Seaworld is offering a 2 for 1. Buy a one year pass for $109 and get the second year free. Considering adult admission is $69, go twice in 2 years and you have saved money. This deal lasts through 2010.
Preparation
Getting Started
We started having long weekend trips when our daughter was a couple months old. It was part of our normal life that we weren’t willing to give up, and I believe it helped her to get used to sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings and adjusting to fluctuating schedules. Newborns are great at this. Start early. Young babies adapt so easily to change, they sleep a lot and often anywhere. If your breastfeeding it makes it even easier for them to eat on command.
Pick a local destination to test the waters. Babies are usually fine with a couple of hours uninterrupted in the car. For longer trips we always try to plan around nap times for longer stretches of driving. As always with traveling with children be flexible with no strict timelines.
As my daughter gets older and more active we make strategic stops and fast food restaurants with play yards to blow off some steam. In our life this is the only time she eats fast food, really a burger and fries never hurts you once and while. But do pack plenty of snacks and drinks for car ride anyway.
Passport News
As of June 1, 2009 ALL persons leaving the US MUST have a current passport, including newborns, this includes driving, flying or travel by ship entry into Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean.
A children’s passport is valid for 5 years. All children under 16 applying for a passport must have both parents present. If only one parent is available the other must issue a notarized statement of consent. A passport can take 3 months to arrive, I suggest getting your passport as soon as possible even before a trip is planned. Expedited service is availble for an additional cost. It is possible to get an emergency passport from a local passport agency but the lines are slow and lengthy and when I had to do this in an emergency I had to prive I was flying the very next day. For detailed passport information and form
http://travel.state.gov/
FAQ
As I talk about my travels our read forums I see parents asking the same questions or having the same concerns. Here is a list of some of the most common questions. Have another question? Try putting it in the comment section and myself or others can try to answer.
Q: What are the rules and regulations regarding taxi cabs and children?
A:http://home2.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/faq_pass.shtml#9
Drivers of yellow medallion taxicabs and for-hire vehicles and their passengers, are exempt from laws regarding car seats and seatbelts. Keep in mind, the TLC encourages everyone in the vehicle to buckle their seatbelts while riding in a cab. There are no Taxi and Limousine Commission rules regarding this, as it is a State exemption. Passengers with children are encouraged to bring their own car seats, which the drivers must allow passengers to install.
*NOTE – Children under the age of seven are permitted to sit on an adult’s lap.
Q: What is the best approach to booking seats when flying with a baby or toddler?
A: There are so many varying opinions on this topic. Children under 2 are not required to have a dedicated seat. This seems to be most peoples dilemma, pay for the seat or wing it. Obviously if you pay for a seat you have more room, its that simple. But if you choose not to there are a few things to keep in mind.
For longer (overnight flights) there are bassinets. But there is usually only one and you cant reserve it ahead of time. First come first serve.
You may not sit in the emergency row but you can try to switch to bulk head. The downside to bulkhead is the arm rests don’t go up and I find that harder to deal with. I prefer a regular seat. Aisle vs window? Hard call you have to think about your child, many prefer to “trap” the child between them and the window. I like to be able to get up and down easily so I choose an aisle seat. Obviously if you have all three it is the best of all worlds.
If you have not purchased a seat for your baby, check the seating chart online the night before your flight. You will get an idea of how full the flight is. If you see plenty of open seats get there early and you may be moved next to an empty seat. Then bring your carseat (if you chose to bring one) up to the plane if the flight gets full they will check it for you to pick up later.
Tip: for infants slings seem to be easier and more comfortable for both baby and parent rather than a front carrier.
Q:What do you pack in your child’s travel bag?
Things are constantly evolving on that one. When Romy was younger we had a dedicated travel bag. Her own Hello Kitty backpack that kept toys and treats she didnt play with at other times. It had new books, sticker books, little figures and toys a dvd player. Besides the toys we brought a muslin blanket, snacks, a lovey and extra clothes just in case. To help spread out the toys during a long flight bring them out 1 at a time to maximize the interest, and mix old favorites with new treats.
Now at the ripe old age of 4 we can pack less a coloring book, nintendo, iphone, headphones, snacks and we are good to go.
TIP: Bring your own kid size head phones, more comfortable, reliable and you can bring them out immediately instead of waiting for them to be handed out. A lot of planes now have individual tvs.
Travel News, Deals and Offers
Its whale watching time
Late December through early April whales migrate to the warmer water in Baja California. There are plenty of boat trips leaving from Orange County, San Pedro and San Diego. San Diego is having a whale festival Jan 23 where children cruise free along with other activities. More info HERE. Not going to San Diego but still looking for a day trip? This website lists many more whale watching locations and harbors that offer day trips.
Deals
Seaworld is offering a 2 for 1. Buy a one year pass for $109 and get the second year free. Considering adult admission is $69, go twice in 2 years and you have saved money. This deal lasts through 2010.
Passport News
As of June 1, 2009 ALL persons leaving the US MUST have a current passport, including newborns, this includes driving, flying or travel by ship entry into Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean.
A children’s passport is valid for 5 years. All children under 16 applying for a passport must have both parents present. If only one parent is available the other must issue a notarized statement of consent. A passport can take 3 months to arrive, I suggest getting your passport as soon as possible even before a trip is planned. Expedited service is availble for an additional cost. It is possible to get an emergency passport from a local passport agency but the lines are slow and lengthy and when I had to do this in an emergency I had to prive I was flying the very next day. For detailed passport information and form
http://travel.state.gov/
Flying with Children
Children under 2 fly free. This is a mixed blessing with pros and cons you will have to weigh out for yourself. If you have a very active 20 month old on an international flight it might be worth the money for an extra seat to save your sanity. If your flying off season it is often worth the risk of saving the money on an expensive airfare and seeing if you can be seated next to an empty seat. I have found the airline employees are happy to accommodate you in this situation. We flew to Tokyo, a 12 hour flight, without an extra seat and both ways the airlines were happy to give us a choice of seats to help us. We lucked out and did have an extra seat, which I now realize we couldn’t have lived without. Although it is no guarantee, when booking your flight online and you have an option to pick your seat you can see how many available seats there are and and get an idea if the flight is very full. Be forewarned that children under 2 are not actually free, you must ALWAYS check your child in beforehand, do not just show up, even a lap child has to pay taxes on flights. For an international flight this can be several hundred dollars. Don’t wait until the last minute. Notify the airline you are traveling with a lap child when you make your reservation. Because they pay taxes on the price of the airfare, if you wait until the last minute the fare will be higher therefore higher taxes. More on this in the helpful hints section.
Romy in the bulkhead on the way to Tokyo
When traveling with an infant you can request a bulk head seat with the bassinet. For many airplanes there is only 1 bassinet and you can not reserve it ahead of time. In this case try to check in as early as possible, it is first come first served. You can not sit in the emergency exit section with a child, the most legroom after that is the bulkhead but that has some drawbacks. There is floor space for playing but the armrests don’t come up making it impossible to have your child lay between 2 seats. I have traveled in both and find the regular seats to be better.
As we all know children come with a lot of accessories. If your child has a seat they will be allowed the same check in and carry on allowance. If they do not have a seat there is no allowance and will charge you for extra baggage and still allow only your 2 carry ons plus a stroller OR carseat. Pack wisely.
Helpful Tips
*It is tempting to upgrade your seats to business class when traveling with a lap child, a lot of airlines will charge a percentage of the actual business class fare just for your lap child ( i.e. a lot $$)
*When packing for child try to have a separate bag that fits at your feat for easy access. I make trip to the 99 cent store for some new and disposable toys that can be ditched or given away at your destination. Then I do the same for the trip back.
*New toys are great to pull out one at a time as needed, but old favorites are comforting and nice to have at any time. Keep in mind you neighbors will appreciate toys without sound effects. We like various drawing toys, a portable dvd, games and books. A toy airplane from the airport occupied my toddler for 4 hours, who knew. Look under products for creative travel toys
* Wrapping new toys can add a new level of excitement and prolong the play time. Just make sure you leave an open end for the security check
*Fly direct whenever you can, it is worth the extra money, less hassle and risk of missing a flight or losing luggage.
*Choose an aisle seat for the many bathroom breaks and possible runs down the aisle for the inexperienced and practicing walkers.
*Bring and extra outfit for your baby and at least a top for you. Accidents happen.
*Liquids from home are taken away at security, you will then be forced to buy overpriced beverages from the airport. There is an allowance for a small amount breast milk or formula, I have heard on occasion they have asked to prove it by taking a sip.
*Look into house and apt rentals for your destination. You will have more room and amenities and is often cheaper. This is a must for our family.
*If traveling with an infant without a carseat, for short taxi rides, bring along a front baby carrier, in a pinch you can strap yourself in with the seat belt and put the baby in the carrier tightly attached to you. This is not officially safe andwe can not responsible for the actual safelty of this practice, but it has been done
*For nice restaurants we don’t think our child will appreciate or behave in we plan for a nice lunch. It is usually less crowded and cheaper
*Bring an inexpensive digital camera for your older child to have with them, they will enjoy taking there own photos, it will also keep them focused the sights and activities, you will enjoy having their photos along with yours
*Don’t over schedule yourself, plan for breaks at parks and places to run around.
*Plan some meals at off times to get away from some of the crowds and quite often your little one will sleep through meals and allow you an leisurely drink and snack
**Some of our favorite kids programs encourage travel, exploration and show other countries and cultures. Toot and Puddle is a favorite along with Madeline, Charlie and Lola and Dora. These simple programs have sparked conversations of other countries and travel
*Nursing a baby during take off and landing will help their ears adjust from the changing cabin pressure
*Our iphone has been proven our most valuable travel accessory. Small and portable it has been loaded with useful applications and games. (adults and kids) Be sure to to read the information at AT&T about international travel. Just having the phone on and receiving email will rack up international data roaming charges. We buy a temporary international data package, cancel it when we gat home and it is well worth it.
Some of our favorite iphone applications:
Currency for exchange rates
Yelp find restaurants, banks, gas stations and more. We love Yelp
Preschool Adventure a cute game for toddlers
Lifecards make postcards out of your photos
Free Translator
Travelto (various destinations)
Scrabble I am addicted
Flighttrack well..to track flights
doodlejump addictive game for all ages
kidart my daughter loves this
World Customs & Cultures cultural information and facts for for nearly every country
do a search for the city or country you are visiting and you will find several apps dedicated to that city. Paris has at 75 different applications
Gear, Books, Toys
Sorry for the annoying display, but here are a selection of products I either have first hand experience, have heard great things about or just look plain cool. Some gear, some toys, some books all that I hope contribute to a smooth travel experience.
GEAR
Wish List
I don’t know how else to categorize this as to just say it is my own personal wish list plus some. There is not a moment I don’t mentally have a trip planned. These are just few family related destinations I have come across that have sparked my interest. I hope to be able to write about them for a first hand experience but in the meantime I will continue to dream and plan in my mind or perhaps one of these will become your next vacation.
Mohonk Mountain House, New Platz New York
At $600 a night (meals included) his is way above my current budget but it looks so amazing I hope to make it someday. It is a 265 room Victorian Castle set on the waters of Lake Mohonk. You wont be bored with 85 miles of hiking trails, boating, swimming, ice skating, horseback riding and so much more. Its not all for the kids there is a new spa with an indoor heated pool, golf, fly fishing (and more). Plenty of night time activities are available including movies, dancing and campfires.
Choose between summer or winter activities for a completely different experience.
A girl can dream.
African Safari anyone?
This can be an entire post in of itself. African Safari options seem to be endless. Romy is still quite young for this but it is something we plan to do when she is around 10. In the small amount of research I have done I came across this place in Botswana. It caters to all types, from professional travelers, backpackers and families. It is not a safari but at average of $200 a night people add this on to their safari for a little rest and relaxation. Unchartedafrica has several camps and excursions but Planet Baobab is the funky cousin serving vegetarian meals, pool, and mud hut accommodations. Mingle with other travelers at the bar overlooking the elephants at their watering hole.
http://www.unchartedafrica.com
Safari in California
I had known about this before having a child and I knew it was something I wanted to do as a family. It is a Safari here in California. Sleep in an African safari tent and and roam the wildlife preserve in a off road vehicle. Over 600 animals to get up close and personal with, including giraffes and zebras. Paired with a visit in wine country sounds like the perfect long weekend to me.
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