The most underrated place ever.

“You’re going to Guatemala?” “Why Guatemala?” “It’s so dangerous”. “That’s so random”. “No one goes there with kids”. “I don’t think you should go”. “There’s a travel advisory warning not to go”.

These were 9 out of 10 of the responses I got when I told people we were going to Guatemala for our next family vacation. Travel advisories have to be taken with a grain of salt.

When researching where we wanted our next international family trip to be, I knew we wanted somewhere with a decently quick flight, somewhere with lots of culture, and somewhere that wasn’t overrun by tourists. Guatemala was the perfect location.

Guatemala is SO underrated, so beautiful, has so much culture and history, and did I mention beautiful?

I went with my husband and two toddlers and we only felt unsafe on one or two occasions (more to come on that later). We went to more touristy cities while avoiding others, dressed modestly, left all jewelry at home, used a glorified fanny pack for a purse, and hired our drivers through locals or @Viator ahead of time.

Don’t let your fears of going somewhere new or “dangerous” stop you from experiencing new places and cultures you’d only dream of visiting! Do your research, follow pertinent blogs, check Instagram hashtags, and follow me for tips and recommendations on Guatemala!

What’s one place you want to visit but are afraid to because of its reputation? Let me know in the comments!

#Guatemala #Antigua #ExploreGuatemala #Guate #ExploreGuate #LakeAtitlán #ExcursionsByShanna #NeverStopExploring #WorldTraveler #FamilyTravel #TravelWithKids #CentralAmerica