If there’s anyone in the world who deserves a vacation, it’s a new parent. And yet, traveling with an infant in tow can be daunting. There’s so much gear to bring, mealtimes and naptimes to consider and the looming specter of dealing with an infant disaster, like an ill-timed bout of reflux, in an unfamiliar location.
After asking experts booking in family travel, they all say the same thing: Take the trip. Sure, travel with infants takes some advance work. But it’s worth it for the precious memories. And with a few of the experts’ best tips and tricks for traveling with a baby, these vacations can get even easier.
Pack with the baby in mind.
The success of the trip starts before you even leave. Packing too little opens up the possibility of wasting time and money trying to find essential items in an unfamiliar destination. But bringing too much means schlepping all that gear around the world like a pack mule. Here’s how to find the right balance.
- Ship ahead if you can. It might save you some suitcase space and baggage fees. “Talk with your travel advisor and ask them to coordinate with your hotel so you will have your preferred diapers, baby formula, wipes, snacks, etc. waiting for you in the room when you check in,” says Daniela Chavez Molina, a travel advisor with Fora. “Just make sure to take the ones you need for the flight or ride — plus some extra — and you’ll be fine.”
- But carry-on the essentials. You just don’t want to be caught without them. “Bring lots of essential supplies — such as formula or diapers, including swim diapers if you’re going to a pool — with you in your carry-on, just in case your luggage is delayed or lost,” says Justine Delaney, owner of Vacations with Kids. She also says to make note of what supplies won’t be available at the destination. “For diapers, it’s especially true if you have a bigger baby and are traveling outside the US and Canada as larger size diapers are not always available — like available at all, anywhere! Other countries tend to toilet train earlier,” she says.
- Bring extras of everything with you in your daypack. Babies are predictably unpredictable, and you don’t want to have to track down a change of clothes on the fly. “Pack like your baby’s about to run for office,” says Tomika Anderson-Greene, CEO of Single Parents Who Travel. “Seriously. Have a ‘go bag’ that stays stocked with diapers, wipes, snacks and a change of clothes for both of you — yes, you too, sis. I’ve learned the hard way that spit-up and blowouts don’t check the itinerary. When my youngest was teeny, that bag stayed with me like a purse and prayer.”
- Don’t skip the stroller. Yes, it’s big and bulky. But leaving it at home will cause major regrets. “I’ve had a surprising number of clients that think that they can travel with just a baby carrier, or just manage by carrying the baby in arms, but really, they come with so many supplies and all kinds of gear that you need a stroller, even if it’s just to carry the stuff for you!” Delaney says. “There can be a lot of walking in the airport and having to carry a baby, diaper bag and your own carry-on is a lot, especially if you’re traveling on your own with the baby.”
Smart planning ahead of time leads to big payoffs later.
Booking wisely for a trip with a baby involves anticipating the family’s needs, but doing a little advance research into destinations and hotels can make for a smoother vacation.
Traveling with a baby takes a mindset shift.
It takes some time to adjust to a new traveling companion — especially one that needs constant feeding, changing and naps. But vacations done at a slower pace will be all the more precious for bringing them along.
- Embrace the adjustment. “Travel with a baby is different, but it can still be so special,” Collum says. “You may not see or do everything, but you’ll make really meaningful memories. Some of our clients say their favorite moments are the unplanned ones — like early morning walks, naps by the pool or a quiet breakfast together with no distractions. Even if your baby won’t remember it, you will.”
- Be flexible with the routine. At home, when there’s more control over the surroundings and conditions, it’s easier to keep a strict feeding and nap regimen. On the road, it might be necessary to improvise. “It’s ok if the baby is on a vacation schedule too,” Chavez Molina says. “You can enjoy later nights and hopefully get some late mornings as well. The baby will be back on schedule when you get home.” (When my daughter was a baby, I remember someone saying, “No one gets a medal if their baby never misses a nap,” and that stayed with me.)
- Prepare for bumps in the road. And know that just because there are setbacks, it doesn’t mean it was a bad trip. “It won’t look like Instagram — and that’s okay,” Anderson-Greene says. “The baby will cry on the plane, especially if their ears pop. The stroller might not fit or even be allowed into that cute café. Naptime will prevent you from hitting every tourist stop. But the memories, even the messy ones, still count. You’re doing something brave and beautiful by showing your child the world.”
Make use of the amenities the properties offer.
Travel experts offered the most-requested items their clients want — which are often available at hotels and other destinations. Before booking, ask about these baby-friendly extras.
- Baby bathtubs
- Bottle warmers/sterilizers
- Blackout curtains
- High chairs
- Baby food
- Toys
- Mini fridges
- Baby monitors
- Rental strollers
- Diaper changing station
- Diaper disposal
- White noise machine
- Car seats in rental cars
- Access to laundry
- Babysitting services
- Ground-floor rooms
- Rooms facing away from the street
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
