Welcome to Stack the Miles!
Inspiring families to explore more, spend less, and see the world together.
Family Focus
Practical trips that work for real kids, real schedules, and real parents.
Smart Spending
Points, miles, and strategy to stretch your travel budget further.
Cultural Connection
Helping kids learn the world by experiencing it — not just seeing it.
Hi, I’m Mel — a mom, teacher, and family travel planner.
I help busy families travel farther, spend smarter, and plan trips that actually work with kids, without burning out or blowing the budget.
Here you’ll find real-life itineraries, honest destination guides, sports travel tips, and simple ways to use points and miles to make travel more affordable. Everything here is based on trips we’ve actually taken as a family.
Start Here: Plan Your Trip
Choose your travel style below to find guides, tips, and real-life experiences that make planning easier.
What to expect in Italy with kids, including Rome, Venice, and the little things that make the trip easier.
Planning a trip to France with kids, including what’s worth it and what to skip.
Easy day trips, castles, and what travel actually looks like in Germany and Austria with kids.
Planning your Disney World trip? Start here for hotels, park strategy, Lightning Lane tips, and ways to save money.
Where to eat and drink at Disney World, including restaurants by park, dining plan tips, and what’s actually worth it.
Complete gluten-free guide to Disney World, including park-by-park tips, snacks, and what actually feels easy (and what doesn’t).
Packing lists, weather survival, and real-life tips to make tournament weekends easier for sports parents.
Everything you need to plan your Cooperstown baseball tournament—from costs and packing to what to expect during your week.
The tournaments, games, and sports travel experiences that have shaped our family trips.
What to do in Boston with kids and teens, plus easy ways to plan your days without overpacking your schedule.
Visiting NYC with kids, including what’s worth it, what to skip, and how to make the most of your time.
Family-friendly Philadelphia travel guides featuring museums, historic attractions, food spots, and things to do with kids, tweens, and teens.
Tips for choosing a family-friendly all-inclusive in the Caribbean or Mexico and what’s actually worth it.
Tips for visiting Universal with kids, including rides, planning strategies, and what to expect.
Family travel tips that make trips easier, including packing, travel days, and planning around busy schedules with kids.
From indoor water parks and snow tubing to rafting, hiking, and family weekend getaways, we’ve spent years exploring the Poconos with our kids. Browse our favorite resorts, activities, and family-tested tips.
What’s New? – Helpful Travel Tips
If you’re planning travel tournaments, Disney trips, or family vacations, these are the posts readers find most helpful.
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Gifts for Someone Going to Europe: Useful Ideas They’ll Actually Pack
Gifts for someone going to Europe should be things they’ll actually want to pack and hopefully still use long after the trip is over. We’ve taken several trips to Europe as a family, and I’ve definitely learned what earns a spot in my suitcase. Some things make a long overnight flight much more comfortable, while others…
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Stocking Stuffers for Teens Who Love to Travel
Travel stocking stuffers for teens are surprisingly easy to find when your kids love traveling as much as mine do. My kids have been traveling since they were little, and thankfully, they are still genuinely excited about our trips. Now that they’re older, though, what they want to bring along has definitely changed. A portable charger…
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How Many Days Do You Need at Hotel Xcaret Mexico? We Stayed 5 Nights
How many days at Hotel Xcaret do you really need? After spending five nights at Hotel Xcaret Mexico, I can tell you that our biggest regret was not staying longer. We actually spent the first two nights of our seven-night Mexico vacation at a different all-inclusive resort before moving to Hotel Xcaret Mexico. We did this…
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Best Building at Hotel Xcaret Mexico? Why We Loved Viento Building 2
The best building at Hotel Xcaret Mexico wasn’t something I researched before our trip, but I did spend a lot of time trying to figure out which section of this huge resort would work best for our family. With two teens, I was especially interested in Phase 1 vs. Phase 2, but the opinions I found…
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First Penn State Football Game? Everything You Need to Know
Going to your first Penn State football game is about so much more than watching football. Even if you aren’t a huge football fan, it is hard not to get swept up in the energy of game day in Happy Valley. My husband grew up going to Penn State games and now loves taking our own kids….
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Cold Weather Baseball Tournament Packing List: What Parents & Players Need
A cold weather baseball packing list becomes pretty important when you have an 8 a.m. game in March or April and know you could still be sitting at the fields hours later. After years of travel baseball in the Northeast, we have packed for plenty of tournament days that started out freezing, warmed up in the afternoon…
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Best Heated Gear for Sports Parents: What Actually Keeps You Warm
If you’re looking for the best heated gear for sports parents, I’ve spent enough cold games on the sidelines to have some definite favorites. I’m someone who gets cold long before most other people do. With spring sports starting while it still feels like winter and fall sports stretching into colder weather, I’ve tried plenty of…
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Who Is Hotel Xcaret Mexico Best For? An Honest Family Fit Guide
Who is Hotel Xcaret Mexico best for? After visiting with our 13-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter, I realized that the answer isn’t as simple as families with kids or even families who love adventure. Hotel Xcaret Mexico offers a very different kind of all-inclusive vacation, and the right family can get an incredible amount out…
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What to Pack for Hotel Xcaret Mexico: What We Actually Used
What to pack for Hotel Xcaret Mexico is a little different from what I would normally pack for an all-inclusive beach vacation. Our family spent a lot of time in the water during this trip. We swam through rivers and caves, rappelled into cenotes, kayaked, rafted and spent time at the pools and beach. We…
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Welcome to Stack the Miles
Hi, I’m Mel — a teacher, mom, and family travel planner helping families travel farther, spend smarter,
and make unforgettable memories using real-life tested advice from our own trips.
All content © Stack the Miles. Photography and imagery include original family travel photos and select licensed stock for visual storytelling.