These families are summering overseas—for less than the cost of staying home. Here’s how.
More and more families are
choosing to pass their summers overseas
The height of this trend shows people who are moving temporarily, telecommuting, and enrolling their children in an international program.
summer camp
—all while saving on the costs of what a typical camp in the United States would amount to.
While the idea of this can seem daunting, it’s one that could prove to be highly beneficial for the entire family. Your children get the opportunity to travel while experiencing cultural immersion, educational opportunities with less screen time, making worldwide friends, and getting a taste of independence—all while you’re able to change up the scenery to work remotely
and
got room to discover yourself.
If you’re wondering how to achieve this, we spoke with several families who undertake such adventures each summer, and they offered some advice for other families interested in joining in.
The Rise Summering Abroad
Seven years back, Maddy Novich along with her spouse decided to enroll their kids in European summer camps, following the discovery of a LEGO engineering program at a campsite in the Netherlands meant specifically for their “Lego-mad son.”
Widely known as @
cargobikemomma
The influencer mentions that spending summers overseas has turned into a family custom.
“At the beginning, it was just meant to provide my son with some enjoyable activities. However, we soon discovered that it benefited everyone involved: he had an amazing time, and I along with my spouse were able to visit places he wasn’t interested in, such as art museums or serene dining experiences at establishments not geared towards children,” she explained.
Each of their three children—at ages 11, 7, and 4—has attended summer camps throughout Europe annually.
Maddy shares her experiences on her Instagram page and through her
newsletter
, where she gives camp recommendations and resources for other interested families.
Aside from working remotely, Maddy and her husband are able to get some much-needed time to themselves as well while their kids are in camp. “We do all the things our kids
wouldn’t
want to do. Most camps run from around 8 or 9 a.m. to 3 or 4 p.m., which gives us a nice window for grown-up adventures—visiting art museums, strolling through historic neighborhoods, biking along scenic routes, or enjoying a long, quiet coffee,” she said.
We also enjoy delightful dinners out, take short excursions, and occasionally unwind and rejuvenate. When a child isn’t attending camp on a particular day, we arrange exclusive individual activities for them. This strikes an excellent balance between quality family moments and personal grown-up time.
Kay Akpan, also referred to as @صند
themomtrotter
She has journeyed extensively across the globe alongside her spouse and their 12-year-old child. “Our entire family has been traveling non-stop. So far, we’ve visited roughly 68 different nations,” she stated.
In addition to posting about her travel adventures on her personal page, she also manages the @
blackfamiliesdotravel
and @
blackkidsdotravel
Instagram profiles where she showcases diversity in travel experiences.
Considering her extensive travel background, Kay now promotes cultural encounters via her enterprise.
Rooted Journeys
, where she helps make it possible for families to travel abroad. She also offers an option for other kids to travel abroad with her and her son. This year, they’ll be going to a sleepaway summer camp in Japan.
“A sleepaway camp is really great, especially for kids, because it gives an added layer where kids can learn to navigate life without their ,” Kay said. “It gives children a chance to figure out themselves and figure out how to make choices away from their .”
From her observations, some people arrive in the country and explore various places while their children are at camp. Others make short visits just to see them briefly. Additionally, Kay has encountered parents who cannot travel themselves but still send their kids overseas so they can gain those experiences abroad.
She says that over the past years, she’s gained a lot of interest in these camps.
Many individuals from the U.S. appear somewhat reluctant at first,” she stated. “In other nations, summer camp experiences are quite popular. It’s common for every child to attend.
The Benefits of Summers Abroad
Some may wonder what the difference is between sending their kids to summer camp at home in the US versus going abroad. Maddy shared what she believes to be the biggest benefits.
-
Affordability:
It’s often cheaper than US camps. - Cultural exposure: Kids meet peers from around the world and learn about new customs, foods, and languages.
- Skill development: Numerous camps emphasize distinctive programs such as programming, robotics, visual arts, or regional athletics.
- Flexibility: They discover how to explore new settings and form friendships, despite not having a shared language. Play truly transcends linguistic barriers.
- Autonomy: Such encounters enhance their self-assurance, toughness, and spirit of exploration.
-
Parent recharge
: As they’re growing, we have the chance to reconnect and recharge.
Maddy and Kay both referred to spending summers overseas as beneficial for everyone involved, calling it a “win-win” situation for the whole family.
It’s excellent for children primarily due to increased exposure,” Kay stated. “I am fully committed to nurturing global citizens. My aim is to bring up a child who understands both themselves and those surrounding them. It seems many individuals lack awareness and often overlook the fact that we share this planet with countless others.
Taking my kid on trips and placing him in environments with various children from diverse backgrounds, speaking different languages, and brought up in varied ways significantly enhances his self-awareness.
The advantage she highlights next is the collection of shared experiences as a family. “Being able to explore these locations with our loved ones means so much. A couple of days prior to his camping trip, we tour around, enjoying ourselves. After he heads off to summer camp, my spouse and I can spend quality moments alone. Depending on whether I’m working, either I’ll be busy at work or join him for partner-centric activities. Once our child returns from camp, we continue building those cherished family bonds.”
Kay noted that her son currently has friendships spanning the globe — including some individuals he remains in contact with to this very day.
“For me, those are incredibly significant relationships that I hope he maintains, as you never know when or where your paths might cross with them again,” she stated.
Ways to Make It Achievable
For Maddy and her spouse, traveling overseas during the summer is quite convenient due to their careers. “As a professor with summers free of teaching duties and a husband who can work remotely anytime, we enjoy the flexibility to stay abroad for longer periods,” she explained.
For individuals who do not work from home, however, there is still reason for optimism.
Maddy mentioned, “If your trip to Europe lasts only one or two weeks, numerous cities offer day camps tailored around holiday periods.” She added, “There’s no requirement to be there for an extended period to give it a shot.”
Kay recommends planning at least a year or even longer ahead of time. “There’s an option available for every parent depending on their specific needs.”
She likewise highlights the significance of adapting easily. She stated, “Flexibility is crucial. I maintain an open mindset so that I can adjust and shift directions whenever required.”
As far as finding the best camps, Maddy and Kay shared that researching is one of the most important steps.
The main difficulty lies in locating these camps,” Maddy stated. “A lot of excellent programs lack robust English-language sites or significant online presence, making it challenging to find them.
She depends on Facebook groups for expats and parents, suggestions from families who have done home exchanges with them, as well as thorough investigative research.
Kay recommends reaching out to other families with experience at your destinations of interest, participating in online travel communities, and collecting ample information so you can feel more at ease.
Affordability & Accessibility
Maddy and Kay both suggested various tactics for reducing expenses when planning to spend the summer overseas.
“Day camps in Europe frequently
much
“More budget-friendly compared to U.S. camps,” Maddy noted. “In New York City, a regular week at day camp might run you anywhere from $500 to $600—or even higher. However, in places such as Copenhagen, Krakow, Amsterdam, or Berlin, similar top-notch programs typically range between $300 and $500 each week—and we’ve never encountered a waiting list.”
When Kay’s child was eight years old, she enrolled him in an overnight camp in the U.S. She mentioned, “I noticed it cost significantly more, which prompted me to explore overseas alternatives.” Following this decision, her son attended camps not only in Mexico but also in France, Spain, and Hawaii.
For those concerned with costs, there are methods to enhance affordability, such as leveraging home exchanges and utilizing credit card rewards or travel miles.
We engage in home exchanges — swapping our New York City apartment for a family-friendly house in Europe — which significantly reduces the overall cost of the trip,” Maddy explained. “The flights are usually covered or balanced out using credit card rewards, and we keep expenses down by preparing meals at home and opting for budget-friendly local activities. Taking these savings into account,
and
The cost of the lower camping fees usually isn’t much higher than staying at home during the summer.”
Kay mentions that airfare typically constitutes the highest expense. Similar to others, she uses points and miles to offset flight costs. Her recommendation is to determine the period during which you and your family can embark on a trip and compile a list of destinations everyone is interested in visiting. “Once I identify the cheapest fares within that time frame, I then begin searching for suitable lodging options.”
Kay generally opts for an Airbnb or a rental rather than a hotel because they allow cooking facilities, enable laundry, and offer more space. She mentioned that many places provide discounts when booked for over a month. After finalizing her flight arrangements and lodging options, she begins searching for local camps based on her child’s interests—such as language or sports camps. She recommends following this specific sequence of steps.
For some last tips of ease, Kay shares that don’t have to fret about their children’s safety—and, of course, the more you take on these kinds of experiences, the more comfortable you get.
“Don’t overthink it,” she advised. “Most of the places we’ve been to, I’ve felt very safe and much safer, to be honest, than when I’m in the US. My kid can walk around, he can walk to the store—like that’s how safe I felt in most of the places that we’ve visited.”
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