We went into TeamLab Planets Tokyo expecting a crowded, slightly chaotic tourist trap, one of those places so hyped that it couldn't possibly live up to expectations. While we can't deny that it was busy, it ended up being one of our kids' favourite experiences from our five days in Tokyo and one of the standout attractions of our 100-day family sabbatical. We certainly had our doubts before visiting. While planning our 100 day family sabbatical, I spent far too much time rea

Have you ever looked at a map and wondered whether your family could take a few months off to travel the world together? Before we left Calgary for our own 100-day sabbatical across ten countries, we spent countless evenings wondering exactly that, and whether it was realistic, affordable, or even responsible. Three months later we had taken a family cooking class in Tokyo, crawled through the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam, explored the ancient temples of Angkor in Cambodia, crui

We are not a Disney family. We’d never been to Disneyland or Disney World, and with only five days to explore Hong Kong, we weren’t entirely sure Hong Kong Disneyland was worth dedicating a full day of our trip to. We’d heard the usual Disney horror stories about hour-long queues, packed walkways, and spending more time waiting than actually having fun. Our experience couldn’t have been more different. We ended up loving it, and we'd genuinely recommend it, even to families l

Nara is famous for its bowing deer, and rightly so, but it's so much more than that. Between ancient temples, one of the largest wooden buildings in the world, and a genuinely different pace to Kyoto or Tokyo, Nara ended up being one of our favourite days from our time in Japan. If you're visiting Nara as a day trip from Kyoto or Osaka, Nara Park is where you'll want to spend almost all of your time. It's home to the vast majority of Nara's best-known sights; the deer, Todai-

The Big Buddha on Lantau Island was somewhere we'd actually visited twice before this trip, once around 20 years ago and again back in 2011, long before kids. We'd built it up in our heads over the years, so when it made it onto our 5-day Hong Kong itinerary with the girls, we couldn't wait to go back for a third time. Honestly? This visit was a slightly different experience than we remembered, mostly down to a few avoidable mistakes on our part rather than the island itself.

If you only have time for a handful of temples in Kyoto, most lists will point you toward Kiyomizu-dera, Kinkaku-ji, or Fushimi Inari. They're all worth the hype, but after several increasingly crowded days of temple-hopping, Daigo-ji ended up being the one that stuck with us the most. We visited on a quieter, half-day morning built into our 5-day Kyoto itinerary. We'd gone back and forth on whether the extra travel time was worth it - turns out, it ended up being our favouri

Discover the charm of Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo with our in-depth review. Experience first-class service and serene Japanese gardens at Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo.

Hong Kong is a special place for our family. Susie was born there while her parents were working in the city, which was still a British territory at the time. She’s been back many times over the years, and our 2025 visit was my third, but we'd been itching to bring the girls and show them where Susie was born and where her family made so many happy memories. Of course, a lot has changed since 1982, but Hong Kong remains a fascinating place. It's a unique blend of skyscrapers

Discover the charm of Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo with our in-depth review. Experience first-class service and serene Japanese gardens at Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo.

Have you ever heard of the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area? It is a beautiful conservation area just 20 minutes from south Calgary, heading west along Highway 22X near Priddis. There are plenty of trails to explore, and most of them are family-friendly and easy to follow. It’s an especially nice place to visit in winter, when the snow-covered landscape makes everything feel quieter and more open. This 4,800-acre area protects a stretch of rolling foothills made up of nati