I’m Brandon, the dad behind Five Bags Packed our family travel site. Just so you know – I’m not some world-renowned travel guru. And let’s be real, when it comes to Jamie and I being parents, we’re far from perfect. Now, toss travel and parenthood into the mix? You’re probably imagining chaos, stress, and a whole lot of sleepless nights, right? You’re not wrong, but you know what? I think there might be something special about combining travel and kids. We may never know what kind of impact our family travels will have on the kids, but from our own experiences, I can tell you it’s worth it.
the beginning
Growing up, both Jamie and I were lucky enough to have families that valued family travel. Personally, I don’t recall much from those early childhood trips. You might even wonder if it’s worth spending money on trips for your kids if they won’t remember them. It’s a valid point. But looking back, those experiences actually brought us closer together. Traveling as a kid exposed me to so many different things and cultures that I wouldn’t have encountered staying at home. I still believe those early travel days shaped who I am today. That’s why I can’t pass up the chance to travel with my own kids.
So, why are we doing this Five Bags Packed thing? Well, the idea actually started when we were simply Two Bags Packed. But before we dive into that, let’s go back to the beginning.
As far back as I can remember, I was always behind a camera. It led to me documenting our family trips as a kid, filming nearly everything and creating little highlight reels of our adventures. Filming and editing fascinated me. Aside from hockey, this became my biggest passion. Add in travel, and I had a perfect combo. I pursued video in school, and it shaped my career as a video producer at my company Steel Rock Films.
On the other hand, Jamie picked up one of my cameras and decided to become a professional wedding photographer, taking a 180-degree turn from her previous roles in apartment leasing and ministry. She found her calling and built a thriving wedding photography business at Jamie Beth Photography.
travel before kids
Before having kids, Jamie and I spent time in California. We embarked on a 1300-mile road trip from Santa Monica to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe, then followed the coast back down. It was an epic adventure, and naturally, we documented every bit of it. I even made a highlight video that surprisingly went viral and got featured on Buzzfeed. This experience sparked the initial idea of turning our travel photos and videos into something more.
However, life got busy, and the idea faded into the background. Nevertheless, we kept capturing our travels. Later on, we started Two Bags Packed – a short-lived Instagram account where we shared our top travel pictures and videos. While it didn’t take off, it was enjoyable to have a platform to share our experiences with friends.
Then, after six years of adventures, our biggest journey began – parenthood.
parenthood
Just six weeks after our son was born, our good friends were getting married in Hawaii. A choice lay before us: blame our absence on the baby or take the plunge and travel with our newborn. We decided to dive in headfirst, even as inexperienced parents, to experience Hawaii and celebrate our friends’ wedding. Sure, many people, including our parents, thought we were a bit crazy and had their concerns. But to our surprise, traveling with a newborn wasn’t as daunting as we thought. Sure, things were different – no leisurely plane rides or catamaran tours. But we carved our own path, creating cherished memories and bonding moments with our little one.
Our son won’t remember this trip, but we’ll always cherish it. We chose family, friendship, and new experiences over comfort, and we wouldn’t change a thing.
today
Now, fast forward seven years. We’re now a family of five, and our exploration hasn’t wavered. Maybe it’s due to our habit of documenting and sharing our travels, but people often seek our travel advice. As I mentioned before, we’re no travel or parenting experts, but in these seven years, we’ve picked up some tips worth sharing. So, we thought, why not give this family travel site thing a shot?
our goal
Our goal is to inspire young families and show them that stepping out of their comfort zone is truly rewarding.
So buckle up and step foot into the world of Five Bags Packed!