Family Travel Basics
Although things may seem clear-cut, it's astonishingly simple to overlook or miss a vital detail when organizing a trip for the fam, or any trip in general. I've jotted down a couple of my top to-dos before an adventure to ensure smooth sailing. When traveling with little ones in tow, making sure all logistics are worked out ahead of time can mean the difference between a fun-filled-memory-making family adventure, and a stress-filled journey destined to later become a meme.
CONFIRM YOUR RESERVATIONS
Got everything booked? Great! Now look at it again. And maybe a third time just for fun. When reviewing your itinerary, you want to watch out for a few things that are easy to misread:
Flight/Train/Boat Reservations
- What time is your departure?
- Is it am or pm (double-check the date for flights around midnight!)?
- Do you arrive on the same day, or a day prior or a day later than you departed?
- How long are your connections?
- Where are your seats? Are they bulkhead or emergency rows?
Something to note: All times on airline tickets are always in the local timezone, meaning if it says you will land at 8:30am in Frankfurt, that is 8:30am Frankfurt time, not the time in the city you departed from.
Check-in and Baggage
Once you've established that your tickets are good to go, next, move on to check-in and baggage.
- What time do you need to check-in for your flight/train/boat?
- What terminal are you flying out of?
- How long will it take to get to the airport or train station? Will there be traffic?
- What are the baggage restrictions (size, weight, and number of pieces)?
Something to note: Some busy airports have a baggage cutoff time, meaning if you check-in too close to your flight time you might not be able to check your bag. This can be especially crucial if you're traveling with a lot of kid-gear and carrying your bag on isn't a feasible last minute option, so make sure you're aware of any bag cutoff times so you don't cut it too close (I've been on the wrong side of the cutoff time before with two toddlers and a ton of gear. It wasn't pretty.).
Lodging
Double-check your lodging reservation and make sure the dates coincide with your transportation.
- What time can you check-in?
- How are you getting there from the airport or train station?
- If you get there early, is there a place to check your luggage?
Something to note: Some countries use a dd/mm/yy format, so keep that in mind when you're reviewing your itinerary.
PASSPORTS, VISAS, IMMUNIZATIONS, STEP, AND DRIVING
Once you know where you're headed, you'll want to make sure you have all the documentation you need to get there. And in case you're wondering, yes, everyone needs a passport and visa, and that includes a baby.
Passport, visa, immunizations
The US State Department website has a lot of useful information for international travel (It's geared toward US citizens. If you are a citizen of another country, check for your countries travel website) You can find basic information like passport validity requirements (some countries only require it to be valid during your stay, others require it to be valid at least 6 months after your stay etc), if you will require a visa and how to obtain one, and if any extra health precautions are required or recommended. There is also a section with basic information about the country, and if there are any safety concerns currently or any areas to avoid. A quick visit to a travel clinic before your trip can handle any health requirements.
Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)
While you're cruising the State Department website, it's a good idea to take a few minutes and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP is run by the US government and basically lets the local embassy where you are headed know where you'll be in case there is any kind of emergency. They can also send you alerts and let you know if there are any riots, civil unrest, or natural disasters in an area where you're traveling, and if there is a natural disaster, they know roughly where you are and to look for you.
Driving
As for driving, a quick Google search can usually tell you if you need to obtain an International Drivers Permit. In general terms, the permits main purpose is to make it easier for the authorities where you are headed to read your current license; ie print it in the local language. For instance, Japan requires an International Drivers Permit, as do countries in Europe that use the Cyrillic alphabet. An International Drivers Permit is relatively quick and easy to get at your local AAA branch.
FIGURE OUT ALL TRANSPORTATION
- Where are you headed after you land? How are you getting to your lodging?
- Is there a train from the airport to town? If so, where and which train do you want?
- What are the public transportation hours? How often does it run?
- Do they have Uber, or does the hotel or house offer airport pick-up?
Don't wait until you're ready to leave for your trip, or you're jet-lagged and standing in the airport on the other side of the globe with your luggage and a tired family to figure out how you're getting to your hotel or home rental; figure all that out in the comfort of your own home while sitting on your couch with a coffee in hand. Nothing is worse that trying to trouble-shoot a challenging situation when you're stressed or exhausted and are operating on minimal sleep.
Something to note: Taking an Uber or car? If you can, reserve it ahead of time to save yourself the hassle. It might be a little more expensive, but having a ride ready and waiting when you arrive can be the best feeling in the world. Often, transportation can be arranged through your accommodation, so it can be savvy to ask them what the best and easiest way is to reach them from where you're arriving.
PACK & WEIGH
Less is more. Really. I know it's tempting to take everything you own "just in case" you need it, but halfway through your trip you're going to be ready to throw away that extra pair of shoes after lugging them around for a week.
Weather
About 10 days before your trip, start watching the weather where you're going. You should have a pretty good idea already of what to expect as far as mother nature is concerned, but a week or so out, the forecast should be pretty accurate. Now's the time to make any edits to your wardrobe and packing.
- Does it look like it's going to rain or snow?
- Is it going to be unusually hot or cold?
Weigh
Once you've got all your stuff neatly packed into your suitcase, get out your trusty luggage scale and give it a weigh. Don't have one? Well, you should. But if you're in a pinch, you can use a bathroom scale and get a pretty good idea. Make sure your bag or bags are under the weight restrictions for all legs of your flight (especially if your trip involves multiple carriers). Better to know your bag is too heavy at home, then when you're standing at check-in. We've all seen that person at check-in, luggage open and splayed for the world to view frantically trying to move two pounds worth of hairbrushes and shoes into another bag.
Something to note: Many people scoff when airlines ask them to move items from their overweight checked baggage into their carry-on, mumbling "why does it matter, it's all going on the same plane." While this is true, there actually is a reason; weight and balance. The ground crew need to know the bags are under a certain weight when they are loading them underneath the aircraft in the cargo hold to ensure the plane remains within certain weight and balance requirements.
Get Organized
Clean out your purse. Throw away any miscellaneous paper leftover in your carry-on or jacket pockets. It is way too easy to amass a reams worth of old receipts and lug them around with you, no need to take them on vacation with you too. Lighten your load, and your mind, by decluttering your purse, pockets, and bags before you leave.
Put a few basics in your carry-on: pen, pencil, small notepad, tissues, bandaids and aspirin. I have a little carry-on stuff sack that I refill with comfort necessities before each trip: Extra contacts, glasses, hand sanitizer, aspirin, ear plugs, Pepto, tissues, tiny tooth brush and toothpaste, small hand lotion, charging cord, a pen, and an eye mask. Before I put my bag in the overhead bin or under my seat, I pull out this little bag that has everything in it that I might want during the trip.
Something to note: Before heading out the door, do one last check and make sure you have your passport on you, and any required visas or health records. I always say the only things I can't travel without are my passport (and required visa and immunization record) and my contacts (I'm blind as a bat without them), everything else can be replaced.
CURRENCY
Familiarize yourself with the currency before you leave. This doesn't mean you have to instantly become a math-whiz and be able to complete all conversions in your head. Instead, know what the currency is called, roughly what it looks like, and have a basic idea of the exchange rate with your home currency. Find an easy denomination you can use as a reference (10, 100, 1000 etc). There are some great apps out there that make conversions easy. Download one before you leave so you can use it offline.
Though there is the occasional anomaly, there's not really any need these days to visit a currency exchange ahead of time (they're not a great deal anyway). Simply go to the ATM at the airport when you land. If still within security it should be a relatively safe place to withdrawal money, and with the exception of a small fee, your bank will usually give you the best exchange rate. Even when visiting countries that almost exclusively use digital currency and cards, we always get a little cash to have on hand just in case.
PHONES & BANKS
The majority of phone carriers offer international service at a pretty reasonable cost. Research your provider ahead of time and see what the call, text, and internet rates are for the country or countries you're visiting, and see if they offer a plan that may make it more affordable. Years ago it used to be a little complicated to get your phone to work while traveling, but nowadays most phones require nothing extra besides turning it on after you land. If you're going to be somewhere for an extended period you can look into buying a local SIM card and getting a local phone plan while there, however, the rates are usually low enough with your current carrier that it makes that extra step not really worth it.
Many banks are stepping away from the travel notifications for each trip, however, before you leave it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with your particular banks travel policy. We always travel with at least one bank card issued by Visa, and one by Mastercard.
A FEW OTHER DETAILS TO THINK ABOUT...
Download
There are LOTS of great travel apps these days that can make travel a whole lot easier. Be sure to download any travel apps you plan to use before you leave home. A few essentials for family traveling:
- App for the airline you'll be flying
- Google Translate (download the language you'll be using)
- Google Maps (download your routes if you think wifi will be unreliable)
- Currency Converter
- App for any trains/public transport you will take
- Trip Advisor
- Airbnb or the app for the hotel(s)
- CBP MPC - app to use mobile passport upon landing
- Uber, Lyft, or local rideshare/taxi apps
- Splitwise - if you need to track and split expenses with co-travelers
If you're going to be gone more than a week, it's a good idea to have your mail held, or have someone pop over and grab it while you're gone. If you're expecting packages, have a friend sing by and peel that giant "We missed you!" sticker off your door that screams "I'm out of town!".
Plants
If you have plants, and you want them to still be alive when you get home, make sure you have someone scheduled to come water them, or drop them with someone before you leave. There are some clever ideas online for longterm watering you can try. Or if you've never liked them, now is a good time to just let them pass on.
Pets
This probably goes without saying, but if you have a pet, don't forget to make arrangements for them ahead of time.
Extended trips
Sometimes if you will be gone for an extended period, you can have your utilities paused. Not always, but if you'll be gone for over a month, it's absolutely worth asking. Sometimes kids activities will prorate any classes that your kids will miss. You may also want to have someone swing by your place to check on it periodically for your own peace of mind.