Is traveling with toddlers worth it?

[Anonymous]

You’re going to be dealing with your kids anyway, so why not enjoy a change of scenery? We traveled and did not bother with child care or kids clubs. Didn’t want to spend even more when we were also paying peak daycare. We just chose toddler friendly destinations and looked for accommodations with cribs and kitchenette.

We had a few really nice trips with toddlers. My advice is don’t fly with them more than once a year - flying is the worst part. Do one trip by plane and the rest semi-local. The flights tend to be worst during that 1-2 age when they want to toddle around and are too young to be reliably entertained by a screen.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I didn’t stay in a hotel room with my kids from the time my oldest was born until my youngest was 5, so 8 years total. We only stayed in vacation rentals or visited family/friends in their homes. We also didn’t leave the time zone and didn’t go any further than FL or NY.

My kids were both excellent sleepers but they didn’t sleep well in car seats and they didn’t fall asleep well with other people in the room (like if we all shared a hotel.) So I didn’t want to mess with that because otherwise their sleep was excellent and DH and I got lots of downtime as long as we held onto the sleep schedule. During those years, the best trips were to beachfront condos/houses, eating easy food mostly in the rental, maybe going out to lunch. We didn’t really eat dinner out because the kids went to bed at 7pm and we started getting them ready at 6:15.

They are teens now and we travel all over. It’s just a season of life and I remember it very fondly.

Kids are the worst. Imagine going on vacation and not even being able to go out to eat with your husband.

No wonder women are increasingly opting out of having kids.

Not my feeling at all. Eating good takeout on a balcony over looking the water while the babies sleep blissfully inside. Babies you hoped and prayed and waited for. Sitting next to the person you love and who also loves the babies? Priceless.

If I wanted to eat take out on a balcony with kids sleeping inside and enjoying DH's company, I can do that at home. That's what we mostly did for the early years. We've taken our 12 year old to 6 continents since covid, so it's not like we don't know good travel. But the idea of being resigned to the Ritz Carlton kids pool on Miami Beach or a kids club resort in Jamaica is my idea of hell.

That's sad. I can sit with my husband just about anywhere and be happy. Even better if I am overlooking the ocean.

You misread. That's exactly the point. I can sit with my husband anywhere and be happy. We're sitting on the couch right now happy. I don't need to schlep noise machines and potties and 22 pounds of pulls ups to a kids club in the Grand Caymans to enjoy time with my husband, when I can do it at home for a few years.

And in any event, my primary house overlooks the ocean. That's what I'm looking at right now. Sorry you have to go somewhere crappy though to enjoy your time with your husband.

You claim to be happy anywhere then also claim to be miserable at the ritz Carlton. Forgive us if we can’t ascertain the point of your post(s).

[Anonymous]

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?” -John Steinbeck

I think if I didn't do the slog with younger kids, I would appreciate how good it is now that they're older! YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?” -John Steinbeck

I think if I didn't do the slog with younger kids, I would appreciate how good it is now that they're older! YMMV.

Ugh - would NOT

[Anonymous]

I traveled with my DS from 5 months on, due to work and single parent status.
I think travel only became fun when he was 4 or older.
If you need to get away, maybe just you and your DH can go for 1-2 nights somewhere, arrange for babysitter. It won't be relaxing for you to get away with 2 under 3.

[Anonymous]

I traveled with my kids, basically from birth to teens and I thought it was worth it when they were toddlers. It wasn’t so much of a choice when they were 0-6 years old because I was living in Asia and then Europe and I had to travel to see family in the states. Also, we had 3 stretches of 2-6 month garden leaves where we were basically nomads and were living out of hotels, short term corporate apartments, and friends’ vacation homes.

But I also remember getting opportunities to go to places like Istanbul and Shanghai with toddlers - I could have said no, but I thought that I might never have the chance again, so I went. It was hard at times, and I can vividly remember projectile vomiting and blowouts on the plane, but I’m really glad I did it.

Bottom line, I think it is definitely worth it but it depends on how much you enjoy traveling and how much tolerance you have for the trouble of it is all. I guess mine was pretty high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I traveled with my kids, basically from birth to teens and I thought it was worth it when they were toddlers. It wasn’t so much of a choice when they were 0-6 years old because I was living in Asia and then Europe and I had to travel to see family in the states. Also, we had 3 stretches of 2-6 month garden leaves where we were basically nomads and were living out of hotels, short term corporate apartments, and friends’ vacation homes.

But I also remember getting opportunities to go to places like Istanbul and Shanghai with toddlers - I could have said no, but I thought that I might never have the chance again, so I went. It was hard at times, and I can vividly remember projectile vomiting and blowouts on the plane, but I’m really glad I did it.

Bottom line, I think it is definitely worth it but it depends on how much you enjoy traveling and how much tolerance you have for the trouble of it is all. I guess mine was pretty high.

I don’t think it’s cool that you’re so indifferent to the projectile vomiting and blowouts on the plane. I’m not sure that your desire to go on vacations overrides the extreme discomfort of your 200 co passengers.

That’s another thing to think about op. If you’re looking at vacations that involve flights, please don’t do it unless you think your kids will be okay travelers. Not fair to the other people and you can just wait a couple years.

[Anonymous]

We have two kids under 3, a year and a half apart in age. I miss traveling and like the idea of a family trip somewhere nearby for a few days, either in April or this summer. However, every time I start researching places I think about all the things we would have to bring, how the kids’ routines would be disrupted, nothing would be baby-proofed, etc, and it just seems overwhelming. We’ve done two road trips to Upstate NY to visit relatives, and those trips were exhausting. Is there any way to make a vacation with toddlers pleasant? Or better to just wait and save money for a trip when they’re older?

If you were exhausted by trips to visit relatives, I would not travel with two kids under age 3. You say that just thinking about it seems overwhelming.

But maybe you could rent a place at the beach for a couple of days if you want to get away. I would not try to do a sight seeing vacation . . . that's for sure. If I were in your shoes I would wait a few years. Take your kids to the park or a nearby beach for the day. Get take out food. Enjoy the small things in life.

[Anonymous]

One couple I know leaves the baby with grandparents and takes just the older kid on trips. So that's how some people cope, I guess.

I have one awesome and easygoing kid, and local trips from ages 0-2 were not worth it. Had to still parent but with less of your stuff.

Kid is almost 4 now, and I think he's more than ready to be a solid travel buddy. Our first real trip we're doing an all-inclusive and bringing my mom. I like adding a third adult as another set of eyes.

Would have never been caught dead doing an AI before kids, but looking forward to not having to do food prep or stress about how much stuff costs. Also booked a place that had stuff tailored to families--suites with a second bedroom for naps, and a kids club he can go to. I'd say an AI with a short 3-4 hour flight could be a solid first option. We are doing the Finest Punta Cana, but Finest Playa Mujeres gets really good reviews, too.

[Anonymous]

I have fond memories of going to St Thomas’s with my three year old and four month old, with an apartment that opened right onto a beach in a protected cove with no waves. The baby didn’t like being in the car on St John and obviously there were lots of things we couldn’t do, but it was nice for chill beach time and casual lunches out. And we went to the aquarium. Honestly we would have just gone to Rehobeth but we waited too long and St Thomas was about the same cost in August. It was good.