California with 10MO

[Ikabod]

My husband and I are thinking of taking our daughter on a 2-week fly-drive holiday around northern California. She's 2 months old at the moment but will be 10 months old when we go. We don't know if we're mad for considering the idea... Any advice on travelling in the US with a young child?

Why would you go in the summer holidays if you didn't have to? CA has pretty good weather in most areas yr round. Go a cheaper time of yr. Otherwise a good age to travel, but probably so is 15 months.

Why on earth would you go that far when your child is so young? She won't remember it, it's stressful for you at the best of times, and expensive? Honestly stick a bit closer to home till she is out of nappies, can walk under her own steam and can keep memories herself

A road trip with a 10 month old including two long flights would be my idea off hell. Just personally.

Go closer to home instead; also at 10 months of age she would be too big to fit into an aircraft's bassinet. She will be entitled to her own seat at 2.

I would also not do a fly drive holiday; she won't remember it and driving for what may become hours on end is no fun for any of you.

We've done a few holidays like this when our dc were under 1. It was fine. We arranged the bulk of driving during nap time. Night flights worked well too) although 10m will be tricky with that as she will have to sleep on you).
I don't think the OP is going for the 10m olds benefit but because they want to so it doesn't matter if the baby remembers it or not.

I did long trips like this when my DC were that age - to the US and to NZ - because I was on mat leave so was free to do so! Infact DD took her first steps on Texas aged 1- months.

The trips were great, no trouble at all and now they're a bit older, they love looking back on the photos. The only bugger was dealing with jet lag. Go for it.

*aged 11 months

I'm from Northern California- It's beautiful with lots to see and do. I don't see a problem with taking a 10 month old. I've travelled back and forth many times with my 3- in fact just got home from there last week. Jet lag will be a nightmare though so prepare for 2-3 days of just trying to catch up on sleep. I'm only just now feeling normal. Have fun!

At 2 months my baby slept in cars and was really chill so I might have considered it, at 9 months he HATES being in cars, or sat down anywhere for long and I have to sit singing songs at him constantly. So every baby is different but for me it'd be the worst.

We did Canada with DS at 9months (2 weeks across four towns) and California when he was 15 months (not expected but a close friend's wedding at short notice!) staying in SF, Yosemite, Monterey, Santa Barbara & LA. Both worked surprisingly well. DS was an easy going baby/toddler and travelled really happily though did not sleep for 16 hours on the way out. Having hotel rooms with kitchenettes so could easily feed at short notice was helpful.

Do it. It's much easier at that age than ages 2-5.

It's a lovely idea

I would avoid July/august due to worldwide summer holidays so lots more tourists, and maybe avoid sept due to hurricane season so flights going over the areas might be cancelled even if fine in area your staying in.

So can you go earlier? I would try and go this summer at the beginning of June if possible. Even easier if baby younger as at 7month they will be eating solids but not loads, and still napping lots.

Buy a decent sling. I recommend the boba 4g. This year you use in front, but when bigger move to your back. Great at airports for years, and in busy areas/ walking/ stairs

I have never had any problems travelling with small children. Flown with both since 8-12 weeks . At 8weeks ds1 came on work trip to New York with me, was only 4 days but one of my happiest memories. At 12 weeks ds2 flow first time to Vietnam, we stayed 2 months ( and had ds1 then 18 months also).
Now at almost 4 and almost 5 they are well seasoned travellers, and average 5 long haul and about 10 short haul flights a year.

Thanks everyone for your advice. We thought it would be easier before she learns to walk and cheaper before she turns two! Plus I'm maternity leave until late October. My biggest concerns are the flights and if she's teething and having a tough time of it! I'm feeling reassured that it is do-able!

I would sit on a narrow chair with a board in front of it with her on your lap for 11 hours then decide whether it's worth it . Then change all the clocks by 8 hours backwards and see how the routine goes (of course you don't yet know about routines with a 2 month old but by 10 months you will hopefully be in your stride!)

Then think about how much longer driving from A to B will be with nappy breaks, grumpy baby breaks and food breaks (what will you feed her?). There are no motorway services as we know them in the States, you wil be directed off the motorway to the nearest town, sometimes miles away, to the local McDonalds or similar.

Honestly I've done a Cali road trip with reasonably sentient teens and it was only just bearable. When little ones are little I really believe you are far better off going short haul, a nice place with a spa and maybe a sandy beach for her to play on, for half the price and a bazillion times less chance of stress

Home - or you can get a seat with baby bassinet, feed, and they sleep for 9 out of 11 hrs. Every baby is different. You also don't even need to worry about feeding baby if small and breastfeeding as can just feed yourself. Then can pop baby in sling and go wherever you fancy without them moaning it's boring. Much easier than teens!

I'm with Home. Mainly because I think there is a short window where they are happy with simple things - sandy beach Home describes for instance. I remember a holiday with dd at ten months - out of school hols so reasonably quiet, playing on beach, swimming in pool, still pretty much in routine so happy as a sandboy (literally!) - I'd so love to go back and do it again, but that age is a one-off window and though subsequent holidays have all been great in their own way the utter simplicity of that one is hard to beat. That said perfectly possible to do the holiday you describe - I'd probably book a seat for dd on such a long flight though - it is a wriggly age! And just hope she likes being in the car - no way of knowing at this stage. Took my dcs to California two years ago aged 12 and 10 - they said it was their best holiday ever. I'm sure you'll have a great time whatever you do.

Neither of my under 3s got jet lagged on our trip to California. I was alright on the way out but struggled with jl on our return so it's worth not rushing back to work.

I also did the flight out on my own with them and it was fine. Take a carrier/sling on the plane if you have one then walk up and down aisle until baby falls asleep then sit down. I think it is easier to fly when they are either pre-mobile or over 2 and have own seat but with two of you it'll be ok.

We also found it very easy to find places to stop and eat on the road. Everywhere we stopped had children's menus, highchairs and changing facilities.

We've made a decision! We are going to a nice family-friendly hotel in Cornwall (with a spa and creche) and save the California trip for a few years' time when we both turn 40 and celebrate our 10th anniversary and - controversially - can leave DD with Granny and Grandad . Having done road trips before (pre-kids) which we really enjoyed BUT there are elements to such a trip that would be a bit of a pain with a little 'in. Plus, as people have said, she will be a very different baby at 10-MO than she is now.

Good choice. That holiday sounds perfect for ten-month-old - such a gorgeous age. lucky you. Enjoy it!

i know you have made your choice, but we did road trip with a baby that age in california and it was fantastic, esp the osh kosh outlet in napa when she had outgrown her entire wardrobe.

We did this exact thing with our DD at the exact same age at almost the same time of year (we did November). We had a fab holiday! Just squeezed it in before we had to pay a proper fare for her.

The flights were totally fine. She was happy or asleep the whole time (in fact she slept so much better than normal - literally fell asleep on take off and woke up on landing for the return red eye flight). Of course she was stuck on me so going to the loo was tricky but worth the hassle. I did bring some calpol sachets just in case of some sort of teething nightmare but it was fine,

We worked our itinerary so we spent at least 3 nights in each place and never more than 3 hours drive in a day which we could spread out across the day if we needed to. We found some fab self catered apartments on homeaway.com and airbnb and Had lots of lovely day trips of aquarium / zoo / beach / parks / walks with nature. Overall it was an amazing trip and even though DD was so young she really enjoyed it. Partly because Mummy and Daddy were together and so relaxed.

HOWEVER, the jet lag was a nightmare. Both ways, but especially when we arrived. DD was literally up all night and hungry / pooing in the wee hours of the morning. Waking up to the California sunshine (and a LOT of coffee) helped though!

In fact we are considering a return trip. She is now 2 so things will be very different again I am sure!

For the record, our trip was LA - Santa Barbara - La Jolla (San Diego) - Laguna Beach. All great family-friendly locations. Especially Santa
Barbara and La Jolla.