While we’ve only gone on two out of state trips with Braxton, we’ve traveled to other cities in Texas many times. Braxton loves to stay at hotels and we’ve gotten down what we need vs what is just extra. Here’s a list of our weekend trip essentials, and some tips to make traveling with little ones easier!
Car Essentials:
- Car Seat Tray: Makes eating snacks and activities easier for long car trips.
- IPad: Some streaming services, like Disney+, Netflix and Amazon Prime, allow you to download movies/tv shows to watch without the internet. So make sure to download a few the night before you leave!
- Snacks: Lots of snacks, and water. Pack sippy cups for the car that you can refill.
- Coloring book or Dry Erase Markers. You can use dry erase markers on the window for easy entertainment.
- New toys that they haven’t seen before.
- Blanket for car nap. (This could be a new toy & blanket combo for a fun road trip excitement.)
- Noggle to help with air flow.
Overnight Essentials: (My checklist)
- Pack N Play: Lots of hotels actually can provide this if you ask ahead of time which will save you space in the car. But I do recommend you still bring your own pack n play sheets. Most hotels won’t have sheets for it.
- Stroller: A lightweight stroller that’s easy for travel, but still has good storage. This is our favorite because it also reclines which is great for naps.
- Portable Sound Machine
- At least two pairs of shoes per child. (In case one pair gets lost/dirty.)
- 7-8 Diapers per day. (2 nighttime diapers per night.)
- A whole pack of wipes
- Don’t forget favorite “loveys” or toys that your kid can’t sleep without.
- One outfit per day, one set of pj’s per night. Bring at least one extra outfit and pj’s as well though in case of any accidents.
- Diaper Trash Bags for poop diapers that you don’t want smelling up the hotel room.
Traveling Tips:
- Lower your expectations, vacations with kids aren’t always a vacation for the parents!
- Stroller naps are sometimes better then trying to go back and forth to the hotel. Always try to stay flexible, and not have too many set times (like specific dinner plans) because you never know with kids.
- Ask for an early check in and/or late check out if possible.
- Call the hotel ahead of time to make sure there is a fridge for milk for the baby, they’ll usually try to accommodate you. We’ve even been upgraded to a better room for free to make sure there was enough room for a pack n play/crib.
- check out this old post from when we took Braxton to Tennessee! Click here to read about our flight to Disney with Braxton as well.