Nicole & Co.

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Traveling with a family

Nicole Andreini

Let’s be super honest - traveling with family is a feat. Traveling with family AND small children is a bigger feat.

I’ve been brainstorming for a while about how to write a blog post featuring all the travel tips I have for families, particularly with infants, but then I had this revolutionary idea.

I should not only feature someone who knows it better than me, but we should also probably give away a family vacation.

Oh, you think I’m joking?

NOPE

I’ve partnered with a bunch of badasses this month to not only give you the need-to-know deets on how to travel with a family (internationally, mind you!), but to also give you (yes, could be you!) all the things you need to have a family vacation of a lifetime.

As we work to plan for next year, and hopefully aren’t getting toooooo caught up in the bustle of holiday season yet, something we are making a priority as a family for next year is travel.

And then I realized, I am no travel expert. Not even kind of. In fact, Joey has never been on a plane, but he rocks road trips. And I’ve only been overseas once.

So, I needed to learn. And quickly, so I can plan accordingly! Cue, my badass friend Rachel, who is not only a super seasoned traveler, but a fellow mompreneur and expert in how-to blogs, if I do say so myself.

Not long ago, her and her husband, along with her parents, and Knox (10 months old) on a excursion to Italy and it was pure EPIC. And of course, in true Rachel style, she wrote an amazing blog about it with so many tips and tricks, that I found myself taking notes faster than I could even read. She’s that good.

You can read her whole post RIGHT HERE, but here are the need-to-knows for those skimmers out there:

airplane and airport tips:

  • Depending on the age of your babe, bring lots of snacks and toys.

  • Fly an airline that helps families (KLM was amazing).

  • Make friends with the people around you.

  • Chill out and let them roam as much as they can in the airport and plane before take off.

  • Wear comfy clothes.

  • Have lots and lots of wipes.

  • If you are bringing a stroller, make sure it’s easy to fold down so it can go through security.

  • Make sure your carry ons are organized and you know where everything is.

  • Be prepared to not sleep.

tips for busy sight-seeing days

  • Be willing to take breaks

  • Wear lots of sunscreen

  • Buy Gelato

  • Have a stroller and a carrier

  • Have a blanket or something to use for diaper changes

  • Snacks, snacks, snacks

  • Bring lots of wipes

  • Have a plan for your route

general tips

  • Know that things will not go as planned, so be flexible.

  • Our child was very active, but not yet walking when we were gone, so I had to let him crawl in public places. Gross? Yes. But, I had to let him move and crawl at some point.

  • Always have snacks, diapers, and wipes. Always.

  • Have a good baby carrier that can be used for front and back carry.

  • Bring a small, compact stroller.

  • Make everything you need for the baby easily accessible and organized.

  • Ditch the schedule of naps and bedtime and just enjoy your time.

  • Stay at hotels vs. airbnbs because you are more likely to be able to get a crib and also have a bigger bed.

  • Naps: all of his naps were either in the car seat or Ergo.

  • If you’re going to Italy: Italians love babies, use it to your advantage :)

  • We packed all the diapers and wipes we needed, so we didn’t have to be stressed about buying them there.

  • We packed everything in a very organized way to make sure we both always knew where everything was.

  • If you don’t have access to laundry, make sure you bring enough clothes. We went through 2-3 outfits a day.

  • Use sunscreen!

But without further ado, I know you want to win a family vacation so you can put all this to use!

I’m excited to announce that I’ve partnered with these amazing brands to give you so many tools, gift cards, CASH and style must haves for travel. And of course, a JoJo because as we all know, you definitely need one of those for travel (more on that next week!)

Here’s what you can win:

01. $300 hotel voucher from Triphop
02. JoJo Infant and Toddler Lounger (perfect for travel) from Nicole&Co. ($119 value)
03. 3-month subscription to SCOUTbox ($114 value)
04. $250 Amazon gift card from Project Mom
05. $300 shopping credit to DiscountGlasses.com
06. Five pairs of Fuzzy Babba slippers! ($90 value)
07. A watch and bracelet set from Mon Amie ($125 value)

Giveaway closes November 17th, just in time for holiday gift giving, too!