September 18, 2025 • 25 mins
Planning a family holiday can feel overwhelming - so how do you know which destination is the right fit for your crew?
In this episode of the Family Holiday Destinations Podcast, I chat with Melissa Delaware, a travel agent at Mind Body and Travel, and founder of Thrifty Family Travels and Queensland Travel Guides. Melissa shares her expert insights on:
- The destination that completely surprised her with how family-friendly it was
- Where families are booking right now (and why)
- What to consider when choosing the perfect spot for your family
Plus, I share some quick travel news updates, including record family travel trends to Fiji and Japan, and the unusual rise of selfie-related accidents in Australia.
Whether you’re dreaming of your next big adventure or just looking for inspiration, this episode is packed with tips to make choosing your family holiday destination a little easier.
Links from this episode:
Mind & Body Travel - Melissa Delaware
Why Aussies are Splurging on Fiji and Japan Holidays
Australia Ranks in World's Top 5 for Selfie Accidents - Here's Why
Best Farm Stays Near Brisbane for Your Next Family Haycation
Thanks for tuning in to the Family Holiday Destinations podcast! For more travel tips, destination guides, and family-friendly inspiration, visit our website at familyholidaydestinations.com. Until next time, happy travels and safe adventures!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jessica Palmer (00:05):
Welcome to the Family Holiday Destinations
podcast, where we inspire yournext family adventure.
I'm Jessica Palmer, mother oftwo and founder of Family
Holiday Destinations.
And today we're diving into atopic every parent ponders when
thinking about the schoolholidays.
It's how to actually choose theright family holiday
(00:29):
destination that will keepeveryone happy.
It's easy to get overwhelmedwith with options - beach or
city, budget or splurge,something adventurous, something
super relaxing.
To help us sort through it all,I sat down with Melissa
Delaware, a travel agent atMind & Body Travel, and the
(00:50):
founder of the Thrifty FamilyTravels and Queensland Travel
Guides website.
She's helped countless familiesplan trips, so she knows the
trends, the pitfalls, and theinsider tips.
We'll get into that chatshortly, but first, let's take
a look at what's makingheadlines in family travel this
month.
(01:16):
This month, two stories caughtmy eye that I wanted to share
with you.
First, travel bookings to Fijiand Japan are hitting record
highs, and it's fascinating tosee why these two particular
destinations are topping familywish lists right now.
I mean, they're not exactlywhat anyone would consider
(01:37):
budget destinations.
So are families choosingexperiences that feel worthwhile
over budget options that leavethem short on memories?
It seems so.
Second, a quirky but importantone.
Did you know Australia has beenranked in the top five places
for selfie-related accidents?
(01:57):
Yep, that's a thing.
It's a reminder that while weall love capturing those family
holiday snaps, safety needs tocome first.
You can find both of thesestories in more detail over on
the Family Holiday Destinationswebsite.
I'll pop the links in the shownotes.
(02:22):
Now, on to today's interview.
I had the pleasure of chattingwith Melissa Delaware, a travel
agent at Mind, Body and Travel,and also the powerhouse behind
two hugely successful familytravel websites, Thrifty Family
Travels and Queensland TravelGuides.
Melissa has traveled far andwide with her daughter and also
(02:43):
solo, so she brings both aparent's perspective and a
professional expertise.
In our chat, I asked her aboutthe destinations that surprised
her most, the trends she'sseeing in family bookings,
underrated spots she wishesfamilies would consider, and the
common mistakes parents makewhen picking where to go.
(03:04):
She also shared some fantasticadvice for parents who feel
totally overwhelmed when tryingto choose that next family trip,
whether it's your firstoverseas holiday or just your
next getaway.
Let's dive into ourconversation.
So you've travelled a lot bothwith your daughter and on your
(03:30):
own.
What's one destination thatcompletely surprised you in how
family-friendly it was?
Melissa Delaware (03:38):
Well, I'm always a big believer that you
can find family-friendly sort ofactivities no matter where you
go.
An example I often give peopleis I took my daughter when she
was about seven to the BarossaValley and, you know, known for
its winery and everything.
And she just loved it.
She loved it so much.
(03:59):
But I guess to answer thisquestion, like one of the places
that I thought was great when Itraveled with my daughter was
around Europe.
I know a lot of people see itas a bit of a grown
up destination, you know, tohave nice wines out in squares
and stuff.
But my daughter and I traveledaround Europe when she was
probably around eight or nineand like the trains are really
(04:21):
easy.
It's really easy to get aroundEurope.
You know, every city has acouple of museums and no matter
what the topic they've got a wayof making it child friendly.
I remember taking her to placesabout the Berlin Wall and you
know and she just loved it, likeit was very interactive and
interesting, done in a reallygood way that kids enjoy
(04:44):
learning.
So yeah, I think Europe is oneof those places that you don't
necessarily go 'oh it's a familyfriendly destination like Bali
or Japan' or something, but yeahI think it's a great place -
easy to get around and lots todo for families.
That's so good to know like ona personal level because we've
(05:05):
spent a lot of time in Asia andthe South Pacific and I've
never taken the kids toEurope. Mostly just because
budget wise with four of us.
Yeah yeah it is expensive and um the one
thing I thought was alwaysinteresting is uh my daughter's
uh you know soft drink wasalways um more expensive than my
(05:25):
wine in Europe.
Jessica Palmer (05:29):
So as a travel agent, you see where families
are booking every day.
What destinations are popularright now?
Melissa Delaware (05:37):
Look, I don't know if it's changed that much,
but the biggest one that's rightnow, which is probably no
surprise to you, is Japan.
Jessica Palmer (05:46):
Yeah, that's booming.
Melissa Delaware (05:47):
It is.
Jessica Palmer (05:48):
I went myself in January, I was part of it.
Melissa Delaware (05:51):
And look, I went with my daughter, I think
it was 2019.
It was just before COVID andeven then it was like popular.
So that's like six years agoand it's still really popular.
So lots of families are wantingto go to Japan.
But I'm also just seeing it'salso just the typical ones,
Fiji, Vanuatu, Bali, Thailandand the US for Disneyland.
(06:15):
Yeah, they're all still upthere.
But I'd have to say Japan isreally hot.
Everyone wants to go to Japanat the moment, like families,
yeah.
And I know why.
Jessica Palmer (06:25):
I know.
The thing with Japan is,because Asia can be a culture
shock, but I find that theculture shocks in Japan, they're
not unpleasant.
Yeah, yeah.
Toilets are more fascinatingand fun than, oh, I can't use
that kind of feeling.
Melissa Delaware (06:41):
That's very, very true because it's more
westernised, right?
So it's cleaner, easier to getaround.
People are super friendly.
The one thing, though, inJapan, I did find the languages
can be a bit of a barrier Butit's not as easy as, you know,
some of those other SoutheastAsia places where most people
(07:02):
can speak English and stuff.
It can be tricky, but it'sfine.
Jessica Palmer (07:06):
We went in January and we found by then
everybody was using GoogleTranslate.
Melissa Delaware (07:11):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Google Translate, you getit everywhere now, hey?
Jessica Palmer (07:15):
That kind of fixed that problem for us.
So how would you usually helpparents choose the right
destination?
So is it about budget orkids? Ages or travel style?
Or something else?
Melissa Delaware (07:29):
All of those things. Budget is obviously the
most important one i think tostart with because, well if
someone has a budget that thatum obviously, but also family's
um interest like the kidsinterest and I say family's
interest. I think a lot ofpeople when they're traveling
with their kids they're likewhat their kids are into but i'm
(07:50):
a big believer that mom and dadshould still have a really good
time as well.
Jessica Palmer (07:53):
So absolutely yeah yeah. Like nobody wants to
spend their time watching theirkid on a playground, right?
That's boring.
Melissa Delaware (08:01):
Absolutely.
And it's one of those things,like, just because you're a
family now doesn't mean everytrip needs to be Disneyland.
And, in fact, going back to,like, what I said about Europe,
like, I often would go to theplaces I wanted to go to and my
daughter would come along and,sure enough, there was always,
like, something.
And I talked about the Barossa,you know.
(08:23):
I think businesses know that ifthey keep the kids happy, then
they can keep the parents happyand they'll stay longer and
spend more money or whatever.
So it might sound a bit selfish,but I often tend to put my own
interests first and then checkwhether or not it's family
friendly, to be honest.
Jessica Palmer (08:40):
Yeah, yeah, so do I.
Melissa Delaware (08:44):
I mean, don't get me wrong.
My daughter has been to plentyof Disneylands around the world,
so we do still do stuff for heras well.
But yeah, so I supposedefinitely family's interest,
budget, travel style - you knowsome people like to sort of be
out everyday sightseeing whereother families are more like
let's just hang by the beach orthe pool. Yeah so it's super
(09:06):
important.
I think too, one thing I hear alot that I think people need to
stop doing is you know - oh myfriend told me to go here or
everyone well everyone's goingto Japan so I'm going to go to
Japan too.
Whereas maybe you know youridea of a holiday is just
hanging by the pool, so you'renot going to enjoy going to
(09:27):
Japan where there's not really,they're not resort style
accommodation to start with andthere's no nice beach.
So not just going with the flowbut thinking about what works
for you.
So really trying to get anunderstanding of what the
particular family, yeah, enjoys,what their budget is, time of
year.
Yeah, I suppose not applyingthat cookie cutter approach but
(09:51):
thinking about what thatindividual family really wants.
Jessica Palmer (09:55):
Yeah, absolutely.
So are there any underrateddestinations you wish more
families would consider?
Melissa Delaware (10:01):
I don't know if I think there's so much
underrated destinations.
Maybe just thinking outside thesquare a little bit. Like, you
know, as we know, lots offamilies from Australia go to
Bali, which is fine.
Maybe go to Bali and thenmaybe, you know, go to, you
know, one or two islands thatare between, you know, Bali or
Lombok or go to Lombok as well.
(10:22):
But, you know, like you canstill go to those places that
you you know, that you want togo to, but maybe throw in
something a little bit differentas well.
Or, you know, if you're going togo to Phuket, why not spend a
couple of days in the jungle acouple of hours away, you know,
just thinking about something alittle bit different.
And that goes for Australiansor Queenslanders as well.
(10:45):
I think we tend to overlookwhat we have in our own backyard
sometimes.
And I'm guilty of it as well.
And it's one thing COVID didfor me, which I think was so
great.
It really taught me to love myown country and to love
Queensland.
And so one of my, if you're aQueensland family listening to
(11:05):
this, one of my biggest tip foryou is do a road trip through
Outback Queensland with yourkids before they get too old.
Jessica Palmer (11:11):
That's amazing, isn't it?
Melissa Delaware (11:12):
Oh, so good.
Jessica Palmer (11:14):
One of the best road trips we ever did was out
to Winton for that OutbackFestival.
It was so fun.
Melissa Delaware (11:21):
Isn't it just?
Jessica Palmer (11:22):
The town was beautiful and the people were
beautiful and they were allfriendly and it was just so fun.
Melissa Delaware (11:28):
Just casual, laid back and, yeah, it's one of
my fun trips as well. Anothertrip that we did, not in Outback
Queensland but driving throughfrom Darwin down to Uluru,
stopping at the national parksand swimming in the waterfalls
and just it's a real, having anadventure with your kids like
(11:48):
that is just amazing memoriesand do those trips while the
kids are smaller before theybecome teenagers and don't want
to go anywhere.
Jessica Palmer (11:56):
Absolutely . So how much do you think the
type of holiday for example likebeach versus city versus
adventure matters when choosingwhere to go with kids?
Melissa Delaware (12:09):
It matters a lot in that it matters like what
your family's interests aregetting back to sort of what I
said before. If you just applythe cookie cutter approach and
you go where all your friendsare going or where you know
other Australian families aregoing you know and it might not
be right for you. Or it mightnot be right for you at that
time in your family'slife. Maybe you know your kids
(12:31):
are tired you're tired and somaybe a casual beach holiday is
more you know appropriate, ormaybe your kids are some other
sorts of that are the types thatwill get bored on the beach and
you know you need to keep thementertained. Or like we were
sort of saying about teens likeI find for my daughter to be
interested in a trip now it hasto be really focused on you know
(12:54):
maybe a theme park or, youknow, like what do you call it,
like those wax museums where youcan take Instagram photos or
something.
I think that's why Japan is sopopular too.
Jessica Palmer (13:06):
Yeah, yeah.
It's so much easier to engage ateenager in Japan.
Melissa Delaware (13:10):
Exactly.
Yeah.
So you really have to thinkabout where you are as a family,
yeah, right now.
Likewise, like I said againearlier, it's not just about
pleasing the kids.
Like if you just went out on atrip around the world going to,
you know, Disneyland parks.
Like I would be so over thatand I'd be a cranky mum.
(13:30):
So it is, it's just balancingeveryone's interests.
So it matters to answer yourquestion.
It matters a lot.
Yeah.
So do definitely consider thatwhen planning your family's
trip.
Jessica Palmer (13:43):
Yeah, I agree with you there.
So what's a common mistakefamilies make when picking a
destination?
Melissa Delaware (13:48):
I think there's a few mistakes.
My number one thing that I seeis people just trying to fit way
too much in.
Particularly I see people likecoming to Australia or
Queensland and they're like, I'mhere for a week and I want to
see this, this and this.
Jessica Palmer (14:06):
Yeah, yeah.
Melissa Delaware (14:07):
Or I'm going to Europe for eight days and I'm
going to see every country inEurope.
Like, so just putting too muchin.
I think particularly whenyou've got smaller kids as well,
yeah, you can't probably fit asmuch in every day.
You know, smaller kids needmore of a break or maybe the
mums need more of a breaklooking after the small kids.
Jessica Palmer (14:24):
Yeah, they do.
I know.
Because, you know, when ayounger kid is tired, that's it.
Yeah.
Your family's done for the day.
Melissa Delaware (14:32):
Yeah, done for the day.
So, you know, like when youmight have been able to cram a
lot in as a young backpacker orsomething, when you're taking
little kids around, you justreally have to factor that in.
And then I'm finding it back atthe other end.
Teenagers can only go so longas well because they need their
Wi-Fi time.
So, yeah, it's like come a fullcircle for me now.
(14:54):
But, yeah, so it's fitting toomuch in and similar to fitting
too much in is moving around ortravelling too much I think is
another big problem.
Like a lot of families I see,they're like, oh, well, I'll do
one night here and one nightthere and one night there and
you don't realise how much timegoes into like moving hotels,
(15:14):
like packing up and particularlyif you've got more than one
child, like packing their thingsup and moving.
To me, moving hotels is almostlike a day in itself.
I mean, even if you were...
moving hotels within a onedestination, it's a lot.
But if you have to add in likefour or five hours on the road
or you've got to catch a flightthat day as well.
Jessica Palmer (15:36):
That's a whole day wasted, yeah.
Melissa Delaware (15:38):
Absolutely.
So I really encourage people todo less on their holidays,
like, you know, focus on acouple of key destinations and
stay longer than moving aroundtoo much.
Not budgeting properly isanother one I notice.
Um, coming back to Japan, Ithink a lot of people, they
(15:59):
think Japan's a cheapdestination and it kind of, it
kind of can be like food'scheap.
You might get cheap flights,but accommodation is really
expensive.
Jessica Palmer (16:10):
It's brutal, isn't it?
It's like going to Fiji.
It's just brutal.
Melissa Delaware (16:16):
Especially like for families, right?
Um, you know, they pretty muchexpect that a family of five
will fit in a shoe box.
Like, so, um, Yeah, so notbudgeting probably.
The amount of times like whenI'm doing itineraries for
families for Japan and they'relike going, you know, is that
luxury?
No, that's low level.
(16:37):
That's entry prices.
So, yeah, just being aware thatwhen you see and like Fiji or
Vanuatu, you might see a dealand you think, oh, gosh, that
sounds cheap.
And so you buy those flightsand you buy your accommodation
and you go there and you realiselike meals are like, you know,
$50 for a meal.
Yes.
So not budgeting and not beingcaught in by just one price,
(17:02):
realising there's, you know,many levels to budgeting out a
holiday.
Jessica Palmer (17:06):
People often make the assumption that Asia as
a whole is cheap.
It's just not true.
Melissa Delaware (17:13):
Yeah, exactly.
So, yeah, just looking into allcomponents of your trip before
making or booking any component.
Like don't just book thoseflights because they were cheap
and then go, oh, that's reallyexpensive.
Jessica Palmer (17:27):
So are there destinations that look great
online, but then they end upbeing tricky for families in
real life?
Melissa Delaware (17:36):
One of the things that I sort of said about
being tricky is, again, Imentioned Japan about being
expensive and Fiji and Vanuatu.
Jessica Palmer (17:45):
I find Fiji very much like that.
And I wanted to like Fiji morethan I did because everybody
loves it.
Like you said, everyone I knowloves it, but I just didn't, I
did not feel like it was goodvalue for money compared to
other island destinations.
Melissa Delaware (18:03):
I'm the same.
A lot of people, I've only beento Fiji once and, you know, it
was a long time ago, but I'm abit the same that everyone seems
to be in love with it.
Jessica Palmer (18:10):
And don't get me wrong, like it's nice.
It's beautiful.
It really is.
I just think there's otherbeautiful places where the food
isn't $70 for an adult meal.
Melissa Delaware (18:24):
Exactly.
Like it's just paying a lot ofmoney.
So I don't know about thingsbeing tricky for families in
real life.
You know what's tricky?
Going to Southeast Asia andpushing a pram down the street.
That's tricky.
Yeah.
I think if you're a family thatneeds a pram, you need to wait.
(18:45):
Yeah.
That's tricky.
Like footpaths.
And, I mean, maybe they get alittle bit better now.
But, you know, I'm going back,you know, 14 years ago.
Yeah.
Yeah, or I remember the firsttrip we took my daughter to, she
was about 18 months and goingto Thailand and she wasn't
walking just before we left andI thought, oh, is she going to
be crawling around, you know,dirt and streets and stuff?
(19:08):
But she started walking just aswe left and I was like, oh,
thank gosh.
So I think that kind of stuffcould be tricky, like that
logistics.
Jessica Palmer (19:18):
Yeah, I forgot about that because my daughter
turned one in Vietnam and I justwas being paranoid.
Like I've got this photo of herlicking the hotel mirror.
You know what they're like whenthey're that age.
Melissa Delaware (19:31):
Everything in the mouth.
Yeah.
Jessica Palmer (19:33):
And I'm like, oh, no, she's going to be sick
for sure.
But she wasn't.
Melissa Delaware (19:38):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I guess that kind of stuffcan be tricky because, you know,
it's a long time ago for medealing with that kind of stuff.
But, yeah, prams, I was soexcited when I didn't have to
take a pram anymore travelling,hey.
But having said that, I thinkSoutheast Asia is a great place
for young families.
But yeah, just keep thoselittle things in mind that
they're tricky.
Jessica Palmer (19:58):
For parents listening who feel overwhelmed
with the options, what's yournumber one tip for narrowing
down the choices?
Melissa Delaware (20:07):
I think it's really important just to be
clear the sort of holiday thatyou're looking for and really
take some time to think aboutit.
So think about that budget.
And like we said, don't getcaught out with not budgeting
for everything.
You know, think about, youknow, is your family the sort of
people that want to do a lot ofsightseeing or would your
family more benefit from justlying around a pool or the
(20:29):
beach?
So not just going with whateveryone else is doing, but what
would your family benefit from?
And then sort of...
So setting those boundaries andthen only looking at things
that, you know, that fit withinthat rather than just going, oh,
that looks nice, that looksnice.
You know, look, the kids willgrow up and the interests will
(20:52):
change and maybe you might putsomething off now but you can
revisit that later.
So, yeah, just really thinkingabout your family's needs.
Jessica Palmer (21:04):
So if a family listening right now wanted to
start planning their first bigtrip, what's the first step
you'd recommend?
Like what do they need to thinkabout first?
Melissa Delaware (21:14):
We've covered a lot but if we're talking about
a big trip - not just goingto bali and back or something
you know - i think taking areally good amount of time just
to kind of gather ideas.
So not just oh we're going todo this like gather some ideas,
think about things, talk to yourfriends, read lots of. You know
if you're into pinterest starta board.
From a very young age you knowat the dinner table my family
(21:37):
and i would always talk aboutdifferent destinations. W e have
a big map and we'd look atdifferent destinations and get a
vibe for where everyone'sinterested.
And then from there, you know,just sort of work out, going
back to those things we talkedabout before, what are your
family's interests, budget, andlooking at the few destinations
that fit in with that.
(21:59):
I guess at this point I wouldsay either if you're not the
sort of person that wants tospend a lot of time planning a
trip, then go and speak to aprofessional.
But if you're someone like meand Jess, who just loves putting
all that little itinerarytogether, then I would say, you
know, pull out those Googlespreadsheets, start mapping
(22:20):
things out, but do be preparedto spend a few hours, you know,
each night to get it right.
And then going back to some ofthe other advice that I said
earlier is really pinpointingthose destinations that you're
going to spend time and don't,you know, be ruthless and drop a
few destinations off if youthink, you know what, I don't
have the time for thisitinerary.
And the way i tend to dropdestinations off is i look at
(22:44):
what destinations are easy toget to it get to um and sort of
clustered together because inthat way you can focus on a
cluster of destinations for thistrip, and then maybe next trip
you focus on that other cluster. I do see a lot of people like
going to go, well i want to takethe kids to Disneyland and
then we're going to go over tosee the Eiffel Tower and then
(23:05):
we're going to stop inJapan. Like just focus on one
area - and that's very extreme- but just focusing on it it'll
be cheaper you'll actually havemore time if you go to
less places. But yeah, just putthe effort in, it's not easy
planning a big trip but I thinkit's a lot of fun and in the end
it's well worth it
Jessica Palmer (23:24):
Well thank you so much for that Mel, I really
appreciate your time.
Melissa Delaware (23:28):
No worries, I love talking about travel.
Jessica Palmer (23:39):
Before we wrap up, let's talk about a different
kind of holiday you might nothave considered before.
It's called a haycation.
If you haven't already guessed,basically it's a farmstay where
families can enjoy a slowerpace, spend time outdoors and
let the kids experience thingslike feeding animals, collecting
(24:01):
eggs or even just running freein wide open paddocks.
This doesn't mean you have torough it though.
Many farmstays offer a range ofaccommodation from somewhere to
park your caravan or camp,through to boutique
accommodation like an old churchthat's had a beautiful uplift.
If that sounds like somethingyour family would love, we've
(24:22):
rounded up the best farm staysnear Brisbane, perfect for a
weekend getaway or a shortbreak.
You can find that article on theFamily Holiday Destinations
website and I'll also link thisin the show notes for you.
So that wraps up this month'sepisode.
A huge thank you to MelissaDelaware for joining us and
(24:43):
sharing her insights intochoosing the right destination
for family travel.
I'd love to hear what youthought of this episode.
And if you've got your own tipsor favorite destinations, come
and share them with us onsocials.
Thanks for joining me on thisjourney through family holiday
planning.
I hope this chat has inspiredyou to think differently about
(25:04):
your next adventure.
For more tips and detailedguides, head on over to the
Family Holiday And until nexttime, happy travels and enjoy
making those family memories.
Welcome to the Family Holiday Destinations
podcast, where we inspire yournext family adventure.
I'm Jessica Palmer, mother oftwo and founder of Family
Holiday Destinations.
And today we're diving into atopic every parent ponders when
thinking about the schoolholidays.
It's how to actually choose theright family holiday
(00:29):
destination that will keepeveryone happy.
It's easy to get overwhelmedwith with options - beach or
city, budget or splurge,something adventurous, something
super relaxing.
To help us sort through it all,I sat down with Melissa
Delaware, a travel agent atMind & Body Travel, and the
(00:50):
founder of the Thrifty FamilyTravels and Queensland Travel
Guides website.
She's helped countless familiesplan trips, so she knows the
trends, the pitfalls, and theinsider tips.
We'll get into that chatshortly, but first, let's take
a look at what's makingheadlines in family travel this
month.
(01:16):
This month, two stories caughtmy eye that I wanted to share
with you.
First, travel bookings to Fijiand Japan are hitting record
highs, and it's fascinating tosee why these two particular
destinations are topping familywish lists right now.
I mean, they're not exactlywhat anyone would consider
(01:37):
budget destinations.
So are families choosingexperiences that feel worthwhile
over budget options that leavethem short on memories?
It seems so.
Second, a quirky but importantone.
Did you know Australia has beenranked in the top five places
for selfie-related accidents?
(01:57):
Yep, that's a thing.
It's a reminder that while weall love capturing those family
holiday snaps, safety needs tocome first.
You can find both of thesestories in more detail over on
the Family Holiday Destinationswebsite.
I'll pop the links in the shownotes.
(02:22):
Now, on to today's interview.
I had the pleasure of chattingwith Melissa Delaware, a travel
agent at Mind, Body and Travel,and also the powerhouse behind
two hugely successful familytravel websites, Thrifty Family
Travels and Queensland TravelGuides.
Melissa has traveled far andwide with her daughter and also
(02:43):
solo, so she brings both aparent's perspective and a
professional expertise.
In our chat, I asked her aboutthe destinations that surprised
her most, the trends she'sseeing in family bookings,
underrated spots she wishesfamilies would consider, and the
common mistakes parents makewhen picking where to go.
(03:04):
She also shared some fantasticadvice for parents who feel
totally overwhelmed when tryingto choose that next family trip,
whether it's your firstoverseas holiday or just your
next getaway.
Let's dive into ourconversation.
So you've travelled a lot bothwith your daughter and on your
(03:30):
own.
What's one destination thatcompletely surprised you in how
family-friendly it was?
Melissa Delaware (03:38):
Well, I'm always a big believer that you
can find family-friendly sort ofactivities no matter where you
go.
An example I often give peopleis I took my daughter when she
was about seven to the BarossaValley and, you know, known for
its winery and everything.
And she just loved it.
She loved it so much.
(03:59):
But I guess to answer thisquestion, like one of the places
that I thought was great when Itraveled with my daughter was
around Europe.
I know a lot of people see itas a bit of a grown
up destination, you know, tohave nice wines out in squares
and stuff.
But my daughter and I traveledaround Europe when she was
probably around eight or nineand like the trains are really
(04:21):
easy.
It's really easy to get aroundEurope.
You know, every city has acouple of museums and no matter
what the topic they've got a wayof making it child friendly.
I remember taking her to placesabout the Berlin Wall and you
know and she just loved it, likeit was very interactive and
interesting, done in a reallygood way that kids enjoy
(04:44):
learning.
So yeah, I think Europe is oneof those places that you don't
necessarily go 'oh it's a familyfriendly destination like Bali
or Japan' or something, but yeahI think it's a great place -
easy to get around and lots todo for families.
That's so good to know like ona personal level because we've
(05:05):
spent a lot of time in Asia andthe South Pacific and I've
never taken the kids toEurope. Mostly just because
budget wise with four of us.
Yeah yeah it is expensive and um the one
thing I thought was alwaysinteresting is uh my daughter's
uh you know soft drink wasalways um more expensive than my
(05:25):
wine in Europe.
Jessica Palmer (05:29):
So as a travel agent, you see where families
are booking every day.
What destinations are popularright now?
Melissa Delaware (05:37):
Look, I don't know if it's changed that much,
but the biggest one that's rightnow, which is probably no
surprise to you, is Japan.
Jessica Palmer (05:46):
Yeah, that's booming.
Melissa Delaware (05:47):
It is.
Jessica Palmer (05:48):
I went myself in January, I was part of it.
Melissa Delaware (05:51):
And look, I went with my daughter, I think
it was 2019.
It was just before COVID andeven then it was like popular.
So that's like six years agoand it's still really popular.
So lots of families are wantingto go to Japan.
But I'm also just seeing it'salso just the typical ones,
Fiji, Vanuatu, Bali, Thailandand the US for Disneyland.
(06:15):
Yeah, they're all still upthere.
But I'd have to say Japan isreally hot.
Everyone wants to go to Japanat the moment, like families,
yeah.
And I know why.
Jessica Palmer (06:25):
I know.
The thing with Japan is,because Asia can be a culture
shock, but I find that theculture shocks in Japan, they're
not unpleasant.
Yeah, yeah.
Toilets are more fascinatingand fun than, oh, I can't use
that kind of feeling.
Melissa Delaware (06:41):
That's very, very true because it's more
westernised, right?
So it's cleaner, easier to getaround.
People are super friendly.
The one thing, though, inJapan, I did find the languages
can be a bit of a barrier Butit's not as easy as, you know,
some of those other SoutheastAsia places where most people
(07:02):
can speak English and stuff.
It can be tricky, but it'sfine.
Jessica Palmer (07:06):
We went in January and we found by then
everybody was using GoogleTranslate.
Melissa Delaware (07:11):
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Google Translate, you getit everywhere now, hey?
Jessica Palmer (07:15):
That kind of fixed that problem for us.
So how would you usually helpparents choose the right
destination?
So is it about budget orkids? Ages or travel style?
Or something else?
Melissa Delaware (07:29):
All of those things. Budget is obviously the
most important one i think tostart with because, well if
someone has a budget that thatum obviously, but also family's
um interest like the kidsinterest and I say family's
interest. I think a lot ofpeople when they're traveling
with their kids they're likewhat their kids are into but i'm
(07:50):
a big believer that mom and dadshould still have a really good
time as well.
Jessica Palmer (07:53):
So absolutely yeah yeah. Like nobody wants to
spend their time watching theirkid on a playground, right?
That's boring.
Melissa Delaware (08:01):
Absolutely.
And it's one of those things,like, just because you're a
family now doesn't mean everytrip needs to be Disneyland.
And, in fact, going back to,like, what I said about Europe,
like, I often would go to theplaces I wanted to go to and my
daughter would come along and,sure enough, there was always,
like, something.
And I talked about the Barossa,you know.
(08:23):
I think businesses know that ifthey keep the kids happy, then
they can keep the parents happyand they'll stay longer and
spend more money or whatever.
So it might sound a bit selfish,but I often tend to put my own
interests first and then checkwhether or not it's family
friendly, to be honest.
Jessica Palmer (08:40):
Yeah, yeah, so do I.
Melissa Delaware (08:44):
I mean, don't get me wrong.
My daughter has been to plentyof Disneylands around the world,
so we do still do stuff for heras well.
But yeah, so I supposedefinitely family's interest,
budget, travel style - you knowsome people like to sort of be
out everyday sightseeing whereother families are more like
let's just hang by the beach orthe pool. Yeah so it's super
(09:06):
important.
I think too, one thing I hear alot that I think people need to
stop doing is you know - oh myfriend told me to go here or
everyone well everyone's goingto Japan so I'm going to go to
Japan too.
Whereas maybe you know youridea of a holiday is just
hanging by the pool, so you'renot going to enjoy going to
(09:27):
Japan where there's not really,they're not resort style
accommodation to start with andthere's no nice beach.
So not just going with the flowbut thinking about what works
for you.
So really trying to get anunderstanding of what the
particular family, yeah, enjoys,what their budget is, time of
year.
Yeah, I suppose not applyingthat cookie cutter approach but
(09:51):
thinking about what thatindividual family really wants.
Jessica Palmer (09:55):
Yeah, absolutely.
So are there any underrateddestinations you wish more
families would consider?
Melissa Delaware (10:01):
I don't know if I think there's so much
underrated destinations.
Maybe just thinking outside thesquare a little bit. Like, you
know, as we know, lots offamilies from Australia go to
Bali, which is fine.
Maybe go to Bali and thenmaybe, you know, go to, you
know, one or two islands thatare between, you know, Bali or
Lombok or go to Lombok as well.
(10:22):
But, you know, like you canstill go to those places that
you you know, that you want togo to, but maybe throw in
something a little bit differentas well.
Or, you know, if you're going togo to Phuket, why not spend a
couple of days in the jungle acouple of hours away, you know,
just thinking about something alittle bit different.
And that goes for Australiansor Queenslanders as well.
(10:45):
I think we tend to overlookwhat we have in our own backyard
sometimes.
And I'm guilty of it as well.
And it's one thing COVID didfor me, which I think was so
great.
It really taught me to love myown country and to love
Queensland.
And so one of my, if you're aQueensland family listening to
(11:05):
this, one of my biggest tip foryou is do a road trip through
Outback Queensland with yourkids before they get too old.
Jessica Palmer (11:11):
That's amazing, isn't it?
Melissa Delaware (11:12):
Oh, so good.
Jessica Palmer (11:14):
One of the best road trips we ever did was out
to Winton for that OutbackFestival.
It was so fun.
Melissa Delaware (11:21):
Isn't it just?
Jessica Palmer (11:22):
The town was beautiful and the people were
beautiful and they were allfriendly and it was just so fun.
Melissa Delaware (11:28):
Just casual, laid back and, yeah, it's one of
my fun trips as well. Anothertrip that we did, not in Outback
Queensland but driving throughfrom Darwin down to Uluru,
stopping at the national parksand swimming in the waterfalls
and just it's a real, having anadventure with your kids like
(11:48):
that is just amazing memoriesand do those trips while the
kids are smaller before theybecome teenagers and don't want
to go anywhere.
Jessica Palmer (11:56):
Absolutely . So how much do you think the
type of holiday for example likebeach versus city versus
adventure matters when choosingwhere to go with kids?
Melissa Delaware (12:09):
It matters a lot in that it matters like what
your family's interests aregetting back to sort of what I
said before. If you just applythe cookie cutter approach and
you go where all your friendsare going or where you know
other Australian families aregoing you know and it might not
be right for you. Or it mightnot be right for you at that
time in your family'slife. Maybe you know your kids
(12:31):
are tired you're tired and somaybe a casual beach holiday is
more you know appropriate, ormaybe your kids are some other
sorts of that are the types thatwill get bored on the beach and
you know you need to keep thementertained. Or like we were
sort of saying about teens likeI find for my daughter to be
interested in a trip now it hasto be really focused on you know
(12:54):
maybe a theme park or, youknow, like what do you call it,
like those wax museums where youcan take Instagram photos or
something.
I think that's why Japan is sopopular too.
Jessica Palmer (13:06):
Yeah, yeah.
It's so much easier to engage ateenager in Japan.
Melissa Delaware (13:10):
Exactly.
Yeah.
So you really have to thinkabout where you are as a family,
yeah, right now.
Likewise, like I said againearlier, it's not just about
pleasing the kids.
Like if you just went out on atrip around the world going to,
you know, Disneyland parks.
Like I would be so over thatand I'd be a cranky mum.
(13:30):
So it is, it's just balancingeveryone's interests.
So it matters to answer yourquestion.
It matters a lot.
Yeah.
So do definitely consider thatwhen planning your family's
trip.
Jessica Palmer (13:43):
Yeah, I agree with you there.
So what's a common mistakefamilies make when picking a
destination?
Melissa Delaware (13:48):
I think there's a few mistakes.
My number one thing that I seeis people just trying to fit way
too much in.
Particularly I see people likecoming to Australia or
Queensland and they're like, I'mhere for a week and I want to
see this, this and this.
Jessica Palmer (14:06):
Yeah, yeah.
Melissa Delaware (14:07):
Or I'm going to Europe for eight days and I'm
going to see every country inEurope.
Like, so just putting too muchin.
I think particularly whenyou've got smaller kids as well,
yeah, you can't probably fit asmuch in every day.
You know, smaller kids needmore of a break or maybe the
mums need more of a breaklooking after the small kids.
Jessica Palmer (14:24):
Yeah, they do.
I know.
Because, you know, when ayounger kid is tired, that's it.
Yeah.
Your family's done for the day.
Melissa Delaware (14:32):
Yeah, done for the day.
So, you know, like when youmight have been able to cram a
lot in as a young backpacker orsomething, when you're taking
little kids around, you justreally have to factor that in.
And then I'm finding it back atthe other end.
Teenagers can only go so longas well because they need their
Wi-Fi time.
So, yeah, it's like come a fullcircle for me now.
(14:54):
But, yeah, so it's fitting toomuch in and similar to fitting
too much in is moving around ortravelling too much I think is
another big problem.
Like a lot of families I see,they're like, oh, well, I'll do
one night here and one nightthere and one night there and
you don't realise how much timegoes into like moving hotels,
(15:14):
like packing up and particularlyif you've got more than one
child, like packing their thingsup and moving.
To me, moving hotels is almostlike a day in itself.
I mean, even if you were...
moving hotels within a onedestination, it's a lot.
But if you have to add in likefour or five hours on the road
or you've got to catch a flightthat day as well.
Jessica Palmer (15:36):
That's a whole day wasted, yeah.
Melissa Delaware (15:38):
Absolutely.
So I really encourage people todo less on their holidays,
like, you know, focus on acouple of key destinations and
stay longer than moving aroundtoo much.
Not budgeting properly isanother one I notice.
Um, coming back to Japan, Ithink a lot of people, they
(15:59):
think Japan's a cheapdestination and it kind of, it
kind of can be like food'scheap.
You might get cheap flights,but accommodation is really
expensive.
Jessica Palmer (16:10):
It's brutal, isn't it?
It's like going to Fiji.
It's just brutal.
Melissa Delaware (16:16):
Especially like for families, right?
Um, you know, they pretty muchexpect that a family of five
will fit in a shoe box.
Like, so, um, Yeah, so notbudgeting probably.
The amount of times like whenI'm doing itineraries for
families for Japan and they'relike going, you know, is that
luxury?
No, that's low level.
(16:37):
That's entry prices.
So, yeah, just being aware thatwhen you see and like Fiji or
Vanuatu, you might see a dealand you think, oh, gosh, that
sounds cheap.
And so you buy those flightsand you buy your accommodation
and you go there and you realiselike meals are like, you know,
$50 for a meal.
Yes.
So not budgeting and not beingcaught in by just one price,
(17:02):
realising there's, you know,many levels to budgeting out a
holiday.
Jessica Palmer (17:06):
People often make the assumption that Asia as
a whole is cheap.
It's just not true.
Melissa Delaware (17:13):
Yeah, exactly.
So, yeah, just looking into allcomponents of your trip before
making or booking any component.
Like don't just book thoseflights because they were cheap
and then go, oh, that's reallyexpensive.
Jessica Palmer (17:27):
So are there destinations that look great
online, but then they end upbeing tricky for families in
real life?
Melissa Delaware (17:36):
One of the things that I sort of said about
being tricky is, again, Imentioned Japan about being
expensive and Fiji and Vanuatu.
Jessica Palmer (17:45):
I find Fiji very much like that.
And I wanted to like Fiji morethan I did because everybody
loves it.
Like you said, everyone I knowloves it, but I just didn't, I
did not feel like it was goodvalue for money compared to
other island destinations.
Melissa Delaware (18:03):
I'm the same.
A lot of people, I've only beento Fiji once and, you know, it
was a long time ago, but I'm abit the same that everyone seems
to be in love with it.
Jessica Palmer (18:10):
And don't get me wrong, like it's nice.
It's beautiful.
It really is.
I just think there's otherbeautiful places where the food
isn't $70 for an adult meal.
Melissa Delaware (18:24):
Exactly.
Like it's just paying a lot ofmoney.
So I don't know about thingsbeing tricky for families in
real life.
You know what's tricky?
Going to Southeast Asia andpushing a pram down the street.
That's tricky.
Yeah.
I think if you're a family thatneeds a pram, you need to wait.
(18:45):
Yeah.
That's tricky.
Like footpaths.
And, I mean, maybe they get alittle bit better now.
But, you know, I'm going back,you know, 14 years ago.
Yeah.
Yeah, or I remember the firsttrip we took my daughter to, she
was about 18 months and goingto Thailand and she wasn't
walking just before we left andI thought, oh, is she going to
be crawling around, you know,dirt and streets and stuff?
(19:08):
But she started walking just aswe left and I was like, oh,
thank gosh.
So I think that kind of stuffcould be tricky, like that
logistics.
Jessica Palmer (19:18):
Yeah, I forgot about that because my daughter
turned one in Vietnam and I justwas being paranoid.
Like I've got this photo of herlicking the hotel mirror.
You know what they're like whenthey're that age.
Melissa Delaware (19:31):
Everything in the mouth.
Yeah.
Jessica Palmer (19:33):
And I'm like, oh, no, she's going to be sick
for sure.
But she wasn't.
Melissa Delaware (19:38):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So I guess that kind of stuffcan be tricky because, you know,
it's a long time ago for medealing with that kind of stuff.
But, yeah, prams, I was soexcited when I didn't have to
take a pram anymore travelling,hey.
But having said that, I thinkSoutheast Asia is a great place
for young families.
But yeah, just keep thoselittle things in mind that
they're tricky.
Jessica Palmer (19:58):
For parents listening who feel overwhelmed
with the options, what's yournumber one tip for narrowing
down the choices?
Melissa Delaware (20:07):
I think it's really important just to be
clear the sort of holiday thatyou're looking for and really
take some time to think aboutit.
So think about that budget.
And like we said, don't getcaught out with not budgeting
for everything.
You know, think about, youknow, is your family the sort of
people that want to do a lot ofsightseeing or would your
family more benefit from justlying around a pool or the
(20:29):
beach?
So not just going with whateveryone else is doing, but what
would your family benefit from?
And then sort of...
So setting those boundaries andthen only looking at things
that, you know, that fit withinthat rather than just going, oh,
that looks nice, that looksnice.
You know, look, the kids willgrow up and the interests will
(20:52):
change and maybe you might putsomething off now but you can
revisit that later.
So, yeah, just really thinkingabout your family's needs.
Jessica Palmer (21:04):
So if a family listening right now wanted to
start planning their first bigtrip, what's the first step
you'd recommend?
Like what do they need to thinkabout first?
Melissa Delaware (21:14):
We've covered a lot but if we're talking about
a big trip - not just goingto bali and back or something
you know - i think taking areally good amount of time just
to kind of gather ideas.
So not just oh we're going todo this like gather some ideas,
think about things, talk to yourfriends, read lots of. You know
if you're into pinterest starta board.
From a very young age you knowat the dinner table my family
(21:37):
and i would always talk aboutdifferent destinations. W e have
a big map and we'd look atdifferent destinations and get a
vibe for where everyone'sinterested.
And then from there, you know,just sort of work out, going
back to those things we talkedabout before, what are your
family's interests, budget, andlooking at the few destinations
that fit in with that.
(21:59):
I guess at this point I wouldsay either if you're not the
sort of person that wants tospend a lot of time planning a
trip, then go and speak to aprofessional.
But if you're someone like meand Jess, who just loves putting
all that little itinerarytogether, then I would say, you
know, pull out those Googlespreadsheets, start mapping
(22:20):
things out, but do be preparedto spend a few hours, you know,
each night to get it right.
And then going back to some ofthe other advice that I said
earlier is really pinpointingthose destinations that you're
going to spend time and don't,you know, be ruthless and drop a
few destinations off if youthink, you know what, I don't
have the time for thisitinerary.
And the way i tend to dropdestinations off is i look at
(22:44):
what destinations are easy toget to it get to um and sort of
clustered together because inthat way you can focus on a
cluster of destinations for thistrip, and then maybe next trip
you focus on that other cluster. I do see a lot of people like
going to go, well i want to takethe kids to Disneyland and
then we're going to go over tosee the Eiffel Tower and then
(23:05):
we're going to stop inJapan. Like just focus on one
area - and that's very extreme- but just focusing on it it'll
be cheaper you'll actually havemore time if you go to
less places. But yeah, just putthe effort in, it's not easy
planning a big trip but I thinkit's a lot of fun and in the end
it's well worth it
Jessica Palmer (23:24):
Well thank you so much for that Mel, I really
appreciate your time.
Melissa Delaware (23:28):
No worries, I love talking about travel.
Jessica Palmer (23:39):
Before we wrap up, let's talk about a different
kind of holiday you might nothave considered before.
It's called a haycation.
If you haven't already guessed,basically it's a farmstay where
families can enjoy a slowerpace, spend time outdoors and
let the kids experience thingslike feeding animals, collecting
(24:01):
eggs or even just running freein wide open paddocks.
This doesn't mean you have torough it though.
Many farmstays offer a range ofaccommodation from somewhere to
park your caravan or camp,through to boutique
accommodation like an old churchthat's had a beautiful uplift.
If that sounds like somethingyour family would love, we've
(24:22):
rounded up the best farm staysnear Brisbane, perfect for a
weekend getaway or a shortbreak.
You can find that article on theFamily Holiday Destinations
website and I'll also link thisin the show notes for you.
So that wraps up this month'sepisode.
A huge thank you to MelissaDelaware for joining us and
(24:43):
sharing her insights intochoosing the right destination
for family travel.
I'd love to hear what youthought of this episode.
And if you've got your own tipsor favorite destinations, come
and share them with us onsocials.
Thanks for joining me on thisjourney through family holiday
planning.
I hope this chat has inspiredyou to think differently about
(25:04):
your next adventure.
For more tips and detailedguides, head on over to the
Family Holiday And until nexttime, happy travels and enjoy
making those family memories.
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