Planning a family vacation can be a daunting prospect. Kids — especially little ones — thrive on routine and structure, and traveling to a new place with your whole family can mean throwing all that out the window.
But the upside is that you get to form lifelong memories with your whole family. Plus, it’s an opportunity to expose your children to a new culture, the great outdoors, or a bucket-list destination. Here are some tips to keep everyone healthy, safe, and happy on your next family trip.
Travel Tips for Young Kids
Travel Tips for Teens and Older Kids
Packing Tips for Family Travel Adventures
Where to Travel with Kids
International Travel with Kids
Health & Safety Checklist for Travel with Kids
Be Prepared in Case of Emergency
Travel Tips for Young Kids
Traveling with infants and toddlers is certainly not for the faint of heart. But with a little planning and careful packing before you leave home, you can be prepared for whatever comes your way.
Car Seats and Strollers
Before you reach your vacation destination, you’ll want to think how you’re going to transport your little one around. It can be helpful to have car seats that are specifically designed for travel — they’re lightweight and easy to carry onto the plane and install in a rental car or taxi. For shorter flights, some toddlers might prefer to sit in their car or booster seat rather than the plane seat.
Another thing to consider before you leave home is getting a lightweight stroller to make it easier to navigate around train stations, airports, and city streets. Definitely opt for one you can fold up with a single hand, and that fits into an overhead bin on most airlines’ planes.
Don’t feel like juggling all that and the little ones too? Renting equipment, like strollers and car seats, from a service like BabyQuip can make it easier to get around, both at the airport and once you reach your destination.
At the Airport
Navigating an airport with kids can be a particularly challenging part of family travel. From making sure everyone’s belongings make it through security to trying to keep little ones entertained through flight delays, it helps to be prepared. And for US families traveling together, signing up for services that simplify things at security can make all the difference.
Want to skip the long lines, keep your shoes on, and leave your electronic devices stashed in your luggage? TSA PreCheck and Clear both have expedited security options and cover your kids too — the former lets you bring children 12 and under through the dedicated line with you, and the latter does the same for family members under the age of 18. Looking to breeze through customs on your way back from an international trip? Global Entry — which includes TSA PreCheck — has you covered.
For a fee, services like SkySquad take the VIP experience even further, offering stress-reducing perks, like a personal assistant, help with your bags, and access to priority security lines. Some airports also have dedicated family facilities and services, such as family security lines and play areas for kids, so it’s worth checking your departure airport’s website ahead of time to see if there’s anything that can help smooth your journey.
Giving some thought to what you’re packing and bringing along before arriving at the airport can also help. If your children are responsible for their own bags, double-check their work — there are some sneaky items, like slime, that are considered liquids, so an adult will need to make sure everything they’re carrying complies with regulations. And if your kids use a car seat or a stroller, you’ll want to check with the airline that your gear is cleared for takeoff. The TSA blog has more tips and advice for traveling as a family.
Nick and Emily, family travel experts and travel bloggers from the Great Family Adventure have put together an ultimate guide for flying with young kids as well as a guide on how to manage long layovers and being stranded at the airport with little ones.
Particularly when you’re traveling with a crew, it’s wise to allow plenty of time, so plan to arrive three hours ahead of an international flight and two hours ahead of a domestic one — at a minimum.
Accommodation
While it may seem like a no-brainer to book a single hotel room for your family trip, keep in mind that once your baby or toddler is asleep, you’ll have to sit in silence for the rest of the night!
For that reason, booking an apartment, suite, or vacation rental with multiple rooms is a much better bet — that way every family member can enjoy themselves in the evenings after the younger kids are safely tucked in bed, whether they need a quiet place to chill or more room to spread out.
The little ones won’t even necessarily need their own room to get a good night’s rest. Most accommodations will provide a crib if you request one in advance, so they can share with a parent or a sibling — and hopefully be sound asleep by the time everyone else comes to bed.
Travel Tips for Teens and Older Kids
Older kids can be slightly harder to entertain, so family travel tips for teens are quite different than for little ones. But visiting a new place can allow teens to experience a little more freedom in an age-appropriate way, such as exploring a museum or using public transportation for the first time.
Accommodation
Consider giving older kids their own hotel room for privacy — many hotels offer adjoining rooms so you can be right next door. Airbnbs and other short-term rentals can also be a good option for families with older kids, so everyone has their own space.
Before you turn them loose in unfamiliar territory, help your teens orient themselves around the area you are staying, and make sure they have the address where you’re staying with them at all times.
Safety
Set any ground rules for what and where your teens are allowed to explore on their own. Give clear expectations of communication and how to keep in touch if they lose their phone or get lost, and have them keep some cash on hand in case they get separated from you and need to find their way back.
Packing Tips for Family Travel Adventures
Packing should be a big part of your planning process for family travel, which is why so many family travel tips center on how to pack light. One of the best ways to cut down on suitcases is to use packing cubes. They save space and mean that one suitcase can contain the belongings of a few family members. Your suitcase stays organized, and everyone will be able to easily unpack their own belongings when you arrive.
Snacks are one of the most important things to pack as a parent. It’s helpful to be able to offer your children familiar food you know they’ll eat in a foreign place, and a well-timed snack can prevent many tantrums or meltdowns. Although industry experts’ packing advice typically tells you not to overpack, snacks are one item you don’t want to skimp on.
And don’t forget to bring some items to keep your kids comfortable and entertained — this is not a situation where you want to be quibbling over screen time. A favorite stuffed animal, no-mess art supplies, like stickers, and tablets with headphones are a must for long trips or overnight flights, not to mention any long travel delays.
Where to Travel with Kids
Wondering where to go for your next family vacation? The age and interests of your children can certainly influence the destination that might be best for your family. But ultimately, any kind of trip — be it a beach, city, theme park, or off-the-beaten-track, fresh-air adventure — can be made kid friendly. Emily from the Great Family Adventure has great tips on where to travel with kids.
When planning your family travels, look into what activities are available for kids. Some parents prefer structured activities, like kids’ clubs offered by resorts, while others are happy to let their older tweens and teens experience a local culture more organically.
Make sure you’re creating an itinerary that doesn’t ask too much of your kids based on their age. For example, for toddlers and preschoolers who love to move around, a long road trip that requires hours in the car might be too hard.
International Travel with Kids
If you’re flying internationally with your family, there are a few additional considerations to keep in mind.
An overnight flight can make the journey smoother and help with jet lag when you arrive, particularly if you manage to sleep on the plane and stay awake until the kids’ normal bedtime once you’re on the ground.
Traveling with any medications (prescription or over-the-counter) your family typically takes is essential, as it may be difficult to find similar items when you’re abroad.
You’ll also need to see if your destination requires any specific documentation, such as visas, vaccine cards, or passport validity. Check the U.S. State Department’s website to see if your intended destination has any travel restrictions or entry requirements you need to adhere to, and do this as far in advance as you can. It can take many weeks to apply for visas or passport renewals for your whole family.
Health & Safety Checklist for Travel with Kids
- Pack a first-aid kit. It’s easier to bring basic amenities, like bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, antihistamines, insect repellent, and sunscreen, with you rather than buying them abroad. Don’t forget to fill any prescriptions you may need as well.
- Check vaccinations. Double-check that your child is up to date on all their vaccinations, and that your entire family has any vaccines that are required by your destination for entry.
- Research local health risks. If the area you’re traveling to has any specific health risks, such as malaria or water-borne illness, consider bringing supplies, such as mosquito nets or air purifiers.
- Know emergency contact numbers. It’s helpful to have important information close at hand in an emergency. Find the numbers for your travel insurance policy’s helpline ahead of time, acquaint yourself with local numbers for emergency services, and make sure you have your general practitioner’s contact info as well.
- Gather any medical records. Bring copies of your children’s vaccination records and any important medical documentation, such as prescriptions or doctor’s notes for any health conditions.
Be Prepared in Case of Emergency
Finally, it’s essential to have family travel insurance for the location you’re traveling to. This should cover everything from trip cancellation to emergency medical insurance. A comprehensive policy will typically insure children under 18 on your policy for free.
Redpoint Travel Protection can provide you with a low-cost policy that will keep your family safe and healthy if anything goes wrong. Contact us for a quote today.
