Family Travel Tips for a Smoother Ride

We’ve been there. Traveling with our tiny humans is a beautiful chaos that can sometimes feel overwhelmingly exhausting.

Here at WAYB, we’re a group of parents with a travel bug we refuse to let go of. Along the way, we’ve figured out some tricks that prove you CAN travel with kids (and enjoy it).

Here are six family travel tips for a memorable and smoother ride.

1. Plan the journey with your mini travel pal.

Let your kiddo pick some of the sites and adventures. In return, you’ll see the pure joy when they spot a location they’d only seen photos of before. 

2. Turn kiddos into budding photographers.

Give them a camera to snap and observe their surroundings. Ask them what they’ve seen and their answers might even surprise you. When you’re back home, you can print some of the photos and show them how to make a photo album (the old school way).

3. Make sure everyone is comfy.

Traveling between states can mean big temperature swings. Dressing in layers can help everyone stay warm and dry no matter the zone. Put together your Mary Poppins bag of tricks and make sure to include a change of clothes, reusable water bottle, and a small toy for emergency play sessions. 

4. Don’t be an overachiever.

Plan a morning activity, a nap, and then leave time for spontaneity. It’s vacation for a reason! Everyone will have a better time if you leave room for flexibility.

5. Use your kid-like imagination.

Make some great memories while on the road by playing your favorite guessing games from I Spy to Simon Says. Getting silly can help everyone in the family shake the stress of traveling. Here are a few other great travel games to play.

6. Slow down and enjoy the journey.

It can be stressful to travel over the holidays. Build in time to move more leisurely through your travel day, giving time for care-free exploration of shops, sites, and whatever else catches your family’s attention.

Need more advice on surviving the plane ride? Here are 50 tips for traveling with a baby from one of our favorite bloggers, Barefoot Blonde.

The journey is more important than the destination. Keep exploring with WAYB.