Simply stated vacation is important. Part of your work-life balance should include extended periods away from work. We all need time to recharge so that we’re at our best at work and in life. I’m sharing different tools and recommendations in a 3-part series about family travel for working moms. Family Travel: Part I is all about the planning and tips on what to do ahead of time. Part II will cover tips on when you’re actually traveling, especially with children. And Part III is all about travel with a toddler.
If you’re starting to travel with kids, especially young kids, you might be looking for some practical advice. (Please note that some of the suggestions have affiliate links.) As an avid international traveler, I thought I’d share some travel tips that have helped us on our travels with our young boys, now ages 11 and 8. My husband and I have traveled internationally with our young boys to 7 countries at this point and to countless places in the US. We are often asked about how we did this when they were young.
If you’re like me, you’re a working mom with limited time. You want resources that make things easier, including when it comes to planning family travel.
I’ll have other tips mixed in to help you make the most of your family travel. Plus, it’s one of my favorite topics. I’m going to start sharing our own adventures as well to give you specific ideas on trips, so look out for that later this summer.
Plan ahead or be flexible
In general, I plan our family travel months in advance. I’m a planner by nature. You know ahead of time when kids have school breaks because school calendars are released so early. That advanced planning allows you to look for good deals on both airfare and hotels. In fact, looking well in advance allows you to take advance of sales that happen throughout the year. If you’re going to use miles or points, you really want to do the advanced planning. The miles and points required are lower and there are more options for where you can go because flights and hotels haven’t sold out of points/miles spots yet.
On the flip side, you can be completely flexible and get great rates. A friend of ours always gets great deals when he looks for last-minute deals. He and his extended family travel around the same time each year, but they wait to figure out where they’re going and get amazing deals, whether rentals, airfare, or even cruises.
Whichever approach you take to planning your family travel, whether planning in advance or last minute, it’s helpful to do a bit of homework ahead of time on destinations and hotels that might interest you. Even knowing something as simple as mountains or beach, can help you with planning. Then look for good deals when you’re ready.
Tools to help you plan family travel
Online travel tools for research and planning are incredibly important for travel, especially for busy working moms looking into family travel options. I’m sharing some websites that I love or that came highly recommended by friends. The tools that we haven’t used from this list I still researched to see what each was about. They are recommendations from friends, who I trust, who also take really fun trips.
Airbnb I often mention to families who want to do more traveling that staying in a house or apartment can save money. The rates can be lower, but the savings come from being able to cook instead of eating out for all your meals. This can definitely help you stick to your budget. While there are many sites where you can find places to stay, I prefer Airbnb. I’ve found better rates here and you can also book experiences directly from the site.
AFAR This site allows you to do cultural immersion so that you can connect with locals. This definitely piqued my interest as we try to interact with locals wherever we go, especially so that our boys can see what it’s like to live in the place versus visiting.
budgetplaces.com Looking for something a bit more wallet-friendly (e.g., hostel or B&B)? This website compiles all of the more affordable options in one place. There are definitely family-friendly options on this site too, though, so don’t think it’s for recent college grad backpackers only.
Jetsetter.com is one I have checked out, although we’ve never booked a trip. It’s a members-only community and, because of that, they are able to offer great deals to cool places. It definitely has something of a cult following.
www.kayak.com/explore lets you know what airfares look like based on your travel time and destination from wherever you’re starting from. You can move around on a map and see what the airfares look like, based on your timeframe. We’ve used this to know about airfare deals. Then we use other sites to research hotel deals.
Lonely planet I have always been a fan of these guide books. You know the ones – the big books that weigh 2 pounds that had everything about the city/country when you traveled internationally. Who carries books like that anymore? I confess I still sometimes do, but they’re ones already on my shelf. It’s now a website, which includes places to visit and hotel options.
Travelzoo My husband LOVES this website. We have seen and actually taken advantage of some great deals, both last-minute and far in advance. You need to grab the deals quickly, though, because most do expire, sometimes within the same day.
Travel during the part of the day that makes sense for your family
As you form the plan for your family travel, keep your family’s routines in mind. It’s not only about finding the cheapest option. Consider when your kids are most active. Think about when kids sleep, eat, etc. Compare that to the flight schedule and cost. For example, some kids can sleep on a plane, so it can make sense to travel during times when your children can sleep. Some kids absolutely do not and flying during nap time would be a terrible idea. They might be too excited or maybe they can’t get comfortable. You know your children, so choose travel times with your family’s needs in mind whenever possible.
Remember that if you do travel during nap times or overnight, take whatever will make your children more comfortable (e.g., lovey, PJs, a special blanket that easily folds up, etc.).
Airports impact your travel experience
There are some airports that simply suck when you’re traveling with kids and must make a connection. For example, we try to avoid Miami International whenever possible. The layout of the airport and the lack of transit past security make it a challenge when it’s part of your family travel plans. San Diego International is now on that list since each group of gates has its own security. There are other airports or even terminals that can be tough. Ask your friends and family about their experiences at different airports. Do some online research before booking a specific route, especially for international travel.
Do research to see how much time you really need between connections if you have a stop. And, in case you’re wondering, you need at least 2 hours for international flights both leaving and arriving at US airports. Some airports might require more time, especially when you’re doing family travel.
Extra Seat for Your Infant or Toddler
One of the benefits of traveling with a child age 2 or younger is that you don’t have to get a seat for him or her. If you can, though, get the extra seat. Pay the money. The cost is usually less than the cost of a full-fare ticket. It gives you more room, though, and that can be huge.
Our younger son really liked having his space as a toddler on the plane. He stayed buckled in and loved being a “big boy.” He ultimately slept on my lap for a little while on the flights when he was little, but it was nice to have the space to spread out and get more comfortable when I had a child asleep on me. It was also nice to have him sleep in his own seat when he was willing to. With an infant, it’s also important to consider that being in the carrier is a safe place for baby to be.
Getting around with kids
When our boys were younger, we couldn’t have survived without our Sit & Stand stroller. It’s got a spot for your infant carrier if you still have an infant or a place for an infant or toddler to sit in front where he or she can be strapped in. There is also a place without a back for an older child to sit and stand. Our older son has always been a bit on the tall side and he still could fit at age 5. He could also stand. That meant we got to places faster and we could walk longer. Bonus is that this stroller has loads of room so it helps with carrying all your carry-ons until you gate check your stroller at the airport.
When we only had one child, we used a MacClaren Volo stroller. It’s a great umbrella stroller: light, yet sturdy, and maneuverable. I also like that it’s a nice-looking stroller. Make sure you put something on your stroller that helps you pick it out from the crowd. We discovered the hard way how popular this stroller is in New York City, for example. Putting something on it made it easily identifiable in the sea of similar strollers.
Pay attention to the tag the airline puts on the stroller. You want to grab your stroller at the gate and not baggage claim if possible. Yes, I know this from experience. Keep tags on your stroller with your info, even if you’re gate-checking it.
Consider outsourcing the planning
I’ll also remind you that if you’re not a fan of the planning, consider outsourcing this. There are all sorts of travel agents who can help you. You can develop a relationship with someone specifically who is your go-to resource for all travel planning or tap into experts for specific types of travel (e.g., Disney specialist, adventure travel specialist, etc.). Don’t let the planning get in your way if you don’t want to do the DIY plan (which I wholeheartedly admit that I enjoy). And, usually, a travel agent gets paid by the airline and properties you stay at, so you don’t pay more money for the service.
Get kids excited about travel
You’ve booked your travel and you’re set, right? Well, that really depends on your kids. Our boys love to see new places and have new experiences. They love to know we’re headed somewhere new and always have. Part of this is based on building curiosity about the world.
Some of the nights I put our boys to bed we talk about a different city somewhere in the world. Sometimes we’re talking about US cities and sometimes they are international locations. We talk about where people live and what they eat. I make sure to mention the language(s) they speak and the places you can see or visit like historic sites, museums, and anything the city is known for. It gets them excited to see the cities in person.
When the boys were little, we would start talking about new places when we knew we were traveling somewhere. I would trickle in little bits of information over time so that they keep thinking, “Oh, I want to go there” and “I hope we get to go there soon/one day.”
Now that the boys are older, they help me figure out what they want to do and what they aren’t so interested in. Their input helps me figure out the overall plan. The boys feel like they’re part of the process and are really excited. I always asked for input, though, and made sure that part of each day had kid-friendly stuff in it.
One more thing to note. You’d be surprised about what kids are willing to see if you make it fun. So don’t skip that art museum you really want to visit, just because you have young kids. My active boys have spent hours in a museum as we’ve focused more on the cool statues and shiny armor and swords. We still fit in the artists I want to see, but we make the overall experience more kid-friendly.
You have some hopefully new tools and tips for your family travel, especially as the world opens up again and families start traveling again. What has helped with your travel planning? Where have you traveled that had made for a great family trip?
If you’re interested in work-life balance ideas and tips so you have time for more travel, don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter below that I send twice a month.
