🧳 The Everything-We-Can-Think-Of Guide to Travel with Kids

Traveling with kids can be equal parts adventure and chaos. Whether you're just starting to explore dream destination ideas, or in the "Can I bring applesauce pouches through TSA?" Googling phase of planning, we've got you covered.

I've never attempted to round up all of our best travel tips, hacks and recommendations related to traveling with kids, because—whew!—it's a lot. But a comprehensive "guide" to family travel is what you all want, so here's my best shot!

Take a read and then hit reply to share your own feedback, or better yet, hit forward and share with a friend who could use some insight or encouragement.

The Everything-We-Could-Think-Of Guide to Traveling with Kids ✈️ 🚗

This is a long one, so feel free to skip ahead to the section that interests you most!

✈️ Getting There With Kids (and Your Sanity)

Dare I say that purely getting to where you're going is the hardest part? Whether you're road tripping or boarding a plane, however, I've found the two keys to success to be comfort and distraction.

No matter your mode of transportation, a solid stash of snacks is essential. We like packaged foods that aren't sticky or stinky, alongside standbys like apples (that won't squish when they fall to the bottom of your carry on!). You can see a link to our favorite snack recommendations here—which also includes healthy powdered drink mixes for kids that seriously jazz up a standard water bottle.

And just as critical are toys and activities that kids can comfortably do while seated for long stretches of time. We've tested dozens (hundreds? zillions?) and these are our favorite toys to pack for the ride. They include gel clings that are perfect on planes, magnetic building blocks that won't topple too easily and a tape activity book that never disappoints. (Of course, we're big on allowing as much tablet time as is necessary in a pinch, especially when we've got fellow passengers to strive to keep comfortable, too. Just make sure that you practice wearing headphones before you travel, if your kids aren't accustomed to them yet.)

But let's touch on that comfort point. My kids are at their best when they're sleeping while traveling. For that reason, we try to time travel during nap time or bedtime whenever we can. We've had great success on overnight flights and even late-night road trips, which honestly, can end up being kind of relaxing for us parents in the front seats.

(Bonus Tip: Not even kidding, playing French Lullaby music on my phone app almost always puts them to sleep faster.)

FOR FLYERS:

• My number one tip when it comes to air travel is simple—book a direct flight. Layovers and delays can quickly lead to chaos and crankiness, so I've been known to go to extremes to avoid destinations that require connections. (Have to check out of your hotel or Airbnb for a late flight? Consider this game-changing trip: Book a hotel room for an afternoon only.)

• Tuck some balloons into your carry-on. You never know when a flight delay may have you waiting at the gate longer than expected. Simply blowing up a balloon in an empty corner of the terminal and letting your little one toss and kick it around can truly save the day.

• Trust your gut when deciding when the board the plane. Typically, families are allowed to board earlier, but unless you've got a car seat to install or extra items for overhead storage, I find it useful to use as much time as possible getting our wiggles out, and being among the last to board.

• For long flights, pack new or forgotten-about toys. For particularly long flights, I've even gone to the extent of wrapping them in tissue paper as an extra special surprise that can be unwrapped. It's a little bit of unexpected delight that can quickly turn around a tense moment.

• Plan for discomfort during ascent and descent and have sippy cups, pouches, or suckers on hand to help alleviate ear pressure.

• If you're traveling with a lap infant, prepare yourself for in-seat acrobatics that will have you feeling like you just completed an Olympic obstacle course by the end of the flight. To help with the guaranteed soreness, I sometimes pop a preventative Advil when boarding. #IwishIwerejoking

• And please remember: If your child has a tough time and cries loudly or won't calm down, it's very likely that you'll never, ever see anyone from this flight again. Breathe through it, rely on the help of a partner or kind passenger, and try as hard as you can to remain calm. There are going to be tough moments on the go just like there are at home, but you'll get through it and the odds are, that will not be the most memorable part of your trip.

FOR ROAD TRIPPERS:

• Determine your "car time" max. When we ventured on our first road trip with a baby, we set a limit of four hours in the car per day to ensure he wasn't spending too much time crunched up in a car seat. That meant breaking up our driving into a much more leisurely pace, but also allowed us some relaxed evenings to spend in new-to-us small towns along our route, where we stayed the night and continued on the next morning.

• Save yourself a headache by doing a bit of research ahead of time to map your route and identify easy stops along the way. One of the hacks that I've found to be especially valuable is simply looking for college campuses. Typically, you'll find grassy parks, nature trails and convenient grab-and-go food locations nearby, which make them ideal for stretching your legs with a little one. We always keep a picnic blanket in the trunk so that we can all comfortably spread out!

• You may have downloaded a few good podcasts for yourself, but have you tried downloading any for the kids yet? There are some great options—from soothing story time readings to more imaginative bedtime narratives—and usually these are a hit with our kids.

• If you often hear complaints from the backseat, consider bringing along one of the inflatable footrests sold as seat extenders for kids on planes; they can help littles reposition themselves in a more cozy way. Bring toddler pillows and blankets to ensure they're comfortable at nap or bedtime, and don't you dare pack up their favorite stuffed animals or cuddlies in a suitcase that’s at the bottom of the trunk—they'll come in clutch.

• If you're looking for smart buys that will make traveling with kids easier across the board, I'm linking up our top picks below. We REALLY put these buys through the testing process, traveling for a year with an infant and toddler, so you know that if I'm recommending them, they're winners.
  
  🎒 Travel Gear Must-Haves You’ll Wish You Bought Sooner

🌎 Kid-Friendly Travel Destinations That Don’t Feel Like a Sacrifice

People often ask where we'd recommend traveling with kids of all the places we've been, and this feels like a great spot to round them up:

📍 NEW ZEALAND: The South Island is expansive, with jaw-dropping scenery at every turn, never too crowded, and has playgrounds all over. It’s the perfect wild setting to let little ones explore!

📍 HAWAII: We opted for Kauai and embraced the neighborhood vibes, but adored watching turtles and seals beach each evening, eating ALL the shave ice, and marvel at the Waimea Canyon. Read our Kauai review here.

📍 BALI: Affordable, rich in culture and full of the kindest, kid-loving people. Does it get better than that? Family-friendly restaurants, activities and beaches abound. Read our full guide here.

📍 SWITZERLAND: The scenery is epic, with castles to explore and fondue to feast on. But the alpine playgrounds are next level. If you enjoy the outdoors, this is IT. Read our full guide here, or consider the guide to our Alps Road Trip.

📍PORTUGAL: Big city appeal, loads of history AND a stunning and lively beach scene along the Algarve. You can have it all here, within a few hours drive, and the laid-back attitude of the Portuguese makes it especially welcoming for families. Read our full guide here.

If these ideas don’t pique your interest, you can use our Spring Break Flow Chart to help you make a decision on what is best suitable for your family and current situation. OR, you can just hop on over to the Kid-Friendly Stays Travel Directory, where we’ve curated a diverse selection of family-centric resorts, hotels and vacation rentals that meet our high standards; it’s the perfect starting point for your travel research.

BUT, the reality that I hope everyone keeps in mind is that you'll find adventure wherever you look for it. Whether it's in a tent in your own backyard, tiny-cabin glamping an hour away, a "slow travel" weekend across the state line or on the opposite side of the planet.

And on that note, how do you choose where to stay, once you've chosen which location to go to?

🛏️ Hotels and Resorts versus Airbnbs and Vacation Rentals

I'm not going to lie, in my experience, I've found vacation rentals to almost always be the better choice with small kids. They allow parents flexibility in terms of separate bedrooms, full kitchens for easy meal making, and oftentimes yards or plenty of space to play... all at a much more affordable price than most hotels or family resorts.

You can see my tips on exactly what to look for when booking an Airbnb with kids HERE. And a tip on saving money on your next Airbnb stay here.

But the biggest tip I can give is this—choose an Airbnb that makes you FEEL like you're on vacation. Something with aesthetics that are exciting or relaxing or whatever vibe you're going for, or that offer stellar balcony or backyard views. The goal is that you don't have to "give up" the experience even if the kids are napping. And that once bedtime rolls around, mom and dad can kick back with a cold drink on the balcony and enjoy take out from a nearby hot spot.

✨ Steal our Best Piece of Travel Planning Advice with Little Kids:

We break up our days into THIRDS while traveling. It’s our way to ensure that everyone’s needs are being met—an admittedly difficult task when traveling with the littlest ones. You can use it as a rough guide in planning your days to avoid falling into the “too much to do with too little time” trap that often happens on vacations. 🫠

Each day, we try to somewhat evenly divide our time among these three buckets...

⏱️ Structured Activity: Tours, excursions, and any commitment that includes a set amount of time and attention.

⏱️ Unstructured Exploration or Play: Hiking, visiting playgrounds, and aimless city strolls that allows kids to wander

⏱️ Rest: Downtime at home that could include meals in, playtime in an Airbnb backyard or naptime at a hotel

The result: We slow down. Moving at an adult pace, which we’re wired to do, is almost always going to result in a meltdown, tantrum or overly exhausted little one. And IYKYK, stroller naps can’t be counted on 100 percent of the time.

Also, consider these savvy ideas that we’ve used more than once:

• Trade more group activities for fewer “private” activities. We spend a bit more to book just-us excursions (a private jet boat tour; a family-focused private tour guide; a private gelato-making class!). I don’t have to deal with the low-grade anxiety that accompanies any public or paid-for program where my kids might disrupt others, and we get a more intimate and tailored experience.

• Hire a private chef once the kids are in bed! I know it sounds crazy, but it’s not as big a splurge as you’d think once you consider the costs of a nice dinner out, cocktails and a babysitter at home. We’ve had great success doing this in Italy and it’s such a lovely way to get some one-on-one time, just us parents, without the FOMO of missing out on a great foodie destination. (Speaking of dining, you can see our eating-out-with-kids tips here.)

💛 Our Family Travel Philosophy: It’s About the Memories (Not Perfection)

Yes, you’ll probably forget something important (like the extra wipes), and someone will almost certainly melt down mid-trip. But here’s the thing: Your kids will remember the splashy pool dives, the silly road trip songs, and the late-night hotel giggles. And if they're too young to recall, trust me when I say that the photos you take and stories you tell (and retell) most certainly create a magical, mystical sense of memory that will last.

Your mindset determines greatest part of the experience for both you and your kids.

Because even if they're teeny-tiny, new places, sounds, flavors and experiences will undoubtedly begin to shape their adaptability and willingness to adventure. In fact, in the first two years of life, 1 million neurons connect EVERY SECOND in a child's brain. Now and try and tell me that traveling with babies "isn't worth it."

If I can leave you with one lasting takeaway, please let it be this:

A book called Die With Zero by Bill Perkins really helped affirm the 'travel early" decision for me, and in it, I was introduced to the concept of “memory dividends,” which I LOVE. In short, by investing in memories earlier in your life (rather than waiting for to take your dream trips in retirement, for example) you’re able to reap the compounding reward of all those warm, fuzzy and eye-opening memories and life-altering experiences. It’s like a dividend that pays out, but for your emotional and mental health rather than your financials. And bonus, you get to do it all with your kids, too.

If you want some guidance on how we've budgeted for travel, I share my best advice and a fun downloadable savings tracker here.

✅ P.S. Know a parent who needs this? Forward it along—I’d be so grateful!

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