Traveling with toddlers can feel like a completely different kind of vacation.
There are naps to work around, snacks to carry, tantrums that seem to appear from nowhere and an astonishing amount of stuff for one very small person. Add airports, unfamiliar beds, long car journeys or restaurant waits into the mix and even experienced travelers can start to wonder whether staying home would be easier.
But traveling with toddlers can also be incredibly rewarding.
Toddlers are fascinated by things adults barely notice. A train ride can be an adventure. A hotel elevator can be exciting. A squirrel in a park may be remembered more fondly than the attraction you spent $100 visiting.
We traveled with our children throughout the toddler years, and while those trips certainly weren’t always relaxing, we learned that a little preparation — and much lower expectations — can make family vacations considerably easier.
Here are 25 practical tips for traveling with toddlers, from choosing the right destination to surviving flights, naps, meals and those inevitable toddler meltdowns.
1. Choose a Toddler-Friendly Destination
Not every destination is equally easy with a toddler.
At this age, convenience often matters more than squeezing in as many famous attractions as possible.
Look for destinations with:
- Short travel times
- Parks and playgrounds
- Easy access to food
- Family-friendly accommodations
- Plenty of outdoor space
- Activities that don’t require long periods of sitting still
- Indoor options like soft play or a children’s museum
Beach towns, National Parks, walkable cities and resorts with pools can all work particularly well.
You don’t necessarily need somewhere designed specifically for children. You just need somewhere that allows your toddler to move, rest and eat without turning every day into a logistical operation.
2. Avoid Long-Haul Travel If You Can
During the toddler years, we avoided long-haul travel as much as possible. We moved from Scotland to the US when our eldest was almost two, so we couldn’t completely avoid it.
We still wanted to travel with our children, but we found that choosing destinations within a more manageable flying or driving distance made vacations much easier for everyone.
Toddlers aren’t exactly known for enjoying ten hours confined to an airplane seat. Add disrupted naps, unfamiliar food, airport waits and a big time difference at the other end, and you can spend a significant portion of your vacation simply trying to get everyone back on schedule.
There will be plenty of time for ambitious long-haul adventures as your children get older.
During the toddler years, we concentrated more on trips closer to home and destinations that were relatively easy to reach. It meant we could still have wonderful family vacations without making the journey itself unnecessarily difficult.
If you do need or want to travel long-haul with a toddler, of course it can absolutely be done. But don’t feel that you have to take huge international trips just because you see other families doing them.
A great family vacation doesn’t have to be far from home.
3. Don’t Plan Every Minute
Having a basic plan is helpful, but toddlers are unpredictable.
They might nap for three hours one day and refuse to nap completely the next. They may happily walk around a museum in the morning and then completely lose patience with sightseeing after lunch.
Build flexibility into your schedule.
We usually choose one main activity each day and consider everything else a bonus.
4. Work Around Nap Time When You Can
If your toddler still naps, try to protect that nap whenever reasonably possible.
A rested toddler is considerably easier to travel with than an exhausted one.
That doesn’t mean your entire vacation has to revolve around sleep schedules, but think carefully about when you schedule longer activities.
Morning outings followed by an afternoon nap often work well.
You can also use driving time strategically if your toddler naps reliably in the car.
5. Book Accommodation with Space
Hotel rooms can become very small very quickly once a toddler goes to bed at 7:30 p.m.
If your budget allows, apartments, vacation rentals, cabins or hotel suites can be much easier.
Having a separate bedroom means adults don’t have to spend the evening whispering in the dark.
A kitchen or kitchenette is also extremely useful for breakfast, milk, snacks and simple meals.
6. Check for a Refrigerator Before Booking
A small refrigerator can make a surprisingly big difference when traveling with toddlers.
You can keep:
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Fruit
- Cheese
- Leftovers
- Drinks
- Simple breakfast foods
Having easy food available can prevent a hungry toddler meltdown while you’re trying to get everyone dressed and out of the hotel.
7. Pack More Snacks Than You Think You Need
Snacks are one of the most useful toddler travel tools available.
Bring significantly more than you think you will need.
Good travel snacks include things that are relatively tidy and easy to eat, such as crackers, cereal bars, fruit pouches, pretzels, dry cereal and sliced fruit.
Keep a few emergency snacks somewhere easily accessible rather than buried inside your luggage.
A snack won’t solve every toddler problem.
It solves a surprising number of them.
8. Bring a Refillable Water Bottle
Travel days can be dehydrating, especially when you’re flying or spending lots of time outdoors.
Bring your toddler’s usual cup or water bottle if possible.
Familiar items can also help children feel more comfortable when everything else around them is unfamiliar.
Bringing reusable water bottles also saves money, as you can refill them throughout the day instead of constantly buying drinks while you’re out.
9. Always Carry Spare Clothes
Never underestimate a toddler’s ability to require an outfit change at the least convenient moment.
Keep one complete change of clothes in your day bag.
That includes socks.
If you’re flying, keep the spare clothing in your carry-on rather than checked luggage.
I would also recommend carrying a spare T-shirt for yourself during the toddler years. You may never need it, but when you do, you’ll be very glad you packed it.
Our eldest had a remarkable habit of knocking my glass of iced water straight into my lap, so I learned very quickly that spare clothes aren’t just for the kids! For long days out or flights, I’d always carry at least a spare T-shirt for myself as well.
10. Pack a Familiar Comfort Item
A favorite stuffed animal, blanket or bedtime toy can help make unfamiliar places feel safer.
Travel can be exciting but also overwhelming for young children.
Having something familiar from home can make bedtime considerably easier.
If the comfort item is irreplaceable, however, be extremely careful with it.
You may want to leave the most treasured toy safely at home and bring a second favorite instead.
11. Bring a Lightweight Stroller
Even toddlers who normally prefer walking can suddenly decide they are completely incapable of taking another step.
A lightweight stroller is invaluable in airports, cities, theme parks and long sightseeing days.
It also gives toddlers somewhere familiar to rest when they’re overstimulated.
For outdoor-heavy vacations, consider whether your destination requires a sturdier stroller or child carrier instead.
12. Consider a Toddler Carrier
A toddler carrier can be incredibly useful for destinations where strollers aren’t practical.
We particularly like carriers for:
- Hiking
- Cobblestone streets
- Crowded attractions
- Airports
- Places with lots of stairs
Even independent toddlers sometimes reach a point where their legs simply stop cooperating.
13. Let Them Walk Whenever Possible
Ironically, one of the best ways to make traveling with toddlers easier is to let them burn energy.
Before boarding a flight, spend time walking around the airport.
Before a long restaurant meal, find somewhere they can move.
At rest stops, don’t just use the bathroom and immediately get back into the car. Give toddlers a few minutes to run around safely.
A toddler who has had opportunities to move is much more likely to tolerate the times when they need to sit still.
14. Pack a Few New Activities
You don’t need an entire suitcase filled with toys.
A handful of small activities your toddler hasn’t seen before can be much more effective.
Ideas include:
- Sticker books
- Water-reveal coloring books
- Reusable sticker scenes
- Small cars or animals
- Magnetic drawing boards
- Busy books
Introduce them gradually rather than handing everything over at once.
15. Save Screens for When You Really Need Them
We have always been fairly relaxed about screen time during travel.
Flights and long road trips are not normal days.
Downloading a few favorite shows or movies before your trip can be extremely useful, especially when everyone is tired.
I would still start with snacks, toys, books and conversation when possible, then bring out the tablet when you need it most.
Don’t forget toddler-safe headphones.
16. Download Entertainment Before You Leave
Never rely on airplane Wi-Fi or hotel internet.
Download:
- Shows
- Movies
- Games
- Music
- Audiobooks
before leaving home.
You may also want to test everything beforehand to make sure it works without internet access.
17. Keep Important Items Easily Accessible
Don’t pack something you’ll need every hour at the bottom of a suitcase.
Your day bag should contain the things you’re most likely to need quickly, including:
- Diapers or pull-ups
- Wipes
- Spare clothes
- Snacks
- Water
- Sunscreen
- Comfort item
- Small toys
- Medication
- Plastic bags
Think of it as your toddler survival kit.
She was always very keen to “help” with the packing — although unpacking an entire bag of diapers probably wasn’t quite what I had in mind!
Bonus Tip: Pack a Portable Potty for Potty-Training Toddlers
If you’re traveling with a potty-training toddler, a portable potty in the car can be a lifesaver. Choose one with a removable, tip-out bowl so you can pull over safely when they suddenly announce they need to go right now, instead of desperately searching for a bathroom. It’s also really useful once you reach your accommodation, especially if your toddler is more comfortable using a familiar potty than an unfamiliar toilet.
18. Bring Plastic or Wet Bags
A few empty plastic bags take up almost no space and have endless uses.
They’re useful for:
- Wet swimsuits
- Dirty clothing
- Trash
- Muddy shoes
- Diaper emergencies
- Clothes involved in unfortunate travel incidents
Reusable wet bags work even better if you already have them.
19. Don’t Overpack Toys
It is very easy to pack far too much for toddlers.
In reality, young children often become fascinated by whatever happens to be around them.
A hotel notepad, a cup, pebbles on a beach or a stick in a National Park can sometimes provide more entertainment than the expensive toys you carried across the country.
Bring enough to get through travel days, but don’t feel like you need to recreate the entire playroom.
20. Be Flexible About Food
Vacation probably isn’t the time to worry about creating perfectly balanced toddler meals three times a day.
Offer familiar foods when you can and keep nutritious snacks available, but don’t panic if your child survives one day primarily on bread, fruit and crackers.
Trying new foods is wonderful.
So is occasionally ordering the plain pasta because everyone is exhausted.
21. Eat Earlier Than You Used To
Eating dinner at 5 p.m. may not sound glamorous.
With toddlers, it can be brilliant.
Restaurants are often quieter, service may be faster and your child is less likely to be overtired.
You’ll also avoid waiting for a table during the busiest dinner period.
22. Use Playgrounds as Part of Your Itinerary
Some of our children’s favorite vacation memories have come from completely ordinary playgrounds.
When you’re exploring a city or town, search for nearby parks.
Allowing toddlers 30 minutes of unstructured play can completely reset the day.
It’s also a great way for parents to sit down with a coffee.
23. Expect Meltdowns
Even with perfect planning, your toddler will probably have a meltdown at some point.
That doesn’t mean the vacation is going badly.
Toddlers get overwhelmed at home, too. Travel simply adds unfamiliar environments, different routines and extra stimulation.
If things start falling apart, stop.
Find somewhere quiet.
Offer food or water.
Let them rest.
Sometimes abandoning an activity is the best decision you can make.
There will always be another museum.
24. Lower Your Expectations
This may be the most important toddler travel tip of all.
Vacations with toddlers are rarely relaxing in the traditional sense.
You might leave an attraction earlier than planned.
You might eat takeout in your hotel room instead of visiting the restaurant you researched.
You might spend an afternoon watching your toddler throw pebbles into a lake instead of completing your sightseeing list.
That’s okay.
The goal is not to create a perfectly executed itinerary.
The goal is to spend time together somewhere new.
25. Remember That This Stage Doesn’t Last Forever
Traveling with toddlers can be exhausting.
There may be moments when you’re carrying a stroller, a backpack and a screaming child through an airport wondering why you ever thought family travel was a good idea.
But toddler travel also comes with a kind of magic that disappears surprisingly quickly.
Everything is new.
Everything is interesting.
They notice tiny things.
They get excited about buses, hotel breakfasts, fountains, animals and airplanes.
And while they might not remember every vacation, you will.
One day, the portable potty, stroller and snack bag disappear — and somehow those tiny travelers are suddenly big kids walking beside you.
Is Traveling With Toddlers Worth It?
Absolutely.
You just have to redefine what a successful vacation looks like.
You may travel more slowly. You’ll probably carry more luggage. You might spend considerably more time searching for bathrooms and snacks than you ever imagined.
But traveling with toddlers gives children the opportunity to experience new places, spend uninterrupted time with their family and learn that exploring the world is simply something your family does.
You don’t have to wait until your children are older to start traveling.
Start small, keep your expectations realistic and build from there.
Some trips will be easier than others.
All of them will teach you something.
More Family Travel Tips
Planning your next family vacation? You may also enjoy:
- Road Trip Packing List for Families
- Family Vacations for Kids Who Love Animals
- Hiking with Kids: Tips for Better Family Hikes
- Family Camping for Beginners
- Best US National Parks for Families
Traveling with toddlers isn’t always easy, but it can still be wonderful. Some days will involve missed naps, snack emergencies, tantrums and plans that have to change completely — and that’s okay. Keep things simple, leave plenty of breathing room, and remember that you don’t have to do everything for a trip to feel special. These years pass far more quickly than they seem to at the time, and one day you may find yourself looking back at the messy, exhausting toddler trips as some of your sweetest family memories.