5 Important Tips for Traveling Internationally with Kids

I'll be honest! I decided to become a travel agent to get the perks and discounts a regular person couldn't get and travel for cheap with my kids. I wanted to travel the world and show my kids what my parents made possible for me to do at their age. I wanted my kids to see that after the divorce, life would still be fun and rewarding with one parent. Traveling with kids sounds hard and scary. The truth is it can be. And while I'm not well put together or the expert in kids travel I can offer you 5 great tips that will help you get out with your little ones and explore the world.


1. Research Your Destination THOROUGHLY. When traveling internationally with kids, make sure you research transit to and back, attractions, resorts, etc. A lot of us look mainly at price but don’t take into consideration the hassle it takes to get to a place and back. What is required to enter? Passport/visa/both?Should I go plane or cruise? Will it appeal to all of the kids?  Should you stay close to the airport or the excursions.

2. Non-Stop flights or very long layovers. Your flights actually help you choose  destinations. The younger the child the shorter the flight. We started off slow with 2-3 hour nonstop flights and now we are progressing to five. I choose nonstop flights so I don't hear my kids’ mouths. But should you have to have connecting flights then make sure there is at least an hour for your layover. That way you and your family will have time to get to the next flight. The next best thing to do is have a very long layover (6-12 hours or more). Ask the counter for concessions. They may have vouchers for dinner, hotel stays, and transportation. You can leave the airport and come back  refreshed. The less time feeling rushed and pressured to catch the next leg, the calmer you’ll be.

3. Team Carryon. For my 5 day/4 night stay in Jamaica, we all only had carryons. We did not have any checked luggage. We got off the plane and went to our driver. Pack the bare minimum for each person. I packed just enough and not too much which does not happen with my girl’s trips. Remember other countries have baby oil and wipes. There is no need to bring your bathroom or all of your kid’s toys. This past weekend I saw a couple bring a portable bed for their toddler. The crazy thing is the hotel offered cribs for free. If you call ahead and ask your hotel staff about providing certain items then you will not have to lug things like a crib around or just pick another hotel.

4. Don’t skimp on transportation. Play with public transportation in another country when you are with adults. Not with kids. You should have a set way of getting around in a foreign country that’s comfortable with AC/Heat and on your schedule so you can make it to excursions on time when traveling with kids. Public transportation is a way to “experience local life/culture. Instead, plan an excursion that will do the same. Cutting costs on logistics is always a good thing—the more you have to spend on activities!—but for every decision you make as a family, weigh the benefits of things that may cost a bit extra, but save you serious stress, too.

5. Be realistic. The trip will not be perfect. Realize there will be hiccups. You can’t do it all. Having realistic exceptions of a family trip abroad goes a long way and takes away the coming down on yourself. Will you forget something? Possibly. Will you think of something you could have uses or done before arriving or leaving the country? Yes. But don’t let it take over the trip. I forgot my foundation at home for Jamaica. Wanted to go to a store and buy some. It was going to cost me $100 to have a taxi take me and the kids to a local store to get $36 makeup. I decided to go to the pool and make sure I double check for my next trip. The younger my kids were the closer I stayed by the airport. I had such a fear of missing my flight. It was in the back of my head that the kids had shorter legs and could not keep up with me if we had to rush in the airport. Now that they are older, that fear is gone and we stay closer to attractions and excursions. It helps with transportation and time getting from one place to another. If we somehow miss the car/tour bus taking us to the excursion, then I can get a quick cab to get us there since we are close. Realizing things can go wrong but can be corrected will help your trip be less stressful.

These five tips will help you tremendously and keep you focused on the true purpose of your trip which is the experience for your kids to enjoy and learn about different cultures. When I decided to travel internationally with my kids I had no fears. Other people kept projecting their worries on me and I started to listen. However, it didn’t stop me. What I was not prepared for was the reality of leaving the USA with 3 kids in different maturity levels in their lives and things I wish I had known before even getting on a plane. These tips address those fears, help you prepare, and apply if you’re traveling as a single parent or with both parents. Don’t let anything stop you! Show your kids the world!