Well, here's what I said on last month's near identical thread 😂
Disclaimer: I'm autistic and being travel savvy is one of my special interests, so apologies in advance for the essay!
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Our son was born in November 2020 during lockdown and everyone told us that having a baby would change our lives completely. In some ways they were right, of course things are different now, but in others they couldn’t have been more wrong. Holidaying falls into this category.
A few choice remarks we had were:
‘Just do All Inclusive. It’s so much easier.’
‘Holidays with children are not holidays if there’s no kid’s club.’
‘You won’t be able to do reusable nappies abroad!’
My husband and I are city breakers, we always have been. Lying by the pool reading a book in an AI resort has never been our idea of relaxation. We need to explore, eat delicious food and see and learn new things in order to recharge mentally and I didn’t want to give that up just because I’d had a child.
I did a lot of research online to find other families who liked to travel the way we do and watched YouTube videos and read articles for tips and tricks and lists of recommended items. We've currently been to Bologna (and surrounding cities), Granada and Nerja, Palermo and San Vito lo Capo.
So, if your family and your holidays sound like mine, these are tips for you! 😊
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Book an apartment
When travelling with kids, apartments beat hotels hands down. Yes, the call of the buffet breakfast is always loud in the back of my head as I’m pressing the reserve button but, ultimately, having a separate living space and terrace/balcony to relax on in the evening is worth all the croissants and pastries in France.
Booking an apartment with a washing machine also meant we could carry on using our reusable nappy system as normal. Hoorah! We were also able to pack lighter because of this and washed our clothes halfway through the trip as well.
It’s worth noting that we don’t actually cook in the apartment (bar toast and cereal for breakfast!). We just use them for the extra space and dine out in restaurants instead.
You absolutely don't have to cook and clean just because you rent an apartment and I don't know why that myth perpetuates!
A good travel buggy is essential for toddlers
Our son loved walking (and still does at 3.5!) and always preferred to be trotting along with us rather than contained in a buggy BUT at 18 months he was still having naps so we chose to invest in a lightweight, foldable buggy and Snooze Shade to make sure he could nap on the go if needed.
The buggy we picked was the IckleBubba Globe and it was a brilliant piece of kit. Like the YoYo2 it folds small enough to fit in the overhead locker and, better than the YoYo2, it actually lies flat for children who can’t nap sitting up. My son was one of those kids and the Globe was the only buggy he ever actually napped in.
I’d heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a budget travel buggy.
Choose a good travel cot
Another piece of invaluable kit is a good travel cot, especially if you’re staying in an apartment as not every apartment provides a cot. We chose the Baby Bjorn (purchased second hand from eBay) and have never regretted the decision. It’s extremely well packaged and has survived six flights and numerous car and train journeys without a single dint. It goes up and down in a matter of minutes and it’s another product I rave about.
Taking a blackout blind is also a good idea in case your bedroom doesn't have shutters. We have the Tommee Tippee Gro Anywhere blackout blind which was another eBay purchase.
Always take a sling
Since having our son, our eyes have been opened a lot more to issues of accessibility (lifts over escalators etc). This is largely not a problem in the UK but in continental Europe we’ve found out the hard way that it’s better to always have a sling/baby carrier with you just in case a museum you want to visit or a train station you want to use is stairs only.
Research restaurants beforehand
There’s nothing worse than trying to manage a hungry toddler whilst also Googling nearby restaurants. I like to go to new cities prepared with a list of Trip Advisor pre-vetted restaurants and cafes so that we can just choose one, whack the directions into our phones, and head out. It saves a lot of time and stress and even money as it means you’re already prepared for how much a meal will cost and what the menu is like. We’ve discovered some absolute gems this way.
Make travel exciting. If you’re chilled about it, they will be too.
We’re lucky that our son is pretty easy going when it comes to travelling. He loves an airport, going through security and looking at the planes at the departure gate. We make sure to arrive with plenty of time so that no one is rushing and we can be as serene as possible throughout what can actually be quite a chaotic experience. Before we went to Bologna he was a bit too young to understand what going on holiday meant and what would be happening but we tried to talk about it lots in the weeks before hand and read books about airports and played ‘airports’ where we pretended to scan our passports and weigh our luggage etc.
Tips for on the plane
Snacks: Take lots. Our son now associates the Boots meal deal with plane travel, haha.
Sticker books: He was a bit young for these the first time we went away but they’ve been invaluable items for the last few holidays. Sticker books are great for wait times in restaurants too.
Change of clothes for everyone in a packing cube: In case of accidents or sick.
Small toys: We had a wooden lacing cheese, stacking animal blocks and a magic water ‘painting’ book.
New books: We got lots of stories no one had read before and brought them out as a surprise on the flight.
Tablets: Pre-loaded with age appropriate games and his favourite tv shows. We keep the iPad as a last resort for when he’s tired or a bit ratty and just needs down time. We only ever let him use it on silent or with headphones.
Don’t overcrowd the itinerary
On UK day trips we learned the hard way as our son got older that we needed to stick to one activity per day combined with some chill out time outdoors. This is no different when we go on holiday. Often, we’ll plan a museum or other point of interest for the morning when our son is more likely to be engaged and then spend the afternoon in a garden or play park. For the last two trips we’ve also included a few days in a beach town at the end of the holiday so our son could spend an afternoon building sand-castles and paddling and we could take in some coastal sights too like the caves at Nerja or the beautiful town of San Vito lo Capo.
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Before having my son I was always adamant that I would never travel with children but I'm really glad I changed my mind. He's a fab little travel companion and I've loved all of our exploring together as a family.
Next up is Vienna in August/September when we'll be adding a three month old to the fun! Wish me luck! 😅