Tips for traveling with baby & toddler

It's best to prepare a holiday with a baby carefully

Planning is everything:

Take time to prepare the trip well and find out as much as possible about travel and the destination. That way you can approach the journey more relaxed.

Get used to traveling:

Do a trial trip, for example for a long weekend to friends or relatives. This way your baby gets used to the situation and you know what to watch out for on the big holiday trip.

Packing list:

If you have a baby, you travel with a lot of luggage: Make a packing list in good time with everything you need to take for your child and don't be afraid to sort out unnecessary items again.

Travel documents:

Children also need a passport; in addition, international health insurance for the whole family and vaccination records are useful. Note: Parents who have a different last name than their children may have to present copies of the birth certificates when flying.

Travel time:

The advantage of a holiday with a baby is that you are not tied to school holidays. If possible, you should travel outside the peak season; this is more relaxed for everyone involved and usually much cheaper.

Choosing the destination – not so easy

Where should the first holiday with a baby go? Choosing the destination is difficult for many parents – often their own wishes and demands conflict with the needs of the child. But a trip with a baby doesn't have to be a compromise. Just use the holiday for new perspectives and, above all, for shared relaxation.

Travel without stress:

The top rule for traveling with a small child should be: as little stress as possible for everyone involved. Therefore, for a start a nearby destination is recommended. That way you are not on the road for too long and can get home quickly in an emergency. Especially along the German Baltic and North Sea coasts and in southern Germany there is a lot to experience and above all well-equipped hotels and holiday apartments for families with a baby.

Off to the sun?

Many parents simply want a relaxed beach holiday <Link> with a guarantee of sunshine. Of course, holidays in the south are possible with a baby too. Ideally you should choose a destination that is only a few hours' flight away and has good infrastructure. Not everyone appreciates club holidays, but a hotel or resort with childcare services and full board can contribute significantly to relaxation. If you prefer to rent a private holiday home in the south, make sure that the necessary baby equipment is available. Last but not least, long sunbathing sessions with a baby are difficult to impossible. Therefore choose a holiday destination that offers more than just a beach so you can vary activities.

What's the best way to travel with a baby?

Car:

Traveling on holiday by your own car has many advantages for parents with a baby. You are flexible regarding travel times and can take breaks as needed. In addition, you are mobile at the destination with a car and can easily make day trips or drive to a doctor in an emergency.

Everyone who has traveled on the motorways during holiday season knows the disadvantages of the car: crowded roads and stressed drivers; furthermore, you usually lose an entire day of vacation with the journey. A tip for traveling by car: drive at night — the roads are clear and your baby will sleep through most of the trip.

Train:

Traveling by train is relatively relaxed because parents have time to attend to their children and because you can move freely on the train. This makes longer journeys manageable even with small children. Some trains have special compartments for toddlers; on ICE trains there is often Wi-Fi and an entertainment offering.

If you travel by train on holiday, you should definitely reserve seats in advance and choose a date outside the school holidays. Being on an overcrowded train with a toddler and luggage or waiting for delayed connections is nerve-wracking and not a good start to the holiday.

Bus:

Bus trips have the advantage that they are cheap and that bus networks are very well developed, at least in Germany. Nevertheless, a longer bus trip with a baby is not recommended — the space in buses is too cramped and breaks are too infrequent. Baby seats or changing facilities are usually not available on buses either.

Plane:

Flights are ideal for more distant destinations — after only two to three hours of travel time you're in the sun. When booking online you can even find surprisingly cheap flights within Europe.

Most airlines are well prepared for families, so a flight with a baby is not a problem. It is important that you apply for a passport for your baby in good time and that you allow enough time to avoid hectic situations at the airport.

For the first holiday as a family of three: the baby hotel

Reisen mit Baby und Kleinkind | Mutter genießt mit Baby am Strand

Start the holiday without stress:

Only taking the necessities on holiday, maybe even taking just hand luggage onto the plane to the next exciting destination? Hard to imagine with a baby — too many things have to be considered, too much has to be packed. For many parents with small children this is an obstacle when planning the holiday, because when bottles, infant car seat, diapers and stroller have to come along, you quickly feel like a moving company on the trip. A very relaxed solution is therefore special baby hotels or family hotels.

What are baby hotels?

Baby hotels are specifically designed for the needs of families with small children. This is evident already in the hotels' equipment, but also in the service:

Child-friendly hotel rooms with family bed or baby cot, changing table, baby bathtub and bottle warmer
Playroom for the very little ones with ball pit, toys <Link> and a cozy corner
Child-friendly outdoor areas with many play options
Children's menu and a wide selection of baby food
Guest kitchen for preparing baby food
Wellness offers for babies and parents (swimming <Link>, sauna or baby massage)

In Germany there are now many baby and family hotels; there are also offerings in Austria, Switzerland and other European countries.

Family-friendly and suitable for families:

What many parents appreciate about baby hotels is not only the equipment, but above all the fact that they don't have to consider childless guests. Instead of having to apologize for baby crying or puree stains on the lunch table, parents can take the day relaxed. A babysitting service is often also offered, so parents can do something together as a couple.

Essential: the baby travel first-aid kit

Prepared for every eventuality:

Anyone traveling with a baby will quickly notice that the days of light luggage are over: everything from the changing bag to an extra supply of baby clothes to the buggy <Link> or even a travel cot <Link> has to come along. In many cases you can also manage locally – many hotels and holiday apartments have baby cots, high chairs or even loan buggies available.

What should be in the travel first-aid kit?

One thing you should definitely not do without in your luggage is the travel first-aid kit for your baby. Babies' immune systems are not yet fully developed and they can sometimes react very sensitively to all kinds of changes. It's not unusual for a baby to have diarrhea or constipation in the first days at the holiday destination or to develop a slight fever. You should prepare for such cases, and tried-and-tested remedies against cough, insect bites or teething pain also belong in the baby travel first-aid kit.

Local doctors and medications:

Of course you can also get children's medicines at most holiday destinations, and doctors and hospitals are often on site. But if the child wakes up with a fever at night or you don't feel confident explaining diarrhea or cough at a foreign-language pharmacy, it's better to have a "basic kit" with you. That way you can also be sure that your baby tolerates the medicines and that they are age-appropriate.

More information about the baby travel first-aid kit

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