Family Travel Tips

Go up

After countless trips with our own kids, both in the US and Europe, here are our best tips for traveling with Babies, Toddlers and Kids

  1. Why Travel
  2. New Expectations
  3. How To Start
  4. Planning
  5. Travel Toys
  6. Travelling with Others
  7. Packing Lists
  8. Preparing Kids for Travel
  9. Travel Documents
  10. Travel Days – Flights…
  11. Jet Lag
  12. Typical Vacation Day
  13. Baby Proofing Hotels
  14. Language
  15. Returning Home

Comments

  1. Debbie on January 8, 2008 at 1:27 p.m.

    Hypatia,

    Thanks for all your great suggestions! We're working as fast as we can to get more great family destinations online & we LOVE to get great reader suggestions like yours... keep them coming.

    Debbie

  2. Hypatia on January 8, 2008 at 2:48 p.m.

    So glad I found this site and have already bookmarked it. We're planning our first trip to New York with our daughter, and am looking forward to checking out some of your suggestions.

    Am surprised though that Boston hasn't made it on to your list of destinations yet. We've visited the city a few times with our daughter and have had a fantastic time-the Children's Museum, the beaches, the parks, etc...Another city people might like to take their kids to is Toronto, who can resist the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Place, the Toronto Islands, etc...Finally, as a Montrealer, can I suggest my hometown? In the middle of the city is the 'mountain' after which it was named, much of which is parkland (designed by Olmstead, the same man who designed Central Park) there are museums, Place des Arts (with bilingual concert series for children) and within a very short drive, several beaches, a farm to visit, and the Ecomuseum.

    Regards,
    Hypatia

  3. Kellie on February 20, 2008 at 11:42 a.m.

    I just discovered your website. Thank you so much for taking the time to share such resourceful information. My husband and I are passionate travelers (we even got married in Italy!)and now want to travel with our baby girl. We have already begun planning our first trip to Europe with her this summer (she will be 13 mos) and we look forward to reading your travel tips, etc.!

  4. Jeanne on February 25, 2008 at 8:18 a.m.

    Great site! Glad I stumbled upon it and glad you are doing it!! We are 18 months into an open ended, multi-year trip around the world as a family, so I am always interested in finding good traveling family sites to blog about. Keep up the good work & I wish I had found you before your trip to Spain. Happy travels!
    http://www.soultravelers3.com/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn9rDT...

  5. Jill on March 7, 2008 at 9:27 a.m.

    Hi!
    I am SO glad I have found your site! We are getting ready for a trip to Rome with our 18 month old... and are trying to decide if we'll need to bring a car seat. We are planning to use one of the new CARES restraints for the plane (the new FAA approved thing), and aren't sure if we'll "need" the car seat once we arrive in Rome. We plan to either travel by train or foot anywhere we go... so what's your opinion? Thanks so much!

  6. Debbie on March 7, 2008 at 10 a.m.

    Jill,

    Have a wonderful trip to Rome. At 18 months old, your child will have such a wonderful time exploring the city. The fountains and street performers throughout the city are easy entertainment, but our son also loved the sculptures (and thought things like feet w/out bodies were hilarious).

    Rome doesn't have great public transportation, but you can get most places by walking, and I would not (and did not) bring a car seat. We've never used a car seat on a train either.

    Good luck,
    Debbie

  7. Heather on March 13, 2008 at 5:45 a.m.

    Do you know if I can buy Pull Ups in Barcelona or the equivilent? I'm wondering if I should pack enough for the whole trip there.

    Thanks so much!

  8. Debbie on March 14, 2008 at 11:44 a.m.

    Pull Ups are available in Spain, but they are more difficult to find than diapers (As I understand it, Europeans aren't totally sold on the Pull-Ups concept). Cortes Ingles or a large grocery store would be the place to look for them.

    If your trip is short (or your child uses Pull-Ups only when sleeping) you could pack enough for the entire trip. If not, you could consider using waterproof washable training pants or reverting to diapers if you cannot find more pull-ups when you need them.

  9. Vanessa on April 4, 2008 at 8:53 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    Love this site! We are heading to Paris and will be taking up your suggestion on the Airport Shuttle. I was wondering if you used their car seat or if you brought your own. If you used their car seat, is there anything I should be weary of from a safety standpoint? Also, what apartment did you stay at in Paris or which one do you recommend?

    Thanks again - your suggestions just made it a way more fun and cheaper trip for us!

  10. Debbie on April 6, 2008 at 4:23 p.m.

    Vanessa,

    We used the airport shuttle car seat. I was a lot less savvy about car seat rentals back then, but I'd do it again in order to avoid dragging along a seat for just that one use.

    Be sure to specify the age and weight of your child with your reservation, and carefully inspect the car seat using our tips: http://www.deliciousbaby.com/journal/...

    We stayed in apartments on Rue Dragon (in the 6th) and loved the convenient location. http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/f...

  11. Charity on April 24, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,
    Thanks so much for all your great information. I was wondering if you have ever gone on a trip as long as 3 weeks with your children? I'm taking my 18 month old by myself by plane to visit grandma and grandpa for a week, then drive 3 hrs to meet up with daddy (he doesn't get much time off) at the other grandma and grandpa for a week, and then drive 6 hrs to an old college friend with a baby the same age for a week. And then fly home. Am I completely nuts?
    I've culled most of your articles about travel and have gotten lots of ideas. Anything else you would think I should be aware of on such a long trip?
    Thanks!

  12. Debbie on April 24, 2008 at 2:47 p.m.

    We've done several one month trips, and actually I'm a fan of longer trips. I think it gives everyone a little more time to adjust and settle in. It also relieves some of the pressure for every day and every moment to be perfect (which of course is impossible with a small child)

    Your trip sounds great to me & I hope you have a wonderful time. Here are a couple of tips I think might help:
    - At 18 months, you should talk to your child a lot about what's happening & when you'll be going to a new place.
    - I would do the driving trip at night (if you don't think you'll be to sleepy) when baby is sleeping
    - Avoid moving between too many different destinations. The list you have sounds great, but I'd worry a little bit about adding more (though your child might be less stressed about that than mine are)
    - Your child will probably be getting lots of extra attention on your trip (which is a good thing) Expect that there will be an adjustment period when you return home where he or she tries to figure out where all the magic went.
    - Don't feel like you need to bring everything you might need with you. You can buy diapers and other baby needs on the road and I'm willing to bet that grandma and grandpa will contribute a few new toys.

  13. Charity on April 24, 2008 at 3:19 p.m.

    Thanks! It's reassuring to hear you say I'm not completely insane. And I forgot all about the adjustment to no longer being the center of everyone's attention. Good tips!

  14. Cherrye on May 21, 2008 at 9:32 a.m.

    Loving your blog! Loving it!

  15. Rachael on May 21, 2008 at 11:32 p.m.

    Congratulations on a fabulous website ! In terms of content and form it's a great resource and is wonderful to get tips from like-minded mums.
    We are taking our 8 month old daughter on a 6 week trip to Turkey, France (Alps & Provence) and Spain (Vallencia, Mallorca and Barcelona). I was umm'ing and argh'ing about buying the ergo baby carrier (as we can borrow a baby backpack) yet you have sold it to me, we at least confirmed what i was thinking in terms of size and weight. Keep the tips and info coming.
    Syd, Australia

  16. Debbie on May 27, 2008 at 4:20 p.m.

    Rachael,

    Have a wonderful time on your trip! I hope the Ergo will serve you well.

    Debbie

  17. Amanda on May 30, 2008 at 11:53 p.m.

    Hi Debbie
    Thanks for a great website!
    We are planning a trip to barcelona with other friens who also have babies who'll be 12 months..we will need to get taxis from the airport to our apartments and wondered if we would need to take car seats to use in the taxis? Logically, I think we would but if so am not sure how practically this would work!
    Any thoughts or advice would be gratefully received..
    Amanda

  18. Debbie on May 31, 2008 at 9:30 p.m.

    Amanda,
    When we visited Barcelona, we took the train from the airport to the city center and then walked the remaining few blocks to our apartment.

    If you have a lot of luggage, another option would be to send one person in a taxi with all the luggage and someone else on the subway with the babies.

    A third option is to find a taxi service or van service that will provide a car seat. Since the babies are 12 months old, you will want to verify that they have an infant or convertible seat that can be installed rear-facing (and have a back up plan in case the service shows up without the seats)

    Have a great trip!

  19. Jennifer on June 8, 2008 at 8:56 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    What a great website! I have enjoyed getting useful tips and ideas from this site.

    We leave next month for Europe, we have purchased a seat for our 14 month old however do you think taking a carseat would help him sleep on a plane or what do you recommend for comfortable sleeping for a child?

    Thanks! Jennifer

  20. Debbie on June 9, 2008 at 8:18 p.m.

    I would not bring along a car seat just so that your son can sleep. You don't say what airline you are flying, but many airlines will provide a travel cot if you request one in advance. We've had good luck with getting our children to fall asleep in our arms and then moving them gently into the travel cot.

    You do need to have a save way to buckle your child in to the airplane seat though (the lap belt isn't enough for a 14 month old). Of course your car seat works well, and we also like the CARES harness because it is so easy to carry.

    http://www.deliciousbaby.com/products...

    Before you leave that car seat at home, you'll also need to consider whether you will need a car seat at your destination. In most of Europe, public transportation is good enough that we don't bring one, but you'll need to decide based on the specifics of your trip.

    I hope this helps. Have a wonderful time!
    Debbie

  21. Lois on July 16, 2008 at 7:18 a.m.

    Hi Debbie

    I thought you might like to see a post I published on my home exchange blog today, mentioning and linking to your excellent blog:

    http://homeexchangetravel.blogs.com

    Keep up the good work!

    Cheers

  22. Angie on July 28, 2008 at 11:24 a.m.

    Hi Debbie. Just heard your interview on Amateur Travel Podcast and have spent a few minutes browsing your site. Great ideas; I can't wait to spend more time checking out your travel tips. Our oldest daughter made her first oversea adventure to England at four months (unless you count her trip to Italy when I was seven months pregnant). She is turning six this summer and has since been to India twice, Nepal, Thailand, and Cambodia as well as numerous places around the US. My husband and I met in Nepal and love to spend our money and vacation time experiencing Asia. We have found our post-children travels so enriching because of the social doors that have opened because we have our children with us. We have met with so many more smiles and friendly greetings from strangers, especially women (which can be difficult to interact sometimes in Asia). Keep up the great work...

    Angie in Alaska
    http://www.southwould.com

  23. Louise Valentine on January 25, 2009 at 7:52 p.m.

    Hi Debbie!

    I'm so glad I found your site. I really want to travel with my daughter but was starting to think it wasn't possible. Then I stumbled upon this website. I'm thinking about going to Italy with her for a few weeks and now, having found your site, I'm finding the thought less daunting.

    Thank You!!

  24. Stacia on March 28, 2009 at 5:46 p.m.

    I'm SO HAPPY to have found this site. I'm flying with my 3mo old tomorrow. And as indicated by my google searches tonight.... i'm anxious about the flight. Your information has been very helpful! Thanks!

  25. Melissa on April 16, 2009 at 10:18 p.m.

    This is a GREAT site! We are planning our first trip with our 17 month old son, and I was so glad to see all of your travel tips! I have been busy writing a lot of stuff down, and keep thinking... "what a great idea..!" I am so glad I found your site! Thank you for all of your very helpful tips! I would like to post a link to your blog on my blog so other moms can see your great travel tips! :)

  26. K O on June 1, 2009 at 2:54 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    Thank you for such a wonderful site! We took our first plane ride with the kids to the Pacific Northwest and enjoyed some fabulous sightseeing, food, etc. The trip was fantastic because of the feedback I found on your website.

    I look forward to more traveling with the Delicious Baby community.

  27. Mandy Ferry on July 18, 2009 at 5:22 a.m.

    I love your suggestion for air travel toys.

    We have a website also dedicated to all things travel and kids. Check out our free printables and car travel games too.

    Cheers

    Mandy.

  28. abby on August 2, 2009 at 12:11 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    First off, thank you for putting up this great site. My husband and I love to travel, and ever since we had our boy, i've been wary of traveling. Anyway, we're planning to go to Barcelona or Madrid in September. It's a spontaneous vacation, and it'll only be for about 4-5 days. I wanted to ask you if a car seat is mandatory to bring when we travel? I was just thinking of bringing his pram, but I am uncertain what their car seat requirements are.

    Thanks again and all the best!

  29. Debbie on August 2, 2009 at 9:13 p.m.

    It is not mandatory that you would have a carseat for your flight (though your child will be safest in his or her own seat if there is turbulence). If you plan to ride in a car once you arrive in Spain, your child will be safest in a carseat, and we generally plan to use public transportation when we travel to big cities like Barcelona or Madrid.

    Have a great trip!

  30. Victoria Humphries on September 12, 2009 at 7:02 p.m.

    Great site, thanks, I have been studying all of your travel tips and advice. I am off to Marrakech for 2 weeks with my 16 month old daughter next Saturday, it's our first holiday together. I promise I will share all useful info on my return.

  31. ella davis on November 27, 2009 at 10:47 p.m.

    Lovely post! Thanks for the valuable suggestions.

  32. Linda on December 26, 2009 at 3:31 p.m.

    Thanks for providing even more ideas, tips and advice. It's so inspiring to find a website like this. We do a lot of traveling with our kids, and are always learning more and better ways to make our traveling experiences easier. Thanks!

  33. emilie on February 13, 2010 at 2 a.m.

    hi debbie,
    thanks for sharing all these tips. do you have suggestions for audiobooks for a three year old? we've never tried this before thanks!

  34. Stephanie on March 26, 2010 at 11:36 a.m.

    Hi Debbie, We recently took our boys (3 and 5) to Kenya and your website was a wonderful resource as we planned our trip. Your toy/book suggestions were spot on (especially the lift-the-flap airport book for my 3 year old). One thing we did which was a huge success for the long flights and waiting periods during traveling was to invent "The Travel Turtle". This is a mythical creature that we made up and the idea is that the Travel Turtle secretly delivers toys/books,etc, to kids when times are slow. Before leaving, we bought a number of the items on your list but instead of giving them to the kids all at once, we would slip one into their backpacks at times when they were bored or waiting to catch a flight. They would discover that the Travel Turtle brought them a new toy and would be so excited. It was a huge success!

  35. Debbie on March 26, 2010 at 12:14 p.m.

    Stephanie,

    What a great idea! Thank you for sharing.

  36. Debbie on March 26, 2010 at 12:16 p.m.

    Emilie,

    Here are some of the audio books we like:

    - Magic Treehouse
    - Skippy John Jones
    - Hip Hop for Children (Poetry)
    - Little House in the Big Woods

    My 3 yo loves all of these!

  37. Tracey Hallink on April 15, 2010 at 4:41 a.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    What a fantastic site. We travel a lot with 3 kids and hope to go to Europe soon so we will definitely be using this fantastic resource.

    I loved your comments on Cairns and would love to add some of my favourite restaurants and activities.

    Thank you for sharing!

  38. Veronica on April 22, 2010 at 12:58 a.m.

    Hi, I find your site very useful as I will be travelling soon with my 2 year-old. I haven't explored Europe with my kid as I heard from friends that the water supply in European country are high in clorine which would not be suitable for us let alone kids. Please let me know if you have heard about this and I would appreciate if you have ideas how to overcome this.
    Thank you and continue to post great advices!

  39. Dave on June 17, 2010 at 9:05 p.m.

    Hi -

    My wife is due in July and we'd love to take a week vacation before she heads back to work in October. In suggestions or advice on trying to travel with a 3 month old?

    Thanks!

  40. Josh on June 24, 2010 at 4:18 p.m.

    Hi, hope its OK to contact you here. would love to include your blog on our giveaway blog network: Giveaway Scout (http://www.giveawayscout.com). Have a look and if interested drop us a line on our contact form (http://www.giveawayscout.com/contact/). thanks, Josh"

  41. Alicia Wicker on July 13, 2010 at 8:23 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,
    Thanks for the tip about bringing a single stroller to San Fran. I plan to have my 2 1/2 yr old on the stroller and carry my 2 month old daughter in the baby bjorn. Hopefully it all works out!

  42. Cindy on August 6, 2010 at 6:44 p.m.


    Hi-
    Can anybody give me some suggestions for things to do in Massachusetts? I have 2 young kids 2 & 3 yrs old.

  43. Debbie Dubrow (DeliciousBaby) on August 8, 2010 at 7:32 a.m.

    @Cindy, check out our family friendly city guides for Massachusetts http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/u...

  44. Laura on August 27, 2010 at 12:35 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful wealth of information on traveling with children. I will be traveling to England from The States with my 20 month old daughter and it's going to be a long and exhausting trip. I have been stressing about traveling with her all by myself for weeks, but your site has eased my mind and increased my confidence that I CAN do this (and not completely loose my mind in the process).

    Thank you again!

  45. Debbie on August 27, 2010 at 10:28 p.m.

    Laura,

    Thanks so much! I'm so glad that you liked the site.

  46. Simply Salema on September 3, 2010 at 8:14 a.m.

    Great advise guys, thanks you

  47. Natasha on October 2, 2010 at 4:10 a.m.

    Hi

    I'm traveling alone with my 15month old son on a very long trip from Australia to South Africa. 24 hours in total incl 2 stop overs (5 hours in total)
    I am concerned about keeping him busy/occupied as he is very active and has a mind of his own.Please help with ideas or suggestions.

    Natasha

  48. PNR Status on October 29, 2010 at 1:17 a.m.

    Nice tips for helpful my next trip.Thanks

  49. Costa Rica on January 22, 2011 at 1:07 a.m.

    It's about time some one made a blog for us parents. Having kids and traveling is not easy, but vary rewarding.

    Great info!

  50. Caitlin on January 26, 2011 at 8:31 a.m.

    Thank you! We are planning our first trip with a toddler and this couldn't be more helpful! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

  51. Michelle Guerra on February 12, 2011 at 1:20 a.m.

    lots of great ideas here. Thanks for all the hard work.

    We were doing so much driving that we finally figured out the formula to keeping the kids happy in the car -- without just endless movie after movie. When we started looking around, we realized that safety was also a missing component in so many trip planning sites.

  52. Rachel Stewart on February 21, 2011 at 7:14 a.m.

    I will be traveling with my twins in April- they will be almost 9 months old. I'm wondering about what I need to bring to feed them while I'm away. Should I invest in small travel highchairs (Phil and Teds MeToo) because I'm going to have to feed them in my hotel room in the morning. Other suggestions for making my life easier while feeding on the road? Thanks so much!!

  53. Debbie on February 21, 2011 at 8:12 a.m.

    Rachel,

    I do like the Phil and Teds, but be sure that your hotel room will have a table you can fasten it to before you make the investment!

    Here are some other tips for feeding baby when you travel http://www.deliciousbaby.com/journal/...

  54. Elisa on February 25, 2011 at 6:42 a.m.

    Just stumbled upon your website and I love it, full of great tips!
    Just wanted to leave a small comment about diapers in Spain (very detailed, I know): you say you can't find Pampers, but Dodot brand is actually the Spanish Pampers, same diapers, same "technology", same designs, etc, just different names.
    Great website.

  55. tara berchielli on March 8, 2011 at 8:28 p.m.

    Thank God I found your site!!! We are going to Italy with our soon to be two year old soon and there were many issues I wasn't sure how to handle. I feel so much more confident and excited about our trip now. Thank you so much!!!

  56. Rachel Stewart on March 14, 2011 at 7:31 a.m.

    A friend told me about your site- and I'm glad she did! You have such great information on here! We have a big trip in December to the Caribbean, but I'm going on my first quick trip with my twins who will be 8 months in April.
    I am trying to figure out what to do about giving them bottles while away. The hotel has a mini fridge for us. So should I bring my pitcher to make a large batch of formula like I do when I am at home? What do I do about cleaning the bottles? And they usually have their formula warm? What do I do about that? Thank you so much for all of your wisdom!
    Rachel
    Rachel

  57. Debbie on March 15, 2011 at 2:38 p.m.

    Rachel,

    I personally would mix the formula one bottle at a time to avoid issues with storing it and keeping it cool as you are out and about. You might want to gradually get your twins used to room temperature formula so that you can mix it with bottled water when you are out and about, but most hotels or restaurants should be happy to let you use their microwave to warm formula.

    Good luck!

  58. Lisa on April 8, 2011 at 9:30 a.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    I'm hoping you can help me with a carseat question. We will be traveling to France in May. We will spend 3 nights in Paris, then take the train to Sarlat, then back to Paris for 3 nights. My son is 2 yrs old and I plan to take the carseat for the plane (hoping it will be easier for him to sleep). Now I am wondering whether we should haul it to Sarlat for the week. I know that we will not need it for the train. We may take a 20 minute taxi ride to Beynac to hang out for a few hours. But then is dawned on me, what would we do with it while we are in Beynac? Lug it around? Ask the taxi driver to keep it til he picks us up? Pay a hotel to stowe it? I want my child to be safe, but I don't know what to do with the seat! Also, I have never used the seat in a taxi, are French taxis set up to handle a seat? Any advice would be appreciated.

    Lisa

  59. Debbie on April 8, 2011 at 12:13 p.m.

    Lisa,

    Depending on how big your son is, you might consider using the Ride Safer Travel vest in the taxi - it's easy to pop in a backpack and would be much easier than lugging a carseat.

    Here's a link to check it out / buy it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003...

  60. Lisa on April 8, 2011 at 1:51 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    Thanks for the tip. I don't think we will purchase the vest. It's a bit pricey for what will probably be a one time deal. We'll probably lug the carseat to the ends of the earth and beg someone to hold onto it for us!

    Thanks,
    Lisa

  61. Alison Dow on May 17, 2011 at 7:31 p.m.

    Hi Debbie -

    We are traveling throughout France in June for 2 weeks with our 20 month old and 3 1/2 year old. We are debating whether to bring 2 single strollers or 1 double stroller. We have an Ergo we can use for our 20 month old, but we don't want to rely on that exclusively since she hasn't spent much time in it. Any suggestions are much appreciated!

    Thanks,
    Alison

  62. Debbie on May 17, 2011 at 9:01 p.m.

    Alison,

    Unless you think there will be a lot of situations where one parent would take both kids (but not want the sling) I'd bring two singles - it should be much easier to navigate with a single than a double.

    Good luck!

  63. Brittany on June 24, 2011 at 7:40 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    Do you have tips on flying stand-by? We are flying to Paris in Sept with our 14 month old daughter on stand-by (StepMIL works for an airline). Also would it be easier to rent a carseat from a taxi service or lug our car seat around?

  64. Debbie on June 24, 2011 at 11:17 p.m.

    Brittany,

    I don't have any particular tips on flying standby, except that you could find out ahead of time how full the flight is and that would give you a sense of how likely you are to make it on. Pack flexibly, and bring lots of extra diapers ;)

    I would not rent a carseat from a taxi service. It's a hassle to lug around your own carseat, but even when you find a taxi service that will provide a seat they may provide one in poor repair, aged, damaged, or that is the wrong size for your child (i.e. a booster for an infant or vice versa). A taxi service generally doesn't have the right expertise appropriately select and maintain safe carseats.

  65. Emily Hunt on July 20, 2011 at 7:09 a.m.

    Hi Debbie
    Just a quick note to say thanks for all of your wonderful information - it really helped in planning our trip to Seville and Madrid with a 2 year old and 3 year old late last year. Your restaurant recommendations, lists of what to do, playground suggestions and half day outings were spot on and helped us to have a relaxing holiday for the WHOLE family! Your photos of your experiences around the cities really helped us narrow down what we wanted to fit into our time away.
    Cheers
    Emily (Australia)

  66. Sara N on July 25, 2011 at 4:57 p.m.

    I don't know if you like to give specific names or not, but if anyone could answer this, it would be wonderful. I have a toddler and we like to travel. the only hotel chain that I know of that offers a room with a separate living room area and bedroom (door in between) is embassy suites. Do you, or anyone, know of any other chains that offer something like that? Thanks! -Sara

  67. Debbie on July 26, 2011 at 10:47 a.m.

    Sara,

    Homewood Suites, Hawthorne Suites and Residence Inn are two other chains that offer reliable quality suites accommodation. Most hotels also have a few suites (at a higher price than a standard room), and you can usually find floorplans on their website if you want to verify that there is a door between the rooms.

  68. Joline on November 26, 2011 at 2:10 p.m.

    Just found your site. We've traveled with my baby to Florida, West Virginia, Washington DC, New York City, Connecticut. We've done well so far, but wish I'd found your site sooner. We have had the opportunity come up to go to Japan. It is a week (with travel - only 5 days of actual visiting). I have a daughter who will be 14 months old at the time of travel. Have you been to Japan? If so, do they sell diapers there? Also, she has asthma and we travel with a nebulizer, do they have standard outlets?
    I have been agonizing over wether or not to go because the flight is 16 hours and the time difference is 15 hours. After poking around your site, we have decided to go for it.

    One last thing, the link on your travel gear to amazon for the backpack diaper bag doesn't work.

  69. Ladynez on December 25, 2011 at 3:47 p.m.

    Hi Debbie. Love your site! I have a set of twins who will be 2 1/2 yrs old for my planned trip to Europe this summer. I am taking 2 weeks to travel and was wondering if I should just do 1 country (Spain) or 2 (France and Spain) during that time period. Friends keep telling me NOT to travel to Europe with toddlers because they will make my vacation difficult and because they will get cranky etc, but I have never been outside the US and have not had a vacation in over 1.5 yrs! Thanks for your time!

  70. Alison Lee on January 21, 2012 at 9:22 a.m.

    Hello Debbie,
    I am traveling to Barcelona soon. But i am not sure what should I do for my baby's bottle water.
    I live in Geneve, Switzerland now. People in here use just tap water for their baby's bottle as pediatric's recommendation.
    Do you think is it fine I use tap water of Hotel for formula? Or I have to ask some water at hotel. I guess they might provide tap water even if I ask.

    Thanks in advance.
    Alison

  71. Sharmi on April 6, 2012 at 10:57 a.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    We live in the bay area. We are planning for a trip to Spain next month. I have a 13-month old and had few questions.

    - Do restaurants or public restrooms in Spain have baby changing facilities
    - Should I carry whole milk or formula in my diaper bag during the day? I guess whole milk might turn bad outside? My daughter has a bottle early in the morning, then one in the afternoon and one before going to bed, so I guess I will have to carry two bottles atleast and I was leaning towards formula since it's easy to just take water and the powder and mix it just before feeding. How would you warm the milk/water outside?
    - Same question as Alison. Can we use tap water in Spain or bottled water is recommended?

    Thanks in advance
    Sharmi

  72. Debbie on April 6, 2012 at 2:41 p.m.

    Joline,

    Yes, they do sell diapers in Japan.

    For Japan, you will need to find out whether the nebulizer will work with 100 Volts and buy an adaptor (you can buy one here: http://amzn.to/HoubYb

  73. Debbie on April 6, 2012 at 2:43 p.m.

    Ladynez,

    In general, I'd say that you'll have more fun if you take things slow and allow yourself and your kids plenty of time to explore. That will also give you lots of flexibility to work in both the activities you think are fun and the downtime that your kids need.

    Good luck!

  74. vicki on May 15, 2012 at 8:45 a.m.

    Hi. I see you've been to Europe many times. Do you know if there is a good place to pump at Schiphol airport (Amsterdam). I will be flying overnight, arriving there in the am, my baby will not be along :(, and will need to pump before our connecting flight. I couldn't find any info on their website.
    Thanks alot.

  75. Debbie Oreizy on May 15, 2012 at 9:13 a.m.

    @Vicki

    In Schipohl airport there's a baby lounge that you can use:
    http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/AtS...

  76. Megan I. on May 22, 2012 at 8:54 a.m.

    Hi Debbie,
    Love your site! I was looking around and was wondering if you knew of anyway to keep a 15 month old entertained in the car. We are traveling from Northern Utah to the Oregon coast (it's about a 16 hour drive) in a couple of months and I'm struggling thinking of ways to keep her entertained. She doesn't weigh enough to turn her carseat around yet, so she can't really see out the window or watch the movies we have on for my 4 year old son. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

  77. Stephen Trenery on July 26, 2012 at 2:50 a.m.

    Debbie,

    I have a family, and exploring the world with your children can be difficult. I love what you are doing, and the adventures you've shared so far.

    Can I ask, how an avid family traveler, like yourself, stays in touch with local services and family and friends back home?

    Keep up the good traveling :)

  78. Debbie on July 30, 2012 at 9:51 p.m.

    Megan,

    I would recommend bringing an assortment of small toys for her - where possible, you might try clipping them on to the edge of the carseat so that they don't accidentally fall.

    We also had great luck with the leapfrog toys for that age.

    Good luck!

  79. Debbie on July 30, 2012 at 9:52 p.m.

    Stephen,

    We're big fans of Facetime when we're traveling!

  80. kelly on August 11, 2012 at 6:31 p.m.

    Great site. It is great sharing your journey with you. I have picked up some great tips, looking forward to your next update:)

  81. Naomi on December 31, 2012 at 10:24 a.m.

    Question:

    Hi, my son who is 2 will have to fly alone with his dad soon. It's a very lonf trip , from Seychelles to Australia. There are 2 main options; either 2 stops before the destination (which means max 7 hours flight each) or only 1 stop before the destination, but with longer flight (14 hours). I'm trying to consider which one is better taking into account the circumstances.

    Thanks in advance for your advice.

  82. Debbie on December 31, 2012 at 1:15 p.m.

    @Naomi

    I am a fan of taking fewer flights since each flight is an opportunity for delays and misdirected luggage. Additionally, with a young child, each stop means the risk of waking him while he is sleeping.

  83. Emily on January 18, 2013 at 7:09 p.m.

    After our Epic flights to the USA and 3 week road trip over the I-10 back in June/July when she was 10 months old...we are about to undertake another journey with our now 18 month old on a train from Brisbane-Sydney. It's a 14 hour trip and we think she will enjoy it more than being strapped in her car seat as she will have the option to move about a little and they have toilets on board and a buffet where you can buy snacks.

  84. Tori on March 25, 2013 at 9:37 p.m.

    I'm a nanny and I'm going to be flying this weekend with the baby I nanny for - just me and her. Is there certain documentation I need? I can't find any websites talking about this!

  85. Debbie on March 26, 2013 at 9:19 a.m.

    Tori,

    I'm assuming this is a domestic flight? You will need a notarized letter from the parents outlining the dates and location of the trip and giving permission to travel with the baby. They might also want to give you authorization to make medical decisions in an emergency.

  86. maame boama on June 11, 2013 at 9:43 p.m.

    Am travelling with my two boys 5,and 2 to west Africa in two week. its their first time flying. its 17hrs flight and will make a stop over for 4 hours. do u think its adviceable to put the two year in his car seat or just have him seat on the plane without a car seat but carry an umbrella stroller. I need your advice

  87. Debbie on June 12, 2013 at 12:10 p.m.

    Maame,

    I would use the CARES harness. That will give him a safe, 5-point harness without the weight and bulk of a true carseat.

    Here's a link to buy the harness: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001...

  88. arthur moses on December 12, 2013 at 4:24 a.m.

    very full of information about vacation and websites that you provide. I was looking for this, as early preparation to italy holiday early 2014

  89. Deddy Kartasasmita on August 1, 2014 at 12:48 a.m.

    These tips are very useful for families who want to travel. I will share to my friends.

  90. Jennifer Hannaberry on October 11, 2014 at 5:27 a.m.

    Hi! I need help. I'm Traveling abroad with my 1 year and 10 month old son and the trip duration is 19 hrs. I'm getting different feed backs from our airline of how much milk I can bring. My son drinks 3 8 oz bottle a day. Can you pls pls shed some light on how much whole milk can I bring with me. Thank you

  91. Debbie on October 12, 2014 at 8:01 a.m.

    Jennifer,

    The guidance is that you can bring whatever amount he would need for your trip. Unfortunately, what you think is reasonable and what the TSA agent checking you thinks is reasonable might be different. Keep in mind that you should be able to buy milk after the security checkpoint - most of the pre-packaged milk containers are 2%, but you should be able to have a coffeeshop put whole milk into your own thermos.

    Here's a link to the TSA rules:
    http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-informati...

    Good luck!

  92. Brian Santos on January 30, 2015 at 6:45 p.m.

    Debbie, do notarized permission to travel slips have an expiration date? My ex is traveling to mexico with my 14 month old daughter on 2/7/15. I signed a notarized permission to travel letter back in August 2014, will this permission to travel be valid? Thank you for all your help.

  93. Jaron Goulding on December 7, 2015 at 11:45 a.m.

    Hi Debbie, im attempting to organise a suprise holiday for my wife's 30th bday in August. We are expecting our first baby In the nrxt couple of weeks. I really want to do a trip to America as we both love it over there. My question is can you recomend any places for couples with an 8month old baby. We did Boston ma for my 30th and she's not keen on New York with a baby. What we would like is to get best of all some good places to see the opportunity to chill out and relax and really just enjoy the US too. Any tips of baby friendly places/ road trips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

  94. Debbie on December 9, 2015 at 10:47 p.m.

    @jaron

    I really think anywhere can be great with a baby.

    LA can be fun since you can spend afternoons on the beach and still eat in great restaurants, but you'll be car-dependent

    I'm partial to Seattle, of course, and it's easy to get around the downtown area without a car.

    On the east coast, Florida's beaches could be a good fit.

    Good luck!