Around the Americas in Eighty Days

Our paper chain countdown is dwindling. I’ve repacked our suitcase at least ten times. What’s going on, you ask?

In just a few days, Kaydes and I will take off on our most ambitious trip yet – nearly three months, 11 countries, a shared carry on suitcase… and her backpack probably containing a toy too many!

From fire dancers in Fiji to penguins in Patagonia, we’re looping the Americas with planes, trains, and Disney dreams in tow. It’s not my first time doing a trip like this – back in 2015-16, I spent six months travelling solo across South and Central America, before plane-tripping the USA with a friend. This time, it’s me, my little +1, and my mum Robyn joining us in the second half.

And just like Jules Verne’s classic Around the World in Eighty Days, we’ve got our own whirlwind route – powered by sticker sheets, train picnics, and probably an airport meltdown or two (probably mine!).

🌴 Days 1-5: Pacific Dreams – Fiji & Hawaii

We start with sand between our toes on Likuri Island, Fiji (also called Robinson Crusoe Island). Think fire dancing, coconut husking, and those surreal pinky-orange sunsets that look suspiciously like a postcard. I can already picture Kaydes channelling her inner Moana the minute we hop of the boat – and probably trying to eat the husked coconut! 🥥

Then it’s on to Honolulu, O’ahu a familiar place we visited when she was just shy of two. This time, she’s older, louder, and more likely to belt out “Aloha!” at every passing boat! I’m hoping to revisit Ka’a’awa Beach, a hidden gem from our last trip, and sneak in a wander through the Botanical Gardens if time and energy levels permit. Both Fiji and Hawaii are stopovers en route to the mainland.

🎢 Days 5-15: California, Canyons & Castles

NB* the following two paragraphs may swap places, I’m fine tuning in the next couple of days.
Mickey, we’re coming for you! We’re diving headfirst into the buzzing, sensory delight that is Disneyland. After that, we’ll be exploring Los Angeles. From stargazing on Hollywood Boulevard to snacking our way through Los Feliz and Santa Monica.

Then we swap fantasy for the real-world wow of the Southwest. We’re joining a guided tour through Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend – stunning places I last visited with my friend Tracey in 2016. This time, I’ll have a juice box in one hand and wet wipes in the other!

We end this leg in San Francisco, where the fog rolls in, the sea lions smell before they’re seen! I’m looking forward to taking it slow, the vintage trams, a tattoo retouch and a small coastal walk.

🚂 Days 15-25: Trains, Mountains & Maple Leaves

After San Fran, we’re swapping palm trees for pine trees as we head into Yosemite National Park for 2 days. We’re staying in a tent cabin at Curry Village, where I’ll be vigilantly putting our food in the bear-proof locker! We’ll be doing toddler-friendly walks and staring up at rock faces that dwarf us even more!

Next, we board an Amtrak train to Portland – my dream travel mode. No airport queues, no security checks, just snacks, sticker books, and window-gazing. In Portland, we’ll chase tall waterfalls, get lost in Powell’s Books, and tiptoe through rose gardens. Seattle follows closely, with ferry rides, the Space Needle, and sampling foods at Pike Place Market.

Then it’s two glorious trains to the Canadian Rockies aka Jasper, Canada – a scenic stretch I’ve long wanted to revisit. Impossibly tall peaks, mirror-like lakes, and a quiet that feels earned. We’ll rest here for a few days, and Kaydes can throw as many stones at lakes as she wants. I’ll have my SD card empty, batteries charged, and eyes peeled for elk and starlit skies.

🏙️ Days 26-39: Cities, Waterfalls & Bahama Breezes

We zip through Toronto, then catch the bus/train to Niagara Falls. Then it’s off to New York City for a few days. Our second visit together, and just as thrilling. Bagels, Central Park, and maybe a playground detour every ten blocks! She is so excited to head back there and can’t get enough of watching our vlog from our last visit!

After NYC, we hop to Washington, D.C., for a little history and monument gazing. Then we board the Amtrak overnight to Florida, before setting sail on the Disney Dream cruise to the Bahamas. I can’t wait to see Kaydes’ face as we step onto that Disney cruise ship. To her, it’s probably a floating castle with snack stations. To me, it’s four days of relaxed fun, zero cooking, and a welcome pause. After disembarking we head south to Miami, we catch our breath, beachside.

The next day we fly to Dallas – where my mum joins us for the second half of this trip. A few rest days are booked here, to laze about, rest, and let mum sleep off any jet-lag. And some boot-scooting line dancing at the city next door, Fort Worth one evening.

🌮 Days 39-49: Mayan Ruins & Jungle Magic

We fly into Cancún, and heading straight for the magic of the Yucatán Peninsula. We’re mostly basing ourselves at Valladolid for a few days to explore the surrounds. Picture crystal-clear cenotes, shady jungle trails, and crumbling, ancient temples.

We’ll ADO bus to Tulum to visit its famous ruins by the sea, and then to Bacalar, the “Lagoon of Seven Colours,” which looks like it’s been Photoshopped even in real life.

From Bacalar, I’ve booked a shuttle bus to take us to Guatemala (via Belize), where we’re based on island town of Flores, and mighty Tikal ruins awaits. Where ancient pyramids rise from the jungle and howler monkeys sound like something from Jurassic Park!

Our final Guatemalan stop is Antigua – cobbled streets, volcano views, pastel buildings, and, hopefully, a café with hot, hot chocolates. If it’s a clear day, I’d love to take my companions up to Cerro de la Cruz. Not just for the wonderful view, but for the thrill of reaching the top together, puffing but proud!

🦙 Days 50-61: Peaks, Parrots & Peru

This leg has me buzzing. We’ll fly into Cusco, Peru, and over a week, we’ll explore the Sacred Valley and visit Machu Picchu – a place I’ve long dreamed of sharing with mum. I still remember how teary I felt standing there in 2016, and I can’t wait to see it again, with mum and Kaydes there.

I’m hoping we also make it to Rainbow Mountain, but that one’s a higher altitude, so we’ll play that one by ear. If altitude’s not our friend that day, I’ll book mum to babysit while I get probably another massage at Ajna (2015 visit was a highlight!). 😂

After the mountains, we fly down into Peru’s Amazon rainforest, specifically Puerto Maldonado. We’re staying at a riverside eco-lodge, the kind where birds wake you up before dawn and you fall asleep to jungle music. I’m both excited and mildly terrified (of the mosquitos) to revisit here.

We wrap up our Peru leg in Lima, the coastal capital where ceviche reigns and playgrounds pop up in unexpected places. Again, if we’ve got the energy, I’d love to squeeze in a day trip to the Ballestas Islands (Peru’s answer to the Galápagos) to spot sea lions and penguins, but we’ll see.

🍷 Days 61-71: Tango, Glaciers & Penguin Country

We plane hop from Lima to Montevideo, Uruguay. It’s here café-lined streets meet ocean breezes and things slow down just enough for us to catch our breath. We hop over to Colonia del Sacramento – all cobblestones, bougainvillea, and coastal charm – before ferrying across the Río de la Plata to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s dazzling, passionate capital. We’re only staying the night, but I’m trying to find a family-friendly tango show that starts before nightfall.

Next, we fly to Puerto Iguazú, home to the thunderous Iguazú Falls. The falls are thunderous, and I’m pretty sure Kaydes will try to yell over them. It’s one of those “so powerful it hushes you” spots – unless you’re almost four years old!

Then we head south to El Calafate and El Chaltén – glacier country. It’s here we’ll celebrate Kaydes’ fourth birthday, and I’m going all in on her ‘Fourzen’ theme (play on Disney’s Frozen). She’s always loved anything icy – ice cubes, ice blocks – so we’re going to visit the Perito Moreno Glacier and maybe toast her with glacier-chilled juice!

🐧 Days 71-83: Torres del Paine & Beyond

We’ll bus from El Calafate to Puerto Natales, gateway to Torres del Paine National Park. Yet another place I’ve dreamed of returning to since my solo travels in 2016. If the weather plays nice-ish, we’ll spend 4–5 days exploring glacier-fed lakes, snapping pics of guanacos, and marvelling at jagged peaks that feel straight out of a fantasy novel. I’ve planned flexible walks and packed warm layers – but I’m braced for winds strong enough to blow your hat, sunglasses, and toddler snack bag into another timezone! 💨

We’ll unwind in Punta Arenas, a breezy coastal town near the bottom of the world. I picture us sharing fish and chips on a chilly bench, watching for dolphins in the distance, and whipped up clouds drift above across the sky. If the weather holds, we’ll hop on a boat to Isla Magdalena to visit its famous locals – thousands of waddling, flippery penguins that I’ve wanted Kaydes to meet for years.

From Punta Arenas, we board our final flight north to Santiago, where city streets buzz with colour and life. It’s a city of leafy plazas, sloping hills with panoramic viewpoints, and market stalls stacked with things we don’t need but might take home anyway. On one spare day, we’ll be hopping over to the coast to explore Valparaíso and Viña del Mar. Two neighbouring towns where I see us riding funiculars, beach strolling, and sharing empanadas in the sun. Then it’s home, full-hearted, and bursting with stories.

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Have you ever done a long-haul adventure with little ones? Or braved South America with a backpack and and spontainety as your companion? Tell me where you’d go if you had 80 days to explore. Or drop your Disney cruise tips in the comments – I’ll take all the advice I can get!