5 Life Changing Tips To Traveling With Kids
Guest blog by Libby Nowak
The summit of our Arenal volcano hike - an 8 hour tour day and this was our last stop! Worth it!
When my husband and I went on our honeymoon to Belize, we thought to ourselves that we really should wait a hot minute to have kids so we can squeeze more travel in. The following year we went to Greece and Turkey, and the travel itch continued.
When we got pregnant with our first son not so long after that, we assured ourselves that we’d continue our holidays and shlep this little one along with us. We made good on that promise and took our 10 month-old son with us on a 10-day trip to Barcelona and a Mediterranean cruise.
While on that vacation, we navigated cobblestone streets with a small umbrella stroller in Marseilles, ate tapas in Lisbon while he napped in said stroller, and had our eyes opened to how magical traveling with a kid can be – and not the Disney magical kind either.
Now, this is my very favorite way to travel. Not because we don’t have to find childcare for our two school-aged boys, but because sharing the world with them makes travel even more life-changing and memorable for all of us.
This past spring we finally made it to Costa Rica – a trip that the COVID-19 pandemic had delayed for our family. However, it turned out to be the perfect time to go with two busy boys, ages 5 and 7. We spent 2 amazing weeks traveling around the diverse country - soaking in the hot springs, having epic wildlife sightings, crossing hanging bridges on jungle treks, and playing in the sand and surf. While traveling with young kids is different and does take extra planning, it can (and IMO should) be done.
I don’t claim to be an expert, but I do have some practical and applicable tips that might make this type of travel feel more realistic for you and your family.
So much wonder in the rainforest! Our hotel in the Rio Celeste area had hanging bridges on property, so we took full advantage!
Make the flight WORTH it.
If you are traveling with kids, the travel days are usually the hardest. Sleep schedules are off and boredom can set in fast and furiously. Choose a flight option with fewer layovers, and if you have one – maybe make it around 2-3 hours when possible. This provides you with just enough time to get something to eat without feeling super rushed, maybe wander around and stretch little legs while burning a bit of energy, and perhaps hit the book or gift shop without restlessness creeping in.
We realized on this trip that giving them a "job," that is, pushing their own special rolling suitcase that they got as a gift when we announced the trip really helped! The adults weren't lugging 4 bags each, the kids felt included and actually had fun running through the airport with their wheeley carry-ons (sorry to any passersby who may have had their ankles crashed into).
If you’re venturing abroad, or anywhere that has a longer flight – extend your trip if possible. We all know air travel can be expensive (even more so when bringing your whole family), but staying an extra few days always makes me feel like that longer, pricy travel day is worthwhile.
Finally, we usually like to pack a small gift in our carry-on that is novel to the boys and will keep them entertained for a bit - a card game or rubix cube, for instance. We also throw screen time limits out the window on these days. Oh, and bring allllll the snacks.
Made it back to the US…still pushing his jungle suitcase.
2. Navigate without the headaches
If you have another adult partner to travel with—and you feel comfortable enough doing so—I'd highly recommend renting a car in most places. With kids, it's just easier. Being on your own timeline is key—and you don't have to be embarrassed by any "kid stuff" that might happen. AKA, one of my boys got carsick and puked in the van on the couple hour excursion from Liberia's airport to La Fortuna...and we just felt bad for the driver.
You can rent car seats/boosters from most car rental companies, and the vehicle can function as a home base for extra stuff that kids inevitably accumulate while moving from place to place on your vacation. Mixing in other modes of transportation when available is also a great way to make any commute an adventure! Planes, trains, (ferries), and automobiles - right?!
Cheers to us - pool time for the boys and a cold beverage for the parents!
3. Get amenities for kids
Two things: pool + bunk beds.
Really anywhere we go, a pool is key for keeping kids content. It helps them get their wiggles out, feels great on tired little feet that have been getting in extra steps on vacation, puts them in a good mood, and just kind of acts as a reset button when they're cranky. Kids get up early. Sometimes amenities aren't always open on their timeline, but the pool is a great way to start the day after breakfast but before you have any tours or outings planned.
Our boys love to swim, and this is a low-key, familiar way to make them feel happily at ease on vacation. Especially after staring down bats in a dark cave, or hiking for an hour in the rain.
And let's face it - if your kids don't have them at home, bunk beds are just plain cool.
Relaxing day at Baldi Hot Springs Resort, where we started our trip for 4 nights.
4. Excursions and tours
We do like to explore on our own, but with a mix of planned tour-based excursions and some much needed downtime thrown in. Kids don't have the longest attention span, so variety is key in planning a legendary vacation.
In Costa Rica, we did everything from hiking the Arenal Volcano, ziplining through the jungle canopy, spending entire days at our resort floating in the 20+ hot spring pools offered, enjoying a coffee, chocolate and local fruit tour, going for a night wildlife hike, and taking a catamaran ride at sunset.
One of our absolute favorites though was going to a local family farm - they had three little girls and welcomed our family into their home as if we were old friends.
I'm not sure how long of a "tour" it was supposed to be, but we learned about the cows (pretty neat, even being from Wisconsin), picked and ate guava and coconuts from their orchards, and I learned to cook plantains on the indoor/outdoor stove with grandma—the tastiest of our entire trip! We shared a comfy dinner together while the kids rode bikes and played with the beetles that came out at sundown.
We left feeling so fulfilled and thankful for this unique experience, and were even given a huge box of guava to keep with us the rest of our vacation as a parting gift! I highly recommend immersing yourself in any local experiences if you have the chance.
Just two kids playing on the farm while we made new friends and learned to cook fresh Costa Rican fare!
5. Journal!
We do this on most of our trips, but the boys absolutely LOVED our travel journal in Costa Rica. We'd write in it in the evenings after they went to bed—ideally on a balcony over a glass of local wine. Their job was to illustrate it with a favorite activity or memorable moment from the day. At mealtimes, it was a great distraction and kept them occupied coloring and re-reading about their adventures while waiting for their food. It also doubled as a perfect bedtime story instead of dragging along a bunch of books (or having more screen time). Plus, it just makes for the best keepsake of a family vacation that we can look back on.
Illustrating our journal at lunch with a Shirley temple - complete with extra cherries!
A vacation with kids might seem daunting and more stressful than it's worth. But as the great travel writer Rick Steves said, "Travel is rich with learning opportunities and the ultimate souvenir is a broader perspective."
I promise - you'll never regret showing your children the world.
Doesn’t get better than taking a moment to watch the beach sunset beach with my boys.
Libby is a Certified Nurse Midwife, boy mom, and travel enthusiast! She loves being active and exploring the outdoors, and by sharing practical tips and experiences, she wishes to make travel feel attainable for everyone. Her passion is sharing the world with her sons and she is eager to help you do the same! You can connect with Libby in my Facebook travel group for women, Lola Loves Travel.