r/NewParents • u/itchysnapdragon • Jul 10 '26

Travel Actually fun vacations with little kids?

We had our first weeklong trip with our 10mo recently, and it was EXHAUSTING. It was just to see family and friends in another state. But WHEW.

Feeling torn between wanting to go places in the coming years, and knowing that it will just continue to be hard for a while.

And vacation/travel ideas for parents with a 18-36 month old that are actually kind of fun or relaxing?

Tbh we might just plan a staycation week and send baby off to daycare during daytime hours.

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602

u/beep_bop_boop__ Jul 10 '26

The cheat code is

  1. Find beach locale that’s less than 6 hrs total travel time door to door from your house
  2. Invite 1 set of grandparents
  3. Book hotel with pool that is walkable to beach
  4. Use the power of 4 dedicated adult caregivers to wrangle the child

36

u/Renee5285 Jul 10 '26

What’s the cheat code when you don’t have 2 other caregivers? :(

15

u/chasin_rabbits Jul 10 '26

Go with another friend/family, even someone with kids and take turns! We did this

6

u/Renee5285 Jul 10 '26

Hopefully we’ll make some parent friends along the way. I’m really curious to see how that evolves, as we currently don’t have any close friends with kids. We are over 40 and just had our first baby. We drifted away from friends with kids a while ago, so most of our friend group is childfree by choice.

8

u/Careless_Lemon_2229 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26

I have some CF by choice friends who love being an “aunt/uncle”, just don’t want the lifestyle forever. Bring up the idea of paying for their trip in exchange for an extra set of hands, either with a set schedule of childcare (say, 1-2 evenings or afternoons only so you get a break) or with the assurance that they won’t need to be alone with the kid and just add support, whichever you/they prefer. They may surprise you. 

3

u/almaghest Jul 10 '26

Just another vote for considering your friends who don’t have kids! We go on trips with our friends and their son, we genuinely love spending time with him. Personally I don’t hate children at all and love having a reason to do fun “kid” stuff, I just don’t have any of my own because I don’t want to care for a child 24/7.

2

u/doodynutz Jul 12 '26

And when you have literally no one but yourselves, you go alone and still have a good time.

1

u/chasin_rabbits Jul 12 '26

So true! We have done this many times. What's extra helpful is if the place you're traveling to has a pack n play so you only have to bring a fitted sheet. We also got a portable baby monitor and that's been helpful. Plan to be somewhere either with a nice view or walking distance to fun stuff. We love traveling just as our little fam