Explore the amazing museums in Madrid

• Museo Nacional del Prado - The main Spanish national art museum located in central Madrid. The museum has a collection of 8,600 paintings and over 700 sculptures.

• Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia - Located near Madrid's Atocha train station & home to Picasso's "Guernica" this is Spain's national museum of 20th century art.

Visit Atocha train station

Even if you choose not to travel Spain by train, a quick visit to this impressive train station is a must. The old station has been turned into a shopping a leisure complex boasting a tropical garden of over 7000 plants!

Take a fat tire bike tour in Barcelona

This famous bike tour is a great way to explore the city and see the sites, including Sagrada Familia! There are kid friendly bike options as well.

Visit Montserrat

While often considered touristy, The Benedictine Monk retreat offers breathtaking views and mountain side walks. There is also a small, but impressive art museum near the entrance of the church.

Visit Oceanogràfic Valencia

Anyone with kids knows that aquariums are always a hit. The Oceanogràfic Valencia is the largest aquarium in Europe and had our daughter yelling "MORE FISH!" after each exhibit.

Explore València's old town

It's easy to get lost exploring the narrow alley ways of Valencia's historic center. This is a great opportunity to visit many of the gothic churches while also taking in some of the modern street art that has been spread around the old town.

Food and drink just go together in Spain. You will find yourself grabbing a cup of coffee and a croissant most mornings for breakfast, and tapas and wine or beer in the evenings. Here are some of my favorites:

Chocolatería San Gines, Madrid: One of the most famous places in Madrid to enjoy Chocolate con churros.

La Maripepa, Madrid: A classic cerveceria located in the Barrio de las Letras in Madrid. Grab a pint with some tapas on the side.

La Gran Cava: A wonderful wine bar on Mardrid's "Tapas" street. They open a bit earlier than most, so its a great place to stop in for an earlier tapas-style meal when traveling with kids.

Gran Bodego Salto: A surrealist decorated Bar in the Poble Sec area of Barcelona.

La Boqueria Market: The large food market located in the center of Barcelona (Las Ramblas) this is a great place to pick up fresh food for lunch or dinner and grab a quick glass of wine.

Lavante Restaurantes: Valencia is the birth place of Paella. Lavente is off-the-beaten path and serves traditional Valencian style paella with chicken, rabbit and local beans.

La Majada Quesos: A small shop in Valencia specializing in cheese and wine. This is a great spot to stop for an afternoon snack.

Mercat Central de Valencia: Yes, another food market - this one is the largest market with fresh produce in Europe! There are also a collection of wonderful restaurants surrounding the market's entrances.