If there’s one thing in life that never changes, it’s that it never stops changing.
Family travel is all about adapting to the twists and turns that life throws at you, and each year, those twists and turns get a little wilder, a little busier, a little crazier. And for our family, 2025 had some of the wildest twists and turns we’ve ever experienced. For many people, these challenges offer the chance to step back, let things settle down, and regroup.
For us, we just smash down on the accelerator a little harder and hang on for the ride.
2024 was wild. Hectic hockey schedules, last-minute homework assignments, and all of those family obligations and get-togethers that pop up in everyday life. Yet, we somehow managed to squeeze in 17 trips spread across 10 unique countries and four Canadian provinces.
With all of the parenting challenges that parents who have kids in high-level competitive sports, teenagers who are starting high school, managing growing friendships, and demanding careers face, there was no way that 2025 could top the adventures of the previous year.
Well, this wouldn’t be the last time that life proved me wrong.
Family Updates From 2024
Table of Contents
Last year challenged us with personal tragedies, adapting to the lives of children who were truly beginning to come into their own, and emotional stress that led us to embark on a trip to Japan that, quite honestly, nearly became an emotional breaking point for me. But our family fought through those struggles together, coming together when we needed each other and emerging stronger and more connected than ever.
2025 hit each and every one of us with our own personal challenges. But after the struggles of the previous year, even the hardest hits seemed to land a little softer. We were ready, we were more cohesive, and each of us was in a better place to support each other the way that we needed to be.
Cohen
Last year, Cohen began to truly come into his own. Grade eight was a great school year, with excellent teachers who inspired him, and a hockey season where he was voted team Captain and led his team to their best year in recent memory.
He was playing for two teams, his hometown AA Brampton 45s and stepping up for the AAA Credit River Capitals. Everyone saw his potential, and he worked tirelessly at his school projects and his hockey skills with a goal of breaking into the highest division for the 2025/26 season.
Except it didn’t happen. Tryout season came and went, and the coaches who he thought were ready to take a chance on him didn’t. He took that and, rather than letting it defeat him, doubled down on his work ethic, finishing his year with school awards in history and leadership, and preparing for high school with an energy that a high school dropout like me found completely inspiring.
September came, and high school fit him like a glove. Unlike me, he sailed into grade nine with confidence and soon maintained an honor roll average while competing on school sports teams and joining competitive science clubs. He continues to lead his hockey team as Captain and has a clear vision of what hockey looks for him as the playoffs loom ahead in a few months.
Dylan
Dylan finished off elementary school strong. Like me, school hasn’t been a place that seems built for him, but he’s adapted very well, and with great teachers and a lot of inspiration, he’s settling in to middle school far more comfortably than I did. His creativity has helped him score some great marks on projects, and he’s looking forward to getting to class every day.
His hockey life has been just as busy as his older brother’s. Last year, he had an excellent season with his Brampton 45s A team. But changing rules meant the team this year would look a lot different than last. He made a go to break into AA, but caught a bad flu during the tryout season that didn’t allow him the chance to bring his best to the rink. Rather than letting it get him down, he decided on a change of season and moved to our neighboring Halton Hills Thunder, where he’s settling in comfortably and making some good friends.
Christina
Let’s face it, without Christina, the Wandering Wagars adventure travel blog wouldn’t exist. She’s the person who got me into travel, and she continues to be the driving force behind most of our trips. She tirelessly plans and pulls off the most awe-inspiring family travel experiences that any of us can imagine. My job, well, I document and turn those experiences that she crafts into stories and tips for amazing people like you.
For the past 22 years, Christina has been a game-changer in the company that she’s helped to lead. She’s a woman in demand, and this year took on an additional challenge of enrolling in an executive MBA at the Kellogg and Schulich business schools. A course that doesn’t just involve in-class work here in Toronto, but has her taking on projects in destinations like Hong Kong and Tanzania.
This year, she switched gears. Christina opted to focus more on her studies, enjoy a little peace and quiet with her family, and begin plans for the many different places that her professional career can take her from here.
Kevin
For myself, 2025 manifested itself in ways that I couldn’t predict. Both incredible and frustrating. The adventures were unforgettable, offering learning experiences and cultural immersion that broadened my perspective on our little blue dot and offered a tremendous number of things to think about.
As someone who, in 2018, left the corporate world behind to pursue a full-time career as a travel writer and photographer, the growth of AI hit me like a ton of bricks. In 2023, my humble little Wandering Wagars website was welcoming nearly 275,000 visitors a month. Cities are worth families and adventurers looking for inspiration and tips for their next off-the-beaten-path travel destination.
In 2024, those numbers began to drop, thanks to the spread of AI-generated travel content. Authentic stories became harder to find, buried by Google beneath a load of soulless slop. Traffic on Wandering Wagars – Adventure Family Travel dropped to under 50,000 visitors a month for the first time in eight years. But on the 10th anniversary of the launch of my website, I’m celebrating the wins. Struggles like that come to anyone running their own small business, and I’ve adapted.
I was voted in to the board of directors of the Travel Media Association of Canada, heading up this prestigious organization’s membership committee alongside my friend Nancy Bordeleau of Cinq Fourchettes. I’ve expanded my YouTube channel and focused on creating inspirational and educational family travel videos. And I’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing Canadian travel destinations in an effort to showcase some of my favorite under-the-radar travel destinations in Canada.
Our Family’s Travel Adventures In 2025
Life hasn’t slowed down; it’s only gotten busier. One child in high school, two boys in high-level sports, music lessons, social engagements, and family time, it all adds up. Each year, Christina and I think to ourselves, “How can we possibly top last year?”
And somehow we do it.
January – New York City
Like most years, I started my travels in New York City in a whirlwind conference of meetings where I attended the International Media Marketplace and met with travel destinations from around the world to find experiences that I think will connect with the amazing people who visit my website.
A new president had just been elected, and little did I know that his divisive policies would lead to this being my last visit to the United States in 2025, a shock to my system from a country that has some of the most incredible people and destinations on this planet, but one that led me dive deeper into the incredible adventure destinations on offer in my home country of Canada.
While I was there, I was invited to sit down with my friend Angie Orth to talk about family travel on the Traveling with AAA podcast, where we chatted all about the joy and struggles of family travel, diving into some of my wildest stories.
February – Lanaudiere and Mauricie, Quebec
In February, we launched into our first family travel adventure of 2025. And it became one of our most memorable winter family trips in recent memory. We launched on a snowy winter road trip through Quebec’s Lanaudière and Mauricie regions. We traded the busy city for four days of frozen rivers and quiet skating trails that wind through the boreal forest, flying over winter landscapes in a floatplane, and warming up at night in cabins heated with a crackling wood stove. It was the best kind of winter trip. One where Valentine’s Day meant charcuterie for us, nachos for the boys, and everyone falling asleep smelling faintly of wood smoke and maple syrup.
What made it special wasn’t just the scenery, but the moments in between: snowshoeing until our eyelashes froze, hiking “just a little farther” for views that were well worth the effort, and rediscovering that winter isn’t something to escape, it’s something every family should lean into.
You can find my full video from our time in Lanaudiere and Mauricie, Quebec here.
February – North Bay, Ontario
As the boys have gotten older and busier, commitments from school, sports, and social life are growing ever more important to their personal development, so I’ve begun embracing trips without the kids. Sure, every travel experience is made better when all four of us are present. But the reality of life is that, as the boys get older, those family adventures are going to become harder and harder to come by.
Sometimes, Christina and I get a chance to get away together. Sometimes, we’ll each take a trip on our own. This past winter, I drove up Highway 11 to the shores of Lake Nipissing and the city of North Bay, Ontario.
Three days of fat biking, hiking, and ice fishing were exactly what I needed to stave off my yearly winter blues. Combine those adventures with North Bay’s amazing restaurants and its gorgeous winter light and artwork festival held on Lake Nipissing, and I was already planning my next winter trip to the city.
May – United Arab Emirates
For the past two years, whenever we asked Dylan where he wanted to travel to, his first answer was assuredly Dubai. He wanted to see the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Well, when the hockey season came to an end and the next season’s tryouts were over and done with, we found ourselves with a four-day-long weekend with no plans. So, off we went!
Dubai surprised us in the best possible way. After a day of wandering among the skyscrapers and supercars, one of our favorite family moments of the year happened far beyond the big city. We took to the desert, bouncing across sand dunes in an open-top Land Rover and spotting gazelles in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.
Unlike the city of Dubai itself, this part of the United Arab Emirates wasn’t flashy or rushed. It was immersive, cultural, and genuinely fun for all of us. Our Dubai desert tour ended up being one of those trips that gently hit the reset button on our preconceived notions about this place.
May – Calgary, Alberta
Sometimes the best trips aren’t about ticking off landmarks. Sometimes, it’s all about the people you get to spend time with. Usually, my peeps are Christina and the boys, but my spring visit to Calgary offered up something different. A boy’s trip with my friends Chris Rudder of Rudderless Travel and photographer Tyler MacSemniuk.
Our three days in Calgary this year were exactly that: laughter with friends, long conversations over great meals, and discovering the city together in a way that felt more like reconnecting than sightseeing. From craft breweries to neighbourhood markets, the focus wasn’t on rushing from one thing to the next, but on soaking in moments with the people who matter most.
We wandered through Calgary’s vibrant streets, shared unexpected local gems, and found that the city’s warmth came less from the skyline and more from the company we kept. It was a reminder that travel doesn’t have to be grand to be unforgettable — sometimes it’s the shared jokes, easy evenings, and spontaneous detours that stick with you. Click through to relive the full story and see why Calgary feels like more than a destination when you experience it with friends.
June – Sauble Beach, Ontario
An extended family trip to Sauble Beach, Ontario, has become a family tradition. Each year, Christina’s sister, Pilar, and her family host the whole family, including Christina’s brother and sister’s family, her parents, and her in-laws at a cottage. And every year, it’s one of the weekends I look forward to the most.
This year, I took no photos. I just spent the weekend drinking in the peace and love of some of my favorite people on the planet. And it was awesome.
June – Saskatchewan
The day after getting home from Sauble Beach, I jetted off to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, for the first time since I spent a week exploring the city along with the provincial capital of Regina the year before. The main purpose of my trip wasn’t to go sightseeing, though. It was for the Travel Media Association of Canada annual conference. A chance to meet with some of my great friends in the travel space and work together to grow the professionalism and quality of the industry here in Canada.
But it’s too much to travel to a great place like Saskatchewan and not do some exploring. I was lucky enough to take part in a trip through some of the most amazing Indigenous travel experiences in the province including an overnight stay at kaniyasihk culture camps where old and new friends like Chris Rudder, Kathryn Dickson of Kathryn Anywhere, and Ashlyn George of The Lost Girls Guide, and travel writer Mary Charleson learned about how Indigenous traditions are adapting in a world where First Nations peoples are regaining autonomy in their culture, language, and traditions.
We slept in tipis under the Northern Lights at Water’s Edge Eco Lodge, and embarked on an e-Bike tour with an old friend (whose son shares the same name as Cohen) at The Local Adventure Company.
June – Quebec City, Quebec
The end of June marked the end of conference season for me, with one last event in the beautiful and historic Quebec City. I’ve made some amazing friends with the travel community in Quebec, and the TBEX (Travel Blogger Exchange) conference offered an enticing opportunity to reconnect with many of them.
But the benefits of conferences like this go far beyond connecting with amazing colleagues and friends. They open up opportunities to check out new and unique experiences within the destination itself. During the Quebec City conference, I had the chance to take part in my very first Via Ferrata, an adventure experience I loved so much that I made sure to take my kids on the next opportunity in the Laurentians. I also got to hang out with an amazing crew including my friend Patrick Lemaire of Quebec City Tourism, Will Hatton of the Broke Backpacker, Susan Gleissner fromThis Big Wild World, YouTuber Steve Yalo, Nele van Hout from Navigatio, and Ian Ord from WSETravel on white water rafting and paddleboarding adventures along with a stay at the Long House in the beautiful Wendake First Nations hotel.
The experiences inspired me to research some of the best family-friendly adventures in Quebec City.
June – Egypt
One day home from a whirlwind of adventures in Canada, and Christina, the boys, and I were in the air. We flew through London to Cairo for a one-month journey through Africa, touching eight countries and exploring six of them. It was a hang on to your pants kind of moment.
Back in 2020, my family traveled to Egypt for the very first time. It was overwhelming. Giza and the pyramids, a Nile cruise, hot air balloons over Luxor, and more pushy merchants than my poor brain could handle. But one place in Egypt was a welcome escape. Peaceful, quiet, immersive. That was the Siwa Oasis in the Western Desert.
We couldn’t think of any place to start our month-long journey through Africa than here. But in true Wagar style, we opted to dive even deeper. We spent three days roaming around this vast desert playground seeking out some of the region’s most incredible natural and historical treasures, such as the whale bones in Wadi al Hitan, the black-topped golden mounds of the Black Desert, and the surreal landscapes of the White Desert.
July – Tanzania
From Cairo, we flew through Addis Ababa, spending the night in the city before flying through to Kilimanjaro National Airport. After the stillness of Egypt’s Western Desert, Tanzania felt alive in every possible way. From the moment we arrived in Arusha and met Omary, our guide and constant source of energy and entertainment, the trip took on a deeper rhythm. T
Tarangire welcomed us with elephants, entire families moving together through the dust. The Serengeti delivered those once-in-a-lifetime moments: lions perched dramatically on rocky outcrops, endless horizons seen from a sunrise hot air balloon ride, and countless hours winding across the plains in search of that perfect photo.
What stayed with us most weren’t the wildlife sightings, but the pauses. Waiting patiently for a leopard to emerge at dusk. Christina dancing in a surprise rain shower during a Serengeti sundowner. Quietly watching a mother black rhino and her calf in the Ngorongoro Crater, knowing how rare that moment truly was.
Tanzania didn’t just thrill us, it grounded us, reminding us that the most powerful journeys aren’t about what you see, but how each destination can make you feel alive.
You can read the full story about our Northern Circuit Safari here.
July – Zimbabwe
After our epic travels in Tanzania, our visit to Zimbabwe went by in a blink. A short sprint from Victoria Falls International Airport to the Zambian border. But our visit wasn’t just a stopover; we made sure to do something with our time in Zimbabwe, a visit to Victoria Falls National Park.
We’ve visited some of the world’s most incredible waterfalls before. Niagara Falls on the border of Ontario and New York, and Iguazu Falls bordering Brazil and Argentina. And each one got us soaked. Why we thought this wouldn’t be the case this time, I have no idea.
But there we were, at Danger Point, not at all dressed for the experience, except the guide’s provided poncho, which acts more like a plastic bag designed to keep the water in than out. And we loved it.
July – Zambia
Zimbabwe was just a taste of Victoria Falls. Our next four days were going to be spent right beside this natural wonder of the world at the Royal Livingstone Hotel, Victoria Falls, just steps from the border. This Victoria Falls resort was wild. And I mean that in the best way.
Zebras, antelopes, and giraffes wandering outside our room, elegant comfort, amazing food and staff, it was luxury, with a side of adventure. This was the kind of soft adventure we needed after a week and a half of dust and rough roads.
After weeks of dust and early mornings, this was where our bodies finally caught up with everything we’d experienced. We embarked on river floats, helicopter tours over Victoria Falls, a water safari, and a visit to see some of the last remaining rhinos in all of Zambia. The highlight, though, was wading into the Angel Pool at Victoria Falls and gazing down into the abyss.
July – Mozambique
I’ll be honest, Christina and I aren’t your typical “all-inclusive resort” people. On one of our first travel adventures together, nearly 22 years ago, the two of us traveled to Cuba and booked a weeklong stay at a resort.
We were bored by day two. Sipping Spanish coffees and chilling on the beach could only do so much for us. We wanted to MOVE.
So when we decided to break up our African travel adventure with a resort stay in Mozambique, we knew that it had to be a place with a lot more to offer than just mimosas and great sand. That’s why we chose Anantara Bazaruto Island, just off the coast in the Indian Ocean.
Over the next four days, we snorkeled, explored abandoned resorts, went sandboarding, caught and ate wild tuna, and Dylan even got to play on a piano used by his namesake, Bob Dylan, to write his song “Mozambique.” The highlight of our trip, though, was a PADI Discovery Dive with the resort’s dive master.
Even though my Insta360 Camera died during the dive, it was still an unbelievable experience as dozens of sea turtles emerged from the sea grass, like, as Cohen stated, “the Millennium Falcon from a nebula.”
July – Casablanca, Morocco
When we first traveled to Morocco back in 2021, we were blown away. So when we saw that we could transit through Casablanca on the way back home and see one of the cities that we missed out on during our previous itinerary, we didn’t think twice.
We only had a day in Casablanca, but this city left a big impression on us. It’s wild how dramatically different Casablanca is from other cities that we visited, like Marrakech and Fes. It was nothing like the red brick buildings and narrow alleyways. The French influence here is huge, and in a way, it took us back to our travels in Thessaloniki, in Greece. Wide boulevards, pristine courtyards, and ample waterfront teeming with people.
Casablanca offered an amazing contrast to some of our favorite places to visit in the country, and it got us excited to head back and see some of the other gems that we missed.
July – Bay of Quinte, Ontario
Many of you have followed along with us through our travels at home in Canada. We love epic journeys, but the truth is that not every memorable journey requires crossing an ocean.
Back on home soil, the boys and I had a quick turnaround before taking off on a road trip through Ontario and Quebec. How long? 18 hours to unpack, do laundry, pack again, and hit the road. Oh, and maybe get a little sleep as well. Our road trip to the Bay of Quinte stood out because it reminded us how much adventure lies close to home, and how easy it can be to miss out if you don’t take the road less traveled.
We wandered the waterfront trails of Belleville, explored local history at Glanmore Historic Site, and spent time canoeing on the water, where the pace instantly slowed, and our conversations stretched out like the waves we were paddling. Evenings were about good food and local flavors. Restaurants that connected with the community’s spirit
What made the Bay of Quinte special wasn’t a single headline attraction, but how everything connected: learning about the region’s Indigenous roots near Tyendinaga, watching the light change over the bay, and realizing how rarely we give nearby places the attention they deserve.
This was also when the news dropped of Christina’s career change. She hopped on the next bus to Kingston and met us at our next road trip destination. Big news seems to be a lot more fun to share when you’re surrounded by family.
July – Kingston, Ontario
Kingston drew us in for reasons that went beyond its popular waterfront. For Christina, this city carries a lot of history. She spent a lot of time here as a student of Queen’s University. Memories tied to the limestone streets and Queen’s campus, a place that had a big part in shaping who she is today.
We spent our days wandering the waterfront, watching boats drift past City Hall, and rediscovering why Kingston has a way of pulling people back again and again.
One of the highlights was leaning into Kingston’s darker side on a haunted walking tour through its historic streets and alleyways. The boys were equal parts skeptical and hooked as stories of ghostly sightings, old prisons, and restless spirits unfolded against the glow of streetlights and centuries-old stone buildings. It was the perfect blend of history, storytelling, and just enough spine-tingling intrigue.
August – Laurentians, Quebec
From Kingston, we drove to Quebec’s scenic Laurentians region, just northeast of Montreal. Our first stop was Lac des Seize-Iles for a weekend with Christina’s family. Three days of swimming, boating, and eating with all of the cousins and siblings. A total blast.
From there, it was off to the most popular place to visit in the Laurentians, Mont-Tremblant Resort. Mont-Tremblant in summer reminded us why this place keeps sneaking back onto our Canadian travel calendar. We came for the mountains and fresh air, but stayed for the mix of adventure and easy fun: riding the gondola up the mountain just for the views, letting the boys loose on the luge (again… and again), and wandering the pedestrian village with ice cream melting faster than we could eat it.
Our highlights of the Laurentians, though, weren’t at the resort at all. One was our epic Via Ferrata experience in Saint-Anne-des-Monts, and the other was a truly unique experience watching an acrobatic show from a towering observation platform in the middle of the forest.
You can watch our video from that trip here.
August – Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Quebec
After wrapping up our visit to the Laurentians, we hit the road again, this time to a region of Quebec that we had never visited before (If you’ve been following our travels for a while, you know there aren’t many left).
Abitibi-Temiscamingue is massive. It’s also right on the border with our home province of Ontario. The fact that it has taken us this long to discover how absolutely gorgeous this part of Quebec is seems like a bit of a crime.
We drove north west from Tremblant to the city of Val d’Or to learn about the region’s rich mining history. We checked out Amos with inspirational animal sanctuaries and a hike so beautiful, I can believe that the whole country isn’t talking about it. Then we drove to the twin cities of Rouyne-Noranda for a walk through history, and our family’s first music festival, which became an adventure all of its own.
Finally, we made our way to the Ontario border and Parc National d’Opemican, a stunning provincial park that, apparently, no one in Ontario knows about. While all of the Ontario Provincial Parks are packed, this beautiful place still has walk-in camping available.
September – Eastern Townships, Quebec
Driving back from Quebec after one of the most epic summer trips imaginable, we were exhausted. The next few weeks were spent getting back into the rhythm of home. School preparations, hockey practices, re-connecting with family.
By the end of September, though, the boys and I felt like taking one last adventure together into our 2025 family travels. We hit the road to Quebec once more, this time traveling south of the St. Lawrence River to the beautiful Eastern Townships, a region we hadn’t visited since our Quebec Indigenous road trip back in 2019.
We started in Bromont, an outdoor haven known for its cycling adventures. We picked up an awesome electric campervan from Bromont Campervans and hit the road on a three-day road trip that took us through the historic gorge in Coaticook, on a winding journey through rural fromageries, and onward to epic hikes through Mont-Megantic National Park.
With the school year in full swing and hockey taking up every waking moment outside of classes, this Eastern Townships road trip was a welcome chance for the three boys to connect before our hectic schedules took over.
November – Hong Kong/Macau, China
Inspired by a couple’s trip to Georgia in 2024, Christina and I made a quiet but important decision this year: to carve out more space for just the two of us. In 2025, we celebrated 18 years of marriage, so we stepped into Hong Kong to celebrate. This is a city we’d passed through countless times, yet somehow never had the chance to properly experience.
It felt fitting to mark a milestone in a place that had always been just out of reach.
We split our time between wandering the streets of Macau, hiking Lantau Island, and getting happily lost in Central’s narrow alleys before Christina settled in for her MBA classes. Then the trip shifted gears. While she focused on school, I roamed solo, chasing viewpoints, following food smells down side streets, and leaning into the rare freedom of traveling alone in a city that rewards curiosity.
Trips like this blur the line between work and life, but they also remind me why I chose this career path in the first place.
Closing Thoughts On Family Travel in 2025 and Looking Forward To 2026
As my family and I look ahead to 2026, we know one thing for certain: life won’t slow down.
Each year presents new challenges, new opportunities, growing pains, and moments that knock the wind out of us when we least expect it. We also know that there will be wonder in places far from home and right in our own backyard.
Family travel will continue to be how we process, reconnect, and remind ourselves of what matters most in this world. And as long as curiosity outweighs fear, we’ll keep packing the bags, chasing questions instead of certainty, and sharing the journey, both the beautiful parts and the hard ones, with all of you.
Thank you for being a part of our family story.
Kevin, Christina, Cohen, and Dylan
The Wandering Wagars