How to Travel (Luxuriously) with Kids

By Chadner Navarro
August 10, 2011

Silicon Valley entrepreneur and start-up investor Katrina Garnett combined two of her biggest passions (tech and traveling with her family) to create the luxury travel-planning site My Little Swans (MLS). On this one-year-old site, members gain access to some of the best regional tour operators and resort companies all over the world, plus recommended itineraries that Garnett has personally tried out. “Our 30 plus featured destinations are based on trips that I took myself (usually with my children in tow),” the 49-year-old, mother-of-three explains.

My Little Swans (MLS)

Family luxury travel site My Little Swans founder Katrina Garnett and the homepage of her site

An avid traveler and savvy businesswoman (previous early stage investments include Siebel Software, Salesforce.com and the company behind Tap Tap Revenge, a top-selling music app) this Brisbane, Australia, native meticulously vets everything that’s presented on MLS to provide her members with the possibility of having unique travel experiences. With summer vacation season in full swing, read what this experience-seeker has to say about the best souvenirs to take home, the importance of always carrying your own shawl and how to keep children happy (or at least quiet) while on the road.

The Inside Source: First thing’s first: What does My Little Swans mean?

Katrina Garnett: The title represents my three kids, and swans don’t have any negative connotations: they’re elegant and safe.

The Inside Source: How did you get started with My Little Swans?

Katrina Garnett: I’ve been planning world adventures for my family for 15 years, from the time my firstborn was less than a year old. Over the years, numerous friends and acquaintances have sought me out for travel advice, so I’ve shared my itineraries and photos with them, and they’ve taken the same or similar trips and loved them. I saw there was need for a comprehensive, trustworthy online travel resource that makes it easy for families to plan extraordinary journeys.

My Little Swans is not just a bunch of pretty pictures and opinions. There are, of course, countless travel websites and online sources, but I think few that are developed with an eye to the future and a deep understanding of the tech underbelly; I’m a total tech nerd. And as most of my friends know, I can be a nut when it comes to research, so the MLS content reflects this 150% and always will—nothing is “pay for play” or ad-driven.

The Inside Source: How often do you travel with your family?

Katrina Garnett: We usually do three big trips a year. And childhood is the best time to explore. Kids stretch themselves on trips in ways they will never do in a classroom. The world they are growing up in is so different. How will they know what is out there, what the world has to offer, if they don’t experience it for themselves? Travel gives kids a much broader experience of the world [and] gets them out of their provincialism, which is really useful as they grow older.

My Little Swans (MLS)

Family travel photos from Katrina Garnett: in China with her family

Horseback riding in Argentina

The Inside Source: What is the most challenging thing about traveling with your family?

Katrina Garnett: You sometimes go to these places with a grand vision and set of expectations of how it will be, but unforeseen challenges can make it hard to meet expectations. This happened when we were in Egypt a few Decembers ago with the sand storms and various other unexpected issues. Also, while the history and the monuments are wonderful, traveling between locations made it a tough trip. (This is something we now definitely pay more attention to when planning itineraries). Going in winter had its drawbacks too—it’s quite cold, and you are running out of daylight by 4pm, so you are racing to the monuments and then rushing through the sites. Not a lot of time to absorb or appreciate the history...

The Inside Source: What has been your most memorable family trip?

Katrina Garnett: There are so many! Africa has always been a soft spot for me personally, but Argentina was definitely a favorite for the whole family and is especially wonderful for its variety—our 17-day trip included a cosmopolitan city, a glacier hike, fishing in mountain lakes, a rain forest excursion... And there's such a nice variety of travel accommodations to complement the experiences, ranging from elegant hotels in Buenos Aires to big estancias in the countryside.

Some of the most wonderful times we’ve had as a family have been boating holidays. We’ve taken sailing trips to the Greek Islands, the British Virgin Islands, the Turkish coast and Alaska. Far away from everything, sharing simple pleasures, our family really had a chance to bond. You explore somewhere new every day, but only have to unpack once. And boat trips offer something for everyone—kayaking, snorkeling, fishing or just sitting on the deck with a good book.

My Little Swans (MLS)

In Botswana with family

My Little Swans (MLS)

In front of the Parthenon in Athens in 2005

The Inside Source: One of the biggest issues parents face when traveling with children is how to keep them occupied in transit. Any advice?

Katrina Garnett: When it comes to flying, it’s best to get an overnight flight, but you should wear your children out the last couple of days before traveling, so that they’ll knock out on the plane. And if you’re traveling with little kids, make sure you bring little new things that you can distract them with every hour.

The Inside Source: What's your travel style?

Katrina Garnett: I go for understated elegance and travel with high-quality, practical items that don’t scream fashion, such as the Hermes shawls, belts and flats. I also love to bring back inexpensive local jewelry from our travels, like the Maasai beaded pieces from Tanzania, the evil eye pieces from Turkey, and gold bangles and earrings from India; they’re lightweight; you can’t find them at home; and they bring back countless memories of the unique cultures from which they came.

The Inside Source: What is always in your carry-on bag?

Katrina Garnett: I also always bring a shawl of some sort for keeping warm on the plane and air-conditioned rooms, and as a cover-up in mosques and churches. And I love the smell of my own shawl.

Katrina Garnett of My Little Swans shares the go-to items that make traveling (with or without children) a breeze.

Skinceuticals Hydrating B-5 Gel

(buy it now price, $91.99)

"Longer flights can wreak havoc on the skin, so I always bring Skinceuticals Hydrating B-5 Gel, Claudalie’s Eau de Beaute elixir spray and Hydraflight cream."
Shure Noise Canceling Headphones

(buy it now price, $85.99)

"I love the discreet Shure noise canceling headphones for their high quality."
Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones

(buy it now price, $329.95)

"My son, Emerson, who’s really into music, prefers Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones."
Hermes Leather Belt

"My three simple Hermes belts—white, blue and brown—add polish to any outfit."
iPod Touch

(buy it now price, $289)

"An iTouch is another must-have—with games, music and video, it keeps us entertained without running down the phone battery."
Burberry Rain Boots

(buy it now price, $149.99)

"I wore Burberry wellies throughout our most recent trip to Alaska."
Chanel Pearl Necklace

"Jewelry is another sure way to dress up a casual ensemble, and I count on my Chanel pearls or good gold hoops."
Blackberry Torch

(buy it now price, $487.39)

"I always bring both an iPhone and Blackberry, because you never know when a country will have trouble with a provider."