03/26/2026
Love to travel, but worried about traveling with littles? I have tips!!
I have a 5 and 3 year old, and I’ve made a choice to continue to travel frequently with them. Thankfully, they’re really good travelers, don’t mind most car rides, flew from ATL-LAX without issues when they were 4 and 2, and are generally laid back.
HOWEVER, they are still small children and need accommodations!
They are VERY picky eaters. My youngest struggles to sleep. They do get bored in long lines. My oldest is nervous to try new things. So what do I do? I plan ahead.
*I preview my restaurant choices to make sure when we walk in, there’s a good chance my kids will eat SOMETHING. I also bring lots of snacks, and even bread and peanut butter, on trips to backfill meals that may not have been winners for them.
*I plan the pacing of the trip, and also see how far I can stretch them. I’ve learned that 5 hrs in the car or on a plane is about the limit where they are pretty happy. We drove from Knoxville to Valdosta in a day (around 7 hrs), and they were not happy to get in the car the next day. The driving limit will vary kid to kid, but that’s where my kids’ comfortable range is.
*I’m conscious of time zones and jet lag with my youngest. Our trip to California threw her sleep off for MONTHS, so I’ve been staying in the 1-2 hr time difference with her. We are planning to all go to Guatemala this summer, and thankfully it will only be a 2 hr time difference.
*I do NOT do bucket list travel with kids. I have many places I want to visit (shocker, I know), but I also realize their memories will be limited at this age. I take them places that are age appropriate that we will either visit multiple times throughout their childhood (like Orlando theme parks), or places that probably won’t be on their bucket list as they get older (like the UP in Michigan, which is AMAZING, but it doesn’t have the “bucket list” vibe that places like Paris do). I also don’t go to places on MY bucket list, as I want to be able to fully appreciate and soak in those places, and with littles, my attention is going to be significantly divided.
*Adjust expectations. You probably won’t have a “relaxing” vacation unless you bring additional people with you, but it can still be super fun! You may not be able to spend as much time in museums as you may like, or take the long river tour versus the express one. But with proper planning, everyone can have a great experience.
Need help working through these variables? I’m happy to help!
