25 Inspirational and Powerful Traveling With Family Quotes

2021 has me reminiscing about past travels—looking at travel pics, reading about destinations I’ve never been to, and dreaming about our next adventure. I am sure you are all doing the same. A few favorite quotes about traveling with family have been spoken to me, especially recently. These quotes impeccably capture what it is like to share this beautiful world with the best travel companions ever: your family.

So, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of inspiring quotes from my traveling friends and include what these quotes mean to them.

Affiliate Disclosure: There are affiliate links throughout this post. This means if you click on a link and purchase a product through that link, then I will receive a small commission for the referral. And that is kinda cool.

Here is a powerful, collaborative list of 25 inspiring family traveling quotes and what they mean to my friends.

1) “Not all classrooms have four walls.”

A classroom or The Galapagos? Learning how to play the recorder? Or a didgeridoo in Australia? Ham and cheese on Hawaiian rolls in the lunchroom or a picnic in Hyde Park, the most prominent green space in London? You get the point.

I am not knocking the importance of school at all. My kids attend the best catholic school and have been in school, brick and mortar, all year. They have mostly As, play sports, and have lots of friends they met through school. A few things they learn on an adventure cannot be taught in the classroom — respect for other cultures, how to read a map, how to navigate the tube. And a little patience, flexibility, and responsibility.

2) “Of all the paths in life you take, make sure a few of them are dirt” —John Muir.

Or soft white beach sand.

Dirt washes of quickly, so make sure you don’t worry about that too much. Let those kiddos get dirty, and you get dirty, too. Paved trails are overrated.

3) “Oh, the places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss.

My all-time favorite Dr. Seuss book is “OH, The Places You’ll Go” — full of joy, inspiration, and positivity even when life gets rough. The overall upbeat tone tells every kid (and adult) that they can do anything they want if they keep going.  

The quote, “oh, the places you’ll go,” is so promising to me. And now that travel and gathering have come to a screeching halt, the idea of the places we have yet to experience is even more compelling and exciting.

4) “There is no time to be bored in a world as beautiful as this.” — Anonymous.

Shared by Anisa from Norfolk Local Guide.

I always feel like I will never get to see all the places I want because there are just too many. The list keeps growing as I visit new places and read about travel. 

Kids seem to get bored so easily, but when you introduce them to travel, it opens up the whole world. They will see things they have never seen, meet new people, be open to trying new things, and more eager to learn. Get the kids to start a bucket list and watch how fast it will grow. Alternatively, have them set travel goals like visiting all 50 US states.

5) “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” — Anonymous.

Shared by Anna from Nospaceinmypassport.

This beautiful quote spoke to me from the moment that I saw it. Because what really is life without travel? 

Ever since I was young, I have been traveling with my family. I don’t remember a year where I didn’t go on at least three big trips. And yet, the pandemic happened, and we were forced to stay home for the longest time — this made me think, why do we travel? And then I remembered this quote. We travel so that we can see and understand the life of others. To see planet Earth through a different perspective. To feel alive and to make the most of life. 

And I cannot wait for more adventures in the future.

6) “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

Shared by Tanya Bindra from My Right Sock.

This quote has been a sort of anchor for many of my life decisions, personal or professional. Life often presents us with varied opportunities, some disguised as challenges and others too bold to be acted upon. Either way, these opportunities invariably need us to step out of our funk – to break out of our routines. 

At some point along the way, I realized that my comfort zone was only manacling my growth. Ever since, I’ve said yes to things that have altered the course of my life in a big way – moving abroad, quitting a toxic job, changing my line of work after years of corporate life. These might not seem like big adventures, but they’ve spurred me on to go against the grain, even if it’s only by an inch a day. 

I don’t have kids at the moment, but I know that when I do, they’ll watch and learn from me. I want to inspire them to fill their life with more yes’s. Especially as a family, it’s often far too easy to pass up opportunities that involve change, but change is good, no matter what point in life we’re at. Sometimes you just gotta take the plunge to witness the magic!

7) “Don’t just teach your kids about the world, show it to them.”

Shared by Emma Todd from MY RIG Adventures.

Too often, we learn from a classroom or from in front of a screen (TV, computer, or tablet). But the most significant learning always comes through experience. We always remember those random moments when we were making a campfire as a kid while camping or an interesting story that a random stranger once told us. 

We took the kids out of ‘regular life’ for two years and lived the simple life in a caravan on the road, wandering Australia. Not only has it made the kids so much more grateful for the normal things in life, like a bedroom and going to school, but they often bring up memories of people, places, and experiences from life on the road. 

They will take that learning with them forever. 

8) “Fun things happen when you earn in dollars but live on pesos.” — Tim Ferris.

Shared by Marco Sison, Finance Coach @ Nomadic FIRE

Living overseas can cost 50% to 80% less than the cost of staying in the US. I retired early, at 41-years old, to travel the world. Whenever travel comes up in discussion, I always get puzzled looks from people trying to understand how I have been traveling perpetually for six years. The answer is simple, geographic arbitrage. 

Geographic arbitrage (sometimes referred to as geoarbitrage) sounds complicated, but it isn’t. “Arbitrage” is taking advantage of a price variation between different markets. “Geographic” is when the different markets are separate locations. 

An example of this would be moving to a cheaper suburb from an expensive city to save on rent. But the best way to leverage geoarbitrage is to live abroad. If you earn money in a strong currency (USD, EUR, or GBP) and live in a country with a low cost of living, you can travel forever. “Fun things happen when you earn in dollars but live on pesos.”

9) “Having kids is a reason to travel, not a reason to stop.”

Shared by Jennifer at Family Trip Guides.

I have found this quote to ring true in my own motherhood journey. Once I had kids, I felt the need to travel even more than before because I wanted to show them the world. 

I love experiencing the world twice, once through my eyes and once again through the eyes of a child. Children bring such joy to travel with their excitement and observations. Of course, jet lag with a toddler is no joke, but I wouldn’t trade our travels with our kids for anything. My daughter still talks about our Thai boat captain in Phuket, and my son remembers playing with Swiss kids beside a lake. 

We treasure our adventures and look forward to more.

10) “Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.” — Jamie Lyn Beatty.

Everyone dreams of discovering a career that becomes a part of their heart and soul. Sometimes it doesn’t happen that way, but that career can still create a cash flow (and vacation time) that provides the flexibility to travel and see the world. And it’s those travel adventures that will fill your soul. Yes, it is important to fill your pocket, but it is vital to fill your soul.

11) “Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” Dalai Lama.

During the pandemic, the staycation mentality kicked in — the perfect excuse to go someplace local that we have never been.  

I asked the kids to write down five places they wanted to explore locally. We became tourists in our town, visited the local botanical gardens, toured the Sweetwater Swamp Preserve, sipped fantastic beers at the local brewery (that was on my list), and kayaked the springs.  

After this mess is over, it’s on — each one of us has chosen a place we have never been.

12) “Adventures are the best way to learn.” 

Shared by Lotte from Phenomenal Globe Travel Blog.

As backpackers, my husband and I already loved this quote, but now that we travel as a family of four, it rings even more true. 

Our son is only 2.5 but has already learned so much from our travels. He knows there are lots of different transport modes (he loves tuk-tuks and trains), is aware there are different languages, and is excited about every plane he sees in the sky (exclaiming: we were also on the plane!). 

Our daughter is just nine months old but went on her first adventure when she was just three months. She obviously doesn’t remember it, but I strongly believe exposing your kids to different environments and cultures is the best way to learn, acknowledge and celebrate the wonderful diversity in this beautiful world!

13) “Collect moments, not things.” 

Shared by Jacquie Hale from Flashpacking Family.

We always loved to travel and to create memories through travel, but at the same time, we also wanted ‘nice things’ like a new car or new TV.

Eight years ago, everything changed. We experienced a catastrophic event when our house collapsed during building works, and we lost all our worldly possessions, including our home. Thankfully nobody was hurt, and it made us realize that we didn’t need all of the possessions we had.

The short travel quote ‘Collect moments, not things’ sums up our attitude towards life and travel these days. We realized that ‘things’ don’t matter. Spending time with loved ones making happy memories matters more than anything material that you can own. Material possessions can disappear, but memories will last a lifetime, so spend your money on travel and collecting moments, not things.

14) “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain.

Shared by Olivia from Girl With Blue Sails.

Since early childhood, I have been passionate about traveling and writing. At one point in my life, however, I found myself holding a miserable job that had nothing to do with my passions. When I found this quote by Mark Twain, it reminded me that we need to chase our dreams. 

I got a tattoo of a ship with blue sails, my favorite color, to always remember Twain’s words. 

I was inspired enough to change my career path, and I can now proudly say I am a travel writer for my travel blog, appropriately called Girl With Blue Sails. 

15) “There is no WiFi in the forest, but you will find a better connection.” — Unknown.

I wish I would have read this quote before our last road trip to that lovely little island off Sarasota, Florida, with the shoddy WiFi. I lost a moment there to connect. Live and learn.

Everyone complained about the WiFi (well, lack of WiFi), and I was annoyed. I love traveling with my kids, but sometimes I need to reroute their priorities and remind them of the importance of connection. Or confirm good WiFi where ever we roam.

16) “Take only memories, leave only footprints.” — Chief Seattle.

In a world where sustainability is becoming a significant buzzword, this quote means even more. I first discovered this quote on a sign before embarking on a hike through the red rocks with my family — a perfect segway into the typical littering lecture for my kiddos. Teach them always to pack in and pack out, don’t leave a trace, take pictures, create memories, and leave only footprints behind wherever you go.

17) “The greatest legacy we can leave our children is happy memories.” — Og Mandino.

Shared by Debbie Fettback from WorldAdventurists.com.

Many of our family’s happy memories are made when we are together exploring. We find a lot of happy moments through outdoor adventure and travel experiences. Travel broadens our perspective on life. Those happy moments as a kid become incredible memories as you grow and begin to understand more about the world. 

These experiences do not always have to be from far-off destinations. Some of our happiest memories are from road trips, digging in the sand at the local beach, or hiking one of the great family-friendly hiking trails near Vancouver. 

The main goal is always to create memories that will bring smiles and giggles years down the road. 

18) “If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food, it’s a plus for everybody. Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.” — Anthony Bourdain.

Y’all know that I am all about moving — walking everywhere when you travel, waking up early and moving your body, and even strolling the airport while waiting for take-off. Teach your kiddos from an early age that moving your body is essential for physical and mental fitness.  

In a metaphorical sense, Anthony Bourdain agrees. We can all make the world a better place by moving. Movement can be across the street, to a neighboring city or state, or across the pond. Immerse yourself in other lifestyles and cultures, eat their food, or have a simple conversation with a local while traveling. What better way to understand each other?

And raise your kids to continue to do the same.

19) “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal.” — Paulo Coelho.

Our daily routine is not mundane, I assure you. It consists of early mornings, school, homework, sports, meals, and bedtimes day in and day out. Dad works all day and typically has work to complete in the evening — this is our life.

Travel removes us from our daily routine and transports us into an adventure, even if it’s a quick weekend road trip. Our travel experiences leave us refreshed and invigorated for what lies ahead in life. 

20) “The journey, not the arrival matters.” — T.S. Eliot.

I find so much joy in travel planning — researching a destination, booking the perfect resort or Airbnb, discovering unique local restaurants, and planning the ideal itinerary that everyone in the family will love. The journey is half of the fun. And studies have shown that trip planning makes us happier.  

21) “It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.”

Shared by Rochelle from Love Family Life Travel.

Travel always comes with many challenges, especially when you are traveling as a family. Those challenges lead to growth for you as an individual, for your family, and your children. 

When your children see you overcoming challenges, they learn resilience and perseverance. They develop a growth mindset and learn how to figure things out. Besides all of those positive outcomes, some of the most challenging travel times become the best stories afterward. 

It most certainly will not be easy, but it will always be worth it.

22) “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” — Neale Donald Walsch.

Kids become more adventurous with family travel. Combining their sense of safety from the presence of parents and a stretch in their comfort zone promotes self-confidence. And life begins.

23) “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness” -Mark Twain.

Shared by Donnamarie from Explore the Road with Donnamarie.

My husband and I first heard this quote on Travelscope with Joseph Rosendo some years ago, and it has become our mantra. 

Travel takes you outside yourself and exposes you to other ways of life and human experiences. I am not talking about staying at all-inclusive resorts, but wandering off the beaten path and getting to know locals. You can do this locally by traveling to a different region or neighborhood and talking to people different from yourself. 

By getting to know others, we begin to see others as individuals, not stereotypes. 

Travel helps dispel fears of others which can make us self-centered and creates a global perspective that helps us work for mankind instead of personal gain. 

This quote has further inspired us to promote these values and a love for travel in our children.

24) “The history of the world is on your plate; all food is the expression of a long struggle and a long story.” — Anthony Bourdain.

All food tells a story, often a story of pride and celebration, but sometimes a story of struggle. In many places in the world, immigration history is sitting right on your plate and in your cocktail glass.  

For example, a typical Puerto Rican meal consists of Barbacoa, originated by the Taíno Indians, the indigenous people of the Caribbean. Barbacoa is a method of preparing meat similar to what we know as Barbecue.  

The arrival of the Spaniards brought garlic and cilantro for marinating the Barbacoa.  

The Taínos thrived on beans and rice; there’s your side dish.  

Immigrants from Africa brought over plantains and a unique way of cooking called frying. The Taínos took this one step further and fried those green plantains twice. Not kidding.

The Spaniards soon began planting sugar cane. Thus, the beginning of rum production. See how that works? Now you have a Mojito or Piña colada.

25) “Because, in the end, you won’t remember the time you spend working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain” – Jack Kerouac

Shared by LeAnna from Wander In Germany

As a person who has always wanted to live unconventionally, I am convinced that we aren’t here to live a life where we work a 9-5 job day in and day out and that that job defines our success. And as a busy mom, I also don’t want my success determined by how clean my kitchen (or lawn) is.

Instead, we must take those chances, go on those adventures, and live life every day to the fullest…after all, THAT is what we will remember, not how many hours were put in at the office or what chores we got done around the house. We will not forget the memories made by living each and every day in a way that we live with no regrets.

With a global shutdown soon in our rearview mirror, it’s time to plan our next adventure. Many of us are vaccinated, and herd immunity is becoming closer to reality, so let’s travel the world.

What is your favorite family travel quote? And why?  

I would love to add yours to this ever-growing list. Leave your favorite traveling with family quote and why were you so inspired in the comments below (or I can send you a Google form to fill out if you want).