I first visited Iceland ten years ago as a solo traveler, taking advantage of Iceland Air’s generous stopover policy that allows up to seven days in the country en route to another destination. That visit was brief—just two days—but long enough to explore parts of the Golden Circle and soak in the Blue Lagoon. I found Iceland stunning and always hoped to return.
This time, it was a completely different experience. My wife hadn’t joined me on the first trip due to grad school, and we weren’t yet parents, so now—with our kids in tow—it felt like seeing the country through fresh eyes. Much of our itinerary included places I hadn’t visited before, and we waited until our youngest was steady on his feet before planning a trip filled with hikes and outdoor adventures, without relying on a stroller.
As with many of our travels, we were drawn to Iceland for its natural beauty, mountainous terrain, and abundance of kid-friendly outdoor activities. It’s a magical destination that offers all of that and more. As our children grow and progress in early elementary school, we’re shaping our travels to be both fun and educational. Our hope is that when they open a textbook to learn about volcanoes or glaciers, they’ll recall the places they’ve seen and the experiences they’ve had—turning abstract lessons into something personal and lasting.
My family and I had the pleasure of experiencing the Capital One Lounge at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on a connecting flight to Calgary. Located in Terminal D near Gate 22, this lounge is now my first option when connecting at DFW. Dallas-Fort Worth has always been a desirable connecting airport due to its multiple lounges affiliated with credit cards and legacy carriers. Capital One opened its lounge at DFW in November of 2021 and has been gradually expanding its presence across U.S. airports. Capital One offers its own premium credit card, the Capital One Venture X, which grants the cardholder and up to two guests access to its growing network of lounges. Without diving too deep into other benefits the card offers (I will make a separate post for that), this card offers a lot of value for the $395 annual fee. Since my wife and I are both cardholders, everyone in my household had access during this visit.
Dining
The Capital One Lounge features a rotating seasonal menu that varies by city. We visited during lunch hours, and I sampled the Baby Corn Elote & Shishito Peppers, Roasted Pepper Hummus, San Marzano Bruschetta Flatbread, and Surimi Cucumber Canape. All three were very good, and the staff replenished the items every 15 to 20 minutes. The kids loved the Fontina Fondue Mac & Cheese and the variety of cheesecake bites. The banana nut bread, paired with coffee, was perfect.
The lounge offers a beverage fountain with a variety of soft drinks, including cola, diet cola, lemonade, ginger ale, sweet tea, and iced tea. The lounge also has a dispenser for La Colombe lattes. As someone who frequently purchases their lattes in a can, I liked this option.
Grab-and-go options are also available, although I can’t speak for the quality. There is also a bar area for those who want to consume adult beverages.
Seating
This lounge has plenty of seating for groups of all sizes, but it does fill up quickly. We didn’t have to wait to get into the lounge, but by the time we exited, the wait time was about 30 minutes, with a line of people waiting for their turn. The most significant complaint Venture X cardholders have about the lounge is the wait time. It wouldn’t shock me if Capital One implements an AMEX-type system for capacity control, where only the cardholder has complimentary access unless a spending threshold is met.
Amenities
This is where the Capital One Lounge sets itself apart from other lounges. Capital One has done a great job with amenities outside of food and drink. There is a nursing room, a gym, a multi-faith room, a relaxation room, and shower suites.
It was nice to see a prayer rug, an area for ablution, and a sign pointing towards the direction of Mecca for Muslims who wanted to use the room for prayer.
Multi-Faith Room
The Wi-Fi speed at the lounge was excellent, and you shouldn’t have any problems streaming video or engaging in data-intensive tasks. If there’s one thing I wish this lounge had, it’s a dedicated playroom for toddlers. This is a great lounge, and it will continue to be my go-to lounge at DFW as long as their current guest policy remains the same. Score: 4.5/5.
Our family traveled to Morocco in the early summer of 2024, visiting Chefchaouen, Fes, and Marrakech—a long-awaited bucket list destination. June was the perfect time to explore, allowing us to fully appreciate the country’s rich history, stunning architecture, vibrant medinas, and cultural heritage. Our trip also coincided with the Eid Al-Adha holiday, allowing us to experience one of the most festive and significant days of the Islamic calendar in a country that celebrates the holiday over three days.
During our three-week trip to Qatar and Africa last summer, my family and I flew Qatar Airways to Doha for three days before continuing to Lusaka, Zambia. We had the option of having a short layover in Doha before continuing to Lusaka, Zambia, or stopping for a few days in Doha. We chose the latter since that is a city we had never visited, but had heard great things about. Having a stopover also allowed the kids to rest and recover from the 13-hour non-stop flight. Dubai gets most of the attention in the Gulf region, but Doha proved to be a fantastic city for the kids to experience. We booked our stay at the Intercontinental Doha & Spa. My wife and I each had our annual anniversary free night certificate via the IHG credit card, so we redeemed it on this property. For the third night, we used IHG points that I had accumulated via the sign-up bonus. The property was terrific, and the beachfront location was a hit with the boys.
During the summer of 2021, my wife and I decided to take the kids (ages 34 months and 17 months when we traveled) on an adventurous trip to Alaska. Many of you know our affinity for wildlife, nature, and the natural beauty in every corner of our planet. With restrictions or logistical challenges for international travel still in place, we decided that visiting a destination such as Alaska was the best option to experience a pristine environment without worrying about testing positive for COVID-19 and quarantining on the way there or back. I simply could not afford to be in a place beyond my allotted vacation time for work purposes. Having been there in 2015, I fell in love with Alaska and longed to return. Fast forward to 2021, and I had the opportunity to visit again. Rather than opt for the 6.5-hour non-stop flight from Chicago to Anchorage, we decided to stop in Seattle for 2 nights (a fantastic city in and of itself) and explore a little before continuing. The kids tend to hit a wall on flights over 5 hours (the non-stop flight back was rough), and the 3-hour flight from Seattle to Anchorage was perfect for keeping them fresh on our arrival in Anchorage.
Miles for places 