We are no stranger to long road trips with our little baby boy. Between having family in Nevada and friends in Arizona, my son has been on his fair share of long car rides.
When my son was younger I could have never imagined taking him anywhere longer than 20 minutes down the road. His favorite car activity was screaming! But here we are today with successful and manageable 9 hour long trips!
To start here is my list of the best and most important things to bring for the actual car ride itself.
For everything you’ll need in the car I suggest packing yourself a car caddy! This way you don’t have to go digging in the diaper bag every time you need something and you won’t accidentally leave any essentials in the car!
- Diapers and wipes – you already know our favorite is Pampers!
- Extra onesie or romper outfit – when traveling I like to keep extra outfits simple.
- Toys and Books – Bring along your baby’s favorite toys and books or maybe even splurge on a new little something so it keeps their interest during the drive.
- Snacks, lots of snacks – check out my blog post about toddler and baby snacks from Aldi for my favorite snacks!
- Music – I know you probably don’t want to be listening to baby music the whole car ride, but if it means a happy baby, it might be worth an hour or so!
- And as a last resort an ipad – I use this holder for the car. I know there are probably lots of opinions about using an ipad in the car, but all I have to say is a screaming baby isn’t safe driving either! Do what you have to do to survive. No judgments here 🙂
Then of course the hotel itself calls for a whole separate list of items that you’ll want to make sure you have!
Nighttime Supplies
- Pack n play – We have this Graco Pack n Play that we love
- Pack n play black out tent – Love how easily this one pops up and goes down and it’s a bit cheaper than some other brands.
- Travel Sound Machine – This Frida travel sound machine and night light is perfect
- Travel Monitor with Clip – I’m actually obsessed with this monitor clip, you can clip it onto the pack n play or literally anywhere else!
- Pajamas – You already know how much we love the Burt’s Bees Pajamas
- Swaddle or Sleep Sack – Velcro swaddles and double zipper sleep sacks are the best
- Pacifier – obviously pacifiers are one of those things that are sooo different for every baby, but I think the soft silicon ones are so much nicer than those with hard plastic!
- Pack n play or crib sheet – I recommend bringing a sheet even if you plan to use the hotel’s crib. From my experience the hotel just uses a giant sheet, folds it up, and tucks it around the crib mattress…not the safest option!
- Lovey for toddlers (if they need it)
- Maybe a book to read before bedtime, if that’s part of your routine!
Baby Essentials
- Diapers – General rule of thumb when traveling is 10 per day for little babies and 8 per day for toddlers
- Wipes – I usually put one pack in each location (suitcase, diaper bag, car, carry on, etc.) but obviously bring more if your trip is longer!
- Burp clothes – love these muslin ones!
- Diaper cream – we use Aquaphor
- Lotion – Honest brand makes this cute little travel pack
- Travel size baby soap or cleansing water – this cleansing water is nice for times you might wanna skip a bath but still wanna wipe baby down
- Baby towel – This is kind of an extra, obviously you can totally use a hotel towel, but sometimes it’s nice to have their own.
- Toothbrush and toothpaste for toddler – We love these cute Dr. Brown’s toothbrushes and the Burt’s Bees toothpaste
- Hairbrush – We love this Frida detangling brush, but honestly when I travel I bring the smallest little baby comb instead
Daytime Supplies
- Outfits (always bring a few extras)
- Socks
- Shoes
- Sweatpants/Sweatshirt in case it’s needed
Out and About
- Hat – Even if my son never wears his hat, it’s nice to have just in case.
- Sunblock – We love this brand!
- Umbrella Stroller or Travel Stroller – Umbrella strollers are so easy, but I know there are lots of travel strollers that fold up even smaller.
- Stroller fan – This one bends to attach to anything!
- Baby carrier or wearable toddler seat – Nice to bring along for a more hands free experience.
- Blanket – I like to use the lightweight muslin blankets, more to cover up in case he has an on the go nap, but please always make sure that baby isn’t overheating under there!
Feeding Supplies
- Formula or Milk
- Bottles or Straw cups
- Travel dish soap – I really only bring this if the trip is long!
- Water bottle/straw cup – Extra important to make sure it doesn’t leak when you’re traveling! Check out my video review about toddler cups here!
- Snacks – Again, head over to my blog post about toddler snacks for ideas!
- Travel food pouches – we love GoGo Squeezes! They even have shelf stable yogurt, perfect for traveling!
- Bibs – love how these roll up nice and small
- Disposable table cover or stick on mat
- Travel High Chair – I know this seems extra, but if you’re going to be somewhere for long enough and your baby is just that age, it might be worth bringing
Playing
- Teethers
- Travel Toys
- Play Mat – this is nice if you’re going somewhere for a longer period of time and have a baby that doesn’t crawl yet.
- Pacifier clips – also work great for clipping on teethers or toys
Although traveling with a little one can seem overwhelming, once you get the hang of it, it’s something so fun and definitely worth your time. My son has been on countless car trips, 2 cruises, multiple flights, and many many hotel stays!
Having a toddler is tough, so it might as well be tough somewhere fun. Let me know in the comments if I missed anything. Happy travels and good luck!
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