Happy Friday Ladies! If you follow me on Instagram you know we were in Vegas last weekend. This was the first trip to Vegas with a baby in tow and have to say it turned out to be a really great trip! It took a little more planning to accommodate a little one but was so worth it! This is part one of our trip focusing on the kid stuff. Tomorrow i’ll post on the adult stuff with all my favorite spots!
Flying with a baby is a lot of work anyway you slice it. Gone are the days of sipping on a cocktail and flipping through STAR magazine or watching a movie. Actually I take that back I can watch a movie it’s just starring Elmo now 😉 After our cross country flight last Christmas the hubby and I decided to try to keep our family trips to a 2 hr max flying time for our vacations. The Vegas flight was perfect because it was only 45 mins!
Tips for flying with a little one:
*Invest in an umbrella stroller (preferably one that reclines) We have the Uppa Baby G Luxe and have used it on every trip we’ve taken so far! Its such much easier than lugging around and breaking down our heavy duty one!
*Factor in nap times when booking your flight. I know it is not always going to work out but trying to plan around your child nap schedule can make for a smoother flight. Ava is so stimulated on a plane that its really hard for her to sleep.
*Bring a new toy and their favorite dvd and don’t give it to them till you’re on the plane.
*When booking seats book the aisle and the window. The last seats to go are the middle seats. If its a full flight chances are the person who ends up with the middle seat will glady switch with one of you…as I’m sure they don’t want to be in the middle of passing a baby back and forth. 😉
* Let them expend as much energy as possible in the airport. Hopefully it will tire them out and they won’t have as much energy one the plane. (Wishful thinking but hey we try it anyway)
*Pack lots of their favorite snacks. Food ALWAYS buys us a little more time. Try to save the snacks for when they start to get fussy. I’ll post more on her favorite snacks soon!
*Packs LOTS of wipes! Even if you’re not a germ-a-phob you’re probably aware of how many germs are passing through each plane and airport! I give Ava several wipe downs and our armrests and tray tables.
Last but not least…
*TRY to relax- I know I need to take my own advice on this but just keep in mind its only a few hours. If things go south be apologetic to the people around you. Its life, it happens and they’ll get over it as will you 😉
I’ve stayed at a bunch of different Vegas hotels but this trip we stayed at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay. I wanted a room with a separate living area so once we put Ava to bed at 8pm, we could be getting ready for a night out without worrying about waking her up. There are TONS of great hotel options in Vegas but the reason we went with The Hotel is because they were the ONLY hotel that could guarantee us adjoining rooms. Grandma came to town and we needed those adjoining rooms so she could keep an eye on Ava while mommy and daddy had a night out! The fact that they are a non smoking hotel and had pack n’ plays available were an added bonus!
Once you arrive tips…
*Find a hotel that has a pack n play available. Its one less thing to have to pack! A lot of hotels have pack n plays but only few have actual cribs. If you’re little one will only sleep in a crib you better do some calling around first. I always thought Ava would only sleep in a crib because the mattress was more firm but this trip she slept just as great in the pack n play!
*Find a hotel that has a pack n play available. Its one less thing to have to pack! A lot of hotels have pack n plays but only few have actual cribs. If you’re little one will only sleep in a crib you better do some calling around first. I always thought Ava would only sleep in a crib because the mattress was more firm but this trip she slept just as great in the pack n play!
*Look for hotels that can guarantee ajoining rooms or separate living area is a huge bonus! Bring grandma 😉
*Travel with other families who can appreciate your early dinners and understand when you’re running late or have to leave at a moments notice because of your little one.
*Sleeping situation-I try to recreate the same sleeping environment Ava has at home. We bring our video monitor, sound machine (especially needed in Vegas) and her favorite blanket bear she sleeps with every night. PS we always bring our own Aden+ Anais fitted crib sheet as well.
*Request an extra fridge and hit up the grocery store when you get there. Our hotel brought up an extra mini fridge free of charge. Some hotels will clear out your mini bar if you request it as well. It turned out to be really helpful for storing Ava’s milk and snacks. We weren’t constantly having to pay or wait on room service.
Another helpful site I found was www.familyvacationcritic.com. They have hundreds of different reviews on family friendly hotels.
Another helpful site I found was www.familyvacationcritic.com. They have hundreds of different reviews on family friendly hotels.
The best part about Vegas is there really is something for everyone, especially little ones! The first day we were there we took Ava to the Shark Reef Aquarium (which was at Mandalay Bay…connected to our hotel) She LOVED it!!! It was fun for us too!
Ava could have stayed there for hours watching all the sea creatures! I think she thought it was the Octonauts lol Yes we watch the “creature report” every morning 😉
The next day we took it to the pool at the Bellagio. Now Vegas is crazy hot so we got a poolside cabana. Not your typical Vegas pool party 😉 but we had a blast and the kids loved it! The cabana had a t.v., couch, fridge, misters, a fan and yummy cocktails for the adults.
Ava was in awe everywhere we went! She couldn’t take her eyes off the butterfly display at the The Cosmopolitan.
and this was Ava on the way home (who was WAY overtired for this flight). She kept squishing her little face in-between the seat to say “hi” (probably a hundred times) to the gentleman behind us lol Lucky for him it was only a 45 minute flight!
We love to travel and are still learning as we go. These are just some things that have helped us. I’d LOVE to hear any and all traveling tips and tricks you mama’s have as well!!
I Love this! That's something I've always wondered about when traveling with a baby. P.S. I live in Vegas! Hope you had a great trip!
lucky lady! So many great restaurants! xo
This was so helpful, thanks Andee!!
so glad!! xo
love your honesty! traveling with lil bits is NOT very relaxing but little things help.
LOAD up on snack and fruit/veggie pouches for sure.
Carter is happier in the morning so we try to fly then rather than afternoon.
😉 agreed! The snacks are def a must!
This is a great post for me! I recently just discovered asking the hotel for either pack n play or crib – one less baby item is huge! In fact in most cities they have baby gear rental companies that if your hotel doesn't have it they will deliver to your hotel set it up and pick it up when your done. All kinds of gear too other than just cribs if you need it! But totally agree on bringing your own sheets! I also have the g-luxe and LOVE it! Much better than traveling with the Vista. Never thought to ask for an extra fridge. Now that is SMART!
i had read about the companies that can deliver to your hotel but couldn't really find my reviews online for those companies. Have you used one before that you recommend!
I have not personally done it yet, but I have a very well travelled friend who is amazing at this stuff. She says whatever city she is going to she googles baby rental crib, etc. And finds three or four places in that city. Then she basically checks the website, calls them each and also talks to the hotels about which companies they recommend. She said she always ends up getting a feel for who is good and who is "eh." For example one guy sounded like he was on a truck when she called and she was just not impressed. She hasn't had a bad experience yet. She did also tell me that many of the companies will charge both a drop off and pick up fee but the good ones only do that sometimes, so be sure to ask. She raves about it and she has fabulous taste and standards. She gets a full size crib and everything. I was impressed and plan to try it. A few more calls just to get it all worked out but sounds worth it?!? Hope this helps with your travels!
Hey Andee, can you please share how you traveled from the airport to the hotel with a baby. I always wondered if you take a taxi, how do you take a baby w/o a carseat? Thanks! -KBathrick
Thanks for sharing! We just took Waverly on a trip and many of my tips are similar!!
wordsaboutwaverly.blogspot.com
Love this post! You seriously hit so many good points. I have yet to take either of my kiddos on a plane (can you believe it?!) but I know this will come in handy when I do 🙂 xo – V
i can't believe you guys haven't done that yet! I don't know how you pull off that drive! The thought of trying to do it with A makes me cringe 😉
This is perfectly timed as we have a couple trips booked this summer!! It will be a whole new ballgame since the last time we did it with him!
OMG, how adorable is she? I've never really considered a Vegas trip with the little one, but this has inspired me! I love The Hotel. Hmmm, better get on the phone with Grandma. 🙂
It really is a great family trip (who would have thought 😉 but there is something for everyone and so much for the little ones to see!
Great post – great tip about booking seating on flights!! I have an 8 week old and I don't know when I will get the courage to go on any trips. Grandmas CERTAINLY are a godsend!! 😀 Kudos to you – seems like you've got the hang of travelling with a little one. I would never have thought of Vegas, but I would love to plan a family trip there in the future. BTW – Love Ava's photos!
awww congrats to you hun! Traveling with the little one is not easy but we do the best we can. Vegas seriously was a great vacay for the little ones..so much for them to see esp at the toddler stage!
Wow I love these kind of posts! You definitely took a lot of time and effort into typing this up and it sure is helpful (or will be if I ever have kids in the distant future ;))!! Loving the pictures because I don't have IG so I can't follow you or see picture updates!! Thanks Andee! Can't wait for part 2.
😉 thank you so nice to hear you appreciate it as it did take awhile to put together lol
Who ever said you can't travel with kids?! Great advice (and what a relief!) for someone like myself who loves to travel but doesn't have kids yet. So it is possible afterall…Thanks for another great post. Can't wait for part 2!
its a bit of work but you just do the best you can 😉
These are very helpful tips! Ian will be 10 months when we take a four hour plane right to the DR. Granted, it will be slightly different because he will be entertained with just hanging with his parents, the tips for the plane & the hotel are super duper helpful.
xx
josie
http://www.straightNOchase.com
so glad its helpful for you! Good luck love xo
I took my oldest daughter to Vegas when she was 6 months and people thought I was CRAZY! We had a wonderful trip with her as she LOVED all the lights and I was so content shopping, walking, swimming and just enjoying all the people;) Vegas is a fun/cheap getaway! BTW I started following your blog and think it's FAB! I live in Vancouver Canada and have two daughters now and we LOVE to travel, keep it up, I think it's so important, the even more exciting years are coming up 😉 you are in the easy stages xo
awwww thanks so much Cassandra thats so nice to hear! Yes I agree Vegas is great for the little ones…there was so much for A to look at!
Little Ava is getting SO big!! She's such a little beauty! We've traveled twice with Xander now but it still makes me paranoid so whenever you post about it, I feel better about doing it again :).
ugh i know i seriously can't believe she is a toddler now! Its definitely a lot of work traveling with the little ones but it can be done! 😉
This post is amazing- totally saving for when the time comes to travel with Mia. The thought of it scares us to death haha. Obsessed with the last picture of Ava on the plane..priceless!
its is a bit stressful but just do the best you can..and have a cocktail lol
Thank you for posting this! Impeccable timing as we are planning some family trips in the next couple of months. The tips are def on point. My husband and I actually thought Vegas with the kids would be impossible, but I'm second guessing that now! I have married friends who say they don't want to have kids yet because they "want to travel first." Well, your post definitely proves that it is possible to do both with some effort and planning! 🙂
😉 Thanks Faye! So glad it was helpful for you xo
Most hotels will provide you with a mini-fridge free of charge if you say you are breastfeeding or a diabetic.
good to know!
great tips! we do all of the same thing. We took our twin boys on their first flight trip (Philly to Miami, then a cruise to Mexico) at 10 months. The boys are now 4.5, we've added twin girls (who will be 6 months next week), and we've continued to sucessfully travel. The girls will be taking their first flight (to Disney-about a 2 hour flight) in October at 10 months old. I do all of the same tricks as you, and my biggest tip is to just relax. Kids can sense stress. My hubby and I are now far outnumbered by the kids, but we've always had amazingly smooth flights with the kids, and fun vacations. We learn a little something every time. ~Jenn
http://www.twobytwomom.com
WOW! My hat is off to you love! Thats amazing xo
You've got a cute little miss there! Good tips for my future… I get married in Spring 2014 and we're planning babies immediately after. This is certainly bookmarked 🙂 Thanks Andee. LOL.
😉 Good luck to you and the future hubs!
Thanks for the tips. I especially agree with the one about traveling/planning with others who understand what life is like with a baby. You can have an awesome vacation…but it's true that it's just not the same as an adult-only trip! One of my favorite tips for older babies and toddlers is to put off letting them get into the aisle for as long as possible. Once they think they can actually walk around on the plane…it's all over. Ha! We have a "seat-only" rule when we travel, right from the get-go, to nip tantrums in the bud. It's much easier than letting them walk around and then saying it's time to get back to your seat. I've flown four times with my now-26 month old, and we're finally getting the swing of things!
oh i totally thought about that one as well…If I let Ava in the aisle she would NEVER want to sit back down! Good call xo
Great post….where's Vegas part 2?
posted today 😉
Thank you for the tips! Much needed… i just recently had a baby boy 6/11 and was wondering how long you nursed?
I nursed till Ava was about 10.5 months
Did you switch to milk at 10.5 months or formula? I'm curious because my daughter is the same age and I'm wanting to make the switch but worried about her system since she's used to only brest milk. Thanks.
Great tips! This is so helpful. I'm pregnant now with my own little Ava 🙂 My husband and I love to travel, so these tips will come in handy! Thanks!