How I Pull Off Travel With 9-year-old Triplets

For Travel + Leisure’s column Traveling As, we’re talking to travelers about what it’s like to explore the world through their unique perspectives. We chatted with middle school teacher and coach Electra Viveros about sharing her passion for travel with wife Angela and their 9-year-old triplet boys. Here’s her story… 

Growing up in La Quinta, California, my family was tight on money, so I didn’t get to travel often. Later, I got lucky when one of my uncles came into a career where he was privileged enough to make a decent income. His gift to his nieces and nephews was always the gift of travel.

He was transferred to London, and I went to visit him when I was about 18—it was eye-opening. I had never been to a big city like that, where there are trains, subways, and double-decker buses. I was new to it all, and it changed me. It was interesting to see how different people live, eat, and even move their bodies.

It’s like leaving your own bubble when you travel and going into someone else’s to get glimpses of their life. For instance, in Spain, I was shocked by siestas and how people actually take time to laugh and breathe. Even the way they sip wine is different. It’s like we’re chugging to survive, and they’re sipping to enjoy.

Now, the majority of my money is spent on travel. I don’t buy as many material things as I probably would have had I not gotten that early experience.

I already had the travel bug when I met my now-wife, Angela. She’s also from a small town and a family that didn’t travel much other than driving around her state, Michigan. She came with me on a trip to London and caught the travel bug even more than I did.

We both coach basketball, and she used to lead the travel team. There were eight to 12 girls, and we’d travel up to four hours away. Some of them had never been to the beach or mountains, so it was cool getting to see their first experiences. Traveling with 15- to 17-year-olds will prepare you for anything—including triplets.

Having triplets wasn’t planned. But going in, we made a pact that we were going to do as much traveling as we can, as if we only had one child. We’re not going to just stay home because it’s more challenging. 

We took them on their first flight to visit family in Michigan when they were 6 months old. I was terrified everyone on the plane was going to hate us. We had to buy an extra seat since the rule is you can only have one baby in your lap. So, we had a car seat in the third seat and rotated them, alternating from laps to the seat.

I remember being shocked at how wonderful they did on the flight, which was over three hours. But we had always taken them out and about, and I think that prepared them for it. We even got a lot of compliments when we were leaving the plane.

When they were 1, we did their first road trip from California to Michigan. That’s still their favorite place. We’ve been to so many places, like Disney World and Hawaii, but they’re always going to choose Michigan. They just like the life out there. Where we live, it gets to 115 or 120 degrees in the summer. In Michigan, they can be outside every day, going to the lake and fishing. They go off-roading with their cousins at the dunes.

But when we take the boys somewhere new, it’s as good as experiencing it through your own eyes for the first time. It’s almost better because of the way kids view things—they still see magic. So, they get really excited, which is hard, because when they’re excited, they get very active.

We also travel with our niece, who is 18. We’ve raised her since she was 4. She’s a great helper. When we travel with her, it’s three on three, instead of two on three.

All of us would probably agree Hawaii was our most memorable trip—it was not just us six, but both sets of grandparents, too. We were in Kauai and Oahu for two weeks. The triplets had just turned 6, but they still talk about it three years later: “Remember when we got to all be in Hawaii with our grandparents, and we went snorkeling and went on boats?”

Now, we’ve expanded those trips. This summer, we drove through 15 states in 28 days. My sister lives in Colorado, so our original plan was to go from there to Michigan, and then back home. As we got to Michigan, I thought, “Let’s just do it big.”

None of us had been in the South, so we headed that way. In Nashville, we visited the Grand Ole Opry, and in Memphis, we had the best barbecue. We also love The Big Texan in Amarillo and always stop there when we’re driving through. To top it off, we went to the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix.

I love national parks and am trying to go to all of them. This summer, we did Zion National Park in Utah and Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. We’ve hiked in Estes, Colorado, by Rocky Mountain National Park, and have also been to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Sequoia, and Joshua Tree. 

Every trip is challenging in its own ways. When we’re on the road and there are long stretches with nothing to look at, it can be challenging. We have a [Chevy] Tahoe, so luckily, we have that third row and can give [the kids] space if we need to. But there were times when they were younger and the three of them were in a row, getting on each other’s nerves and hitting one another from their car seats. You also have to pull over many times because someone has to go to the bathroom.

Thankfully, my wife is a queen at road trips and trips in general. From the time they were 2 or 3, the triplets would each have their own lap desks with pens, markers, and road bingo cards. Then, we’d slide them over, and they’d have their own snack trays. She thinks of everything, whether we’re going to someone’s house for the day or a week.

Travel is like a disease for my wife—she’s always planning trips. We’re going to New York for New Year’s Eve, and we’re thinking of going to Hawaii in the summer. We both feel like we only have a short time when our kids are little, so we want to fit in these experiences for them. 

We can’t wait to take them out of the country, but we think about their ages. Before we took them to Disney World last summer, we thought, “What’s the best age they’re going to remember, but it’s still going to be magical?” So, we took them when they were 8. We’re talking about a big European trip, but at what age will they understand how special it is? They’re not there yet. If we did it any time soon, it would be more for us than for them. That’s something we think about all the time.

But we don’t like to be stuck at home, so we plan weekend trips even a couple times a month. We’ll usually go a few hours away to San Diego, Orange County, or L.A. My triplets could spend the entire day at the beach in San Diego. My wife and I are into breweries, so the boys know we have to try a new brewery when we go on a weekend getaway. We’re all about new experiences.

Our three boys are not similar in any way. Asher is easygoing. He’s never temperamental and always goes with the flow. Then, there’s Luca, who’s always challenging. He’s very opinionated about where we’re going and what we’re doing and how long it’s going to be. And Talen is energetic. He’s bouncy, and he will communicate for everyone. If anyone comes up to us, he’s the spokesperson: “I’m Talen, this is Asher, that’s Luca, and yes, we’re triplets.”

We drew more attention when they were little. One time, we went to Sea World when they were about 2 years old. I was taking a picture of them in the kids’ splash area and didn’t realize they had drawn a crowd. We draw attention just because having triplets is pretty rare. 

We are lucky most of our tough times are at home. Maybe my boys are so used to constantly doing things that when we’re crammed at home, that’s when the behavior is bad. I can’t remember a tough time when we were traveling other than road trips.

This past weekend, we went to Legoland near San Diego, and on the way home, we stopped at the Temecula wineries. I was floored by how many people came up and complimented how well-behaved the boys are. They were shocked they didn’t need tablets or anything. I had an a-ha realization when the server was like, “I’ve never seen 9-year-olds be able to communicate and be in the moment.” 

That is the reward for all they’ve experienced. They can sit, behave, and communicate well for themselves and for each other, and I truly think that would not be the case if we hadn’t traveled so much.

Next, I want to take them to London—to see Big Ben, the London Eye, and a show, the typical things that will be cool for their young eyes to see, but that I didn’t until I was a young adult. My wife is half is Greek, so she wants to go there. We also want to go to Italy. 

I want to take them to Alaska to see some bears or maybe an orca in the wild. My boys are really into fishing, so I want to go there for them. My niece’s goal is to see the northern lights, so I would love to take her, too—just us three without the boys.

But even if it’s to a place I’ve never heard of, I’m always up for travel.