It depends on the kid. My older child is super easygoing and adventurous and was fun to travel with at all ages from toddler on. My younger child is far more picky/more of a homebody and is still tough to travel with at 9.

Anonymous wrote:25

Not too far from the truth!!

There's nothing better in life for me right now than traveling with my 23 year old DD. We are super close and just have the best time together.

But seriously, I took her all over the world from the age of six months - but I only have one. I think it's a lot easier with only one child.

Between 7 and 14 then it gets bad again.

Probably youngest 5 or so. Depends on what you are doing. We always do vacations where they will have fun. Disney, beach resorts, etc. they said their friends day going to museums and castles in Europe is so boring.

I'd say youngest 4-5 as well. Not having to plan around a nap or drag a stroller is critical.

You’ve got a few years. For us not needing a nap was key.

9 for us but I have an only. At 13 he helps plan now which I love

10

LOL that depends on your kids. I have one who has social anxiety and hates new, loud places (think markets, shops, restaurants) so it always sucks.

At 5 and 7 we had a great time for 3 weeks in Acadia National Park. We didn't do overseas until 12 and 14, and in-between did a lot of national park vacations, Caribbean (including Costa Rica) and visiting grandparents

Man OP you are still in years when of course it's no fun to travel with kids stage! After Mexico with my 1 1/2 yr old we didn't resume much travel till my SECOND was 5!!!

Isn't that just logic though? Who wants take 2 under 5 in any 5+ hr trips? Every kid is different but age 5. That's your magic age typically

Anonymous wrote:My kids are 1.5 and 3 and traveling with them is exhausting. When does it get better?

Parenting those ages away from home is very challenging unless your kids are very chill.

We did beach house trips and ski house trips so far. Just started being much easier at 5 and 8 this year. We visited a European city for spring break. And ski trip last winter was pretty easy - put both kids into ski school too. No naps, less pickiness about food and general stamina. Looking forward to our beach vacation this year, we are taking bikes and will be able to venture out much more. Caveat that my kids do like to drive for long so we don't take road trips.

My older two are also 1.5 years apart.

There was BIG improvement when the youngest was three. Out of the high chair, out of the crib, out of diapers, and while both still napped, missing a nap wasn’t a disaster anymore, which made the actual travel days much easier. Way less stuff to shlepp.

We got a couple of pretty enjoyable (though still exhausting) trips in before #3 was born.

My oldest is now 5.5 and doesn’t nap, and he can see how this would be another big step up in travel fun. He’s starting to read a bit, can have more “adult” conversations, appreciates new places and things like museums (in small doses), no nap, much more independent. I think if he was my youngest (and not my oldest) we’d be solidly into fun, minimally stressful travel and would be thinking about big trips like to Europe and stuff.

Traveling with under 3s sucks.

3 and 5. But we’ve traveled with them since they were your kids age and found it enjoyable in its own way. It just got exponentially easier and I think part of the reason was because we had a comparison of the experience you likely just had.