Having grown up in Southern California, I have for years wanted to take my family to Monterey to explore the Monterey Bay Aquarium. For my son’s spring break earlier this year, we finally took the plunge and planned a week long trip to California with the goal of spending most of our week exploring the Aquarium.
In Part I of this series, I covered the logistics of our flight from DC to Los Angeles and our decision to spend the night in Santa Barbara and take our time driving up the Coast to Monterey. In Part II, I described the activities we packed into our seven day stay in Monterey (and there were many)! In this final post (Part III), I’ll cover our reverse road trip back down to Los Angeles and share some final thoughts and tips.
On the morning of our departure, my husband and I cleared out the fridge and enjoyed a hearty breakfast of french toast, hash browns, sausage, and fried eggs. After an activity filled week, both of my usually picky eaters happily devoured their breakfast before climbing into the car.
Hungry boys ate all of their breakfast for once!
With nothing planned for the day except to make it down to Los Angeles in one piece, we enjoyed the leisurely 3.5 hour drive from Monterey to our major stop of the day: Carrizo Plain National Monument.
The Carrizo Plain National Monument is located in southwestern San Joaquin Valley, roughly halfway between San Luis Obispo and Bakersfield. It’s a vast, remote area where, at times, I’ve had the entire place to myself. What first drew me there was ephemeral Soda Lake, which draws rafts of sandhill cranes in wet years, and the primitive campsites.
Carrizo Plain is the largest single native grassland remaining in California. During our week in Monterey, our local twitter feeds had exploded with reports of the wildflower superbloom happening in Carrizo, and although we knew it was slightly out of our way and would likely add an extra 2 hours of driving time to our day, we decided to take the detour in the hopes of seeing the tail end of the superbloom.
Although we were definitely at the tail end of the superbloom (the purple flowers had all but disappeared, but we saw plenty of large patches of orange), it was a worthwhile stop as it gave us the opportunity to stop and stretch our legs and take a little walk along the San Andrea Fault. The Wallace Creek Interpretive Trail along the San Andreas Fault was an excellent flat walk for the four of us to take and my son enjoyed learning about the fault lines and seeing the fault lines with his own eyes. There was a small number of parking spots at the trail head which we happily parked at, before heading out into the California sunshine for our short hike.
After our walk, we continued to weave our way out of the National Monument. Unfortunately, the windy roads were less than pleasant for my motion sickness prone toddler, who ended up needing a quick stop on the side of the road. Luckily, I had packed a few Carebags, in anticipation of the hours we would be spending in the car, and they ended up very handy to have. I will definitely be carrying these with us whenever we have road trips planned as it was much nicer than scrambling to find a plastic bag to contain the mess.
From Carrizo, it was a three hour drive to our hotel, the Residence Inn Los Angeles Pasadena / Old Town. Having been open for less than a year, it was a nice treat to stay in a brand spanking new hotel! My husband and I particularly loved that the rooms were suites, thus giving us a bit more space to spread out. In fact, my husband and I were able to sleep together in the king bed, while the boys shared the pull out mattress.
The next morning, we had breakfast at one of our usual haunts, Julienne’s in San Marino. Julienne’s is a small neighborhood restaurant that my husband and I have been dining at since the winter of 2002, when he came to visit me in Los Angeles for the first time. Since then, we have dined at Julienne’s every single time that we have been in Los Angeles and we even hosted a family breakfast there on the morning of our wedding rehearsal. Although my kids have no comprehension of how much Julienne’s has been a part of our story, I love that we take them to Julienne’s and I hope that someday they can appreciate just what a local gem it is.
My oldest’s first meal at Julienne’s at 10 months old.
After breakfast, went to Garfield Park in South Pasadena to burn off some energy before heading to the airport for our flight home. Garfield Park is a great park for kids of all ages. There’s lots of grassland and small hills for running races and abundant playground equipment. My brother, who is basically a big kid, met us there and did some sprints with the boys before we said our goodbyes.
running hill sprints with their uncle
Our flight home to DC was uneventful but my toddler, who is a terrible napper on the go, was able to cobble together only about 30 minutes of sleep on the plane, despite my best efforts.
My toddler is wearing Kidz Gear Wired Headphones, which I purchased in 2010 just prior to my older son’s first plane ride. I cannot believe these are still going strong – definitely a value at $20!
The lack of sleep became quickly apparent as his smiles during deplaning turned into tears as we made our way to the taxi line.
smiles while deplaningcrying in baggage claim
What would I do differently?
Honestly, everything about this vacation was so enjoyable that I really can’t think of anything I would do differently. Sure, there are ways it could have been better – the weather certainly could have cooperated so that we could have spent more time outdoors and I would have liked to have been able to drive down Big Sur instead of being road blocked by the mudslides that had occurred as a result of the heavy rains this spring… but in terms of things that I could have controlled? I really can’t think of anything. Although the thought of taking a road trip with my motion sickness prone toddler seemed insane at the outset of the trip, the drives ended up being more pleasant than I imagined. Although we definitely added time in the car due to various detours we took on each end of the trip, the detours were a nice way to break up the trip AND provided more opportunities to run and stretch than a basic bathroom or McDonald’s stop. All in all, I enjoyed our week in California and highly recommend it to anyone with young kids.
Riviera Maya was such a perfect family vacation spot during my maternity leave that we did it twice. For both trips, we chose an all-inclusive vacation in Mexico with our kids (aged from two months to six) because we thought it would be the most laid-back and relaxed trip we could take with an infant. All-inclusive hotels are not prevalent in the US, but they are common throughout Mexico and in several Caribbean islands. Both trips definitely were low key and different from our normal vacations filled with exploring new cities and sites, but we did get to plenty of time at the beach and pool. There were also some cultural opportunities with traditional food, speaking our limited Spanish with the staff and attending market nights and cultural events. We enjoyed our stay at two of the best family resorts on Riviera Maya.
We traveled during peak hurricane season in August and October, so the resorts were not crowded. We spent most of our days between the pool or beach and had plentiful food options at convenient restaurants and evening entertainment. Because of the all-inclusive nature, we did not have to guestimate how much food, drinks and entertainment for the trip might cost. We just added a few hundred dollars for tips, souvenirs and special activities and had a relatively certain total cost of the trip at the time of booking.
Great view for a family photo
Booking a Trip to Riviera Maya With Kids
Both vacations to Riviera Maya were Apple Vacations trips. We had taken a trip to Punta Cana through Apple once before we had kids, and it was very relaxing. Apple is a major package travel operator offering flight and hotel packages that also include airport transportation. Apple rates hotels based on an apple system with the highest rating designated as six golden apples. We have always chosen an all-inclusive beach-front hotel in the six golden apple category and read hotel reviews on Trip Advisor before making our selection.
Online resources make it easier than ever to create your own vacation package by booking your own flights, hotels and transfers in Mexico. However, we found the Apple package cost was lower than what we could book separately. We also booked both trips through Doylestown Travel, a travel agency with very helpful and knowledgeable agents and offers a best price guarantee for Apple Vacations and any other vacation they book.
I can never get tired of this view
Accommodations in Riviera Maya With Kids
We two Now Resorts in Riviera Maya stayed at the Now Jade in 2010 and the Now Sapphire in 2014. Both were amazing properties located about 20-30 minutes from the airport in Puerto Morelos.
Now Jade With Kids
Upon check-in at the Now Jade, we were informed that we had been upgraded to an ocean-front suite in the preferred club for the entire week. This was a great way to start off the week. The centrally located ocean-front suite was beautiful and had a stunning view. With the jacuzzi tub located on the patio and basically unusable for our infant and toddler, we figured out quickly that to shower with our four-month-old.
View from the patio of our ocean-front, preferred club roomOur bedroom
The preferred club was a perk that we had not even considered booking due to the substantially higher per person cost, but we thoroughly enjoyed the ocean front suite and the quiet, air-conditioned club lounge with specialty snacks and a full bar. At the time, the daily cost for WiFi was rather exorbitant, and it was great to have occasional use of the free computers to check email. We also had access to the adults’ only preferred club pool, but my husband and I could use it only one at a time while the other stayed with the boys. The few times we tried this were brief visits during the kids’ afternoon naps and wished a little that we could spend more time there.
Now Jade’s facilities were contemporary and clean. We made nightly dinner reservations and tried out all of the restaurants, except for the one that was designated as adults only. Our toddler particularly enjoyed Hibachi (and, he still does).
We spent most of our days lounging at the pool or the beach. Our son particularly enjoyed the shallow toddler pool, which was conveniently situated right next to the resort’s main pool. We actually chose Now Jade over Now Sapphire because the only toddler pool at Now Sapphire was located within the Kids’ Club area. Because our kids were too young for the Kids’ Club, we wanted a resort with a usable toddler pool and became friends with a family from England who also spent their days lounging next to the toddler pool.
This is the life
Other than yoga by the pool, which my toddler and I both enjoyed, we did not really participate in any of the activities during the day. However, we often watched the evening entertainment, which included acrobats and dancers in an indoor, air-conditioned theater.
Now Sapphire With Kids
When we decided to make a return maternity leave trip to Riviera Maya four years later shortly after our daughter was born, we decided to stay at Now Jade’s sister property, Now Sapphire. We loved our time at the Now Jade and definitely wanted to stay at a resort of the same standard but also wanted to try something slightly different. Because our boys were now four and six, they could enjoy the main pool with floaties. So, it was no issue that Now Sapphire’s only toddler pool was located inside the Kids’ Club.
We again booked through Doylestown Travel and inquired about extending our stay to 10 nights rather than the standard seven-night vacation. Because the flights are a substantial portion of the vacation cost, we discovered that adding an additional three nights only cost an extra $400 (total, not per person!). Because we really enjoyed the preferred club status at Now Jade, we decided to upgrade from a regular junior suite to a preferred club tropical junior suite. The cost of the upgrade without the ocean view was not substantial, and we decided that we really wanted the perks more than a room with a view. The upgrade turned out to be better than expected when we learned only preferred club guests could reserve the poolside cabanas and also received free WiFi throughout the resort.
Reserving pool cabanas was one of the highlights of our trip. Especially with an infant, it was so wonderful to essentially spend much of the day relaxing on a large shaded bed at the side of the pool. As preferred club guests during low season, we were able to reserve a pool cabana every other day of our stay. We spent cabana days mostly by the pool. Because our daughter could nap in the cabana, going in for an afternoon nap was not necessary. So, between breakfast and dinner, we just ventured out for lunch.
Cabana paradise
Now Sapphire found creative ways to deliver guests an afternoon snack, like fruit skewers on a kayak.
The preferred club lounge was a nice, air-conditioned and quiet place to go before or after dinner. It was set up like a large living room with couches and several chess sets, which were a particular hit with our oldest. While our preferred club guest room was a “tropical” view rather than “ocean-front”, it was clean and nice, and honestly, we really spent very little time in it during daylight hours.
Our boys were old enough to spend time at the Kids’ Club, but they only had a few brief stays at their own request. It was a great place to play video games on a rainy afternoon, and my oldest joined the group for beach soccer another morning. The kids in the club always seemed well-supervised and happy, but we really wanted to spend as much time with them as possible during our trip.
The nighttime entertainment was also particularly memorable. We stopped in at the air-conditioned theater most nights after dinner and usually ended up staying longer than we planned. Our favorite was the fire show on the beach, but the acrobats, musicians and magicians were also fun for all ages.
We had a few unusual challenges with our middle child falling sick with a mild flu just after we arrived, but 24-hour room service was certainly useful there. We thoroughly enjoyed the Now Sapphire. I would go back in a heartbeat if my husband, but my husband prefers more doing and seeing vacations.
Packing for a Trip to Riviera Maya With Kids
Packing for our Riviera Maya vacations was complicated by the fact that you cannot pick up forgotten items at Target or Boots. The resort store does carry a number of the essentials, but your options are both limited and extremely expensive. And, you cannot guarantee that what you need will be available. One resort store carried diapers only in size three and no swimming diapers. If you’ve ever had a baby, you know that “close enough” doesn’t really work with diaper sizing, and a baby needs a swimming diaper to go into the pool. These are not items for forget at home.
We met a guy on his honeymoon who forgot flip flops and a suit and spent about $75 purchasing the only suitable options at the resort. It’s definitely important to bring at least two complete swim outfits (suits/shirt/cover-up) per person because you will be wearing those most of the time. Also, it is important to bring with you goggles, floaties (arm bands and rings), snorkels, fins, beach balls, sand toys and children’s ibuprofen when traveling with kids.
During our first trip, I had two boys in diapers and had to keep track of how many diapers each went through on a daily basis in advance to guestimate what we would need. We did have some regular diapers, swimming diapers and wipes left at the end of the week, but not too many, which I counted as a win. I had underestimated the amount of sunscreen we would need, and we would have had to buy one of the $25 bottles in the resort store if we had stayed one more day. I made sure to bring significantly more sunscreen than I thought we would need the next time.
Neither resort we stayed at had washer or drier available for guests. The resort offered dry cleaning service on a per piece basis only. We did bring some liquid detergent to do hand washing of suits and essentials, but we generally packed more clothes than we typically do on vacation, particularly for our infants. Because we were in suits most of the day and only changed for dinner, we were also able to wear clothes more than one time without an issue.
The US dollar is the typical currency at Mexican resorts. Everyone tips in dollars, and purchases like excursions and souvenirs are all quoted in dollars. ATM machines not only charge a fee but also convert your withdrawal from US dollars to Mexican pesos and then back to US dollars. We learned this the hard way. It is definitely helpful to bring with you more cash than you expect to need. If you can’t bring a stack of dollar bills for tipping, bartenders are very willing to help you get change.
Items that are not needed include towels, snacks (except for the plane ride there) and toys/books from home.
Excursions from Riviera Maya With Kids
Apple Vacations offers a number of daily excursions from Riviera Maya hotels with transportation included. Trips include a Chichen Itza tour, swimming with dolphins, ziplining and visits to Tulum and Playa del Carmen. In 2010, we did an afternoon shopping trip to Playa del Carmen but chose to stay on the resort when we returned with three kids in 2014. However, my husband hired a guide with a boat to take him and our six-year-old son snorkeling after he spent many days practicing in the resort pool, and that experience was the highlight of my son’s trip. He came back with a love of ocean life and chose a hand painted ocean scene as his souvenir to bring home.
Watching an artist create ocean scenes at market night
Tips in Riviera Maya
While all tips are “included” in your all-inclusive stay, tipping servers, bartenders, housekeepers and concierges is relatively common and definitely appreciated. The service staff work hard and clearly rely on tips in addition to their salaries. The common 15-20% gratuity is not required, and people who do not tip do not get bad service. However, people who tip receive extra special attention. For example, we regularly tipped about $3-$5 daily during our buffet lunch, and after the first day, servers would call to us to sit in the best table in their section as soon as we walked through the door and make sure we all had what we needed.
Riviera Maya – Kid Caution
The main safety concerns in Mexico are sunburn and unsafe food or water. Because both of our infants were exclusively nursed at the time of our trips, there was no concerns about unsafe food or water or safely cleaning bottles. Note that an infant must be at least six months old to get a Hepatitis A vaccination, and there is definitely added risk to taking a child who is not exclusively nursed and has not received that immunization.
At Now Sapphire, there was clearly high attention paid to dietary restrictions. Our daughter had a milk protein allergy that developed after we booked the trip. She could be affected by any dairy that I consumed, and I was concerned about unknowingly eating food cooked with butter. However, the servers were amazing at informing me which dishes were prepared with butter and also finding the resort’s stashes of Kirkland soy milk so that I could get some calcium during my stay. Due to their diligence, I did not mistakenly consume any dairy during the entire trip. I came home feeling confident that it wasn’t so challenging eating out with dietary restrictions – until a few weeks later when a restaurant near our home clearly made an error when preparing my dish.
We specifically chose resorts where there were no reports of food or water problems and took extra precautions avoiding any raw or cut fruit and vegetables that may have been washed in tap water. Despite all our carefulness, our oldest child contracted a bacteria infection from ingesting pool water in 2010. We did not realize until his diagnosis just how dangerous pool water could be. Because toddlers and young children regularly swallow pool water, we decided after that trip that we would not return to Mexico until after the toddler years. We had no issues with bacteria infections on our return trip, and our infant daughter did not even dip her toes into the pool or the Caribbean.
Now Jade pool
The resorts offered plenty of shade options near the beach. For our infants, the canopies from both the stroller and infant seat and sun hats provided extra sun protection. But, our favorite days were the cabana days when we had built in shade and open air. Because we traveled with infants under six months old, we used California Baby sunscreen, a non-chemical sunscreen.
Is Riviera Maya Kid Friendly?
Both Riviera Maya family resorts that we stayed at were extremely kid friendly. While there are some safety concerns with infants and toddlers, this was probably the easiest to take with young kids. I’m not sure vacationing with kids can ever be completely relaxing, but both trips were glorious, nonetheless.
Note: These trips were taken in 2010 and 2014, and safety of travel in Mexico has changed since those trips. Please check all travel advisories beforebooking a trip to Mexico with kids.
Digital cameras and mobile phones with camera capabilities have transformed photography over the past 15 years – both how we take photos and what we do with those images. We generally take more photos than ever before, but they often tend to permanently reside stored on our phones, SD cards and hard drives. We’re so glad we discovered the Shutterfly photo book to make sure that we can easily view vacation photos.
Photography and My Earliest Travels
I brought a basic 35 millimeter camera when studying abroad in England for six months 20 years ago. I traveled in nine countries over my Spring break and came home with about five rolls of film and some doubles from photos that my traveling companions had taken. But, each click of the shutter was made with careful planning and deliberating. My pictures captured certain images that I really wanted to keep with me, and while few were stunning, some were really very beautiful.
Even if years go by without looking at the album I created using self-adhesive clear corners to affix those pictures along with postcards, ticket stubs and other memorabilia, I clearly remember the images in those photographs. However, the moments not recorded on film are hazy. For example, a notation in my 1997 version of Let’s Go Europe: The Student Travel Bookconfirms the actual date that I visited the Musee D’Orsay in Paris, but I have no pictures and absolutely no memory of either the building or of any of the paintings inside. While my study of art history and love of impressionist work came after this trip, even one photo would likely help me remember the visit.
After developing film from a two-week trip to England in 1999, I discovered that an unknown camera issue meant that almost none of my pictures from the trip developed. I did get doubles from my companion on that trip and incorporated them into empty pages at the end of my study abroad album. (Doubles were a big thing with film photography. I seem to remember it cost about $1 per roll of film to get doubles, and it was always an essential add on.) However, I was sad to lose the images that I wanted to capture and truly remember less about that trip than any other vacation of my adult life.
I traveled for two weeks in the Netherlands and Scandinavia and then spent a month driving across the country after taking the bar exam in 2002. I probably took about five or six rolls of film on these two trips combined with a similar point and shoot 35 millimeter that accompanied me on my previous trips. As always, I also acquired some doubles from pictures taken by my companions and again compiled those pictures into a binder with plastic sleeves that each held three photos on each side.
My husband bought his first SLR camera in 2004 before we traveled to Costa Rica. The photo quality of the pictures taken with his camera far surpassed anything that I had captured on previous trips with my point and shoot cameras. Although friends and family were starting to get digital cameras, we thought this would be our new go-to camera. That all changed when I received my first digital camera as a Christmas present a few months later. All of a sudden, there was no longer a need to be so careful and deliberate when taking pictures and also no need to wait until developing to see what how the pictures turned out. That little thumbnail screen on the back provided instant gratification. A bad shot could be retaken immediately and even deleted on the spot if you wished. Photos could also be cropped or enhanced. The possibilities were endless. Our SLR had a short window of usefulness.
I was pretty good at first about uploading pictures and even using newly developed online sites to print images. However, the quantity of pictures we took increased when we bought our first Nikon DSLR, and it became more time consuming to wade through the images to select the ones we wanted to upload and print. And now, it’s extremely rare that we print photos.
Our Nikon D7100 gets heavy use when we are on the road. Our middle child also carries his child-friendly, waterproof Nikon Coolpix that really takes great pictures. We also shoot lots of photos with our phones. We brought back over 2,700 images combined after ten days in Iceland this summer. On our trip recent weekend trip to New Orleans, I probably doubled the number of pictures I shot during my six months studying and traveling in Europe.
While we have thousands of pictures from the past 13 years stored on various computers and external hard drives, I am very grateful that the history major in me continued my habit of creating vacation photo books after we moved to digital photography. I ordered the first vacation photo book from York Photo to record a 2009 trip to Orlando. The following year, I took advantage of a Shutterfly photo book coupon code for a free 20-page 8×8 photo book when creating a book memorializing our trip to Mexico.
Shutterfly Photo Book Review
Shutterfly 8×8 photo books are now my go-to choice because of the frequent promotions offering a free book (not including Shutterfly photo book shipping charge of $7.99) and my desire for consistency. We have one for every major trip we have taken during the past nine years, and our kids often look back at the albums from prior vacations to reminisce and also pull them out of their storage spot in our coffee table when we have guests over. Photo books are also a much easier way for friends and family to get of glimpse of our trip rather than scanning through disorganized pictures on a phone screen. (I am convinced that no one wants to look at more than three photos on a phone screen.) Our family’s favorite book is our Iceland album. We have taken advantage of Shutterfly unlimited free pages offers when ordering 111 page photo books for our Iceland and Paris/Italy trips for $27.99 each (including shipping).
Storage compartment of our living room coffee table
Although there are innumerable options for background themes, I always opt for basic black. I generally arrange photos chronologically with general labels but not much text. The hardest part about creating a photo album for me is sorting through all the pictures and selecting the best ones to include. It is ideal to choose and upload approximately 100-200 photos to create a 20 page album, knowing that not all photos will actually make it into the book. I enjoy selecting layouts and placing the selected photos into the book. But, if that part is not for you, try Shutterfly’s Make My Book Service for an additional $9.99 after culling your photos to your absolute favorites. If you are new to Shutterfly, you will receive a free photo book when you create an account using this link (and I get one, too, after you order your book).
Most people take a lot of photos when traveling. If you can get them off of your phones, SD cards and hard drives and organize your favorites into some kind of photo book, you will enjoy going back to quickly re-live the experience.
Ever find yourself drinking wine and snacking on cheese while holed up with your spouse in the hotel bathroom so as to not disrupt the sleeping baby? If so, you’re in good company! We have stayed at many a hotel with our kids, but shortly after our first hotel stay with a baby, we realized the standard one room hotel was not an ideal set up when traveling with young kids who need to go to bed early or nap. Although we have used points to upgrade to one-bedroom suites, they aren’t always an option in terms of location or price, and even then, space is still limited.
Even under the best circumstances, staying in a hotel with a toddler is cramped.
Cue the vacation rental! We have rented many vacation homes from a variety of different sources – HomeAway, VRBO, AirBnB, and small local management companies such as Eastern Shore Vacation Rental and Lydia Mountain Lodge & Lodge Cabins. Having rented and stayed at dozens of vacation rentals over the years, there are a few things that are absolutely critical to ensuring you have an enjoyable vacation in a setting that works for your family.
Read the Reviews!
When I start planning a vacation, I usually flag 3-5 homes that I am interested in and save them as a favorite on whatever app I’m using. Then, when I’m up in the middle of the night and unable to sleep, I scroll through the reviews. Even if there are nothing but five star glowing review, reading the reviews will provide you with tidbits of information that can help inform your stay. For example, a reviewer might mention how the laundry machine broke during their stay and the owner sent out a repair person the next morning. A reviewer might also comment on the lovely Thai restaurant within walking distance that they dined at twice during their stay.
If there are negative reviews, you will want to not only gauge whether the review is relevant but also note whether the owner responded to the negative reviewer. For instance, if a reviewer mentions that their vacation was awful because it rained every day while they were there… you can likely disregard that one star review. If a reviewer comments on the cranky neighbor with the dog that barks all night long, you might want to scratch that home off your list. And finally, if the owner responds to a review complaining about a broken screen or some item that needed repair, you not only learn that the owner is engaged, but that the owner is interested in continuing to provide a quality vacation rental.
Finally, keep an eye out for reviews from families with kids. Even if they don’t mention specifically how the house was well suited for their kids, the fact that a reviewer says “our family of five stayed at the home and had a great time!” is a good sign that the house will work for families with children.
One of our first vacation rentals had a lovely outdoor balcony with high walls, so our toddler was safe to be outside and we had a nice retreat for naps and bedtime.
Contact the Owner and Ask Questions!
Although I study all the photos on the individual listings with a careful eye, the photos don’t always explain everything. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the owner or the management company and ask!
When planning our trip to Monterey, I quickly zoned in on one rental that I was very interested in. I had a difficult time figuring out the layout of the home and the description was not entirely clear either, so I contacted the owner to ask my questions and we ended up having a quick 10 minute phone conversation where he explained the layout to me. Not only did this answer my questions, but speaking with the owner directly on the phone gave me a sense of the owner’s personality and level of engagement with the home, which definitely helped persuade me to confirm the rental.
When asking questions, don’t be shy and limit yourself to property specific questions. If there is anything that is absolutely critical to you, ask away! When renting a vacation home in Hawaii, I asked what the walk to the ocean was like because the listing only said it was “a block away.” It turns out the “block” was actually a small street and an easement through the neighbor’s property. If I had not asked, I would have been disappointed upon arriving at the house because there was no clear pathway from the house to the ocean. Instead, I knew what to expect going into the trip and prior to confirming the rental.
A neighborhood easement led us to the most beautiful beach during our stay in Hawaii.
Without exception, every single owner I have contacted with questions has been happy to answer them. It’s their business and they have every incentive to make sure not only that the house is the right fit for you, but also that you enjoy your vacation so you can leave a glowing review.
My favorite rental house of all time was in Seward, Alaska and came with this view.
Know What’s Included
Knowing what your rental includes is important. When looking for homes in Monterey, I quickly noticed that many homes included aquarium passes for use. Thus, the homes that did not include aquarium passes were quickly crossed off my list as the included passes helped save us hundreds of dollars during our stay. In different areas, what is included can vary and typically the policies are the same in a particular area. For instance, I was shocked the first time we rented a house on the Eastern Shore because linens were not included in the base price – there was an additional $125 charge for linens or you could bring your own. When looking around, I found this was common in the area, likely because the homes are managed by a management company instead of a private owner. Long story short, know what’s included so you’re not surprised when you read the fine print later on or… when you show up for your vacation without linens and find bare beds!
Our tiny rental cabin in Delaware (near Dewey) that included linens for an extra $50.
Proceed With Caution
Before booking, make sure you know what you’re getting and understand that a vacation rental is not a hotel. Vacation rentals do not include daily housekeeping and turn down service so make sure you understand that. In terms of the individual booking sites, I have heard numerous stories of AirBnb rentals being cancelled at the last minute and my understanding is that AirBnb is more of an apartment sharing concept than a true vacation rental that you are likely to get from HomeAway or VRBO. Long story short, make sure you not only read the information on what’s included in the specific rental, but also read the individual website’s guarantees and policies. If you have any trouble with the individual owner, you may find yourself needing to escalate the issue with the booking site. And finally, if you can, book with a credit card that offers as many protections as you can. I personally prefer to book with my Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which offers trip protection.
Enjoy!
My final tip is to kick back and relax! We have taken many amazing vacations with our kids, but our favorite vacations are the ones in which we rent a small cabin or home just a few hours away. Getting away from home provides us with a chance to take a breath and remove ourselves from the hustle and bustle of real life and juggling work and activities, but having a vacation rental allows us to have our creature comforts. Indeed, we have gotten so comfortable with traveling this way that we have mastered the art of preparing a meal to take and bake with us upon arrival.
Our standard first night meal at the cabin on our annual fall getaway.
And, the best part of these mini getaways is that we get to bring along our four legged family member!
Resting on the deck of our Lydia Mountain Cabin Rental.
If you’re like me, you subscribe to any number of websites that send you travel deals. And, if you’re like me, you aren’t able to take advantage of most of the incredible flight deals that come your way because there are too many schedules to juggle. With two working parents and one school age child, our opportunities to “get away” are limited by school schedules, vacation availability and work obligations, and if we’re seeking to sneak off as a couple, grandparent availability.
In the past few weeks, however, I’ve been fortunate to take advantage of two incredible flight opportunities that have come across my desk.
Washington, DC to Liberia, Costa Rica for less than $400 per person roundtrip
In 2014, while expecting our second, we explored traveling to the Andaz Papagayo for a few days just to relax. Unfortunately, flights to and from Liberia (LIR), the nearest airport, were either non-existent or cost prohibitive and the thought of flying to San Jose, Costa Rica and then making the nearly six hour drive to the Andaz Papagayo was less than appealing to a pregnant woman. Over the years, I have come across a number of reviews from othertravelbloggers who have traveled to the Andaz Papagayo, heartily recommending it not only as a vacation destination, but as a family vacation destination. Consequently, although not quite the couples getaway we had initially intended it to be, I mentally filed the Andaz Papagayo away as a possible family vacation spot, especially as my youngest has gotten older and more flexible.
To my happy surprise, an email alerting me to a flight deal from DC to LIR for less than $400 per person crossed my desk a few weeks ago and within 1 hour, I was in possession of four roundtrip reservations to the Costa Rica for the Spring of 2018 for under $1,600. Here’s how it happened.
First, I checked online and confirmed that there actually were four tickets available for our desired travel dates. The deal involved two separate airlines – outbound on United Airlines and back home on Copa Airlines. Thus, I had to check on both sites to confirm availability before proceeding to my next step: calling my husband and confirming that he was able and willing to travel to Costa Rica. Upon learning that he desired a suite at the Andaz Papagayo instead of a single room, I decided to go ahead and book the flights and sort out the hotel logistics later (we planned to redeem Hyatt points so availability was not guaranteed). To make this possible, I booked four one-way tickets on United from DC to Liberia (LIR) for $653.16, making sure to note that the fare was subject to United’s 24 hour flexible booking policy. Next, I reserved four one way tickets on Copa from LIR back to DC for $941.22, taking advantage of Copa’s 24 hour “reserve and pay later” option.
At copa.com you can put reservations on hold. Simply select the option “Reserve and pay later” and copa.com will keep your reservation active for 24 hours, and you will have this time to make payment. This reservation may be paid for later using a credit card in the Manage your booking section.
Knowing that I had round trip tickets for four secured to LIR for our desired dates at just under $1,600 (the total was $1,594.38), I was able to relax and comfortably explore options for reserving our stay at the Andaz Papagayo. At some point that evening, I touched base with my husband, confirmed that we had our stay booked at the Andaz in suitable accommodations, and went back to Copa’s website to pay for our reservation.
Washington, DC to San Francisco, CA for $99 per person round trip
If you’re sitting there with your mouth open, you’re in good company. I did not believe this fare could exist and frankly, almost didn’t bother clicking to check because I figured the dates would be so limited that there was no way we could take advantage of the deal. On a whim, I decided to check for availability over Martin Luther King weekend and to my surprise, found four round trip tickets from DC to SFO at the promised rate of $99 per person round trip. I was all set to book when I paused and thought – do I really want to haul my children out to San Francisco over a long weekend? The answer: no.
I quickly revised the search down to two round trips tickets and found even more availability at the promised rate of $99 per person round trip. Knowing that I could cancel the tickets within 24 hours if, for some reason, we were unable to take the trip, I decided to proceed to booking. Imagine my surprise when I learned that American Airlines offers a 24 hour free hold. In lieu of the 24 hour cancellation policy, American allows you to hold the reservation for 24 hours – fee free. I gladly selected this option as it meant I could avoid entering credit card information and the hassle of cancelling the ticket if the grandparents ended up not being available.
Luckily for me, I was able to confirm that evening that my amazing in laws were available and willing to come and babysit while my husband and I jet off to San Francisco for four days. That night, I logged onto the American website, retrieved the reservation, paid for the ticket, and received our confirmation for two round trip tickets from DC to SFO for a grand total of $200.22.
How can you take advantage of these deals?
Here’s what I do to make sure that when an appealing deal comes across my desk, I am able to take advantage of it before it expires or runs out.
I subscribe to many flight alert websites and I also “Like” many on Facebook. It’s not enough just to “Like” the flight alert pages on Facebook, however, you must, if you want to take advantage of the deals, make sure to prioritize these pages so that they appear on the top of your feed.This way, whenever you log into Facebook, you’ll immediately see the top travel deals before scrolling through to learn what your friend’s kids’ ate for dinner.
You must be on the same page as your spouse in terms of travel interests. It does nobody any good if you are dying to go to Thailand and ride elephants, but your spouse’s number one nightmare is being stomped to death by elephants.
You must be organized and have clearly set dates for when you are available for travel. Every year, I anxiously await the release of my son’s academic calendar. Once given those dates, I enter them into my calendar and cross reference them with holidays and three day weekends. Whenever a flight deal pops up, I can just flip to my calendar and find a list of all the dates in which my son is not in school and we are available to travel.
Be ready to book immediately. Even if you are not able to reach your spouse because s/he is in a meeting, you can book a flight reservation and cancel within 24 hours without fee or penalty, provided your trip is more than seven days out. The U.S. Department of Transportation imposes this requirement on airlines operating within the United States and this gives you an easy way to reserve a ticket, without worrying about being stuck with non-refundable fare and/or a fee if you are unable to actually take the trip. Although airline policies may vary, the general rule is cancel within 24 hours for trips more than seven days out for a full refund. You will see the fine print prior to completing the purchase, so always make a note of it before you hit “CONFIRM PURCHASE.” If you’re lucky, you’ll hit upon an airline like American or Copa that offers you a fee-free 24 hour hold, saving you the hassle of worrying about cancelling the ticket if it turns out you can’t take the trip.
My two favorite websites for airfare deals are The Flight Deal & Secret Flying, although there are many more options and you never know when one will alert you to the perfect fare deal!
This post contains links to credit card / bank applications that may earn me a modest referral credit. You don’t have to use these links and if you find a better available offer, by all means, use the better offer. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.
Why do I bother with miles and points?
Growing up, my family took maybe a small handful of “trips.” We traveled to Utah one winter to see family friends who were living there temporarily, we traveled to Taiwan one winter to visit friends and my grandparents, and, we made small trips to San Diego and to Northern California to visit my brothers, who were attending college away from home. We never took a true vacation – one that didn’t involve visiting family/friends.
The first true vacation I took wasn’t until after I met my husband. At the time, we were unmarried, in school, and had zero money. His parents generously rented a house on the Madison River in Wyoming, and we spent a magical week hiking, fishing, and enjoying the beauty that is Big Sky Country.
My first real vacation with my now husband, then boyfriend, to Yellowstone in 2003!
Once we graduated from school and were gainfully employed, we could no longer depend on familial charity to subsidize our travel. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that travel involved significant costs – airplane tickets, accommodations, food, heck, even the taxi ride from our house to Dulles Airport runs $60-80 one-way! When we were first married, we lived in Cleveland and were childless, so given the low cost of living and lack of other expenses, we only slightly dabbled in miles and points. Sure, we had a Starwood Preferred Guest account that accumulated miles for stays, and we had Continental Airlines frequent flier accounts where we banked points for travel. But, we never really explored miles and points until we moved to DC and had kids.
The first trip we took using miles was a babymoon that we booked shortly after finding out I was pregnant with my first child. We went to Paris for one week over Christmas, “paying” for our airfare in coach with points, and “paying” for our hotel with some combination of American Express Membership Rewards points and money. I don’t recall the exact details of that trip, but I do remember being thrilled that we were spending a week in Paris for less than $1,000 out of pocket (for airfare and accommodations, not food and other expenses incurred during the trip).
Paris, December 2008
After my son was born, my husband approached me one evening and said that he was thinking about applying for a credit card that had a large signing bonus. A sign-up bonus is something credit cards offer to entice you to apply – they’re frequently tethered to a minimum spend requirement, so a standard sign up bonus can be something like: 75,000 points after $4,500 in spend in the first three months! Companies may also offer to waive the first year of the annual fee and/or include other benefits, such as credit for Global Entry fees, access to Priority Pass lounges, etc. At the time, we had only one credit card that required an fee – the American Express Gold card that my husband had long before we were married. As someone who obsesses over the details, I didn’t necessarily agree with the idea of applying for credit cards that had annual fees, but I agreed to go along with the experiment to see where it took us.
Where did it take us?
In 2013, our points took us, literally, around the world. For 360,000 United MileagePlus points (transferred from our Chase Ultimate Awards accounts) and $242.10, my husband, son, and I traveled from DC to Japan and back, with an overnight stopover in Munich. We also used points to pay for three day/two night stay in Kyoto in a Japanese style room and we used points to stay at the Hyatt Regency in Tokyo for five days/four nights.
Most recently, in 2017, my husband and I paid for a pair of round trip business class tickets from DC to South Africa with 320,000 United MileagePlus points (again transferred from our Chase Ultimate Rewards accounts) and $150.72.
We spent three nights at the Andaz Fifth Avenue on points in May of 2013, so splurged on room service.
Those are shining examples of how we have been able to travel on points in style. Without careful and creative use of points, we would not have been able to travel in business class and we likely would have had to cut back on spending during the trip. In addition to those two trips, we have also used points to defray the cost of last minute airline tickets and on numerous hotel stays (including an upcoming one week stay at the Andaz Papayago booked entirely on points. We are staying there for 15,000 points / night versus the average daily rate of $450).
The first solo trip I took with my son was partially funded by Chase Ultimate Rewards Points – I had to travel for work and booked his ticket using points at the last minute.
Is it worth it to pay an annual fee?
If you’re like me, the first question you need to ask is: “am I okay with paying an annual fee on a card?” I never had an annual fee card until I married my husband and became an authorized user on his American Express Gold card. Paying an annual fee for a credit card was verboten – so my favorite card was a Discover card that gave me 1% cash back on spend. When my husband first suggested applying for different credit cards, I didn’t actually believe we could do anything with the points accrued. However, that all changed after our trip to Paris and I have done a complete about face since our trip to Japan. As our family has grown and our travels have become more extensive, I’ve also realized that there are benefits to certain credit cards that can reduce the annual fee such that it’s “essentially” free.
Two credit cards that come immediately to mind that I carry in my wallet every day are:
The Chase Sapphire Reserve – Although this card has an annual fee of $450, there is an automatic $300 annual travel credit. If you book airline tickets the day you get the card, you will receive an automatic $300 credit to your account, thus reducing the fee to $150. The card also includes a Global Entry of TSA Pre-Check application fee credit of up to $100 (once every four years), primary rental car collision coverage (meaning you don’t have to go through your car insurance!), you pay no foreign transaction fees, AND you get free access to Priority Pass lounges. During our recent trip to Africa, we visited six Priority Pass lounges – although not critical, it definitely is much more comfortable than hanging out in the general waiting area – at least there are clean bathrooms and abundant charging stations. These are all the benefits of the card you get on top of the signup bonus and the 3x points on travel and dining.
The Chase Marriott Rewards Visa – The Chase Marriott Rewards visa is a card that has earned its spot in my wallet for one reason – the annual free night at a Category 1-5 hotel. The card has an $85 annual fee, but the free night is easily worth that. Most recently, I used the free night in Johannesburg, near the airport, as an easy pit stop before our early morning flight to Zimbabwe. Although the hotel rates were *only* in the low $100’s, it was an easy way to use the free night reward and offset some of the cost of our trip. Currently, the card comes with 80,000 points after $3,000 in spend in the first three months and earns you 2x points on airline, car rentals, and dining and 5x points on spending at Marriott hotels.
Another card that we renew every year when the annual fee comes up is the United Mileage Plus Explorer card. Although the card carries a $95 annual fee, it also comes with a free checked bag for you and your companion when traveling on the same reservation, access to priority boarding, and two one-time United Club passes annually. Although these benefits are, in my opinion, decent, they aren’t enough alone to compel me to keep the card. BUT, United now gives cardholders access to additional Saver level award seats. When booking award tickets, there are typically four different award classes: Economy, Saver Economy, Business, Business Saver. Although you get the same seat if you book Economy or Saver Economy, the Saver fares usually require half as many points to redeem. The same goes for the business award seats. As you might expect, the saver fares get snapped up quickly, so having access to more saver fares is definitely a sufficient enticement to hang on to the United card, even with the $95 annual fee.
being a cardholder can open up otherwise unavailable rewardsOne of the things I love about flying premium class is the international dining course. This is the Ethiopian sampler that we were presented with en route to Addis Ababa.
How do we do it?
With full time jobs and two kids, we aren’t able to take as much advantage of traveling on points as we could, but this is the formula that works for us.
Hold two accounts of the same credit card. My husband and I each have our own Chase Sapphire Reserve card, our own Alaska Airlines Bank of America Card, etc. We hold separate accounts instead of signing up as authorized users for two simple reasons: the sign-up bonus and the benefits outweigh the costs. When the Chase Sapphire Reserve card launched, it was offering a 100,000 points sign up bonus for 4,000 spend in the first three months sign up for the card during this time, thus netting us 200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, right off the bat. We also each hold the Alaska Airlines card because it includes one companion fare pass per year, which entitles the cardholder to purchase one round-trip coach companion fare on Alaska or Virgin America from $121 when traveling with another passenger on a paid, published coach airfare on the same flight. Because we frequently travel from DC to the West Coast with our family of four, this companion fare has helped us to significantly offset the cost of travel. For example, when my toddler and I flew to Anchorage to meet the rest of the family in July 2016, the base fare for my ticket was $1,544.26. My companion fare son’s ticket, however, was only $99.
Put all of your spending, that you can, on your credit cards. When I say we use our credit cards for everything, I mean everything. I even pay our water bill on our credit card, even though there is a $1.49 flat fee for all credit card payments. I figure the $1.49 fee is offset by three months of postage stamps, so I simply charge $200-300 every few months and carry a positive balance on the account, refilling it when it gets low. The internet is full of people who have researched the cost/benefits of paying estimated taxes or your mortgage with a credit card, but we haven’t quite reached that level of detail in our household (yet!).
Put your spending on the card that nets you the most benefits. For instance, we charge all Starwood hotel stays onto our American Express Starwood credit card, all dining and travel onto our Chase Sapphire Reserve card (which offers 3x the points on travel and dining), and we also carry the Chase Freedom card which has different bonus spending categories every quarter. For example, for the third quarter of 2017, Chase Freedom is offering 5x the points on restaurant spending. Thus, although I typically use my Sapphire Reserve card for restaurants because I get 3x the spend, I have been using my Freedom card this quarter instead of my Sapphire for the extra 2% bonus. I try to keep it to a relatively simple set of categories because I only have so much mental bandwidth to spare these days, but if you want to see how detailed the analysis can get, read this article on how a man put a $45,000 car on his credit card for miles but made a big mistake.
Finally, although we do not accrue points in this way, I do maintain a Charles Schwab checking account which includes free ATMs anywhere. I use this card exclusively for withdrawing cash at ATMs around the world. The fees are automatically credited at the end of the statement closing period and I don’t worry about having our main bank accounts compromised.
This is how I organize my cards in my wallet, so I don’t even have to think about which card to use. Just follow the labels!
Would I recommend this?
Yes! I definitely recommend everyone explore the world of travel and points. Even if you aren’t inclined to carry five different credit cards each (because it does take a lot of work to track!), it is possible that there is a way for you to spend the same amount, but on a different card that nets you significant benefits. The only caveat is this is that I would caution you not to get into this hobby if you are unable to pay your bills on time. If you are carrying a balance on your credit card, you should focus on paying the balance off before you start diving into the world of points.
There are tons of resources online to help you get started if this is something you’re interested in. This New York Times article from 2015 includes links to a number of miles and points bloggers I follow. Do not follow the recommendations in the article, however, as they are outdated. Instead, visit the individual bloggers and search for their most recent posts on “best cards.” I’ve included, below, a few links to the authors I have relied upon most heavily in the past.
Traveling with an infant or toddler wearing diapers means that you need to make sure to have diapering supplies and are able to do diaper changes when necessary.
Diapers
When traveling with a child who wears diapers, the first question is – should you pack enough diapers for the entire trip or plan to purchase at your destination? Some parents always pack and others always plan to purchase.
On our first trip abroad with an infant, I brought only enough diapers for the first few days and planned to purchase diapers in London. Diapers were definitely available (something that is not the case in every destination). Unfortunately, I could not purchase the diapers, and even though we calculated our son’s weight in kilograms before buying, the ones we purchased were not ideal in terms of fit and nor were the second box we bought.
Since that first trip, having the right type of diaper became a travel essential. The last things I want to deal with on the road are additional diaper blow outs or leaks. I never took an international trip with a child in diapers without packing enough diapers for the entire trip again. However, if wipes were likely to be available in my destination, I often planned to purchase when needed.
While diapers are certainly available in large, metropolitan areas like London, they are not available in all destinations. We vacationed at all-inclusive resorts in Riviera Maya twice, and I noted that the on-site shop carried only one bag of exorbitantly priced size 3 diapers. Diapers might be available nearby off the resort but would definitely be challenging to locate. We also traveled to India with a toddler in diapers. Although we did not specifically look for diapers, selection was certainly limited, and we were extremely glad that we had what we needed.
I did purchase diapers a few times when traveling domestically a few times, but I had identified in advance a store that I planned to shop at when we arrived at our destination. While diapers are certainly bulky and take up a significant amount of precious baggage space, I found that packing diapers became an additional packing challenge that ensured that there would be some space to bring home souvenirs.
Our favorite diapers
Diapering
Diapering can be a bit of a challenge while traveling, especially if you are not traveling by car. Unlike nursing, diaper changes in public spaces, particularly restaurants or coffee shops, raises valid hygiene concerns because no one wants to sit and eat on a bench where a diaper has been changed. At least one diaper station is available on each flight, but not necessarily in every bathroom, so you have to check the sign on the door. There are many more diapering stations in restrooms than in the past, especially in tourist sites, but they are definitely not universal. But, a diaper kit, paper towel dispenser and standing diaper changes can make diapering easier.
Sign indicating diaper changing facilities
I was never a fan of carrying the traditional diaper bag in addition to my own handbag. Instead, I created diaper kits using the clear plastic packaging that onesies come in with a flap and snap opening. I liked these containers because the plastic was thicker than ziplocks, and the snap was easier to open. I added a few diapers, wipes, a diaper pad and a change of clothes. I had a few of these stocked at any one time in each car and my handbag.
It has been almost a year since I have needed to carry diapers, and we no longer have any diaper gear, but Nancy took some illustrative pictures of her similar diaper set up. She used the super cute and compact diaper clutch to carry a few diapers, wipes and a diaper liner in her handbag.
Nancy’s diaper clutchTypical contents of Nancy’s diaper clutch
While having a few diapers very accessible is key when traveling, you also need to make sure that you have more diapers than you expect to need at any one time and backup supplies in your luggage. Nancy and I both used gallon sized ziplock bags to hold larger quantities of diapers and wipes while traveling.
Nancy’s back up diapering supplies
I discovered that the paper towel dispenser in the bathroom can be your ally. While air dryers may be better for the environment, paper towel dispensers can help you line whatever diaper changing area you plan to use. I always carried disposable diaper pads, but saved them to use only when paper towels were not available. No one ever commented that I used too many.
Nancy purchases these disposable diaper liners that you sometimes find in baby changing stations in bulk. Considering the exorbitant cost of other disposable diaper liners, I think this is a genius move that I wish I knew about. Those liners would definitely come in handy at all the bathrooms with air dryers.
Also, standing diaper changes are so much more sanitary than laying a baby down. I learned about standing diaper changes from my son’s day care and was skeptical at first until I realized that only my child’s feet end up touching the diapering surface. As soon as my children were confident standers, I had them stand during diaper changes in public restrooms whenever possible, and even on changing stations. This was typically not possible in tiny airplane restrooms. In restrooms with no diaper facilities, I would stand my child on the toilet seat or on the floor in a stall and do the change.
When you are outside with no accessible bathrooms and in an emergency situation, you can move your stroller to an unobtrusive location, turn it away from view, recline the seat and quickly change the diaper. Before you know it, diapering will just be a distant memory. Thankfully, that is what it is for me now.
As anyone with kids knows, what works for one family frequently doesn’t work for another. In my experience, what has worked for one kid hasn’t worked for the other kid and so, I thought I’d add my two cents on what worked for us and didn’t work for us when traveling with infants and toddlers in terms of strollers and carriers.
Strollers:
My oldest child was not a fan of strollers. He never really cared for them and was fully out of them by 18 months, preferring instead to walk or push the stroller. As you can imagine, fighting with an 18 month old over whether or not he could safely push a stroller in a public space quickly became more trouble than it was worth and we essentially stopped using it at that time.
Although the stroller was never a big part of our life with him, we did find that it was essential for one trip that we took to California, prior to his first birthday and before he could walk. Since we were visiting family in Los Angeles, I decided to purchase a stroller and have it sent to my mother’s house prior to our arrival. Knowing that we would use the stroller in limited circumstances (malls!), I wasn’t too worried about the stroller’s ability to maneuver in rugged terrain or its ease of handling. I did, however, want something 1) inexpensive, 2) small when folded up, and 3) light. A quick amazon search and ~$40 later, I ended up settling on a Jeep umbrella stroller which served us perfectly for our week in Los Angeles.
our inexpensive jeep stroller which worked great for our stay in Los Angeles
Although this stroller was perfect for that trip (and a subsequent trip a few months later), it did have certain limitations. First, as a bare bones umbrella stroller, the stroller did not recline and thus was not suitable for children who are unable to sit upright and support their bodies. The stroller also did not have a telescoping handle and was too short for my brother, who is 6’3″, to use comfortably. Nonetheless, for $40, I was happy to have it for the handful of times we needed it in California.
Six years later, I found myself in a similar predicament of needing an umbrella stroller for a trip with a young toddler. Although I considered purchasing something inexpensive like the Jeep stroller, I decided to purchase a Maclaren Mark II stroller instead. Weighing in at less than 8 lbs, this was the lightest stroller I could find on the market and, importantly, it had a carry strap. As I was traveling alone with my toddler from our home base in Washington, DC to Alaska, I wanted something light and portable – that I could maneuver without too much difficulty.
napping in the United Club lounge during our extended layover
The Mark II ended up being the perfect stroller for use in the airport, as it provided my son with a spot to nap during our long layover in Seattle, and it was also easy to fold up and throw over my shoulder, thus freeing up my hands to wrangle my squirmy toddler.
The Mark II has also proven useful on short sightseeing trips around town. Here’s my little one pictured in front of the White House during a Mommy+Son solo trip downtown
I am a huge fan of the umbrella stroller for traveling with older infants/toddlers as they fold up small and are lightweight. However, these bare bones strollers are limiting in that the child must be able to sit upright and support their head (6+ months is the typical manufacturer recommendation) and umbrella strollers require both hands to push and don’t maneuver as well as other more robust strollers.
For a trip to Disney World when my youngest was 10 months old and not walking, we elected to bring our usual stroller, the Baby Jogger City Mini. Knowing that we would be using it extensively at both Disney World and Legoland, I was happy to bring along the larger stroller for its ease of use and also for added comfort. We also traveled to and from the airport via metro on that trip, so it was nice to have it to push on the uneven sidewalks and pavement to/from our metro station.
Baby Carriers:
I’ll be the first to admit that I have a love/hate relationship with baby carriers. My oldest son hated all carriers. I tried quite a few with him – the Peanut Shell, the Moby Wrap, a Baby Bjorn, but he only ever screamed bloody murder when put in a carrier.
I remember having one successful carrier experience with him and that was at the airport on his first trip to California. Although he didn’t love the carrier, he seemed to like knowing that he was close and the surrounding environment was different enough that he was easily distracted.
grudgingly hanging out in the baby bjorn carrier
When my second was born a few years ago, I was willing to give carriers another try, but wasn’t overly optimistic.
Cue the angels! My second child loves the baby carrier.
hanging out in his carrier in DC
We started with the original Ergo Baby Carrier, which he was happy to ride in during any number of walks we took around the neighborhood or through the grocery store. I also loved that the carrier had a handy zipper pocket in the back center that I could stash my phone and keys in. The limiting factor to the Ergo, however, is that even though it carries children up to 45 lbs, I found that once my son was 9 months or so, he liked to swing his arms over and out of the carrier. I frequently worried that it didn’t keep him secure enough and that he would come tumbling out.
I’ll admit this was paranoia on my part, but I ended up purchasing a Tula Toddler Carrier just prior to our trip to Alaska. The Tula Toddler carrier has a higher back and even at almost three, my son will happily ride forward facing and the back fabric comes up to the base of his neck.
comfortably napping on the Kenai Fjords harbor cruise in his Tula carrier
Although the Tula carrier fits us much better, the one pocket it has is located on the waist belt instead of the back center, where the Ergo pocket is located. The pocket on the waist belt is difficult to reach and I stopped using it after I found myself frustrated from trying to reach it.
As Catherine mentioned, carriers are limiting in that they restrict downward peripheral vision, so be careful when walking! I always hold onto the rail or use the wall for a guide when walking downstairs with a child in a carrier, just for added security.
In addition to soft carriers, we have also used a hiking backpack for our kids.
We purchased the Deuter Kid Comfort 3 when my oldest was a toddler, but given his general dislike of being carried, it was rarely used.
we did take some memorable walks around the neighborhood during Snowmageddon 2010!
My youngest, however, has used it extensively for nature walks with our four legged friend, Wilson, and also for longer hikes around town and in Alaska.
Lovin’ his Deuter Kid Comfort with Exit Glacier in the back
I cannot recommend the Deuter carrier enough. Although it is large and expensive, it allows my son to sit high up and see the sights during our hikes and walks and he’s supported in an upright sitting position. As an added bonus, this carrier still looks brand new, despite being nearly 8 years old!
As you can see, what works for one family or child may not work for you and what works in one situation might not work in another. Luckily, all of the gear identified in this post can be found at your local stores – Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, REI. I encourage you to take your child to the store and test out the gear to see whether you like not only the look and feel of the item, but also the fit. And know that in the world of revolving baby gear, you will likely be able to purchase whatever item you decide on used from your neighborhood listserv! I certainly know that I have bought and sold my fair share of strollers on craiglist, just looking for the perfect solution to my particular situation!
Strollers are travel necessities simply because it can be too cumbersome to carry an infant or toddler and all your family’s stuff for long periods of time. Even as a huge fan of my Beco baby carrier, there are limited circumstances where we did not need a stroller when traveling with an infant or toddler. There are innumerable stroller options, but features to consider when traveling are size, weight, ability to lay flat, compatibility with your infant seat and how easy it is to collapse and storage capacity.
Napping in the stroller
Strollers are wonderful because they can contain your baby and baby gear (and honestly, your extra coat, water bottle, snacks and packages, too). Most babies and toddlers love their stroller and can easily nap there during the day if going to your hotel is not an option. Our main stroller was the Peg Perego Aria, which I believe is discontinued (the new version of the Peg Perego Vela). We loved it because it was compatible with our Graco SnugRide infant seat, had good underneath storage and was an ultra light 9 pounds. It has definitely seen better days, but on occasion, we still use it over nine years later.
Our Peg Perego Aria – the early daysCarrying luggage for our two day/one night trip to York
You will need to get comfortable with abandoning your stroller in public at times, particularly if you are visiting Disney where there are large stroller parking areas. After you remove any valuables, you can be relatively confident that no one is going to steal your wheels.
Handicap accessibility is a Godsend for stroller users, but you will not always find stroller ramps or elevators available. There are times when you will need to carry a stroller down a flight of non-accessible stairs or take your stroller onto an escalator. We had to take our stroller onto an escalator so many times in London and Barcelona where infrastructure pre-dates accessibility requirements that we occasionally would do it in the US as well. If you look like you know what you are doing with a stroller, you rarely get stopped.
We used a side-by-side double stroller for many years because we found the tandems too unwieldy. It could be awkward getting through doors at times, we were very happy with our Baby Jogger. I believe we only brought it on an airplane when we went to Disney World with children aged one and three.
There are a few times where a stroller is not a travel essential with infants or toddlers. Due to uneven pavement, we found that the stroller we brought to India was not necessary. After we gate checked it, we did not get it back until we retrieved our baggage, so it was not overly useful in airports, and the pavement was so uneven that we could only use it in a mall. Because it was more cumbersome than useful, we wished we had left it at home. Also, Iceland was so remote that there were very few places other than airports and Kringlan, the country’s only mall, where you can actually use it. We were glad that we did not bring a stroller. Also, if you are visiting family domestically and do not plan outdoor walks or trips to the shopping mall, a stroller may not be needed.
Carriers
I almost always traveled with my Beco carrier when I had an infant or toddler with me. Because it was soft and very packable, I usually tucked it into the front pocket of my carry on suitcase so that I could access it easily and use in the airport if necessary. There are many times when a stroller is impractical or impossible to use due to uneven terrain, uneven pavement, stairs or a fussy baby. My children all loved riding in the carrier even more than the stroller and found the carrier to be an ideal napping location. My Beco carrier could be worn on my front or back, but my personal preference was to keep the baby in front of me.
Carriers are helpful because they help distribute the baby’s weight on your shoulders and back and also allow you to be hands free. Carriers are ideal in warmer weather or indoors because it is challenging to wear a coat, but I discovered on a windy day that a nursing cover can serve as great protection from the elements. The downsides are that carrying can lead to back pain, and there is no easy storage for any baby gear.
Nap time in Las VegasNursing cover windbreaker
There are some important safety concerns related to carriers. First, the carrier should position in a seated position rather than hanging so that their weight is on their bottom rather than crotch. Also, the baby should not be worn too low. If you are not able to kiss the baby’s forehead, you are wearing them too low. If the baby falls asleep, you may need to support the baby’s head.
Kiss test on a sleeping baby
The baby’s body can block your peripheral vision downward, so you have to be careful to watch your step, particularly on an uneven walking surface. I often find myself using the “extra care” while walking that I used when pregnant. But, I’ve used the carrier on numerous hikes, walking in a rocky lava tube and exploring the cave behind a waterfall in Iceland. For us, our carrier was a great way to keep a baby or toddler close, comfortable and happy when traveling. The only reason we did not use them more or exclusively was that the stroller did a much better job of carrying stuff, and carrying for long periods of time did lead to fatigue and even pain, but for us, a carrier was definitely a travel essential.
Check out our other Travel Tips for advice about traveling with kids.
Travel for a nursing mom – with or without her baby – has some extra challenges, but they are not insurmountable. In fact, I found that an exclusively nursed infant is one of the easiest travel companions.
Nursing Covers
When my first son was born, nursing covers had not yet gained popularity. In fact, I did not know one person who owned one and had never seen one in use. Whenever I needed to nurse him in public as an infant, I took him to the car or inquired about a private room. It was truly a struggle to discretely cover a fidgety baby with a blanket that I was really nervous about our trip to London when he was four months old and exclusively nursed. We got through the plane journey and our first few days traveling into Central London. Even without comments, glares or stares, I was on edge every time I needed to feed him in public.
Bank of the River ThamesRiviera Maya
Then, we traveled to Barcelona. Our hotel was just outside the main tourist area, so it was not possible to retreat to our room for feedings every few hours. During a short rain shower, we ducked into a restaurant for some food, and I began feeding my son at our table. An older gentleman leaving the restaurant stopped as he passed, picked up the blanket and gently gave my son a soft pat on his head. My husband and I were shocked at first and then we realized that Spaniards are less conservative than Americans, and he was just interested in seeing the baby and completely unaffected by the fact that I was nursing. That one incident made me more relaxed while traveling in Europe.
Thankfully, nursing covers made their debut before my second son was born. They were not widely available as they are now, so I ordered my Bebe Au Lait cover through the specialty online store and carried it with me just about every time I left the house with a nursing baby since it arrived in my mailbox. While nursing in public with or without a cover is legal in most places, nursing covers make discreet public nursing possible just about anywhere. And, the new nursing scarfs and nursing ponchos picked up right where covers left off and added important back coverage.
National Gallery in London
With my nursing cover, I never had an issue nursing my second two children in public. I would nurse anytime I was sitting – on a plane, train or bus or at a restaurant or stop and find a convenient seat or bench (preferably with back support) whenever my baby needed to eat. If we were out shopping, I would use a fitting room. At first, I used to carry in a few items to make it look like I was planning to try on, but in later years, I would simply ask if I could nurse in a fitting room and was never once denied.
While at a museum, I would find a spot where I could sit for about 15-20 minutes. Sometimes I had to get creative if no benches were available and perch myself on the floor up against a wall or even on the stairs. Although Pope Francis told mothers to nurse during Mass, I never felt comfortable nursing during a religious service, except during Evensong at the York Minster when our family was seated in a small box that no one else could see inside.
Tate Modern
It really is possible to find a place to nurse wherever you are while traveling. For example, I’ve nursed at all of these places:
I think nursing moms have the advantage when traveling by plane with their babies. Nursing is not only a great way to calm a baby, but swallowing is a also a cure-all for most ear pressure or pain. Anytime my baby became slightly cranky on a plane, I would nurse, and that almost always immediately pacified the baby. Before my first flight with an infant, someone recommended an inflatable travel nursing pillow. It was a total life-saver. The pillow fit easily in carry-on luggage and was easy to inflate after boarding. Our babies (and our arms) were so much more comfortable when we brought this with us.
Pumping
If you are a pumping mom or traveling without your baby, there may be challenges finding an appropriate place to pump while traveling. I have sat in the back seat pumping while covered with my nursing cover many times. Although restrooms are generally not what I would consider an appropriate place to pump, I have pumped in a restroom during a wedding reception at least three times.
Also, cleaning pump parts and storing pumped milk are also considerations. It is helpful to carry dish washing liquid in travel containers and also to notify your hotel in advance that you are a nursing mom and need a refrigerator in your room. Many hotels have additional fees for refrigerators, but I have always received one without charge when requesting for the purpose of storing milk.
Nancy had more experience than me as a pumping mom and has this advice:
“I exclusively pumped for four months with my oldest and six months with my second. As a result, I have way more pumping experience than I care to admit. I have pumped on numerous flights and on the Amtrak, have pumped in a disgusting janitor’s bathroom in Manhattan…. My advice to you is to approach it as you would nursing – if would you nurse there, then go ahead and pump.
I usually travel with multiple sets of pumping parts – at least two pairs. The nice thing is that if I end up needing to pump 3-4 times because I’m away all day, I can just split up the pump parts and pump one side at a time for a total of four pump sessions. I also bring a stack of milk storage containers, a thin sharpie to use for labeling, and many, many gallon size ziplock bags. For transportation, I like using a medium size soft sided cooler which holds the milk, the pump parts (stored in gallon sized zip locks and clearly labeled as clean or dirty), and a few ice packs. I also have my pump (including AC adaptor), cleaning brush and soap, and milk bags in my carry on. When I’m ready to pump, I cover myself with a jacket or blanket and pump away. The times I have pumped on the plane or train I have been lucky to have the row to myself, or at least an empty middle seat, so I just turn my back to the other person and pump quietly. No one has ever said anything or even shown any signs of being aware that I was pumping.
Once I’m done, I simply store the dirty parts in a ziplock bag to wash when I get to my destination. Most hotels now come equipped with mini fridges, so if I am away for 1-2 nights, I just lay it flat in the fridge, I don’t worry about it. I just store in the fridge, along with the ice packs, until I’m ready to go. On the day of my trip home, I fill gallon size ziplock bag with ice from the hotel’s ice machine, and securely pack my milk into the cooler with said bags of ice! I’ve never had any trouble traveling with the milk. The one time I wasn’t allowed to bring the gallon size bags of ice across security, I simply asked a restaurant to give me ice when I got through security. Upon arrival home, I put the milk directly into the fridge and fed my baby from that milk first. If the milk froze or developed some ice crystals – even better, as that gave me less to worry about in terms of developing freshness. I always fed baby first from the milk pumped while traveling, though, just to be sure none of it went to waste!”
Luckily, nursing rooms (aka “mother’s rooms”) are becoming common in airports. My friend Kate shared an amazing US airport nursing room locator. The Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport offers mother’s rooms on each concourse, including this one that features comfy chairs, a power strip and a diaper changing station. Traveling for a nursing mothers does require advance planning, but the challenges are not insurmountable, and availability of these types of facilities is making it easier.
Mother’s Room in Louis Armstrong International Airport.
Check out our other Travel Tips for advice about traveling with kids.
that really takes great pictures. We also shoot lots of photos with our phones. We brought back over 2,700 images combined after ten days in 
