trip with 4 month old baby

Road Trip with a 4 Month Old: Is It Possible?

• Date: July 18, 2022
• Time to read: 6 min.

Some babies love riding in the car and they fall asleep every time while some babies may cry. Planning a trip with a baby can be difficult, but road trips are one of the most flexible ways to travel. 

Four month old babies can be great road trip buddies. Plan to stop more frequently, about every 2 hours when traveling with a 4 month old. An adult should ride next to the baby to be sure that they are comfortable and breathing well. Pack plenty of clothes to keep the baby dry and be sure to grab diaper rash cream and a white noise machine.

It is important to stop every two hours and get your sweet baby out of the car seat. The main concern is positional asphyxia . 

Babies can slip down into their car seats into a position that makes it difficult to breathe.  Babies at 4 months may not be able to reposition themselves and it can cause trouble breathing. 

This is why it is important to have an adult ride next to the baby and to be sure to take them out of the car seat at least every 2 hours. 

If your baby was born prematurely or has other health issues, run this by your pediatrician . Ask them how long your baby can be in their car seat on a road trip. 

I recommend limiting overall car seat time to 6-8 hours a day. We take a lot of road trips and all my kids are pretty fried by the 6 hour mark. 

I will tell you the truth, 4 months is a tough time. They are no longer newborns, but they are not the curious 6 month old that can be distracted with toys. 

If I have a baby that cries in the car, do your best to schedule driving during baby’s nap or sleep times.

I do not recommend driving through the night because then when you arrive the baby is wide awake and the parents need a nap! This is a recipe for grumpy parents. 

There are a few tips that can make the trip easier on everyone. Here are all my best tips for a stress free road trip with a  baby. 

How long can a 4 month old travel in the car?

A four month old should not be in their car seat for more than 2 hours at a time. This is the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is recommended to avoid positional asphyxia, or trouble breathing due to their position in the car seat.  

If your baby is sleeping and there is an adult sitting next to them to monitor their breathing, you may choose to drive for longer than 2 hours. Use your best judgment and be sure to monitor the baby closely. 

I recommend that you plan to drive 6 hours or less in a 24 hour period , with breaks every two hours. This is just my opinion. 

While some families push to 8 -10 hours in a day, in my experience this is too much for young kids and babies. 

There are no strict rules for how many hours a day is safe, so keep a close eye on your amazing baby and stop when they are no longer consolable in the car seat. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics Travel Safety page has a few tips that you may want to check out before you hit the road. 

How To Plan A Road Trip With A 4 Month Old

Now you have to plan a trip with stops every 2 hours! How will you find places to stop that often?!

I think the best way to travel with young kids is to:

• Leave early in the morning
• Plan a long lunch stop
• Put in a few more miles before bedtime

If you travel 4 hours in the morning and then 2-4 more after lunch you will have a much more pleasant trip. It is also easier to plan one big stop. 

I have a one page road trip planner that you can print on the linked post. There are also some great tools that will help you divide up the trip easily. 

If you need ideas for places to stop check out the linked post, there are some creative ideas in that post. 

What to Pack for a 4 Month Old

When you are taking a road trip with a baby don’t feel guilty for overpacking, but if you forget something you can always stop.  

These are the must haves that I have found super helpful on road trips with a baby:

1. Blankets

Baby blankets are really helpful on a road trip as you can use them for:

Blocking bright sun

Wiping up spills

Covering a diaper changing table

A clean space for tummy time

An emergency diaper

I like to pack 2-3 a day for each day of the trip (or until I have access to laundry). It may seem like a lot, but I have never regretted packing this number. 

2. White Noise

Many babies like the car because the road noise provides that soothing white noise, but I have found that some of my kids need SUPER white noise, especially at this age. 

The noise of the road plus a portable white noise machine has been good for my irritable babies. 

We have had this portable white noise machine for over 4 years and it is still serving us well. Be sure to hold down the power button to turn it on (I tried to return it and the cashier showed me how it worked…oops). 

3. Extra Clothes for Mama

Be sure that you have a change of clothes that you can get to easily. Between car diaper changes, bottles or nursing and potential car sickness, a new outfit can make the trip much more comfortable for mama. 

An extra outfit or two for baby should also be in the baby bag. Keep baby dry to avoid any uncomfortable rashes. 

4. Your Regular Diaper Rash Cream

Be generous with diaper rash cream or other wetness barriers during diaper changes. Since your baby will be sitting in the car they may be more prone to painful rashes. 

I like to pack the cream that we use at home. It is not a good idea to try a new product while away from home. Even a mild reaction can be painful in the diaper area. 

5. Manual Breast Pump

Breastfeeding moms I think the manual breast pump is a necessity on a long trip. Four month old babies are often still feeding very regularly, but the car may make them too sleepy to nurse. 

This can make the ride uncomfortable with engorged breasts, and could lead to a clogged duct or painful mastitis. 

Pumping while you are driving allows you to relieve the pressure, maintain supply and possibly make bottles to use at stops if your baby enjoys bottles. 

Bringing bottles on a road trip can be a big hassle as there is no place to wash them. You can use pump cleaning wipes or wait to get to a sink. 

Short term I have used the pump to just pump and dump and wash the parts as soon as I can. A microwave sterilization kit can make it all cleaner. 

Expectations for Road Trips with a Four Month Old

Traveling with a baby is very different from traveling kid-free, but it can still be a memorable adventure. 

Keep an open mind and get excited about making frequent stops. You will enjoy the journey and get to see more than when you push through long travel days. 

Babies often make you think differently about the important things in life, slow down and enjoy the journey. 

• What Is a Good Budget For A Family Road Trip?
• Can you Drive Over Hoover Dam? Cost, times and details

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Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby ( 0 – 12 Months) – A Complete Guide for First-Time Parents

Who says you cannot travel with a baby? Yes, it is different, but it is totally doable! One of the best ways to start traveling as a new family is by going on a road trip with a baby.

After one year of road trips with our son, we have learned a lot. From short 2-hour road trips to a 2-week long road trip – we have experienced the best and the worst parts of road tripping with a baby. 

Through personal tried and true experience, I have created this guide of “How to Road Trip with a Baby” to help new parents navigate their way as easily as possible. My guide includes product recommendations, expectations at different months of age, and 12 essential tips for road tripping with a baby.  

Full disclaimer: I am not a children’s practitioner, nurse, or expert. This guide and tips are purely from personal experience and fellow traveling parents. If you have any medical or health concerns, please seek advice from your pediatrician. 

Furthermore, This post may contain affiliate links. When you click on the link you will have the option to purchase a product at no extra cost to you, but I would receive a small commission. I want to thank everyone for following and supporting us on all of “Our Sweet Adventures.” 

Table of Contents

12 Essential Tips for Road Tripping with a Baby

First and foremost, EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT!

Yes, I believe my guide can help first-time parents navigate their way to a successful road trip with a baby. However, what has worked for other parents and us, may not always work for you. Some tips may work, some may not – you will not know until you hit the road and go through trial and error.

We have found these 12 essential tips to be the most helpful during our road trips with a baby. Whether you are taking a road trip with a newborn, a 12-month-old, or any age in between – these tips can be helpful for any stage.

The Trifecta Checklist

Of all the tips for road tripping with a baby, this one is KEY! We call it the “trifecta checklist.” So what does that mean? Sleep, diaper, food.

If our son was crying, the first thing that helped us was to check for a diaper, see if he was hungry, and find out the last time he slept.

Nine times out of ten (especially before our son was 6-months-old), he would cry for one of those three reasons. He would immediately stop crying once we figured out if he needed a diaper change, a bottle, or sleep.

Moreover, the “trifecta checklist” is a great tip for traveling with a baby , period.

Plan For Several Stops

This brings me to my next tip – you will need to plan for several stops when road tripping with a baby. This is important and inevitable. Depending on your baby and their stage in life, you may need to plan a stop every 1 -3 hours.

Why? Because you need to give your baby breaks. The best way to take breaks is by incorporating fun activities, tours, or stops at cute little towns. As a family who loves to hike, we plan our stops around hiking places.

You also want to be prepared to carve out a couple of hours on your road trip for diaper changes, breastfeeding, and walks. Honestly, these stops are so healthy because a nice break is beneficial for both the parents and child when the baby gets fussy.

Plan for Itinerary Changes

With that said, you can also expect to change your itinerary. Going on a road trip with a baby is not always easy. You may get behind schedule. That is OKAY!

I recommend setting a goal for Plan A, knowing you most likely will end up with Plan B. This could mean taking an activity (or two) out of the day, going to a drive-thru instead of dining inside, taking the highway instead of a more scenic route, etc.

If planning road trips is daunting for you. Do not worry! There are awesome apps for road tripping planning that can help you.

Find Patience!

I am probably one of the most impatient people in the universe, but I had to find the patience to succeed when road tripping with a baby.

As you may have already gathered from my previous tips, a typical 2-hour road trip may take up to 4 hours. So take deep breaths, and remember it’s about the journey and the memories you create with your family. It is not a race to the finish line or, in this case, the destination.

Once you can find patience, your road trip with a baby will be so much more enjoyable.

Plan Driving Around Naps

If possible, plan the driving around your baby’s sleep schedule. We always try our best to drive 30 minutes before our son’s scheduled nap.

If you do not already keep track of your baby’s sleep schedule, now would be the time to start. Our favorite baby app is Huckleberry because it keeps track of sleep, feedings, medicine, and more.

Another tip for road tripping with a baby and their naps – pack a swaddle blanket with patterns and keep it in the car. We use swaddle blankets for three things. Of course, we use it to wrap our son, but we also use it for two road trip tips.

We place the swaddle blanket over the car seat to help provide more shade and a quiet space for our son to sleep while on the road. We also use it to keep our son calm and engaged by looking at the patterns. He would always stare and try to touch the patterns on the swaddle blanket.

Be Prepared to Pack MORE Than Ever!

My goodness, I think we had a full-sized suitcase packed to the top just for our son. From the 2 – 3 clothes per day to diapers, baby wipes, towels, and everything else – our son had more stuff than the two of us combined.

Not to mention, the car seat, the stroller, the pack-n-play… everything will quickly add up. So if you are renting a vehicle for the road trip, I suggest an SUV.

Pack the Car with Easy Access 

What is a road trip without snacks, right? I think this tip works for any road trip – make the snack bag easily accessible. More importantly, when road tripping with a baby, you want to make sure all the essentials are also easily accessible.

Whether that means a cooler with baby bottles, a bag of toys, or a diaper bag, you want to make sure you can easily reach these items.

Pack Extra Batteries

Today, so many of the best ways to keep a baby happy and calm require batteries. Therefore, you do not want to forget to pack extra batteries.

Before your road trip, check all electronics that require batteries and either replace them with new batteries or pack extra batteries for them.

Stretch and Massage Baby

Just like adults, a baby’s body and muscles will get stiff and sore after sitting in a car seat for long periods of time. So it is recommended to massage and stretch your baby when you take breaks or at night in your accommodations.

The benefits of massaging and stretching your baby are significant. It can help calm a fussy baby, ease tummy troubles, boost muscle development, and most importantly, soothe babies to sleep.

Baby Wipes are like Gold 

One of the most important things I have learned as a parent is that baby wipes are gold! We use baby wipes for EVERYTHING!

We use baby wipes to change diapers, clean spills in the car, wipe dirty hands, clean hard surfaces or utensils, and more. With that said, at least two stacks of baby wipes are essential when road tripping with a baby.

New Toys or Rotate Toys

Something we learned from the Montesorri Method is rotating toys. We do this at home and find it useful for road tripping with a baby.

Before a road trip, we will remove a few of our son’s favorite toys. Then when we are on the road trip, we reintroduce the toys (one at a time) so that the toys are “new,” exciting, and engaging. Of course, you can also buy new toys for a road trip.

It is essential to give the baby only one toy to focus on at a time. This way, when they get bored with one toy, there is a new one to play with because, let’s be honest, babies LOVE NEW things!

Music Matters!

Okay, this tip is from personal experience. I am not sure of any scientific research to prove this works, but it does for us – and I hope it does for you too.

During my pregnancy, I listened to this one trance album that I found calming and peaceful while I worked. Adam read that the music I listened to during pregnancy is what the baby would find relaxing after birth. It turns out it worked at least 80% of the time for us.

On our road trips, we would listen to this one trance album on repeat until our son was fast asleep. I swear it made our son calm and fall asleep almost every time.

Now, fast forward to when our son was 9 – 12 months old – things changed. Children’s music that we listened to at home helped our son stay calm during road trips. It was not music to our ears like our favorite trance album, but it kept our son happy, relaxed, and quiet – and that IS music to our ears.

So , music that is familiar with the baby at home will most certainly help put the baby at ease during road trips. You can also use a portable sound machine or play white noise from the car speakers.

How to Feed a Baby on a Road Trip

Whether you breastfeed your baby, bottle feed your baby, or are in the stage of providing snacks/solid foods – here are a few simple tips for feeding a baby on a road trip.

Breastfeeding a Baby on a Road Trip

First and foremost, do not breastfeed your baby in a moving car. This is very dangerous in the event of a car accident. Therefore, allow extra time to stop the vehicle and breastfeed your baby. If possible, utilize this time for restroom breaks, to get gas, food, etc.

If you pump, pack a breast pump car charger , breastmilk storage bags , spare parts, and a cooler to store pumped breastmilk. Moreover, continue to practice good nursing hygiene and habits as if you were at home.

Bottle Feeding a Baby on a Road Trip

Whether it’s breastmilk or formula, you want to pack a cooler to bottle feed your baby on the road.

Make sure you pack enough bottled water and formula powder (if you use formula). To help with space, I recommend pouring a small amount of water into the baby bottles and adding the formula when needed.

Furthermore, a formula dispenser can come in handy in the car. Then store a large container of formula in a suitcase.

Feeding Snacks to a Baby on a Road Trip

Once your baby can eat solid foods and/or pureed food, it can make feeding on the road a lot easier. I recommend packing snacks/food that your baby is familiar with, will enjoy, and is easy to eat on the go.

A few snacks that are easy to eat on the road are the squeezable veggie and fruit pouches , yogurt pouches , and Cheerios.

How to Change a Baby on a Road Trip

Honestly, sometimes there is no easy or right way to change a baby on the road. Through trial and error, find what works best for you!

For us, we have stopped at gas stations, rest stops, and have even needed to pull over on the side of the road to change our son. If a changing table in a bathroom is not available, we utilize our car. Moreover, a travel changing mat has been the key to our success because we can use it on any hard surface.

What to Pack for a Road Trip with a Baby

Believe me when I say you will probably pack your entire nursery when you road trip with a baby. Babies need soooo much! So do not feel like you packed “too much” because you will probably use everything.

Here are a few essential items to pack when road tripping with a baby.

• A car seat, obviously
• Pack n Play for sleeping
• Stroller (if you find you will need/use it)
• Plenty of diapers (if you run out, you can always buy more at a store)
• Plenty of baby wipes (again, if you run out, you can always buy more at a store)
• Portable changing mat
• First aid kit
• Baby Tyenol and Benadryl (approved by your pediatrician)
• 3 sets of clothes per day
• Swaddle blankets and/or sleep sacks
• Batteries for any toys
• Portable white noise machine
• Baby bottles
• Travel sterlizing bags for bottles
• Bottle soap and brushes
• Travel high chair

How Long Can You Go on a Road Trip with a Baby?

There is no exact number of hours that you can road trip with a baby, but it is highly recommended to give your baby plenty of breaks. Just like adults, our bodies can only take sitting in a car for so long. So imagine how a baby feels.

From personal experience, when our son was 2 – 4 months old, we could only go on 3-hour road trips. From 5 to 12 months old, we have only been able to drive up 8 hours a day. When we would drive 8 hours, the day would get divided into several stops at different cities. So really, it was two, 4-hour drives in one day and even then we had to break that up at times.

To figure out what is best for you and your family, I would practice around your city first, especially if you have been nesting for the first few weeks/months. Start with a short 30 minute to one-hour drive.

Then gradually work towards a 2 – 3 hour day trip. Eventually, you will learn your baby’s road trip habits to plan for a weekend getaway with a 4-5 hour road trip.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 1 – 4 Months)

The first few months of going on a road trip with a baby are the easiest and the toughest because everyone is still learning their roles. On one hand, a baby sleeps the most at this stage, so driving through naps is easier. On the other hand, this might be the most challenging stage because, as first-time parents, we are all just trying to survive, right?

Moreover, I recommend waiting at least two weeks before going on a road trip with a baby because the first few weeks as a parent are the hardest!

Additionally, I went with my pediatrician’s recommendation and waited for our son to receive his vaccines at 2 months before we traveled outside of our city. I would always consult with your pediatrician and do what is best for you and your family.

After we figured out the amount of time we could drive without stopping, this was the easiest and best time to road trip with a baby. Our son would sleep for the majority of the time. We would engage him with black and white toys and books when he wasn’t sleeping.

Here are a few products that I highly recommend for road tripping with a baby between 1 – 4 months old.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 5 – 8 Months)

At this stage in life, if your baby is becoming mobile, independent, and napping less – road tripping with a baby might become a little more complicated. Mainly because you may need to help entertain your baby.

In our experience, once our son became mobile and napped less, we had to entertain him more on road trips. It would require one person to always sit in the backseat to play with him. It also meant stopping more frequently to keep him active and happy.

Furthermore, rotating toys will become essential during this stage because of the developmental leaps. A baby will want to be constantly engaged and challenged. At 5 months, a baby should also start seeing colors well.

Therefore, I recommend these colorful toys for road tripping with a baby between 5 – 8 months old.

Road Trip with a Baby ( 9 – 12 Months)

Road tripping with a baby at 9 – 12 months old may or may not be the most challenging time. It could be the hardest if your baby is mobile, enjoys being active, and just doesn’t like car rides – period. If you’ve been road tripping with your baby for several months, it might just go as smoothly as one could hope.

For us, it was hard, but not that bad. Our son had grown used to traveling and taking road trips. So he would be okay for 3 – 4 hours at a time. Granted, we made an epic 2-week road trip through West Texas and New Mexico. Therefore, we had plenty of overnight stays in fun towns such as Fort Davis and San Angelo with fun activities to keep everyone entertained.

The best way to road trip with a baby between 9 – 12 months old is to keep the baby active and entertained by exciting roadside attractions and pit stop destinations. Let your baby be mobile, and your road trip just might be the most enjoyable family vacation you could ever imagine!

We mostly entertained our son with activities at different destinations along our journey, but here are a few products that I also recommend for road tripping with a baby between 9 – 12 months old.

And that’s a wrap! I hope you have found my guide on road tripping with a baby helpful and insightful. Like all parents, I wish I had all the answers, but my knowledge and experience are all I have. I hope it is enough to help you and your family have successful road trips for many years to come!

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Friday 15th of December 2023

Mind blowing article! I have a 1+ years old baby boy.So this blog will be very helpful for us and every guide is very important for newly parents. Thanks for sharing.

oursweetadventures

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

Aww thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad to hear you found my guide helpful! :)

Katherine Hurt

Sunday 19th of March 2023

Since my baby is 8 months old and we live in San Diego, I appreciate all of your advice. We are preparing to drive to San Francisco so that our baby can meet the family. Many people advised us to travel after the baby has gone to sleep. Then I came across your essay, which has been a huge assistance to us with all of our issues. Many thanks

Aww thank you. I’m glad my post has been helpful to you. I know some say to drive at night when the baby is sleeping, but that never appealed to us. And every baby is different! If you can, I would try a day trip to get some experience. We now have twin babies and the same has applied with them. We drive an hourish before nap and they are out for at least 2 hrs. And have learned that they really can’t do more than 5 hours without getting out of the car for a break. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

Tuesday 7th of June 2022

Thank you for all the tips; my baby is 9 months we live in San Diego and are planning to drive to San Francisco so our baby can meet the family. A lot of people told us drive at night when the baby is sleeping. Then I found your article and help us a lot with all our concerns. Thank you

Wednesday 8th of June 2022

Hi Emma, thank you for your comment. That makes me so happy to hear you found my guide helpful. I hope my tips help you for your family road trip!

27 Best Places to Travel with a Baby (Safe + Baby-Friendly)!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED LINKS. FIND MORE INFO IN MY DISCLAIMER.

Home » 27 Best Places to Travel with a Baby (Safe + Baby-Friendly)!

Are you wondering where to travel with a baby?

Our youngest daughter, Avalee, was just 2.5 months old when we embarked on our very first trip with her. Our first trip with her took us to Bali, Lombok, and the Gili Islands.

After Indonesia, we ventured further afield to Australia and explored Perth and Sydney.

We then set off to Asia visiting Japan and Europe for a big extended road trip that included France, Switzerland, and Italy – all before Avalee had reached her first birthday! As seasoned family travelers (we have 3 children) we’ve learned a lot about what works best when traveling with babies in tow.

With input from other parents who have traveled with their babies too, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to travel with a baby along with practical tips based on our experiences on how to choose the perfect baby-friendly holiday destinations. 

Just because you have a new baby doesn’t mean you have to be stuck at home. Now is a great time to make memories with your little one and travel the world!

It might not always be easy to travel with a baby, but in my opinion, it is always worth any challenges.

Here is a list of the best baby-friendly countries to visit to ensure your trip will run as smoothly as possible.

27 Best Places to Travel with a Baby in the World

Wondering where to travel with your baby?

We love traveling with our baby as we scout out the best places to visit with an infant.

In our opinion, the best countries to visit with a baby in USA, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Italy, and the UK, but you can find more ideas on our list down below.

But first! Sign up for our ‘Wanderlust Storytellers Family Tribe’ newsletter to get loads of helpful information about how to travel with a baby! 

1. Tuscany, Italy

For one of the best holiday destinations with a baby or even older kids, head to beautiful Italy!

Children are adored in this country, and you will find that Italians will often go out of their way to help parents. And expect them, to come to say hello to your little ones too.

Italy is one of the best places to go on holiday with a baby. It is easy to find some beautiful family-friendly accommodation options.

We chose Tuscany for our list because it has plenty of stroller-friendly destinations.

I recommend you choose either Florence or Lucca for a home base. Both cities are great for strollers, although we recommend a stroller with large cushioned wheels to handle bumpy or cobble-stone roads.

Florence has plenty of playgrounds for older babies and toddlers, and the restaurants typically can prepare a small plate for younger kids or a simple pasta dish (when Avie was a toddler, she often had simple pasta and butter).

If you decide on Florence, be sure to have a look at the best neighborhood to stay in Florence .

You can also find many beautiful small towns scattered through Tuscany that will allow you to explore this region of Italy without the masses of tourists.

Recommended attractions in Tuscany that you should see with your baby include the Leaning Tower of Pisa and The Boboli Gardens.

If time permits, you should also visit Capo Sant’Andrea on Elba Island (make sure to take baby beach shoes if you are planning to spend some time on the beach).

Personally speaking, Italy is arguably the best place to travel with baby options for us so far, as well as one of the best baby-friendly travel destinations and baby-friendly countries.

• Bring your baby carrier along, as you will often find stairs at the main attractions in Italy.
• Always have a baby change mat on hand, as change tables in public restrooms are rare.
• You can rent a stroller in Italy, and check out sites such as TravelBaby.It and BabyGuest.com.
• Pre-book your taxi online , that way, you can request a baby car seat for the transfer as well.

Where to Stay in Tuscany with a Baby:

We recommend basing yourselves in either Florence or Lucca (cheaper) and then planning your day trips from there.

Best Place to Stay in Florence with a Baby:

• Best Hotel: For a fantastic stay I would choose  MyFlorenceHoliday Gold Bridge . Their family room includes a cot and high chair and has a kitchen area where you can prepare bottles etc. The hotel is located 100 meters from Ponte Vecchio.
• Best VRBO: I love The Time Machine apartment which is located next to Palazzo Vecchio. It has 2 bedrooms and includes a travel crib, high chair, and dishes & utensils for kids- it also has a lift to the apartment which is on the second level.

Best Place to Stay in Lucca with a Baby:

• Best Hotel: The 4-Star Hotel Ilaria has a triple room that includes a cot. This popular hotel is located in the historic centre of Lucca.

Further Reading:

• Visit Tuscany with Kids (Tips and Information)
• See our full blog post with helpful information about traveling to Italy with a baby
• Watch our Video on YouTube: Italy with a Baby or Toddler .
• Florence with Kids

Wondering where to travel with a baby in Asia?  Japan is one of the best places to travel with an infant in Asia.

This destination is very baby-friendly. You can easily choose from some of these great destinations in Japan perfect for first-timers .

“ Baby Cafes ” located throughout Tokyo have childproof areas and food for mom and dad to purchase.

There are also family rooms throughout (mainly in the larger supermarkets) around, the larger cities where moms can nurse or change their babies.

Baby supplies are available from pharmacies, and let’s not forget how clean the country is (you won’t see rubbish anywhere!).

• Bring your baby carrier along and leave your stroller at home.
• You will typically find beautiful baby rooms in the larger supermarkets.
• Public restrooms should have change tables and a parent-friendly toilet with a baby highchair, so you have somewhere to pop baby while you do your business.
• Choose Airbnb over small hotel rooms.
• For toddlers, we can highly recommend some popular theme parks such as Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan.

READ MORE: See our helpful post on how to visit Japan with a baby

3. London, England

London is one of the best places to travel in Europe with a baby.

This city has parent rooms and changing facilities readily available, making it a great place to visit with a baby.

Many sights can easily be accessed by public transportation or on foot. We love how easy the city is to navigate with a stroller; simply use the   step-free Tube map to navigate the underground with your stroller.

Breastfeeding in public is accepted and considered perfectly normal. Children under five can travel for free on public transport, and there are plenty of family-friend restaurants.

If your bubs is a bit older, he/she might also really enjoy outings to a  baby disco, one of the children ‘s  theatres, the city farms, zoos, or a day out at one of the many parks.

• Top 10 Things to do in London with Kids
• Make sure you download NCT’s Babychange app, which will show you all the baby-changing facilities in your vicinity, and the Wowmum app, which lists baby change areas, as well as child-friendly activities, parks, and more.
• Book your taxi online. Book Taxi London is a reliable website that you can use to quickly and easily book your taxi (you can even select to have a car seat for your little one)!

After one of the most affordable places to visit with your baby?

With rice paddies, waterfalls, beaches, and great people, Bali certainly has it all.

This dreamy vacation is very baby-friendly, and nannies or babysitters are super affordable.  You can also very easily rent baby gear and equipment for super low prices if you need them.

Hotels and resorts will be equipped with baby cots and high chairs, and with a bit of effort, you can also pre-book transfers with baby car seats.

Avoid Kuta and head to more family-friendly areas such as Canggu, Ubud, Legian, Jimbaran, or Nusa Lembongan.

We love to combine some time in Ubud to soak up the peaceful rice paddy atmosphere with some luxury and relaxation at one of the beachside areas such as Canggu or Jimbaran.

Bali might be the best place to travel with a baby for those living in Australia.

• Bring your baby carrier along and leave your stroller behind
• Always have a baby change mat on hand
• Book a cheap nanny to tag along with you on your outings
• Pre-book your transfers if you wish to have a baby car seat
• Don’t forget to bring along your  sun tent for baby , as well as some handy and essential  beach items for baby

5. Tulum, Mexico

One of the best travel destinations with a baby if you are after some beautiful beaches and warm weather. This city can make for a very relaxing vacation.

Many family-friendly beaches and hotels accommodate those traveling with babies, as they often provide cribs and strollers.

If you are wondering if it is safe to travel to Mexico with a baby, you will be glad to know that it is.

What you will need to consider is taking enough baby formula if you are not breastfeeding your little one as the variety of formula available is limited.

If you do use baby formula, make sure to use bottled water when making your baby’s milk.

If you do take a baby stroller, take one that can fold up and will fit easily into any taxi that you may take whilst on holiday.

If you are planning on venturing out and about, a baby carrier is a great choice as you will be hands-free, and is perfect for any hikes are strolls on the beach.

Top places to visit include Sian Ka’an Biosphere and Playa Paraiso.  Mexico offers some of the best baby-friendly travel destinations for those in the USA.

6. Chicago, Illinois

One of the best places to travel to with a baby in the United States is Chicago. This city is so baby friendly making it hands down one of the best cities to travel with a baby and one of the best travel destinations with baby options.

The great thing about Chicago is that it has a ton of baby sights, attractions, and tours to enjoy.

Taking your baby out and about during the day is great for you and the baby and in Chicago, they celebrate that.

The town of Chicago has free stroller tours at some of the area’s major museums, including The Field Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, and The Museum of Contemporary Art.

Besides the museums, you can also visit the Shedd Aquarium and Navy Pier.

If you are explicitly wondering where to travel with a newborn, this would be one of our top picks.

7. Montreal, Canada

After stroller-friendly places to visit with a baby? One of the nice things about Montreal is that it’s very stroller-friendly.

Numerous kid-friendly festivals occur throughout the year. Popular attractions include Jean-Talon Farmer’s Market, Clock Tower Beach, and The Botanical Gardens.

If you visit Montreal outside of these festivals do not worry because there is still lots to do. Experience much of the cultural scene in Montreal by visiting many of the galleries and museums. Kids under 12 can go free to many of these local Montreal attractions.

In summer there are many parks and open green spaces that you can enjoy as a family. Enjoy a picnic and the many playgrounds that can be found in the parks.

Montreal boasts a large variety of baby-friendly and welcoming cafes and restaurants, so when it comes to enjoying a bite to eat, you and your baby can relax.

8. Tasmania, Australia

Definitely, one of the most baby-friendly countries to visit.

Australia is another brilliant country to visit with a baby. While there are many baby-friendly places to travel to in Australia, we love Tasmania.

This Australian state is an excellent destination for children of all ages. You can easily find high chairs in restaurants, which typically have special kids’ menus to keep toddlers happy.

You can easily find all baby supplies in small or large grocery stores. Hotels have cots available (typically free of charge), and destinations are all stroller-friendly.

One of the nice things about Tasmania is that you don’t have to haul a stroller with you on your flight if you don’t want to because plenty of stroller rentals are available.

Many activities here are nature-based, including a visit to the Bay of Fires and Russell Falls. A great activity during the summer months is to head to one of the beautiful sandy beaches for some much-needed relaxation.

9. Wales, United Kingdom

Wales is another one of the best places to travel with a baby in Europe!  People love babies in Wales and will bend backward to ensure you enjoy your time here as much as possible.

Hotels will provide everything from cribs to baby gates and can even recommend babysitting services if you need some alone time. Good places to visit with your baby include Cardiff Castle, Tenby Harbour, and Bodnant Garden.

When you are out and about enjoying the lush Welsh countryside, be sure to take a baby carrier with you.

If you plan to spend more time exploring the Welsh villages and towns, a baby stroller will definitely come in handy. If you can, a stroller that folds up compactly is best as you are guaranteed it will be able to travel in your taxi.

10. San Diego, California

This is one of the most baby-friendly destinations on the list. There are a lot of boardwalks, walking trails, and plenty of beaches.

If you take a stroller with you when you travel to San Diego with a baby, you will be able to move around with ease.

If you are looking for some great baby-friendly activities then a visit to the Birch Aquarium, Mission Beach & Boardwalk, or the San Diego Botanic Garden are all great choices.

Be sure to also make your way to the San Diego Zoo. This huge zoo has so much to see and do and is a huge amount of fun for everyone.

If you visit during warmer months, be sure to pack sunblock and a swimming costume so you can take a dip at the many beaches.

Pack some kids’ beach toys or grab a set from one of the local shops on the boardwalk as all kids love to play in water and sand and most of all build sandcastles.

For kids big and small, head to Legoland which is under an hour’s drive from San Diego. The best part about the rides at Legoland resorts is that they do not have height restrictions so even the shortest of visitors can enjoy the rides when visiting.

Is it any surprise that Hawaii happens to be one of the best places to vacation with a baby? This island is a dream vacation for many due to the many resorts that cater to families.

So it is probably no surprise that Hawaii happens to be one of the best places to vacation with a baby!

If you do not want to explore the island and just need to relax and take it easy, then staying at your beach resort is great as you can lunge around the pool or on the beach.

Head to the beach for some sand and fun and when baby is tired and ready for a nap, the room is only a short walk away. If you want to do an activity that is a bit more strenuous, many of the resorts do offer activities at the resort that you can enjoy.

The best way to get around this island is with a rental car. You will be able to see plenty of amazing sights that will allow you to take unforgettable pictures of yourself and your baby.

Exploring Hawaii by car also means that your baby can take a nap when traveling and not be tired to enjoy the sights.

Baby-friendly places include Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail and Valley of the Temples.

12. Cape Town, South Africa

Not many people associate good places to travel with a baby, including South Africa. However, those who’ve been to Cape Town know it’s one of the best places to visit with a baby or even older kids.

Cape Town is also one of the best cities to visit with a baby because baby facilities are readily available everywhere.

There are plenty of picturesque views and things to do, visiting the penguins, heading out on a boat to see the seals, or having a picnic in a vineyard.

If you want to travel around Cape Town then make sure to rent a car. Many places that you will visit may be an hour or so drive out of the City center.

You do not need to take a car seat with you as many of the car rental companies will be able to offer you car seat rental.

Cape Town is known for its many wine farms. If you think that visiting is not great for kids, you will be pleased to know that many of the wine farms cater to all ages, with most offering children their own version of a “wine-tasting menu “with treats and kids’ drinks.

Nearly everywhere you visit a baby chair will be available to use. Most wine farms have play parks for kids to enjoy with swings, slides, and jungle gyms. If you are traveling with older kids.

Head to one of the many beaches, the most renowned being Camps Bay and enjoy a sunset picnic.

You can find our full guide on how to travel South Africa with a baby here. We visited South Africa with our youngest and two older kids and spent 5 weeks exploring various parts of the country and we loved it!

Further Reading

• Grab some ideas of what to do in Cape Town with kids here.

13. Taipei, Taiwan

Another popular destination for family travelers in Taiwan. This destination is very safe and the people of Taiwan are very welcoming of babies and children.

Many places in Taiwan have mothers’ rooms, similar to those found in Japan, but this city is a great place to travel with a baby because of its many attractions.

Unlike other places, you can easily strap a baby into a stroller and walk around, as the terrain isn’t tough to maneuver making it super easy to get around and explore.

This allows families to see a lot of exciting sights like Longshan Temple or Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

The city of Taipei is exciting and colorful and at night looks a lot like Times Square in New York.

Head to the 101 Building which cannot be missed when you arrive in the city. You can go up this building and it is strongly recommended to buy tickets in advance rather than queuing.

Head out of the city and you will find the Silver Stream Cave which is a temple carved into the rock face behind a stunning waterfall. The nerve-wracking walk-up is definitely worth the trek and be sure to pack a baby carrier for this to make the walk easy.

Belize is one of the most baby and kid-friendly places to visit. It has so many different attractions and activities that everyone can enjoy.

One of the other biggest perks for families visiting here is its affordability.

The country is also English-speaking, so you don’t have to worry about the need to whip out your language translator while trying to balance a baby on your hip.

There are a lot of great places to take your little one in this country, including the Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm and the Mayan Ruins.

If your trip to Belize is to have some downtime and not be out and about too much, be sure to stay at one of the many resorts that offer guests all they need from horseback riding to pools and a health spa.

You can easily find what you need in the stores in Belize however if your baby is drinking formula, it is best to take your own with you as you may not be able to find the same make in Belize.

15. Ecuador

Ecuador may not be the first place you think of when traveling a with baby however you will find that this country is very welcoming of children and is affordable for a family vacation.

Ecuador is one of the best places to visit in South America, so you can’t go wrong with this destination!

The safest way to get around Ecuador is by renting a vehicle. Although there is a lot of public transport like taxis and buses, seatbelts are not always readily available and the maneuvers that the drivers take along the winding roads are quite hair-raising!

When it comes to mealtimes and feeding, you will be pleased to know that breastfeeding is very acceptable and normal. If you need baby formula, this is readily available however you may not find your usual brand.

The terrain is challenging to get around with a stroller, so you will need to use a baby carrier instead. You can even take a backpack carrier as this will be the easiest way to get around and carry your baby.

It’s worth exploring the city as much as possible with your baby as there’s a lot to see. This includes The Otavalo Indigenous Market and the Manabi Coast.

It can get pretty noisy at night too so you may want to bring along something to create white noise. Top tip – book hotels and places to stay that is away from main roads to help reduce the noise at night.

Wondering where to travel with your baby in Greece?

Those who visit Greece can tell pretty quickly that the culture is family-oriented. Often children can eat free at restaurants, stay free at hotels and ride public transportation for free.

While we recommend you leave the cliff-top towns such as Santorini for another year, you could visit many other beautiful destinations in Greece with your baby in tow. 

There are many islands that you can visit in Greece offering you and your baby warm beaches to enjoy like the infamous Mykonos.

Another great place to visit in Greece is Crete and the great thing is that this is not the first place most people think of visiting in Greece.

This makes it a great destination as it is not crowded and Crete also has a range of activities to do with kids.

Greece is also a very safe place to visit so it is a definite for any family vacation. If you want to explore by walking, a stroller may be difficult to use so a baby carrier may be best. Or a stroller with larger wheels will be ok.

Make sure you and your baby visit the Plaka District of Athens and The Castles Of Rhodes.

How To Get Around

Of course, the best way to get around Rhodes is with the locals. Get your local Rhodes taxi here.

And if you are staying in Athens (check out our list of the best hotels with rooftop pools in Athens here ), the best way to get around town is by taxi! Book your taxi here !

• The Best Places to Visit on a Family Holiday To Crete
• Where to visit in Greece for first-timers

17. Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is full of incredible sights to explore; it would be a shame not to discover the elegant harbors because you have a baby. Instead, Stockholm is one of the best places to travel with a baby.

One of the best things about Stockholm is that you can walk almost everywhere. It is an incredibly safe city and is the perfect size for a family to explore.

Sweden is one of the best places in Europe to visit with kids , because there are plenty of age-appropriate entertainment spots, such as;

• Old Town – the quaint part of town with fantastic toy stores
• Vasparken – a massive park with a lovely playground
• Skansen – a giant ocean-air museum and zoo

It is a legal requirement for all city buses to ensure space for wheelchairs for disabled people and prams for children. This makes it easy to get around if you push a stroller.

A trip to Stockholm is one of the best baby-friendly vacations you can plan.

Tip: One of the best ways to check out Stockholm is from the water. Take a look at our list of best Stockholm boat tours here.

The USA is one of the best baby-friendly vacation spots in the world. There are so many different places in the USA that it is a hard choice of where to go when visiting the USA with a baby and young children.

Washington, DC, is such a vibrant, beautiful city, and it promises to be a memorable and enjoyable experience for the whole family. It is an icon of democracy, full of history and progressive happenings.

There is so much to see and do – a lot of which is free. The best time to visit Washington, DC, with your baby is during spring (March to May), as the temperature is pleasant, with the pink cherry blossoms blooming around early April.

Avoid July and August, which can get uncomfortably hot and cause your baby to fuss.

The city has an excellent public transport system, making getting around easy. While the law doesn’t require car seats for cabs, you can pre-request one for a taxi or Uber.

Florida is another great place to visit and has so many family-friendly resorts to choose from. Florida is well known for all the amusement parks for toddlers such as Disney World, Magic Kingdom Park, etc.

Your young children and even baby will love the splash pads inside Magic Kingdom

Take a trip to Utah to see Zion National Park. There are short hikes inside the park which will be enjoyable for the whole family.

If you do decide to hike in Zion National Park, make sure to take a baby hiking carrier. Find more tips for visiting Zion National Park with kids here.

The same applies if you visit Colorado and the Rocky Mountain National Park.

North Carolina has many fun activities for the family. There is the North Carolina Zoo which is bound to make your little one smile.

Spend a night or two under the stars in the Uwharrie National Forest. There are many activities that you can do from swimming to fishing and boating. Make sure that you put safety first and use life vests for water sports and activities.

If you happen to travel to New York, make sure to take a stroll around central park. It is perfect for walking with a baby stroller or baby carrier.

19. Reykjavik, Iceland

Due to the chilly temperatures, Reykjavik and the rest of Iceland are often overlooked when deciding where to travel with a baby.

However, the city is breathtakingly beautiful, and if you bundle up your baby, you can enjoy the Northern Lights, geothermal hot springs, and fascinating history without the fuss!

Boasting surreal landscapes and fascinating natural phenomena, your little one may be lucky enough to capture a memory.

Reykjavik is fast becoming a trendy tourist destination, so there have been increased tour options. Many of these tours are family-friendly and remove all the fuss when planning your trip.

Make sure you pack in a few extra warm goodies, and you and your baby are good to go.

20. Runaway Bay, Jamaica

Jamaica is known as a paradise getaway, and no reason having a baby should change this experience. Runaway Island in Jamaica prioritizes an atmosphere of relaxation and is one of the top places to travel with a baby.

As a fabulous family vacation destination, Runaway Bay boasts many villas, resorts, and accommodation options focused on the family. Many of these resorts offer family-sized rooms that can comfortably sleep up to three children.

Many of these resorts also help arrange the services of a nanny or babysitter to help you better relax on the beach. Some resorts even have a baby club where trusted employees mind your child during nap time.

If we can give you one little piece of advice, it’s to pack a lot of sunblock (keeping in mind that babies under six months can’t use sunblock). Chances are, your little one will enjoy the sun, sand, and clear waters as much as you.

21. Cascais, Portugal

Cascais is a quaint village in Portugal full of culture, history, and, most importantly, families. The laid-back destination promises one of the best vacations with infants possible.

There is a tangible warmth in the air reflected in the locals’ cheery expressions, and it is sure to be a holiday you will never forget.

If you don’t choose to push your stroller on the wide, open streets, you can be comforted that child seats in taxis are not mandatory, making taxi cabs easily accessible.

There is a wide selection of parks, calm beaches, and historical sites to explore. One thing to remember is that the rich traditions in the seaside village mean that local restaurants don’t necessarily serve chicken nuggets and the like.

However, if your baby wants to venture from their formula, you can rest assured that the local food isn’t particularly spicy and generally quite soft.

22. Vail, Colorado

Vail, Colorado, is one of the best places to travel with a baby.

The breathtaking images of gorgeous mountains, vast open spaces, and reflecting lakes may make you think Vail is better suited to adults; however, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.

There is an entire baby brand named ‘Travel Vail Baby’, which serves as proof of how excellent the destination is for infant-friendly vacations.

The baby and toddler equipment rental company provides cribs, strollers, high chairs, hiking backpacks, and bouncy seats (among many other items) to help parents enjoy Vail’s jagged peaks and slopes.

When ascending to higher altitudes, your baby should be fine, as babies older than three months old adjust to altitude much better than adults.

Handy Tip: The Vail Public Library has incredibly fun baby storytime!

23. Barcelona, Spain

A trip to Barcelona with your baby is a sure way to begin stimulating their creativity from a young age.

From the eccentric design of the Gaudi buildings to the intricate stained glass windows of the cathedrals, your baby will be so busy absorbing the environment that they’ll have little time to cry.

If you want to make the most of your time in Barcelona, travel in the summer when you can enjoy the multiple parks and outdoors. Babies are often happier and more relaxed when moving about.

With so many sights and attractions, you can be sure your little one will be happy as a clam.

Top tip: Make sure to pack a sling or baby carrier. The streets in Barcelona are cobbled, and the bumps could make your baby uncomfortable.

24. Nice, France

Nice is a romantic and magical destination filled with bustling alleyways, quaint little shops, and outdoor restaurants.

One of the best parts about traveling to Nice, France, with a baby is the excellent promenade which offers surreal views while pushing a buggy.

As Nice is such a popular tourist destination, you’ll find that the hospitality industry accommodates babies.

From heating bottles to providing changing facilities, you can visit Nice quickly without any baby hassles.

The French Riviera offers sun, sea, and delectable food; it would be a shame to miss out on this. The charming city is easy to travel to with a baby, especially if you follow our tips on how to travel through France with a baby .

25. Seoul, South Korea

Seoul is one of the most accessible places to visit with a baby. The cosmopolitan city has a lot to offer the entire family and caters to its attractions.

In addition to fantastic shopping, music, and food experiences, there are a lot of free and budget attractions to enjoy.

Seoul has plenty of indoor playgrounds, known as Kids’ cafes that are great for toddlers under two years old. These are a great option during the extreme seasons when the weather can be icy or uncomfortably hot.

The city’s very efficient public transportation system and a wide variety of family-friendly accommodation options make day-to-day living in Seoul very easy.

If you prefer to walk, you’ll be pleased to know that Seoul is also fairly stroller friendly.

One piece of advice is to not breastfeed in public. The Koreans don’t make a habit of the practice, so choosing to do so will attract unwanted attention.

Although there are baby nursing stations in larger subway stations, department stores, and restaurants.

26. Dublin, Ireland

Ireland, is probably the most friendly country in Europe , and is such a baby-friendly country to visit!

Dublin City and the rolling green hills surrounding the area are on the top of many people’s bucket lists – for a good reason.

There is a stunning culture of friendliness in the city, and the beautiful design of the city mimics the breathtaking landscapes on the outskirts.

Dublin is well-supplied with formula, food, nappies, and clothing for your little one. Most restaurants will go as far as to prepare a bowl for your child and offer high chairs and baby-changing facilities.

Getting around Dublin is very easy. In addition to speaking English, the city is also easy to navigate, and baby car seats are available for a small additional cost. There is even a child-friendly taxi service .

There are many baby-friendly activities to discover in the city, including live Irish music performances.

Be aware that Dublin has quite a vibrant pub culture, and while children are allowed in the pubs and bars during the day, they are not legally allowed entry after 9 pm.

27. Thailand

Thailand is such a great destination to travel with a baby as it is so baby friendly. We love traveling to Thailand and have done it many times with our daughter when she was a baby and a toddler.

The Thai people and culture are so welcoming it makes this country a perfect destination for families who want to travel to a beach destination with a baby.

Another perk is that there are quite a few 4+ star hotels that are more than willing to accommodate your baby’s needs.

Many of them include indoor pools and even water parks. If you are after great cultural travel destinations with a baby, you can’t look further than Thailand. Here is a list of the best resorts on Koh Samui for families .

Some of the best places and great destinations to travel with a baby in Thailand are Khao Lak, Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Samui .

How to Choose Infant-Friendly Holiday Destinations

Wondering how to choose the best place to travel with an infant? Find below some of our requirements when we decide where to travel next.

1. Is the Transportation Safe?

An important consideration when we choose holiday destinations with our baby is whether transportation will be safe for our little one.

For example, you might consider whether taxis and private transfers offer infant travel car seats. 

If they don’t, it might be best if you rent a car and add a child car seat onto the rental costs, or you might prefer to bring your own – find a post on the best infant travel car seats to travel with here.

(However, it is essential to check if your car seat can be adequately secured in a different country as they all have different systems to install car seats).

How safe are these to use if you plan to take public transport? Some countries are crazy when it comes to driving.

Think about what you are comfortable with and choose the best vacation that ticks your boxes.

2. Is the Climate Baby-Friendly?

Look at the average temperatures and how much rain the destination will get at the time of year you plan to visit.

We made the mistake of traveling to Asia during their hot season, and our baby developed a heat rash from the constant heat; it made life more challenging than it needed to be as she was unhappy and pretty grumpy.

We also went to Japan when it was freezing, and it was tricky to keep our little baby warm and snug in the temperature.

3. Keep Travel Time Short

Keep flight time as short as you can. It is much easier to fly with a newborn who sleeps a lot, in comparison to a baby who has just become mobile.

It might be a good idea to pick infant-friendly travel destinations closer to home.

An 8-hour flight overseas might be okay, but a 15-hour long-haul flight will be much more challenging (If you are traveling long-haul, you might appreciate our long-haul flight checking list for babies ).

So while we list baby-friendly holidays from around the world in our list below, it will be essential to consider the ones closer to your home.

Also, think about how long your transfers are once you land, and keep your travel days nice and short so that there is plenty of downtime for your baby.

4. Which Countries Are Safe?

The best countries to travel to with a baby are the ones that are safe for little kids. Have a look to see if there is any unrest in the destination you will be visiting.

Look at which vaccines you might have to get (and whether your baby can even get them).

It might be best to avoid rural and remote areas of a country until your baby is a bit older.

We visited Bali when our daughter was only six weeks old, but we stayed clear of the monkey forests and spent a lot more time on hotel grounds than we would typically have done to keep the trip safe for her.

5. Consider Health Care

Think about the amenities and healthcare facilities you would typically be comfortable with at home.

Are there good hospitals, and will the medical staff be able to understand you?

6. Baby Facilities

Another thing that will make traveling with a baby easier is choosing a destination with baby facilities readily available.

Can you find hotels that have baby cots available? You might prefer to travel with a crib; you can find our top recommendations for a lightweight travel crib here.

Are high chairs available in restaurants, and are there baby change rooms?

If not, you can always travel with your own high chair – find a post on the best high chair for travel here.

You can also find a list of all our recommendations for baby travel gear to make your life easier while on holiday here.

Consider how easy it will be to purchase baby diapers, formulae, baby food, or baby medication.

If you have to travel with baby food, you can find a post about TSA baby food and formulae rules here.

Also, think about your baby’s age; the best places to travel with a newborn will not be the same as the best places to travel with a 1-year-old, because a 1-year-old is mobile.

If your baby is at the age where they are eating and drinking water, it is also essential to consider how safe the water and food are to eat in the country you are visiting.

Hopefully, all the tips above are helpful and will guide you to choose one of the best baby-friendly holiday destinations from our guide below.

Jolene’s Pro Tips for Traveling with an Infant

• Do it your way: People seem to think that if you go somewhere and you stay in your resort you are doing it wrong! But there is nothing wrong with a holiday with your baby where you do nothing but stay on the resort grounds.
• Have plenty of time to rest: Everything needs to happen slower when you travel with a baby. Plan to have only half days of exploring and half a day to relax, plan to have relax days after big travel days.
• Stay longer in one hotel: Our baby took a few days to adjust to a new hotel/crib. Which meant we had a few rough nights before she settled back into sleeping better. So we learned to stay in one spot for at least 5+ nights.
• Beach vs City trips: We personally found it much easier to go on a beach vacation in comparison to exploring towns and cities in a country. Life moves slower on islands and so that is where we prefer to be with our baby.
• What works for someone else might not work for you: Babies are all different, just because someone else had an incredible road trip holiday with their baby, does not mean your road trip will go smoothly. Our baby hated the car and the stroller, so road trips or days exploring all day long in a stroller were not fun for anyone!

Final Thoughts On The Best Places To Vacation With A Baby

So hopefully, if you have been wondering where to travel with an infant, you have made a list of the best holiday destinations with a baby you would love to visit.

The best destination with a baby will be different for each of us as it depends on your current location, as well as what sort of current baby ‘comforts’ you might be used to.

Most parents feel most comfortable when they choose destinations that offer the same level of baby care as the country where they live.

Ultimately you can travel anywhere in the world with a baby; after all, babies are born in each country worldwide.

But the most comfortable holiday where you will be less stressed out will be the country that matches your current baby’s facilities, amenities, and healthcare standards.

And as a last resort, go with your gut instinct. If the destination doesn’t feel right, it might be best to leave it until your child is older.

• Wondering what to take along on your trip? Here is our guide to handy travel accessories for baby that you should take on your holiday.
• First time flying with your baby? Grab our top tips on how to survive your flight with an infant .
• Wondering whether you should take a car seat on your flight? Here is a handy guide to help you decide .

Leave us a Comment:

• Which of these destinations on our best countries to travel with a baby list do you want to see the most?
• Can you add other best places to holiday with a baby?

Jolene Ejmont

20 thoughts on “27 best places to travel with a baby (safe + baby-friendly)”.

Hi, totally understand where you are coming from, but we visited Bali, Lombok and Gili Islands with our 2-month-old baby and her normal vaccines that she needs to get anyways was sufficient to keep her safe. And that was on doctor’s advice. We have also just visited Vietnam (she is 2 now) and again her normal routine vaccines was enough for her to go. Always best to choose a destination that you are comfortable visiting though and make sure you pop into your travel doctor for advice as well.

I would add Reykjavik

Oh Great tip Ana! Can you tell me why you found it baby friendly? 🙂

I love this! You guys have had some pretty awesome places – all the pictures are simply beautiful. That has to be one of the most memorable, not many people get to say that they have accomplished that! Great Job! and one more question How difficult is it to travel with a 2 month old baby?

A 2-month-old is EASY 🙂 They sleep a lot, they fall asleep anywhere and when they cry you can breastfeed. The hard months arrive once a baby is mobile.

Very interesting article about traveling of the baby. The traveling helps a baby to grow their physical and mental health. Baby strollers and prams are essential things during travel. Thank you for your well-written article.

Thanks for your comment Donna. Do you have a favorite destination that you love visiting with your baby?

I love to travel with my baby. Very interesting & informative post. Just lovely. Thanks a lot for sharing.

We traveled with our 7 month old to Florence and Tuscany and had an amazing time. People are incredibly friendly and helpful. If you get an Airbnb be careful for stairs!

Hi Matt, we love Italy because Italians love our kids! 🙂 We are actually heading to Italy for a 13 week trip early in 2019 – so excited!! Great tip with the stairs, I think it is important to ask that question in all European countries.

Great article. Thanks for sharing this post about best places to travel with baby. It’s very informative and helpful.

Korea is also really great for young children. Lots of kids’ cafes, people love children, most people in the big cities speak at least some English, safe, clean and quite cheap (compared to Japan).

Autumn (September/October) is the best time to come, summer is too hot, winter is too cold and there is often dirty air in spring. The autumn leaves are beautiful and sky is usually blue. The best area to visit is Gangwondo, to the north east.

Thanks for all those wonderful tips 🙂

I would suggest Portugal as well. People there love babies. If you’re pregnant or have a baby you have priority anywhere, from the queue at the supermarket to being seated at a restaurant. The country is beautiful, especially if you don’t just stay in the hyper touristy places like Algarve. Alentejo has great beaches and skies that go on forever and the further up North you go the cheaper it is, with some great hidden gems for both culture and nature.

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing and for giving some info on why you found it to be perfect for babies! We have actually had a few recommendations of Portugal, so might have to add it to the list 🙂

Jolene thank you for your list, we waiting for our baby and looking forward to starting travel with our boy.

Glad you like the info. Hope you have a great time once you can travel again 🙂 All best.

Thank you for the comment. Much appreciated it!

Thank you for the comment

Hi! Great post! Where would you recommend to travel with a 6 month old in December (internationally)? We would like the weather to be around 70F if possible as we are traveling from Minnesota and crave warmer weather in the winter months. Thanks!

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Taking A Road Trip With Baby: Checklist + Packing List

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Taking A Road Trip With Baby

Based on my travel experience with a 4-month-old baby (over 26h drive).

Whether the pandemic ruined your plans of family travels by plane or a car would have been your transportation of choice anyway, taking a road trip with your baby for the first time might make you feel a little anxious or hesitant if you should do it at all. As a first-time mama, I found that it raises many questions, the same way anything does, that you do with your baby for the first time. Reading about someone else’s experience can give you great insight. Moreover, you can hopefully get some of your questions answered and feel more confident and prepared for your own journey.

ROAD TRIPPING WITH A BABY

F ir st things first. you might be wondering when you can take your newborn baby for a first car ride in general.

Well, as soon as YOU are ready. However, it is best to wait until your baby’s immune system is better developed.

Before you embark on a long journey it’s best to first take short trips with your baby, just to see how they feel and behave. Do they fall asleep easily while driving or are they more cranky? Do they overheat easily in their car seat? Those and many more are questions you want to have answers to before taking a long road trip.

But like I’ve said, you, mama, gotta be ready first. Postpartum is no joke. Even if you feel better after a few weeks or months, you still need to take extra care of yourself and that might not be possible if you’re stuck in the car for too long.

Depending on your and baby’s health as well as baby’s age, I suggest you consult your traveling plans with your gynecologist, pediatrician, or midwife to make sure you’re both set to go. Hearing from my health care providers that they think we’re both ready to travel as well as getting to know their stories of how they traveled with their babies early on, really put me at ease.

So now that you’ve decided you’re ready for your first road trip with your baby , how can you best prepare for it? What should you pack? What are some top tips to successfully travel by car with a baby? Well, let’s dive right into all those aspects now.

Top 7 Tips For A Successful Road Trip With Baby How to prepare your mind and what to do before embarking on the journey

Let’s start with preparing the mind, adjusting your expectations and your attitude. My top tips to successfully travel by car with a baby are all about what you can do beforehand to feel as calm and as confident as possible. This can mean a variety of things, you can inter alia:

1. Talk to your healthcare providers

Like I’ve said before, this can definitely boost your confidence and put you at ease. Moreover, you’ll find out if there’s anything extra healthwise you or your baby should do before or while traveling. In my case, we were traveling in hot weather and I was breastfeeding so it was good to know that I will feed my baby more often, but that I don’t need to (or even shouldn’t) give my baby any extra water. That’s something my lactation consultant explained to me.

It’s little things like that, which are good to know ahead of time and worth talking about to a professional instead of googling answers in panic during your trip, when in doubt.

2. Make a solid packing list

This will of course depend on where you’re going, what’s the weather like, what you plan on doing on the way, and so on. For my recommendations and travel essentials check the next section of this post.

GET YOUR FREE PRINTABLE PACKING LIST!

Click the link below to open your free PDF in a new tab!

Road Trip With Baby Packing List

3. C ollect all the needed documents

(seems like a no-brainer, however, i know first-hand how it is to have so much on your mind while being exhausted that you forget or simply overlook some basic things).

Depending on where you’ll be traveling to, make sure you have all the needed documents plus double-check if they’re still valid. Have a copy of your baby’s birth certificate with you or request a kid’s ID, a passport, etc. if needed. And don’t forget the car documents.

4. Get your car checked and make sure baby’s car seat is properly installed

5. Have realistic (or no) expectations as far as the duration of your trip – plan a lot of stops

You know that you don’t know how everything will go. How your baby will feel, how often you’ll have to change the diaper, feed your baby plus it’s not optimal for your child to be in the car seat for long stretches of time.

So make sure to take your baby out quite often, get some fresh air and hold them as well as let them lay down or even take some naps in between on a flat, firm surface. This can be in your car (we traveled with a van, so that was super convenient), or if you really have a long way to go make sure you book some hotels on the way so that your baby (and you) can get some proper sleep.

To find out more about car seat safety and about letting your baby travel in a car seat for long periods of time check out this page .

6. Take short trips with baby first, before embarking on a longer journey

I’ve mentioned this before, but it really is super important and can help you be so much better prepared.

For us, we’ve noticed that our son gets really warm, really fast in the car seat and as a result, sweats a lot. Which, by the way, after talking to some friends about it, seems to be a very common struggle. But knowing this helped us to be better prepared. We lined the seat with a cotton (burp) cloth to help absorb the moisture and kept changing it for a fresh, dry one at every stop to make sure our baby is more comfortable.

The same goes for clothing. We knew we had to dress him in light clothing and we had plenty of clothes ready to change him into as well, in order to keep him dry and happy.

Moreover, knowing he gets warm so easily we made sure to have a digital thermometer at hand to ensure his temperature is okay. Trust me, this saved mama from a lot of unnecessary stress and overthinking.

7. In these times – check current Covid-related regulations of places you’re traveling through and to

This might also mean you have to get vaccinated, if you haven’t already, or take a PCR/antigen test, as well as fill out online forms.

To check current regulations I recommend visiting the following websites:

x Trip , which covers Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, Africa, and South America.

The website lets you put in the countries you are traveling “from” and “to”, stating what the rules are to enter a particular country as well as to return to the country you’ve originally traveled from. What is more, you can choose to track policy changes for a particular search.

There is also a map showing you right away which countries have no restrictions, where entering and traveling is partially prohibited and where entry is prohibited.

Moreover, there is an app version of the website, which might be very convenient while already on the road.

x For Europe specifically I recommend the website or app Re-open EU

You can choose if you want to check a specific country’s regulations only or search travel rules “from” – “to” specific European countries.

What I like about this app is that when you look up a particular country it gives you a great overview of everything you might want to know, so you can get all the information that is specific to your trip.

You can find out inter alia what are the rules: x to enter a particular country from an EU Member State or Schengen Associated country x to enter with the EU Digital COVID certificate x to enter without the EU Digital COVID certificate or with a certificate not compliant with national requirements x to enter from outside an EU Member State or Schengen Associated country

You will also get answers to the following questions: x may I transit this country? (by air/by land)` x may I fly to this country?

Moreover, what are the countries measures as far as: the usage of facemasks, physical distancing, indoor, and outdoor meetings, public or private gatherings and events, safety measures for public transportation as well as what about places of worship, non-essential (other than medicine and food) shops, tourist accommodations, catering establishments, cinemas, museums and indoor attractions, personal care services, outdoor areas, and beaches. Furthermore, what are the quarantine-related regulations? On top of that, there is information about the current health situation of the country you’re interested in traveling to.

Travel Essentials For A Road Trip With Baby

– packing list –.

Your detailed packing list will of course depend on where you are going, what the weather will be like, how long you will be driving for, and so on and so forth. Therefore, I must say I’m really not a fan of those packing lists that some people share which are telling you specifically how many, for instance, items of clothing you should pack for your baby and what those should be. This will differ from baby to baby, from trip to trip. However, there are certain things that might be considered travel essentials and certain things parents recommend, which can be super helpful to be reminded of. Here’s what I’d recommend besides the obvious like clothes, blankets, or water:

x well-stocked diaper bag x back seat car organizer/storage with essentials such as extra burp cloths, socks, wet wipes, and so on x changing pad that you can use in the car x digital thermometer x baby’s medicine just in case (paracetamol in case of a fever; make sure to store it properly!) x baby’s vitamins if they’re supposed to take any

x physiological saline solution and sterile gauze in case you’ll have to clean baby’s eyes or nose x mama’s vitamins x documents: ID’s, passports, drivers license, car papers, Covid vaccination certificate/ PCR test results, a copy of baby’s birth certificate x burp cloths to put in baby’s car seat in order to absorb sweat (I’ve seen special anti-sweat car seat covers, however only for bigger kids) x change of clothes at hand x mosquito net x sleeping bag x wet wipes as well as hand sanitizer for you x nursing-friendly clothes, a change of clothes and bras for you plus bra pads x trash bags for diapers x a separate bag for dirty/wet baby clothes, burp cloths, etc. x breast pump and nipple cream (even if you don’t usually have to use it, better safe than sorry) x first aid kit x stroller (you might want to check out the best stroller accessories that will make your life easier ) x sling/wrap x bouncer/rocker x car sunshades x small ventilator if you don’t want to use the AC with baby in the car

I want to note that we traveled with our baby when he was 4 months old, meaning he didn’t eat solids yet and I was exclusively breastfeeding, so there will be other things you’ll need depending on what and how you’re feeding your baby. 

I hope you found this post insightful and feel better prepared as well as more confident about taking your first road trip with your baby. 

Safe Travels! 

This post was all about taking a road trip with baby and traveling with baby for the first time. 

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Road Trip with Baby: How to Survive Long Car Rides

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Our oldest child logged more miles in the car his first few months of life than I can even begin to count.  I’ll thank our family and friends all over the eastern part of the United States for that! A road trip with baby requires a lot flexibility, especially given that the car ride can change so much during each stage of your baby’s life. A road trip with a newborn is MUCH different than a road trip with an 8 month old baby, for example.

With some advanced planning and trial and error, road trips with babies do get easier! Below is a rundown of our best tips and products for surviving long car rides with baby.

Disclaimer: Toddling Traveler participates in the Amazon Affiliate program and other affiliate programs. That means we may earn a commission qualifying purchases through our links, at no cost to you.

Road Trip Tips for Long Car Rides with a Baby

We learned a lot about drives with a baby after all the miles we logged in that first year. (And some things were definitely learned the hard way!) Below are a handful of our best tips for road trips with a baby after many long drives with two kids.

1. Accept that a road trip with a baby is going to take you longer

I typically estimate about a 30 minute stop for every 2.5 hours of driving.  There have been times, however, that I stopped every 2 hours (or even more.) Given the differences in mobility and sleep, a road trip with a 6 week old baby is going to be very different than a road trip with a 6 month old baby. When my son was in that 6-12 month stage, road trips were a little more difficult and often required more stops to allow him to stretch out.

Bottom line, give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination safely and comfortably!

2. Pack as much of the car as you can the night before your road trip with baby

Whether you’re leaving at 5am or 5pm, try to pack the car ahead of time to minimize stress the day you’re leaving for your trip. Ideally, I try to have everything in the car but the diaper bag and cooler well before our departure time. That usually means packing the car the night before for early departures.

The last thing you want to do is to have to jam a week’s worth of stuff into your car while trying to hold the baby or wrangle older siblings. (Especially since there will be times when just walking out the door is a feat in itself.)

3. Try to sync up long drives with your baby’s sleeping schedule

When my oldest was only a few months old, it worked best for us to leave early in the morning. He was taking several naps and would fall back asleep in the car, making road trips with a 1 month old baby and up to about 4 months pretty easy. As he got a little older and was more mobile, he was the most active early in the morning. That meant we had to adjust our approach and leave a little later to coordinate drives with his nap schedule. (Or just be super effective at keeping him entertained first thing in the morning!) This was also the case for our second child.

For really long drives, splitting the drive up also works well. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to stay overnight. Just stopping for an hour or two to stretch and get a change of scenery works well too. Especially when babies start to become mobile and need to get those wiggles out.

For those moms or dads to-be, I don’t want to give you a false impression that every single baby sleeps well in a car. We were lucky with our son in that he always slept in the car at some point during the drive, but you might need try out different approaches to get this right.

4. Pack extra snacks and meals for road trips

Once babies are starting to get into the solids phase, you’re likely going to be bringing a lot of their food from home. For snacks that travel well, we love teething wafers or puffs . We also loved snack catching cups as our son got older and started eating snacks more independently. They’re a lifesaver with preventing snacks from getting dumped all over the keep your car by your little ones!

While we like fruit and veggie pouches for easy on-the-go nutrition, I don’t recommend them for car rides. Speaking from experience, they can make a mess unless you have someone in the backseat to help.

Be sure to also have more food and milk/formula on hand than you think you need. You never know when you’ll get stuck in traffic or your drive will take longer than planned.

5. Bring different forms of entertainment for the car

Babies can easily get bored looking at the same thing for ours on end. (And so can adults, for that matter!) Regardless of their age, proactively keeping your baby entertained in the car definitely helps minimize the fussing.

Screen time is one form of entertainment many parents use in the car with babies or toddlers. We don’t typically use iPads or Kindles at home, so they’ve always been a special treat for long drives or flights. Our favorite device for kids is the Kindle Fire along with a Kindle Fire tablet case for kids . We also have this tablet holder for car that hooks onto the headrest and can be used for a rear or front facing car seat. If you’re planning to use screen time in the car with baby, I recommend using other forms of entertainment first and keep the tablet for playing learning shows like Miss Rachel when they get really restless.

A few of our favorite toys for a road trip with baby are below.

• A sensory   toy that’s multifaceted like  this one .   It also has rings, a teether, a mirror, a rattle as well as multiple sounds and textures.  
• The  Wubbanub Pacifier is great, even if your baby doesn’t take a pacifier. It was a lifesaver on our road trip home from Omaha with a newborn when we weren’t able to stop and feed our son right away.  
• A stuffed animal or lovey is great to give them comfort and something to grasp.
• When your baby starts teething, bring several teether options. Both for back up when they drop them and to switch it up with something new. Some of our favorite tethers are Nubby Chewy Rings , the Chicken Wing Appeteether and the Banana Toothbrush Teether .
• If another adult is able to be in the backseat, you can bring books to read to them. Check out our page on travel books for children for more ideas.
• As your baby gets closer to 1 year old, sticker books are a great toddler road trip activity with adult assistance.

Related Post: 10 Baby and Toddler Toys for Travel Under $10

6. Make sure you can access an open seat in the car

When driving for long periods of time, I’ve found that the car often becomes ground zero for anything you need to do to take care of the baby.   For this reason, it definitely helps if you leave the backseat next to your baby open.  (This gets a little tougher when you have other kids in the car, but it’s helpful for new parents trying to navigate everything.) Whether you need to go back and check on the baby or quickly change a dirty diaper, that extra space is key!

As a breastfeeding mom, I also felt more comfortable nursing from my car with it parked in the corner of the parking lot versus trying to manage it inside a rest stop.  This is totally a matter of personal preference, and I admire anyone who can breastfeed anywhere!

7. Know where the rest stops are for those frequent stops

If you have a navigation or app that shows where the rest stops are, use it! Knowing how many miles away the rest stops are is super helpful when trying to time out feedings and diaper changes in the car.  

Have to stop when there’s no rest stop near you? Many toll roads and major highways have emergency rest stops.  I found these to be especially helpful when I was driving by myself. There were quite a few times that my son became hysterical, and I had to stop either comfort him, feed him or change his diaper. (Hence, why the prior tip on leaving an open car seat comes in handy!)

If your child is just starting to become more mobile, try to use rest stops to help them stretch out and move around as well. Sitting in a car that long is hard enough for adults, much less babies who just want to move and don’t understand why they can’t.

8. Try to bring reinforcements when you’re tackling a long car ride with baby

I’ve probably done as many road trips with my son solo as I have with someone else in the car. For obvious reasons, it’s much easier to get through the long drive with a baby when you have someone to help you. You can actually check on the baby without hanging to pull over. And rest stops are easier to tackle since you can split up getting guess, using the restroom and taking care of the baby.

9. Ziplock bags are your friend

I never leave the house without Ziplock bags when traveling with a baby, whether I’m road tripping or not. You can use Ziplock bags for dirty clothes and diapers, snacks, other trash that you don’t want to stink up the car. We usually have some in the diaper bag, and they’re small enough that you can keep a few large Ziplock bags in the glove compartment or other car storage just in case.

10. Stay focused on the road when you have a baby on board

This one may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get distracted when driving with a baby. As a multi-tasker at heart, it’s tough for me not to feel like I’m super woman and can focus on the road while simultaneously singing to my son and picking up that sippy cup I swear he tried to throw at me.

I’m constantly having to remind myself of this and will often stop to pull over in a safe spot if I need to check on something for peace of mind. It’s much better and safer than trying to do it all from the driver’s seat.

5 Must Have Products for a Car Ride with a Baby

In addition to the above-mentioned items, below are some things we swear by for your road trip with baby packing list. For any moms-to-be out there, I definitely recommend planning ahead and considering these items for your baby registry.  

1. Baby Mirror

A baby car mirror was critical for us for both safety and peace of mind for car rides of any length. We relied pretty heavily on these to see our son when he was rear facing. The mirror especially comes in handy if you’re doing a solo road trip with a baby. It makes it much easier to check if they’re sleeping, crying or throwing their toy for the millionth time when you don’t have a co-pilot to help.  

We have this backseat car mirror . I love that it’s big enough to see the baby’s entire body, and it’s easy to install and adjust when needed.

2. Car Sunshades 

Our son HATES the sun in his eyes, especially in the car. While our newer car came with sunshades, our prior car when we first had our son did not. These white-hot car safety shades are perfect. Not only do they have an indicator that shows if the car is too hot, but they also retract easily. Every car is different, so make sure you measure your car windows to ensure you’re getting adequate coverage for your window size. I’d recommend avoiding the stick-on car shades that fold up, since they easily fall off.

As your little one gets older, baby sunglasses are a great option if they’ll keep them on for the car. You can find the best baby sunglasses here .

3. Small Cooler

A cooler is critical for any road trip, but especially with a baby when you can’t easily get drinks and snacks for them at a rest stop.

We bought this freezable lunch bag cooler after it was recommended by a friend.  The bag itself freezes, and it can keep the contents cold without a separate freezer pack It also easily folds up when you’re not using it.  It’s the perfect size to keep a couple bottles and snacks cold for that long car ride. And it’s also great for milk on a plane ride with a baby or traveling without baby while breastfeeding .

Looking for a larger cooler for car rides? This soft-sided cooler is large enough for several drinks and food. Plus, it’s foldable and easy to pack away when not using it.

4. Hands-free diaper bag

This probably seems too obvious, but the hands-free part is key when making those pit stops while juggling a baby. I have this diaper bag that I wear like a cross body diaper bag. (Although sadly the champagne color I have is discontinued.) I also have this diaper bag backpack that we use periodically.

In addition to the multiple pockets, a changing pad that comes out separately and velcros shut is also a necessity. You will definitely want something that can easily be washed after multiple uses on those dirty roadside changing tables.

5. Light blanket

Whether in the car or just pushing the stroller, we almost always had a thin muslin blanket on our son’s lap. Not only does it help make sure baby is warm enough in the car, but it also gives them something to grab onto for comfort. We love muslin baby blankets because they serve a number of purposes and are light, breathable and easy to pack.  

Target also sells a similar, less expensive set of muslin baby blankets that we’ve used as well.

Do you have any additional tips for long car rides with a baby? Please share in the comments!

Related Posts:

• 9 Baby Travel Essentials + Packing List
• 6 Toddler Road Trip Tips
• 12 Reasons to Travel with a Baby or Toddler

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19 thoughts on “Road Trip with Baby: How to Survive Long Car Rides”

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I love you tips.Thanks for putting this together I will pin for later to have it handy then I travel next time.

You’re welcome! I’m so glad to hear it was helpful.

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Such brilliant tips, which take me back to many years ago – am sure these will be useful for so many parents. Also, the photos are adorable!

Thanks so much!

oh dear. we did not get a car until my son was about 15 months old so on the rare times he was in one as a baby, OMG he hated it! We did a road trip from Raleigh to the outer banks when he was 5months old and he screamed the whole time!!!!!! def takes longer, driver has to stay focused. plastic bags, extra clothes, prepare for it all!

That’s quite the drive! It’s definitely tougher when they get more mobile!!

I agree with you that it was easier when the baby was between 0-4 month old. The baby mirror and car sun shades also helped us a lot. Now our baby is 13 years old. 🙂

Time flies! We’re about to start doing this all over again so I’m hoping these baby road trip tips stick for baby #2!

You always have the best insight for traveling with our youngest travelers! Great tips as always…!

Thanks so much Jen!

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The Ultimate Packing List for Baby Travel (+printable checklist!)

Over the years, i’ve written a lot about how to travel with a baby..

Between leaping head first into baby travel when Evelyn was 5 weeks old, to taking our special needs baby Sophie on several trips around the country, we’ve become pretty well-acquainted with the world of travel with a baby by now.

Truthfully, traveling with a baby is not all that bad. But it does require a ton of preparation for  all the things  that you might possibly need.

We’ve covered  what to pack in your carry on  before, along with  everything you need to know before flying with a baby . I’ve even shared our favorite baby travel gear and travel-friendly toys .

But one thing I haven’t covered? A comprehensive, everything-you-must-pack guide to make the whole trip with baby go extra smoothly!

We were reminded of just how much stuff one little human can require as we prepared for our month-long adventure around Southern California . Our packing list felt endless . And I can say pretty confidently that we left nothing behind.

So let me spare you the stress of wondering “what am I forgetting” ?

Read on for our ultimate baby packing list of EVERYTHING you might ever need when traveling with a baby!  (+a free printable checklist at the bottom of this post!)

Pin it for later:.

BabyBjorn Travel Crib | Brica Travel Bassinet | BabyZen Yoyo Stroller | BabyZen Bassinet | MiaMily Carrier | MiaMily Infant Insert | Babyzen Yoyo Adapter Clips | Doona Car Seat Stroller | MaxiCosi Car Sea t | Car Seat Travel Bag

Baby Packing List | Travel Gear

First things first, the big stuff !

You may not need all of these items for every trip, but for the most part, we bring this same travel-friendly baby gear just about everywhere we go:

• Baby Carrier | A baby carrier is a must, even if it’s nothing more than an efficient way to move through the airport. I know not all kiddos love the carrier, but we find that having both a carrier and stroller available when we travel with Sophie is essential. You just never know when you’ll run into a place with lots of stairs or uneven sidwalks, so it’s good to have a back up that will keep you moving freely. We started out with the  ErgoBaby , but made the switch to the more lightweight and compact  MiaMily toddler carrier with Infant Insert and absolutely love it. Still on the fence? Read up and compare  all of our favorite carriers for babies and toddlers here .
• Stroller  | Even though our carrier is indispensable, we like to have options. For newborns, I adore the Doona Car Seat & Stroller 2-in-1 . I only wish this had been around when our girls were babies because it takes so much hassle out of traveling with a baby! For us personally, we love and recommend the lightweight and carry-on compliant  Babyzen YOYO+ , which is great for older babies who can sit up on their own (don’t forget the puchase a compatible backpack carry bag – so worth it)! For newborns you can add on the bassinet pack onto the YOYO+, just keep in mind you will have to gate check the stroller with this add-on.
• Car Seat  | Depending on where you’re going, you may or may not want to bring the car seat. If you will need one, the Maxi Cosi and  Nuna Pipa  are two that can adapt to a YOYO+ without the bassinet add-on (just get some  adapters like these , and you’re good to go!). For older babies, a popular choice is the  Cosco Scenera Next , which is super lightweight at just 10 pounds. I recommend getting a car seat bag to keep it clean while flying, and if you’re worried about it getting banged up by luggage handlers, you can upgrade to a padded car seat bag .
• Travel Crib | We’ve always brought our own travel crib, mostly because I want our kids to feel the comfort of a familiar sleeping environment, no matter where we are. We’ve been especially happy with our  Baby Bjorn Travel Crib , which has held up with our travels all over the country these past 6 years. For infants, you can get away with a more compact option, like this Travel Pod Bassinet . And if you’re in a pinch, most family-friendly hotels will offer cribs for free, or you can rent one from a baby gear rental company, like BabyQuip . Read up on all  our favorite baby travel cribs here .

Pro Tip: Don’t want the stress of traveling with all your gear? Use BabyQuip and get bulky items like cribs, strollers, high chairs, car seats and so much more delivered straight to your hotel or rental!

Packing Cubes | Sun Hat | Baby Socks | Moccasins | Pajamas | Boys Swimsuit | Girls Swimsuit

Baby Packing List | Clothes

Sure, babies require a lot of stuff to pack, but the one area where they don’t take up much space in the suitcase: clothes!

I use these packing cubes for everyone in the family and almost everything for baby can fit into just one:

• Pants & Leggings  | Usually 2-3 pairs. In colder months I’ll skip the rompers and dresses, and add more leggings, pants and sweaters.
• Shirts & Onesies | Usually 2-3 tops, adding 2-3 more in winter months.
• Dresses or Rompers | Usually 2-3 for warmer destinations, because they’re so easy to pack and don’t require mixing and matching tops and bottoms.
• Socks | 2-3 pairs , even in the summer months in case we end up somewhere chilly.
• Booties or Shoes | I’ve recently become obsessed with little baby shoes, but I try to stick to one simple pair of baby moccasins that match everything for travel, like these from BirdRock Baby .
• Hat | A must, no matter where you’re traveling, whether a sun hat for the spring and winter, or a fuzzy hat for the fall and winter.
• Swimsuit | Only if necessary, of course. These boy and girl options from Rufflebutts are our favorites.
• Pajamas | I stick to just 2 pairs of footie pajamas  (plus a 3rd pair worn on our travel day).

This might not seem like a lot of clothes, but if we’re traveling for more than 5 days, we’ll wash and rewear items to keep our packing light. This means making sure we have access to laundry facilities while we travel (whether it be an Airbnb with a washing machine, hotel with a laundry room, or a wash and fold laundry service nearby).

Tommee Tippee Bottles | Formula Dispenser | Travel Mug | Slim Ice Packs | Pumping Backpack | Breast Pump Battery Pack | Bottle Cooler | Nursing/Car Seat Cover | Muslin Swaddle Blankets | Dr. Brown’s Bottle Wipes | Travel Dish Soap | Travel Bottle Drying Rac k ( similar one here ) | Stackable Snack Container | Silicone Snack Cup | Wipe-Clean Bibs | Spoon with Case | Folding Spoons | Squeeze Pouch Baby Food | Sippy Cup with Weighted Straw | Travel High Chair

Baby Packing List | Nursing & Feeding

Things change quickly with a baby, and depending on their age and feeding habits, you may need any of the following:

• Bottles | We’ve always traveled with just two bottles and been fine. Tommee Tippee and Dr. Brown’s are our favorites.
• Drying Rack | I love our OXO travel drying rack ( similar option here ); it’s come in handy more times than I can count! We also have a larger version of this Boon travel drying rack at home, and would highly recommend either. It’s truly one of the items you don’t think you need until you’re balancing wet bottles around a hotel sink.
• Dish Soap | Never fails, I always forget dish soap! If you’re staying in an Airbnb, there’s no need to bring your own (unless you’re particular about what you use). But if you’re staying in a hotel, for sure pack this little travel-size one  for washing bottles!
• Nursing Cover | There’s a good chance you’ll have little privacy for nursing during travels, and at the very least a nursing cover can help with getting little ones to fall asleep in busy places. Or for a lighter solution, a muslin swaddle is great and doubles as a blankie.
• Breast Pump & Supplies  | It’s a pain to lug around for sure, but if you’re going to need it, consider investing in a few pieces to make pumping on-the-go easier: a special  backpack and battery pack . (and good news, the airline won’t count this against your carry on luggage allowance)
• Cooler Bag | We love a little cooler bag with ultra-thin ice packs , or if you need room for more bottles, this Medela cooler bag is a great option too.
• Formula Dispenser | For babies on a formula-fed diet, this little guy makes mixing bottles on the go so much easier .
• Tall Insulated Mug  | This simple, yet useful item is a must for an on-the-go bottle warmer. Just ask your airport coffee shop to fill it with piping hot water after you get through security, and then dip your bottle in to warm milk up in no time!
• Wipe-Clean Bib | Once baby is into solids, a wipe-and-reuse bib is awesome for on-the-go feedings.
• Travel Spoon | Our favorite is still this one that comes with a little case for easy storage, or try these squeeze pouch food adapter spoons .
• Snack Catcher | This travel container is perfect for little cereals you don’t want spilled all over.
• Squeeze Pouch Baby Food | If you’re feeding while traveling, skip the mess and squeeze it from  pouch form onto the spoon!
• Sippy Cup | We’ve tried many of the years, and these classic sippy cups from Munchkin or these sippy cups with weighted straws are both at the top of our list of favorites.
• Bottles Wipes | It’s tough to clean bottles, pacifiers, and spoons on-the-go, but  these bottle wipes are a safe and easy way to do it when you don’t have a sink handy.
• Travel High Chair | If you have the space for it, I can’t recommend this travel high chair enough, which folds down flat for packing. You could also opt for a cloth seat harness for an even lighter, more compact option.

Refillable Wipes Case | Dirty Diaper Baggies | Hand Sanitizer | Hand Sanitizing Wipes | Natural Bug Spray | Sunscreen Stick | Brush & Comb Set | GoToob+ Container | 2-in-1 Shampoo and Body Wash | First Aid Kit | Inflatable Bath Tub | Travel Size Pain Reliever | Travel Size Diaper Rash Cream | Travel Size Lotion | Travel Thermometer | Nail Clipper

Baby Packing List | Health & Bath

• Diapers | My rule of thumb is to pack a maximum of 8 diapers in the baby backpack and then buy more as soon as we arrive.
• Travel Wipes Case | These no-frills travel wipes cases have become my favorite over the years. Like diapers, I load one up with as many as I can fit and then buy more once we’ve arrived in our destination.
• Dirty Diaper Baggies | These dirty diaper baggies have also come in handy more times than I can count.
• Baby First Aid Kit | We keep a super simple kit that includes only the basics, like travel-size diaper rash cream , infant pain reliever , a few bandages , a small  thermometer , nail clipper , skin cream , etc. For all those other ‘what if’s’, we’ll buy it at our destination if needed.
• Prescription Medicines | Keep liquids in their original containers to avoid any issues with TSA, and for anything needing kept cold, we use our bottle cooler bag with ultra-thin ice packs .
• Sunscreen | These pocket sunscreen sticks are my absolute favorite because they’re easy to apply and take up so much less space.
• Mosquito Repellent | This natural one is our favorite. No chemicals or stink!
• Sanitizing Wipes | Especially good for wiping down a dirty airplane seat. I always keep a small travel-size pack in the diaper backpack.
• Hand Sanitizer | For obvious reasons, I always keep a travel-size hand sanitize r clipped to the backpack.
• Baby Shampoo & Body Wash | This 2-in-1 combo is our favorite, filled in a small GoToob+ travel container .
• Brush or Comb | Of course.
• Inflatable Travel Tub | Finally, this handy inflatable bath tub is an absolute favorite of ours and has gotten way more use than I ever thought it would. It’s definitely worth the purchase if you don’t have access to a tub or your baby is not sitting up on their own yet.

Read Next: Everything You Need to Know Before Traveling with a Baby

Portable Baby Gym (similar travel-friendly option here ) | Muslin Swaddle Blankets | Minkie Blanket | Baby Shusher | Clip-On Sound Machine | Pacifier Clips | Pacifiers | Peek-A-Boo Book | Stacking Cups | Musical Toy | Travel Crib Sheet

Baby Packing List | Play & Sleep

• Play Mat | We’ve stayed in lots of Airbnbs with hardwood floors and little comfortable space for baby to play. I so wish this fold-and-go baby gym was around when my kids were little (or this similar travel-friendly option ).
• Small Toys | I try to keep toys to a minimum, mostly because when you’re traveling, you’re out and about a lot anyway. Sassy brand makes a ton of my favorite simple baby toys, and I keep a little collection in one of these  mesh storage bags for easy packing.
• Pacifiers & Pacifier Clips | We find these pacifiers with these clips  to work great!
• Swaddle Blankets | Another must-pack item, Aden & Anais makes our favorite muslin swaddle blankets that double as a nursing cover or burp rag too.
• Crib Sheet | Whether you bring your own travel crib or use the hotels, we like to have our own crib sheet. This crib sheet that’s designed specifically for portable cribs has traveled with us again and again.
• White Noise Machine | We love our  Shusher and I swear it has made all the difference in helping our babies fall asleep in new places. This portable sound machine is another favorite among traveling moms.
• Favorite Blankie | Even though it can be a bit of a pain to travel with, having a soft baby blanket sure is nice for wrapping baby up on a cold airplane or having a familiar comfort from home.

FreshlyPicked Diaper Backpack | Passport Cover | Reusable Storage Bags | Dropper Stopper Tether (similar options here and here )

Baby Packing List |  Miscellaneous Must-Haves

• Diaper Backpack | A good diaper bag is essential, and I can’t recommend going with a backpack style enough! Having your hands free, especially in airports, is a necessity, and this FreshlyPicked diaper backpack has travelled with us all over the world!
• Birth Certificate or Passport | Did you know some airlines require you to show a birth certificate for your lap baby? To be safe, I always carry a copy in my wallet. And if you’re planning on traveling internationally, be sure to start the process for your baby’s passport as soon as possible.
• Dropper Stopper Baby Tether | From toys, to bottles, to snack cups, this is our favorite item for keeping all of our baby essentials from hitting the dirty airplane floor (similar options here and here )
• Plastic Storage Bags | Whether one-time use, or an  eco-friendly reusable , we’re always finding a need for the modest plastic storage bag. Whether for dirty clothes from a blow out incident, saving leftover snacks, keeping trinkets and keepsakes together, we’re always finding a new use for these.

Free Printable Checklist: Baby Travel Packing List!

It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve traveled with a baby, I’m always bound to forget something!

After many missed essentials, I finally created our own baby travel packing list ! We use it for every trip, and now you can use for yourself!

get it here!

Thanks for being a subscriber!

PS. You can also find this and all of our  printable family travel planning tools exclusively for subscribers in our free resource library .

What are your must-have packing list items when traveling with baby?

Wife and mom to two sassy little girls, Laura has been sharing her family's travels here on Our Next Adventure since 2016! Though lots has changed in both our family and the world of travel over the years, one thing remains: we love exploring new places together!

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The Complete Baby Packing List: What to Pack for Babies When You Travel

Packing for any family vacation is stressful enough, and once you throw a baby into the mix, forget it. Between bottles, clothes, toys, and accessories—so many accessories!—there’s a lot to remember. And forgetting anything from your baby packing list could lead to what feels like a vacation disaster.

The Essential Baby Packing List

Before you panic about forgetting something important for the plane , beach , or hotel , take a deep breath and relax. Our complete baby travel packing list outlines all the must-have items for traveling with a baby. From diaper-bag necessities to in-flight essential items, we’ve thought through everything you’ll need on your next family vacation . Read on for packing tips, a printable packing list you can customize for each trip, and details about our favorite picks for each category.

Jump to a Section:

• Packing Tips for Traveling with a Baby
• Downloadable Baby Packing List

Baby Gear Recommendations

Packing tips: traveling with a baby.

Traveling with a baby is no easy feat. You need a baby packing list, of course, but it’s also important to know the best strategies. Here are five important tips for taking your baby on vacation.

1. Embrace being prepared

This is the only time in your life when overpacking might actually be the right thing to do. While you don’t want to go too overboard—you’re likely also traveling with bulky items like a car seat and a stroller after all—there’s something to be said for simply having the items you know you’re going to be using. You still have to haul them, but then you get to focus on just being at your destination rather than turning vacation into errand-running time

2. Consider shipping or delivery

The age of delivery translates well to vacationing with a baby. Yes, you could pack a box of diapers (if that’s your approach, see the tip on vacuum compression bags below), but depending on your destination you might also be able to schedule a delivery of necessities to show up at the hotel or vacation rental at the same time you do. Want your own stuff? Consider shipping items ahead so you have everything you need without carrying it with you.

3. Use compression bags

Traveling with a stock of diapers? Don’t want to leave the favorite blanket or snuggly sleep sack at home? The best way to increase packing density is by using  vacuum compression bags  for those bulky items.

4. Practice in advance

All those items, they’re all so little, right? But when you put them all together, they can take up more space than you’d expect. Do a quick dry run before you’re packing against the clock so that you can make any adjustments when you have time to creatively problem-solve. But first? Make a packing list. You’ll likely save both some sanity and money with this approach.

5. If it increases your chance of vacation success, bring it

This is an especially difficult approach to embrace if you’re used to traveling light, but sometimes it’s worth hauling extra gear if it means you and your family will be able to settle in and enjoy themselves more. Debating whether or not to bring the baby monitor, or the playmat, or a third set of jammies in case of middle-of-the-night leakages? If it could make the difference between 10 minutes more leisure time for you, and a happier baby to boot, it’s likely worth it.

Downloadable Baby Packing Checklist

Start by downloading our baby packing list, then keep scrolling to get the scoop on our favorite items.

Diaper Bag Necessities

☐ Diaper Bag ☐  Diapers ☐  Changing Pad ☐  Wipes ☐  Diaper Cream ☐  Wet Bag ☐  Hand Sanitizer ☐ Plastic Bags ☐  Change of Clothes ☐  Light Blanket ☐  Jacket/Warm Layer ☐  Sun Hat / Warm Hat ☐  Pacifier or Teething Toy ☐  Small Cooler Bag ☐  Bib and Burp Cloth ☐  Bottles ☐  Formula and/or Breast Milk ☐  Water Bottle

Overnight Bag

☐  Clothing ☐  Jacket/Warm Layer ☐  Pajamas ☐  Sleep Sack / Swaddle ☐  Socks ☐  Shoes or Booties ☐  Sun Hat / Warm Hat ☐  Sunscreen ☐  Thermometer ☐  Medicines ☐  Lotion / Moisturizer ☐  Bathing Suit ☐  Swim Diaper ☐  Gentle Baby Cleanser ☐  Laundry Soap ☐  Laundry Line / Clothespins ☐  Laundry Bag

☐  Bibs ☐  Burp Cloths ☐  Bottles ☐  Breast Pump and Parts ☐  Storage Bottles / Storage Bags ☐  Formula ☐  Bottle Warmer ☐  Bottle Sanitizer ☐  Bottle Brush ☐  Baby Food ☐  Baby Dishes/Utensils

Gear & Toys ☐  Baby Carrier / Sling / Wrap ☐  Travel Stroller ☐  Car Seat ☐  Play Mat / Pillow ☐  Travel Crib / Crib Sheets ☐  Foldable Highchair / Baby Seat ☐  Toys ☐  White Noise Machine ☐  Baby Monitor / Tablet

In the world of baby travel necessities, the gear you choose really has to earn its keep. Here are my favorite road-tested baby items, from a sturdy, comfortable, and roomy diaper bag to a portable tub that packs down smaller than your next beach read.

A well-stocked diaper bag will take you far. When you’ve got the right diaper bag necessities, you’re ready for everything on-the-go. Hit the  beach , take a  drive , or see the sights. Just make sure you’ve checked these diaper-bag musts off your baby packing list. 

The Perfect Travel Diaper Bag

When traveling with a baby, you’re going to want a  diaper bag  that holds everything you need for a day of sightseeing: one that has enough pockets and compartments to hold your needs, plus the baby’s must-haves, too. Look for a diaper bag with at least one insulated pocket for the bottles and food.

My pick: HapTim Multi-function Baby Diaper Bag

Cloth Diapers, Disposable Diapers, and Swim Diapers

Whether you use cloth diapers or disposable diapers, you won’t want to leave them off your baby packing list. At home I use cloth diapers, but when traveling I treat myself and pack disposable. (Let’s be honest: Is it really a vacation if you’re washing cloth diapers every night?) There are plenty of environmentally friendly disposable diaper options out there. Also, If you’re going on a  beach vacation  or somewhere with a  pool , remember to bring a swim diaper, too! No one wants to deal with poop in the pool.

My picks: Bum Genius (cloth diapers), Bambo Nature (disposable diapers), and i. play (swim diapers)

Diaper Cream

Let’s be honest, when you’re traveling you may get a little lax on diaper changing. Of course, a diaper rash is the last thing you want to get out of hand. Add some diaper cream to your baby packing list so you won’t have to spend precious vacation time figuring out where to buy some.

My Pick: Burts Bees Baby Diaper Rash ointment

Cloth Diaper Wet Bag

If you’re going with cloth diapers, a wet bag is an absolute must for your baby packing list for vacation. It’s also important to have in case of an accident, or to stash wet swimming gear.

My pick: Planet Wise Wet/Dry bag

The best part about baby wipes is they are oh-so-multi-functional. Not only will they clean up baby’s behind, you can use them for after-meal clean up, to wipe your hands, or wipe a spill. They are the secret weapon of must-have items for traveling with a baby.

My pick: WaterWipes Unscented Baby Wipes, Sensitive and Newborn Skin

Changing Pad

Most diaper bags come with a  changing pad , but always make sure you have one on your baby travel checklist. The last thing you want is to have to change your baby and discover that there’s no soft, clean spot to do it. You can whip out a changing pad on the  train , at a restaurant, on the floor — anywhere, really!—and you’ve automatically got a clean, sanitary spot to change your baby.

My pick: Comfy Cubs Changing Pad

Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer should be at least 60% alcohol , so always check the back before you buy. For grab-and-go convenience in a diaper bag, consider individual packets of hand sanitizer or travel-size hand sanitizer bottles that can be attached to the outside of the diaper bag.  

My pick: Purell Flip-Top Travel-Size Hand Sanitizer with Jelly Wrap Carrier

How to Pack for Baby : Clothes

Babies on vacation, like babies not on vacation, tend to get messy. Sometimes it’s from eating, other times an ill-fitting diaper, and fittingly for vacation, sometimes it’s because they’re sandy or dirty from having so much vacation fun. Here’s what to pack for little vacationers and how to choose the right baby clothes for travel.

Extra Clothes

While adults get trapped into the whole “I’ll need extra outfits in case something happens” routine, we often forget the need for extra clothes when considering what to pack for a baby. When you’re packing for baby, make sure to add extra clothes (for baby and maybe yourself, since babies tend to share) to both your diaper bag and your checked bag if you’re flying.

My pick: Carter’s

Jacket, Sweater, and/or Sweatshirt

Even if you’re going somewhere tropical, such as a  Caribbean cruise , it’s a good idea to pack  extra layers  for your baby. If it’s summer, or you’re heading to a  tropical destination , bring something lightweight. But definitely include at least one jacket or other warm layer on your baby packing list.

My pick:   Carter’s

Hat for Sun Protection or Warmth

Even if no one in your family has ever had a sunburn, your baby needs a  sun hat . In cooler weather, be sure to put him or her in a  warm hat  that covers those tiny ears.

My picks: i. play (sun hat) and this adorable Alepo Winter Beanie Hat for Baby (winter hat)

Bathing Suit

Whether you’re taking a  beach vacation  or traveling in the winter and staying in a hotel with a pool, a swimsuit is an important item to have on your baby travel checklist. Look for a  baby bathing suit  that’s slightly big to accommodate diapers, and so the baby will get the most use out of it.

My pick:   Hanna Anderson Baby Rash Guard Suit

We all know baby’s socks never stay on. You won’t want your baby to have bare feet wherever you go, so add baby shoes to your list of must-have items for traveling with a baby. Moccasins are great, as are Velcro booties.

My pick: Hudson Baby Unisex Cozy Fleece Booties

Baby Feeding Items to Pack

Unlike with slightly older kids who can eat a variation on what tweens, teens, and grownups eat, babies and very young toddlers require a BYO approach to eating on vacation. Here are common baby feeding items to pack for vacation. Adapt your own baby travel checklist depending on age and whether you rely on breast milk, formula, or a combination of both. 

Pack as many baby bottles as you will need for one day. Yes, you are going to have to wash them every day, but this is one of those instances where luggage space is important.

My pick: The Medela Breastfeeding Gift Set (non-BPA; comes with bottles, nipples, travel caps, breastmilk storage bags and more)

Portable Breast Pump

If you’re breastfeeding , you may not need to bring a pump since you’ll be with your baby while traveling. However, it might be nice to still have a break every once in a while (or you may be an exclusive pumper). Bring a  portable breast pump , or, better yet, a  hands-free breast pump !

My pick: Bellababy Double Electric Breastfeeding Pumps with Touch-Panel High-Definition Display

Bottle Warmer

You can always just use a bowl and warm water if you need to save space, but if you want to bring a bottle warmer , there are loads of travel-friendly options worth adding to our baby travel checklist.

My pick: Chicco Digital Bottle Warmer

Bottle Sanitizer

If you’re like me, you’re paranoid and sanitize your baby bottles daily. Luckily, there are portable bottle sanitizers out there that clean quickly and are effective against 99.9 percent of germs.

My pick: Medela Quick Clean Micro-Steam Bags for Bottles & Breast Pump Parts

When making your baby packing list for vacation, set aside the amount of formula you’re going to need for the trip (plus a little extra), then measure it out and put it in a Ziplock bag so you aren’t carting around a giant container of formula. (Or, have it shipped to your hotel ahead of time, along with your other must-have items for traveling with a baby.)

My pick: Earth’s Best Organic Dairy Infant Formula

Depending on how old your baby is, packing baby food for vacation may or may not be a concern. However, if he/she is eating solids, you can’t forget to pack the food! Pouches are easiest because you can throw them in a bag and they don’t take up too much space. A bag of baby oatmeal won’t take up too much room, for example, and all you need is water to mix it up. Make sure to have plenty of snacks on hand, too. Cheerios and teething cookies are good, easy-to-pack options.

My pick: Happy Baby Organic Superfood Puffs

Familiar Dishes and Utensils

Bringing the dishes and utensils that your baby is used to is key when on a trip. All you need is one of each, and it won’t take up too much room. It’s a case where a small addition to your packing list goes a long way toward your baby’s adjustment to vacation life.

My pick: Avanchy Bamboo Dishes

Easy-to-Clean Bibs

For several months, I kept my son in a bib at all times because he was drooling so much. Bibs are a must-have item for traveling with a baby. Pack bibs that are easy to fold up and wipe down easily (try to avoid cloth bibs for vacation).

My pick: Bumkins Sleeved Bib

Breast Milk Storage Containers

If you plan to pump while traveling with your baby, make sure to bring proper storage containers. Breast milk storage bags are your best bet because they take up less space and are easier to transport. Don’t forget to bring a small cooler so it will keep on your way back to your hotel or vacation rental .

My pick: Medela Breast Milk Storage Bags

Baby Travel Gear

Good news: As kids get bigger, the amount of stuff you will need to pack will shrink. For now, though, having the gear and items to keep baby comfortable and happy increases the chance that you’ll also be comfortable and happy. Here are more must-have items for your baby travel checklist.

Some Favorite (Small) Toys

Wondering how to travel with a baby? With  toys . Try not to go overboard with this, but toys are important, not just at your destination but for your baby packing list for the plane or car ride, too. A few things to keep your baby entertained (such as a favorite stuffed animal, a few books to read aloud, something you can hang off of the stroller) will go a long way. Keep ’em small, though!

My pick: Playgro My First Bead Buddies Giraffe

Baby Blanket

Even on vacation, you’re going to need a baby blanket in case it gets chilly. Bring a blanket the baby is familiar with, so it gives them some comfort away from home.

My pick: LeerKing Ultra Soft Baby Blankets

Baby Carrier/Sling/Wrap

Babies don’t want to be in a stroller all day, so some sort of baby carrier is a must for vacation (ideally one that both parents can wear comfortably). Opt for a baby carrier / sling / wrap so that if your baby wants to be held, you’ll still have your hands free.

My pick: Bable Baby Carrier

Foldable Stroller

If you plan on having your baby nap while you’re out and about, you probably can’t get away without a stroller on vacation. For packing purposes, a foldable stroller should be your priority. It will remain useful right through the toddler years.

My pick: GB Pockit Stroller

If you’re on a  road trip with a baby , you’re already using your favorite  car seat . If you’re flying somewhere, you can use the car seat on the plane and when you arrive. The downside of flying with a car seat is lugging it with you, but there are all sorts of  ingenious ways  to roll a car seat through the airport.  

My pick: Doona Car Seat/Stroller

Foldable Play Mat

A friend of mine gave me a play mat after I had my baby. I hadn’t registered for it, and I had no idea how useful it would be. (We use it all the time .) It lives in my car, so we have it whenever we need it. It’s great for outside and inside. Pro tip: Get a play mat that folds up into its own bag. It’s as great for daily life as it is when you need to turn a hotel room into a baby playground.

My pick: mloong Baby Play Mat

Travel Crib

Your hotel, resort, or vacation rental (or grandma’s house) may provide a travel crib , but if not, you’ll need to add one to your baby travel checklist. I was worried my son wouldn’t sleep as well in a travel crib, but he had no problems adjusting.

My pick: Graco Pack n’ Play Playard

Crib Sheets

Whether you’re bringing your own travel crib or using a crib provided by your hotel or resort, don’t forget to pack your own crib sheets . My pick: Cuddly Cubs Pack ‘n Play Sheets

Foldable Baby Chair/High Chair

If your baby is old enough to sit up, you’ll need a foldable  baby chair  or  high chair  on your baby packing list. It may seem like a lot to bring, but you’ll be glad you did (and sorry if you don’t). Not every restaurant or vacation rental property offers booster seats for babies. And trust me, you don’t want to get stuck having your baby on your lap throughout your whole trip.

My pick: Summer Infant Pop ‘N Sit Portable Infant Booster Seat

White Noise Machine

No matter where you go when you travel with a baby, it won’t sound like home. Bring along a portable white noise machine to drown out any unfamiliar sounds that may interrupt sleep. You can also download white noise apps to a tablet or an old cell phone, or even bring along a small smart device like an Echo Dot that can also provide white noise.

My pick: MyBaby SoundSpa

Speaking of a tablet or an old cell phone, bring one. Not only is it useful for the white noise, there are also several monitor apps you can use, so if you’re not staying in the same room you can have a baby monitor without having to bring one separately. Plus, you can use it to play videos for older babies.

My pick: iPad or Fire Tablet

Burp Cloths

My son is a year old now and we still use flannel or muslin cloth burp cloths for everything. Pack a bunch so you have one for every bag, and plenty to spare if one gets, ahem, ruined.

My pick: Gerber Flannel Burp Cloth

Medicine and a Thermometer

You don’t want to get stuck without medications on vacation when your baby is not feeling well. Add the basics to your vacation packing list, like Infant Tylenol, as well as any prescriptions your baby may need. A thermometer is also a good idea to have on hand so you don’t have to scramble to find one.

My pick: iProven Medical Digital Ear Thermometer with Temporal Forehead Function

Portable Bath Tub

Sure, you can always use a sink, but you never know how big the sink will be. Luckily, there are several portable baby tub options that pack well and aren’t too expensive.

My Favorite: Mommy’s Helper Inflatable Tub

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Posted on Last updated: April 18, 2024 Categories Kids Travel Gear

By: Author Kate

The Ultimate Packing List for a Beach Vacation with A Baby 

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Are you headed on vacation with a baby? Check out my essential baby travel packing list here! These tried and true items made beach vacations with a baby SO much easier! I call this my ultimate packing list for a beach vacation with a baby because I’ve tried to cover everything you need! I’ll highlight the best baby travel gear and baby travel essentials to make traveling with a baby a breeze.

Save this baby travel packing list for your next beach vacation *HINT* You can access the PDF version of this baby packing list at the bottom of the post!

Packing List for a Beach Vacation with A Baby

Baby clothes.

I typically bring 2 outfits for every day because baby clothes pack light and my babies LOVE to make a huge mess! If you have access to laundry, you can definitely bring less! Laundry is one of the many reasons I love to Airbnb with kids .

My babies have always been really good at being, well, exhausting! To keep my sanity, I have to have some fun with adorable baby outfits on vacation. I always make sure to have a few ‘picture-perfect outfits’ on my packing list with baby, because they are just so darn cute in them!

For a beach baby packing list, I try to keep the outfits lightweight and breathable. I’ll also pack a few long sleeve outfits in case it gets cool at night.

Baby Swimsuits and Swim Gear

Under 6 months, my babies didn’t spend much time in the pool. We always took them in for a few quick splashes, but mostly kept them out of the sun in the shade. I usually only put 1-2 swimsuits on my baby packing list when they are that young.

Once my babies were closer to the 9-12 month mark they LOVED the water. I usually bring 3-4 swimsuits at that age because we are often in and out of the pool all day! Add these adorable swim outfits to your baby beach vacation packing list!

When it comes to baby beach gear, I have a lot of favorites! You can find out all my favorite beach hacks in my post here on the best beach gear for toddlers and babies .

Baby Beach Accessories

I LOVE the Ro Sham Bo sunglasses for babies as they are completely INDESTRUCTIBLE. I also love reusable swim diapers to save on space. We have a wide brim sun hat with a back flap for the maximum sun protection.

If you are looking for the best baby floatie, be sure to check out my post on ‘the best floaties for toddlers and babies’ .

Baby Travel Sleep Essentials

We are VERY SPECIFIC about our sleep routine and we try to keep this up on vacation. We have two TOUGH sleepers, so we need all the help we can get in the sleep department! I have a whole post about the ‘ 8 tricks I use to get my kids to sleep anywhere’ if you want to read more!

Our packing list for traveling with a baby MUST include our sleep tricks! They are so essential to us! We pack a noise machine, blackout curtain, sleep sack/sleepsuit, and a baby monitor. When it comes to getting a baby to sleep on vacation, I don’t think you can be overprepared!

Baby Feeding Supplies

Lots to remember on this list! One of my favorite vacations was when my youngest son was 3 months old.  We went to Costa Rica because I was nursing him exclusively and I didn’t need to bring anything with me at all!

Other times I have brought formula, pumping supplies, and bottles and MAN OH MAN was it a pain. Washing baby bottles is already the worst, and it’s not any better on vacation.

On our Disney Cruise with our 8 month old they provided a bottle sterilizer and that was amazing. They also provided pureed food for babies at all the restaurants. It’s those little touches that make a huge difference! If you are planning to use bottles on a breast pump on vacation, be sure to add these items to your baby packing list.

I usually bring 8 disposable diapers for every day we are on vacation. If I’m tight on space I will buy diapers on arrival because they really do take up a lot of space! I bring two large packages of wipes for a week-long vacation and that’s usually enough for diaper changes and the millions of spills and messes my kids will make.

One travel hack that I ALWAYS bring is disposable doggie bags. There is nothing worse than a stinky garbage in a hotel or Airbnb and having a disposable bag to wrap it in makes a huge difference!

Another vacation lifesaver is Zincofax SRAY diaper cream . I love this stuff and it is great when you are out and about. I love that my fingers don’t get messy and its perfect for hot humid days when kids are more likely to get a diaper rash.

We use the Ju-Ju-Be BFF Diaper bag for everyday and travel and I love this bag. I love the backpack style that is so much easier on my sohulders and allows be to be totally hands free with my kids. There are so many gorgeous designs, and I’ve found that the quality has been superior to a few other diaper bags I had before this one.

I have an entire post dedicated to the ‘ top baby travel gear’ – be sure to check it out for all my ideas! It’s a running joke among my friends that I could open my own daycare with all the baby gear and gadgets that I own. I’m more than a little obsessed.

On vacation, I do try to pare down, but there are some things I am not willing to ‘downsize’! Although we occasionally bring a travel stroller , I usually opt to bring my ‘full size’ stroller. I can see the appeal of a travel stroller with an older child, but with a baby, the stroller is your go-to!

We always have so much stuff when we are going to the beach that I want a full-size stroller to lug it all! Especially if your baby is still in a bucket car seat, a full-size stroller makes the most sense.

I also LOVE babywearing on vacation. I have a baby carrier collection that rivals my stroller collection and I’ve used them all on vacation. Babywearing is perfect when you want to travel light, or if you are going to be going to places that aren’t stroller friendly.

We did a lot of babywearing on our Disney Cruise because the hallways are narrow and it’s a bit harder to navigate with a stroller. Check out my post on the ‘ best baby carriers for travel ‘ for more details on my favorite carriers for each occasion and age!

Baby Toiletries

Babies don’t need a lot in the toiletry department, but I do have a few favorite products that are perfect for travel.

My favorite sunscreen for babies is the ThinkBaby Sunscreen. This is a sunscreen that is completely safe for babies, as it made from the same ingredient as diaper cream!

I also LOVE boogie wipes for my baby and toddler as they aren’t as harsh as regular wipes on the face and provide a gentle saline cleanse.

I come prepared on vacation, so be sure to check out my OVER PREPARED mom travel first aid ki t for everything I bring!

A few toys can go a long way on vacation with a baby. I’ve added a few simple toys to my packing list with a baby – and these are great to throw in your carry-on for the plane!

I traveled with my young son at 6 months on a 5-hour plane ride to Victoria, BC. You would not believe that I completely forgot to bring any toys with me on the plane!! I was so not on my Pinterest game that day! All was well, it’s amazing how much airplane cups, the seat tray, and the safety instructions can provide a lifetime of entertainment. Older babies might enjoy the iPad as well, and there is nothing wrong with that on a plane!

Do you want a PDF of this entire baby packing list?

Download my full packing list with a baby HERE on PDF .

Enjoy! and Safe Travels

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10 Tips for Road Tripping With an Infant

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Road trips with an infant can be stressful, but they don’t have to be, and the truth is a car ride with a baby is often less stressful than getting on a plane. You can stop your own vehicle for an emergency bathroom break or to move around a restless toddler. And if your baby does throw a tantrum, you can focus your attention on their needs instead of worrying about other passengers.

Whether you're hitting the road to visit the grandparents or heading to a vacation destination geared toward families with infants , you may be surprised at some of the simple things you can do to keep your little one calm and quiet during your trip. Whether you’ll be on the road for five hours or five days, these 10 tips will help your vacation go as smoothly as possible.

While one person is driving, have another sit in the back with the baby. Having that caretaker in the back seat can help address issues as they arise—preparing bottles, wiping up, curing boredom with some old-fashioned “peek-a-boo”—which can help minimize stops and avoid total meltdowns.

It's an old bit of wisdom, but "sleep when the baby sleeps" is solid advice during a road trip with kids . When the baby is sleeping, the person in the back should try to rest, too, so they can be refreshed enough to take over driving when the driver gets fatigued.

Manage Expectations

Any number of things can go wrong on a road trip—a flat tire, bad weather, food poisoning—but those hiccups become exponentially more stressful with a young (likely screaming) infant in tow. Accepting that going in and maintaining a sense of humor about the situation can go a long way to help ease the tension. After all, the difference between a fiasco and an adventure can be as simple as your state of mind.

One way to make light of unpleasant situations is to make a game out of them. For example, put together Baby Road Trip BINGO cards where spaces are filled in with any and all potential disasters—think "blow out in the car seat" or tiny victories like "finished a whole podcast." That way, even bad situations turn into wins.  

Drive at Night

It’s a bit uncomfortable for the parents, but then again, so is a screaming child with no exit in sight. Driving at night means your baby will spend more time sleeping and less time awake and hungry, bored, or needing changes. You’ll be able to drive for longer stretches without needing breaks. 

A great way to maximize drive time is to schedule your departure so that it coincides with bedtime. Go through your whole routine (bath, pajamas, bedtime song—whatever your nightly ritual entails), but put the baby down to sleep in the car seat instead of the crib or bassinet. Drive as long as you're comfortable—or for as long as the baby is sleeping—but be sure to switch drivers, caffeinate, and rest when needed to avoid driving drowsy. 

Plan Frequent Breaks

You might be able to go six hours without using the bathroom or needing to eat, but the baby likely can't. Plan for stops every one to three hours during the day and three to six hours at night to change diapers, stretch legs, eat, and change sweaty or spit-up clothes as needed.

To avoid unnecessary stops, make a checklist of items that you go through during every break so you don’t forget anything, such as changing the baby’s diaper or clothes, using the restroom (for those not in diapers), and refreshing essential supplies. 

Skip the Scenic Route

While scenic overlooks and long stretches of the open road might seem like the very things that make a road trip worthwhile, they can also make it difficult to find help or reprieve when you need it. Choose a route in advance that has frequent access to food, 24-hour gas stations, restrooms, and service areas.

Even better, plot out some pit-stops in advance —including some potential hotels if you think you might need a real rest—so you can pull over when necessary.

Keep Supplies Nearby

You might have a giant suitcase with everything you need to survive traveling with an infant for an extended period of time, but that's not what you want to be digging through at 65 mph while a baby is screaming in your ear, or while parked at a dodgy rest stop in the middle of the night.

Keep a kit within easy reach so you don’t have to unbuckle your seat belt to retrieve any critical items, and fill the bag with small amounts of necessities (you can always refill as you go). You could pack all of these items into a medium-sized backpack or tote bag:

• A portable changing pad with two or three diapers
• A packet of wipes
• Pre-portioned bottles of formula or breast milk in a small cooler bag
• Two or three small but versatile toys
• Infant Tylenol or ibuprofen
• A baby forehead thermometer
• A small portable sound machine
• An extra blanket

In addition to the baby kit, be sure there's one for the adults, too. That could include mobile chargers for your electronic devices, a tablet or e-reader, high-protein/easy-to-eat snacks, sleep aids, sleep mask, a small pillow, earphones, and earplugs. You might also want to bring along a car sun shade to help your little one nap.

Brush up on Baby Massage Techniques

Babies can get stiff and uncomfortable after sitting for hours in their seats, just like adults. Read up on some infant massage techniques that you can modify to use either while driving (if you’re on backseat duty) and during stops. Gently massaging legs and feet, in particular, can often help calm a fussy baby long enough to get you to a good stopping place where they can stretch out their legs in earnest.

Sing Simple Camp Songs

When it comes to fussy infants stuck in car seats, be prepared with a variety of tools at your disposal. Singing songs can often be more effective than the radio at helping to put a baby to sleep, calming them when they’re fussy, and entertaining them when they’re bored. Try to pick songs with simple melodies, but where verses can be added or improvised as with many nursery rhymes or typical camp songs. Taking turns inventing new lyrics can help break up the monotony for parents, too.

Take Precautions

With or without an infant, standard prep and safety precautions should be followed. Make sure you have a spare tire, car jack, and tire iron that are ready to go, especially if you're driving through sparsely populated areas where the nearest mechanic could be several miles away. It's not fun waiting hours for a tow truck to arrive and even less so when you have a baby on board.

While packing the car, be sure not to obstruct the driver’s view, including in the rearview mirror. And always take steps to pull over to well-lit areas when stopping at night.

Admit Defeat

If you’re tired, if you’re frustrated, if everyone in the car (including and especially your baby) can’t take another second on the road, then stop. It’s okay.

Find a place to rest and give yourself a few minutes or hours to regroup. Most hotels will take bookings any time of day and many provide cribs in the room upon request. Take a nap in a real bed or freshen up with a hot shower and a meal at a sit-down restaurant. Giving yourself and your baby a chance to reset can help make the rest of the ride go more smoothly.  

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The best types of vacations to take with a baby

Bringing a new baby into your home changes life as you know it. Watching them sleep is more exciting than bingeing the latest Netflix show and you take more pictures of them in a day than you did on your last vacation.

Speaking of vacations, it's 100% possible to still enjoy travel with a baby in tow , but you'll need to get the right gear , learn about flying with an infant and determine which destinations specifically cater to tiny travelers.

We've laid out the four best types of vacations to take with a baby , with our favorite locations in each category and what you should pack for your trip . Whether your little one is unfazed by city life or you've got a beach baby on your hands, these are TPG's top picks for where and how to travel with a baby.

All-inclusive resort

When you visit a baby-friendly all-inclusive resort , you don't have to stress over having enough cash, finding fun activities to keep your kid entertained or deciding where to eat every meal because it's all included in the cost of your vacation.

Many resorts even provide cribs, strollers and bottle warmers that you can borrow during your stay, so you can pack light and focus on carrying your baby instead of extra suitcases.

On top of being situated right on the beach (because what baby doesn't love to eat sand?), all-inclusive resorts have kids clubs, splash areas and playgrounds designed to keep your baby contently cooing until it's time to head home.

Where to go

Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Port St. Lucie , Florida, is the only stateside location of the popular all-inclusive resort brand. Child care is available for an additional fee for babies between 4 and 23 months in the resort's Baby Club Med day care and you can request a baby welcome kit with a stroller, bathtub, bottle warmer, changing table and Pack 'n Play.

Related: Club Med helped set the course for all-inclusive resorts: Now it's adding 17 new locations around the world

If you are looking for a luxury resort that's still baby-friendly, Mexico's Finest Playa Mujeres goes above and beyond what you'd expect. In addition to standard baby gear like a baby monitor and high chair, the resort offers a variety of natural homemade purees for babies. You can visit the kids club facilities with babies ages 0 to 2 to play with toys or swim in the kiddie pool, but you are required to stay with them at all times. Child care is only available for kids ages 3 and up.

What to bring

Because the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping babies under 6 months of age out of direct sunlight, you'll want to pack items to protect them from the sun. Though most resorts provide beach chairs and umbrellas, you may also want to bring a few baby-specific beach items like a pop-up shade tent (they are great during nap time), a full-body swimsuit with SPF protection and a hat (that they probably won't keep on).

Baby-friendly hotel

Most hotels don't go out of their way to accommodate families traveling with babies , but a select few have made it a priority to offer child care, welcome kits with baby amenities and spacious rooms that give babies the peace and quiet they need so that parents can have their own peace and quiet.

Loews Regency New York is located in New York City just two blocks from Central Park. The Loews Loves Families program (offered at multiple locations) hooks families up with a guide to area activities and dining options, as well as amenities like baby bathtubs, cribs, baby-proofing gear and even stuffed animals. The hotel has 58 suites, some with kitchenettes, that have the space, convenience and privacy you need when traveling with a baby.

Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya , 32 miles south of Cancun , has a top-notch complimentary kids club called Kimbo Kids Club, but until recently it was only available for kids ages 4 and up. With the introduction of Kimbo Baby — for kids ages 3 months to 4 years — even parents can steal a few hours for themselves while their baby is cared for by the resort's trained child care team. Rooms with terrace plunge pools give you and baby a private spot to splash in the shade.

City hotels especially can be noisy, which isn't much fun when you have an overtired baby on your hands . Pack a white noise machine to drown out the noise (pro tip: place the sound machine near the noise you are trying to drown out rather than near your baby). If you plan to spend some time at the hotel pool or on the beach, bring along a flotation device designed for babies. Many have detachable canopies for extra shade.

Your baby won't be tall enough for their first roller coaster for years, but there's still plenty of fun to be had at a theme park . And if you decide to take turns riding roller coasters without them, your baby will be none the wiser.

All kidding aside, theme parks have lots of perks for babies. They are noisy and colorful, which can keep babies occupied for a surprisingly long time (but if they don't like loud noises, you might want to pack some noise-canceling headphones).

Plus, everyone expects theme parks to be full of kids. If your baby has a meltdown or throws your popcorn bucket at a passerby, you'll be surrounded by other parents who have likely been in the same position and will probably brush it off.

We'd be remiss to leave Walt Disney World off a list of baby-friendly vacation spots. Even if you've been dozens of times, there's something magical about seeing it through your baby's eyes for the first time (when they are awake, at least). For maximum ease, stay at one of Disney's on-site hotels . They offer complimentary transportation to and from the parks and most have baby pools or splash pads available, as well. To preserve those precious first-visit memories, you can have an artist hand-cut your baby's silhouette portrait at Magic Kingdom or Disney Springs, or visit the Disney PhotoPass Studio at Disney Springs for a family portrait.

Your baby probably still lacks the dexterity to build with Lego bricks, but that doesn't mean they are too young for Legoland California Resort . There are more than a dozen attractions with no height requirement, including sand pits where they can dig for dinosaur bones, a Duplo-themed interactive playground, a Coast Cruise boat ride and a Legoland Express train. There's also a convenient baby care center in the park where you can feed and change your baby in a cool, comfortable environment. An on-site hotel allows you to easily get back to your room for nap time or the inevitable change of clothes.

With so many theme parks on either the West Coast or in Central Florida, the temperatures can climb pretty high. Pack a fan designed to clip onto your stroller, sun protective clothing and some stylish baby sunglasses.

Mountain retreat

Where better to test out a baby's developing senses than surrounded by nature? They can smell the fresh mountain air, touch leaves and pinecones (and most likely taste them, as well), listen to birds chirping in the trees and experience nature's majesty.

Related: Best ski resorts for families in North America

While babies are discovering the world around them, parents can escape the daily routine in a peaceful, relaxing setting. Bonus points if you book accommodations large enough to bring the grandparents along for a bit of built-in babysitting.

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole in Teton Village, Wyoming, is a luxury mountain lodge resort less than 30 minutes from Grand Teton National Park . Rooms are cozy with a fireplace and furnished balcony with mountain views. Residence-style rooms have up to five bedrooms for multigenerational vacations. During your visit, you can swim in the heated outdoor pool, ride an aerial tram to the top of Rendezvous Peak and, in the winter, embark on a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow.

Hyatt Place Keystone in Keystone, Colorado, is a great starting point for your mountain adventures, even if your adventures include nothing more than sitting in the hot tub (or near it if you are on baby duty) and taking in the mountain views. Breakfast and coffee — the preferred wake-up call of parents everywhere — are included with your stay. Opt for a suite over a standard room and you'll enjoy a separate bedroom where you can lay the baby down while you gaze into each other's eyes (or, more likely, at the TV).

If you are planning a wintertime visit, you'll need to pack certain items to keep your baby bundled safely. Not many things in the world are cuter than a baby in a snowsuit, but most snowsuits aren't safe to use in a car seat. Another option is to use a car seat or stroller cover that keeps your baby warm without the bulk.

Bottom line

Vacationing with a new baby can feel overwhelming, but if you know where to go and what to bring along, you can use it as an opportunity to rest, recharge and bond with your baby — all while creating lifelong memories.

Family Travel Guide to Oahu with a Baby

Baby Scout at 6-months old in Oahu, Hawaii.

Hawaii is a popular place for Americans to travel with their babies, my parents took me to Hawaii for the first time when I was just a couple of months old. Visiting the islands truly feels like an escape to paradise, but you don't need a passport because you aren't leaving the country. Getting a passport for a baby can be a hassle, so this is a big bonus. There's also no Zika is Hawaii so it's a great place to have a baby moon while pregnant!

The people of Hawaii are very welcoming to families and children, you'll find ample baby friendly dining and activities. In this guide you’ll find the best beaches, places to eat, baby-friendly activities and my top parenting travel tips.

Baby-Friendly Day Trips in Oahu

Eat favorite hawaiian foods.

I have a complete guide to everything you need to know about Oahu . At the bottom of the blog post I have a section for foodies and it includes where to find:

Malasadas - “Hawaiian Donuts”

Hawaiian açaí bowls

Hawaiian BBQ

and so much more!

Dole Plantation

The enormous Dole Plantation in central Oahu is one of the most popular attractions on the island. Kid and baby friendly attractions include lunch at the plantation grill, a stroll through the gardens, or a ride the Pineapple Express train. You can also find the famous Dole Whip dessert!

Stroller Walks Through Waikiki

Many areas of Hawaii tends to be more “off the beaten path”, meaning the lack of sidewalks can make it tricky to push a stroller. Waikiki in Honolulu has a main oceanfront walking path that provides excellent ocean views, great window shopping and yummy eats.

Interstate H-3 / John A. Burns Freeway

Oahu literally has “the most beautiful highway in the world” and it can be the perfect drive for a fussy baby. When Scout wouldn’t go down for her nap, all we had to do is drive along the H-3 highway and enjoy the views while she slept in the car.

TED’S BAKERY

This was one of our favorite stops during our trip to Oahu. Ted’s Bakery is very popular on the North Shore and is located adjacent to Sunset Beach. They serve traditional Hawaiian BBQ “plate lunch” and are famous for their original chocolate haupia cream pie.

SHRIMP TRUCKS

A fun and easy way to enjoy lunch or an early dinner with a baby is to hit up one of the many shrimp trucks you’ll find around the island. These are so popular that there are many tour buses that make the rounds to these shrimp trucks. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is a favorite with the locals.

Stroller & Baby-Friendly Hiking

For a leisurely hike or walk on the islands of Oahu, the below trails are stroller-friendly but still provide great views. You can also put your baby in a carrier, just try to make sure there’s plenty of ventilation.

Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail

Waimea Fall & Nature Walk

Central Oahu Regional Park - A free public park with walking trails and playgrounds. Located at 94-801 Kamehameha Hwy, Waipahu, HI 96797.

Pearl Harbor Biking Path - This is a 10-mile paved trail that begins in Halawa Landing and goes all the way to Waipahu. Trail head begins at Blaisdelle Park.

Farmers’ Market

One of my favorite things to do when I travel is visit the local farmer’s markets. The bounty of fresh produce varies so much in each region of the USA, and this is especially true in Hawaii. On the island of Oahu, Kapiolani Community College Farmers’ Market is the best option . Keep an eye for local fruits such as guava, taro, li hing mui, lilikoi passion fruit and pineapple.

Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden

This beautiful 400 acre park is free to the public! You can either walk or drive around the property, it’s a great place to take a baby for a drive if you’re trying to get them to sleep in the car. There are several types of gardens to explore.

Pu’u ‘Ualaka’a State Park

This calm lookout spot sits very high on a mountain and provides excellent views of the island. You can drive up the whole way so you don’t have to worry climbing steep terrain with a baby. At the top you’ll see panoramic views of southern Oahu from Diamond Head to Pearl Harbor.

Surfer and seal on Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu.

Best Oahu Beaches to Explore with Baby

Ko olina secret lagoon.

This spot is a very calm beach for swimming and offers warm and shallow waters for babies and young children. There’s free parking and it tends to be less crowded than other spots.

LANIKAI BEACH

Voted the best beach in America, this popular spots has stunning turquoise blue waters and small islands off the shore. The waters are calm and waves are small for the kiddos. One thing to note, there’s only street parking available and it can get a bit busy during the weekend.

Kualoa Beach Park

During our stay in Oahu we visited Kualoa Beach Park and spent half a day having a picnic and playing in the shore. There’s plenty of parking and easy beach access. The waves are very calm and you can see China Man Hat Island in the background.

Honolulu Zoo

We have visited Zoos all over the country with our baby Scout and I often find them very accommodating to babies in strollers. The Honolulu Zoo has over 42 acres in walking paths and animals to explore. They have large trees offering shade and children under 2 years old are free.

Tips for Traveling to Hawaii with a Baby

Plan for a flexible schedule.

When you start building out your Oahu vacation itinerary, make sure to be realistic about what you can comfortably do with a baby. Be sure to leave lots of room for nap times and feeding schedules. Always have a plan B incase your baby is not feeling the activity for the day.

Hawaii is Expensive

If this is your first trip to Hawaii, you’ll quickly learn that purchasing groceries and any kind of shopping is extra pricey. Come prepared with plenty of baby formula, baby food, non-perishable snacks, etc.

On the island of Oahu there’s four Target stores and six Walmarts . If you need any baby supplies these are your best options.

If you book a hotel room with a kitchen, you can do some light cooking and possibly save money. On Booking.com you can filter by hotels with kitchens which is super helpful .

Plan Extra Time for Driving

There are many parts of Oahu where you won’t see many people, but in the shopping and more populated areas you can hit pretty bad traffic. We particularly had a hard time finding parking in areas close to Honolulu. Leave extra time in your plans in case you run into this issue.

The most convenient way to get around the island is with your own car, especially if you’re traveling with a baby. We use Booking.com to find the best rates and availably of cars to rent. Make sure you have a carseat with you for baby. Keep reading to see how you can rent a car seat if you don’t want to bring yours on the plane.

Oahu Baby Equipment Rental

Flying with a lot of baby gear can be a pain, so many parents opt to rent essentials such as strollers, car seats, pack-n-plays, etc.

With the website BabyQuip , you can rent baby gear from local Oahu families for a low daily rate. You can also use babysaway.com to reserve baby gear.

Some hotels are extra baby-friendly and they will have baby strollers and equipment to lend or rent for parents.

If you just need a lightweight stroller while on your trip, you can stop into Target or Wal-Mart and find some for under $30.

Sun Protection for Baby

Make sure you have enough sun protection for baby.

Full-body baby sunsuit

Pop-up tent for shade 

See more Hawaii & baby friendly guides:

Flying with a 4-Month-Old Baby: A Complete Guide

Oahu 4-Day Itinerary & Travel Guide

The Complete Guide to Exploring Santa Cruz With a Baby

Family-Friendly Guide to Sonoma County - Top Things To Do with Kids

Best Baby and Kid-Friendly Things to Do in San Diego

Book your hotel in Oahu:

Halekulani Resort

Shoreline Hotel Waikiki

Waikiki Beachcomber

Shop baby & travel essentials :

Diaper Bag Backpacks

By Buybuy BABY

Drawstring Travel Bag Set

By Made and Found

Organic Fern Bib

By All About Pepi

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Mother arrested, accused of child abuse in death of baby in Eagle Mountain

By cassidy wixom, ksl.com | posted - sept. 24, 2024 at 9:38 p.m..

A mother was arrested in connection to the death of her 4-month-old baby, police said. (BCFC, Shutterstock)

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

EAGLE MOUNTAIN — A mother was arrested Tuesday in connection to the death of her 4-month-old baby, police said.

Raona Dorothy Mora, 32, was arrested for investigation of reckless child abuse homicide

About 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, detectives were called out to a home in Eagle Mountain near Nolen Park, where a 4-month old boy suffered severe head trauma.

Paramedics arrived and began medical treatment on the baby, but he was quickly taken by helicopter to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, according to a police booking affidavit. Because of the child's worsening condition, the helicopter detoured and took the child to Primary Children's in Lehi.

Once on scene, police said the mother, Mora, told them she had fallen asleep on the bedside while holding the baby and fallen to the ground on top of the baby.

Officers at the hospital said the baby sustained multiple skull fractures, resulting in an indentation of the baby's skull and extensive brain hemorrhaging. The skull indentation was so significant it was visible to the naked eye, the affidavit said.

The baby's injuries were unsurvivable, doctors told police. The baby was pronounced dead shortly after.

In an interview with police, Mora again said she had fallen asleep while sitting on the bedside with the baby in her arms and fell forward off the bed and onto the baby, according to the affidavit. The bed is a mattress and box spring, about 18 inches off the ground, police said.

Mora said she awoke on her back, with the baby in her arms, and the baby was then taken by the father. The mother said she got up and took the baby back and tried to soothe him as he cried but noticed he was stiff, breathing oddly and bleeding from the ear. Mora said she then woke the father, who had gone back to sleep, and called emergency services.

Police said the doctors reported there is "no possibility that the extensive and life-ending injuries sustained by the 4-month-old baby boy could have resulted from the reported circumstances from Mrs. Raona Mora," the affidavit states.

The mother's explanation was "inconsistent" and "incongruent with the multiple catastrophic brain injuries occurring from a reported fall height of 18 inches," police said.

Mora is being held without bail.

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‘super mom’ sentenced to 14 years in death of 4-month-old daughter.

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — A 34-year-old woman called herself a “super mom” as she was sentenced to 14 years in prison for the death of her 4-month-old daughter.

Tricia K. Cavanaugh, of Muncie, pleaded guilty to the charge neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury.

She took drugs before breast-feeding the baby in bed and falling asleep next to the child.

Indiana Department of Child Services did a saliva test and found Cavanaugh had hydrocodone, diazepam, nordiazepam and oxycodone in her system.

Child Services had warned Cavanaugh more than year earlier about the dangers of sleeping with a child. In that case, a 2-month-old was removed from Cavanaugh’s home.

Muncie Police Department responded about 9:15 a.m. June 9, 2016, to her home in the 2100 block of North Glenwood Avenue. That’s in a residential area off West Bethel Avenue a few blocks east of Tillotson Avenue. Officers found the unconscious baby who died later at a hospital.

A news release from Delaware County Prosecutor Eric M. Hoffman said Cavanaugh referred to herself as a “super mom” during her sentencing hearing Monday in Delaware Circuit Court 3.

Judge Douglass Mawhorr responded to Cavanaugh, “I am not so sure about that,” according to the release.

“This case is a prime example of a needless death of an infant due unsafe sleep practices. I, and others, have been sounding the alarm on unsafe sleep practices for years. Parents and caregivers must follow the ABC’s of the safe sleep. Infants and babies should always sleep Alone, on their Backs, and in a safe Crib. Sleeping with the infant in an adult bed can result in the fatal smothering of an infant. Contrary to the belief of some, sleeping in adult bed with your infant or, engaging in other unsafe sleep practices is, by definition, child neglect. Despite the wide spread availability of these prevention programs, locally we continue to see these types of child abuse and neglect. I am proud of Chief Deputy Prosecutor Zach Craig and Deputy Prosecutor Maricel Driscoll for their hard work and dedication in this case.” Delaware County Prosecutor Eric M. Hoffman

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Father arrested after baby found with multiple traumatic skull fractures

By Bob Mayo

Click here for updates on this story

    PITTSBURGH ( WTAE ) — A 4-month-old baby who suffered severe injuries at the hands of his father, according to police, has died.

Police say the 4-month-old was initially taken toUPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in grave condition with multiple traumatic injuries to the head. The infant suffered four distinct skull fractures, brain damage extending to the spinal cord, and two broken shoulders.

The baby’s father, Seth Williams, 28, of Bloomfield, is charged with five felony counts of aggravated assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of children. One of the baby’s 4-year-old twin siblings told police Williams threw the baby — and threw the twin, as well.

At this point, additional charges against Williams remain unclear.

Police wrote in the criminal complaint court that Williams called the baby’s mother at work Monday, saying there was an emergency at home and claiming the twins knocked over the bassinet in their apartment home on Yew Street in Bloomfield.

When the mother got home, she found the apartment was in disarray and she saw bruising on the baby’s head.

She tried treating the bruising Monday night, but by Tuesday morning, the baby’s lips were blue and his eyes were rolling back.

The mother, carrying the baby, walked with it to nearby West Penn Hospital. The infant was in critical condition and was transferred to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Zone 5 officers responded to the hospital and detectives from the Violent Crime Unit later assumed the investigation.

Doctors tell police the injuries are not consistent with the baby being able to survive and that there’s no way a fall from a bassinet could have caused the injuries.

According to the criminal complaint, the child’s injuries were consistent with three or more blows to his head.

The criminal complaint says Williams’ father told police that Williams called him Monday night, saying the children were acting up and that the grandfather should come and get them. He told police that when he arrived, he found the apartment in shambles.

Williams is being held in the Allegheny County Jail and police say the investigation is continuing.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

Five-month-old baby found after car was hijacked with her still inside

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Police have cancelled a missing child alert for a five-month-old baby girl who was taken in a car hijacking in central Dublin today.

Shortly before 2pm, Daisy Hall’s mother was standing outside of her car when a man hijacked it with the baby still in her car seat.

Daisy has now been found safe and well in Dublin City Centre.

The car is a silver Nissan Qashqai with a 10 D 21328 registration plate. It has a dog cage visible in its back window.

The suspect was wearing dark clothing and a baseball hat when they stole the car near Gardiner Street in north Dublin.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

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