How to Embrace Slow Travel with Kids

Although it’s now called slow travel, the idea of moving at a more leisurely pace and gaining a deeper understanding of a destination is far from new. Since the days of Victorians on the Grand Tour, savvy travelers have spent more time vacationing, engaging with locals and exploring beyond standard tourist sights. Your family can do the same and have a far more rewarding travel experience.

Slow travel is especially good with children, who may be less inclined to spend hours in museums or standing in line to see popular attractions. A few hours spent in a local park or garden can be a welcome respite from sightseeing and also offer a chance to run off some energy. An hour in a sidewalk or harborside café is good rest for tired little legs. And you’ll be sampling local life by doing what local people do.

Instead of a set itinerary, have a few highlights in mind, but wander into neighborhoods to glimpse into local life. Ask directions from local people — you may be surprised at the secret places they point out. Encourage children to learn a few polite phrases so they can ask simple questions and say “thank you.”

One of the keystones of slow travel is engaging with local people, which includes staying in small, locally owned hotels and B&Bs, seeking out neighborhood restaurants and using local guides if you need one. Public transportation is not only an immersive experience, but also good for the local environment (and saves looking for parking spaces).

Instead of choosing restaurants from guidebooks or best-of lists, watch for small places in neighborhoods as you explore. When you see a likely one, note the name and location so you can return for dinner. Especially in Europe, restaurants post menus, so you can see what’s served and the price point.

Eating, staying and shopping in local establishments not only enriches your connection to places you visit, but supports the local economy and respects its culture. Slow travel is responsible travel.