Compass + Twine

@compassandtwine

Long-time friends, world-travelers, and co-founders of Compass + Twine, Sarah Driggs and Lindsay Ridenour, share the dreamiest destinations they’ve visited around the globe along with some of their favorite family travel tips.

How did you two meet? [Lindsay] We met in New York City before we had kids. I was working in media and Sarah was working in finance. We met through our husbands and realized we had a lot in common, including our shared passion for travel. During the pandemic, I moved back home to Minneapolis and Sarah moved to Houston. We both have young children now, but we continue to travel as much as possible. We love inspiring other family travelers and sharing our favorite travel finds.

You’ve both traveled to some incredible places around the world. What are some of your favorite family-friendly destinations? [Lindsay] My favorite place on Earth is Hidden Pond in Kennebunkport, Maine. My husband and I went there for years before kids and we just started bringing our kids recently. Kennebunkport is a picturesque coastal town and Hidden Pond is a woodsy retreat with cottages and cabins. They have bikes, gardens, a family-friendly pool, and campfires with s’mores at night.

In Mexico, Palmaia, The House of Aia, is a funky, holistic wellness retreat tucked away in Playa Del Carmen — you would never know you were near Cancun. It was wonderful, so chill and relaxed with all these beautiful pathways. It felt like you were in the jungle. The kids loved exploring and seeing lizards and other animals. There’s a splash pad and dipping pools for kids, with the beach just beyond, and adults can relax and sip margaritas while the kids play. There are also wonderful family suites with a bunk-bed kids room, a main bedroom, and a tub and a balcony. It felt very secure for families traveling with young children.

Another place I really loved is the Four Seasons Resort Nevis. I actually went there last Spring without kids, but I immediately wanted to bring my kids there. They have an amazing supervised kids club with really thoughtful programming, and a splash pad for kids right by the pool. It felt really off-the-beaten-path and had great restaurant selections.

Sarah, what are some unforgettable places you’ve been with your family? [Sarah] One of my favorites is the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo. Every morning after breakfast, my kids were like, “Bye, Mom, we’re going to the kids club!” As far as brands go, Four Seasons and Rosewood properties tend to be great overall for families. They have an elevated luxury experience and really powerful programming for kids.

Another place that was fun for everyone because of the food, the experience, and the culture was the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort in Vietnam. It’s about 10 minutes from Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and charming, historic fishing village. In Hoi An, there are lanterns on the waterways where you can float lanterns and make a wish, and there are some great banh mi shops. You can ride bikes through rice fields and then pick up some fresh flowers — it’s like straight out of a storybook. The resort itself is in Da Nang overlooking the beach, built on the side of “Monkey Mountain” with trams down to the beach club and pools. Rooms are spacious — some of the biggest I’ve ever seen — and you can spot monkeys jumping across the balconies. They had the most decadent breakfast spread, with savory Vietnamese soup and dumpling breakfast options, as well as American-style pancakes and waffles.

What are some favorite “hidden gems” or under-the-radar places you’ve discovered on your travels? [Lindsay] The Azores is off-the-beaten path and very charming. Driving along the road, there'd be sheep and fields of hydrangeas. There are natural Hot Springs, gorgeous crater lakes you can kayak in, wonderful hiking, and world-renowned cliff jumping sites. We stayed at Furnas Lake Forest Living on São Miguel Island, which has these modern villas and hundreds of acres with horses and beekeeping. They set up a mountaintop picnic for us with honey collected from the hives on property and fresh cheese from the farm next door. Despite being located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores is surprisingly easy to reach from the U.S. — you can get there via a short nonstop flight from Boston or New York City.

Sarah, anything you’d add? [Sarah] Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman's northern Musandam Peninsula is great for kids of all ages. We could just sit on the beach and relax or do the adventure activities. There’s also a great kids club. It’s an hour-and-a-half drive from Dubai and the area felt very safe. We flew into Dubai and started driving, and all of a sudden, we were world’s away from the glitzy city in this colorful desert with pops of reds and blues where Bedouin shepherds herd their sheep, all against a backdrop of Mars-like mountains. And the water there is just beautiful. The cuisine is Middle Eastern meets European, and there was an epic breakfast spread here, as well.

What tips or advice would you offer to fellow family travelers? [Lindsay] It’s all about mindset. It's not going to be a vacation — it's going to be a trip with your kids. But rip the Band-Aid off and just take them. Sarah and I have traveled with our kids since they were very young — like 8 weeks old — and my kids are great travelers now. They still have their tantrums because they’re kids, but overall, they're excited to travel and they know that it's going to be fun. They like to pack, they're good in airplanes, and they adjust when they get to wherever we’re going. If you do it early, then they understand the process — the flight, the arrival, the destination — you're setting a foundation and building from that each time you travel, learning something new and taking it in more.

Never leave home without… [Both] Toys, snacks, tablets, a SlumberPod — total blackout, it’s life-changing — a sound machine, and a pacifier.

Images courtesy of Compass + Twine — click images to access destination guides and property reviews

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DISCLOSURE

As travel influencers, Compass + Twine receive media rates and promotional fees from travel properties and products, including some of those shared in this profile. Their opinions are their own.

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