I am admittedly a beach hater, but I agree with the NYC suggestion. Use a carrier, not a stroller, for the subway and buses.

Anonymous wrote:A 4 month old is a fabulous travel partner! No set nap schedule, no food to carry around... it seems daunting if it's your first/only, but in retrospect it's the best time to go. I vote Europe! Strolling, cafes, museums, and no funny looks when nursing. Get a great carrier so you can wear her, and pack light for yourself.

Yes! And I recommend taking trips via train (instead of driving) because you can interact with the baby and get up and walk around if you (or baby!) wants a change of scenery. Often a red cap will let you pre-board with your stroller so you can keep the stroller right in front of you (you sit in one of the wheelchair accessible seats) and you can let the baby nap in there. The trains aren't usually too crowded and I've always been able to find a free wheelchair accessible seat. You can take Amtrak to a bunch of cool cities up/down the east coast. Have fun!

NYC would be a great trip. I lived there until my youngest was two, and there were tons of things to do with a baby. You can take a baby almost anywhere in NYC and can breastfed anywhere too. Go to the museums, then have a picnic lunch in Central Park while the baby naps. Take the Staten Island Ferry on a round trip then have lunch outside in NY Harbor (behind the World Financial Center) while you people watch and enjoy a drink. Stroll through SoHo and shop. Get lunch at a truck and walk over to the Hudson and eat it on a bench while the baby naps. You can always take the baby out to dinner with you or get really good takeout to eat in the hotel when the baby goes to sleep.

I am so impressed with your adventurous spirit, OP! I wish I'd had your courage when mine oldest was a baby. DH worked all the time too, but DS1 was a terrible sleeper and very colicky, so we never went anywhere. It was awful. I think we all would have been happier if I'd had the courage to just get out more. You are awesome!

active babies do get into sand and it sticks to their hands, then goes in their mouth and eyes. not sure why people are getting snarky about people expressing their own experience. have some more coffee people and happy monday!

charlottesville is a good drive, pretty and scenic, nice place to walk around the downtown mall, with some great outdoor seating /restaurants and you can stroll through the grounds of uva, pretty this time of year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:sun and sand is a pain?

wow. Give me pain anyday. My kids LOVE the beach. WIth a small baby, you can put them on a blanket, covered with umbrella while they nap and you can read a book and stare at the ocean. You can taken them for a dip in the pool. you can take them to a restaurant on the beach, you can put them in a carrier and take a walk. etc. Yes, they get dirtier than if you took them to a museum in an ergo, but I guess it depends on what kind of vacation you want.

I don't know what beaches you've been too so maybe there are exceptions - but based on my experience a baby on a blanket would be covered in sand. Sand in the diaper. Sand in the face. Sand in their clothes. They can't play in the sand, they can only go in the water for short bursts, and you'd have to worry about sunburn.

Yes, to me that is a pain. We love the beach. But not with a young infant.

How does baby get covered in sand if they arent even crawling yet?? Geez. Once you lay the blanket down and nobody walks on it, baby will be find. I never found my infant having the problem with sand like you describe, maybe should ask what beach YOU have been to

I have also seen parents bring a pack n play down to the beach as well. It IS do-able

Sand is kicked up when people walk by (or by the wind).

Did you beach defensive PPs notice that the OP was asking for advice on a vacation spot for a 4 month old? I gave mine. There's no need to argue and defend going to the beach, especially since it is not an insult.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:sun and sand is a pain?

wow. Give me pain anyday. My kids LOVE the beach. WIth a small baby, you can put them on a blanket, covered with umbrella while they nap and you can read a book and stare at the ocean. You can taken them for a dip in the pool. you can take them to a restaurant on the beach, you can put them in a carrier and take a walk. etc. Yes, they get dirtier than if you took them to a museum in an ergo, but I guess it depends on what kind of vacation you want.

I don't know what beaches you've been too so maybe there are exceptions - but based on my experience a baby on a blanket would be covered in sand. Sand in the diaper. Sand in the face. Sand in their clothes. They can't play in the sand, they can only go in the water for short bursts, and you'd have to worry about sunburn.

Yes, to me that is a pain. We love the beach. But not with a young infant.

Never had that problem with baby + sand (diaper or clothes). maybe that was you with the problem.

Plus, putting some baby powder on helps keep the sand off.

I felt like I could go anywhere on my own at 4 months, but i wouldn't drive a long time - we flew.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:sun and sand is a pain?

wow. Give me pain anyday. My kids LOVE the beach. WIth a small baby, you can put them on a blanket, covered with umbrella while they nap and you can read a book and stare at the ocean. You can taken them for a dip in the pool. you can take them to a restaurant on the beach, you can put them in a carrier and take a walk. etc. Yes, they get dirtier than if you took them to a museum in an ergo, but I guess it depends on what kind of vacation you want.

I don't know what beaches you've been too so maybe there are exceptions - but based on my experience a baby on a blanket would be covered in sand. Sand in the diaper. Sand in the face. Sand in their clothes. They can't play in the sand, they can only go in the water for short bursts, and you'd have to worry about sunburn.

Yes, to me that is a pain. We love the beach. But not with a young infant.

How does baby get covered in sand if they arent even crawling yet?? Geez. Once you lay the blanket down and nobody walks on it, baby will be find. I never found my infant having the problem with sand like you describe, maybe should ask what beach YOU have been to

I have also seen parents bring a pack n play down to the beach as well. It IS do-able

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We aren't afraid of sun and sand - its just a pain to deal with (which is not something you necessarily want to add on a vacation).

Beaches were more fun as toddlers/preschoolers. Before that, it was difficult.

also something the op would have to deal with on a solo vacation.

you must not be very adventurous. I have gone on many solo trips with both of my kids from the time they were a baby!

I used to put the baby in the dog's pop-up crate for naps, otherwise on a blanket on the sand. Sure, she got sandy, but whatever. Sand isn't the end of the world....sluiced her off in the ocean every so often: just take off the dipe and swish. It is a big ocean and somewhere, someone else has peed in it already, it won't hurt the baby. A little sun is good for them, just don't let them burn.

She would play with the dogs and they kept her close. If I looked away for a second, I didn't worry.

OP, I don't have any suggestions but I am incredibly impressed! I haven't figured out how to go to the grocery store on the own with my fussy 4 month old.

I would avoid the beach only because that doesn't sound like fun for me personally, solo. But if you're into it, get a sun shade tent and go for it.

A 4 month old is a fabulous travel partner! No set nap schedule, no food to carry around... it seems daunting if it's your first/only, but in retrospect it's the best time to go. I vote Europe! Strolling, cafes, museums, and no funny looks when nursing. Get a great carrier so you can wear her, and pack light for yourself.

Anonymous wrote:sun and sand is a pain?

wow. Give me pain anyday. My kids LOVE the beach. WIth a small baby, you can put them on a blanket, covered with umbrella while they nap and you can read a book and stare at the ocean. You can taken them for a dip in the pool. you can take them to a restaurant on the beach, you can put them in a carrier and take a walk. etc. Yes, they get dirtier than if you took them to a museum in an ergo, but I guess it depends on what kind of vacation you want.

I don't know what beaches you've been too so maybe there are exceptions - but based on my experience a baby on a blanket would be covered in sand. Sand in the diaper. Sand in the face. Sand in their clothes. They can't play in the sand, they can only go in the water for short bursts, and you'd have to worry about sunburn.

Yes, to me that is a pain. We love the beach. But not with a young infant.

sun and sand is a pain?

wow. Give me pain anyday. My kids LOVE the beach. WIth a small baby, you can put them on a blanket, covered with umbrella while they nap and you can read a book and stare at the ocean. You can taken them for a dip in the pool. you can take them to a restaurant on the beach, you can put them in a carrier and take a walk. etc. Yes, they get dirtier than if you took them to a museum in an ergo, but I guess it depends on what kind of vacation you want.