camera, chocolate, iPhone, headphones, hand cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, sunglasses, Bobble bottle, and aspirin.
