General Tips for Travel with Babies/Toddlers pt. 1

Maybe you're planning a family vacation to a cottage or beach. Maybe you're visiting family in a different province or country. Maybe work is taking you or your spouse somewhere, and tacking on a vacation will save you big bucks. Whatever the case, here is a compilation of my thoughts on what you need to know about travelling, before you start. [Jump to Part 2: Tips En Route and After Arrival]

Choosing a place to stay:
Separate Room: If at all possible, have a door between the babe's bedroom and the family space. This way you and your spouse can spend time with the lights on after 7:30pm.

In some places, it's not a too much more money to get a hotel suite or even a 2 bedroom hotel suite. You'd have a kitchen, family room, and bedrooms. Another option that may be cheaper, are adjoining hotel rooms.

In other places, space is at a premium and 2 bedrooms and a kitchen just don't exist. When we were in the Netherlands, we chose a hotel with 2 single beds and room for a playpen, because the cost was WAY lower than anything with a double bed. There was nothing like a suite there. However, the hotel was awesome (and just 2 stories with one entrance) and since the main floor was a shared space, Andrew and I could hang out there and have Little E sleeping in the room above us with the monitors on. No security issues and we didn't have to sit in the hallway or a dark room for 4 hours before we wanted to go to bed. (They also let us use their fridge and had a microwave available too.)

http://www.hotelkaatsheuvel.nl/ Sat at tables in background during the evenings.

Another option is to rent a condo for your stay. We've used Airbnb.com (or similar sites) with great success in multiple countries. Just make sure you do your research, check reviews and know what to do if something goes wrong. Using this option, we've been able to stay in a 2 bedroom space with a full kitchen and a living room for the price of a single hotel room. Just book ahead, because you often have to go through the process of choosing a place multiple times.

 New Orleans, USA HomeAway.com 

Antwerp, Belgium Airbnb.com

Kitchen: I like to have breakfast and some lunches at "home", especially if Andrew is at work during the day. Then we go out for a big dinner and bring leftovers home for me and Little E to have the next day at lunch. For this we need both a fridge and something to heat it up in. Also great for fresh fruit and veggies.

WiFi: Pre-baby this wasn't as big of a deal. If I had time at the hotel I could just watch cable. If I needed internet I could go to Starbucks. But now with Little E, I would have a few hours most afternoons during nap to do something - or nothing. WiFi helps immensely. A lot of rented condos don't have cable, so I can watch a show. I can upload and organize photos. And most importantly, I can communicate with Andrew while he's working, for free.

Transportation:
Decide how you're getting places.

By car: If you're planning on driving once you're in a new place, make sure you check the laws regarding car seats and boosters. In different places there are different rules. Car rental, taxis, limos, buses, your own car. You'll need to check the rules.

If we rent a car after a flight, we've been happy to also rent a car seat. You can do this from the car rental company or from a secondary company that rents baby items (cribs, car seats, toys). There are definitely some unknowns about whether a seat has been in a crash, but Andrew and I have felt secure enough that car rental companies check cars for damage and therefore can know if a car seat has been in even a minor accident. This is not for everyone, but an option.

You can also bring your car seat with you in your car, gatechecked on a plane (usually for free), or for the flight if babe has their own seat. Again, you want to make sure your seat fits regulations of where you're going.

Walking:

Babywearing: We love carriers. We've used a Moby wrap, ring sling, Manduca and a Tula for everyday babywearing and have found them extremely useful for travelling. When Little E stopped napping in the stroller, I could often convince him to sleep for a bit in the carrier. We were also able to go on hikes where even our durable stroller couldn't go.

Stroller: I know a lot of parents do not bring a stroller on vacations. I am not one of them. I love having the stroller. Some trips I use it rarely, other trips I use it everyday. If I'm solo-parenting during the day, I'm able to carry more and go further if I bring the stroller. If Andrew and I are planning a day-trip we're able to carry lunch / diaper bag / large camera bag / jackets / umbrella / blanket and anything else we'd need. We wouldn't bring all of that if we didn't have the stroller.

Public Transit: Take time before you travel to figure out local public transportation to the main places you want to go in a new city. Know where to buy tickets, what ID you'll need if crossing borders, and the address of the places you're going, so you can ask for help :)

Timing for Travel:

When baby is really young and sleeps most anywhere, timing is less important. But as they get older and sleep in public less, it's important to consider what time your major travel is happening. For example, an overnight flight to the Netherlands sounds like a great idea. He'd have to sleep for most of the trip, right? WRONG. He slept 1 hour total. Also, try to be at your destination at or before bed time (in the new time zone), especially if you have to clear customs. Basically, just consider when your child is happiest and travel then.

Planning a Route:

Depending on your mode of travel and how long the travel to destination will be, you need to consider your route. Are there parks with picnic shelters along the way? It's much nicer for our family to enjoy some fresh air, run around and have lunch, then to expect good behaviour in a restaurant. I even look at multiple places, depending on how the trip is going we could stop at any of 5 potentials stops. Also, think about spreading travel time across multiple days and seeing travel spots, friends or family, or provincial parks along the way.

___________________________________________________________________________