'I travel the world with my kids - I'm currently in the Arctic Circle' (2024)

Sara Young and her boyfriend have spent years travelling the world with their two young children - but their latest trip has been their biggest challenge yet.

'I travel the world with my kids - I'm currently in the Arctic Circle' (1)

Going on holiday with young children is often a challenge, but one mum has taken things to the next level by travelling the world with her family.

Sara Young, 41, and her boyfriend travel Carl globetrot with their two little boys under the age of five. The young family has been travelling for years, spending their down time at their home in Antigua.

Their oldest child, Cameron, is just three and has already visited nearly 20 countries, while 14-month-old Dylan is already seeing what the world has to offer, despite only being born in 2023.

The young family is on a trip through Sweden, Norway, Lapland and the Arctic Circle. Earning money as a digital nomad, Sara works remotely from whatever country she is currently in, while Carl works six months on and six months off as a yacht captain.

Speaking to The Mirror, Sarah revealed the reason she decided to travel with kids, explaining that they are always going to be difficult - so you might as well deal with the tantrums in some of the most beautiful places in the world.

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“Having a one year old and a three year old is hard work, but you might as well be somewhere pretty or interesting or watching whales and have them be hard work at the same time," she said.

Camping in the Arctic Circle, in particular, comes with its own unique challenges that are different to what she's used to.

“It's midnight sun [at the moment], there's no night time, and because kids are so used to the circadian rhythm like ‘OK, it's bedtime’ when it gets dark but for the last three nights it's just been beautiful sunshine with no clouds and my son is like ‘Mummy can we go kayaking?” and I’m like it’s 9pm but okay let’s go kayaking!”

When it comes to their current trip, Sara did admit it’s possible the family has bitten off more than they can chew - but it's not the cold that's making things challenging.

"Its actually not as cold as you'd expect - its 10 degrees, its not really got much colder than that but the wind, it comes straight from the North Pole and over the water and that is extremely cold. We're lucky we packed more warm clothes than we need, so we just have to layer the boys up until they look like the Michelin Man!"

The difficulty comes with just how far away everything is, and how long they have to drive with small children.

“I think we underestimated the length of the road trip we're doing. We were hoping to do the driving during the day. But we've realised we're going to have to start driving overnight. We need to do a nine or a 12 hour route at one point and we were hoping just to break it up during the day and things. We've bitten off more than we can chew for the first time, just with the distances."

Despite the challenges, Sara told the Mirror that travelling with kids is one of the best experiences in the world - not only are you widening their horizons, but you’re also likely to be better treated by a lot of locals as people love children.

“We started the travel blog because when we have been travelling with the kids and we’ve met other couples, they always ask us about it, because they want to start to settle down and have children, but they don’t want to stop travelling and I always just say you don’t have to!”

“You just have to do things a little bit differently, maybe you need to stop more to let the kids stretch their legs, and some things take a little bit longer. But actually you get a completely different level of travelling because people love kids.”

She said tour guides interact more with her family because of her children, and locals will often come over and fuss over them.

“There were women when we were in Morocco in October, who had the full hijab on and things you know. And I couldn't speak Arabic, but they were cooing over the baby and kind of gesturing that they wanted to hold him, you know, So you'd have that opportunity to have a really nice connection with people, even though you don’t speak the language.”

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'I travel the world with my kids - I'm currently in the Arctic Circle' (2024)

FAQs

How do people travel in the Arctic Circle? ›

Also, distances are vast and roads are few. In Greenland, there is only one road that connects between two towns. Otherwise, all travel between towns and cities is done by boat, helicopter, or plane. The easiest way to get to the Arctic Circle is by flying to your Arctic Circle cruise departure port.

What is the Arctic Circle for kids? ›

The Arctic is sometimes defined as the area that lies within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic Circle is a parallel of latitude (66° 30′ N. latitude), 1,650 miles (2,660 kilometers) from the North Pole, the northern end of the Earth's axis. Actually, the Arctic Circle does not enclose all the Arctic regions.

What does being above the Arctic Circle mean? ›

North of the Arctic Circle, there is midnight sun during the summer and twilight during the winter. In simple terms, the Arctic Circle therefore represents the edge of the Arctic. The Arctic Circle in the north and the Antarctic Circle in the south are the theoretical limits of the midnight sun and twilight months.

Who lives in the Arctic Circle for kids? ›

Arctic land animals include the polar bear, the caribou or reindeer, the gray wolf, the Arctic fox, and the Arctic hare. Seals and walrus live in the water and on the coasts. Whales and many types of fish live in the ocean. The snowy owl lives in the Arctic year-round.

Is it worth going to the Arctic Circle? ›

The Arctic Circle's wilderness is profound, even by Alaska standards, making crossing into it a must-do for a complete experience in the Last Frontier. A single road enters the Arctic Circle. It's the Dalton Highway, a wide but rough gravel road built alongside the trans-Alaska oil pipeline in the 1970s.

How much does a trip to the Arctic cost? ›

If you book an Arctic expedition with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, shorter trips to the region can range from $7,000 to $17,000 while more epic voyages that span up to 24 days will range from $18,000 to $45,000.

What are 5 fun facts about the Arctic for kids? ›

Arctic facts for kids
  • The Arctic is the area around the Earth's North Pole. ...
  • The area north of the treeline is not an empty ice field. ...
  • Tundras do not get very much rain or snow. ...
  • In the Arctic, during summer there are nights when the Sun never sets. ...
  • The word comes from the Greek word αρκτος, meaning "bear".
Oct 16, 2023

What are 3 facts about the Arctic Circle? ›

  • Eight countries – Greenland, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Alaska – extend into The Arctic Circle. ...
  • Grey whales travel a whopping 12,000 miles to and from The Arctic each year in search of food.
  • The word 'Arctic' actually comes from the Greek 'Arktos' which means bear.

What is Arctic Circle answer? ›

The Arctic Circle is an imaginary circle on the globe, parallel to the equator, and 23 28 distant from the north pole. Arctic Regions, the regions round the north pole, and extending from the pole on all sides to the Arctic Circle in lat.

What US state is located near the Arctic Circle? ›

Alaska is the only U.S. state with access to the Arctic Circle, and Fairbanks, Alaska, is the closest major city (it's about 198 miles (158 km) away).

Do people stay in Arctic Circle? ›

Answer and Explanation: Yes, Inuit people of Greenland and Canada as well as numerous other people groups have lived in the Arctic for up to the last 20,000 years. These people survive mostly on a diet of meat supplemented with some summer berries and other vegetation.

What country is closest to the North Pole? ›

The Canadian territory of Nunavut lies closest to the North Pole. Greenland, the world's largest island and an autonomous teterritory within the Kingdom of Denmark, is also close to the pole.

Do humans live in the Arctic Circle? ›

The Arctic is home to almost four million people today – Indigenous Peoples, more recent arrivals, hunters and herders living on the land and city dwellers. Roughly 10 percent of the inhabitants are Indigenous and many of their peoples distinct to the Arctic.

Does Santa live in the Arctic Circle? ›

Visit Santa's official “North Pole” residence

Located in the Arctic Circle, the Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi is known as “Santa's official North Pole residence” and is one of the most popular travel destinations in Finland. The village is open year-round for kids of all ages to see Santa and his elves.

What is the Arctic Circle for dummies? ›

The Arctic Circle marks the southernmost latitude at which, on the winter solstice (which is the shortest day of the year) in the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun will not rise all day, and on the Northern Hemisphere's summer solstice (which is the longest day of the year), the Sun will not set.

How did the Arctic people travel? ›

One of the most traditional ways for the Inuit to travel across the frozen ice of the Arctic is via the sledge, or qamutik, pulled by Qimmig – the Inuit name for dog. The traditional Inuit sledge is composed of two wooden runners on which a platform is built.

Do planes fly through the Arctic Circle? ›

Yes, planes can fly over the North Pole. Many flights from North America to Europe and North America to Asia, and vice versa, cross the North Pole in an effort to cut flight time and save fuel.

Can you drive through the Arctic Circle? ›

Many visitors who come to Fairbanks want to rent a vehicle and try and drive the Dalton Highway to cross the Arctic Circle on their own. This is only recommended, if you have a vehicle specifically equipped for the conditions and are an experienced driver, especially on winter roads.

What are the modes of transport in the Arctic? ›

Apart from transportation by sea, large amounts of goods are carried by railways, roads, inland water ways, and pipelines.

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