My Travel Resources for Working Moms

Everything I use to plan, book, and survive family trips — in one place. From AI tools that save me 10 hours per trip, to the family travel gear I actually pack, to the hotel sites I trust with my bookings. Curated by a Bulgarian mom who's tested all of these with two kids in tow.

The hotel booking sites I actually use. All of them offer family rooms, kid-friendly filters, and (most importantly) free cancellation on most bookings — a lifesaver when traveling with kids whose plans change overnight.

Booking.com is my default for almost every family hotel I book. The reasons: huge selection of family rooms across Bulgaria and Europe, clear filters for kids' pools and family-friendly amenities, and free cancellation on most bookings. The reviews are honest — when other moms say "loud at night" or "no high chairs in the restaurant," I listen.

I use the Genius program (free loyalty membership) for extra discounts on most bookings.

Hotels.com runs a "Stay 10, get 1 free" reward program that's surprisingly generous for frequent travelers. If you stay at multiple hotels per year (like I do), the free nights add up quickly. The filter system is slightly less polished than Booking.com, but the rewards make it worth checking before you book.

Agoda often has lower prices for Bulgarian and Eastern European hotels than Booking.com — I always cross-check before booking. The platform is owned by the same parent company as Booking.com, so the inventory is similar, but the deals can be different.

Family travel by car. I focus on road trips for two reasons: (1) less stress with kids than flying, and (2) we can pack everything we actually need without paying baggage fees. Here's what I use.

Discover Cars compares prices from all major car rental companies in one search. I always use them when renting a car abroad — easier than checking each company separately, and they often surface deals from smaller local providers that bigger sites miss.

For train and bus bookings across Europe (and Asia), Trip.com is my go-to. They aggregate inventory from national rail operators and offer a cleaner booking experience than the official sites. Useful for day trips and longer Eastern European routes.

Skip the lines, find family-friendly tours, and book activities before you go (saves hours of "what should we do today" arguments in the hotel lobby).

GetYourGuide has the best selection of family-friendly tours, museum tickets, and day trips. The filters let you narrow to "kid-friendly" or "easy walking" — useful when you're traveling with a stroller. Free cancellation on most experiences (within 24 hours).

Klook tends to have lower prices on tickets in Eastern Europe and Asia than GetYourGuide. I always check both. Their app is also useful for last-minute bookings while you're already on a trip.

For museums and major attractions (especially in big European cities), Tiqets has reliable skip-the-line tickets. Their mobile tickets work even without an internet connection, which has saved me more than once.

The AI tools I use to cut family trip planning from 10+ hours to under 90 minutes. This is what makes AI Mom Travel different from other family travel blogs — I show you exactly how to use these.

ChatGPT is the AI tool I use most. Itinerary planning, kid-friendly restaurant recommendations, packing lists tailored to my family, budget breakdowns, ChatGPT prompts for follow-up questions — all of it. The Plus version ($20/month) is worth it for the longer context windows and faster speeds.

Claude (by Anthropic) is my go-to for longer, more detailed travel plans. Where ChatGPT gives concise answers, Claude tends to give thorough multi-day itineraries with more nuance. The free version is surprisingly good. I use Claude for first-draft itineraries and ChatGPT for quick questions.

Perplexity gives you AI answers with citations — perfect for travel research where you want to verify information. I use it to check current prices, recent hotel reviews, and updated travel restrictions. It's like a smarter Google search that shows its work.

Specialized AI tools that generate complete travel itineraries based on your inputs (destination, days, budget, travel style). Wonderplan and Layla are my favorites. The results aren't always perfect, but they're a great starting point that I then refine with ChatGPT or Claude.

Notion is where I keep my travel templates, packing lists, itineraries, and trip notes. The free version is enough for personal use. I'll be releasing my own travel planning templates soon — subscribe to the newsletter to know when they're live.

The travel gear I actually pack with two kids. Tested on multiple road trips. All links go to Amazon — I'm an Amazon Associate, so when you buy through these links, I earn a small commission at no cost to you.

A compact, lightweight stroller that fits in airplane overhead bins and folds with one hand. Look for one under 6 kg that reclines flat (essential for naps in the stroller). Brands like Babyzen YOYO and Cybex Libelle are popular for a reason.

If you're traveling with a car seat (flying or hotel transfers), a padded travel bag protects it from damage and lets you check it for free on most airlines. I use one with backpack straps so I can carry it hands-free while pushing the stroller.

A small wheeled carry-on for kids ages 3+. They love feeling independent ("I have MY luggage!") and you offload some of the packing. Look for one with a sit-on feature for tired kids in airports.

A hanging organizer with pockets for snacks, drinks, tablets, books, and toys. Saves you from rummaging through bags every five minutes on long drives. The one with a tablet holder doubles as a screen for movie watching.

The items that have saved me on flights with toddlers: silicone snack cups (no spills), water wow reusable activity books, sticker books, headphones for kids (volume-limited), and a small fidget toy. Pack each in a separate zip pouch — the surprise factor extends the entertainment.

The cards I actually carry when traveling. Saves me hundreds of euros per year in ATM fees and bad exchange rates.

Wise (formerly TransferWise) is a multi-currency card and account. You can hold 40+ currencies, spend at real exchange rates with no markup, and withdraw cash from ATMs almost anywhere. I use it for every trip outside Bulgaria — savings vs. my Bulgarian debit card are significant.

Revolut is my secondary card. Good budgeting features in the app (set spending limits per category), and the free tier is enough for occasional travel. I split spending between Wise and Revolut so if one card has an issue, I have a backup.

The boring section nobody wants to think about — until they need it. I've used travel insurance twice in 4 years (once for a delayed flight, once for a minor medical issue abroad). Both times I was glad I had it.

SafetyWing is monthly subscription travel insurance, designed for digital nomads but useful for any frequent traveler. €40-50/month for a family covers medical emergencies, travel delays, and stolen items. Cheaper than per-trip insurance if you travel more than 3-4 times per year.

World Nomads is per-trip travel insurance with strong coverage for adventure activities (hiking, skiing, etc.). I recommend them for one-off trips, especially active ones. Their claims process is straightforward.

These are completely free — no affiliate links, no upsells. Made by me for my readers.

A printable checklist for everything I pack for our family SPA trips in Bulgaria. Different from our beach packing list — focused on cold-weather amenities, swim gear for thermal pools, and what kids actually need at SPA hotels. Coming soon.

Tried a tool or service I should add to this page? Want me to test something specific? I love hearing from other travel moms. Email me at contact@aimomtravel.com — I read every message.

This page is updated regularly as I discover new tools and replace ones that no longer work. Bookmark it and check back when you're planning your next trip.

P.S. — Save this page to your "Travel Resources" Pinterest board so you can come back to it whenever you're planning a trip.