Families Planet
How to Find Other Traveling Families Around the World
· 9 min read
A quick note before you read: this isn't theory for us. We're a travelling family (Italy, Spain, Thailand, Morocco, Indonesia, now based in Mallorca), and we built Families Planet because we kept wishing we could find other families on the road. Below is what we'd tell a friend, kept practical. Where something depends on your country or your kids, we say so.
Traveling with children can be an incredible experience. Your family discovers new places, learns from different cultures and creates memories that last a lifetime. But there is one challenge many traveling parents know well: finding other families along the way.
Children often want someone to play with. Parents want to share experiences with people who understand their lifestyle. And when you travel for weeks, months or even years, meeting like-minded families can make the journey feel less lonely.
The good news? You do not need to follow a fixed route or join an expensive organized program to build a community on the road.
Whether you are a full-time traveling family, a worldschooling family, a digital nomad family or simply taking a longer trip with your children, here are seven practical ways to meet other traveling families around the world.
1. Join online communities for traveling families
One of the easiest ways to start meeting other families is to connect online before you arrive at your next destination.
Facebook groups remain a useful starting point. Search for communities related to your travel style, such as:
- Worldschooling families
- Families traveling full-time
- Digital nomad families with children
- Homeschooling while traveling
- Family travel in a particular country or region
Be specific when searching. A group focused on families traveling around Spain, for example, may be more useful for an upcoming visit to Mallorca than a general international travel group.
When you join, introduce your family and share a little about your plans. Mention where you are heading, how long you expect to stay and what kinds of activities your children enjoy.
Instead of simply asking, “Are there any families here?”, try something more concrete:
“We will be spending three weeks in Portugal in November with our two children, aged four and seven. We would love to meet other traveling families for beach days, hikes or relaxed afternoons together. Is anyone planning to be in the area?”
A specific invitation gives people something easy to respond to.
2. Use a map or community platform designed for traveling families
General social media can help you make connections, but finding the right people at the right time is not always easy.
You might discover a wonderful family online only to realize that they are thousands of kilometres away. Or you might arrive somewhere new and have no idea whether other traveling families are nearby.
That is why dedicated communities and map-based platforms can be so useful.
Look for tools that help you discover families, explore places and find events relevant to your family. A community designed around traveling families can make it easier to move beyond scrolling through posts and start making real-world connections.
Families Planet brings together a map, places, events and a community forum for families. Instead of searching across several unrelated channels, you can use the platform to explore what is relevant to families and connect with people who share your interests in travel and family life.
The aim is simple: make it easier to discover community while exploring the world.
3. Look for worldschooling hubs and family gatherings
If you have ever searched for worldschooling families, you may have come across the term “worldschooling hub”.
A worldschooling hub is generally a place or gathering where traveling families meet for a period of time. Some offer organized educational activities, workshops and group experiences. Others are more informal, bringing families together around a shared location or interest.
These gatherings can be especially helpful when you want your children to spend time with the same group of kids for more than a single afternoon.
When considering a hub or event, ask a few questions before committing:
- What ages are the children?
- How long do families usually stay?
- Are activities organized, or is the gathering informal?
- Does the schedule suit your family's travel and learning style?
- What is included in the price?
- Will there be opportunities to spend time together outside organized activities?
You do not have to attend a formal worldschooling program to benefit from this approach. Even a short community gathering can introduce you to families you may meet again elsewhere.
4. Follow your interests, not just your destination
It is tempting to look for other traveling families only after arriving somewhere new. But shared interests can be just as powerful as a shared location.
Does your family enjoy hiking, surfing, sailing, nature, art, language learning or outdoor adventures? These interests can help you find people with whom you naturally connect.
Look for family-friendly workshops, nature groups, local cultural events, sports activities, creative classes or community meetups.
For example, a family interested in hiking might find it easier to build friendships on a group nature walk than at a random playground. Parents who enjoy art could meet through a creative workshop, while children interested in the ocean might connect through a surf camp.
You do not need to share the same travel style, nationality or educational philosophy to become friends. Sometimes one shared interest is enough to get a conversation started.
5. Make the first move when you arrive somewhere new
Finding other families is only half the challenge. Turning an online connection into a real-life friendship often requires someone to suggest the first meeting.
Once you have identified families in the same area, propose something simple and easy to organize.
Think:
- A morning at the beach
- A picnic in a park
- A playground visit
- An easy family hike
- A visit to a local market
- Coffee for the parents while the children play
Avoid making the first meeting too complicated. A short, relaxed activity gives everyone the freedom to see whether they get along.
It also helps to keep your expectations realistic. Not every meeting will lead to a lasting friendship, and that is perfectly normal. Some families may have different routines, children may not immediately connect, or your plans may simply not align.
The goal is to create opportunities for connection, not to make every meeting work.
6. Choose places where families naturally spend time together
Sometimes the most meaningful connections happen without any formal introduction.
Libraries, community centres, playgrounds, family cafés, local markets, nature clubs and children's activities can all offer opportunities to meet other parents.
If you are staying somewhere for several weeks, consider returning to the same places. Familiarity makes it easier to recognize people, start conversations and build relationships gradually.
You can also ask local parents for recommendations. They may know about informal gatherings, weekly activities or family-friendly places that are not easy to discover through a general internet search.
Not every family you meet will be traveling long-term. Local families can become wonderful friends too, and spending time with them may help your children experience everyday life in a new place.
7. Stay connected when your routes separate
One of the most beautiful—and sometimes difficult—parts of traveling as a family is that friendships can form quickly and then be interrupted by the next journey.
You spend several days together. The children become friends. You share meals, adventures and practical advice. Then one family heads north while the other continues south.
But a friendship does not have to end when you leave the same place.
Exchange contact details with the other parents, keep in touch and share your future plans if you feel comfortable doing so. You might discover that your routes cross again in another country, or that you can plan a future trip together.
Some families even organize their travels around opportunities to meet friends they made earlier in their journey.
A global community can make these connections easier to maintain. Rather than starting from zero in every new destination, you gradually build a network of people you know, trust and look forward to meeting again.
A note on privacy and safety
Meeting people online and arranging real-life gatherings should always be approached thoughtfully, especially when children are involved.
Take time to get to know other parents before meeting. Choose a public place for your first get-together, tell someone you trust about your plans and use your own judgment about what information to share.
You do not need to publish your exact accommodation, daily routine or children's personal details to make connections. Sharing a general destination or proposing a meeting at a public place is often enough.
Every family should feel in control of its own privacy and comfortable deciding when, where and with whom to connect.
You do not have to travel alone
Traveling with children does not mean you have to figure everything out by yourselves.
Other families are out there: exploring new countries, educating their children in different ways, working remotely, discovering nature and looking for meaningful connections along the way.
The challenge is often not whether these families exist, but how to find them when your paths might cross.
Start with online communities. Explore worldschooling gatherings. Follow your family's interests. Take the initiative to suggest a simple meetup, and stay in touch with the people you meet.
And when you are ready to explore a community built around family life and travel, visit Families Planet. Discover places and events, explore the map and join the conversation with families who share your curiosity about the world.
Your next destination might be more than a place to visit. It might be where you meet your next travel friends.
Frequently asked questions
How do I meet other families while traveling with kids?
Start by joining online communities for traveling families, searching for local family events and looking for other families in your destination. Suggest a simple activity, such as a beach day or park visit, to turn an online connection into a real-life meeting.
Where can I find other worldschooling families?
Worldschooling families can be found in online groups, dedicated community platforms, worldschooling hubs and informal family gatherings. Searching for worldschooling communities together with the name of a country or region can help you find more relevant groups.
How do traveling families help their children make friends?
Many traveling families combine regular contact with friends back home and opportunities to meet new children along the way. Returning to familiar places, joining group activities and spending longer periods in one destination can help children build more consistent friendships.
Do I need to join a worldschooling hub to meet other traveling families?
No. Hubs can provide a convenient way to meet families and spend time together, but they are only one option. Online communities, local activities, interest-based groups and family meetups can also help you build connections without joining a formal program.
How can I find other traveling families near my destination?
Look for destination-specific family travel groups, local events and platforms that help families discover places and connect with communities. Families Planet is one place to start exploring family-related places, events and community conversations.