How to Plan a Trip with a Toddler

I have written a bunch of posts on trips I’ve taken with my toddler, and I’ve also written about what to bring on those trips. But maybe the most important part is how to plan a trip with a toddler. How to figure out where to go, where to stay, what to do… all the things. If you never plan the trip, you won’t need a list of toddler travel essentials.

I am currently planning a trip to Banff with our toddler. She is almost 3. Banff has been on my bucket list for years, so I am ecstatic to finally be going.

With my prior experience of toddler trip planning + the planning of this trip, I’m going to share how to plan a trip with a toddler. I’ll give as much advice as I can.

Also, toddlers are different. If some of the things I say don’t apply to your family, change it up. These are just tips to help if you’re staring at a computer screen wondering where to start with your trip planning.

Plan a Trip with a Toddler Jump To:

Figure Out Where To Go

Read posts on the best places to visit with toddlers. I can vouch for Grand Haven, Michigan, Iceland, anywhere with a beach, and Colorado. If you have a certain geographical location in mind, that’s helpful. If you’re thinking Europe, google “best places to travel in Europe with kids.” You get the gist.

Think about where your whole family might enjoy. Iceland was perfect because my husband and I love the outdoors. Iceland is SO beautiful. But it also had farm animals, awesome playgrounds, and cool rocks for our toddler.

Next, check to see if it’s a safe place to visit.

Also search to see if it’s a family friendly place. In reality, any place that’s safe should be totally fine to take your kiddo; kids exist everywhere, right? But some places are just more welcoming to young children than others. If that matters to you, it’s worth the google.

If you have a certain time the trip needs to be, google the best locations to visit then. You probably don’t want to go to the coast of Italy in the winter.

Determine When Your Trip Will Be

You might have a set time that the trip must be, and then you’re all set with this one.

If you have some flexibility, figure out when your options are and then move on to the next step.

Find Your Flights

While I have taken many, many flights, I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m an expert at this. And I also don’t know if the experts are actually experts either.

Some of it is common sense — if you’re flying in the US during the week of a holiday, it’s going to be expensive, so you should book in advance. Flying on weekdays is cheaper than flying on the weekend. If you take the horribly timed flights – early morning or late at night – they will be cheaper. Off-seasons are also usually cheaper.

Some of it is random too, though. I found our flights to Calgary 2 weeks before the trip, and they were less than $300 per person. I wouldn’t have thought we’d get a good deal on flights so close to the trip and in the height of tourist season in Banff.

I have really grown to like Google Flights, so I usually start there. I use the calendar and change up my days based on the prices. It will tell you if the current price is average, more expensive, or cheaper than usual. You can also set price alerts and see if the price drops or goes up.

If you’re flying within the US, check Southwest flights separately. They don’t show up on a lot of flight searches and sometimes have good deals. The 2 checked bags is also awesome when you’re traveling with a toddler.

Consider the flight times and what your toddler is like. If you have a magical toddler that would sleep in the car and on a 5am flight, go for it. But if you have a terrible travel sleeper, pick better flight times.

Do I have to book a plane seat for my toddler?

If they’re under 2, no. They can be a lap child, which means they will literally sit in your lap and not take up a seat. If there are extra seats on the plane you can sometimes get one of those for your toddler for free the day of.

If they’re 2 or older, they need a regular seat just like yours.

Book Accommodations – Plan a Trip with a Toddler

This one can go hand in hand with booking your flight. Depending on where you’re going/how soon your trip is, you might want to check accommodations before you book your flight.

I got really stoked about cheap flights to Santa Barbara once, and then when I looked at AirBnbs they were outrageously expensive. We ended up not booking the trip because of the cost of accommodations.

Flexibility helps with accommodations too. If it’s last minute, try staying at more than one place. Sometimes you can find a few nights at one place and a few nights at another spot.

Things to think about when booking accommodations with a toddler:

• Having a separate bedroom allows you to have some space to hang out in once your toddler goes to bed in the bedroom. You’re all sharing the same space in a hotel room.
• Being close to the attractions is helpful. You don’t want to spend tons of time driving a toddler around. It might be worth paying a little extra to be closer to the things you want to do.
• Is it kid friendly? Some places specifically say kid-friendly, have playgrounds, a pool, toys, etc.
• Do you need laundry? You might want to pack less and do laundry during your trip.
• Check the reviews. And make sure there are reviews! You don’t want to show up to a crummy or nonexistent place with your toddler.

Book Other Important Things

Other things you might need to book ahead of time:

• A rental car at your destination.
• Parking at your home airport.
• Excursions that might sell out if you don’t reserve them ahead of time.
• Some people use BabyQuip to rent baby gear at their destinations.
• Any extra bags you might be bringing on your flight – it’s usually cheaper to add these ahead of time.

Have All Your Travel Requirements Ready

This will depend on your destination.

If you’re staying within your own country, great. Just bring your kiddo’s birth certificate just in case.

If you’re traveling internationally, you’ll need a passport for your toddler. Get this months ahead of time.

I would also recommend getting TSA Precheck, so you can move more quickly through the airport. It’s very helpful when traveling with kids.

Pro Tip: Keep screenshots of important travel documents in a separate photo album on your phone. Screenshots of hotel confirmations, car rental info, activity reservations, etc.

Read Next: The Best Tips for Flying with a Toddler and How to Go Camping with a Toddler

Figure Out What To Do On Your Trip

This is the fun part! But also where it’s easy to overanalyze everything…

When trying to find the best things to do in a new place, I read a ton of things about that place. I read bloggers’ posts, I check Tripadvisor, I read tourism websites, I sometimes order books on the place… It can get to be a bit much, but I don’t want to travel somewhere that I may never visit again and miss out on epic things to do.

So I do my research.

Read regular things about the place you’re going, but also spend some time looking up “location with a toddler.” Hopefully some awesome parent blogger has written a thorough post on this subject.

I like to keep a list of the things I read about that we might want to do. Either in a note on my phone or on actual paper. I then look up each thing, read a bit more about it, and weigh whether or not it is a Must Do, a Maybe Do, or an Only If We’re Bored Activity.

Categorizing each activity is helpful when trying to plan a trip with a toddler. They typically can’t handle a lot of big activities in one day. When you have one or two Must Dos per day, you can gauge how everyone is doing and add other activities if you want – you already have them on a list.

I also map out the activities, especially if we’re visiting different parts of a location. You don’t want to drive 2 hours and realize you missed a Must Do Activity in the last town.

It’s also helpful to have some indoor backup activities on the list if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

Make an Itinerary

Yes. Sit down and write out an itinerary that you can easily reference while you’re on your trip.

Write down where you’re staying, the amount of time it takes to drive to each destination, the categorized activities for each day, and any other helpful information.

When a toddler is having a meltdown, you don’t want to be searching your email inbox for where your next stay is. Make. Everything. Easy.

I like to make an itinerary with options for each day. Once we’re actually on the trip, we sit down each evening and review the next day. We look at the weather, the activity options, how our kiddo has been sleeping, etc. and have a rough plan for the next day. Factor in naps and bedtime.

Don’t fill up the itinerary! Leave time to do nothing, and leave time to just enjoy the places you’re visiting. Don’t rush from one spot to the next. Enjoy the little things.

Adjust Your Expectations When You Plan a Trip with a Toddler

Travel with a toddler is different. It helps if you adjust your expectations during your trip planning. Know that they won’t be able to keep up with a packed itinerary. And that there are some things you just won’t be able to do.

We don’t stay in hostels and go on 15 mile hikes anymore, but that’s ok. I enjoy traveling with our toddler for different reasons. I love seeing her enjoy new experiences, I love seeing nature’s beauty with her, and it’s nice to mix up our normal routine.

Know that you’re planning this trip with your kiddo as a priority.

Order Things Ahead of Time

If y’all need new swimsuits before your trip, order them ahead of time. If you’re going somewhere really cold, make sure you have cold weather gear.

I also like to order little fun plane activities to entertain my toddler on the flights. New things are more exciting for them.

Also, if your toddler is still in a pack n play, I HIGHLY recommend buying a slumber pod for travel. It’s basically a breathable blackout tent that keeps your kiddo in the dark and unable to see you in their room. Our kiddo is a bad sleeper, but this thing has helped us SO MUCH.

Make sure you have all the Toddler Travel Essentials.

How Many Bags Will You Bring?

Bag fees can be outrageous sometimes, so be thorough with this. See how much it costs to check a bag, see if you can bring any “child items” like a stroller or pack n play for free, and bring the minimum amount of stuff.

Add bags to your plane tickets ahead of time; it’s cheaper than waiting until you get to the airport.

If you can do laundry during your trip, plan for that, and pack less.

Don’t Wait to Pack Until Last Minute

I say this, but I have also packed last minute many times.

Keep a packing list on your phone in the reminders app. Copy it for each trip and adjust it to where you’re going/how long. Check off each item as you pack it, and check it before you walk out the door.

Also, read my Toddler Packing List to make sure you remember everything.

Random Helpful Tips to Plan a Trip with a Toddler

Find a grocery store near where you’re going to end up, and set up a grocery pick up order for when you arrive. Buy things that aren’t easily packed, microwaveable mac n cheese, snacks, etc. But order these things while you’re not dealing with the stress of travel. Set it up a couple days before the trip.

Always have snacks. Always. ALWAYS. Have some sort of snack at all times to keep your toddler from getting hungry and then turning into an emotional wreck.

Bring other adults if you can. While we have never really benefited from this, I’ve heard from others that it can be lovely. Bring the grandparents, and then you can trade off watching your toddler and get to do some adult things you want to do.

If you’re going to be doing a decent amount of driving, bring your toddler some easy and awesome toddler road trip activities.

Now Go Plan a Trip with a Toddler

Was this helpful? Anything you would add? Please comment below to let me know!

Happy Toddler Traveling!

More on Toddler Travel:

• DIY Travel First Aid Kit for Toddlers
• 20 Toddler Travel Tips
• Tips for Iceland Travel with a Toddler