Who We Are
Hello! We Had an Adventure is a fun family travel blog committed sharing our explorations with you. As dreamers and explorers, we are always learning and fascinated by people and culture different from our own. For us, travel is about creating core memories with each other. We like to fill our days with awe and laughter together.
So, we are here to encourage you to DREAM BIG. Book the flight, pack a bag. ADVENTURE. Be together. Laugh with joy. Be patient with yourselves. Because life and travel doesn’t always go as planed… but you can always return home and tell your friends, We Had an Adventure!


Where We’ve Traveled
While the blog is new, our love of travel is long-lived.
Firstly, Nicole (Mom) got her start with international travel at the age of 17 on a Spanish class abroad trip to Spain, France and Italy. A passion for other cultures, languages, and fashion developed quickly on that 3 week trip. This is also where she learned that traveling with more than you can easily carry is a big mistake. A few years later and a trip to London and Paris at New Years (with far less luggage), the addiction was real. Ecuador was a trip of a lifetime that taught her how to pivot and embrace the uncertainty in travel.
Meanwhile, J (Dad) experienced the grand tour of Italy after high school. A cross country road trip with friends taught him about the US. While traveling to England and India for work, Dad has an understanding of balancing work and travel together. The real adventures began when Dad and Mom traveled together. She always seemed to bring in an unexpected twist (intentional or accidental) so the trip turned into an adventure.
Daughter has only ever know the fun family travel adventures. Generally, memory maker trips that her mother plans. She has big dreams and lots of places on her wish list.

Why We Blog
Travel is such a wonderful opportunity to learn about yourself and your place in the world. It teaches you patience and how to problem solve. We are pro-travel, near or far, long or short. Just breaking free of the routine and out of your comfort zone to explore and adventure. On these pages, we will share adventures we’ve had and advice we’ve learned.
Over the years, especially post-pandemic, much of my travel research was geared toward digital nomads or homeschooling families who could pick up and go as the seasons changed. You will not find that here. We work regular 9 to 5 jobs in offices and kiddo is in too many activities. We love this life (as crazy as the schedule can be) and the local community we have built for ourselves. We also just want to enjoy some fun family travel.
So, no advice to sell your house or world school your kids to call in sick to work or take the last minute deal (unless you can!) here. We want to share how to travel meaningfully within the frame of the life you have built. How to maximize that time together (hello school holidays) and enjoy the adventure!
{PS} – For now, we are J, Nicole, and Daughter to keep some privacy. Because the internet is an intense place. Until Daughter is not a minor and can make her own decisions about her place in it, we will keep her anonymous and blur her face from time to time. Thanks for understanding!
{PPS} – Why is this site here despite the above statement? Nicole had a wild hair (mid-life crisis?) and wanted more fun family travel. Firstly, Nicole realized that her circle of friends were constantly asking about the trips planned and conversations would gravitate toward our adventures had. Consequently, she decided she wanted a place to share those adventures and the reality of traveling a bit more widely and provide inspiration and resources to other families in similar situations.

Where We Dream of Going
Most of our holidays are planned based on an activity. Desire to see Santa Claus in the North Pole? Let’s Go. Want to eat and drink our way through Italy. On it. Here is a list of our bucket list trips. Some are just fun family travel, some have a timeline based on life events – others we will have to see when we can get there!
- Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- See Penguins in Antarctica
- Sand Boarding in the Sinai Desert, Egypt
- Geisha Makeover & Street Cart Racing in Japan
- Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef & Sydney Opera House in Australia
- Take the Rocky Mountaineer to Banff, Canada

