The Importance of a Scouting Trip Before Starting Your Life Abroad

Dreaming of Life Abroad: Why Families Need More Than Tourist Guides

When Brett and I first talked about moving abroad with our kids, I imagined better work-life balance, a safe community for raising young daughters, access to public transportation, and an overall better quality of life. But once I started researching the actual logistics of neighborhoods, healthcare, schools, safety, I realized how little real guidance existed for families actually trying to live abroad.

Most blogs and travel guides are built for tourists, wealthy retirees, or digital nomads without kids. We weren’t interested in sightseeing, our scouting trip was a test drive for building a real life that fit our lifestyle, budget, and priorities.

Researching Neighborhoods, Schools, and Safety Before Moving Abroad

I remember one night, after the kids were in bed, I had fifteen tabs open: crime statistics, preschool ratings, grocery prices, public transit maps. I was trying to compare a suburb outside of Lisbon to a neighborhood in Porto, but nothing was laid out clearly. It felt impossible to answer the questions that really mattered: Would I feel safe walking with my stroller? Could we get to the grocery store without a car? Would my kids adjust to learning a new language or would we feel isolated?

That’s when I knew we couldn’t just guess and hope. We needed a scouting trip.

Taking a Scouting Trip: How Firsthand Experience Transforms Planning

We booked a month in Portugal with our toddlers and made it our mission to walk the streets, ride the buses, visit local stores, and experience daily life in potential neighborhoods. The clarity we gained from being there in person was invaluable.

That trip inspired me to build Scoutly Plans as the tool I wish I had. It’s designed to help families, digital nomads, and retirees plan smarter scouting trips with tools tailored to how you actually live, not just travel like a tourist.

If you’re considering moving abroad, don’t skip the scouting trip. It’s the difference between fantasy and taking steps forward with your real, grounded plan.

How Scoutly Plans Can Help

Moving abroad successfully starts with planning, and a scouting trip is your most valuable tool for making informed decisions. Scoutly Plans offers customizable itineraries, neighborhood comparison tools, cost-of-living calculators, and safety checklists designed specifically for families, digital nomads, and retirees. Instead of relying on tourist-focused information, our platform helps you test your real-life priorities on the ground, from housing and schools to public transportation and local services. Start planning your scouting trip with Scoutly Plans today and turn your dream of life abroad into a well-prepared reality.