worst age to travel with baby

Best and Worst Ages to Fly with Your Child

By: Author Leslie Harvey

Posted on Published: November 11, 2021

Share this!:

One of the most common questions I hear about flying with children is “what is a good age to fly with my child?” Also common is its corollary – “what is the worst age to fly with kids?”

When I started this blog in 2012 and first published this blog post (my first born was then 3), I thought I had all of the answers. I now have a second child with a very different personality and over a hundred additional flights under our belts. I’ve flown with kids of every age and stage, with very different temperaments, and under a wide variety of travel conditions. And we’ve come out on the other side of the challenging stages now that our kids are getting a bit older.

So I have a few opinions about the best and worst ages for traveling with kids on planes!

It’s very important to remember, however, that age is not everything. Each child is different. Your two year old may be very different than your neighbor’s two year old. Each flight can be different for the same child depending on the time of day, if they are tired, if they are sick , etc. I always advise traveling parents to think objectively about their child’s temperament and personality in addition to their age in deciding when and how to fly. That is often hard when you are booking flights months out — your kiddo could well change things up on you before flight time. Think ahead as best you can.

So with all those caveats in place, here are a few guidelines to help you plan your family travel adventures.

Best and Worst Ages to Fly with Kids

0-3 months old.

I don’t recommend flying at the newborn age unless absolutely necessary. I know there are parents who need to fly for very valid reasons like a family emergency or an adoption, and that’s obviously understandable and necessary. But I’d say put the leisure trips on hold.

Why is this stage so hard? Unpredictable sleeping and nap schedules and newborn fussiness or colic can be hard on parents and fellow passengers alike – especially on longer flights or trips with time zone changes. Plus, new parents are stressed and just figuring the basics out, especially if the child is their first. Moms may even still even be recovering from childbirth.

Most importantly, airplanes and airports are germ factories, filtered air notwithstanding. Infants are highly vulnerable this young, particularly during cold and flu season. It is no fun finding yourself on a trip with a sick newborn and can lead to scary situations without known medical care far from home. And after the events of 2020 and 2021, we’ve all come to realize how we need to treat health and transmissible illnesses with a lot more gravity.

3-9 Months Old

One those first few months with a new baby have passed, I’ve found that the older infant stage is just a great age to fly. The biggest challenge at this stage is for first time parents who are still just figuring out how to be parents. Most babies are actually in a pretty easy phase, but the parents often don’t know it because everything about parenting is still so new! Second time parents have usually learned and are ready to hit the friendly skies at this point. I know I certainly was with kiddo #2!

At the 3-9 month stage, parents really can take advantage of their baby’s flexibility. Most 3-9 month old babies will still sleep a lot and even nap on the go in a carrier or car seat. Babies aren’t really mobile at this stage so there aren’t as many dangers to worry about. Your baby will also still be nursing or taking bottles regularly, so you can feed on takeoff and landing and avoid ear pressurization issues.

9-12 Month Olds

At about the time your child starts to crawl in the last few months of the first year, things may start to get a bit more challenging. If your child is active, he or she may want to spend the flight squirming out of your arms and crawling in the aisles.

It is at this age that I recommend that parents consider buying a seat for their little ones, particularly on longer flights or if you happen to recognize that you have a more active child. It’s so helpful when you can put a squirmy kiddo down in the car seat for a nap. Plus, having the extra space is essential for the child to get some activity and wear them out!

12-18 Months Old

Once your child starts walking, all bets will probably be off unless you are blessed with the chillest of children. One year olds are often highly mobile yet totally uncontrollable, making for a potentially dangerous travel combination.

At this age, children are still too young to understand and follow instructions, so discipline is ineffective. Distraction and maybe bribery are really your only tools! This is the age and stage where my family experienced our own personal “ flight from h-ll ” when my daughter was 17 months old. I’ve heard the same from a lot of friends.

What to do at this stage if you do have to fly? Walk the aisles with your toddler, hang out near the galley when you can, and bring a variety of snacks, books, and toys to deal with a short attention span (check out my list of 50  kid-friendly airplane snacks for ideas).

I also highly recommend buying a seat once you have child who is walking — I’ve certainly flown with a lap toddler many times in my family’s travel adventures to save money, but it’s a challenge for sure!

18-24 Months Old

Things continue to be a bit of a challenge in the older toddler age range. I’ve noticed that girls sometimes start turning a corner, but boys often lag a few months behind, so this can be a more challenging age than the 12-18 month stage depending on your child and their development.

At this stage at least, most parents are starting some basic discipline with their children, so you may be able to register some successes. An iPad starts to work as a distraction, in short intervals. And of course, children are able to start coloring or doing some other non-electronic activities to pass the time.

2-3 Years Old

This stage is when many parents begin to see a true light at the end of the tunnel much of the time. At around 2 years old, both of our kids finally started developing more sustained attention spans. We found we could could begin to rely on electronic assistance like an iPad to give us a bit of a break on long flights. Hopefully, your methods of discipline will also begin to be more effective at this age, so your toddler will begin following instructions like staying seated on command (usually).

Two words of warning about this stage. One important consideration will be potty training — you won’t be able to take your child to the bathroom at all times when flying. Toddlers who are just learning can rarely wait as long as a taxi and takeoff when they have to go. I recommend avoiding starting training if you are going on a flight soon afterwards. We waited until our children were fully trained on land for about 4 weeks before braving a trip in the air. And we traveled with a spare Pull-Up in our carry on bags for over a year after each child was potty trained for emergencies.

The other warning about this stage is when your child is very tired. A three year old throwing a tantrum can certainly be harder to control than an 18 month old. In fact, my friend The Deal Mommy contends that three is the worst age to fly because the meltdowns can be that much more epic and the child is much bigger. And while I agree to a point, I find that having more infrequent meltdowns made this age much easier for me. As always, your miles may vary.

3-4 Years Old

In comparison to the three years before, flying starts to get a lot easier at this stage. As preschoolers, my kids would sit still and watch a whole movie, gab with the flight attendants, and show concern for (and often entertain) younger children in the cabin when they were fussy and tired. Meltdowns on long trips with a lot of time zone changes can still happen, but thankfully they occur much less often.

I highly recommend still being prepared with all sorts of distractions like snacks, games, and a few downloaded movies and shows. But I found that this stage was the first time that I often didn’t need all the supplies I’d brought along.

4-5 Years Old

Travel with kids just keeps getting easier as you enter the older preschooler/kindergartener phase. The structure of a year or two in more formal schooling usually helps many kids understand the importance of listening to grown ups and following rules.

The only major issue that I’ve personally had with this age and stage is inadvertent seat kicking. Little kids of this age have legs that seem to be just the right length to bump up against the seat in front of them while being too short to bend at the seat’s edge. Watch for this and encourage your child to sit cross-legged if this is an issue.

6+ Years Old

Home free! Once kids are in elementary school, the vast majority of them will be excellent flyers, especially if you travel regularly like my family has. Most will love TV and movies enough to be entertained for hours with an tablet or in-flight entertainment system (limits on screen time don’t apply, in my opinion, on planes!). And being able to read and entertain themselves the old-fashioned way is great too.

My older child is now 12 and my younger child just turned 8. Although we didn’t fly from March 2020-June 2021, we’ve been back in the friendly skies a lot in recent months. Both of the kids are truly now travel pros and fantastic travel companions, even when we had an epic 3 day travel delay during our most recent summer travels.

Even in the years before that when our son was younger, I found how much my daughter helped with her little brother during his more challenging stages. She always carried her own bags (and sometimes a few of ours) on our many adventures. Of course, we have the teen years and the new travel challenges those bring to look forward to next!

Have you flown with kids? What was your experience with what were the best and worst ages?

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Leanne Strong

Saturday 22nd of July 2023

As someone who flew often as a child, I will say that there really is no perfect age to fly with your kids. Each age range has its pros and cons for air travel.

Monday 11th of April 2022

My daughter is 9months old. I don’t anticipate travelling anywhere with her until she is at least 6+ years old. It’s just not practical or feasible.

But I’m ok with that 😌

Tuesday 30th of November 2021

Thanks for the tips! We're planning on the longer new year trip and Dan is going to be 20mo at the time. We've had one plane-adventure but it was at 6 mo and it was a quick flight - went smoothly. But now it's gonna take few hours. We're after sleep training (well done Susan Urban!) - that's a plus. But on the other hand we're trying not to use the ipad or cartoons on regular basis... I guess I have to figure out a long list of activities...

Thursday 7th of January 2021

Can I fly a Ethiopia n airplane when am 8 year old

Denise Espinal

Saturday 28th of November 2020

Bahahha I love this reply!

Posted on Last updated: April 1, 2024 Categories Family Travel Advice

By: Author Kate

The Best Age to Travel with a Baby

This post may contain affiliate links.

Sharing is caring!

“What is the best age to travel with a baby?”

I’ve been asked this question countless times by friends and family who know I’ve been brave (read: crazy) enough to travel with my young babies multiple times. 3 months? 6 months? 12 months? When is the best time to travel with a baby? Or REALLY, Is there any best time to travel with baby ? Is it CRAZY to even bother traveling with a baby? Am I going to feel like I am ‘just parenting’ in a tropical destination?! Will it be any fun??

We’ve traveled with our young ones at a variety of ages and I’m here to report back on the best age for baby to travel.  I’ve summarized the pros and cons of each age group based on our experience of traveling with young kids.  Of course, each baby is different, some babies ‘just sleep’ for the first three months and some (like mine) ‘just screams’ for the first three months. You never know when teething, developmental leaps or other (disastrous) baby phases are going to strike. So what age is best to travel with a baby? I do have a favorite age, so make sure to read through to the end to find out!

What is the best age for a baby to travel?

I have to say that we haven’t traveled much at the infant stage. The first three months with both my kids were a foggy blur that I mostly want to forget! The earliest we have traveled with our youngest son was 2.5 months and I was basically counting that as 3 months by then.  For those with limited maternity leaves, this may be the best age to travel with baby simply because it may be the only time you have off! If you’re wondering when is the best time to travel with a newborn, I would recommend pushing it to as close to 10-12 weeks as possible!

Pros: 0-3 months

• The baby will sleep a lot. Usually not when you want the baby to sleep, but nevertheless, he will be sleeping for most of the hours of the day.
• Baby is completely immobile. Wherever you put the baby down is likely where they are going to stay. Put the baby in a beach tent with a mobile or play gym and enjoy the LUXURY of reading a book, or drinking a coffee while it’s hot!
• This is the best age to fly with a baby.  Forget about needing complicated busy bags, coloring books, stickers or other tricks to keep kids entertained on a plane . All a baby needs at this age is formula or breastmilk and a comfy spot to snooze. Flying at this age is almost as easy as when your kids learn to watch movies for 4 hours straight!

Cons: 0-3 months

• You are still recovering from a baby exiting your body. Your life is one padsicle after another. I could barely manage a 5-minute walk let alone a beach vacation for a good 6 weeks after the birth of my first (c-section) and second (VBAC) babies.
• Sleep deprivation. Although this got better with my second, the initial shock of sleep deprivation with my first was the worst. I remember people telling me ‘this too shall pass’ and I clearly remember wanting to punch those people in the face! Sleep deprivation sucks and being on vacation doesn’t help.
• Potential illness. For us, this is the biggest reason we don’t travel much before three months. it’s not good when babies under 3 months get sick, their little immune system is not yet mature. I like to have at least the first set of immunizations done before we leave the country, especially if it’s a country with fewer healthcare resources. Since I live in Canada, where temperatures are pretty frigid for much of the year, I tend to want to leave the country when I travel!

 The best age to vacation with baby?

We have traveled the most at this age with our littles. We have been to Costa Rica , Bahamas, and Mexico . Our friends over at Sailing Chance have even been to Italy with a baby this age – and the people of Italy were SO accomodating ! There are lots of different trips you can take at this age, all with their own set of pros and cons.

Pros: 3-6 months

• Bring your breasts only. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, it’s super easy to travel at this age. No need to worry about food contamination or washing and sterilizing bottles. All you need are your breastst and you are good to go! My youngest also got formula supplementation and although washing bottles was a pain, it was still easier than when eating solids became an issue. I would bring the prepared formula bottles or the travel packs and use bottled water. I would use these microwave sterilizer bags or a sterilizer rented from the hotel or resort to keep the bottles sterilized.
• Mostly immobile. Although some babies are rolling pretty well or even starting to crawl towards 6 months most are still pretty immobile. I definitely think the best time to travel with an infant is before they become mobile! My little ones were pretty happy to be parked in their stroller at a restaurant or at the beach. The sights and sounds and people were enough entertainment! If I try keeping my now 14-month-old in a stroller for more than 35 seconds and I’m doomed.
• (Still) sleeps a lot . 3-6 months tends to be the time when (most) babies start consolidating their night sleep (thank YOU) and being more awake during the day. Check out my post on how to get your baby to sleep on vacation to hear the crazy stuff we’ve done to keep our precious ‘sleep routine’ intact on vacation. Well-rested parents = much higher chance of actually enjoying your vacation.

Cons: 3-6 months.

• They won’t enjoy anything. At this age, babies don’t really care if they are in a tropical paradise or not. They aren’t going to particularly enjoy the pool or the ocean more than they would enjoy the bath. Putting their toes in the sand is probably just going to make them cry. The picture is NOT going to turn out as cute as you wanted it to. Or if it does, it will take 105,678 attempts to do it. This vacation is for you. Not them. If you’re wondering what is the best age for a baby to travel AND actually enjoy it meaningfully, skip ahead a few months!

 When is a good time to travel with a baby?

6-9 months:.

Ok so, in my opinion, this is the worst age to travel with a baby so I have to admit I struggled to come up with ANY pros for this age. Despite this, I have actually traveled with a baby at this age quite a bit. Maybe I’m still scarred from those trips! We stayed at the Empress Hotel in Victoria BC and we went on a Disney Cruise when my youngest was between 6-9 months. We still had fun, but it was a hard age for both of our kids.

Pros: 6-9 months

• Everything is exciting.   Clearly, I wasn’t up to my usual Pinterest standards on my recent trip to Victoria BC with my then 6-month-old.  For the plane trip, I literally brought NOTHING. I did not bring a single thing to entertain my child for a four-hour plane ride. At this age, EVERYTHING is exciting. Cups are exciting. Napkins are exciting. The seat tray is SUPER exciting. We made it through the flight using only the items already on the plane without causing any sort of ‘scene’. Take that, Pinterest! In general, I find the bes age to fly with baby is any time before they learn to walk!
• High Chairs are still fun.  Once my babies started really walking or crawling there was no chance they were going to be staying in their high chairs longer than 5-10 minutes. No matter how many delicious treats I was bribing them with. At 6-9 months, most babies are pretty content to sit in a high chair and enjoy the excitement of a meal with their family. Since solids are still a pretty new and exciting thing, it’s easy for that to take up some serious entertainment. I even brought my 6-month-old to the high tea at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria (and he was reasonably well behaved!)

Cons: 6-9 months

• Eating sand.  If you are planning a beach trip with kids , FORGET IT at this age. Especially if your baby is already crawling, this is a sure disaster. Babies love eating sand, and I’ve tried those Pinterest hacks with the mattress cover on the beach and let me tell you there is NO HACK that will keep sand away from an 8-month-old baby who is determined to eat sand. So what age can I take my baby to the beach? If you want it to be enjoyable, I would say before they are mobile and then after they stop putting everything in their mouth! Certainly a sightseeing or city trip is a better bet at this age.
• Eating everything.   6-9 months is the peak of the ‘put everything in your mouth stage’. If you are a germaphobe it’s probably not a good idea to travel with your baby at this age. Even myself, with a dog that basically french kissed my babies every day since birth, draw the line at some point. I tend to use a lot of the stroller or the baby carrier at this age to keep those little exploring hands out of every disgusting thing they can find.
• Eating real food.  When babies start to eat real food, they start to demand real food on schedule. Which means you have to be prepared with REAL FOOD on demand. No joke. We opted to do a mix of purees and baby-led weaning with both of our littles simply because it afforded us the flexibility to be a bit lazy in this regard. Depending on the type of trip, having separate meals made for baby may be a hassle, or hard to find!

 The best age to take baby on holiday?

9-12 months.

9-12 months has been very hit or miss for us.  Babies can be so different at this age! Some are walking and some are just starting to crawl. Those developmental leaps (complete with cranky periods) are so unpredictable.

Pros: 9-12 months

• They might start to actually like some stuff . Splashing in the pool and dipping their toes in the ocean might genuinely be the greatest moment of their little lives. Warning, also possible they will REALLY hate it. My sons have loved splashing in the pool, dancing to music and exploring new activities at this age. They have so much curiosity (and no fear) which makes everything awesome. all. the. time.
• Feeding and naps will be well established . Although both of my kids seemed to strongly resist any sort of schedule I imposed on them, by 9-12 months they had a somewhat predictable routine. They reliably had two naps and both MOSTLY slept through the night. At this point, they were both eating mostly ‘table food’ which made them much better travel buddies.

Cons: 9-12 months

• Might be too mobile. One of our worst trips with a baby was Jamaica when our son was exactly 12 months. He had JUST learned to walk and when we arrived at our destination with slippery floors and lots of bumps and stairs, he latched on to daddy and basically didn’t let go of him for 7 days straight. Although he could ‘walk’ it sure didn’t seem like it for the 7 days he was there.
• Sleep regression. For both of our kids, the 9-12 month sleep regression was KILLER. On the same trip as above, our son woke up at 4 am every single night. I didn’t think our hotel room neighbors would appreciate any renewed attempts at sleep training so the only thing that kept him quiet was to bounce him UP AND DOWN UP AND DOWN in a baby carrier for an hour straight until he fell back asleep. Not fun.
• Separation anxiety. Thankfully, my hubby is a PROSTAR DAD who is quite popular with both my kiddos. In fact, until recently, he was definitely both boys ‘favorite’. As such, when we go on vacation, the kids typically need to ensure they have some sort of body part touching him at all times. Or ELSE. Sorry, Daddy! I’ll just be over here sipping my strawberry daiquiri…

 The worst age to travel with toddler?

12-18 months.

Pros: 12-18 months

• They won’t eat sand! Ok, they might put a little in their mouth at first. Usually, one taste will be enough to make them realize their mistake fast! Not eating sand = not having to be constantly hovering over them on the beach. Win!
• They may only take one nap . This is likely closer to the 18-month mark, but having only one nap a day allowed for a lot of flexibility when traveling. When our kids are napping two naps a day having a separate bedroom is a MUST for us. I am NOT going on vacation to sit in a dark room for hours on end.

Cons: 12-18 months

• They know what they want, but don’t know how to tell you! Ok, this is pretty much the trend for the next 2.5 years, but I’ve found it all starts after 12 months. In fact, as I’m currently writing this post, my 14-month old’s favorite method of getting my attention is screaming at the top of his lungs. I have to admit, it’s quite effective. Until they are speaking in sentences, expressing what they want, and understanding why they sometimes can’t have it, is a constant battle. This is where choosing the right trip with kids is so important! Don’t pick a trip where you are going to be constantly saying ‘NO’ or no one will have any fun!
• This is the WORST age to fly with a baby. Plane trips are especially hard at this age. 12-18-month-olds don’t like to be restrained and have NO IDEA why being on a plane would require them to stay in the same place for HOURS. AND unlike 18month+ babies who can be entertained with iPad apps on the plane , they aren’t too enthralled with the iPad either. I keep my plane trips <4 hours at this age and try to plan at least a short nap on the plane to pass the time.

SOOOOOO…What is the best age for a baby to travel?

I think the best age to take a baby on holiday is definitely 3-6 months. We have now done 3 trips at this age with our two kids and each one has been a success. Ah, the blissful long stroller walks! Casually enjoying lunch while baby naps in the stroller or carrier.  Not needing to think about food and not needing to worry about illness it’s a perfect age to travel with a baby. After 3-6 months it’s all downhill until age 3.5 when you can start to actually reason with your kids.

What do you think? What is a good age to travel with baby? Drop me a line in the comments below to let me know your favorite age to travel with baby! 

Pin for later!

Recent Posts

• A Review of SoundWaves at Gaylord Opryland Hotel
• Visiting Jellystone Park at Mammoth Cave
• The Best Playground in America is at Smothers Park
• Taking The Empire Builder from Chicago to Glacier National Park
• An Honest Review of a Disney Wish Cruise – The Good and The Bad

The Best Age to Travel with Kids (and the Worst)!

• Post author: Rachel Pedranti
• Post published: February 16, 2023
• Post category: Travel
• Post comments: 0 Comments

Traveling with babies and young children can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Knowing the best and worst age to travel with a baby can help parents make the most of their early family trips. Here we will explore the pros and cons of traveling with a baby from birth on up through 18 years old. Helping you decide when the best age is to travel with kids on your family’s dream vacation. From the ease of packing to the gear required to their ability to remember and be involved in the vacation each age comes with its own unique advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before booking any trip. Be sure to read on for more information about the best age to travel with kids!

This post may contain some affiliate links. This means I make a small profit from your purchase but at no increased cost to you. I only recommend products that I love and would purchase myself! Full disclaimer here .

What is the Best Age to Start Traveling with Kids

For all but perhaps the youngest children, the best time to start traveling is yesterday. And the next best time is now! Families will feel comfortable to start traveling with kids at different times. You may be waiting for the right time, but the right time is when you have the means and want to start doing it. I am a strong believer that by being armed with the right knowledge and skills everyone can travel with children, even young babies and toddlers. Regardless of what the so called best age to travel with kids is, it really it just takes a little practice.

No matter how old your kids are it is never too late to start traveling and seeing the world together.

Is Traveling with Children Difficult?

I can’t sugarcoat things and say there are no challenges at all to traveling with children. The challenges you face will vary by age. When considering the best age to travel with a baby there are new unique challenges every few months, but as they grow the changes slow down.

However, the difficulties of traveling with children can often be mitigated or managed with proper planning and understanding. Certain behaviors are normal at different developmental stages which means you can plan for them. For example, young toddlers are very energetic, have short attention spans, and love touching EVERYTHING. Planning a trip to France, filled solely with museums and fancy restaurants is a recipe for frustration. However, a beach vacation to the Philippines or Hawaii filled with time outside, messes, and hiking may be a much better option.

Top Tips for Family Travel with Young Children

Traveling with young children can be a wonderful and exciting experience. However, it is important to keep the following tips in mind:

Manage Expectations

One of the best tips for family travel with young children is to manage expectations for the vacation. Even the best-laid plans may not unfold the way you think they will when traveling with children. It’s important to know that the unexpected may happen! This is ok, as long as you are flexible and go into your trip with the expectation that plans may change or go differently than you envisioned. Sometimes you have to embrace the crazy.

Build in Extra Time

Be prepared to move at a slower pace than you would if the kids weren’t with you. Leave room for the unexpected and the accidents and unplanned stops that just look fun. It will take longer to get ready in the morning and longer to find the right subway line, heck it’ll probably take longer to eat your meals. Build extra time into your schedule and be careful not to overfill each day with too many things to do.

Snacks, Snacks, Snacks

Next, bringing plenty of snacks when traveling with young children is an absolute must. Travel snacks will provide the energy and nutrition the kids need during the trip. They can also help prevent meltdowns and keep the little ones occupied during long travel days. Having a variety of snacks on hand can make the difference between an enjoyable experience and an awful one. You can pack snacks with you, purchase some once you arrive at your destination, or simply make more frequent food stops. Either way, being well-fed will make a big difference.

Have Fun and Adapt

The last, and most important tip for family travel with young kids is to have fun and adapt as you go. When something unexpected happens, don’t stress too much about it for too long. Enjoy as many moments as you can, big and small. In my experience the best way to do this is to find ways to have fun together even when things go wrong.

The Best and Worst Ages to Travel with Children

The best, and worst, ages to travel with kids will vary by family. There may be some stages that are better for your child, for your family and for certain vacations. You don’t always get to choose when you are going to travel with kids. Holidays and family gatherings may dictate when your next trip is and how old your kids will be. This outline and generalizations of behaviors for young kids by age can help you know what to expect.

The most important thing to remember is that your child is constantly learning and growing. So even if one trip doesn’t go well, it is ok to take a break, regroup and try again a little later.

The Best Age to Travel with a Baby

The best age to travel with a baby may depend on when they hit certain milestones, but there are some constants. Babies can fly as a lap infant until two years of age which is a great way to save on travel costs or you can put them in their own seat. You might even be able to snag an extra seat for free if there are open seats on your flight. While kids are lap infants it is smart to travel with their birth certificate on domestic flights in case you are asked to prove their age. Baby travel is actually quite fun once you get to your destination.

Traveling with a Baby 0-3 Months Old

When planning a family vacation with a baby 0-3 months old, it is important to take the extra time needed to ensure the safety and comfort of your littlest one. While this may not be the best age for travel with a baby, the experience can still be very rewarding and enjoyable if the right precautions are taken.

For starters, there is the added stress of germs while traveling with a new baby whose immune system is still very weak. To reduce the risk of getting sick while on vacation, it’s important everyone adhere to good hygiene practices such as frequent hand washing. Also, avoiding contact with most individuals and surfaces as you travel can help. It’s also smart to consult with the pediatrician before leaving for the trip for the baby’s health and to see if any vaccines are necessary depending upon your destination country’s health regulations before arrival.

Babies 0-3 months old are too young to enjoy all the fun activities available at your destination like amusement parks or zoos. But they are very easy to bring along since young babies sleep a lot and do well in infant carriers. Any schedules you may have in place this early can also become more flexible on the go.

On top of all of these considerations it’s essential to have the right gear on hand. This includes baby travel essentials like a car seat, a baby carrier, a stroller, diapers, wipes, bottles and baby formula or breast milk, changing pad, and plenty of clothing. Babies this age will also require items such as burp cloths, bibs, and blankets to keep them warm during the journey. Additionally, you may want to bring along a few toys for the long car rides or any airport layovers that you may encounter.

Don’t forget to consider the mother’s recovery and well-being too when planning your first trip after giving birth. Despite all the extra planning required when traveling with a baby 0-3 months old, it can be done if proper care is taken so that the whole family can travel safely!

Traveling with a 3-6 Month-Old Baby

Traveling with a baby 3-6 months old is the best age to travel with a baby. At this age, the baby is not crawling or walking yet. This gives parents the freedom to explore their destinations freely as the baby will still be content in a stroller or baby carrier . Additionally, their immune systems have started building up a bit more which reduces the chance of catching colds or other illnesses while on the go.

When traveling with a baby at this age, it is still important to bring all the necessary gear such as diapers and wipes, clothing layers appropriate to the destinations climate, blankets, burp cloths, and bibs. I recommend that parents include a couple of small items like toys and books to help keep their little ones entertained during the journey.

The 3-6 month period is considered the ideal time for traveling with babies. They are still fairly immobile and stay happy while being carried by their parents but are old enough to take in the sights and sounds around them. During this time, babies tend to look around and take in their surroundings more than 0-3 month olds do. This makes it more fun for families to enjoy activities like sightseeing tours where parents can show their little ones different things around them. Nap times are still pretty easy to take on the go at this age as well which is very handy.

All in all, this age group offers an ideal timeframe for families with babies who wish to travel together. Not only do parents have greater flexibility in planning their trips you’ll still create beautiful memories together that will last you a lifetime!

Read More on Traveling with a Baby:

• 17+ Baby Travel Essentials to Simplify Family Travel
• New Travel Parents Guide to Changing Diapers on a Plane
• How to Travel with a Baby: Everything You Need to Know

Traveling with a Baby 6-9 Months Old

Traveling with a baby 6-9 months old can be both an exciting and daunting experience. At this age, the baby is starting to be mobile. Which means they’ll want to explore the world around them as they learn to move. Babies tend to be more fun to entertain now however, it is harder to entertain the child because they are much more wiggly.

Another challenge parents face when traveling with a 6-9 month old is the additional gear required for the trip. At this age, the baby is beginning to eat solids. Which means bringing more items such as baby food, utensils and silicone bibs as well as snacks for the journey. Plus parents will want extra wipes for cleaning up any messes the little one might make during the trip.

Overall, families with a 6-9 month old baby can travel safely and enjoyably. Parents should just remember that older babies at this age require extra attention due to their increased mobility and independence while eating.

It’s important to note that babies must be at least 6 months of age before going on cruises due to safety regulations. So families will have to wait until their baby has reached the proper age before embarking on such vacations.

Traveling with a Baby 9-12 Months Old

Traveling with a baby 9-12 months old is a great age to travel with the little ones. At this age, the baby is walking and becoming increasingly interactive. With the ability to walk, the baby can now explore the world around them. They’ll be excited and curious as they try to see the world around them so exposing them to new locations can be truly exciting!

That being said, parents must remember that increased mobility comes with more safety risks. So it is important for adults to practice careful supervision when exploring new places. It’s also a good idea for parents to plan for rest and downtime during the day as the baby will likely tire out from all the exploration.

Another challenge that arises when traveling with an older baby is packing enough snacks for the journey. By this time, babies have been eating solids for a while which often means packing along plenty of snacks to prevent meltdowns due to hunger. This can be especially challenging if the family is going on a long road trip or long-haul flights with a baby. Having enough food and drinks can make or break the entire experience!

Overall, traveling with a 9-12 month-old baby can be a rewarding yet challenging experience depending on how well-prepared families are beforehand. With a little planning and adjustment, families will no doubt have an unforgettable adventure!

All kids are very different and this is a generalization of what you can expect at certain ages given typical developmental milestones. You can expect crying when you travel with babies because that is how babies communicate. It is OK when it happens, you simply have to remain calm and run through the typical checklist of what could be causing the crying. Check hunger, temp, diaper, sleep, etc in the order best for your baby.

Every child is going to have different needs that arise. Travel brings along a lot of change, new things, and unexpected circumstances. Stay calm yourself so that you can help keep your infant calm. Remember, the discomfort will be temporary and soon you’ll be exploring a new and exciting destination.

How Soon Can You Travel with a Newborn Baby

As newborn infants have a very weak immune system, the best age to travel with a baby is after three months. Wait until the baby is about three months old before considering any kind of travel. This way the baby’s immune system has a chance to develop.

However, if you do need to travel earlier for any reason (life happens) then here are a few guidelines to know. Most airlines may allow infants as young as a few days old to a week old to fly ( bhtp ). Some airlines will require a doctor’s note and international travel still requires that babies have their own passport. You can find rules by individual airlines online or by calling customer support.

Cruises do not typically allow children under six months of age onboard for safety reasons.

There are no regulations on how early you can take your newborn on car travel for baby’s first road trip though.

Read More : 7 Essential Tips to Road Tripping with a Baby

The Best Age to Travel with a Toddler

Travel with a 12-18 Month Old Toddler

Traveling with a toddler 12-18 months old can be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable experience! At this age, a toddler is full of curiosity and energy, eager to explore the world around them. While they are now most likely mobile, the risk of your toddler wandering off remains high; so parents need to watch them carefully.

That being said, there are plenty of fun activities for the family to enjoy together during their journeys. Before the trip begins, you should create an itinerary with the toddler in mind. Plan plenty of rest times along the way to give your kiddo time to nap and rest. Additionally, bringing along enough snacks and drinks will ensure the baby stays content throughout the journey regardless of any delays or mishaps.

When packing for the trip, the good news is that toddlers require slightly less gear than babies. They can eat more solid foods and do things on their own much better than before. That being said, you’ll still need to bring necessary items such as a water bottle, diapers, wipes, and other necessities to make sure your toddler is comfortable during the trip. Furthermore, some entertainment items could also come in handy when entertaining the little traveler such as books or toys!

Overall, traveling with a 12-18 month old toddler can be a great time!

Travel with an 18-24 Month Old

Traveling with a toddler between the ages of 18-24 months old can be rewarding and exhausting! At this age, a toddler is still eager to explore the world around them. This may involve the child touching and feeling everything within reach, so parents should always be careful, especially in areas like museums. Plus they are now better than ever at walking and running, so exploring is at an all-time high but so is the chasing.

When packing, 18-24 month olds will need similar gear as 12-18 month olds. Some travel entertainment items will be handy when occupying the little one during car rides or long flights. Items such as books or toys perhaps even a tablet. It is definitely still important to pack plenty of snacks to prevent meltdowns due to hunger.

Lastly, toddlers at this age are usually beginning to demonstrate strong emotions which can be difficult to handle while trying to travel with them. Try to remain patient and understand these moments will often pass quickly. All-in-all toddler travel with an 18-24 month old toddler requires patience but can be extremely rewarding.

Read More on Traveling with a Toddler:

• Top Tips to Help Your Toddler Sleep on a Plane
• 35 Best Airplane Snacks for Toddlers Who Travel
• Ultimate Guide for Bringing Car Seats on Airplanes

Travel with a Two Year Old

At two, you officially have to buy kids their own seat on flights which is an added cost, but also nice with a wiggly toddler. When traveling with two-year-old toddlers they are full of energy and can share in special moments. You can build up activities before they happen by talking about them and explaining what to expect. Try allowing your toddler some independence during your travel days or on vacation. Try letting them carry their own backpack filled with toys and snacks.

On the other hand, it is important to note that very young children this age have tantrums and strong emotions. All of which can be difficult to deal with while traveling. Additionally, two is a common time for potty training and potty training on the go could prove messy or difficult at times.

Honestly this may be the hardest age to travel with younger children. So, when considering a vacation for your two-year-old child some would say it is a bad time to travel with babies and toddlers. However, it can help to carefully take into account the type of trip you will be taking. This is a good age for an active trip such as a hiking or beach vacation where they can run around more freely is ideal!

Traveling with Small Children

What to expect traveling with a 3-5 year old.

Traveling with a child in the 3-5 year old age range can be the perfect time to explore the world together. Many people say this is the best age to travel with young kids. They are able to follow directions and understand the experience more than if they were younger. Plus, they also can take on some independence, such as carrying their own backpack or packing snacks, which helps them feel empowered on the journey. However, it’s important to note that while these children may be able to focus for longer periods of time than toddlers, they still need breaks throughout the day and may get bored easily.

Best Time to Travel with Kids

Traveling with a 6-9 Year Old

Bringing young kids along while traveling is the perfect way to create memories that will last a lifetime. Kids between the ages of 6-9 are the ideal age for family trips. They are old enough to form lasting memories but still young enough to be excited by new experiences.

Involving them in the planning process can make the trip even more special. As your child will have ownership over their vacation and feel proud of their accomplishments. If they are interested, let them pick an activity that everyone will do. From trying new foods to exploring unfamiliar places, traveling with a 6-9 year old may just be the best age to travel with kids. It can bring you all closer together while creating amazing stories that you’ll remember forever.

Traveling with a 10-12 Year Old

Traveling with a 10-12 year old can be the perfect age for family vacations. These kids are still young enough to want to come along. While also old enough to have opinions on the itinerary and activities. It is helpful to plan ahead and share the plans with older children so they know what to expect each day. This will help them feel more secure in the adventure you’re embarking on together.

If kids have negative feelings about certain activities or the vacation as a whole. Discuss why and ask what they would enjoy seeing more of. It is also important to discuss that different activities may not appeal to everyone and the importance of having an open mind while traveling. Between planning ahead and being open-minded, your trip should be an enjoyable experience for all involved!

Read More on Family Travel:

• Customizable 1 Week Packing List (in a Carry-On)!
• Top Tips to Lower Family Vacation Costs
• 21 Best Summer Vacations in the US for Families

Travel with Teens

When deciding on the best age to travel with kids, Traveling with teenagers can be a great experience. They have the maturity to understand the world in ways that younger kids may not. However, it is important to remember that teens may undervalue the opportunities and experiences travel provides them. Odds are you’ll hear the dreaded “I’m bored!” more than you would like.

But don’t let this deter you from traveling with your teenager. There are still plenty of ways for the entire family to create good memories together. Consider letting your teen plan an activity or outing everyone does on the trip. This will give them some responsibility and a sense of pride in the vacation. The more involved they are in planning the family trip, hopefully, the more excited they’ll be.

If it’s safe and appropriate for the situation you could even give them some freedom by allowing them to go out with friends during certain parts of the vacation. With a little bit of forethought, you can make sure your next family getaway is enjoyable for all involved!

Deciding the Best Age to Travel with Kids

When it comes to deciding the best age to travel with kids, the great thing is there is no wrong answer. Every age offers unique challenges and opportunities for families looking to create lasting memories together. From toddlers who need constant supervision, to older kids and teenagers who may want more independence on their trips; every age requires careful planning ahead of time for everyone involved to have an enjoyable experience. With some thoughtful consideration, your can make sure that your next vacation is a trip you and your family members will never forget!

The Best Age to Travel with Kids

In the end, I’m not sure there is a single best age to travel with kids. Truly the best time is now and the important part is spending time together doing the things you enjoy and making memories. Each age may have a downside and some ages might be a little easier than others but why wait!

What do you think is the best age to travel with kids? What ages would you avoid traveling during again? Let me know in the comments!

You Might Also Like

LDS Church History Sites Near Kansas City, Missouri

The Ultimate Beach Packing List for Toddlers

What to Do on Your First Trip to New Orleans

Leave a reply cancel reply.

What Is The Best Age To Travel With Kids?

As an Amazon Associate, BE Family Travel earns from qualifying purchases. Learn More

Traveling with children varies from family to family. Many families start traveling in their child’s first year. Some parents wait until their child is older. Traveling with children can be challenging and exhausting, but there are lots of things you can do to help simplify the experience. Below we share our top tips on how to travel with children. This will help you to enjoy your family vacation. Here we will provide an overview to help you decide the best age to travel with kids.

The more planning that you do the easier it will be to make your trip both fun and safe while you travel with kids. Each child’s age group has its own unique characteristics and travel requirements. Therefore, it’s worth doing some research before you travel with your family.

In this post, we will cover when is a good age to start traveling with kids and whether traveling with children is difficult. We will provide tips for family travel with children and discuss the best and worst ages to travel with kids. This will include how and when to travel with a baby, toddler, children, and teens. Overall, we will help you to decide what is the best age to travel with kids.

📌 Pin it for later 📌

What is a Good Age to Start Traveling with Kids?

It’s a good idea to start traveling with children early in life. But there is no fixed age for traveling with kids. In fact, your child’s age isn’t really important when you are traveling. Trying to decide the best age to travel with kids is more about the maturity level of your children and how they deal with change.

It’s never too early or too late to travel as a family. Traveling long-distance can be tiring and stressful for parents, but particularly those with babies and preschoolers. However, if you’re willing to put in the effort, then there really isn’t an age limit.

A good age to travel with children depends on the individual parent and what type of trip you are planning. Keep in mind that the fast-paced trips you took before having children are likely not appropriate. You should have different expectations now that you have little ones. Traveling with children needs to be at a slower pace, and with a lot more patience.

Is traveling with children difficult?

As long as you are willing to plan for the trip (see also, ‘ How to Plan a Camping Trip ‘) and keep your children’s needs in mind, it will be easy to travel with kids. Adjust your expectations and prepare to have a more relaxed vacation. To travel with kids you must be very patient and calm as it can be challenging.

The more you plan for your trip, and the better prepared you are, the easier it will be. For example, pack a diaper bag full of things your baby will need in case of an emergency or lost luggage.

Tips for Family Travel with Children

Traveling with children doesn’t have to be hard or exhausting. Plan ahead and use our helpful travel checklists so you know what to take. We have printable family travel packing lists that can help make your trip easier! If you are traveling long-distance, make sure to check out our Simplifying a Road Trip with Kids article.

Traveling with kids can be an amazing experience that teaches your children about the world and gives your family the chance to bond. It just takes a little bit of planning and patience, but it’s totally worth it.

Here are our top tips on how to travel with children

Explain the trip.

The more you can explain your plans ahead of time, the fewer surprises there will be. Let your kids know what to expect and where you’ll be going. It’s also a good idea to talk about topics that might come up on the trip – like staying in a hotel with family or trying different types of food.

Take it Slow and Leave Plenty of Time

Pace your trip based on the children’s needs, not your own. It is all about keeping kids comfortable and happy. If you are traveling with an infant or a toddler, remember that they can’t go as long without sleep or restroom stops as older children can – so you’ll need to budget in some more rest breaks and limit the times you try new restaurants.

Don’t Overpack

You don’t need to bring along everything you own, especially when it comes to toys and clothes for toddlers and younger children. Bring a selection of age-appropriate travel activities for kids to entertain them on a road trip or flight. And use our Printable Family Travel Packing Lists to help you know exactly what you need to take on a vacation with kids.

Pre-Book Everything You Can

With young kids, most of your activities will be planned in advance. So make sure you have booked your kids’ activities and attractions in advance, including any restaurant reservations.

Pack Plenty of Snacks

You’ll want to pack a lot of snacks for kids, especially when you’re traveling with young children. Around-the-clock snacking can sustain small children on the road, so don’t forget to toss in plenty of (non-messy) snacks for the flight. Check out our article about the Best Road Trip Snacks For Kids .

Know how to Use your Travel Gear

Kids’ gear should be designed to travel, and it’s also helpful if you can learn how to use your gear ahead of time. For example, reading the instructions for your child’s car seat will teach you how to install it and make it comfortable for your child to use in a rental car.

The Best Age to Travel with Kids

The best age to start traveling with a child is when the child is able to walk long distances without tiring easily, eat whatever food is available, has developed good sleeping habits, can be trusted not to wander away, and has enough discipline not to pick up and put in its mouth everything it sees!

The Best and Worst Ages to Travel with Children

Here are a breakdown of the best and worst ages to travel with a baby, toddlers, kids, and teens. It’s important to keep in mind that children of the same age can have different needs from each other due to their personalities, attention spans, and biology. So ultimately, the best age to travel with kids or a baby is when you and your family feel comfortable and ready to take on the adventure.

When trying to decide on the worst or best age to travel with kids, let’s begin with discussing what it’s like to start traveling with a baby at various stages during the first year.

Travel with a Baby

Age 0-3 months.

Babies require lots of stuff, and packing will be a bit more involved. They won’t remember your trip or the sights you see. New parents are often overwhelmed and sleep-deprived from having a new baby and trying to establish a routine, especially first-time parents.

Newborns are more prone to germs and are generally more at risk of getting sick when traveling. This is a time in your life that you will be extra cautious when it comes to your baby’s well-being, and this caution could affect how much fun you have on the trip. It is generally advised to wait until the baby is at least 3-months-old before taking any long trips and to always talk to your doctor first when considering traveling with a baby this young. Especially if you are taking an international trip with a baby.

Age 3-6 months

Babies over 3 months have built up a stronger immune system, so it’s safer to travel with a baby now they are older. They are more aware of their surroundings and able to hold their heads up. They can now sit with assistance, making it easier for parents who want to use baby carriers or slings. At this age, babies will enjoy looking at new surroundings from their strollers or front carriers. You can do plenty of sightseeing, but the pace will be slower.

Babies this age are still young enough that they won’t remember the trip, but just like older babies, they will get tired quickly if you’re doing any long walks or touring. It is much easier to travel with a little one who can’t crawl or walk yet. They still require lots of stuff and take a long time to pack (and unpack) because they need diapers, wipes, clothes, food, toys, etc.

Ages 6-9 months

At this age, babies are more mobile and can explore their surroundings more by crawling and cruising. This is a perfect age to travel with children because they will enjoy looking at new surroundings. You’ll have an easier time traveling and sightseeing while keeping your little one entertained. They can sit on their own, so a baby carrier or front pack is no longer necessary. But I did find carrying my baby in the Ergo Baby Carrier was a GREAT way for her to take a nap when on the go. Or we would bring our Britax B-Lively Lightweight Stroller which was helpful for carrying the diaper bag and baby accessories. We also had the Britax Stroller Organizer with insulated cup holders which were awesome for carrying a coffee cup and water bottle 😉

Babies over 6 months have started eating some solid foods, so feeding your baby during travel will be much easier. Snacks will help keep them occupied during flights and long trips in the car. It’s also very helpful to have a baby that can stand on his or her own at this age. It will be much easier for you when changing diapers and dressing your baby. They can also hold a bottle, and you won’t need as many bottles while traveling.

Keep in mind that infants sailing on a cruise ship must be between at least 6 months old as of the first day of the cruise. And 12 months for transatlantic and transpacific voyages.

Ages 9-12 months

Babies approaching their first birthdays are able to walk without assistance. They can also speak a few words and wave bye-bye. This is a great age to travel with children because they will enjoy exploring their surroundings and seeing new things, and interacting with the people they meet. They cannot walk for long periods of time, so it’s easier for parents to bring a stroller along when sightseeing.

At each age listed above, these are generalizations and there is a lot of variation among children. It’s very common for babies and toddlers to get cranky when traveling because they’re either too hot, too cold, too cramped, or hungry. There are bound to be some meltdowns when traveling with a baby at this age. But they will generally last for a short time and then it’s over. Babies also have more patience to look at their surroundings than toddlers who get bored much quicker. This could affect how long you can stay in one place.

To learn more about stress-free travel with a baby read this post .

Traveling with a Toddler

Age 12-18 months.

Toddlers at this age are walking and running! They’ll enjoy exploring their surroundings and seeing new things. You will have an easier time traveling with them because they don’t require a lot of stuff. However, their mobility could make it harder to keep up with their curiosity.

For toddlers, traveling can be tough because they can’t communicate well and have shorter attention spans. They don’t know how to walk up and down stairs or over curbs, so it’s better for them to have a stroller. Traveling with toddlers is also difficult because they get bored easily and want to do whatever their older siblings are doing. You’ll also have more anxiety about your toddler wandering too far away from you.

Although toddlers are still young enough to be carried in a front pack or held as you walk through airports, It’s much easier to fly with a child who can sit by him/herself and walk around the airport. To learn more read this post with helpful tips for flying with a toddler . If you plan on going on long walks when sightseeing, bring along a stroller because toddlers tire easily from walking.

Be extra careful and watch out for sharp objects that toddlers can reach (ex. broken glass, rocks, dirt). Also, note that they’re much harder to keep entertained because they get bored very easily. They no longer need bottles while traveling, but it is helpful to carry a sippy cup with water.

Ages 18-24 months

There are two schools of thought about taking toddlers on vacation. Namely: ‘ Don’t do it’ and ‘ Do it ‘. The truth is somewhere between the two. Your decision should be based on more than your toddler’s ability to nap in public or their toilet training status. We have a helpful article about how to travel with a potty training toddler .

Children at this age are talking more and love to explore their surroundings more than ever! This is a great age to travel with children because they are able to stand on their own, and are walking without stumbling.

One thing you’ll notice is that toddlers this age tend to like things more “their way”. This means they might have a tantrum over something simple. This may include the color of their outfit, what they eat for snack time or what activity they will or won’t do. Children who are able to walk on their own at this age will be antsy to go where “they” want.

2 years old

The Terrible Twos. A child at this age is not likely to enjoy waiting in lines and sitting still in a confined space for extended periods of time. This can be a very challenging stage, so it might not be the best age to travel with kids for you! But if you can keep your child entertained, and they are able to understand a few simple requests that would make traveling easier for everyone: “Please stay close to me,” “Could you please hold my hand”, or simply “thank you.” Then it might be possible to still enjoy yourself.

Traveling with children this age is much more complicated, but not impossible. Two-year-olds are walking pretty well. But it’s harder for them to get occupied with things they can do themselves (like coloring, etc.). They also tend to sleep less than babies and be dependent on their parents for a longer time than younger children.

This is the perfect age to let your child carry around his or her own backpack with a few toys or snacks. Let your child pack his suitcase with some of his favorite things to help him feel a part of the process and more excited about the trip.

Traveling with Small Children

3-5 years old.

Not too young and not too old. This is the ideal age for traveling because kids of this age can play with other children easily or entertain themselves with toys and activities while also being able to understand instructions from adults. I would definitely consider age 3-5 years as the best age to travel with kids.

This is the prime age to take your children on their first plane trip. They will be able to easily sit through a flight, do activities and coloring books on their own as well as behave themselves with other passengers.

At this age, kids are always excited to see new things. Some are even old enough now to begin understanding the meaning of culture shock. That’s right, introducing children to new environments and ideas can be a lot of fun at this age! Most children age 3-5 years can handle being in a new place if there is plenty to do and explore, so it’s a good age for traveling.

You’ll want to make sure your kid has his/her own backpack with some activities inside such as crayons, paper, coloring books, small toys, or games that will keep them occupied without having to ask for your help every five minutes.

Best Age To Travel with Kids

6-9 years old.

Kids this age love to see new things just as much as their younger counterparts, but they’re also more interested in staying active while touring a destination. Whether it’s walking around the city streets, going on boat tours of the waterways, or playing games on a rainy day; elementary-age kids always have plenty of things to do.

Traveling with children over age 6 years will provide plenty of time to form memories from their trips. These family vacation memories will form strong family bonds that last a lifetime.

It’s really important that you try to make children feel involved in as many decisions as possible. Ask them what they would like to do and consider their requests before making your final decisions. Trips this age are much more enjoyable if you take the time to let kids explore on their own a bit, but still, keep an eye on them at all times.

At this age, kids are old enough to understand how planes and other forms of transportation work, but oftentimes they don’t fully grasp the concept of time so sitting through a long flight can be difficult. Use our Printable Travel Games For Kids to help entertain your children on long journeys such as a family road trip or flight. These travel games are ideal for children age 3 years plus.

10-12 years old

For the most part, children at this age can understand and remember all of the instructions you give them; so it’s best to make sure they know their schedule before leaving home. They will be more likely to have fun on vacation if they know what’s going on and when to expect certain events or activities.

These are the years when kids can truly start to appreciate the significance of travel, but they also have their own opinions on what they would like to see and do from one day to the next. Tell them about the destination, what they will see, and where you are going before you leave so they have an idea of what to expect.

It’s also important for parents to remember that while children at this age can understand more complex concepts, they’re still very much kids! They need time and space alone if needed, but don’t be afraid to give them a little extra attention or buy them small souvenirs from your travels.

Travel with Teens

13-18 years old.

There is no doubt that teenagers have their own minds and therein lies the challenge of traveling with kids this age. Everyone will be in for an entirely new learning experience when vacationing with teens because they have higher expectations than younger children. At this age, teens are old enough to see the world around them and understand how it works.

This is also the age when you are likely to hear, “I’m bored,” quite a bit so it’s important for parents to provide teens with a few options when it comes to activities. Whether it’s going for a walk, visiting a museum, or trying out some outdoor sports; staying busy on their own can be an important part of the travel experience and will keep them occupied if they have too much time to think about going home.

Teens might enjoy the trip more if they can make their own plans sometimes too. So, consider letting them go out with friends or exploring on their own every once in a while, as long as you’re visiting a safe destination. This will help create some memories and teach teens how to have more fun when traveling with family.

That is what makes traveling with teenagers rewarding; getting a chance to see the world and spend some time together as a family. Your children might be growing up quickly, but still, make sure to take time to jump in every once in a while and help them enjoy their childhood memories with adventures that’ll be remembered forever.

Deciding the Best Age to Travel with Kids

Traveling with children spans a wide range of ages and abilities. For the best experience, it is important to keep in mind that at any age, you should be prepared for possible challenges. As long as parents are aware of these potential difficulties, they can plan ahead accordingly and make adjustments when needed. It’s also helpful to remember that different stages require different approaches – from toddlers all the way through teens.

The most rewarding part of traveling with children is when they get to experience new things and learn. It’s also a time for families to spend more quality time together, so stay positive and have fun! So, is it possible to decide when is the best age to travel with kids? Ultimately, the most important thing for parents to remember is that no matter what stage their children are in, travel is an investment in memories for years to come.

And remember, let’s BE Family so you can enjoy the journey.

Until next time, 💕 Ruth

For more about family travel, check out these posts: Simplify a Road Trip with Kids Travel with a Baby Stress-Free this Holiday How to Pack for a Winter Road Trip with Kids? Road Trip With A Baby: Tips To Help Parents Survive Best Road Trip Snacks for Kids

BE Family Products Inc., or (BE Family Travel) participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Using any of the links on this website does NOT cost you anything but does help us continue to create content on this blog. Thank you so much for your support and for partnering with us. Let’s BE Family.

Ruth Hutchins grew up in England and now lives in North Carolina with her husband, Doug, and their two young daughters. They always loved to travel, but once having children everything changed because family travel is more complicated. Traveling with a baby may feel overwhelming to new parents. Travel with a toddler can really test your patience, and traveling with kids can lead to utter chaos. However, travel with your little ones doesn’t have to be that stressful or exhausting. On the BE Family Travel blog Ruth shares her parenting wins, and even epic failures about traveling with kids. She provides resources to help you feel empowered to plan a family vacation and travel with your children.

7 thoughts on “What Is The Best Age To Travel With Kids?”

• Pingback: Best Toddler Carrier for Travel - BeFamilyTravel
• Pingback: Best Travel Bed for Toddler and Baby - BeFamilyTravel
• Pingback: Lightweight Travel Stroller for Toddler - BeFamilyTravel
• Pingback: Best Travel Car Seat for Toddler - BeFamilyTravel
• Pingback: Best Travel Booster Seats Review - BeFamilyTravel
• Pingback: Travel Booster Seat for Car Rides and Flying - BeFamilyTravel
• Pingback: Surviving Jet Lag with your Baby or Toddler - BeFamilyTravel -

Comments are closed.

Flying With a Baby? Here’s What to Know Before You Go

Medical review policy, latest update:, how old should a baby be to fly, read this next, what do children need to fly, tips for flying with an infant.

What to Expect the First Year , 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.  WhatToExpect.com, Do Babies Need Passports? , May 2019.  WhatToExpect.com, Should You Bring Your Child’s Car Seat on an Airplane? , August 2021. WhatToExpect.com, Your Ultimate Guide to Traveling While Breastfeeding , August 2020. American Academy of Pediatrics, Family Friendly Flying , November 2015.  American Academy of Pediatrics, Flying With Baby: Parent FAQs , November 2019.   American Airlines, Traveling With Children .  Delta Air Lines, Infant Air Travel , 2021.  Federal Aviation Administration, Flying With Children , March 2021.  Transportation Security Administration, Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQ .  Transportation Security Administration, Identification .  Transportation Security Administration, Will Minors Need to Have a State ID to Fly Domestically? United Airlines, Traveling With Children , 2021.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Children – Child Traveling With One Parent or Someone Who Is Not a Parent or Legal Guardian or a Group , December 2019.

Trending On What to Expect

How to keep your house clean and healthy for your baby and your family, spacing your kids: the pros & cons of every age gap, ⚠️ you can't see this cool content because you have ad block enabled., how to make — and keep — a family budget, different types of parenting styles, how to earn money as a stay-at-home mom.

BEST Age to Fly with a Baby (100+ Moms Surveyed!)

As of writing this sentence, I have taken my baby on 13 flights (domestic and international!) and so far, flying has been a breeze for us. I was curious whether I should be concerned with the upcoming toddler years when it comes to flying with our son, so I surveyed over 100 other mothers who travel with their babies and toddlers and here’s what they said:

Between 4 and 9 months old is the absolute best age to fly with a baby, in terms of ease for the parents — after babies have had their first rounds of vaccinations, but before they are too mobile. Traveling with a fragile newborn can be stressful, and the toddler stage offers a range of challenges.

You’ll see the detailed results of this survey in the pie chart below, which shows you how more than 50% of moms voted that babies are best to travel with from the ages of 0-9 months (with the REAL sweet spot being 4-9 months).

From my own personal experience, I have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with the results of this poll! However, if you have a budding toddler on your hands (like I do), FEAR NOT! You can still travel with a baby/toddler at ANY age and have a positive experience.

In this article, I’ll provide you with some hopeful and helpful information that will fill you with confidence for your next trip. And if you’re curious I also asked these same moms what the WORST age is to travel with babies — you can see those results here .

Most moms agree that “younger is better” (and easier) for traveling with babies

If you’re thinking about traveling with your very little baby, I have some great news for you. Almost 25% of moms surveyed in this study said that the 0-3 month old range was the best age for flying and over 30% of moms chose the 4-9 month range as ideal! Why is this?

As one mother put it: “[I said] 2-3 months (post vaccination but small enough to carry everywhere).” The portability factor plays big here. A smaller baby is not going to be as wiggly (in the airport or on your lap) as a baby who can crawl or walk.

I traveled with my son starting at 3 months and at that age, we carried him absolutely everywhere in his Boba baby wrap . Our first time going through airport check in and security, he slept through the entire thing and didn’t wake up until we were about to board!

In the newborn stage, many babies are thankfully completely unbothered by airport noises around them and can take long, quality contact naps — another huge plus for younger babies over older babies. Another mom in the survey said this when asked which baby age was best for travel:

4 months. They sleep a ton but have somewhat of an immune system. Totally portable. Light weight. Don’t need tons of toys or books. And they can eat boob and boob alone.

“Boob and boob alone” — too funny! I know this isn’t everyone’s situation, but for me personally, breastfeeding was so convenient for traveling with a young baby. Exclusively breastfeeding meant that I didn’t need to carry any bottles, formula, or even my electronic pump with me (although I did travel with my Hakka just in case my son was having an off-day — I didn’t want to become engorged and not be able to expel my milk).

Best advice for traveling with babies 0-9 months

Before 3 months of age, my biggest issues for air travel (or road trips honestly) would have been the same issues as as day trip with a newborn. I was still physically recovering from the birth, my husband and I were sleep-deprived new parents, and our baby felt very fragile to bring out into the world!

But looking back, months 0-3 were very easy, in all other aspects, for taking our baby places. If you’re feeling healthy and confident, this might be the absolute perfect time to travel with your baby. Talk to your doctor about any health or vaccination questions you might have before you decide.

We started flying with our baby at 3 months, and after 6 months or so is when things started to get interesting (more movement, more noticing things around him, more work for us… and also more FUN!). Another mom said the best travel baby age was:

Below 8 months. Or Whenever they aren’t teething and crawling yet

I agree that teething (starting around 6 months) and crawling (starting around 8-9 months) begin to make traveling more challenging with a baby. A teething baby is generally not a happy baby, and a crawling baby does not stay contently in your arms as long. However, you can alleviate some of these issues with a few handy items in your carry on/diaper bag.

For a teething baby on the plane, be sure to pack:

• Baby Tylenol (read the label carefully for correct dosage information)
• Teething toy to chew on — wrap it in a cold pack and offer it on the plane (Note the TSA requirements re: cold packs. You can bring them for babies to cool their milk, juice, or formula and then also use it for their teething toy).
• Small washcloths — ask a flight attendant for some ice water to soak them in. Let baby suck on the washcloth .
• Familiar comfort items (pacifiers, blanket, stuffed animal)

For traveling with a crawling baby, following these tips for flying:

• Let them get out as much energy as possible at the airport. Let them crawl around at the gate or children’s play area if there’s one available. Let them explore, out of your arms, as much as possible before the flight .
• If you’re traveling with another adult, split up. Have one person take advantage of the early boarding when flying with babies to set up your seating area and store your carry-on bags while the other person continues to tire out the baby at the gate until the last possible moment!
• Bring lots of novelty dollar store items to surprise and distract your baby with (and keep them in your lap!). Hopefully your baby will sleep on the flight, but if not, have lots of activities ready for them!

I flew alone with my baby twice when he was about 8 and 9 months old (and newly crawling) and the power of distraction from the new dollar store items was KEY to getting him to stay happy on my lap and not disturb others around us.

Best advice for traveling with older babies (after 9 months)

I’ve traveled with my son (alone and with my husband) when he was between the ages of 9 and 11 months (and will soon be traveling with him again at 13 months on long haul flights) and I agreed wholeheartedly with the moms who said it gets “harder but more fun.”

I loved how this mom described her experiences and the advice she gave:

I think it’s more enjoyable if you drop the expectations and prepare yourself for anything. Be flexible with naps and schedules. It’ll all be okay. Any experience you have is something to remember but I will say between 6 months and 9 months there was a shift with her activity level and at that point we can use snacks to distract/entertain for a bit. In my opinion our vacation was more enjoyable at 9 months than at 6 just because of our babe being more alert and being able to enjoy more of the experience.

Another mom gave great advice for traveling in Europe regarding stairs and strollers, which I can totally relate to after months of traveling in Spain and Turkey with my baby earlier this year:

We’re traveling with a 10 month old and 3 year old right now. The oldest is fine but the youngest is too heavy to constantly carry and the stroller is a pain to take everywhere so it has limited our plans. For context we are in France and a lot of the places we are visiting have TONS of stairs.

Here is some of the best advice to remember when travelling with older babies/toddlers (after 9 months):

• Baby carrier over stroller: Do research on the place you’re going and if it’s possible for you, bring a soft baby carrier or baby hiking backpack instead of a stroller. My husband and I almost exclusively relied on our carrier and baby hiking backpack in Europe!
• Drop all expectations and be flexible with naps and schedules. They’ll get back on track on the other side!
• Use snacks to distract!
• Come prepared with lots of activities and entertainment!
• Stay as calm as you can — Easier said than done, I know but fake it until you make it 🙂 Your baby feeds off of your energy and the calmer you can stay, the better you both will feel. When your baby is melting down and it feels like everyone is staring at you, try to remember that you’re doing your best and this moment won’t last forever.

Through all the uncertainty (and perhaps a bit of chaos), I hope we can all do our best to stay positive and to remember that we are doing this to make memories for ourselves and our babies. As one mom put it:

You get new experiences with every age. So I’ll say enjoy your trip as much as you can with all the ages. This time won’t come back.

Why you should start traveling with your baby early on

A few moms who travel regularly with their babies talked about how important it is to start them young so that they get used to flying. This was our plan with our son.

I’m not sure how true this is from the baby’s perspective, but I can 100% say that in my experience, starting traveling with your baby early on gives YOU, the parent, confidence that you can do it . And that makes subsequent traveling easier and more fun! The more you do it, the better you get at it.

As one mom said:

We started really early and now that they are 5 and 3, it is a lot easier because they are already used to long drives/fly.

And another mom, when asked what the best age to travel with babies is, said:

As early as possible! I love travelling with my babes!

Traveling: The Best “Baby Age” vs. The Best “Baby Developmental Stage”

Many moms couldn’t pin down a “best age” to travel with babies because they recognized that all babies develop on different schedules. So perhaps instead of the “best age” we should instead consider what the “best developmental stage” is for traveling with babies . As one mom said:

I think it depends greatly on your kiddos personality. My baby had colic and severe GERD as a younger baby. I couldn’t imagine trying to travel with him back then. We just got back from Hawaii with him at almost 2 now and it was AMAZING. I loved this age on vacation!

There are most definitely babies who have more or greater needs than others at different stages, regardless of their age, and it’s perhaps easy to get caught up in the comparison game — or to get frustrated that your baby is “harder” to travel with than other babies their age.

But we should try to remember that all babies develop so differently. You know your baby better than anyone and will know when you both are ready to travel. Another mom said:

Honestly, depends on your kid. I would have never brought my now 4 year old between the ages of 1 to now. But my second kid, now 16 months old is a dream to travel with.

And one mom echoed:

Depends on the baby! I have 6 kids and two of them have been difficult because they get easily fussy. And I’m in a bad mood with hot weather mostly, so you know how your baby is and you will have the answer.

Some moms say traveling with a toddler can be more enjoyable than with a newborn

As I gear up to travel internationally (across North America and across the Atlantic) with our soon-to-be toddler, I am hopeful looking at the responses from the moms in this survey who mentioned the POSITIVES of traveling with toddlers over newborns. Mostly, they said, it’s just more fun . This mom said:

We went on vacations at 2 years old. Even though he was active and more work, I enjoyed it so much more… Because he was old enough to understand things and get excited about the sights… so in turn, that was very exciting for us! Seeing the joy in his eyes, etc. That made it the best for us.

That kind of makes me tear up a little! And I get it. It was starting to be really fun (when he was in a good mood) to experience even the more recent flights with my son. As a newborn, he didn’t care where we were! Now we actively look for things to show him to watch HIM get excited. This mom said it well:

It really depends on the goal of your trip. Infants sleep a lot and don’t really care what you do or where you go, but that means they don’t get to really enjoy the trip. Plus diapers, feedings, etc. 1-2 years is fun because they start to enjoy more but then it pretty much has to be things they enjoy, plus you still have diapers/potty training and helping with eating and they are really mobile and hard to keep up with. We are at 3 and 4 years and traveling is finally feeling more fun than difficult and exhausting. They are fully potty trained and need minimal help with eating and other things, plus they are at an age that really enjoys things and remembers them. Trips are still kid focused though.

That’s the thing — your trips tend to be kid-focused, but that’s what we signed up for traveling with them, I suppose! 🙂 Many moms also expressed how fun traveling with older CHILDREN is — after the toddler years (4+). They are independent, curious, ask lots of questions, and can more easily entertain themselves! So that’s something to look forward to one day, for all of us currently in the baby days.

What else did moms have to say about when to take babies traveling?

The bar chart below is the same information as the pie chart above, just visualized a bit differently. I wanted to make sure and speak briefly about the “other” section, in case you were interested. The 10% of moms with unique responses to the poll (that didn’t quite fit into the other categories listed) were as follows:

“Other” responses to the question “When is the best age to fly with your baby?”:

• At least 18 months
• 2.5 Years Old
• After they learn to walk
• Before they’re mobile

*It’s very interesting to me that some moms said that the BEST age to travel with a baby is 2, or even “after they learn to walk”! Everyone’s experiences are so different and it’s impossible to make generalizations. Happy traveling with your baby! 🙂

Brittany is a Wayfaring Human who loves to adventure with her husband and son. When she's not having adventures, she's taking pictures of them and writing about them.

Recent Posts

DIY Medical Kit for Traveling with Littles: Doctor-Approved!

We had literally just stepped foot in the door of our Airbnb in Scotland, after more than ten hours of travel, when our then 15-month-old son started to run a fever. Not long after, my husband felt a...

5 Unexpected Ways TRAVEL Changes When You Have Kids

So this was us traveling before we had a baby — we actually met while traveling in Ecuador. And visited and worked in many countries together, including the Philippines, which is where we are in...

Best Age To Travel With A Baby 

By Author Vicky Smith

Posted on Last updated: April 6, 2023

Are you looking to travel with a baby and wondering what the best age to take your little one away on holiday might be?

If you’re expecting your first baby, or have only just welcomed your bundle of joy, you may be unsure what the rules around flying abroad may be. 

The logistics of travelling with a baby may seem daunting – especially as they seem to come with so much stuff. 

But the good news is you can travel with a newborn baby pretty early – ideally from three months. 

As a newborn they are sleepy, so will hopefully snooze through much of the flight, they are not mobile so won’t be running up and down the aisle of the plane and can be easily entertained with milk and cuddles. 

The things holding you back from jetting off right away are: 

• Your own recovery after giving birth 
• The paperwork – you need a birth certificate in order to get a passport for travel (applications for passports can take three weeks or more to process)
• Your own confidence – there’s something to be said for pulling up the drawbridge and enjoying time at home with your new baby so you can get used to this new arrival. 
• Baby’s routine – Sleep schedules are very unpredictable when your baby is three months or under. It can be useful to wait until you have a handle on your baby’s natural sleep routine to help you book the best travel times. 
• Your baby’s vaccination schedule – As airports, trains and buses are germ central, it’s wise to wait until your baby has had their infant vaccinations. For babies under one year they will have had all their doses by the time they are 16 weeks. 

This article is going to take you through what the best age to travel with a baby is and the logistics of travelling abroad on holiday with a new baby. 

You may also like: Checklist for travel with baby

How soon can you go on holiday abroad with a newborn?

The earliest you can fly abroad with a newborn baby is once they are 48 hours old (if you fly with an airline that will take them at this age, like BA). 

But the logistics of trying to get a passport within 48 hours of your baby’s birth mean this is unlikely to happen. 

Of course they need a passport to travel abroad and getting one within two days of their birth would be challenging. 

You can book fast-track appointments to get a passport, however you would need to time this exactly to fit in with when you want to fly. And as you know, you can’t necessarily know in advance when a baby will be born or when you may be discharged from hospital. 

And you need a birth certificate in order to get your passport, which means you also need to have that appointment booked at your local register office.

So, looking at a realistic timeline for getting a passport, assuming you register your baby’s birth in the first week to get their birth certificate, the earliest you could travel with your baby is when they are three to four weeks old. 

For internal flights you may not need a passport to travel, but you should check in advance and it’s still sensible to take your baby’s birth certificate with you.

When is the earliest a baby can fly?

There is no legal minimum age for when a baby can fly, but several airlines ask that your baby is 14 days old before they fly. 

This is the guidance issued by big carriers such as EasyJet .

However if you fly with British Airways they ask your newborn is 48 hours old and Ryanair will not allow babies aged seven days or under to board. 

So as you can see it varies between airlines and you should always check before you book. 

The big benefit of flying with a baby under two years old is you won’t need to book a separate seat if they will be travelling on your lap. You’ll still be charged 10% of an adult fare, but it does save you money!

If you do want to bring a car seat on a plane , in order to give your arms a rest and provide your baby with a comfy place to nap, then you’ll need to book a seat for your baby. You’ll also need to check that the car seat you are bringing is aircraft approved.

What is the best age to travel abroad with a baby?

The best age to travel with a baby is between three and nine months. At this stage they aren’t particularly mobile, they’re still napping a fair amount and they are easily entertained with simple things. 

At four months they will have completed their under one vaccination schedule (which the NHS completes by the time they are 16 weeks).

In the US infant vaccinations are spread out wider across the first year, but they will have had at least two doses of the main vaccinations by the time they are four months old.   

Best and worst ages to fly with a baby

It’s important to note that some babies may well travel better than others. 

Like adults, babies have different personalities and traits. 

Some babies may settle to sleep like clockwork at the same time every day for a nap, while others may fight sleep at every stage and experience every sleep regression to the max. 

As the parent you know your baby best, so it’s important to consider how you think your little one will cope with a flight – with consideration to how long the travel time is to your preferred destination. 

To help you make the decision on when to fly with a baby, here’s a handy guide to the best and worst ages to travel with a baby. 

0-3 months 

I would avoid traveling at this age due to the logistical challenge of getting the paperwork organised and the uncertainty around their sleep schedules.

3-9 months 

This is a great time to travel with your baby! 

You probably have an idea of their sleep patterns and how to settle them down for a nap. 

If you are breastfeeding then you’ll be able to travel much lighter. But if you are formula feeding you can make it much easier by taking ready-made formula in small bottles. 

If you’re worried about your baby suffering with ear pain during the flight then you can help with this by nursing them or giving them their bottle to suck. If your baby uses a dummy (pacifier) then this can ease the discomfort too. 

9-12 months

At this age your baby will be on the move and probably have started to crawl (unless they’re like my first baby who rolled everywhere instead of crawling). 

From 12 months they may be about to take their first steps. 

For this reason this age could be a little more challenging when it comes to flying, so distractions will be key. 

Taking them for walks down the aisle of the plane to keep them entertained and avoid them getting too fussy with boredom. 

12-18 months 

At 12 to 18 months your once immobile baby is now on the move and wanting to explore absolutely everything. 

The key to travelling at this age will be distractions and snacks. 

Although you can still travel with them on your lap at this stage, it’s well worth considering whether having a separate seat with a car seat may be easier for you.

What to pack for flying with a baby 

This is a complete list of essentials to pack for your flight. These items also apply when you’re taking a long train or bus journey! 

• Enough feeds for the flight – It’s sensible to bring double what you think you will need for the time you will be travelling, just in case of delays 
• Nappies – one for every hour of travel plus five spare 
• Nappy sacks 
• Wipes 
• Pacifier (if they use one)
• Favourite toy
• Sensory toys (avoid ones that make loud noises for the sake of other passengers)
• Books 
• Anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitiser
• Solid meals – if your baby is over six months. You can request baby meals from some airlines, but you need to do so in advance. Check with your airline.
• Dress your baby in layers that are simple to remove and put on when baby is on your lap. It may be cold on the plane, but hot where you are going. 
• One change of clothes for every three hours of travel (just in case)
• A change of clothes for you – in case of spit-up 
• Travel car seat (you may be ok for a younger baby on your lap for the flight but a car seat is useful for naps and rests from six months and over)
• Baby carrier – these are so useful for moving around the airport especially if you’ve had to check in your stroller 

Do you need to reserve a seat on the plane for your baby?

If you plan to travel with your baby on your lap then you still need to inform the airline that you will be travelling with an infant. 

You can only travel with one lap child per adult and you can only take your infant on your lap if they are under two years old. 

Tips for flying with your baby 

Request a carrycot/bassinet from the airline .

Some airlines will offer carrycots or special infant seats. These are great because they’re a comfy spot where hopefully your baby can get some sleep. 

You’ll need to request these ahead of your flight but they can save you from having to bring your own car seat.  

Choose your seats

Some airlines will let you pick your seat for free if you are travelling with a baby. 

This can be really useful to ensure you are all travelling together and can help each other out with keeping the baby happy. 

Check your airline’s requirements 

If you want your baby to fly in their car seat then it’s important to check the one you have can be used for your airline. 

Checking with the airline ahead of travel is essential. 

Get baby used to room temperature food 

Some airlines will warm milk and food for you on request, but just in case it’s sensible to get your baby used to having their food at room temperature. 

This can be particularly handy if you’re stuck at the airport due to delays and have to feed them without access to a microwave. 

Look at policies on car seats and strollers 

If you are taking your car seat or stroller away with you for your trip then it’s handy to check what your airline’s policy is on these. 

Many will let you check a stroller in for free. Some may let you take them on-board without it counting toward your carry-on limit. But this isn’t guaranteed so you may have to see when you check in. 

Final thoughts

When it comes to flying abroad with your baby for the first time, you’ll find the experience easier once your baby is three months and older.

Taking them on holiday before they start weaning can also be a lot easier, as you won’t need to worry about taking their meals with you for the journey, just milk.

Happy travels!

TODAY-exclusive deals on Mike’s Hot Honey, Lands’ End, massage devices and more

• Share this —

• Watch Full Episodes
• Read With Jenna
• Inspirational
• Relationships
• TODAY Table
• Newsletters
• Start TODAY
• Shop TODAY Awards
• Citi Concert Series
• Listen All Day

Follow today

More Brands

• On The Show
• TODAY Plaza

6 important tips for traveling with a baby

New parents considering traveling with a baby might have a lot of questions running through their brains. First and foremost — are we crazy?

Jen Campbell Boles, the founder of Explore More Family Travel , told TODAY Parents that traveling with her kids — twins — from the time they were babies "made all the difference."

"People are so intimidated by travel with young kids," Campbell Boles said. "Not only is it important to get your kids used to travel at a young age, it is also really nice to be able to not travel during school holidays."

She continued, "Traveling in May and September was always my favorite when my boys were younger. We were able to upgrade our travel experience by traveling during the shoulder or off season. Getting more value from your vacation investment is always a good thing."

Related:  Best family vacation destinations for when you want to get away

How hard is it to travel with a baby? Not hard at all. Campbell Boles offered parents traveling with their baby six tips for success:

6 tips for traveling with a baby

Start small and build from there.

“When I found out I was having twins, I honestly did not know when I would travel again like I previously had,” Campbell Boles said. “We started out small with a trip to Chicago to test the waters. I needed to build my confidence up before traveling internationally again. Chicago went so well that I immediately booked our next trip to Italy and Greece.”

Bring extra items for kids.

"During our trip to Italy when my twins were 1, I was having a lovely moment sitting outside on a ferry along the Cinque Terre with my son in my lap," Campbell Boles said. "I was thinking about how much I loved that moment and for no reason at all, my son took the one sippy cup we packed him and threw it into the ocean so fast that I couldn’t even attempt to stop him."

Get a balcony, or a room with a separate space. 

"Babies go to bed earlier and parents need time to recoup from their day and connect with each other," the travel expert shared.

Adjust expectations.

Travel may be slower paced — and that is OK.

"You will not see everything," Campbell Boles said. "This is a soak-it-all-in type of trip versus a see everything trip."

Make sure to include something for your baby. 

"If they like swimming, book a hotel with a pool. If they are mobile, some space for them to safely run around in — perhaps that means green space at a resort or a piazza in Italy! Find parks with playgrounds. Plan time to wear them out so they’ll stroller nap and allow you to do what you want to do." 

Think about sleep schedules.

"When flying far, try to book red eye flights so kids are more likely to sleep and not get too fussy during the flight," Campbell Boles shared.

Related: 6 tips for traveling with a toddler every parent needs

Traveling with babies vs. toddlers

Campbell Boles told TODAY Parents she feels babies "go along easier than toddlers." 

"They will spend a lot of the day in a stroller with no complaints just taking it all in," she said, adding babies are more likely to sleep on the go. "Of course, traveling with babies involves bringing more stuff along, but airlines are pretty good about allowing you to bring all the things. You can also target resort and cruise brands that have the items on hand, so you do not have to pack as much."

Kait Hanson is a graduate of Penn State University who began her career in collegiate sports communications.

‘Meet the Press’ moderator Kristen Welker welcomes baby No. 2 via surrogate

Mandy Moore shares first baby bump pic since announcing pregnancy

The best sunscreens for kids this summer, according to experts and moms

Kids & babies.

See the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's list of ‘hurricane names’ for 2024 and beyond

Is it a boy or girl? Fun and silly old wives' tales about predicting a baby's sex

Rare, vintage baby names, for parents who want a classic name that's not too common

211 Italian names for baby girls and boys

200 baby names that start with 'M'

100 boy names that start with 'M'

These baby names were the most popular of the 1990s

The Best Age to Travel With Kids (& The Worst!)

C raig and I were once contemplating a possible year long adventure through Southeast Asia, the only problem was, our girls were 5 and 18 months old at the time.

After our two week trip to Thailand, we completely scrapped the idea.

For the amount of effort required and the pressures of travelling with small children through South East Asia proved too much.

Kalyra (aged 5 at the time) was a pretty good age to travel with, although she can get tired easily and likes to complain.

Savannah, on the other hand, was a toddler, hell-bent on exploring the world with the energy of an ever ready bunny.

Having traveled with our kids from babies up until their teens (our oldest is now 15), we have discovered the best ages to travel with kids, as well as the worst.

So if you’re curious, here’s what you can expect traveling at each age…

The Best Age to Travel with Kids

Babies (0-6 months), primary (5-10 year olds), tweens (10 – 13 year olds), teenagers (13-17), the worst age to travel with kids, 1. toddlers can’t sit still, 2. plane journeys are taxing with toddlers, 3. toddlers need car seats, 4. toddlers need nappies / diapers, 5. toddlers may still need bottles, 6. toddlers need a pram, 7. toddlers need naps, 8. meal time is a nightmare, 9. toddlers can’t talk, 10. toddlers can’t really entertain themselves, 11. toddlers are teething.

• 12. They're Too Young for Kids Clubs

Is It Worth Traveling With Toddlers?

Final thoughts, more family travel tips.

We’ll talk about the worst age to travel a bit later. Spoiler alert, it’s toddler age!

But for now, let’s talk about the best ages to travel with kids…

The Best Age To Travel With Kids

The best age to travel with kids largely depends on your destination and travel style.

For example, I wouldn’t go backpacking with a baby, but a cruise around the Caribbean, sign me up!

Here’s what you can expect from each age…

The idea of flying with babies once scared the life out of me, but after our first plane trip with a baby, we realized it’s not so bad.

Typically, it’s not recommended you travel with a newborn and you should wait until their immune system is strong before you embark on a holiday, but you should consult with your doctor about making this decision.

Kalyra was 6 months old before her first international flight, from Australia to Fiji, and Savannah was 8 weeks when she flew Australia to New Zealand.

They weren’t a long flight and made for a great training exercise.

Since then, flying with our kids has been easy.

Traveling with a baby is possibly the best age to travel with kids, once you get to the destination since they eat and sleep most of the time.

However, plane travel can be difficult because of all the things you need to pack.

Breastfeeding is much easier than formula, since you’ll want to bring your baby’s favorite formula with you.

You also need to carry diapers, wipes, blankets, baby carrier, and possibly a car seat.

And you need to consider mobility, since strollers and prams usually are too big for carry-on with most airlines.

New parents might want to be conscious on hygiene, depending on where you are going.

Germs and bacteria can make your child sick, so as long as you keep up good hygiene wherever you go, you should be fine.

You’ll notice we left out toddlers and jumped straight to primary age. You’ll understand why later.

Primary age is that sweet spot in life when your child still has a childlike curiosity, enjoys cuddles, but also wants to gain a bit more independence.

You will find less tantrums compared to toddler age, but you may find they get bored easily.

We recommend packing plenty of toys and snacks, and allow your children to carry their own backpacks with what they want to take with them.

Give them their own seat on the plane rather than sitting on your lap, and start allowing them some independence, and you’ll find travel is much easier.

Once your child reaches the tween age, especially if they have already traveled before, you’ll find it’s the easiest age group to travel with.

Older kids know what they are doing at this point, and you don’t have to worry about them getting into unsafe situations since they will have some self awareness and can take care of themselves.

Of course, you always need to watch your kids, but you can relax a little knowing they aren’t going to put some random stick in their mouths.

Tweens will still be quite attached to the wonder and adventure of travel.

Teens have left the potty training and nap times long in the past and can start to travel as young adults with their own interests and plans for the vacation.

Teenagers are arguably the perfect age to travel with, since they can appreciate the life lessons that travel gives and have an interest in culture, history and art.

However, it is an age that can be difficult in that teens basically want to retreat to a world of their own, where they don’t need to communicate or do anything other than listen to music all day long or text with their friends. Actually, they really don’t even want to be on a vacation with you, they just want to be with their friends back home.

And suddenly all the things you used to love doing together, they’ll now find boring but can’t articulate what it is they love to do now.

It’s the age where you might start to organize more expensive activities such as a safari or hot air balloon ride, which are safer for older kids and will also be appreciated much more.

They may have more refined interests which you can explore with them, We’ve pursued Broadway shows in New York City, Taylor Swift concerts in Philadelphia, and Harry Potter Studio tours in London . So the fun is still there, you just have to dig deep to find it on the teen level.

Once your teen hits the age range of 18-20, they might be considering a gap year before university, and those vacations you take with them in their early teens may inspire them.

Who knows, you may create a lifelong passion for travel!

Check out our posts on Paris with teens , London with teens , New York City with teens , and European river cruising for teens and tweens . Where should we go next?

The toddler age, in my opinion, is the worst age to travel with kids

On our Thailand trip there was absolutely zero time to relax or to absorb anything around me.

I felt stressed, overburdened, and highly anxious. We should be travelling to experience lightness and joy, not heaviness and stress.

Until they reach the age near 3, when it gets so much easier, we will be looking more to road trip travel as a means for taking a vacation.

At times I feel like a bit of a cop out—you know when the going gets tough, the fake and softies fall apart.

We like to share with you the truth about travel on our blog. It can be very tough and full of challenges.

Never be afraid to change direction or style to whatever brings you the most comfort and joy.

The Challenges of Toddler Travel

So now you know why we think infants aged 9 months – 3 are the worst age to travel, here’s why we feel Toddlerville is the WORST age to travel and how we found it extra burdensome in South East Asia.

They’ve just learned to walk; they’ve got to practice this new skill.

The legs won’t stop moving and if you hold them in your arms for a moments rest, the battle of the wriggles will begin.

Try having a conversation or listening to a tour guide when that happens.

Plus the roads in South East Asia are chaos, it’s a lot more challenging to let them walk on the sidewalk, or even in a wider spaced area, the trouble they can get themselves into are more prevalent.

On our balcony at the Hilton in Phuket was a large gap Savannah could possibly have stuck her body through (not 100% sure as we didn’t test it) and crashed to the pavement below. We couldn’t sit and relax on the balcony.

When we took a boat trip to Phang Ngha Bay (probably a stupid decision on our behalf) I almost had an anxiety attack and felt like I was going to vomit. There were far too many places she could climb and fall overboard.

The life jacket was on her and I battled with the wriggles for the journey, not able to enjoy the scenery much at all.

Long Flights are Not Good with a Toddler; they will hate the restricted space.

They have trouble sleeping and if they get upset and start crying you worry so much about disturbing the peace of the other passengers that your chest and stomach becomes tightly wound and your blood pressure shoots up.

You are all so exhausted by the end of it.

If it is a long flight to another time zone, you might be dealing with your energetic toddler from 4am when they spring out of bed ready to go.

Read More: 17 tips for flying with kids  

This was probably one of the most stressful experiences in Thailand.

Usually, when we are driving at home, the girls are strapped in and you can have down time. It’s one of the only places you can as a parent.

Not in South East Asia, they don’t have car seats, half the time they don’t have seat belts.

We were driven around a lot, for hours at a time. Trying to keep Savannah still and wrapped in our arms was simply awful. Once they get to the age of around 2 they start to learn how to sit still.

A headache to carry around, to change and a lot of the time to find rubbish bins to put them in.

Holy moly, this is a logistical nightmare! You may think that once your baby starts eating solid foods, it gets easier – think again!

First, you have to carry the bottles and the formula and then you have to figure out a way to wash the bottles each day.

You can’t use tap water as it is not safe for drinking. Depending on where you stay you may not even have facilities to wash them.

We had a kettle in our Bangkok Hotel and the Phuket Hilton, so we filled up the sink with boiling water and detergent and washed them that way.

Our accommodation in Bangtao Bay, thankfully, had lovely workers in the kitchen who would wash them for us. Apartment stays are way better with small children.

Prams are helpful for getting around and naps when you are out. It’s also a gigantic pain in the arse to haul this extra luggage and to navigate crooked Thai streets and busy Sky trains.

This can be a good thing if you can get them to sleep because it will give you a break.

But, their routine will be different and they could be overstimulated. If you don’t get them to sleep during the day, once 5pm comes you’ll be reaching for something stronger than a glass of wine.

Also, for night time sleeping, they need a portable cot . In Thailand, this was hard to come by.

We had four nights in a hotel, where Savannah did not have a cot. It’s always fun to chase them around a room at 3am.

Usually, toddlers are pretty fussy eaters. Changing to new food and expecting the same behaviors is not going to go down well.

It can prove a headache as they refuse to try new things and you have to resort to fries and cheese sandwiches, which cost more.

Judging by the throwing up Savannah did the day after the sandwich, perhaps the more dodgy option too.

Because toddlers like to wriggle and move, give up the idea of sitting down to enjoy a meal. You’re up down up down, getting indigestion as a result and perfecting the parent 5 min food throw down.

As a parent, pay attention to how quickly you eat—it’s a very common happening. A lot of the restaurants in Thailand are on busy main roads. Panic attacks. Again apartment stays where you can cook your own food while the kids run around are best.

Read more: How to manage a picky eater when you travel with kids

They can’t tell you what they want or what they need. They can’t tell you when they are sick or where.

Savannah grunts and whines a lot. We soon discovered why it had escalated when she projectile vomited driving with a van full of people.

We were stressed for days as we did not know if it was food poisoning, car sickness, or something worse.

This is not me saying I don’t want to play with my kids or give them attention, I just find it draining to do it every minute of every hour.

Even Kalyra is not great at entertaining herself. We couldn’t’ have a conversation with anyone without her pulling at our attention.

When you are dealing with the challenges of travel this extra on demand attention can nearly break you. Sometimes you just need five minutes of quiet.

This was the moment for the first time in my life I actually wanted to go home.

We had Savannah sick for a couple of days and then the teething hit. The eye teeth – notoriously known as the most painful. She screamed for a day and two nights.

Our plans to relax on the beach for our last three days ended with the fist vomit.

12. They’re Too Young for Kids Clubs

Not that we ever really have time to make use of Kid’s Clubs, they are a great way to get a break.

Kalyra also loves them and begs us to go. We managed to squeeze in a two-hour visit for her at the Hilton Phuket . The starting age for most Kids Clubs is from 2-4 years of age.

Part of our inability to deal with this also came with the fact we are travel bloggers and were on a work trip and had certain things we needed to do.

And of course to add to this stress, I was sick for a week, Craig ended up sick for a day, and our website had major issues.

So when the kids were in bed and we were up late at night to catch up on work, we weren’t working we were dealing with the stress of trying to troubleshoot our website.

Young kids can be difficult no matter where you are in the world, but without the routine and regular habits they are used to from home, it can be much, much harder.

If you have a toddler and you want to travel, our recommendation would be to travel locally or take a road trip. Stay in your own country and explore somewhere new, but with some familiarities.

It’s not impossible to travel with toddlers, and depending on the experience and destination, it may be worth it.

We learned a lot from our time traveling with kids from babies to teens, especially about how we really want to travel for the future.

With the nature of what we do, we have to simplify and make it a little easier for us and the girls.

But for you, you might have less going on and it’s “just a holiday” and not so much as a “business trip”, so more able to deal with the challenges.

We ALWAYS recommend travelling with your children no matter what their age. The rewards are worth overcoming the challenges.

Need more inspiration for traveling as a family? Here are some other guides…

• Best Family Travel Tips
• Is family travel too expensive? 11 tips to help
• Podcast episode: Embracing family travel and our 18 month Aussie road trip
• The Ultimate Family Road Trip Survival Guide
• 17 tips for flying with kids
• 25 Best tips for travel with kids
• Best Travel Gear for kids
• Pros & Cons of travel with kids
• 9 reasons you won’t travel with kids
• Is travel with kids too hard
• How to travel with a picky eater
• How to balance school with travel
• Tips for travelling with toddlers: Pros and Cons
• Tips for travelling with a baby
• Tips for travelling with a preschooler

Can you think of any other reasons why toddlerville is the worst age to travel?

What is the best age to travel with kids?

Posted on Last updated: 3 January 2024

We believe you can travel with kids at any age and should definitely start them young .  Admittedly those sleep deprived early years are somewhat challenging, but babies are much more portable than teenagers!

But is there an optimum age for that once in a lifetime trip? What is the best age to travel with kids?

We’ve been travelling with our boys ever since they were born, but it’s still a few years until they’re leaving home. So I reached out to some of my favourite family travel bloggers who travel extensively across the globe to give us the lowdown on each age group for travelling with kids.

BABY 0-2 years

by Leona from Wandermust Family

We love travelling in the 0-2 age bracket! Many first time parents are intimidated to travel with their baby but they really shouldn’t be as in my opinion the toddler years are harder!

We love the fact that travelling at this age encourages you to embrace slow travel , and you see and do things that you perhaps wouldn’t have done pre-kids. On the plus sized too – children under two can travel for free on airplanes !

Under two your child is pretty portable which makes destination planning pretty easy! Yes you will have to take some paraphernalia but even then you don’t need to take as much as you think !

Our favourite experience was travelling around Japan with our under two taking in the beautiful outdoor spaces, gardens, temples and even giving her her first taste of Disney . Also, at this age a good travel stroller is an essential and we recommend the Familidoo!

PRESCHOOL 3-4 years

by Jenny from TraveLynn Family

The days of hunting down nappies in markets and ensuring we always have milk handy are thankfully behind us. There are still the occasional meltdowns and tantrums when they’re tired, but this age is so beautifully inquisitive about the smallest things and they don’t need expensive excursions to keep them entertained; just ensure you always have snacks handy. 

Schooling is not yet an issue  which means that you can travel off season for the better deals, and they learn through everyday play; what better way to do this than through travel?

They still need a lot of sleep at this stage and when travelling, we always ensure we have some downtime during the day (which is always very beneficial for us parents to take a breather too!) Furthermore, they don’t have that attachment of missing friends from home and are happy just playing with mummy and daddy (although it’s always a bonus when they make a new buddy in the playground).

Our best trip with our boys this age has to be our 4 months traversing sub-Saharan Africa in a Land Rover . It’s not an obvious destination for kids of this age and many parents would worry about safety and malaria. However, we never once felt threatened and took all the necessary precautions for malaria.

It was the perfect adventure for our boys; spotting wild animals on safari , running down sand dunes in Namibia and playing on remote beaches in Mozambique , all whilst cooking every night on an open fire before retiring to bed in our Land Rover roof-tents under the African stars.

I never pack toys for my boys as they seem to have a novelty value of two minutes. Maybe the odd dinosaur or car. But toddler scissors and glue are always packed (they love cutting out brochures and sticking leaves together), and we always ensure we have their Amazon Fire Kids’ Tablets with all their favourite TV shows and games downloaded. Perfect for that much-needed downtime.

PRIMARY age 5-10 years

by Keri from Our Globetrotters

We have travelled with all of our children since they were infants, and although there were ups and downs along the way, we got through those tough toddler years and we have finally seen the light ! Travelling with primary school age children has brought about so many more fabulous opportunities.

We could start with how much LESS gear we need to bring with us – we have carry-on only in our sights now we are no longer traipsing along strollers, car seats, portacots, boosters, slings and lord knows what other essential supplies that we apparently couldn’t live without (we are still working on cutting back the number of teddies that apparently need to see the world!)

Now we will never be full-time worldschoolers so we do fall foul of needing to book our major trips during school holiday time. However, for this age group travel has been the perfect supplement to what they have learnt in the traditional classroom setting .

Our oldest daughter has a learning difficulty and has struggled with book work at school. By combining what we can find online and actually being able to visit many of these places it has opened up so many opportunities for her to learn in a different way.

We have visited Jerash in Jordan where the Romans were brought to life for her; now she is studying Ancient Egypt and we will be visiting Luxor and Aswan over the winter. Being able to see, feel, smell and taste the real thing while you are learning is absolutely priceless to watch.

Another huge advantage of this age group, other than their fabulous curiosity and a bit more patience (let’s be honest, a lot of travelling is actually waiting!) is the ability to listen . I wouldn’t say it’s all the time but understanding instructions on safety, why we do things a certain way, knowing where the boundary is makes travel in many ways much safer and more manageable, particularly as we are a larger group and the children outnumber us!

The most important item our kids pack at this age is colouring and writing . We always make sure there’s a fresh note pad or colouring book in their packs; even better, a kids travel journal . It’s perfect for filling down time, sometimes they are inspired to start journaling or drawing their adventures. And yes, our younger boys still do bring teddies everywhere and we still need to include them in our rounding up headcount at least 12 times a day. At least they DO carry their own kids travel backpacks and are a lot more responsible for their belongings .

EARLY SECONDARY age 11-14

by Nicky from Go Live Young

We’ve always travelled a lot but it wasn’t until our kids were older that we really started exploring the world together. Recently we returned from a nine month round the world trip with our three boys.

Here’s why we believe travelling with kids aged 10 -14 is the perfect age to travel and adventure:

They learn so much while travelling – kids are like ‘sponges’ and at this age they’re learning and remembering it all. Our boys have learnt so much from their travels around the world. Alongside their learning they’ve become confident, adaptable and worldly wise. It’s been a worldschooling adventure !

At this age they’re old enough to enjoy and participate in most experiences – we’ve experienced river rafting, snorkelling, zip-lining, sea kayaking and hiking as a family. Shared memories that will last their lifetime.

They can carry their own stuff – a definite plus! They carry their own stuff and are responsible for keeping it organised. A great life lesson in itself! Just make sure you get the best kids travel backpack , this isn’t something to scrimp on.

Barriers are broken down – travelling with children means that everybody talks to you! Kids can be a great ice breaker. We’ve met and chatted to so many people as a result of the boys.

Consideration at this age has to be give to schooling . We decided to take our boys out of school for ten months to travel the world but we continued their schooling with daily lessons and learning through travelling.

They’re now back in school and our travel takes place in the holidays. There’s actually plenty of holidays throughout the year, you just have to smart about where you go and booking ahead for the best prices. For some families, the teenage years can be a transition period where they miss their friends back home and don’t necessarily want to travel. We haven’t experienced this yet!

We’ve been lucky to have so many wonderful experiences but some highlights include:  hiking the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand ,  trekking with Komodo dragons in Indonesia , snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef,  hiking the Great Wall of China  and being on safari in South Africa .

My boys would all say their must have items for any trip would be their kindles , for hours sent travelling, and some card games for playing with mum and dad. I have to mention the dreaded electronics at this age, whether it be phones or iPads, but actually our boys travelled the world for almost a year with iPods, only using them on travel days!

TEENS age 15-18

by Kirsten from Kids Are A Trip

We have been travelling with our kids from the moment they were born, and can easily say that travelling with teens has been our favourite age .

The years of packing multiple bags, hauling all of the gear, and dealing with meltdowns is finally behind us (for the most part). It has been rewarding to see how our tiny travellers have grown into self-sufficient, thoroughly engaged companions who have their own opinions of what travel could and should look like .

This age group gets a bad rap for constantly being “plugged in” and their inability to enjoy the moment. That may be true for some, but we’ve found, our kids are actually able to set some boundaries when travelling, using the phone for photos and sharing, but enjoying the rest of the time as a family.

There can also be a “fear of missing out” factor , as in, all of their friends at home are doing something, and they can’t be there. If this describes your teens, leave the phone at home. We’ve done it, and it’s amazing how much it can change a vacation. Teens will complain the first few days, but after it all sinks in, they really enjoy the experience.

With regards to favourite vacations, I think every teen will be different, but ours really have enjoyed unplugged, adventure vacations . Think Costa Rica and Colorado dude ranch . These both offered a healthy dose of adventure, delicious food, and education, and were far enough out of their comfort zones to convince them to go in the first place.

My teens would easily say their favourite item to bring along is their phone, but I’m a big proponent of leaving those behind. We only get so many years to travel with our kids, so if these are some of the best, why miss out on them? The teenage years heading into adult hood have been some of my favourites, and I plan to enjoy every minute.

So… what is the best age to travel kids?

From reading what my fellow bloggers and globe-wanderers have to say, I’m not sure there really is a ‘best’ age for travelling with kids; each age has it’s pros and cons and no age really stands out as a ‘winner’. So my thinking is,  why wait for that ‘perfect age’?

But what do you reckon? What do you think is the best age for travelling with kids?

You may also like to read: What is worldschooling? Online schooling for family travel Backpacking with kids: top tips to make it work

What Is a Good Age to Travel with Your Child?

A friend had a question regarding a good age to travel with your child. They brought their 2.5-month-old on a 9hr road trip and feared the experience threw their baby out of whack and their routine out the wind ow . Since babies grow and develop so rapidly in their first year, is there an ideal time to travel?

I think the answer is yes, and no…

From my personal experience, I can say without hesitation that a younger, exclusively breastfeeding baby is the easiest age to travel with. They aren’t mobile, they aren’t on a real routine that could cause stress if strayed from, they’re easily distracted, they sleep when they need to (as hard as that is to believe at times!), and momma is all they need to eat.

When a baby is really small, they are basically an additional bag you need to bring with you. One that requires their own bag and lots and lots of luggage, but easy to travel with nonetheless.

The issue for me with my daughter, was that I wouldn’t have been easy to travel with. A walk around the block was a big ordeal for me. Our first trip when she was 11mos. only took place after months (literally) of research on how I could manage everything and still actually enjoy our trip! 

Plus, toddlers start to have their own opinions on what they like to do. And in spite of them actually being your kid, sometimes they don’t want to do what you like doing. And that difficult aspect of traveling with kids does not get easier!

If you’re a calmer first-time mother than I was, take advantage of your maternity leave and travel!

Have Baby Will Travel  is a participant in the  Amazon Services LLC Associates/Influencer Program . If you make a purchase through this site, we may receive a small commission.  Click here to check out our Amazon Store .

• Travel with Baby? It Gets Easier…
• Travel with Baby? It Gets Harder…
• How to Help a Toddler Sleep on a Plane
• Will Travel Mess with Baby’s Sleep?
• Feeding a Baby on Holiday
• The 5 Top Toddler Travel Tips
• Surviving a Road Trip with Baby
• Planning Your First Trip with Baby

coping on a flight with a baby , coping on a flight with baby , family travel , family vacation , first flight with baby , tips , toddler , travel with baby , travel with toddler , travel with your kids

7 Responses to What Is a Good Age to Travel with Your Child?

Your last two lines are perfect…I totally agree! We took our kids everywhere right from the get go, on planes, trains, and cars. We fully utilized our maternity leave like you suggested! It helped that we didn’t have much of a routine I think because both of our kids go with the flow very easily…my son took his first steps in Roman ruins in Trier!

Thanks Jen!

LOVE that about your son! Family legend suggests that my first unassisted steps were on a plane. Guess the travel bug gets planted early!

I was like you with my first baby, terrified of going anywhere. Now my third child is three years old I’m much more relaxed, so relaxed in fact that we’re planning a round the world trip! I’d agree that tiny babies are the easiest to travel with, much easier than toddlers, but sometimes it just seems like too much of a challenge to leave home with a baby.

I totally agree that travelling with a baby is easier than a toddler. But even though it’s more challenging, travelling with a toddler has its advantages. They are so much more aware of the world around them, and they seem to understand that they’re someplace new and different. The best feeling in the world is watching my daughter’s face when she sees something new for the first time!

I agree that children of all ages benefit from traveling. Even if a baby or toddler can’t remember taking a trip, they live the experiences of the trip as they pass.

I’m glad I started traveling with both my kids when they were just babies too. Some kids who aren’t accustomed to travel don’t like the disruption to their schedules while away but my four-year-old daughter loves to travel and cries when it’s time to go back home.

Great ending line…so true!

I agree that you can travel with kids at any age, and the earlier, the better. For us, the most difficult time was around 15-30 months, because our son was a total wiggle worm. One hellish flight to Costa Rica at 18 months was enough to have me swear off travel for a year or until he could carry his own bag. Every child is different, though, so you have to judge by your child’s disposition, ability to adapt to new environments, and level of comfort with strangers.

Our toughest flight was definitely the one where she was 20mos.

Travel Partners

Additional Sponsors

Site Map   •  Privacy Policy   •  About   •  Consulting

Have Baby Will Travel® is a registered Trade Mark ©2007-2024 All Rights Reserved

Travel Babbo

A Family Travel Blog

The Best Age to Travel Everywhere

By Eric Stoen on February 10, 2019 • Last Updated March 2, 2023 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my Disclosure here .

The Best Age to Travel the World

A question I get a lot is: what is the best age to take my kids to _______. Fill in the blank with anywhere: Hawaii; Europe; Africa; Australia. The answer is to some extent specific to the place, but it’s also specific to the family. Some families aggressively avoid long flights with kids under two or three. Others continue their travels shortly after their kids are born. It’s often a choice among adventure with some hassles, a little less adventure with fewer hassles, or opting out completely for a few years. 

Let’s get this out of the way first, since it’s what a lot of parents think about when pondering travel with young kids. When our first child was born, our pediatrician told us that it’s hardest to fly with kids between 6 months and 2 years old. He had a point. Around 6-7 months kids start crawling and they don’t want to sit still on an airplane for a long period of time. That didn’t stop us though. We took each of our three kids to Europe during that age range – my oldest at nine months, the middle at 11 months and the youngest at 15 months. The flights weren’t easy, especially for my wife (see my tips for flying with kids ). But are we glad we went? Absolutely. It’s never fun walking around a plane with young kids, or hoping that they don’t decide to start screaming. But the flight is always over in 12 hours or so regardless of how good, or bad, your child is. Then it’s on to the vacation. Don’t worry too much about the flights – they’re a (sometimes uncomfortable) means to an end.

As with airplanes, I’m not concerned with jet lag. Until the kids were six or so, every time we would travel to Europe we would have two or three kids wide awake from roughly 2am to 5am the first or second night. Young kids aren’t going to be able to entertain themselves so it requires active parental involvement. But once we got past those few hours, we were good the rest of the trip.

At around six or seven, though, something magical happened – our kids no longer got jet lag. My wife and I may be up for a couple hours in the middle of the night, but the kids are, almost without exception, now sleeping through the night and are immediately on European time. I have no idea how they do it. And when I took my daughter around the world in two weeks at the age of ten, she never woke up jet lagged – she instantly adjusted her body to wherever we were, through 24 time zones. My jet lag tips are here .

Destinations

The much larger focus should be on where in the world is appropriate for a child. I’ve had to deal with ages frequently – not because of what’s easiest, but because of specific age restrictions. My son and I had wanted to go on the LEGO Inside Tour since hearing many years ago. We waited until he was seven and it was an incredible experience – well worth the wait. My review is here . Unfortunately LEGO has since changed its minimum LEGO Inside Tour age to 10. I’m glad we went when we did.

Likewise, we’ve wanted to go to the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle  in Thailand for over a decade, but the minimum age is 10. As soon as our youngest was 10, Covid hit so we’re still waiting to go. And years ago I wanted to take my daughter to Longitude 131 in Australia when I was sketching out a trip to Uluru, but it also has a minimum age of 10. Usually there’s a good alternative hotel nearby, but sometimes the best hotel and one central to a travel experience simply doesn’t accept kids, and there’s nothing you can do but wait a few years to go there.

I do appreciate when hotels have an age requirement, but they lower the minimum age during specific periods so that families can visit. Jicaro Island Lodge in Nicaragua does this. Typically no children under 12 are allowed, but between March 15 and April 15 ( spring break ) and July 1 to August 20, they allow 8-11 year olds.

My most frustrating age-related hotel experience was at the Sandals Halcyon Beach in St. Lucia. I was invited to a friend’s wedding and she asked me to take photos at the ceremony. Great, I thought, I’ll bring my 5-year-old daughter – she loves weddings. My call with Sandals went like this:

• “Can I bring my daughter to a wedding there?”
• “Yes, but you can’t stay here since it’s a couples-only resort.”
• “OK, no problem, we’ll stay elsewhere and come in with a day pass.”
• “That’s fine, but you can’t bring a camera in on a day pass.”
• “Really?”
• “Yes, no cameras are allowed if you’re not staying at a Sandals resort.”
• “OK, are there any Sandals Resorts for kids where we can stay and then come in for the wedding at Halcyon with a camera?”
• “Yes, you could do that if you were staying at a Beaches Resort.”
• “Great, book me there.”
• “I’m sorry, we have no Beaches Resorts on St. Lucia.”

So basically, there was no way to go to a wedding at Sandals with a child and a camera. In making this an impossible place to bring my daughter and camera for a one-hour wedding, they also damaged the entire hotel brand as far as I was concerned. Is it fine to have their own policies? Sure. But will I ever consider staying at a Sandals or Beaches resort in the future? Nope.

So what age do I recommend for different areas? Based on my experience taking the kids to more than 60 countries and all seven continents, here are my thoughts:

The Best Age for Europe, North America and Australia – all ages

Overall, as a California-based family, we’ve felt the most comfortable in Europe, Mexico and Canada with very young kids. Some countries are more child-friendly than others – it’s not easy to find a public restroom in Paris when your child desperately needs one, or a dad-friendly diaper changing station in the Netherlands. But I wouldn’t hesitate to take children of any age anywhere in Europe or North America. Transportation works well, the food options are extensive and very child-friendly, and people everywhere there seem to enjoy kids. We’ve found great playgrounds in virtually every European town we’ve been in, from Heraklion, Crete to Oslo to Paris to Salzburg, Austria to Cortona, Italy. Not all cities are stroller-friendly – think cobblestones and narrow sidewalks – but that just means you need to walk a little slower, which is the best way to see European cities anyway. For very young children, slings and Baby Bjorns work great.

I was also very impressed with Australia. I took my daughter to Sydney when she had just turned four. We had a great time. She particularly enjoyed seeing/touching the Opera House, holding a koala, and petting wallabies and kangaroos. She was offered free “babyccinos” at every coffee place we stopped at – basically just foam or steamed milk with chocolate shavings. And even though we were supposed to purchase tickets for her most places (kids 3 and under are free on public transportation), I was highly encouraged by every ticket seller to say that she was three, even when I was trying to be honest.

And the North American National Parks are similarly kid-friendly for any ages. Of course if you want to hike your kids should be a little older, or you need to be willing to carry them. But if you’ve always wanted to road trip around the US or Canada and explore the parks, go ahead and take the kids.

The Best Age for  South America – six

I took my son to Santiago, Chile, Easter Island , and Iguazu Falls, Argentina when he was six. It was a GREAT trip. We had fun walking everywhere, seeing the sights and learning about the history. Easter Island was amazing because of its remoteness and of course for the Moai. Iguazu Falls was pure adventure. I don’t think that it would have been as good a trip if he had been younger – he just wouldn’t have appreciated it as much. And 40 hours on airplanes in 12 days is a lot for anyone, but especially for younger kids.

For more active trips to South America, eight is a good age. Our daughter at 7 complained a little on long hikes in Patagonia  and the Atacama Desert , but at 8 she was great hiking around the Galapagos . And I traveled down the Rio Negro in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest with an 8-year-old and it was my favorite kid trip ever.

The Best Age for Antarctica – eight to ten

Some places are surprises. When I called National Geographic about the minimum age for their trips to Antarctica, I was told that there’s no minimum age but that they’ve found that at eight or so kids are really able to entertain themselves on the ship and appreciate the experience. After going there with my daughter, I agree completely. It’s extraordinarily kid-friendly and a perfect place to take an eight-year-old (my post is here ). I wouldn’t have wanted to have much younger kids since they would have been a little bored on the ship and their legs would have gotten tired on the multi-hour Antarctic hikes.

Our second trip we went with Adventures By Disney, with a minimum age of ten. Every kid is different so I can’t really argue that, but overall 8-10 seems reasonable.

The Best Age for  Asia – six

Hong Kong was another interesting destination. I took my daughter when she was five and studying Mandarin in school. It was fun to see the city through a child’s eyes, and we did all sorts of things that I hadn’t done in six trips there before – HK Disneyland, Ocean Park and Lantau Island – in addition to the standard things like Victoria Peak, the Star Ferry, the temples and the markets. It was a great trip, but I think my daughter was a little young to really appreciate the culture and the food. As with my son in South America, six would have been a better age to introduce her to Asia. I verified this when I took my son, at 8, to Hong Kong , Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan, and my daughter, at 9, to Bali . Those trips were just a little more enjoyable. And my youngest daughter, at 7 and 8, LOVED Tokyo and Kyoto .

The Best Age for  Oceania – six

All of our kids loved Bora Bora , but our six and eight year olds got a lot more out of it than our four-year-old. Our youngest was too small to enjoy the water sports, and the long walk back to our overwater bungalow from the beach and pool was tiring for her. The Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora  was very kid-friendly, but if we were to advise other families we would tell them to wait until their kids are at least six.

The Best Age for  Africa – six

Africa is similar to developing Asia when it comes to ideal ages. I have friends who have taken their kids on safari every year since birth and had no issues. But based on my experience of taking my kids at 6, 8 and 10 to Tanzania and Kenya, I would say six is a good age. My daughter had a great time seeing all of the animals, and she was even fine on 10-hour game drives. That would have been a lot of time in the Land Cruiser for younger kids. My safari post is here .

The Best Age for  Disney Cruises – three

Cruises are an experience not necessarily tied to any destination. We’ve done three Disney Mediterranean cruises – when our kids were 1, 3 and 5, when they were 4, 6 and 8, and again at 6, 8 and 10. My general guidance is that the Disney cruises are best for kids over two based on our experience, and three based on the comments below (Disney has apparently changed its kids club ages since our first sailing). If you’re taking older kids on a cruise and as a result a very young sibling is coming along, you can make that work – there are nurseries and activities for even the youngest of travelers. And if a cruise is appealing because of the destinations and you’re planning on leaving your baby in the nursery while you go onshore, go for it. But I wouldn’t take a very young child and think that he/she is going to get much out of the experience. My review of our Disney cruises is here .

The Best Age for Activities

All children are different, so you’re the best judge as to whether your kids are ready for more active holidays. These are the ages that our kids seemed comfortable with various activities:

• Bicycling: 8
• Hiking (long hikes): 7
• Hot Air Ballooning: 7
• Kayaking (solo): 7
• Mini-Segways: 6
• Paragliding: 10
• Parasailing: 6
• Camel rides (solo): 12

The Best Age for Travel: Summary

All travel is good, and the benefits are cumulative. Difficult 10-hour flights at one year old lead to extraordinarily easy 15-hour flights at five years old. But there are better, and easier, places to go than others. A lot of the world can be seen from birth, with some places better saved until kids are six and others until they are eight. But that’s just been our experience. What great, or awful, trips have you had with your kids when they were younger? What are your recommendations on the places I mentioned or others?

And as a follow-up to this post, I created a list of the destinations I would recommend at every age, from birth through 16. If you want suggestions for traveling at specific ages, my post is here . And if you want suggestions of places to travel based on month instead of on age, I created this post .

Travel and Health Insurance

If you’re traveling with your kids, seriously think about getting insurance. We didn’t think a lot about insurance until we had an incident (at a destination not far from home) and it was a very expensive lesson. I searched around and found an annual policy through G1G that covers us for medical problems when we’re traveling, but also for travel delays and cancelations – even those related to Covid. There are other companies too. Search around, and make sure you’re covered!

More from Travel Babbo

November 23, 2014 at 8:53 am

Great post and very comprehensive. I think you’re right. Some destinations are easier then others but I do think there are always options but you just have to research and research! Amazing that you’ve been to so many places. Travel is so beneficial to children and I’m determined to keep going with my son! We’re off to Thailand soon!

November 24, 2014 at 10:26 pm

Enjoy Thailand Ting! I haven’t taken my kids there yet. I’ll be following your adventures on Facebook!

November 24, 2014 at 5:28 am

Great article! We’ve taken our kids to several places and the older they get, the more fun they have. Totally agree with the Disney Cruise age suggestion. My girls are five and six and I have to agree with your tip re S. America, I don’t think my five year old would get much out of it but my six year old would love it. The difference in a year at this age really is a lot.

November 24, 2014 at 10:29 pm

Thanks for the age confirmation! I didn’t know if it was just my imagination, but my kids definitely seem to get more out of travel at six than at five.

November 26, 2014 at 8:18 pm

We just got back from Europe with our two sons (14 & 11) and had a great time. They got a lot more out of it than I thought they would and I’m hoping this will spark the desire in them to travel for the rest of their lives.

December 7, 2014 at 7:19 pm

Great suggestions for age limits … one of the couples I know was afraid to take their kids to Thailand because of its perceived sleaziness … you just have to avoid Patpong and red light districts … totally easy to do!

December 7, 2014 at 7:54 pm

Exactly! We’ve taken our kids to Mardi Gras in New Orleans a couple of times. It’s the same thing – it’s largely family friendly, so just stay away from the very isolated sleazy areas and you’ll be fine.

July 15, 2015 at 2:50 pm

We’ve only taken our 2.5 year old to Europe so far but I’d think that Asia would be great for toddlers. Wouldn’t they be more apt to try new foods if they see the parents eating them? As for older kids, if they know they’re eating an insect that might freak them out. I could be wrong, though, never been to Asia!

July 15, 2015 at 3:41 pm

I’m trying to balance the ability of kids to appreciate a place with how easy it is to travel around that place. You’re absolutely correct that the earlier you can get kids to try something new, the better eaters they’ll be long-term. Having said that, even though my daughter was a decent eater before she went to Hong Kong at 5, she wasn’t very adventurous with dim sum or other Chinese foods there. We ended up eating a lot of pasta. By six though she was trying escargots in Paris and at nine she was gobbling up crickets in Mexico. So it’s likely cumulative – the more travel, the better the eating. But I would still pick Europe over Asia for a 2.5 year old. It’s just easier.

October 30, 2015 at 4:09 pm

It seems like by 6 kids are old enough to really appreciate and understand the place they’re visiting, regardless of where it is!! We took our girls to SE Asia (Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia) at ages 6mo & 2years and found it actually easier than when we went to France a year later. In Asia, every time we went somewhere to eat someone would scoop up the baby and carry her around until we were finished. And we ate at a lot of street stalls with little plastic tables and chairs that were the perfect size for our 2 year old. We also didn’t have to worry about bringing car seats, and just packed the kids around in Ergo carriers. And Saigon has an absolutely fantastic playground for little kids. In Europe both girls were old enough to want to walk but they would tire easily, and the metro in Paris is not the most friendly with a stroller, albeit doable. They were too little on both of the trips to really appreciate where we were…but they both love Pho soup and dim sum…so I think they at least got something out of the Asia trip!

July 15, 2015 at 8:09 pm

I love this article. I love to travel with my young son, but you all take the cake! I have always wanted to travel a lot with him and will be going to Africa hopefully this Christmas. How do you find the money to do it? That is where we are struggling.

January 14, 2016 at 5:02 pm

Hi Michelle. Per your question, I just wrote up a post on how to make family travel affordable: https://travelbabbo.com/2016/01/affordable-family-travel/ .

November 11, 2015 at 10:33 pm

Great post! I think it’s so wonderful for children to get to travel and experience the world and this is very helpful for knowing what ages are best for different countries. Thank you!

December 2, 2015 at 11:13 am

I stumbled on your page from Pinterest and I am so glad I did. I just learned my husband, daughter, and myself will be moving to Europe next summer. I am overly excited as I have lived there before as a newlywed but now with a child I am nervous!!! I am excited to travel again and reading your reviews about your kids enjoying travel has helped calmed my nerves. My daughter will be four when we get there so I’m sure she will love most places. Thanks for all your reviews! Just great!

December 2, 2015 at 2:02 pm

Thanks Nicolette! Very cool that you’re moving to Europe. We were looking at going over for a year or two, and even visited a number of international schools in France and Italy a year ago, but we decided not to go…for now. If you discover great lesser-known kid things or destinations, please let me know. I’m always looking for ideas for future trips!

December 4, 2015 at 11:07 pm

Thank you for sharing such great tips! I just want to offer some encouragement if any parents out there are taking their toddlers to Asia. We took our 3-year-old son to adopt our 3-year-old daughter from China (they are 6 weeks apart in age) and it was great! They both did well on the very long plane rides and various modes of transportation. We did break down and eat at McDonald’s a few times so our son could have some familiar food (even though we never eat McDs at home! haha). I can’t say they appreciated the trip and the sightseeing, but we really didn’t have any problems with going potty, traveling, or food issues. We are taking them (now four years old) to NYC this Christmas and I am more nervous about that! LOL Glad I found your site!

December 5, 2015 at 4:16 am

Thanks Jennifer. It’s great to know that China was easy at three. I still haven’t broken down and eaten at McDonalds with the kids anywhere, but in Hong Kong with my 5-year-old daughter we ate at various Spaghetti House locations at least three times – painful considering all of the amazing food nearby! But it was obviously not a huge sacrifice, and she still remembers the trip well. As you say, it’s not about sightseeing with young kids. It has to be about making them happy through doing kid things. A little culture, sure, but don’t expect to see the same sites or museums with kids as you would as a couple. It’s just not worth it. Have fun in New York! I’m heading there with my daughter next weekend for her 10th birthday.

January 7, 2016 at 8:51 am

Lucky kids! This is a helpful post. I’m hoping to take my toddler daughter somewhere international this year and was thinking Europe would probably be best, which it sounds like it is.

January 7, 2016 at 2:08 pm

Europe is always a good choice, and the nice thing about is that you can move around and see distinctly different places. Cheap flights and the lack of additional jet lag make it easy to see Paris, Vienna and Florence in one trip. Or Barcelona, Warsaw and Athens. Or Oslo, Rome and Ljubljana. The options are endless.

January 19, 2016 at 4:49 am

Great post. It’s a really good read. Totaly the infomation I was looking for. I’m so jealous. I’m a terribly under traveled person, but I don’t want that to dampen my kids experience. They are 19mth, 4ys and 5 ys. we have told the two older ones ‘When your sister can walk all the way too Nana’s (1 kilometer) we can go on a ‘plane’ holiday’. We figure she can walk some, we can carry her some and that should be enough to cover a good range of activities. We went to The Goldcoast QLD while I was pregnant and they are itching to go again. But I think we need to see many other thing before we start repeating destinations. One BIG problem when searching for information for that holiday, was when I’d ask if they have kids activities they think i’m talking about teenagers, when you make it clear they are toddlers/preschoolers they all talk about their fantastic creche facilities. If i say I actually want to do things with my kids the price goes through the roof, accommodation especially.

If I might ask you a bit of a person question about your kids. I understand that travel is a big part of their life, but for those first few trips, Where they worth it? Can you have a worldly preschooler? That change in the way they see the world that only comes from having put your feet in a different country?? or does it all just go into that melting pot of knowledge and they don’t really know how they know it, but they always have??

January 19, 2016 at 5:22 am

Wow Jessica, great question. Can you have a worldly preschooler? Others may disagree, but I would say no. No in the sense that until 4 or so, children won’t appreciate where they are in the world. They won’t be able to appreciate cultural differences. They won’t understand the importance of the Colosseum. If a child were to travel with its family non-stop from birth until four and then never travel again, would he/she have a different world view from someone who’s never left Australia or the US? I don’t think so.

Like you say, though, it all goes into the melting pot of knowledge. It’s cumulative. As long as that child keeps traveling, then once you get past 4 or 5, he/she becomes worldly quickly, with all the good that comes from that. And then you’re really glad that you started when they were young since it becomes so easy. Plus being exposed to different foods early-on is a very good thing.

I agree on the frustration of finding really good accommodations and activities for young kids. That’s one of the reasons I started my website. If I find something amazing – a great destination, or a hotel that goes out of its way to make travel fun for young kids – I want to make sure everyone knows about it.

January 22, 2016 at 3:19 am

we are currently living in japan (we are from the states) and i have to argue that asia is an incredible place to travel with kids of any age! our kids are 6, 3, and 1. we’ve lived here for a year and a half (so since our youngest was just 4 months) and we’ve visited all over japan, including okinawa, bali, singapore, thailand, cambodia, and vietnam all with our children, and each trip has been amazing! japan, in particular, is unbelievably kid and family-friendly! there are so many great places and activities geared here for children, but even visiting the temples, shrines, and other cultural spots can still be fun and exciting for even the youngest of children.

January 28, 2016 at 1:32 pm

Thanks for the great feedback Emily!

March 20, 2016 at 7:00 am

I’d love to connect for tips on Japan! I’m heading to Tokyo with my husband and baby who will be 8 months by then, for a quick three night stay. Would love your advice, if you can, contact me at [email protected]

February 2, 2016 at 1:09 pm

Wow, interesting article idea…..seeing the title on Pinterest, I could not resist myself from reading this post….a really resourceful article……I already have repined it and will share it on my travel website’s twitter page…..

February 2, 2016 at 1:37 pm

Thanks Mark!

February 4, 2016 at 11:34 pm

Thanks for sharing your experiences! I think so many people can benefit from those tidbits. It’s all relative. We are an American family currently living in Hong Kong. Our worst experience thus far was Cambodia. As much as my husband and I loved the people and the history, our then 4 and 6 year olds only wanted to spend time at the pool. It was quite hot, however for another year or two I see us holding off on certain destinations until they can understand/appreciate the cultural aspects.

February 5, 2016 at 9:31 am

Absolutely. Practically anywhere can be kid-friendly – after all, people have kids everywhere. But if you’re flexible as to destinations, there are places that are a little easier than others, and places that culturally are more interesting to older kids so you may as well hold off. And yep, anywhere can be bad on any given day. When we took the kids to Rome it was very hot and there was a lot of walking and my kids were miserable. But that’s not necessarily Rome’s fault – just bad timing and planning.

March 20, 2016 at 7:02 am

Hi Eric, just found your blog on pinterest and I am in love with it! My husband baby and I have been living abroad for almost 3 years now and making the most of it by travelling everywhere we can. Mostly it’s been just my husband and I and now that we have a baby we plan to continue travelling. Your blog will be very helpful. Also, I’ve just began my own blog about travelling with a baby…. (kind of embarrassed of it now that I see yours!!! hahahah) Would love to stay in touch!

March 20, 2016 at 10:46 am

Thanks Dani! It’s great to be in touch. If you want me to add your blog to my Resources page, send me an email at [email protected] with which category is appropriate and a couple of sentences describing your blog.

March 22, 2016 at 2:11 pm

Our oldest is only 3 1/2, so I have no idea what the best age is for certain trips. All I know is that we enjoyed our India, Afrika and Europe trips when they were babies and toddlers and we probably will when they are older… because we just love to travel. And when parents do what they like, planning enough fun-for-kids-activities in every trip as well, the kids will have fun too!

April 20, 2016 at 2:36 pm

I love this Eric! I have a 4.5 yr old and I’ve often wondered what ages I can take her to a lot of these destinations. We’ve lived in New York and Australia and agree with NA and Aus being fab for kids, and also Europe where we’ve done a bit of travel with her too.

April 20, 2016 at 2:52 pm

Thanks Christine! And if you take your daughter to other destinations before my recommended age, please let me know how it goes. This is all based on my experience but I love other voices as well.

June 14, 2016 at 10:48 am

Great read! We get asked this question all the time, even though our daughter is still just a toddler. She will visit every continent by the age of 10, the last being Antarctica, when she is old enough to appreciate it. Glad to read the age suggestions for that trip.

July 19, 2016 at 4:50 pm

Love this article and somewhat sad to not have discovered it until now. People (family, friends and strangers) always give us the hairy eyeball when we discuss upcoming or recent trips we’ve taken with our kids, particularly the international ones, so it’s always great to find like-minded souls with a passion for travel AND family! Our kids are only 4, 2 and a third is on the way, but we’ve founds ways to engage both ourselves and our kids in travel and culture both international and domestic since their births and definitely value this as a priority as we hopefully get more adept at it each time and our kids follow suit. It seems we have an American phobia of travel in general, and it’s always refreshing to see or read about others who like to engage and push themselves rather than be satisfied with the relative complacency that permeates our day-to-day lives. Definitely looking forward to reading your reviews of particular destinations and start planning our next family adventure!

July 28, 2016 at 6:34 am

Thank you so much Jenny – well said! I love to find people who are doing the same thing we are. Happy travels! Do you have an Instagram account where I can follow along?

September 17, 2016 at 7:47 am

Came upon this link on Twitter and I am so happy I clicked on it! Great post! A lot of useful info in there. I have a 4 year old and while we were reluctant travelling with her outside India we have traveled with her quite a bit inside the country and its been a lot of fun.

October 24, 2016 at 6:35 pm

Strongly disagree with the Disney Cruise Age. We went with our 2 year old and our 3 1/2 year old. Since children under 3 are not allowed in the kids club that meant my 3 yo did not want to go without her sister. Yes we could have taken them both to the nursery but that was an additional cost I did not want to incur. The biggest issue though was the pools!!!! My 2 year old was not allowed in the pools since she’s not potty trained. She had turned two a week before our cruise. I had to remove her from the pool deck and do something else with her while her sister went swimming.

Disney Cruise minimum 3 on my book.

October 28, 2016 at 2:27 pm

Thanks Thais. Things have changed then. The only cruise when we had a child under three, our first one, we spent a lot of time in the kids club with all three of our kids. I know that they no longer allow parents in the kids club, but I didn’t realize that they created a lower age limit as well. I’ll note your comment in the post.

December 21, 2016 at 8:49 pm

Interesting read! We took my son on his first cruise when he was just 15 months old and another one when just 2 months later. It is true that he may not have been able to appreciate the specific places and cultures he was exposed to, but the growth we saw in him during those two cruises was amazing! His confidence rose dramatically. He became a lot more social, particularly with other adults. He willingly tried lots of new foods. The list goes on. Now, he is 2 and we are just a few weeks away from our trip to Japan. I think children benefit from travel at every age. They just don’t always benefit in the way we expect. 😊

January 31, 2017 at 12:11 pm

Eric, how do you make things work with siblings? For instance, if you were taking two kids to Australia, would you go when the oldest is four and the youngest is two or the youngest is four and the oldest is six?

January 31, 2017 at 6:45 pm

It depends how badly you want to go! You’re better off waiting until the youngest kid can enjoy it, but we’ve always booked trips whenever we want to go somewhere as a family – even if one or two kids are too young to appreciate where they are. There’s really no correct answer. With younger kids you’ll just need to spend more time at parks and playgrounds – not a bad problem to have.

April 24, 2017 at 8:37 am

Hi Eric, I found your blog while researching for a 19 day around the world trip I am planing with my husband and 9 year old twin girls. Your RTW with your daughter article really encouraged me to go on planing our trip and ignore the periodic feeling of craziness for even attempting this. I fully agree on your travel philosophy regarding traveling with kids. I think the more you expose kids to new adventures, the more they build their curiosity and can take on. Quick question… After stops in China on this trip, we were planing to do a stopover in Bali on our way to Sydney. We are about to start booking our trip, but fears of dengue fever have however gotten into our heads and we are reconsidering our plan. After traveling 12 countries (including Ecuador/Galapagos and South Africa) with our girls, we have somehow avoided dengue and malaria hot spots. I’m am curious on your thoughts on this topic at the moment with the rise in Dengue cases in Bali and Thailand… Thanks again for all your great tips and inspiration!

April 24, 2017 at 10:40 am

Very cool Lise! You’ll be able to see more in 19 days than we did in 14. Where are your stops?

We still went to Bali last year on our RTW trip and simply used mosquito spray a couple times a day to keep from getting bites. Even then I don’t recall being aware of mosquitos around us. We’ve taken the kids to malarial areas and we usually end up stopping our malaria meds mid-way through the trips when we’re not getting bitten, relying on bug sprays instead, and we went to Zica-prone Costa Rica for winter break this year, again relying on sprays. Until mosquitos are eradicated completely this will always be an issue, so it’s not like you can skip Bali this year and assume that it will be better two or five years from now. So I choose to keep traveling, and for the most part I choose destinations regardless of bugs. But you need to do whatever you’re comfortable with.

April 25, 2017 at 10:23 am

Thank you Eric for your advice! That might have been all I needed to finalize our crazy fun plan! We are only leaving in May next year, but since we’re partly using miles, we need to be ready to book soon. We will leave from Halifax in late evening for a full day stopover visiting friends in London, then Beijing, Chengdu, Bali, Sydney and then a night in Honolulu so the girls can again take surfing lessons like they did last year. Stoping also in New Delhi or Guilin would be nice, but I’m hesitating since I don’t want it to be too much. Thanks again!

April 25, 2017 at 1:53 pm

Fun! Beijing and Chengdu would both be good quick stops – major attractions at each obviously. Hawaii is a good addition too. Have a great trip! Let me know if you need any other ideas.

June 5, 2017 at 3:42 pm

Hi Eric, I’m hoping you can give me your input again before I start purchasing our tickets in the coming days! We’ll have 19 nights, so in this itinerary we still have an extra night that we could add in anywhere… Halifax – London – Delhi (3 nights) – Hong Kong – Chengdu (2) – Beijing (3) – Singapore – Bali (2) – Sydney (3) – Honolulu – Vancouver – Toronto – Halifax Because we don’t live near a hub and are using miles, we have lots of added layovers. This would come to 13 flights (including 5 red eyes) and 60h20 of flying. My girls and husband believe this will not be an issue after just coming back form flying 34hrs on a 12 day trip, but I wonder is we would be pushing it too much. Cutting Bali out would be our second option. I wish we could start off at LAX too, that would simplify things a lot ;))

June 5, 2017 at 10:28 pm

Wow! Sounds like a fun itinerary, but that’s definitely a lot of travel. That depends on your kids. If they’re saying to book it, then they don’t think it’s an issue so I’d go for it. One thing to be careful of though – if you have a missed connection somewhere, how much will it hurt your trip? Not that you have much choice on most of those routes…

The flying is the issue with your trip, not the stops, so personally I wouldn’t remove Bali. That’s actually where I would add an extra night. Bali is fun for both Ubud (culture, rice fields) and the beach, so three nights could be nice there.

April 28, 2017 at 11:45 am

This is a great post! My kids are 2 and 3 and we’ve travelled with them a lot (not compared to your list though 😉) but most of the travel has been for us and they’ve kind of tagged along. I’m looking forward to the ages where they can appreciate what they are seeing like you describe here!

July 6, 2017 at 1:08 pm

Having married someone who had never left the province they grew up in has been a struggle at times to add travel. Now that our kids are starting to get a bit older (3 and almost 6 yrs) my husband is becoming more open to travel with them. I did manage to get him to travel to Argentina when I was pregnant with our oldest and we travelled northern Argentina before they had much tourism infrastructure, but he loved it and we finished it with a trip to Iguazu and a couple days in BA. (I was able to convince him to travel there as I had lived there in my late teens to get to know my grandparents who retired there) We have travelled mostly through Northeastern USA campaign all the way out to the coast and camping across Canada with the kids. We did venture to Oahu this spring (we only had 5 days unfortunately for travel due to having moved across the country recently). This blog was great to help us plan future travels as my kids have been adding countries to their bucket lists after watching documentaries and my oldest likes to watch cooking shows and has been adding restaurants from around the world to hers. I think this is a great blog to direct my husband to to help develop more of a comfort level with international travel. He is slowly starting to build his own wish list of travel destinations with the kids with New Zealand at the top. This summer will see us exploring the Rocky Mountains further as we did lots through the winter as well (we moved close to them this year). Hopefully my husband will be able to get more than a few days off together at a time next year so we can start travelling internationally with the kids. Any suggestions for places to consider with our kids with a husband who is nervous to travel?

July 6, 2017 at 2:45 pm

Hi Katy – thanks for the message! It sounds like you’re in Canada. Are you in the western part now?

Not everyone loves travel – it’s almost a genetic thing. So you may never succeed at getting your husband where you want him to be. My wife enjoys travel but is far more content than I am to stay home for months at a time. That’s one reason I do so much solo travel with my kids.

If he wants to go to New Zealand, I’d make that a priority. With a 6-year-old it won’t be bad to take her out of school if you need to in order to go at the best time – say November or February – when it’s less touristed but warm there, if your husband can get time off.

Did you look at the Top Spots section of my site? That’s meant to be a simple list of our favorite things in the world to hopefully give others ideas of where to go. We’ve done a lot of cooking classes so your daughter may be inspired?

July 21, 2017 at 12:34 pm

Hi Eric, It’s me Lise again, wishing you can shed some wisdom my way as I’m finishing up booking my last flights for our RTW adventure. I need to decided on how many nights in India versus Bali… (India ? , Chengdu 2, Beijing 3, Bali ? , Sydney 3, Honolulu 1) – 1 night in Agra; 3 nights at the Ritz on the beach in Bali & 1 night at FS Sayan in Ubud; Concerns here is that 1 night in Agra following double night red eyes, followed by a third one to get to Chengdu would not be enough and that 36hrs spent going to Agra would leave us missing out on Delhi Markets since it would be on a Sunday(?) – 1 night in Delhi, 1 night in Agra; 2 nights at the Beach in Bali and 1 night in Ubud Concerns here are that the heat in Delhi in late May will make us want do be on our way sooner. And that our shortened stay in Bali wouldn’t be as recharging as we had wished. I think we would all like the 4 nights in Bali, but wonder how crazy it is to attempt this! …All with seeing the Taj and a tiny bit of India.

July 22, 2017 at 2:41 pm

India is amazing and deserves a few weeks. If your goal is to see the Taj Mahal this trip, then I’d just do the bare minimum in Agra and move on to Bali. Save Delhi for your India return. (I actually prefer a lot of other Indian cities to Delhi, so I don’t think you’re missing out anyway). I’d go for option 1 – refresh and relax in Bali. And let me know how you like the Ritz in Bali. They contacted me this week, but I haven’t stayed there before.

July 23, 2017 at 2:48 am

Option 1 is what we were wanting more, so your input was really valuable in giving us confidence in that route and I booked last night! The Ritz in Nusa Dua seems to have pros and cons regarding the location, but I have Marriott points I’d like to use there. The RC Mandapa Reserve seems lovely but doesn’t offer reward stays. For that reason, we were looking at booking a stay at FS Sayan (in part because of your nice review), but I wish I could find a comparison of the two. They both look so lovely. Thanks again Eric! If we ever cross paths on our travels or if you’re ever in the Halifax/Moncton area, drinks will definitely be on us!

July 23, 2017 at 8:31 am

Absolutely, you’re on!

September 24, 2017 at 7:16 pm

Interested to know your thoughts on good ages in North Africa? We’ve got a small baby under 1, who we would like to take on our trip to Morocco versus having her stay with grandma. What would you think?

September 27, 2017 at 5:19 am

Hi Hannah. I don’t have any first-hand experience in Northern Africa, and I was unsuccessful at finding friends/colleagues who have done it. There are no special considerations that I can think of, so you will likely be just fine taking your daughter. Obviously it will be a different trip, but it’s so good for kids to be exposed to different cultures, tastes, smells, etc… early on. Will make it much easier to travel with her later too. I’d do it. But I can’t speak from experience.

February 26, 2019 at 7:13 am

Hannah I have 5 kids and I took them to Morocco last summer. The youngest was 2 at that time. It was wonderful. The people there adore children and she was welcomed everywhere we went. Very child friendly. The 2 year old talks everyday about wanting to go back to Morocco to the beach and to see camels. Just make sure to drink bottled water.

October 6, 2017 at 4:03 am

Hi, you have some verry interesting posts! I saw the one in the hot air balloon over Chiang Mai. I was wondering if you could give me some details about the place we can do that as I am going to chiang mai soon. Thank you for your help!

October 6, 2017 at 5:22 am

Hi Melina. I’ve never done a post on our visits to Chiang Mai, but I list the ballooning on my Top Spots page – https://travelbabbo.com/top-spots/ . Just click on Asia and go down to Chiang Mai.

March 11, 2018 at 8:22 am

Hello, We are a Family of six currently in Boston, Ma. We just decided to spend ten months in Hawaii. We would love to continue traveling. How do you manage your children around the school year? Do you home school?

March 11, 2018 at 9:39 am

Hi Jen. Hawaii sounds great! No, we don’t home school. We fully use our one-week winter, spring and Thanksgiving breaks to travel, and will sometimes extend those breaks by a couple days if we need to. We also travel most of the summer – in some combination. We’ll go to Europe as a family, but I also do a lot of trips with just one or two of the kids. It all adds up to 15-20 countries a year and maybe 5 states, all without missing more than 5-10 days of school max.

May 31, 2018 at 6:33 pm

Have you ever taken your kiddos to malaria-risk areas? We are considering going to Victoria Falls with our five-year-old. She is a great traveler but I’ve heard mixed reviews on malaria medications with younger children. We plan to see a travel clinic but would love to hear your experience.

May 31, 2018 at 7:42 pm

Yes – we’ve been to areas of Africa with Malaria. We didn’t see side effects from the medications. The issue was swallowing pills. None of my kids had had to swallow pills before their typhoid and malaria meds. The oldest took to it easily. My son was ok after several attempts. My youngest daughter hated it though and refused to take them, so we tried all the tricks, even cutting them up and sneaking them into her pudding on the plane. Several days into the trip we weren’t seeing mosquitos, and we were using lots of spray anyway, so we all stopped taking the pills, greatly reducing our stress levels. Not that that should be medical advice for anyone else!

November 12, 2018 at 2:20 am

Hi Eric, FOA thanks for your useful post and I like to go Antarctica once in my life. I want to know about the total cost estimation for Indians.

November 23, 2018 at 4:37 pm

Sorry Soundar, I’m not a travel agent, and I’ve never researched travel costs from India to Antarctica.

October 24, 2021 at 5:48 am

I love travelling, and I travelled with my kids since they were young. Totally agree with you that things get easier as we travel more with them. During this pandemic, I can only ease my travelling crave by looking at your articles again and again…thank you so much for writing so many of them. I really wish we can start travelling again

[…] For other suggestions when traveling with your family and the kiddos, read Travel Babbo’s Best Age to Travel. […]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter Signup

Sign up to receive email updates and to hear what’s going on with Travel Babbo!

Privacy Overview

How to fly with babies and kids ... without losing it

Flying with young kids is rarely easy, no matter how often you do it. It gets better as they get older, of course, but until then it’s usually a slog.

Who wants to stay home, though? Not many say recent reports, especially U.S. millennials, who are traveling with their kids in record numbers and spending more time vacationing than any other American generation.

Although millennials are more travel savvy than previous generations, as is Gen X, it doesn’t always mean smooth sailing when kids are involved. What really matters is the ability to plan and prepare.

“This is absolutely essential,” says Liz Portalla, a Massachusetts-based sales rep who logs more than 50,000 air travel miles per year. “With kids, you definitely can’t wing it.”

Although Portalla travels mostly for business, she’s also flown often with her three kids, and has had her share of glitches. “Even when everything goes smoothly, traveling with young children can be very difficult,” she said. “So be prepared. Create a detailed itinerary and give it to your family, get TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry to ease the security process, make a list for each family member, and pack well in advance.”

Other strategies Portalla recommends, as do other parents, include traveling at the right time, sitting in the right spot, and packing the right stuff.

Airfare, explained Here's what you need to know about those super-cheap airfares

The best time to fly with kids.

While you can’t always fly at the optimal time (based on your child’s age, that is), it’s great when you can. The best times, most agree, are between three and nine months, when kids aren't yet mobile, and any time after age two or three. The idea here is to bypass the toddler phase, and, more importantly, to avoid flying with young infants.

The latter is especially risky says Dr. Mark Waltzman , assistant professor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and pediatric emergency room physician at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“Unless it’s an emergency I would wait until a baby has had its first set of immunizations, so they should be at least two months,” he said. “The reason is that the air in airplanes is recirculated in a confined space, so there’s a greater chance of contracting an illness when flying. A newborn’s immune system isn’t as robust, and if they catch a cold or get a fever it could be much more serious.”

Illness can also impact the timing of a trip for older kids. If a child has a fever and/or an active ear or sinus infection, parents should think twice about flying and consult their physicians Waltzman said. “Ear and sinus infections can be very uncomfortable, and would make them miserable during a flight. With an ear infection, there’s also the risk of a ruptured eardrum.”

Selecting a carrier and flight

While price is always important, other factors might outweigh this, like access to changing tables. Not all aircraft and airlines have them, so if you think you’ll need one, check before booking.

The same goes for bassinets. Many airlines offer these, even for U.S. domestic flights, but not for all aircraft. In some cases they’re only available at the gate, on a first-come, first-serve basis, while in others they can be reserved ahead of time. There can also be restrictions on where the bassinets may be used (not in business class, for example).

Here’s another area where you’ll want to weigh your options. Do you go for the bulkhead seats so you’ll have more room (especially if you’re with a toddler) or sit in the back, closer to the bathrooms and flight crew? If you opt for the bulkhead, you’ll need to book as early as possible, since these get snapped up quickly. For seats near the back, booking is usually much easier.

The most important thing, though, is being able to sit together. If this doesn’t look doable when booking, call the airline and ask if it can be arranged. Then, once you’re all set, check your seat status again as soon as you get to the airport.

You can also ask for help with this at the airport. “Just ask a gate agent or flight attendant if they can assist,” says Taylor Garland, spokesperson for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA . “Most airlines will try to accommodate this as much as possible; in fact they usually require that children under a certain age sit with a parent, or other adult in the party.”

Insider Tips How to get better service on an airplane, according to a veteran flight attendant

What to pack when flying with kids.

This one can be tough, although it basically comes down to carrying on whatever you and your child will need for the first 24 hours and checking the rest. This ensures that you have what you need during the flight, and immediately afterward if your luggage is lost. Also, when it comes to food, diapers, and wipes, always pack more than you think you’ll need.

The basics for infants and young children include the following:

• IDs: a passport for international travel, even for newborns, and passport or birth certificate for domestic flights (not all airlines require the latter, but bring something just in case)
• Diapers and baby wipes
• Bottles and formula, juices, etc.
• Baby food and snacks
• Security items – pacifiers, blankies, loveys, etc.
• Medications
• Disposable changing pads
• Paper towels
• Change of clothes – for both you and your child
• Small, quiet toys, including some your child hasn’t seen before
• Antibacterial wipes – for disinfecting germ-laden tray tables and other items
• Phone charger and extra battery pack
• Headphones and iPad or other device for older kids, with kids’ programs and apps
• Baby carrier, wrap, or sling – if you don’t have a car seat, wearing your baby on the plane is the next best thing Waltzman says; this will keep him or her safer, especially if there’s turbulence
• Car seat: provides an extra level of protection and is often more comfortable for your child; you’ll then also have it at your destination.

Steps to take before and during the flight

• Make lists: To be sure you don’t forget anything important, which isn’t uncommon when traveling with kids, make a checklist of pre-departure to-dos (turning down the heat, watering plants, and taking out garbage, etc.), and a checklist of what to pack.
• Consider backups: Make paper backups of all important docs and store these apart from the originals, in case you lose a bag. These include passports, birth certificates, your drivers’ license, etc. Also print a backup of your boarding passes.
• Check your status: Check your flight status before you leave home, especially if the weather’s bad, but even if it’s not (as you never know where your plane is coming from). Also check in before you get to the airport and plan to arrive early.
• Dress in layers: This lets you add and subtract as needed, which is helpful when traveling between hot and cold locations.
• Prepare older kids: Explain what will happen and the basics of in-flight etiquette (that is, no whining or kicking seats). Consider bribes for good behavior.
• Use curbside check in: This can simplify things considerably if it’s available.
• Familiarize yourself with TSA regs for liquids: If you plan to carry on formula, breast milk and/or juice for babies or toddlers (which TSA allows in “reasonable” quantities), be sure to declare it at the beginning of the screening process. You must then remove it from your carry-on bag to be screened separately.
• Befriend the gate agent: If you run into problems once you’ve cleared security, your gate agent is your go-to for help. He or she can often resolve many issues.
• Head for the bathroom: Make a pit stop right before you board.
• Board first, or last: If you’re traveling alone with a small child who’s mobile, boarding first is probably easier. But if you’re with another adult, he or she can board first with the bags, and you can board last. This gives your child extra time to run around.
• Minimize ear pain: Nurse or bottle feed an infant during takeoff and landing, or provide a pacifier. Older kids can swallow or yawn (which can make for an interesting game). When feeding your baby, know that timing is key. For takeoff, wait until the plane is ready to clear the ground. When landing, start sooner rather than later, as the descent can take much longer.
• Hand out diversions as needed: Never give your child everything all at once, but wait until he or she gets restless. Only then is it time for the next toy or snack.

Sit back and relax: Just kidding! Unless your child naps, this isn’t likely, but at least you won’t be bored.

MORE TRAVEL TIPS

• Save $520 (or more) on your next flight with these 4 airfare hacks
• How to pack a carry-on (so you don't need to check a bag)
• How to snag a 'glitch' flight (and other travel hacks that will save you money)
• How to find the best travel rewards credit card for you

Want more tips like these? NBC News BETTER is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter ways to live. Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .

10 lessons from 10 years of traveling with kids

When I first began the journey of sharing family travel stories on the internet, I had a 1-year-old. We were fresh off a big multifamily trip to Disney World and had gotten there on Southwest award flights with a toddler, and I wanted to share the few things I'd learned with others considering the same type of trip. The Mommy Points website was born, and so was my life as a family traveler.

This week, my oldest daughter hit double digits. Gulp.

With a solid decade of good, bad and ugly family travel experiences now forever etched in my family's hearts and minds, here are the top 10 things I've learned about traveling with kids.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Don't book newborn travel until you meet your baby

"My life won't stop when a baby arrives. I'm going to keep doing all the same things as before, just with a baby happily strapped to me."

Yeah, I said those things. I'll wait while everyone gets in a good laugh.

Yes, life goes on once a baby is born ... eventually. But every baby and birth experience is different, and some are really, really tough. Some little ones cry for much of the first year and hardly sleep (looking long and hard at both my kids here). When you're surrounded by nearly constant screams and little sleep, travel is usually not a great fit, at least for that phase. Things will get better, but don't fully commit yourself to big trips with a newborn before you've even met him or her.

That said, traveling with a 3-to-6-month-old can be a sweet spot before things get tougher with a squirmy toddler, but not every baby is a happy ball of rainbows at that age. So, take it easy on yourself with the "things won't change" expectations. Change is OK -- you'll get back to your far-flung ways soon enough.

It's OK if your kids don't remember the trip

When your kids are really little -- as in still babies -- travel's really about where you want to go. You don't yet have to tailor your trips to places that dump buckets of slime or have a kids club . They're just along for the ride. As babies turn into toddlers, it can be helpful for the destination to have something fun for them to do, but they still aren't going to truly remember the trip. And that's OK.

It's fine to watch little ones enjoy Disney at 2 years old knowing it won't make it to their long-term memory. It's fine to take a baby to Hawaii even though all he or she will ever really know are the photos from the trip. Not only will you remember, but being flexible and learning to travel become part of who they are, one trip at a time. You don't have to wait for any magical age to take any specific trip. Go when you are ready. And then, go again later if you want them to remember it.

Gadgets and gizmos can help, but people help more

Pop quiz: What's the best travel stroller ? Best car seat for travel ? Best headphones ? Best baby carrier? Best luggage for kids ? Best seat extender on a plane ?

As a traveling parent in that newborn-to-preschool phase, you'll probably know the answers to many of these things. There's no question the right gear can absolutely make the journey easier. (Seriously, I'll forever be grateful for the Doona .) But don't feel like you need all of the gadgets and gizmos -- focus on the ones that help solve your biggest family-travel pain points.

Oh, and always pack more snacks, diapers and a change of clothes than you think you need in your carry-on. That's actually more important than having the best collapsable stroller.

But what really helps the most when traveling with kids is people. That may be your partner, a stranger who helps load your bags in the overhead bin when your hands are full or a grandparent who you bring along for the journey.

In fact, I highly recommend bringing along a family member whenever possible on trips when the kids are little. We've never regretted a single time that we brought grandparents along for the adventures. You'll all have more fun and make even more memories.

You'll (temporarily) regret traveling at times

On almost every trip we took when my kids were really little, there was often a point when someone said, "We're never leaving the house again." Whether it was massive diaper blowouts at inopportune times, epic sleeplessness in a strange place, puke everywhere or lots of tears (from kids and parents), traveling with kids can sometimes be really tough. Period.

I remember a ski trip to Steamboat, Colorado, when my oldest daughter was about 6 years old and my youngest was around 6 months old, when we literally didn't sleep. At all. The littlest just was an awful sleeper, and putting all of us in a 300-square-foot room meant exhaustion for all. At the time, I thought we were total morons for attempting to leave the house to go to below-freezing weather for exhausting physical activity. But now, years later, I'm glad we did it. That was a big year in which my oldest truly learned to ski , and the bad moments really do get smoothed out in favor of the good memories.

We did take take time off from really big or complicated trips when both kids were in those hardest-ages-to-travel phases, but we didn't regret a single trip by the time they were older — no matter how many things went wrong.

Your family will become closer

When all you have is each other, you become closer. My kids are over five years apart, and they don't always just play together at home, since each has her own friends and interests. But when you set out on a journey across the world, it doesn't take long for them to turn to each other for fun and support.

There's no doubt in my mind that my girls' relationships with each other, and with us, are better because of our adventures.

Pay extra for the nonstop, well-timed flight

When it's just you, or just you other adults, it's easy to be tempted by the savings that can come from taking the 6 a.m. flight or connecting somewhere. But when you have little kids, that's a bad idea that you'll regret the first (and likely last) time you do it . Unless you don't have another option, ease is the name of the game when kids are along for the ride.

Avoid unnecessary connections unless you need them for a break in the travel. Rule out predawn departures whenever possible. Schedule the car service, use the Uber, secure the early check-in and do whatever you can to make the trip easier and save your energy for the actual exploring.

Related: How to save money on holiday travel

Suite upgrades are everything with babies and toddlers

Extra living space with little kids is as good as gold. While sleep is a precious commodity with babies and toddlers, you may not always want to go to bed when they do at 8 p.m. or earlier. That's the phase of life when a suite upgrade or maybe even an Airbnb-style accommodation is the most useful.

If you've got the points or hotel elite status to make it happen , splurge on that confirmed suite in those early years. You won't regret it. Having any extra space for the crib for naptime and bedtime is usually worth it.

Related: 2-bedroom suites you can book with points

If you can't secure the suite, then consider turning to this baby-friendly travel hack .

Find the parks

When traveling with kids, sometimes you all need a break. Sadly, that doesn't always mean you can actually get a true minute alone to yourself, but you can find familiar territory for all by simply entering a park. Virtually every city in the world has one, and as your kids run toward a swing set or a ball field, you can finally breathe.

While it works for little kids, this tip isn't just for the preschool set. Heading to a green space works wonders for teens and tweens, too . If your kid plays soccer, he or she can play soccer in just about any country with other kids. Same with basketball, or throwing a ball around — you get the idea. Not only can you all just exhale doing normal, familiar things for a bit, but you'll probably be pleasantly surprised at just how well your kids can play with local children even if they don't share a common language.

It gets easier ... and harder

While reasonable people can debate exactly when the hardest age to travel occurs, it happens somewhere between 9 months and about 3 years. If you are in the middle of that and miss your long-haul adventures of yesteryear, don't despair. I promise you with every mile in my United account, it gets easier . We recently rounded that corner (again) with our 4-year-old, and the big adventures are once again on the schedule. Our 10-year-old is now a full-fledged traveling pro.

But traveling with kids also gets harder in some ways. As we enter the tween phase, there are already groans of "I don't want to be away from friends." And then there are the activities and schoolwork that absolutely get harder to miss as the years tick by . I know enough to know we aren't in the worst of that yet, but it's coming. So, take advantage of the phase of life your kids are in and plan trips accordingly. Some things will get easier, while others get harder. In either case, don't wait around for the perfect time to travel, as all years have something special to offer.

They can do it, and it's worth it

You'll never believe what your kids can do until you give them the chance to do it. My kids both recently snorkeled with sharks and rays in Bora Bora . I was impressed that my eldest got in the water without us, and I was equally impressed that my youngest snorkeled next to me with her little head in the water. That's an experience we weren't ever going to have back home in Texas.

Your baby can adjust to a new time zone. Your 3-year-old can pull their own bag (for a while). Your 5-year-old can walk through an airport after an overnight flight. Your 7-year-old can ski down a mountain. Your 9-year-old can use Google Translate and learn a few words in another language to accomplish a task. Maybe the ages or activities are slightly different from family to family, as not all kids are on the same path, but the point is that your kids (and you) can do far more than you think if you just change the scenery and give yourself the chance.

We've had low points on the road over the last 10 years, but the highs are sweet -- and far more frequent. If I've learned anything over the last 10 years of traveling with kids, it's that it's all worthwhile and you absolutely can do it.

All images by the author unless otherwise noted.

27 Best Places to Travel with a Baby (Safe + Baby-Friendly)!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED LINKS. FIND MORE INFO IN MY DISCLAIMER.

Home » 27 Best Places to Travel with a Baby (Safe + Baby-Friendly)!

Are you wondering where to travel with a baby?

Our youngest daughter, Avalee, was just 2.5 months old when we embarked on our very first trip with her. Our first trip with her took us to Bali, Lombok, and the Gili Islands.

After Indonesia, we ventured further afield to Australia and explored Perth and Sydney.

We then set off to Asia visiting Japan and Europe for a big extended road trip that included France, Switzerland, and Italy – all before Avalee had reached her first birthday! As seasoned family travelers (we have 3 children) we’ve learned a lot about what works best when traveling with babies in tow.

With input from other parents who have traveled with their babies too, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to travel with a baby along with practical tips based on our experiences on how to choose the perfect baby-friendly holiday destinations. 

Just because you have a new baby doesn’t mean you have to be stuck at home. Now is a great time to make memories with your little one and travel the world!

It might not always be easy to travel with a baby, but in my opinion, it is always worth any challenges.

Here is a list of the best baby-friendly countries to visit to ensure your trip will run as smoothly as possible.

27 Best Places to Travel with a Baby in the World

Wondering where to travel with your baby?

We love traveling with our baby as we scout out the best places to visit with an infant.

In our opinion, the best countries to visit with a baby in USA, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Italy, and the UK, but you can find more ideas on our list down below.

But first! Sign up for our ‘Wanderlust Storytellers Family Tribe’ newsletter to get loads of helpful information about how to travel with a baby! 

1. Tuscany, Italy

For one of the best holiday destinations with a baby or even older kids, head to beautiful Italy!

Children are adored in this country, and you will find that Italians will often go out of their way to help parents. And expect them, to come to say hello to your little ones too.

Italy is one of the best places to go on holiday with a baby. It is easy to find some beautiful family-friendly accommodation options.

We chose Tuscany for our list because it has plenty of stroller-friendly destinations.

I recommend you choose either Florence or Lucca for a home base. Both cities are great for strollers, although we recommend a stroller with large cushioned wheels to handle bumpy or cobble-stone roads.

Florence has plenty of playgrounds for older babies and toddlers, and the restaurants typically can prepare a small plate for younger kids or a simple pasta dish (when Avie was a toddler, she often had simple pasta and butter).

If you decide on Florence, be sure to have a look at the best neighborhood to stay in Florence .

You can also find many beautiful small towns scattered through Tuscany that will allow you to explore this region of Italy without the masses of tourists.

Recommended attractions in Tuscany that you should see with your baby include the Leaning Tower of Pisa and The Boboli Gardens.

If time permits, you should also visit Capo Sant’Andrea on Elba Island (make sure to take baby beach shoes if you are planning to spend some time on the beach).

Personally speaking, Italy is arguably the best place to travel with baby options for us so far, as well as one of the best baby-friendly travel destinations and baby-friendly countries.

• Bring your baby carrier along, as you will often find stairs at the main attractions in Italy.
• Always have a baby change mat on hand, as change tables in public restrooms are rare.
• You can rent a stroller in Italy, and check out sites such as TravelBaby.It and BabyGuest.com.
• Pre-book your taxi online , that way, you can request a baby car seat for the transfer as well.

Where to Stay in Tuscany with a Baby:

We recommend basing yourselves in either Florence or Lucca (cheaper) and then planning your day trips from there.

Best Place to Stay in Florence with a Baby:

• Best Hotel: For a fantastic stay I would choose  MyFlorenceHoliday Gold Bridge . Their family room includes a cot and high chair and has a kitchen area where you can prepare bottles etc. The hotel is located 100 meters from Ponte Vecchio.
• Best VRBO: I love The Time Machine apartment which is located next to Palazzo Vecchio. It has 2 bedrooms and includes a travel crib, high chair, and dishes & utensils for kids- it also has a lift to the apartment which is on the second level.

Best Place to Stay in Lucca with a Baby:

• Best Hotel: The 4-Star Hotel Ilaria has a triple room that includes a cot. This popular hotel is located in the historic centre of Lucca.

Further Reading:

• Visit Tuscany with Kids (Tips and Information)
• See our full blog post with helpful information about traveling to Italy with a baby
• Watch our Video on YouTube: Italy with a Baby or Toddler .
• Florence with Kids

Wondering where to travel with a baby in Asia?  Japan is one of the best places to travel with an infant in Asia.

This destination is very baby-friendly. You can easily choose from some of these great destinations in Japan perfect for first-timers .

“ Baby Cafes ” located throughout Tokyo have childproof areas and food for mom and dad to purchase.

There are also family rooms throughout (mainly in the larger supermarkets) around, the larger cities where moms can nurse or change their babies.

Baby supplies are available from pharmacies, and let’s not forget how clean the country is (you won’t see rubbish anywhere!).

• Bring your baby carrier along and leave your stroller at home.
• You will typically find beautiful baby rooms in the larger supermarkets.
• Public restrooms should have change tables and a parent-friendly toilet with a baby highchair, so you have somewhere to pop baby while you do your business.
• Choose Airbnb over small hotel rooms.
• For toddlers, we can highly recommend some popular theme parks such as Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan.

READ MORE: See our helpful post on how to visit Japan with a baby

3. London, England

London is one of the best places to travel in Europe with a baby.

This city has parent rooms and changing facilities readily available, making it a great place to visit with a baby.

Many sights can easily be accessed by public transportation or on foot. We love how easy the city is to navigate with a stroller; simply use the   step-free Tube map to navigate the underground with your stroller.

Breastfeeding in public is accepted and considered perfectly normal. Children under five can travel for free on public transport, and there are plenty of family-friend restaurants.

If your bubs is a bit older, he/she might also really enjoy outings to a  baby disco, one of the children ‘s  theatres, the city farms, zoos, or a day out at one of the many parks.

• Top 10 Things to do in London with Kids
• Make sure you download NCT’s Babychange app, which will show you all the baby-changing facilities in your vicinity, and the Wowmum app, which lists baby change areas, as well as child-friendly activities, parks, and more.
• Book your taxi online. Book Taxi London is a reliable website that you can use to quickly and easily book your taxi (you can even select to have a car seat for your little one)!

After one of the most affordable places to visit with your baby?

With rice paddies, waterfalls, beaches, and great people, Bali certainly has it all.

This dreamy vacation is very baby-friendly, and nannies or babysitters are super affordable.  You can also very easily rent baby gear and equipment for super low prices if you need them.

Hotels and resorts will be equipped with baby cots and high chairs, and with a bit of effort, you can also pre-book transfers with baby car seats.

Avoid Kuta and head to more family-friendly areas such as Canggu, Ubud, Legian, Jimbaran, or Nusa Lembongan.

We love to combine some time in Ubud to soak up the peaceful rice paddy atmosphere with some luxury and relaxation at one of the beachside areas such as Canggu or Jimbaran.

Bali might be the best place to travel with a baby for those living in Australia.

• Bring your baby carrier along and leave your stroller behind
• Always have a baby change mat on hand
• Book a cheap nanny to tag along with you on your outings
• Pre-book your transfers if you wish to have a baby car seat
• Don’t forget to bring along your  sun tent for baby , as well as some handy and essential  beach items for baby

5. Tulum, Mexico

One of the best travel destinations with a baby if you are after some beautiful beaches and warm weather. This city can make for a very relaxing vacation.

Many family-friendly beaches and hotels accommodate those traveling with babies, as they often provide cribs and strollers.

If you are wondering if it is safe to travel to Mexico with a baby, you will be glad to know that it is.

What you will need to consider is taking enough baby formula if you are not breastfeeding your little one as the variety of formula available is limited.

If you do use baby formula, make sure to use bottled water when making your baby’s milk.

If you do take a baby stroller, take one that can fold up and will fit easily into any taxi that you may take whilst on holiday.

If you are planning on venturing out and about, a baby carrier is a great choice as you will be hands-free, and is perfect for any hikes are strolls on the beach.

Top places to visit include Sian Ka’an Biosphere and Playa Paraiso.  Mexico offers some of the best baby-friendly travel destinations for those in the USA.

6. Chicago, Illinois

One of the best places to travel to with a baby in the United States is Chicago. This city is so baby friendly making it hands down one of the best cities to travel with a baby and one of the best travel destinations with baby options.

The great thing about Chicago is that it has a ton of baby sights, attractions, and tours to enjoy.

Taking your baby out and about during the day is great for you and the baby and in Chicago, they celebrate that.

The town of Chicago has free stroller tours at some of the area’s major museums, including The Field Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, and The Museum of Contemporary Art.

Besides the museums, you can also visit the Shedd Aquarium and Navy Pier.

If you are explicitly wondering where to travel with a newborn, this would be one of our top picks.

7. Montreal, Canada

After stroller-friendly places to visit with a baby? One of the nice things about Montreal is that it’s very stroller-friendly.

Numerous kid-friendly festivals occur throughout the year. Popular attractions include Jean-Talon Farmer’s Market, Clock Tower Beach, and The Botanical Gardens.

If you visit Montreal outside of these festivals do not worry because there is still lots to do. Experience much of the cultural scene in Montreal by visiting many of the galleries and museums. Kids under 12 can go free to many of these local Montreal attractions.

In summer there are many parks and open green spaces that you can enjoy as a family. Enjoy a picnic and the many playgrounds that can be found in the parks.

Montreal boasts a large variety of baby-friendly and welcoming cafes and restaurants, so when it comes to enjoying a bite to eat, you and your baby can relax.

8. Tasmania, Australia

Definitely, one of the most baby-friendly countries to visit.

Australia is another brilliant country to visit with a baby. While there are many baby-friendly places to travel to in Australia, we love Tasmania.

This Australian state is an excellent destination for children of all ages. You can easily find high chairs in restaurants, which typically have special kids’ menus to keep toddlers happy.

You can easily find all baby supplies in small or large grocery stores. Hotels have cots available (typically free of charge), and destinations are all stroller-friendly.

One of the nice things about Tasmania is that you don’t have to haul a stroller with you on your flight if you don’t want to because plenty of stroller rentals are available.

Many activities here are nature-based, including a visit to the Bay of Fires and Russell Falls. A great activity during the summer months is to head to one of the beautiful sandy beaches for some much-needed relaxation.

9. Wales, United Kingdom

Wales is another one of the best places to travel with a baby in Europe!  People love babies in Wales and will bend backward to ensure you enjoy your time here as much as possible.

Hotels will provide everything from cribs to baby gates and can even recommend babysitting services if you need some alone time. Good places to visit with your baby include Cardiff Castle, Tenby Harbour, and Bodnant Garden.

When you are out and about enjoying the lush Welsh countryside, be sure to take a baby carrier with you.

If you plan to spend more time exploring the Welsh villages and towns, a baby stroller will definitely come in handy. If you can, a stroller that folds up compactly is best as you are guaranteed it will be able to travel in your taxi.

10. San Diego, California

This is one of the most baby-friendly destinations on the list. There are a lot of boardwalks, walking trails, and plenty of beaches.

If you take a stroller with you when you travel to San Diego with a baby, you will be able to move around with ease.

If you are looking for some great baby-friendly activities then a visit to the Birch Aquarium, Mission Beach & Boardwalk, or the San Diego Botanic Garden are all great choices.

Be sure to also make your way to the San Diego Zoo. This huge zoo has so much to see and do and is a huge amount of fun for everyone.

If you visit during warmer months, be sure to pack sunblock and a swimming costume so you can take a dip at the many beaches.

Pack some kids’ beach toys or grab a set from one of the local shops on the boardwalk as all kids love to play in water and sand and most of all build sandcastles.

For kids big and small, head to Legoland which is under an hour’s drive from San Diego. The best part about the rides at Legoland resorts is that they do not have height restrictions so even the shortest of visitors can enjoy the rides when visiting.

Is it any surprise that Hawaii happens to be one of the best places to vacation with a baby? This island is a dream vacation for many due to the many resorts that cater to families.

So it is probably no surprise that Hawaii happens to be one of the best places to vacation with a baby!

If you do not want to explore the island and just need to relax and take it easy, then staying at your beach resort is great as you can lunge around the pool or on the beach.

Head to the beach for some sand and fun and when baby is tired and ready for a nap, the room is only a short walk away. If you want to do an activity that is a bit more strenuous, many of the resorts do offer activities at the resort that you can enjoy.

The best way to get around this island is with a rental car. You will be able to see plenty of amazing sights that will allow you to take unforgettable pictures of yourself and your baby.

Exploring Hawaii by car also means that your baby can take a nap when traveling and not be tired to enjoy the sights.

Baby-friendly places include Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail and Valley of the Temples.

12. Cape Town, South Africa

Not many people associate good places to travel with a baby, including South Africa. However, those who’ve been to Cape Town know it’s one of the best places to visit with a baby or even older kids.

Cape Town is also one of the best cities to visit with a baby because baby facilities are readily available everywhere.

There are plenty of picturesque views and things to do, visiting the penguins, heading out on a boat to see the seals, or having a picnic in a vineyard.

If you want to travel around Cape Town then make sure to rent a car. Many places that you will visit may be an hour or so drive out of the City center.

You do not need to take a car seat with you as many of the car rental companies will be able to offer you car seat rental.

Cape Town is known for its many wine farms. If you think that visiting is not great for kids, you will be pleased to know that many of the wine farms cater to all ages, with most offering children their own version of a “wine-tasting menu “with treats and kids’ drinks.

Nearly everywhere you visit a baby chair will be available to use. Most wine farms have play parks for kids to enjoy with swings, slides, and jungle gyms. If you are traveling with older kids.

Head to one of the many beaches, the most renowned being Camps Bay and enjoy a sunset picnic.

You can find our full guide on how to travel South Africa with a baby here. We visited South Africa with our youngest and two older kids and spent 5 weeks exploring various parts of the country and we loved it!

Further Reading

• Grab some ideas of what to do in Cape Town with kids here.

13. Taipei, Taiwan

Another popular destination for family travelers in Taiwan. This destination is very safe and the people of Taiwan are very welcoming of babies and children.

Many places in Taiwan have mothers’ rooms, similar to those found in Japan, but this city is a great place to travel with a baby because of its many attractions.

Unlike other places, you can easily strap a baby into a stroller and walk around, as the terrain isn’t tough to maneuver making it super easy to get around and explore.

This allows families to see a lot of exciting sights like Longshan Temple or Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

The city of Taipei is exciting and colorful and at night looks a lot like Times Square in New York.

Head to the 101 Building which cannot be missed when you arrive in the city. You can go up this building and it is strongly recommended to buy tickets in advance rather than queuing.

Head out of the city and you will find the Silver Stream Cave which is a temple carved into the rock face behind a stunning waterfall. The nerve-wracking walk-up is definitely worth the trek and be sure to pack a baby carrier for this to make the walk easy.

Belize is one of the most baby and kid-friendly places to visit. It has so many different attractions and activities that everyone can enjoy.

One of the other biggest perks for families visiting here is its affordability.

The country is also English-speaking, so you don’t have to worry about the need to whip out your language translator while trying to balance a baby on your hip.

There are a lot of great places to take your little one in this country, including the Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm and the Mayan Ruins.

If your trip to Belize is to have some downtime and not be out and about too much, be sure to stay at one of the many resorts that offer guests all they need from horseback riding to pools and a health spa.

You can easily find what you need in the stores in Belize however if your baby is drinking formula, it is best to take your own with you as you may not be able to find the same make in Belize.

15. Ecuador

Ecuador may not be the first place you think of when traveling a with baby however you will find that this country is very welcoming of children and is affordable for a family vacation.

Ecuador is one of the best places to visit in South America , so you can’t go wrong with this destination!

The safest way to get around Ecuador is by renting a vehicle. Although there is a lot of public transport like taxis and buses, seatbelts are not always readily available and the maneuvers that the drivers take along the winding roads are quite hair-raising!

When it comes to mealtimes and feeding, you will be pleased to know that breastfeeding is very acceptable and normal. If you need baby formula, this is readily available however you may not find your usual brand.

The terrain is challenging to get around with a stroller, so you will need to use a baby carrier instead. You can even take a backpack carrier as this will be the easiest way to get around and carry your baby.

It’s worth exploring the city as much as possible with your baby as there’s a lot to see. This includes The Otavalo Indigenous Market and the Manabi Coast.

It can get pretty noisy at night too so you may want to bring along something to create white noise. Top tip – book hotels and places to stay that is away from main roads to help reduce the noise at night.

Wondering where to travel with your baby in Greece?

Those who visit Greece can tell pretty quickly that the culture is family-oriented. Often children can eat free at restaurants, stay free at hotels and ride public transportation for free.

While we recommend you leave the cliff-top towns such as Santorini for another year, you could visit many other beautiful destinations in Greece with your baby in tow. 

There are many islands that you can visit in Greece offering you and your baby warm beaches to enjoy like the infamous Mykonos.

Another great place to visit in Greece is Crete and the great thing is that this is not the first place most people think of visiting in Greece.

This makes it a great destination as it is not crowded and Crete also has a range of activities to do with kids.

Greece is also a very safe place to visit so it is a definite for any family vacation. If you want to explore by walking, a stroller may be difficult to use so a baby carrier may be best. Or a stroller with larger wheels will be ok.

Make sure you and your baby visit the Plaka District of Athens and The Castles Of Rhodes.

How To Get Around

Of course, the best way to get around Rhodes is with the locals. Get your local Rhodes taxi here.

And if you are staying in Athens (check out our list of the best hotels with rooftop pools in Athens here ), the best way to get around town is by taxi! Book your taxi here !

• The Best Places to Visit on a Family Holiday To Crete
• Where to visit in Greece for first-timers

17. Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is full of incredible sights to explore; it would be a shame not to discover the elegant harbors because you have a baby. Instead, Stockholm is one of the best places to travel with a baby.

One of the best things about Stockholm is that you can walk almost everywhere. It is an incredibly safe city and is the perfect size for a family to explore.

Sweden is one of the best places in Europe to visit with kids , because there are plenty of age-appropriate entertainment spots, such as;

• Old Town – the quaint part of town with fantastic toy stores
• Vasparken – a massive park with a lovely playground
• Skansen – a giant ocean-air museum and zoo

It is a legal requirement for all city buses to ensure space for wheelchairs for disabled people and prams for children. This makes it easy to get around if you push a stroller.

A trip to Stockholm is one of the best baby-friendly vacations you can plan.

Tip: One of the best ways to check out Stockholm is from the water. Take a look at our list of best Stockholm boat tours here.

The USA is one of the best baby-friendly vacation spots in the world. There are so many different places in the USA that it is a hard choice of where to go when visiting the USA with a baby and young children.

Washington, DC, is such a vibrant, beautiful city, and it promises to be a memorable and enjoyable experience for the whole family. It is an icon of democracy, full of history and progressive happenings.

There is so much to see and do – a lot of which is free. The best time to visit Washington, DC, with your baby is during spring (March to May), as the temperature is pleasant, with the pink cherry blossoms blooming around early April.

Avoid July and August, which can get uncomfortably hot and cause your baby to fuss.

The city has an excellent public transport system, making getting around easy. While the law doesn’t require car seats for cabs, you can pre-request one for a taxi or Uber.

Florida is another great place to visit and has so many family-friendly resorts to choose from. Florida is well known for all the amusement parks for toddlers such as Disney World, Magic Kingdom Park, etc.

Your young children and even baby will love the splash pads inside Magic Kingdom

Take a trip to Utah to see Zion National Park. There are short hikes inside the park which will be enjoyable for the whole family.

If you do decide to hike in Zion National Park, make sure to take a baby hiking carrier. Find more tips for visiting Zion National Park with kids here.

The same applies if you visit Colorado and the Rocky Mountain National Park.

North Carolina has many fun activities for the family. There is the North Carolina Zoo which is bound to make your little one smile.

Spend a night or two under the stars in the Uwharrie National Forest. There are many activities that you can do from swimming to fishing and boating. Make sure that you put safety first and use life vests for water sports and activities.

If you happen to travel to New York, make sure to take a stroll around central park. It is perfect for walking with a baby stroller or baby carrier.

19. Reykjavik, Iceland

Due to the chilly temperatures, Reykjavik and the rest of Iceland are often overlooked when deciding where to travel with a baby.

However, the city is breathtakingly beautiful, and if you bundle up your baby, you can enjoy the Northern Lights, geothermal hot springs, and fascinating history without the fuss!

Boasting surreal landscapes and fascinating natural phenomena, your little one may be lucky enough to capture a memory.

Reykjavik is fast becoming a trendy tourist destination, so there have been increased tour options. Many of these tours are family-friendly and remove all the fuss when planning your trip.

Make sure you pack in a few extra warm goodies, and you and your baby are good to go.

20. Runaway Bay, Jamaica

Jamaica is known as a paradise getaway, and no reason having a baby should change this experience. Runaway Island in Jamaica prioritizes an atmosphere of relaxation and is one of the top places to travel with a baby.

As a fabulous family vacation destination, Runaway Bay boasts many villas, resorts, and accommodation options focused on the family. Many of these resorts offer family-sized rooms that can comfortably sleep up to three children.

Many of these resorts also help arrange the services of a nanny or babysitter to help you better relax on the beach. Some resorts even have a baby club where trusted employees mind your child during nap time.

If we can give you one little piece of advice, it’s to pack a lot of sunblock (keeping in mind that babies under six months can’t use sunblock). Chances are, your little one will enjoy the sun, sand, and clear waters as much as you.

21. Cascais, Portugal

Cascais is a quaint village in Portugal full of culture, history, and, most importantly, families. The laid-back destination promises one of the best vacations with infants possible.

There is a tangible warmth in the air reflected in the locals’ cheery expressions, and it is sure to be a holiday you will never forget.

If you don’t choose to push your stroller on the wide, open streets, you can be comforted that child seats in taxis are not mandatory, making taxi cabs easily accessible.

There is a wide selection of parks, calm beaches, and historical sites to explore. One thing to remember is that the rich traditions in the seaside village mean that local restaurants don’t necessarily serve chicken nuggets and the like.

However, if your baby wants to venture from their formula, you can rest assured that the local food isn’t particularly spicy and generally quite soft.

22. Vail, Colorado

Vail, Colorado, is one of the best places to travel with a baby.

The breathtaking images of gorgeous mountains, vast open spaces, and reflecting lakes may make you think Vail is better suited to adults; however, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.

There is an entire baby brand named ‘Travel Vail Baby’, which serves as proof of how excellent the destination is for infant-friendly vacations.

The baby and toddler equipment rental company provides cribs, strollers, high chairs, hiking backpacks, and bouncy seats (among many other items) to help parents enjoy Vail’s jagged peaks and slopes.

When ascending to higher altitudes, your baby should be fine, as babies older than three months old adjust to altitude much better than adults.

Handy Tip: The Vail Public Library has incredibly fun baby storytime!

23. Barcelona, Spain

A trip to Barcelona with your baby is a sure way to begin stimulating their creativity from a young age.

From the eccentric design of the Gaudi buildings to the intricate stained glass windows of the cathedrals, your baby will be so busy absorbing the environment that they’ll have little time to cry.

If you want to make the most of your time in Barcelona, travel in the summer when you can enjoy the multiple parks and outdoors. Babies are often happier and more relaxed when moving about.

With so many sights and attractions, you can be sure your little one will be happy as a clam.

Top tip: Make sure to pack a sling or baby carrier. The streets in Barcelona are cobbled, and the bumps could make your baby uncomfortable.

24. Nice, France

Nice is a romantic and magical destination filled with bustling alleyways, quaint little shops, and outdoor restaurants.

One of the best parts about traveling to Nice, France, with a baby is the excellent promenade which offers surreal views while pushing a buggy.

As Nice is such a popular tourist destination, you’ll find that the hospitality industry accommodates babies.

From heating bottles to providing changing facilities, you can visit Nice quickly without any baby hassles.

The French Riviera offers sun, sea, and delectable food; it would be a shame to miss out on this. The charming city is easy to travel to with a baby, especially if you follow our tips on how to travel through France with a baby .

25. Seoul, South Korea

Seoul is one of the most accessible places to visit with a baby. The cosmopolitan city has a lot to offer the entire family and caters to its attractions.

In addition to fantastic shopping, music, and food experiences, there are a lot of free and budget attractions to enjoy.

Seoul has plenty of indoor playgrounds, known as Kids’ cafes that are great for toddlers under two years old. These are a great option during the extreme seasons when the weather can be icy or uncomfortably hot.

The city’s very efficient public transportation system and a wide variety of family-friendly accommodation options make day-to-day living in Seoul very easy.

If you prefer to walk, you’ll be pleased to know that Seoul is also fairly stroller friendly.

One piece of advice is to not breastfeed in public. The Koreans don’t make a habit of the practice, so choosing to do so will attract unwanted attention.

Although there are baby nursing stations in larger subway stations, department stores, and restaurants.

26. Dublin, Ireland

Dublin City and the rolling green hills surrounding the area are on the top of many people’s bucket lists – for a good reason.

There is a stunning culture of friendliness in the city, and the beautiful design of the city mimics the breathtaking landscapes on the outskirts.

Dublin is well-supplied with formula, food, nappies, and clothing for your little one. Most restaurants will go as far as to prepare a bowl for your child and offer high chairs and baby-changing facilities.

Getting around Dublin is very easy. In addition to speaking English, the city is also easy to navigate, and baby car seats are available for a small additional cost. There is even a child-friendly taxi service .

There are many baby-friendly activities to discover in the city, including live Irish music performances.

Be aware that Dublin has quite a vibrant pub culture, and while children are allowed in the pubs and bars during the day, they are not legally allowed entry after 9 pm.

27. Thailand

Thailand is such a great destination to travel with a baby as it is so baby friendly. We love traveling to Thailand and have done it many times with our daughter when she was a baby and a toddler.

The Thai people and culture are so welcoming it makes this country a perfect destination for families who want to travel to a beach destination with a baby.

Another perk is that there are quite a few 4+ star hotels that are more than willing to accommodate your baby’s needs.

Many of them include indoor pools and even water parks. If you are after great cultural travel destinations with a baby, you can’t look further than Thailand. Here is a list of the best resorts on Koh Samui for families .

Some of the best places and great destinations to travel with a baby in Thailand are Khao Lak, Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Samui .

How to Choose Infant-Friendly Holiday Destinations

Wondering how to choose the best place to travel with an infant? Find below some of our requirements when we decide where to travel next.

1. Is the Transportation Safe?

An important consideration when we choose holiday destinations with our baby is whether transportation will be safe for our little one.

For example, you might consider whether taxis and private transfers offer infant travel car seats. 

If they don’t, it might be best if you rent a car and add a child car seat onto the rental costs, or you might prefer to bring your own – find a post on the best infant travel car seats to travel with here.

(However, it is essential to check if your car seat can be adequately secured in a different country as they all have different systems to install car seats).

How safe are these to use if you plan to take public transport? Some countries are crazy when it comes to driving.

Think about what you are comfortable with and choose the best vacation that ticks your boxes.

2. Is the Climate Baby-Friendly?

Look at the average temperatures and how much rain the destination will get at the time of year you plan to visit.

We made the mistake of traveling to Asia during their hot season, and our baby developed a heat rash from the constant heat; it made life more challenging than it needed to be as she was unhappy and pretty grumpy.

We also went to Japan when it was freezing, and it was tricky to keep our little baby warm and snug in the temperature.

3. Keep Travel Time Short

Keep flight time as short as you can. It is much easier to fly with a newborn who sleeps a lot, in comparison to a baby who has just become mobile.

It might be a good idea to pick infant-friendly travel destinations closer to home.

An 8-hour flight overseas might be okay, but a 15-hour long-haul flight will be much more challenging (If you are traveling long-haul, you might appreciate our long-haul flight checking list for babies ).

So while we list baby-friendly holidays from around the world in our list below, it will be essential to consider the ones closer to your home.

Also, think about how long your transfers are once you land, and keep your travel days nice and short so that there is plenty of downtime for your baby.

4. Which Countries Are Safe?

The best countries to travel to with a baby are the ones that are safe for little kids. Have a look to see if there is any unrest in the destination you will be visiting.

Look at which vaccines you might have to get (and whether your baby can even get them).

It might be best to avoid rural and remote areas of a country until your baby is a bit older.

We visited Bali when our daughter was only six weeks old, but we stayed clear of the monkey forests and spent a lot more time on hotel grounds than we would typically have done to keep the trip safe for her.

5. Consider Health Care

Think about the amenities and healthcare facilities you would typically be comfortable with at home.

Are there good hospitals, and will the medical staff be able to understand you?

6. Baby Facilities

Another thing that will make traveling with a baby easier is choosing a destination with baby facilities readily available.

Can you find hotels that have baby cots available? You might prefer to travel with a crib; you can find our top recommendations for a lightweight travel crib here.

Are high chairs available in restaurants, and are there baby change rooms?

If not, you can always travel with your own high chair – find a post on the best high chair for travel here.

You can also find a list of all our recommendations for baby travel gear to make your life easier while on holiday here.

Consider how easy it will be to purchase baby diapers, formulae, baby food, or baby medication.

If you have to travel with baby food, you can find a post about TSA baby food and formulae rules here.

Also, think about your baby’s age; the best places to travel with a newborn will not be the same as the best places to travel with a 1-year-old, because a 1-year-old is mobile.

If your baby is at the age where they are eating and drinking water, it is also essential to consider how safe the water and food are to eat in the country you are visiting.

Hopefully, all the tips above are helpful and will guide you to choose one of the best baby-friendly holiday destinations from our guide below.

Jolene’s Pro Tips for Traveling with an Infant

• Do it your way: People seem to think that if you go somewhere and you stay in your resort you are doing it wrong! But there is nothing wrong with a holiday with your baby where you do nothing but stay on the resort grounds.
• Have plenty of time to rest: Everything needs to happen slower when you travel with a baby. Plan to have only half days of exploring and half a day to relax, plan to have relax days after big travel days.
• Stay longer in one hotel: Our baby took a few days to adjust to a new hotel/crib. Which meant we had a few rough nights before she settled back into sleeping better. So we learned to stay in one spot for at least 5+ nights.
• Beach vs City trips: We personally found it much easier to go on a beach vacation in comparison to exploring towns and cities in a country. Life moves slower on islands and so that is where we prefer to be with our baby.
• What works for someone else might not work for you: Babies are all different, just because someone else had an incredible road trip holiday with their baby, does not mean your road trip will go smoothly. Our baby hated the car and the stroller, so road trips or days exploring all day long in a stroller were not fun for anyone!

Final Thoughts On The Best Places To Vacation With A Baby

So hopefully, if you have been wondering where to travel with an infant, you have made a list of the best holiday destinations with a baby you would love to visit.

The best destination with a baby will be different for each of us as it depends on your current location, as well as what sort of current baby ‘comforts’ you might be used to.

Most parents feel most comfortable when they choose destinations that offer the same level of baby care as the country where they live.

Ultimately you can travel anywhere in the world with a baby; after all, babies are born in each country worldwide.

But the most comfortable holiday where you will be less stressed out will be the country that matches your current baby’s facilities, amenities, and healthcare standards.

And as a last resort, go with your gut instinct. If the destination doesn’t feel right, it might be best to leave it until your child is older.

• Wondering what to take along on your trip? Here is our guide to handy travel accessories for baby that you should take on your holiday.
• First time flying with your baby? Grab our top tips on how to survive your flight with an infant .
• Wondering whether you should take a car seat on your flight? Here is a handy guide to help you decide .

Leave us a Comment:

• Which of these destinations on our best countries to travel with a baby list do you want to see the most?
• Can you add other best places to holiday with a baby?

Jolene Ejmont

20 thoughts on “27 best places to travel with a baby (safe + baby-friendly)”.

Hi, totally understand where you are coming from, but we visited Bali, Lombok and Gili Islands with our 2-month-old baby and her normal vaccines that she needs to get anyways was sufficient to keep her safe. And that was on doctor’s advice. We have also just visited Vietnam (she is 2 now) and again her normal routine vaccines was enough for her to go. Always best to choose a destination that you are comfortable visiting though and make sure you pop into your travel doctor for advice as well.

I would add Reykjavik

Oh Great tip Ana! Can you tell me why you found it baby friendly? 🙂

I love this! You guys have had some pretty awesome places – all the pictures are simply beautiful. That has to be one of the most memorable, not many people get to say that they have accomplished that! Great Job! and one more question How difficult is it to travel with a 2 month old baby?

A 2-month-old is EASY 🙂 They sleep a lot, they fall asleep anywhere and when they cry you can breastfeed. The hard months arrive once a baby is mobile.

Very interesting article about traveling of the baby. The traveling helps a baby to grow their physical and mental health. Baby strollers and prams are essential things during travel. Thank you for your well-written article.

Thanks for your comment Donna. Do you have a favorite destination that you love visiting with your baby?

I love to travel with my baby. Very interesting & informative post. Just lovely. Thanks a lot for sharing.

We traveled with our 7 month old to Florence and Tuscany and had an amazing time. People are incredibly friendly and helpful. If you get an Airbnb be careful for stairs!

Hi Matt, we love Italy because Italians love our kids! 🙂 We are actually heading to Italy for a 13 week trip early in 2019 – so excited!! Great tip with the stairs, I think it is important to ask that question in all European countries.

Great article. Thanks for sharing this post about best places to travel with baby. It’s very informative and helpful.

Korea is also really great for young children. Lots of kids’ cafes, people love children, most people in the big cities speak at least some English, safe, clean and quite cheap (compared to Japan).

Autumn (September/October) is the best time to come, summer is too hot, winter is too cold and there is often dirty air in spring. The autumn leaves are beautiful and sky is usually blue. The best area to visit is Gangwondo, to the north east.

Thanks for all those wonderful tips 🙂

I would suggest Portugal as well. People there love babies. If you’re pregnant or have a baby you have priority anywhere, from the queue at the supermarket to being seated at a restaurant. The country is beautiful, especially if you don’t just stay in the hyper touristy places like Algarve. Alentejo has great beaches and skies that go on forever and the further up North you go the cheaper it is, with some great hidden gems for both culture and nature.

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing and for giving some info on why you found it to be perfect for babies! We have actually had a few recommendations of Portugal, so might have to add it to the list 🙂

Jolene thank you for your list, we waiting for our baby and looking forward to starting travel with our boy.

Glad you like the info. Hope you have a great time once you can travel again 🙂 All best.

Thank you for the comment. Much appreciated it!

Thank you for the comment

Hi! Great post! Where would you recommend to travel with a 6 month old in December (internationally)? We would like the weather to be around 70F if possible as we are traveling from Minnesota and crave warmer weather in the winter months. Thanks!

Comments are closed.

2024 - Wanderlust Storytellers. All Rights Reserved.

About Us  |  Contact Us  | Work with Us  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimer

* Disclaimer: Wanderluststorytellers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and other Amazon sites.