22 travel tips with babies and toddlers ahead of the euro summer
The best long haul flight times, hotels vs airbnbs, avoiding toddler meltdowns, and how we find a good babysitter in Paris and the south of France
Book that family holiday. Don’t wait for the perfect time, or the perfect age. It will always be worth it, even the moments that are so wild you can’t do anything but laugh. You’ll make the best memories, and have the best stories to share when they are older. You might also need a holiday from the holiday…
Here are my top 22 tried and tested travel tips to make your trip more seamless, whether you are pregnant, travelling with a newborn (the dream!), toddlers or with three kiddos these will really help. We almost don’t even notice that we do these now, they come so naturally. Short domestic flights or long hauls, one night away or six weeks, lots of little tips we’ve learnt along the way over the last six years that I am so happy to share with you. I also share some of our favourite properties we stay at as a family. Enjoy beautiful mamas!
*To see all the tips past the first three, please subscribe (3 euros…shouting a tired mama an espresso at the airport, merci hehe!) All the things I wish I had known sooner! Please feel free to like, comment or share this post with another mama who might be nervous about traveling for the first time with a baby, or who is unsure what rooms to book with two kiddos, or is wondering if they will be able to have a cheeky date night in Paris… I promise you will love them!
1.
Fly with a reputable, quality airline with good flight times and connections. We always fly with QANTAS, Emirates and Air France. We fly economy. The check-in process is easy, there is usually no queue and always a team member to help you. They are also much less likely to charge a fee if you are over your baggage allowance. In general, you’ll have plenty of baggage allowance to begin with with these airlines. They won’t weigh your hand luggage. Build up points, and you can use the lounge areas at the airport. You might save a tiny bit more for ‘budget’ or sister airlines, but it always comes back to you, trust us. Even when you try and pack carefully, you will always have too much hand luggage, and a million baby items and kiddos running in different directions at the airport. You don’t need to be opening suitcases and taking things out and repacking and negotiating with the airline staff ahead of your trip. Or at the end of your trip. Also, if you are running late and feeling overwhelmed at the airport — just go straight to the Business Class queue. Honestly. Not once have they ever turned us away. You’ll check-in in two minutes and be on your way!
2.
You really can travel with a million and one baby items, you just drop them at oversized luggage. Prams, car seats, travel cots. They are always included in your baby or child’s ticket, you don’t need to pre-book extra bags/items. In general, you don’t need to travel with a car seat as you can easily book Ubers and taxi’s with them to get around a city. As we had our newborn capsule/car seat in Aus for the few months we were there, we brought it with us back to Paris and it was really wonderful for the longer trips to and from the airport. It was our first time traveling with a carseat, and Velvet was twelve weeks old. There’s no harm in bringing one, perhaps if you have a tiny baby for peace of mind and safety, and you can store it with concierge.
3.
Pre-book airport transfers through your hotel. Always. Or book an Uber van. Always. Even for short trips around Paris, we will book an Uber van. Everyone has space, it is a lot more comfortable for a family, you can easily fit your pram and/or stroller (and luggage/shopping), and you won’t be navigating taxi ranks in a foreign country in the heat or cold with overtired little ones whilst trying to search for the confirmation email of your hotel address with the airport wifi. *Add the hotel address to your notes in your phone. Or, have a driver waiting for you (with pre-booked baby seats) and welcoming you with a sign so you can sleepily follow along as they help with your bags through the airport. Absolutely worth it, every single time.
4.
One of our favourite travel hacks, that may or may not be playing by the rules…If you really do have too much luggage, and you don’t want to buy an extra suitcase, get a