3 months abroad
3 Months Abroad
Deciding on where to travel can be overwhelming for anyone, but for new parents this task can seem even more daunting. Here you will find my tips for planning a long trip with your little ones in hopes to make planning your next trip a little simpler.
This will be our first international holiday with Fynn and there was a lot to take into account as we planned our trip. I will walk you through some of the questions we asked ourselves, how we decided on when and where to go and my travel checklist. Hopefully some of this advice will ease some of the stress of planning! Bon Voyage!
Ask Yourself
Have we been there before and did we feel comfortable walking around?
Was there a lot of steps, hills, no sidewalks etc?
Did we feel that the location had a wide range of things to do including things that would interest a child?
Was there accessible public transportation to most sightseeing we wanted to do?
Did we feel that getting to this location/locations would be a somewhat seamless experience?
Did we love the location enough to do it again?
Would this be a “No” environment for him. I will explain this later.
What are my expectations of the trip?
What do I wish to accomplish?Is this trip for relaxation? Adventures? Sightseeing? Mixed?
My Advice on the “No Environment”
I always consider the environment Fynn, now two years old, will be in. It would be unfair of me to put him into an environment where I would need to tell him “No” or “Don’t” 90% of the time. I want the travel experience to be just as exciting for him as it will be for us! I want to promote curiosity safely. We considered locations that would allow him to explore safely and also allow us to have a great time without having to tell him “No” all the time. To sum it up- you don't take a bull into a china shop or in this case, a toddler!
Locations for this trip
UK: London, Brighton, Canterbury, Salisbury
FRANCE: Nice, Marseille, Aix en Provence, L’isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Orange, Lyon, (a-lot of the south), Paris
SPAIN: Barcelona, TBD Majorca
MOROCCO: Marrakech
ITALY: Rome, Florence, Luca, Bologna, Cinque Terre, TBD Venice, TBD Verona
Many of these locations have accessible public transportation and major international airports. They are also all places we have been to before- sometimes more than 3x before. So we are confident in where to eat, where to stay, and what neighborhoods to explore.
I will be putting together a travel Itinerary for all of these locations!
Be Prepared to Pivot
A parent always knows their families limitations when it comes how much you want to risk shaking up the routine. Consider what kind of trip you are open to and respect it. Go into the experience ready to pivot and understand that the experience you had before children at this location may not be the same experience you have the second time. That's OK. I think that embracing your new role as parents while traveling doesn't have to be frustrating or intimidating. Being able to pivot and know that some things may not always go as planned and understanding the parameters of your family's comfortability is important when deciding on when and where to travel.
Season
We personally like traveling in Spring & Late Summer. Some people don't like the heat and would prefer Fall & Winter. Consider how much you want to pack, the crowds or lack there of, the places you want to visit and excursions that would fit your interests during that season. Depending on the experience you are looking for may depend on what time of season you book!
Transportation
This used to be a no brainer for Jon and I before we had Fynn. But now that we have a little one we have had to put a bit more effort into thinking about his safety and ease of traveling. We have considered each location based on the accessible public transportation. Because we will be spending 2.5 months in France we have opted to purchase a car seat while we are there and not bring one with us initially. The two weeks leading up to France and the two weeks after will be mostly plane and train. We did book one private transfer in London that guarantees a car seat. For those who don't have the option to purchase a car seat at the new destination, most airlines will check a car seat and travel baby bed for FREE. You can also check a stroller or gate check if you wish to use it until you board the plane.
Our Travel Stroller
We did SO much research for our travel stroller. We considered the growth it would have with Fynn, the comfortability, weight, and how easy it was to use. We went with the JOOLZ AER stroller. It has traveled with us to : San Francisco, Charlotte NC, Yosemite, San Diego & Hawaii and soon Europe! It has NEVER let us down and most importantly Fynn is very comfortable in it. It is so easy to pop open and is definitely the lighter of the options when traveling, most importantly fits in the overhead bin on most airlines.. The wheels are smooth just like our Vista and I can say it also has shocks to help absorb rougher terrain so your little one doesn't have to feel every bump. We have turned this stroller on the three other families so far and they all LOVE IT!
Shop Joolz Aer
Tips on How to Pack
Never overpack but always prepared! Think about how you want to carry your items, your back? Suitcase? Overhead bin for a quick exit on planes and trains? Checking bag and being hands free? These are all things to consider.
Bring it back down to the basics
Think about layering
Bring things you can dress comfortably or dress up
Wear what you feel confident in- don't try and experiment on vacation
Be practical based on the things you will be doing
Choose items that you feel you could add to while you are shopping at your destination
My Packing Staples: (season permitting)
Laceless Sperrys in white / I love being able to slip these on and off- they are always comfortable for me and always match everything I wear, dresses included
Neutral colored sweater for layering
Already worn in sandals in a neutral color
One Purse, usually one I can use over the shoulder or as a clutch for dresser occasions by taking off the strap
Travel Steamer- I never leave home without it
I keep my makeup and skin routine simple
Hair Straightener (this will vary for each person) but I usually wear my hair natural when on holiday but occasionally want it straight)
What I NEVER bring: this will vary depending on person but this is my personal list:
Curling Iron or Hair Dryer- You can live without these most likely
Running shoes- We do so much walking- that is my workout
Hats- I wish I was one of those trendy people with hats, but I can't be bothered with them. If I need a hat- I will buy one at my destination
Swimsuit cover ups- I always end up throwing a dress over my swimwear
Scarf- always end up in my shopping bags more than around my neck
How we are packing:
Jon: One carry on suitcase & backpack
Eryn: One carry on suitcase & backpack
Travel Stroller
Tip! When we do check Fynn’s carseat I always pack it with extra diapers and wipes! You get a little extra packing space for free. Since we will not be bringing his carseat, I will only be bringing what I need to get us through the first few days and purchase more at our location.
You must be wondering how you will survive with a toddler with only two carry on size bags? The truth is you really don't need half the items you use at home! What I love about traveling is that it reminds you of how simple you can live. If we really need something we can just purchase it while we are there- no need to carry the whole house with you.
We also always use compression sacks. We do not use the ones that require a vacuum but professional compression sacks REI. I will share the link below. We LOVE these and they are so easy to use and wash! My travel steamer cleans up wrinkles perfectly on all my clothes and it takes no time at all! Here is a similar brand to ours:
My Essentials for the Plane:
Chapstick
Headphones
Phone
Charger
Eye Mask
Laptop (pre-fynn I could spend time writing) this is TBD now we have him with us.
Notebook- Sometimes pen to paper is therapeutic to me so I always have oneEmpty water bottle/snacks
My favorite Tea bags
Compression Socks
Fynn’s Essentials-snacks, change of clothes and entertainment
What I Do not bring on the plane: my personal list
A neck pillow-never use them
Blanket -always have my small sweater
Books- I can never focus on reading on a airplane
Makeup- I usually just moisturize and go makeup free especially for overnight flights
Coffee or Food from the terminals-need to be a hands free mama
Large suitcases or duffle bags
Flights to Europe
Always buy round trip tickets opposed to one way tickets. Purchasing one way tickets is always expensive.
(We)always purchase a round trip ticket out of London Heathrow Airport. For most of our EU/UK travel.
We always fly out of San Francisco International Airport SFO because they have many options for flight times.
We always fly at night- easier to transition to our new destination (this time our flight leaves at 7:45pm) booking hopper flights to your main destination out of London Heathrow is usually available and the difference in cost instead of buying a one way ticket is significantly less- you just need to account for the end of your trip and get back to your main airport to fly home. The UK is so central and offer a lot of international flights.
When starting to book your trip, always make sure to check train times to see if they match up with your plane arrival time. I always allow plenty of time in between if possible.
We use SkyScanner to view available airlines and destinations specified by date, this is very helpful when planning out your travel.
Websites useful for trains
Websites useful for flights: