Christina Milian talks travel essentials and frustrations
Christina Milian and her daughter Violet talk about their travel essentials, biggest frustrations, and why securing your spot early can make family vacations stress-free.
- Actress and singer Christina Milian became a fan of train travel after spending time in Europe.
- Milian and her daughter Violet Madison Nash feature in a new campaign for train platform Trainline.
- Milian believes that train travel is a simple and stress-free option, especially for families with children.
You may recognize Christina Milian’s voice from the “Kim Possible” theme song, or you may have seen her in a movie from the early ’10s. She is not only an actress, singer, and mother, but also an experienced traveler.
For the past 10 years, she has split her time between the United States, where her musician husband is from, and Europe. There she discovered train travel, which became one of her favorite ways to explore.
“It’s a big deal in Europe, but as Americans, that’s something we’re not used to, and we’ve come to know through my husband and just living there that it’s so easy to travel like that,” she told USA TODAY.
When they first met, Milian and her husband were traveling around Europe on what she called “mini-vacations,” from romantic Paris to museums in Florence. Now, she continues that tradition with her eldest daughter, Violet Madison Nash.
Train and bus travel platform Trainline’s new mother-daughter campaign reflects their shared love of travel. Regarding her trip with a 15-year-old boy, Milian said, “Being able to plan the trip and think about what to do together creates really good memories.” “At the end of the day, that’s all I ask for: make good memories, take lots of pictures, and have fun.”
The two spoke to USA TODAY about their favorite destinations they’ve reached by train and why they love this type of travel.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What was it like working on this Trainline campaign together?
Christina: I think this is one of our first campaigns in a really long time. When Vi was little, we did things together, and we always did things if it was something we felt passionate about and something we could really relate to. Rail travel is definitely something that is pretty important to us.
What is your favorite family vacation?
Violet: We’ll start in Strasbourg. It’s one of my favorites because it has a Christmas market.
Christina: Our family likes to go there during the holidays. Usually we go at the end of November every year. My husband is from there, so we visit his family, go to the cathedral, and do the Christmas market. It’s fun when I have friends from out of town so they can join in too.
I also enjoy going to southern France such as Marseille and Nice. Because it’s always warm there. You can be by the sea and have a party on the beach. No matter where you go, many of these places have historical sites, so it’s not just a beach vacation. You can also dive into the culture.
How does train travel compare to other modes of transport, especially for families?
Christina: It’s really convenient for people who are traveling last minute because it makes it so much easier, especially if you have kids. Honestly, it’s so simple that you can bring everything you want. When you arrive at the station, look at your destination and just get on. It’s very simple. I think the simplicity of the process from arriving at the station to getting on the train is stress-free.
Even if you just want to hang out at a station, some of these stations have been around forever. You can feel the history at the station and do some shopping.
What are your must-have items when traveling?
Violet: Definitely headphones and a cell phone. I like to bring my iPad, even my computer, just to work on school work along the way, even if it takes a while to get to my destination. You don’t have to worry about bringing too much stuff.
Christina: I think the kids always have something to draw with them. They love to draw, so I bring supplies like paper and markers to keep them busy. And for me, that’s when I immerse myself in my hobbies. It’s very peaceful on the train, everyone doing their own thing. I also make beads, make jewelry, and sometimes knit.
Then I like to look out the window – it’s beautiful. Day and night, you can catch a glimpse of the greenery and stunning views of the farm. Next thing you know, you can see the city. You can see a lot in an instant.
What kind of trip do you want to go on?
Christina: I haven’t been able to take Violet to London by train yet, so I’m not sure whether to go just the two of us or with the kids. Violet and I know what we both like, so we like shopping, dining, and I like to add museums here and there.
Violet: I love food and so do my mom. I always find something on TikTok and go, “Oh my gosh, mom, look over there.” So we go to the place but always look for reviews.
What are your travel complaints and unfavorable travel opinions?
Christina: I mentioned the late departure, but we always hope to arrive on time. We both like to go everywhere early.
Violet: We always prepare our clothes for the next day the night before.
Christina: For us, we’re going to go early, so we’re going to go get some croissants here and have a little coffee here. Maybe I’d like to stop by the store and do a little shopping. So what is frustrating for us is that we arrive late and don’t even get to experience it before we reach the station. Sometimes we miss out on some nice things.
