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27 Best Places to Travel with a Baby (Safe + Baby-Friendly)!

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Are you wondering where to travel with a baby?

Our youngest daughter, Avalee, was just 2.5 months old when we embarked on our very first trip with her. Our first trip with her took us to Bali, Lombok, and the Gili Islands.

After Indonesia, we ventured further afield to Australia and explored Perth and Sydney.

We then set off to Asia visiting Japan and Europe for a big extended road trip that included France, Switzerland, and Italy – all before Avalee had reached her first birthday! As seasoned family travelers (we have 3 children) we’ve learned a lot about what works best when traveling with babies in tow.

With input from other parents who have traveled with their babies too, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to travel with a baby along with practical tips based on our experiences on how to choose the perfect baby-friendly holiday destinations.

Just because you have a new baby doesn’t mean you have to be stuck at home. Now is a great time to make memories with your little one and travel the world!

It might not always be easy to travel with a baby, but in my opinion, it is always worth any challenges.

Here is a list of the best baby-friendly countries to visit to ensure your trip will run as smoothly as possible.

27 Best Places to Travel with a Baby in the World

Wondering where to travel with your baby?

We love traveling with our baby as we scout out the best places to visit with an infant.

In our opinion, the best countries to visit with a baby in USA, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Italy, and the UK, but you can find more ideas on our list down below.

But first! Sign up for our ‘Wanderlust Storytellers Family Tribe’ newsletter to get loads of helpful information about how to travel with a baby!

1. Tuscany, Italy

best cities in Europe Florence with Kids

For one of the best holiday destinations with a baby or even older kids, head to beautiful Italy!

Children are adored in this country, and you will find that Italians will often go out of their way to help parents. And expect them, to come to say hello to your little ones too.

Italy is one of the best places to go on holiday with a baby. It is easy to find some beautiful family-friendly accommodation options.

We chose Tuscany for our list because it has plenty of stroller-friendly destinations.

I recommend you choose either Florence or Lucca for a home base. Both cities are great for strollers, although we recommend a stroller with large cushioned wheels to handle bumpy or cobble-stone roads.

best places to visit in tuscany - Florence with kids

Florence has plenty of playgrounds for older babies and toddlers, and the restaurants typically can prepare a small plate for younger kids or a simple pasta dish (when Avie was a toddler, she often had simple pasta and butter).

If you decide on Florence, be sure to have a look at the best neighborhood to stay in Florence .

You can also find many beautiful small towns scattered through Tuscany that will allow you to explore this region of Italy without the masses of tourists.

Recommended attractions in Tuscany that you should see with your baby include the Leaning Tower of Pisa and The Boboli Gardens.

best towns to visit in tuscany - Pisa with kids

If time permits, you should also visit Capo Sant’Andrea on Elba Island (make sure to take baby beach shoes if you are planning to spend some time on the beach).

Personally speaking, Italy is arguably the best place to travel with baby options for us so far, as well as one of the best baby-friendly travel destinations and baby-friendly countries.

Bring your baby carrier along, as you will often find stairs at the main attractions in Italy.
Always have a baby change mat on hand, as change tables in public restrooms are rare.
You can rent a stroller in Italy, and check out sites such as TravelBaby.It and BabyGuest.com.
Pre-book your taxi online , that way, you can request a baby car seat for the transfer as well.

Where to Stay in Tuscany with a Baby:

We recommend basing yourselves in either Florence or Lucca (cheaper) and then planning your day trips from there.

Best Place to Stay in Florence with a Baby:

Best Hotel: For a fantastic stay I would choose MyFlorenceHoliday Gold Bridge . Their family room includes a cot and high chair and has a kitchen area where you can prepare bottles etc. The hotel is located 100 meters from Ponte Vecchio.
Best VRBO: I love The Time Machine apartment which is located next to Palazzo Vecchio. It has 2 bedrooms and includes a travel crib, high chair, and dishes & utensils for kids- it also has a lift to the apartment which is on the second level.

Best Place to Stay in Lucca with a Baby:

Best Hotel: The 4-Star Hotel Ilaria has a triple room that includes a cot. This popular hotel is located in the historic centre of Lucca.

3. London, England

London is one of the best places to travel in Europe with a baby.

This city has parent rooms and changing facilities readily available, making it a great place to visit with a baby.

Many sights can easily be accessed by public transportation or on foot. We love how easy the city is to navigate with a stroller; simply use the step-free Tube map to navigate the underground with your stroller.

Breastfeeding in public is accepted and considered perfectly normal. Children under five can travel for free on public transport, and there are plenty of family-friend restaurants.

If your bubs is a bit older, he/she might also really enjoy outings to a baby disco, one of the children ‘s theatres, the city farms, zoos, or a day out at one of the many parks.

Top 10 Things to do in London with Kids
Make sure you download NCT’s Babychange app, which will show you all the baby-changing facilities in your vicinity, and the Wowmum app, which lists baby change areas, as well as child-friendly activities, parks, and more.
Book your taxi online. Book Taxi London is a reliable website that you can use to quickly and easily book your taxi (you can even select to have a car seat for your little one)!

After one of the most affordable places to visit with your baby?

With rice paddies, waterfalls, beaches, and great people, Bali certainly has it all.

This dreamy vacation is very baby-friendly, and nannies or babysitters are super affordable. You can also very easily rent baby gear and equipment for super low prices if you need them.

Hotels and resorts will be equipped with baby cots and high chairs, and with a bit of effort, you can also pre-book transfers with baby car seats.

Avoid Kuta and head to more family-friendly areas such as Canggu, Ubud, Legian, Jimbaran, or Nusa Lembongan.

We love to combine some time in Ubud to soak up the peaceful rice paddy atmosphere with some luxury and relaxation at one of the beachside areas such as Canggu or Jimbaran.

Bali might be the best place to travel with a baby for those living in Australia.

Bring your baby carrier along and leave your stroller behind
Always have a baby change mat on hand
Book a cheap nanny to tag along with you on your outings
Pre-book your transfers if you wish to have a baby car seat
Don’t forget to bring along your sun tent for baby , as well as some handy and essential beach items for baby

5. Tulum, Mexico

One of the best travel destinations with a baby if you are after some beautiful beaches and warm weather. This city can make for a very relaxing vacation.

Many family-friendly beaches and hotels accommodate those traveling with babies, as they often provide cribs and strollers.

If you are wondering if it is safe to travel to Mexico with a baby, you will be glad to know that it is.

What you will need to consider is taking enough baby formula if you are not breastfeeding your little one as the variety of formula available is limited.

If you do use baby formula, make sure to use bottled water when making your baby’s milk.

If you do take a baby stroller, take one that can fold up and will fit easily into any taxi that you may take whilst on holiday.

If you are planning on venturing out and about, a baby carrier is a great choice as you will be hands-free, and is perfect for any hikes are strolls on the beach.

Top places to visit include Sian Ka’an Biosphere and Playa Paraiso. Mexico offers some of the best baby-friendly travel destinations for those in the USA.

6. Chicago, Illinois

One of the best places to travel to with a baby in the United States is Chicago. This city is so baby friendly making it hands down one of the best cities to travel with a baby and one of the best travel destinations with baby options.

The great thing about Chicago is that it has a ton of baby sights, attractions, and tours to enjoy.

Taking your baby out and about during the day is great for you and the baby and in Chicago, they celebrate that.

The town of Chicago has free stroller tours at some of the area’s major museums, including The Field Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, and The Museum of Contemporary Art.

Besides the museums, you can also visit the Shedd Aquarium and Navy Pier.

If you are explicitly wondering where to travel with a newborn, this would be one of our top picks.

7. Montreal, Canada

After stroller-friendly places to visit with a baby? One of the nice things about Montreal is that it’s very stroller-friendly.

Numerous kid-friendly festivals occur throughout the year. Popular attractions include Jean-Talon Farmer’s Market, Clock Tower Beach, and The Botanical Gardens.

If you visit Montreal outside of these festivals do not worry because there is still lots to do. Experience much of the cultural scene in Montreal by visiting many of the galleries and museums. Kids under 12 can go free to many of these local Montreal attractions.

In summer there are many parks and open green spaces that you can enjoy as a family. Enjoy a picnic and the many playgrounds that can be found in the parks.

Montreal boasts a large variety of baby-friendly and welcoming cafes and restaurants, so when it comes to enjoying a bite to eat, you and your baby can relax.

8. Tasmania, Australia

Definitely, one of the most baby-friendly countries to visit.

Australia is another brilliant country to visit with a baby. While there are many baby-friendly places to travel to in Australia, we love Tasmania.

This Australian state is an excellent destination for children of all ages. You can easily find high chairs in restaurants, which typically have special kids’ menus to keep toddlers happy.

You can easily find all baby supplies in small or large grocery stores. Hotels have cots available (typically free of charge), and destinations are all stroller-friendly.

One of the nice things about Tasmania is that you don’t have to haul a stroller with you on your flight if you don’t want to because plenty of stroller rentals are available.

Many activities here are nature-based, including a visit to the Bay of Fires and Russell Falls. A great activity during the summer months is to head to one of the beautiful sandy beaches for some much-needed relaxation.

9. Wales, United Kingdom

Wales is another one of the best places to travel with a baby in Europe! People love babies in Wales and will bend backward to ensure you enjoy your time here as much as possible.

Hotels will provide everything from cribs to baby gates and can even recommend babysitting services if you need some alone time. Good places to visit with your baby include Cardiff Castle, Tenby Harbour, and Bodnant Garden.

When you are out and about enjoying the lush Welsh countryside, be sure to take a baby carrier with you.

If you plan to spend more time exploring the Welsh villages and towns, a baby stroller will definitely come in handy. If you can, a stroller that folds up compactly is best as you are guaranteed it will be able to travel in your taxi.

10. San Diego, California

This is one of the most baby-friendly destinations on the list. There are a lot of boardwalks, walking trails, and plenty of beaches.

If you take a stroller with you when you travel to San Diego with a baby, you will be able to move around with ease.

If you are looking for some great baby-friendly activities then a visit to the Birch Aquarium, Mission Beach & Boardwalk, or the San Diego Botanic Garden are all great choices.

Be sure to also make your way to the San Diego Zoo. This huge zoo has so much to see and do and is a huge amount of fun for everyone.

If you visit during warmer months, be sure to pack sunblock and a swimming costume so you can take a dip at the many beaches.

Pack some kids’ beach toys or grab a set from one of the local shops on the boardwalk as all kids love to play in water and sand and most of all build sandcastles.

For kids big and small, head to Legoland which is under an hour’s drive from San Diego. The best part about the rides at Legoland resorts is that they do not have height restrictions so even the shortest of visitors can enjoy the rides when visiting.

Is it any surprise that Hawaii happens to be one of the best places to vacation with a baby? This island is a dream vacation for many due to the many resorts that cater to families.

So it is probably no surprise that Hawaii happens to be one of the best places to vacation with a baby!

If you do not want to explore the island and just need to relax and take it easy, then staying at your beach resort is great as you can lunge around the pool or on the beach.

Head to the beach for some sand and fun and when baby is tired and ready for a nap, the room is only a short walk away. If you want to do an activity that is a bit more strenuous, many of the resorts do offer activities at the resort that you can enjoy.

The best way to get around this island is with a rental car. You will be able to see plenty of amazing sights that will allow you to take unforgettable pictures of yourself and your baby.

Exploring Hawaii by car also means that your baby can take a nap when traveling and not be tired to enjoy the sights.

Baby-friendly places include Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail and Valley of the Temples.

12. Cape Town, South Africa

Not many people associate good places to travel with a baby, including South Africa. However, those who’ve been to Cape Town know it’s one of the best places to visit with a baby or even older kids.

Cape Town is also one of the best cities to visit with a baby because baby facilities are readily available everywhere.

There are plenty of picturesque views and things to do, visiting the penguins, heading out on a boat to see the seals, or having a picnic in a vineyard.

If you want to travel around Cape Town then make sure to rent a car. Many places that you will visit may be an hour or so drive out of the City center.

You do not need to take a car seat with you as many of the car rental companies will be able to offer you car seat rental.

Cape Town is known for its many wine farms. If you think that visiting is not great for kids, you will be pleased to know that many of the wine farms cater to all ages, with most offering children their own version of a “wine-tasting menu “with treats and kids’ drinks.

Nearly everywhere you visit a baby chair will be available to use. Most wine farms have play parks for kids to enjoy with swings, slides, and jungle gyms. If you are traveling with older kids.

Head to one of the many beaches, the most renowned being Camps Bay and enjoy a sunset picnic.

You can find our full guide on how to travel South Africa with a baby here. We visited South Africa with our youngest and two older kids and spent 5 weeks exploring various parts of the country and we loved it!

13. Taipei, Taiwan

Another popular destination for family travelers in Taiwan. This destination is very safe and the people of Taiwan are very welcoming of babies and children.

Many places in Taiwan have mothers’ rooms, similar to those found in Japan, but this city is a great place to travel with a baby because of its many attractions.

Unlike other places, you can easily strap a baby into a stroller and walk around, as the terrain isn’t tough to maneuver making it super easy to get around and explore.

This allows families to see a lot of exciting sights like Longshan Temple or Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

The city of Taipei is exciting and colorful and at night looks a lot like Times Square in New York.

Head to the 101 Building which cannot be missed when you arrive in the city. You can go up this building and it is strongly recommended to buy tickets in advance rather than queuing.

Head out of the city and you will find the Silver Stream Cave which is a temple carved into the rock face behind a stunning waterfall. The nerve-wracking walk-up is definitely worth the trek and be sure to pack a baby carrier for this to make the walk easy.

Belize is one of the most baby and kid-friendly places to visit. It has so many different attractions and activities that everyone can enjoy.

One of the other biggest perks for families visiting here is its affordability.

The country is also English-speaking, so you don’t have to worry about the need to whip out your language translator while trying to balance a baby on your hip.

There are a lot of great places to take your little one in this country, including the Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm and the Mayan Ruins.

If your trip to Belize is to have some downtime and not be out and about too much, be sure to stay at one of the many resorts that offer guests all they need from horseback riding to pools and a health spa.

You can easily find what you need in the stores in Belize however if your baby is drinking formula, it is best to take your own with you as you may not be able to find the same make in Belize.

15. Ecuador

Ecuador may not be the first place you think of when traveling a with baby however you will find that this country is very welcoming of children and is affordable for a family vacation.

Ecuador is one of the best places to visit in South America , so you can’t go wrong with this destination!

The safest way to get around Ecuador is by renting a vehicle. Although there is a lot of public transport like taxis and buses, seatbelts are not always readily available and the maneuvers that the drivers take along the winding roads are quite hair-raising!

When it comes to mealtimes and feeding, you will be pleased to know that breastfeeding is very acceptable and normal. If you need baby formula, this is readily available however you may not find your usual brand.

The terrain is challenging to get around with a stroller, so you will need to use a baby carrier instead. You can even take a backpack carrier as this will be the easiest way to get around and carry your baby.

It’s worth exploring the city as much as possible with your baby as there’s a lot to see. This includes The Otavalo Indigenous Market and the Manabi Coast.

It can get pretty noisy at night too so you may want to bring along something to create white noise. Top tip – book hotels and places to stay that is away from main roads to help reduce the noise at night.

Wondering where to travel with your baby in Greece?

Those who visit Greece can tell pretty quickly that the culture is family-oriented. Often children can eat free at restaurants, stay free at hotels and ride public transportation for free.

While we recommend you leave the cliff-top towns such as Santorini for another year, you could visit many other beautiful destinations in Greece with your baby in tow.

There are many islands that you can visit in Greece offering you and your baby warm beaches to enjoy like the infamous Mykonos.

Another great place to visit in Greece is Crete and the great thing is that this is not the first place most people think of visiting in Greece.

This makes it a great destination as it is not crowded and Crete also has a range of activities to do with kids.

Greece is also a very safe place to visit so it is a definite for any family vacation. If you want to explore by walking, a stroller may be difficult to use so a baby carrier may be best. Or a stroller with larger wheels will be ok.

Make sure you and your baby visit the Plaka District of Athens and The Castles Of Rhodes.

How To Get Around

Of course, the best way to get around Rhodes is with the locals. Get your local Rhodes taxi here.

And if you are staying in Athens (check out our list of the best hotels with rooftop pools in Athens here ), the best way to get around town is by taxi! Book your taxi here !

The Best Places to Visit on a Family Holiday To Crete
Where to visit in Greece for first-timers

17. Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm is full of incredible sights to explore; it would be a shame not to discover the elegant harbors because you have a baby. Instead, Stockholm is one of the best places to travel with a baby.

One of the best things about Stockholm is that you can walk almost everywhere. It is an incredibly safe city and is the perfect size for a family to explore.

Sweden is one of the best places in Europe to visit with kids , because there are plenty of age-appropriate entertainment spots, such as;

Old Town – the quaint part of town with fantastic toy stores
Vasparken – a massive park with a lovely playground
Skansen – a giant ocean-air museum and zoo

It is a legal requirement for all city buses to ensure space for wheelchairs for disabled people and prams for children. This makes it easy to get around if you push a stroller.

A trip to Stockholm is one of the best baby-friendly vacations you can plan.

Tip: One of the best ways to check out Stockholm is from the water. Take a look at our list of best Stockholm boat tours here.

The USA is one of the best baby-friendly vacation spots in the world. There are so many different places in the USA that it is a hard choice of where to go when visiting the USA with a baby and young children.

Washington, DC, is such a vibrant, beautiful city, and it promises to be a memorable and enjoyable experience for the whole family. It is an icon of democracy, full of history and progressive happenings.

There is so much to see and do – a lot of which is free. The best time to visit Washington, DC, with your baby is during spring (March to May), as the temperature is pleasant, with the pink cherry blossoms blooming around early April.

Avoid July and August, which can get uncomfortably hot and cause your baby to fuss.

The city has an excellent public transport system, making getting around easy. While the law doesn’t require car seats for cabs, you can pre-request one for a taxi or Uber.

Florida is another great place to visit and has so many family-friendly resorts to choose from. Florida is well known for all the amusement parks for toddlers such as Disney World, Magic Kingdom Park, etc.

Your young children and even baby will love the splash pads inside Magic Kingdom

Take a trip to Utah to see Zion National Park. There are short hikes inside the park which will be enjoyable for the whole family.

If you do decide to hike in Zion National Park, make sure to take a baby hiking carrier. Find more tips for visiting Zion National Park with kids here.

The same applies if you visit Colorado and the Rocky Mountain National Park.

North Carolina has many fun activities for the family. There is the North Carolina Zoo which is bound to make your little one smile.

Spend a night or two under the stars in the Uwharrie National Forest. There are many activities that you can do from swimming to fishing and boating. Make sure that you put safety first and use life vests for water sports and activities.

If you happen to travel to New York, make sure to take a stroll around central park. It is perfect for walking with a baby stroller or baby carrier.

19. Reykjavik, Iceland

Due to the chilly temperatures, Reykjavik and the rest of Iceland are often overlooked when deciding where to travel with a baby.

However, the city is breathtakingly beautiful, and if you bundle up your baby, you can enjoy the Northern Lights, geothermal hot springs, and fascinating history without the fuss!

Boasting surreal landscapes and fascinating natural phenomena, your little one may be lucky enough to capture a memory.

Reykjavik is fast becoming a trendy tourist destination, so there have been increased tour options. Many of these tours are family-friendly and remove all the fuss when planning your trip.

Make sure you pack in a few extra warm goodies, and you and your baby are good to go.

20. Runaway Bay, Jamaica

Jamaica is known as a paradise getaway, and no reason having a baby should change this experience. Runaway Island in Jamaica prioritizes an atmosphere of relaxation and is one of the top places to travel with a baby.

As a fabulous family vacation destination, Runaway Bay boasts many villas, resorts, and accommodation options focused on the family. Many of these resorts offer family-sized rooms that can comfortably sleep up to three children.

Many of these resorts also help arrange the services of a nanny or babysitter to help you better relax on the beach. Some resorts even have a baby club where trusted employees mind your child during nap time.

If we can give you one little piece of advice, it’s to pack a lot of sunblock (keeping in mind that babies under six months can’t use sunblock). Chances are, your little one will enjoy the sun, sand, and clear waters as much as you.

21. Cascais, Portugal

Cascais is a quaint village in Portugal full of culture, history, and, most importantly, families. The laid-back destination promises one of the best vacations with infants possible.

There is a tangible warmth in the air reflected in the locals’ cheery expressions, and it is sure to be a holiday you will never forget.

If you don’t choose to push your stroller on the wide, open streets, you can be comforted that child seats in taxis are not mandatory, making taxi cabs easily accessible.

There is a wide selection of parks, calm beaches, and historical sites to explore. One thing to remember is that the rich traditions in the seaside village mean that local restaurants don’t necessarily serve chicken nuggets and the like.

However, if your baby wants to venture from their formula, you can rest assured that the local food isn’t particularly spicy and generally quite soft.

22. Vail, Colorado

Vail, Colorado, is one of the best places to travel with a baby.

The breathtaking images of gorgeous mountains, vast open spaces, and reflecting lakes may make you think Vail is better suited to adults; however, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.

There is an entire baby brand named ‘Travel Vail Baby’, which serves as proof of how excellent the destination is for infant-friendly vacations.

The baby and toddler equipment rental company provides cribs, strollers, high chairs, hiking backpacks, and bouncy seats (among many other items) to help parents enjoy Vail’s jagged peaks and slopes.

When ascending to higher altitudes, your baby should be fine, as babies older than three months old adjust to altitude much better than adults.

Handy Tip: The Vail Public Library has incredibly fun baby storytime!

23. Barcelona, Spain

A trip to Barcelona with your baby is a sure way to begin stimulating their creativity from a young age.

From the eccentric design of the Gaudi buildings to the intricate stained glass windows of the cathedrals, your baby will be so busy absorbing the environment that they’ll have little time to cry.

If you want to make the most of your time in Barcelona, travel in the summer when you can enjoy the multiple parks and outdoors. Babies are often happier and more relaxed when moving about.

With so many sights and attractions, you can be sure your little one will be happy as a clam.

Top tip: Make sure to pack a sling or baby carrier. The streets in Barcelona are cobbled, and the bumps could make your baby uncomfortable.

24. Nice, France

Nice is a romantic and magical destination filled with bustling alleyways, quaint little shops, and outdoor restaurants.

One of the best parts about traveling to Nice, France, with a baby is the excellent promenade which offers surreal views while pushing a buggy.

As Nice is such a popular tourist destination, you’ll find that the hospitality industry accommodates babies.

From heating bottles to providing changing facilities, you can visit Nice quickly without any baby hassles.

The French Riviera offers sun, sea, and delectable food; it would be a shame to miss out on this. The charming city is easy to travel to with a baby, especially if you follow our tips on how to travel through France with a baby .

25. Seoul, South Korea

Seoul is one of the most accessible places to visit with a baby. The cosmopolitan city has a lot to offer the entire family and caters to its attractions.

In addition to fantastic shopping, music, and food experiences, there are a lot of free and budget attractions to enjoy.

Seoul has plenty of indoor playgrounds, known as Kids’ cafes that are great for toddlers under two years old. These are a great option during the extreme seasons when the weather can be icy or uncomfortably hot.

The city’s very efficient public transportation system and a wide variety of family-friendly accommodation options make day-to-day living in Seoul very easy.

If you prefer to walk, you’ll be pleased to know that Seoul is also fairly stroller friendly.

One piece of advice is to not breastfeed in public. The Koreans don’t make a habit of the practice, so choosing to do so will attract unwanted attention.

Although there are baby nursing stations in larger subway stations, department stores, and restaurants.

26. Dublin, Ireland

Dublin City and the rolling green hills surrounding the area are on the top of many people’s bucket lists – for a good reason.

There is a stunning culture of friendliness in the city, and the beautiful design of the city mimics the breathtaking landscapes on the outskirts.

Dublin is well-supplied with formula, food, nappies, and clothing for your little one. Most restaurants will go as far as to prepare a bowl for your child and offer high chairs and baby-changing facilities.

Getting around Dublin is very easy. In addition to speaking English, the city is also easy to navigate, and baby car seats are available for a small additional cost. There is even a child-friendly taxi service .

There are many baby-friendly activities to discover in the city, including live Irish music performances.

Be aware that Dublin has quite a vibrant pub culture, and while children are allowed in the pubs and bars during the day, they are not legally allowed entry after 9 pm.

27. Thailand

Thailand is such a great destination to travel with a baby as it is so baby friendly. We love traveling to Thailand and have done it many times with our daughter when she was a baby and a toddler.

The Thai people and culture are so welcoming it makes this country a perfect destination for families who want to travel to a beach destination with a baby.

Another perk is that there are quite a few 4+ star hotels that are more than willing to accommodate your baby’s needs.

Many of them include indoor pools and even water parks. If you are after great cultural travel destinations with a baby, you can’t look further than Thailand. Here is a list of the best resorts on Koh Samui for families .

Some of the best places and great destinations to travel with a baby in Thailand are Khao Lak, Phuket, Krabi, and Koh Samui .

How to Choose Infant-Friendly Holiday Destinations

Wondering how to choose the best place to travel with an infant? Find below some of our requirements when we decide where to travel next.

1. Is the Transportation Safe?

An important consideration when we choose holiday destinations with our baby is whether transportation will be safe for our little one.

For example, you might consider whether taxis and private transfers offer infant travel car seats.

If they don’t, it might be best if you rent a car and add a child car seat onto the rental costs, or you might prefer to bring your own – find a post on the best infant travel car seats to travel with here.

(However, it is essential to check if your car seat can be adequately secured in a different country as they all have different systems to install car seats).

How safe are these to use if you plan to take public transport? Some countries are crazy when it comes to driving.

Think about what you are comfortable with and choose the best vacation that ticks your boxes.

2. Is the Climate Baby-Friendly?

Look at the average temperatures and how much rain the destination will get at the time of year you plan to visit.

We made the mistake of traveling to Asia during their hot season, and our baby developed a heat rash from the constant heat; it made life more challenging than it needed to be as she was unhappy and pretty grumpy.

We also went to Japan when it was freezing, and it was tricky to keep our little baby warm and snug in the temperature.

3. Keep Travel Time Short

Keep flight time as short as you can. It is much easier to fly with a newborn who sleeps a lot, in comparison to a baby who has just become mobile.

It might be a good idea to pick infant-friendly travel destinations closer to home.

An 8-hour flight overseas might be okay, but a 15-hour long-haul flight will be much more challenging (If you are traveling long-haul, you might appreciate our long-haul flight checking list for babies ).

So while we list baby-friendly holidays from around the world in our list below, it will be essential to consider the ones closer to your home.

Also, think about how long your transfers are once you land, and keep your travel days nice and short so that there is plenty of downtime for your baby.

4. Which Countries Are Safe?

The best countries to travel to with a baby are the ones that are safe for little kids. Have a look to see if there is any unrest in the destination you will be visiting.

Look at which vaccines you might have to get (and whether your baby can even get them).

It might be best to avoid rural and remote areas of a country until your baby is a bit older.

We visited Bali when our daughter was only six weeks old, but we stayed clear of the monkey forests and spent a lot more time on hotel grounds than we would typically have done to keep the trip safe for her.

5. Consider Health Care

Think about the amenities and healthcare facilities you would typically be comfortable with at home.

Are there good hospitals, and will the medical staff be able to understand you?

6. Baby Facilities

Another thing that will make traveling with a baby easier is choosing a destination with baby facilities readily available.

Can you find hotels that have baby cots available? You might prefer to travel with a crib; you can find our top recommendations for a lightweight travel crib here.

Are high chairs available in restaurants, and are there baby change rooms?

If not, you can always travel with your own high chair – find a post on the best high chair for travel here.

You can also find a list of all our recommendations for baby travel gear to make your life easier while on holiday here.

Consider how easy it will be to purchase baby diapers, formulae, baby food, or baby medication.

If you have to travel with baby food, you can find a post about TSA baby food and formulae rules here.

Also, think about your baby’s age; the best places to travel with a newborn will not be the same as the best places to travel with a 1-year-old, because a 1-year-old is mobile.

If your baby is at the age where they are eating and drinking water, it is also essential to consider how safe the water and food are to eat in the country you are visiting.

Hopefully, all the tips above are helpful and will guide you to choose one of the best baby-friendly holiday destinations from our guide below.

Jolene’s Pro Tips for Traveling with an Infant

Do it your way: People seem to think that if you go somewhere and you stay in your resort you are doing it wrong! But there is nothing wrong with a holiday with your baby where you do nothing but stay on the resort grounds.
Have plenty of time to rest: Everything needs to happen slower when you travel with a baby. Plan to have only half days of exploring and half a day to relax, plan to have relax days after big travel days.
Stay longer in one hotel: Our baby took a few days to adjust to a new hotel/crib. Which meant we had a few rough nights before she settled back into sleeping better. So we learned to stay in one spot for at least 5+ nights.
Beach vs City trips: We personally found it much easier to go on a beach vacation in comparison to exploring towns and cities in a country. Life moves slower on islands and so that is where we prefer to be with our baby.
What works for someone else might not work for you: Babies are all different, just because someone else had an incredible road trip holiday with their baby, does not mean your road trip will go smoothly. Our baby hated the car and the stroller, so road trips or days exploring all day long in a stroller were not fun for anyone!

Final Thoughts On The Best Places To Vacation With A Baby

So hopefully, if you have been wondering where to travel with an infant, you have made a list of the best holiday destinations with a baby you would love to visit.

The best destination with a baby will be different for each of us as it depends on your current location, as well as what sort of current baby ‘comforts’ you might be used to.

Most parents feel most comfortable when they choose destinations that offer the same level of baby care as the country where they live.

Ultimately you can travel anywhere in the world with a baby; after all, babies are born in each country worldwide.

But the most comfortable holiday where you will be less stressed out will be the country that matches your current baby’s facilities, amenities, and healthcare standards.

And as a last resort, go with your gut instinct. If the destination doesn’t feel right, it might be best to leave it until your child is older.

Wondering what to take along on your trip? Here is our guide to handy travel accessories for baby that you should take on your holiday.
First time flying with your baby? Grab our top tips on how to survive your flight with an infant .
Wondering whether you should take a car seat on your flight? Here is a handy guide to help you decide .

Leave us a Comment:

Which of these destinations on our best countries to travel with a baby list do you want to see the most?
Can you add other best places to holiday with a baby?

Jolene Ejmont

20 thoughts on “27 best places to travel with a baby (safe + baby-friendly)”.

Hi, totally understand where you are coming from, but we visited Bali, Lombok and Gili Islands with our 2-month-old baby and her normal vaccines that she needs to get anyways was sufficient to keep her safe. And that was on doctor’s advice. We have also just visited Vietnam (she is 2 now) and again her normal routine vaccines was enough for her to go. Always best to choose a destination that you are comfortable visiting though and make sure you pop into your travel doctor for advice as well.

I would add Reykjavik

Oh Great tip Ana! Can you tell me why you found it baby friendly? 🙂

I love this! You guys have had some pretty awesome places – all the pictures are simply beautiful. That has to be one of the most memorable, not many people get to say that they have accomplished that! Great Job! and one more question How difficult is it to travel with a 2 month old baby?

A 2-month-old is EASY 🙂 They sleep a lot, they fall asleep anywhere and when they cry you can breastfeed. The hard months arrive once a baby is mobile.

Very interesting article about traveling of the baby. The traveling helps a baby to grow their physical and mental health. Baby strollers and prams are essential things during travel. Thank you for your well-written article.

Thanks for your comment Donna. Do you have a favorite destination that you love visiting with your baby?

I love to travel with my baby. Very interesting & informative post. Just lovely. Thanks a lot for sharing.

We traveled with our 7 month old to Florence and Tuscany and had an amazing time. People are incredibly friendly and helpful. If you get an Airbnb be careful for stairs!

Hi Matt, we love Italy because Italians love our kids! 🙂 We are actually heading to Italy for a 13 week trip early in 2019 – so excited!! Great tip with the stairs, I think it is important to ask that question in all European countries.

Great article. Thanks for sharing this post about best places to travel with baby. It’s very informative and helpful.

Korea is also really great for young children. Lots of kids’ cafes, people love children, most people in the big cities speak at least some English, safe, clean and quite cheap (compared to Japan).

Autumn (September/October) is the best time to come, summer is too hot, winter is too cold and there is often dirty air in spring. The autumn leaves are beautiful and sky is usually blue. The best area to visit is Gangwondo, to the north east.

Thanks for all those wonderful tips 🙂

I would suggest Portugal as well. People there love babies. If you’re pregnant or have a baby you have priority anywhere, from the queue at the supermarket to being seated at a restaurant. The country is beautiful, especially if you don’t just stay in the hyper touristy places like Algarve. Alentejo has great beaches and skies that go on forever and the further up North you go the cheaper it is, with some great hidden gems for both culture and nature.

Brilliant! Thanks for sharing and for giving some info on why you found it to be perfect for babies! We have actually had a few recommendations of Portugal, so might have to add it to the list 🙂

Jolene thank you for your list, we waiting for our baby and looking forward to starting travel with our boy.

Glad you like the info. Hope you have a great time once you can travel again 🙂 All best.

Thank you for the comment. Much appreciated it!

Thank you for the comment

Hi! Great post! Where would you recommend to travel with a 6 month old in December (internationally)? We would like the weather to be around 70F if possible as we are traveling from Minnesota and crave warmer weather in the winter months. Thanks!

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22 Best Places in the World to Travel with a Baby (Under 2 Years Old)

Who said your traveling days are over once you have babies?

Honestly, babies are only as adaptable as you are, and if you’re feeling adventurous, bring your little one to any number of baby-friendly destinations that are sure to be an enjoyable trip for both you and the newest traveler of the family.

Best places to travel with a baby in the USA

Hawaii has fantastic weather and beautiful beaches .

What makes Hawaii such a fantastic travel destination is that they accommodate everyone, including your little ones.

When packing, be sure to include baby-safe sunscreen and all the basic beach essentials.

Also, car seats are required here and in all US destinations.

Strollers or infant carriers are equally fine in Hawaii, so feel free to bring either.

The best months to visit Hawaii are December through April because the summer months can get really hot.

O’ahu is a fantastic family-friendly island in Hawaii that has wonderful resorts on the island.

Recommended accommodations with babies in Hawaii

Turtle Bay Resort This is the only resort located on the North Shore, perfect for a laid back vacation in a fantastic secluded location. Remember the movie: Forgetting Sarah Marshall? This is the resort you’ve seen in the movie.

You can enjoy many activities nearby: snorkeling with turtles, Waimea Valley, the Polynesian cultural center, and the Dole Plantation, where you can grab a dole pineapple whip.

The beach cottages are just a few feet from the ocean, so you can hear the sound of the waves all day long. You and your baby will love this!

If you want to get the true“Aloha Spirit,” go to this Hawaiian style hotel.

Located in the heart of Waikiki beach, very close to the beach, shops, grocery stores, and restaurants.

They provide a free shuttle to Ala Moana shopping mall and Ala Moana Beach Park, a beautiful and calm park next to a beach, perfect for babies.

Reasonable price hotel for those who want to stay near the famous Waikiki beach.

Minneapolis

Minneapolis is a famously family-friendly city in the US and is known for being “Minnesota Nice” to all visitors.

Some tips for visiting Minneapolis (especially in the colder seasons) bring lots of layers. Minnesota isn’t kidding around about the cold. Think coat, sweater, hat, scarf, mittens, boots, and even long underwear.

The best time of year to visit Minneapolis is honestly the wintertime. I know, it gets cold, but hear me out–Minnesota is known for making winter enjoyable. If you’re going to do Minnesota, do it in the winter.

Minneapolis has a beautiful ice palace, a bright and sparkling holidazzle marketplace in the heart of downtown, and lots of opportunities for ice skating and building snowmen. It truly is a magical winter wonderland.

When going with little ones, Minneapolis is very stroller friendly, and some Minnesotans even have treads on their stroller wheels for navigating in the snowy sidewalks in the winter.

If you’re not used to driving in the snow, we recommend using an uber with a driver who is local to the area or utilizing public transportation.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Minneapolis

The Westin Minneapolis

Lovely hotel, originally built in the 1940s as a bank. It’s located right in the heart of downtown, perfect for exploring the city. It’s connected to the skyway so you can access most of the city indoors.

It features an indoor pool, a nice hot tub, and a spacious gym.

Great choice for travelers with toddlers or kids.

Known for its coffee and high tech hubs , Seattle is a fantastic city to visit with little ones.

Public transportation is easily accessible in Seattle, and your little one will love the bus ride.

Seattle is beautiful year-round with mild winters. June to September is considered the busiest time to be there; however, it’s because the weather is so wonderful.

When packing, bring a stroller. The city is really stroller friendly, but there are lots of hills. It’s a matter of if you’d rather climb a hill pushing a stroller or carrying a baby.

Some great things to do with your little one in Seattle include visiting the century-old Pike Place Market, or the Children’s Museum, walking around Seward Park, riding the iconic Great Wheel, and reaching the top of the Space Needle to get the best views of Seattle.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Seattle

Fairmont Olimpic Hotel

The elegant Fairmont Olimpic hotel is conveniently located in the center of downtown, close to the Great Wheel, Seattle waterfront, the famous Pike Place Market, and Space Needle.

They provide cribs, high chairs, infant or child-sized bathrobes, infant toiletry kits, and children’s menus.

New York City

What makes New York City such a great travel spot is that there is so much to do, even with a baby.

When going to New York, know that, while busy, it’s very accommodating for little ones. Strollers are fine in New York; we recommend public transportation, so you don’t need to carry a car seat everywhere, and definitely bring your walking shoes.

The best time of year to visit New York in the fall because of the beautiful changing colors in the trees.

When in New York, especially in the fall, visit Central Park with your baby. There is so much to do just in the Park, including the Central Park Zoo, carousel, and 21 playgrounds.

You can also visit Manhattan Children’s Museum or hop on a boat tour to see the Statue of Liberty from the water.

Recommended accommodation with babies in NYC

Four Seasons Hotel New York

This is a five-star luxury hotel designed with an art deco style.

Located in Midtown East, near Central Park and Madison Avenue. It’s one of the best kid-friendly hotels in New York. No additional charge for children under 18 years old who stay in the same guest room with parents.

Kids will get a welcome amenity with coloring books and crayons or toys. And there are children’s toiletries and bathrobes, complimentary baby bottles, lotion, powder or strollers available.

Orlando is a popular travel destination specifically for families with kids, including babies.

When traveling to Orlando, consider March-May because the weather is still nice, and it’s not high tourist season. Families with school-aged kids tend to visit Orlando June-August, so capitalize on going with a little one who is not yet on an academic calendar schedule.

When packing for Orlando, especially if you’re going to Disney World, Sea World, or really any popular resort, most things have rental options. This includes strollers and car seats. Yes, it costs money, but it is one less bulky thing to pack.

I also recommend going to one of the many family-friendly resorts in Orlando. This area is famous for catering to families with kids, so know that your needs will be met.

Recommended accommodations with babies in Orlando

Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Make your kid’s dreams come true with this resort!

Within minutes of Walt Disney World, they have buses running hourly to all the parks.

They have a couple of pools connected by a 3-acre lazy river and water slides. You will love it!

If you are a Hilton honor member, you will get a free complimentary upgrade to a pool and fireworks view room.

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

This place has it all for infants, kids, and adults!

It has a private lake, an outdoor lagoon pool with water slides, magnificent gardens, beach, hammocks, and children’s play area.

It’s a very family-oriented resort. Younger kids will love Merlot, the parrot in the reception, and the splash pad.

Best places to travel with a baby outside the USA

Barbados is a fantastic place to travel with kids of all ages; beaches and pleasant weather suit everyone.

What makes it so perfect for families with babies is that the island is small, safe and the locals are friendly . The people of Barbados are very kind to tourists and especially those with families.

When packing for your trip, be sure to include a child-appropriate car seat as seatbelt laws are enforced in Barbados.

You will also want to pack all the baby beach essentials like baby-friendly sunscreen, swim diapers, a beach towel, and beach toys.

Since beach weather is the main attraction for Barbados, it’s recommended to travel between mid-December and April because the air is less humid and the temperatures warm but not oppressive (think 30 °C/86 °F).

Some of the best family-friendly beaches are in Holetown that is famous for its wonderful boardwalk.

Barbados really does have everything that a family would want for the perfect beach vacation.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Barbados

Colony Club by Elegant Hotels

Located in the wonderful West coast, with easy access to many restaurants, a short taxi ride away.

An excellent choice for an enjoyable holiday with a baby! Housekeeping team provides a bottle steamer, gloves, bowls, detergent, and sponges to wash bottles.

Great facilities for kids of all ages, including the pools, the beach, and free watersports. Your kids will enjoy everything!

What makes Mexico such an ideal place to travel to with a baby, specifically if your goal is an international trip, is that it’s not difficult to travel to. Getting to Mexico from the US is a relatively easy journey. You will just have to fly with your baby for around 4 hours from the USA . Just enough time to entertain your kid during the flight before getting bored and tired.

Mexicans are a really inviting people who love children and especially families with babies, so your little one is sure to get lots of smiles from the locals. Although, full disclosure, locals are likely going to want to interact with your baby (pet, play with, touch) and while it is coming from a good place, you might not be comfortable with it. Or maybe you will be. Either way, be prepared for how you want to respond to this.

Some important travel tips for traveling with a baby, specifically those with formula-fed babies, use bottled water when preparing your formula.

Also, car seat laws are not enforced so; technically, you don’t need a car seat to get around by car.

The ideal season for traveling to Mexico is between November and March, especially if your goal is to hit the beaches. This time of year is well after hurricane season, so you won’t have any dangerous weather, and the climate is more agreeable.

For fun places in Mexico to visit, I highly recommend Cancun/Mayan Riviera because it has lots of family-friendly beaches and all-inclusive family resorts.

Recommended accommodations with babies in Mexico

Grand Palladium Kantenah

Grand Palladium Colonial

Grand Palladium White Sand

Grand Palladium is a huge hotel divided into Grand Palladium Kantenah, Grand Palladium Colonial, and Grand Palladium White Sand.

They are all five-star all-inclusive resorts, ideal for families.

There are water slides, baby pool, snorkel equipment, all sizes, play areas, x-box rooms, kids menu at the restaurants, and kids show in the theatre at nighttime, so plenty of activities for children.

And for the babies, we offer the baby club service that will take in little ones aged 1 to 3. Not many hotels give small children a dedicated service.

Aruba is one of those underrated travel destinations for families, but it is definitely worth your time.

There are family resorts, and more adult resorts for travelers, and this separation actually makes the experience more enjoyable for families because honeymooners are off in their own resort.

When packing for Aruba, know that car seats are not mandatory, but most car rental companies offer them so plan according to what works for your family.

January to March is seasonally the best time to visit Aruba ; however, the prices tend to jump as well. So families looking to save some money can still travel between April to August, and the weather is still enjoyable because Aruba is outside of the hurricane belt.

If you’re looking for a fun place to visit, there is a beach literally called Baby Beach in Aruba that is the perfect family-friendly beach. It’s great because it is a man-made lagoon with shallow water for wading that keeps kids very safe. It’s ideal for activities like snorkeling and feeding fish.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Aruba

I would recommend you to stay at the Renaissance Aruba Resort .

This hotel has two parts: the Marina resort, for adults only, and the Ocean Suites, for families. The Ocean Suites has a small beach and a nice pool area, perfect for children, and its own private boat dock.

From there, you will be able to get a free ride to the famous Flamingo Beach and spend the day watching the beautiful flamingos and enjoying a private beach day.

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands are beautiful, and the Grand Cayman Island is considered one of the safest in the Caribean.

People who travel to the Caymans say there are families with small children everywhere, so those with little ones are welcome and encouraged to visit.

It also has an excellent infrastructure meaning tap water is considered safe to drink, the roads are paved well, there are reliable hospitals should any kind of medical emergency come up. Car seats are required, so pack accordingly.

If you want to travel to the Cayman Islands as a family, go between March and June because the prices drop. Thankfully, the weather is pretty consistently warm and enjoyable year-round, so traveling when you can save some money is ideal.

Things to do : snorkel among corals, sponges, and hundreds of tropical fish, visit the turtle farm, where you will get the chance to hold and pet the turtles.

One of the best places to stay in the Cayman Islands is the 7 Miles Beach because it has a flawless view, it’s a pristine clean beach, and importantly family-friendly.

Recommended accommodation with babies in the Cayman Islands

The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort Spa

The beach here is exceptional: beautiful, warm, and calm, perfect for younger children.

They will love the floating platforms and making sandcastles (you can even borrow beach toys for them).

There are many activities for adults and kids of all ages. Live music, cooking classes, kids movie night on the beach, bonfire, bingo, a great entertainment program for everyone.

When traveling to Italy with a baby, you’re sure to be welcomed by the Italians who love kids.

There is so much for babies to see in the hustle and bustle of cities like Rome. Stroll around Villa Borghese Gardens, throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, or visit the Colosseum with your little ones.

When packing know that baby-wearing is the way to go here. Strollers are a personal choice, there are often lots of stairs, cobblestone walkways, and general crowdedness that make strollers a pain to bring, but it depends on your vacation plan and how active you want to be.

When traveling to Italy, consider visiting from April to June or the end of September to October because the weather is very not so hot as in summer but still very nice. And it’s more affordable.

Also, if you travel in winter, around Christmas time, there are more festivals and the famous Christmas Markets to visit (especially in Rome) that would be perfect to do with little ones.

Recommended accommodations with babies in Rome, Italy

Hotel Savoy (Rome)

This hotel is located in the historical center, close to everything: restaurants, and many attractions, in the best part of the city but out of the hustle and bustle.

You can walk anywhere from here or take the metro at Barberini or Spagna metro station. So super convenient for families with babies.

They also have babysitting services. Don’t miss out on a romantic dinner on the rooftop terrace!

Greece is a great place to travel with babies because the resorts are family-oriented and there are so many activities for them to enjoy–especially in the Greek Islands .

I would recommend traveling only during the summer (June to September) when visiting the islands because the beaches will be at best as far as the weather is concerned.

When traveling, don’t bother packing a stroller because it can be difficult to navigate the sidewalks. Car seats are encouraged and can be rented with most car rental spots in Greece.

The island of Crete is considered to be one of the best Greek Islands for families with young kids because there are more family-friendly beaches. Most notably, the Elafonisi beach of Crete has a famous pink color in the sand–so small children will love the color of such a unique beach.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Creta, Greece

Louis Creta Princess

Great family hotel located on the beach of Maleme.

There are lots of activities and facilities for big kids and toddlers, including supervised waterslides and pools, playgrounds, and water fountains, arcades, kids disco, and kids menu.

Once a week, they bring out popcorn and candy floss, and they have ice cream included many days.

A lovely all-inclusive resort for a perfect family holiday.

Going to France with a baby is wonderful.

There is so much for your little one to see and experience from arts and marketplaces to food and nature , France has a diverse range of activities for everyone, including your little one.

The public transportation system is extremely reliable, so I would recommend public transit to avoid lugging around the car seat.

April to June and September to early November are the most affordable times to visit France.

Since the weather in France varies so dramatically on when you visit and where in France you plan to visit, I recommend going based on price.

Paris is a classic and iconic travel spot in France, and that includes baby . Monuments like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum are considered child-friendly and worth your time. The Louvre Museum even offers baby carriers and strollers to rent for free. Just outside Paris, the Versailles Palace and its beautiful huge gardens are great for babies too.

Other places like the Loire Valley castles or the French Riviera are also totally baby-friendly. On the other hand, visiting the infamous Mont Saint Michel (steep and narrow alleys) or Dune du Pilat (lots of sand!) with a stroller might not be recommendable.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Paris, France

Hotel des 2 Continents

This hotel has free baby beds (cot or wooden bed), which they install in your room on the day of your arrival.

You will also find all the necessary equipment for your stay (no extra fee): changing mat, bottle warmer, high chair for breakfast.

To avoid carrying your stroller in your room, you can leave it in the luggage room at any time.

What people love about traveling to Spain is the wide variety of things to do: museums, football games, delicious food, flamenco music and dancing, fantastic beaches and lots of sunshine . All of these things can be enjoyed with a baby!

When traveling to Spain, utilize public transportation so that you can ditch the car seat. Renting a car can be a hassle because there is rarely ever any free parking in the cities. I’d recommend using the metro to travel. It’s fast, cheap, easy, and convenient.

If you’re looking to hit the beaches, going to Spain in June or September is ideal. July and August are very busy and expensive months. If you’re looking for affordability, consider April, May, or October , the weather is not bad and it’s cheaper than summer.

Personally, I think Barcelona is one of the best places to go with little ones because there is a lot to see and do: Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, Poble Espanyol, Montserrat Monastery (outside Barcelona) and the Montjuic Magic Fountain show.

If you are looking for a park, Parc de la Ciutadella is the biggest urban park and a popular place to walk, read or relax. You’ll find wide pathways, a playground area, a lake, a big fountain, and the entrance to the zoo.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Barcelona, Spain

Le Meridien Barcelona

The location of this hotel is the best, right in the center of the tourist district.

If you are traveling with a toddler, it can be very convenient as you can enjoy many attractions within walking distance during the day and make it back for nap time.

They offer spacious and comfortable family suites, an outdoor dining terrace that is toddler-friendly, and a personalized welcome kit for the kids.

This is an excellent choice for families interested in city walks and sightseeing.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is wonderful to travel to, and for any Americans considering this as a travel destination will appreciate that everyone speaks English . Having no language barriers to worry about can help ease any concerns for people traveling with little ones.

When traveling to the UK, know that there is plenty of public transportation, so no need for a car seat. Also, strollers can be used; however you may find it easier to travel without because of stairs and cobblestone roads. It really depends on what you plan to do.

London is a magnificent place to go with a baby. The London Transport Museum is great if your little one loves buses and trolleys or really anything that can go “vroom.”

There are plenty of things to do with babies: Watch the changing the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, stroll around Hyde Park, the most famous park in London, visit the Camden market, enjoy the breathtaking views from one of London Eye’s capsules, consider a Thames river cruise…

From June to September is usually the best season to go weatherwise.

Recommended accommodations with babies in London, UK

Park Plaza County Hall London

Situated in South Bank, very close to London’s Eye and St James Park, this hotel is perfect to stay in London with your little ones.

Kids get a welcome bag with vouchers for chocolates or ice cream in the hotel bar, and they also have other amenities like kids bathrobes. And there are many family activities included in the family package.

There are many types of family rooms available: Junior Suite, Studio double, Penthouse family, Executive Family Studio. And they all come with a kitchenette which is really handy for toddlers.

Mediterranean Cruise

What is so wonderful about a cruise with a baby is that cruises are often all-inclusive .

The swaying of the boat can be soothing for a baby, and there is always background sound so the baby may even sleep better.

What I like best about doing a Mediterranean Cruise is that there is so much to see between the ocean and various port cities that you’ll visit : experience la dolce vita in Italy, the ancient Greek or the French Riviera all in one trip.

The lower decks often have family-friendly pools, and there are activities and shows included on the boat.

Plus, as you travel between port cities, you will get to know the people on the cruise with you, and meeting new people is sometimes the best part of traveling.

Spring or Fall are the best times to do a Mediterranean Cruise because it’s more affordable and less crowded.

The Royal Caribbean Mediterranean Cruise is the best family-friendly cruise line in the Mediterranean. However, some lines won’t allow infants to travel who are under 6 months old.

Western Mediterranean Cruise

7 days itinerary: Barcelona (Spain), Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Provence (France), Florence/Pisa (Italy), Rome (Italy), Naples/Capri (Italy), Barcelona (Spain)

Few people realize how a place like Japan is to travel with little ones. The Japanese are very polite, welcoming, and the country is famously very, very safe.

There is also fantastic and reliable public transportation.

Strollers are widely used in Japan, so feel free to bring that as well.

Tokyo is a perfect place to visit because there are so many attractions that are toddler and kid-friendly: LEGOLand, the Tokyo Toy Museum, Sanrio Puroland (which is a Hello Kitty toddler-friendly amusement park), and of course Tokyo Disneyland.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Tokyo, Japan

Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo

Very conveniently located hotel in Shinjuku’s business district. The bus stop to the airport stops in front of the hotel, and they offer free shuttle services to Disneyland

Also plenty of huge department stores with nice food options in the area.

They provide a welcome pack to the kids with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and kids’ size slippers.

Definitely a good choice for a family stay in Tokyo.

Bali is a fantastic place to travel to for just the weather alone.

April to October is considered the ideal time to travel to Bali because it’s considered the dry season (less rain).

Car seats are not required in Bali but available in rental cars upon request (sometimes for an additional fee).

What makes Bali a great place to go with little ones is all the water, either on the beach or at various resorts in kid-friendly splash pads with kiddy pools . There are lots of opportunities for kids to splash around. The Splash Waterpark Canguu is a fantastic kid-friendly waterpark that is worth visiting.

There are also plenty of other activities like family-friendly resorts throughout Bali.

Another great thing in Bali is that they cater to their tourist population, so there are lots of affordable touristy things to do.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Bali

Holiday Inn Resort Bali Benoa

A beachfront five-star hotel in a lovely location with a beautiful garden. A great choice for families with little kids.

They have four pools, including a toddler pool with a mini slide for the little ones, water volleyball, and floaters.

The kids club is excellent, and they do a lot of activities: trampoline, ball pit, slide, and PS4, mainly orientated for kids under 8 yo.

A relaxing, clean, and family-friendly hotel.

Most people dream of going to the Maldives, it’s definitely a dream destination; So why don’t you take your little ones with you?

The Maldives is a quiet and underrated place to visit, and that’s exactly why it’s perfect for people with babies.

Pack for all the beach essentials and also consider bringing a bug repellant you’re comfortable using with your baby; depending on the season and where you are, the mosquitos can be hard for the little ones.

Everything is laid back, and the vibe is down to earth , it makes relaxing the reason for the vacation.

There are beautiful beaches that you can simply enjoy with your baby, and for some people, that’s all you would ever need.

Admittedly there isn’t a lot in the way of sightseeing, but that frees up your vacation to be simply the resort, beach, great weather, local food, and of course the baby. Sometimes not having the pressure to see everything makes the trip more enjoyable.

The Maldives is best between November and April and to avoid from May to October because that is their monsoon season.

Recommended accommodation with babies in the Maldives

Niyama Private Islands Maldives

Niyama Private Islands is a luxurious resort located 40 minutes from Male airport offering overwater villas and family beach pool villas with private pool.

The hotel is divided into two islands: “Chill” and “Play.” So one is where all the fun takes place: kids club and water sports, and the other is where the spa and over the water villas are.

The kids club is from 12 months to 12 yo, and it is extremely well organized. They always have plenty of activities to do including baby play areas.

Thailand is a spectacular country with so many exotic foods to try and places to visit . It’s also a very family-oriented country and welcoming to travelers with babies.

When packing, know there will be a lot of walking, and the country is hot, so babywearing might get your little one more overheated because of the shared body heat. I recommend a small umbrella stroller if the baby can sit upright in one; otherwise, a baby stroller is fine as well.

The cool/dry season is between November and April, which would be the best time of year to visit.

Some things to do while in Thailand include touring the Grand Palace and the Temple of Buddha.

Other unique experiences include taking a ride on an elephant.

With a baby, you can easily hit the beach. There are so many islands with beautiful beaches in Thailand that it’s hard to only name a few, but Ko Samui, Ko Chang, Krabi or Phuket are places you want to look at when traveling with a baby. I would avoid Ko Phi Phi, which is overcrowded and overrated, according to me.

Recommended accommodation with babies in Koh Samui, Thailand

Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort

This wonderful 5-star hotel is very well located in a quiet beach area, a 15-minute drive from the airport, and a 10-minute drive from Chaweng.

If you are looking for a pleasant evening stroll with your baby, you can walk down the beach, and you will end up in Fishermen’s Village, where you will find restaurants, shops, and a night market.

The kid’s club offers activities for kids of 4 and over, but younger kids can use it with a private nanny.

A great resort to enjoy family time together.

Columbia is a beautiful country, and Santa Marta is especially family-friendly. Santa Marta is an island with lots of great resorts that can accommodate you and your little one.

Car seats are not really used in Colombia, so pack at your own discretion.

The climate in Colombia has little variation, so really any time of year will get you some great weather. June, July, and December are high travel seasons, though, so avoid those months if you’re looking to keep costs low.

Things to do in Santa Marta with little ones include visiting their aquarium Mundo Marino, spending a day at Crystal Beach, and eating out with the locals at Parque de Los Novios.

Recommended accommodations with babies in Santa Marta, Colombia

Zuana Beach Resort Hotel

An excellent beachfront resort with great facilities and entertainment for the kids.

There is a mini pool with a slide for toddlers, all sorts of games available, including video games and a play area for kids. And both adults and kids can enjoy the awesome bowling alley.

Rodedero and Santa Marta are very easy to reach, cheap by taxi ($3 and $6 each way).

If you ever plan to visit Colombia, you should stay here.

Traveling to Seychelles with little ones is phenomenal because they have outstanding white-sand beaches, luxury resorts, and crystal clear water .

With a baby, everything can still be enjoyed because everyone loves clean beaches.

When visiting Seychelles April and May or October and November are the best months for cooler and breezier weather, Seychelles can get really hot in the thick of the summer.

Pack for warm weather and beach gear; know that car seats are not required in Seychelles, but you may choose to bring them at your own discretion.

Some great things to do while in Seychelles include going to breathtaking beaches like Anse Forbans on Mahé Island (ideal for babies, there’s no waves here), Anse Lazio on Praslin Island and Anse Cocos on La Digue Island.

Don’t miss out on Curieuse. On this island, you’ll find giant turtles in their habitat. There are many of them and are attracted by humans (well, food that humans hand to them). Surely a highlight for you and your baby!

Recommended accommodations with babies in Seychelles

I specifically recommend staying at the Constance Lemuria on Praslin Island.

It’s an outstanding hotel and has its own private beach protected from the waves, as well as a tennis court and even golf.

There is something to do for everyone, watersports, snorkeling, kids club activities, hiking, bicycles free of use, etc. And they have everything you need for babies: Plenty of games, toys, a mini pool for babies and a playground, baby cot in the room, and high chairs, etc.

The best time to travel to Mauritius is from May to December because the weather is dry and sunny.

Beaches like Belle mare, Flic en Flac, or Morne Brabant are perfect for babies. Plus, there are no waves there because the beaches are protected by a coral barrier.

When packing also know that hiking in Mauritius is gorgeous so a baby carrier specifically geared for hiking adventures would be lots of fun for the little one.

Other fun things to do in Mauritius include boating excursions, touring plantation houses, and trips up into the mountains.

Recommended accommodations with babies in Mauritius

Sugar Beach A Sun Resort

A kids-friendly 5-star hotel located on a stunning beach.

The kids club is for kids between the ages of 2 and 12, and they will organize age-appropriate activities and groups depending on their interests: movies on the beach, arts, and crafts, golf or stand up paddleboarding classes, educational excursions… It’s open the whole day from 09.30 to 22.00

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The best types of vacations to take with a baby

Bringing a new baby into your home changes life as you know it. Watching them sleep is more exciting than bingeing the latest Netflix show and you take more pictures of them in a day than you did on your last vacation.

Speaking of vacations, it's 100% possible to still enjoy travel with a baby in tow , but you'll need to get the right gear , learn about flying with an infant and determine which destinations specifically cater to tiny travelers.

We've laid out the four best types of vacations to take with a baby , with our favorite locations in each category and what you should pack for your trip . Whether your little one is unfazed by city life or you've got a beach baby on your hands, these are TPG's top picks for where and how to travel with a baby.

All-inclusive resort

When you visit a baby-friendly all-inclusive resort , you don't have to stress over having enough cash, finding fun activities to keep your kid entertained or deciding where to eat every meal because it's all included in the cost of your vacation.

Many resorts even provide cribs, strollers and bottle warmers that you can borrow during your stay, so you can pack light and focus on carrying your baby instead of extra suitcases.

On top of being situated right on the beach (because what baby doesn't love to eat sand?), all-inclusive resorts have kids clubs, splash areas and playgrounds designed to keep your baby contently cooing until it's time to head home.

Where to go

Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Port St. Lucie , Florida, is the only stateside location of the popular all-inclusive resort brand. Child care is available for an additional fee for babies between 4 and 23 months in the resort's Baby Club Med day care and you can request a baby welcome kit with a stroller, bathtub, bottle warmer, changing table and Pack 'n Play.

Related: Club Med helped set the course for all-inclusive resorts: Now it's adding 17 new locations around the world

If you are looking for a luxury resort that's still baby-friendly, Mexico's Finest Playa Mujeres goes above and beyond what you'd expect. In addition to standard baby gear like a baby monitor and high chair, the resort offers a variety of natural homemade purees for babies. You can visit the kids club facilities with babies ages 0 to 2 to play with toys or swim in the kiddie pool, but you are required to stay with them at all times. Child care is only available for kids ages 3 and up.

What to bring

Because the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping babies under 6 months of age out of direct sunlight, you'll want to pack items to protect them from the sun. Though most resorts provide beach chairs and umbrellas, you may also want to bring a few baby-specific beach items like a pop-up shade tent (they are great during nap time), a full-body swimsuit with SPF protection and a hat (that they probably won't keep on).

Baby-friendly hotel

Most hotels don't go out of their way to accommodate families traveling with babies , but a select few have made it a priority to offer child care, welcome kits with baby amenities and spacious rooms that give babies the peace and quiet they need so that parents can have their own peace and quiet.

Loews Regency New York is located in New York City just two blocks from Central Park. The Loews Loves Families program (offered at multiple locations) hooks families up with a guide to area activities and dining options, as well as amenities like baby bathtubs, cribs, baby-proofing gear and even stuffed animals. The hotel has 58 suites, some with kitchenettes, that have the space, convenience and privacy you need when traveling with a baby.

Andaz Mayakoba Resort Riviera Maya , 32 miles south of Cancun , has a top-notch complimentary kids club called Kimbo Kids Club, but until recently it was only available for kids ages 4 and up. With the introduction of Kimbo Baby — for kids ages 3 months to 4 years — even parents can steal a few hours for themselves while their baby is cared for by the resort's trained child care team. Rooms with terrace plunge pools give you and baby a private spot to splash in the shade.

City hotels especially can be noisy, which isn't much fun when you have an overtired baby on your hands . Pack a white noise machine to drown out the noise (pro tip: place the sound machine near the noise you are trying to drown out rather than near your baby). If you plan to spend some time at the hotel pool or on the beach, bring along a flotation device designed for babies. Many have detachable canopies for extra shade.

Your baby won't be tall enough for their first roller coaster for years, but there's still plenty of fun to be had at a theme park . And if you decide to take turns riding roller coasters without them, your baby will be none the wiser.

All kidding aside, theme parks have lots of perks for babies. They are noisy and colorful, which can keep babies occupied for a surprisingly long time (but if they don't like loud noises, you might want to pack some noise-canceling headphones).

Plus, everyone expects theme parks to be full of kids. If your baby has a meltdown or throws your popcorn bucket at a passerby, you'll be surrounded by other parents who have likely been in the same position and will probably brush it off.

We'd be remiss to leave Walt Disney World off a list of baby-friendly vacation spots. Even if you've been dozens of times, there's something magical about seeing it through your baby's eyes for the first time (when they are awake, at least). For maximum ease, stay at one of Disney's on-site hotels . They offer complimentary transportation to and from the parks and most have baby pools or splash pads available, as well. To preserve those precious first-visit memories, you can have an artist hand-cut your baby's silhouette portrait at Magic Kingdom or Disney Springs, or visit the Disney PhotoPass Studio at Disney Springs for a family portrait.

Your baby probably still lacks the dexterity to build with Lego bricks, but that doesn't mean they are too young for Legoland California Resort . There are more than a dozen attractions with no height requirement, including sand pits where they can dig for dinosaur bones, a Duplo-themed interactive playground, a Coast Cruise boat ride and a Legoland Express train. There's also a convenient baby care center in the park where you can feed and change your baby in a cool, comfortable environment. An on-site hotel allows you to easily get back to your room for nap time or the inevitable change of clothes.

With so many theme parks on either the West Coast or in Central Florida, the temperatures can climb pretty high. Pack a fan designed to clip onto your stroller, sun protective clothing and some stylish baby sunglasses.

Mountain retreat

Where better to test out a baby's developing senses than surrounded by nature? They can smell the fresh mountain air, touch leaves and pinecones (and most likely taste them, as well), listen to birds chirping in the trees and experience nature's majesty.

Related: Best ski resorts for families in North America

While babies are discovering the world around them, parents can escape the daily routine in a peaceful, relaxing setting. Bonus points if you book accommodations large enough to bring the grandparents along for a bit of built-in babysitting.

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole in Teton Village, Wyoming, is a luxury mountain lodge resort less than 30 minutes from Grand Teton National Park . Rooms are cozy with a fireplace and furnished balcony with mountain views. Residence-style rooms have up to five bedrooms for multigenerational vacations. During your visit, you can swim in the heated outdoor pool, ride an aerial tram to the top of Rendezvous Peak and, in the winter, embark on a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the snow.

Hyatt Place Keystone in Keystone, Colorado, is a great starting point for your mountain adventures, even if your adventures include nothing more than sitting in the hot tub (or near it if you are on baby duty) and taking in the mountain views. Breakfast and coffee — the preferred wake-up call of parents everywhere — are included with your stay. Opt for a suite over a standard room and you'll enjoy a separate bedroom where you can lay the baby down while you gaze into each other's eyes (or, more likely, at the TV).

If you are planning a wintertime visit, you'll need to pack certain items to keep your baby bundled safely. Not many things in the world are cuter than a baby in a snowsuit, but most snowsuits aren't safe to use in a car seat. Another option is to use a car seat or stroller cover that keeps your baby warm without the bulk.

Bottom line

Vacationing with a new baby can feel overwhelming, but if you know where to go and what to bring along, you can use it as an opportunity to rest, recharge and bond with your baby — all while creating lifelong memories.

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Iceland with a Baby Itinerary

Iceland, also known as the “The Land of Fire and Ice”, is really a magical and memorable country to visit, especially with your baby along for the fun. From glaciers to waterfalls to volcanoes to coastline to geothermal baths, the list of natural wonders for you and your baby to adore goes on and on. With Iceland being one of the most scenic and safest countries in the world, it’s the perfect place to travel with your baby. Our Iceland with a baby itinerary will cover seeing all the natural wonders listed above in 9 days while driving the Ring Road/ entire island (over 1400 miles in total) with your baby in tow.

You will not find a better Iceland with a baby itinerary out there. We spent years researching and have picked out the best stops along/off the Ring Road to make for the best trip for you and your baby in Iceland. And when we say years, we mean years. This trip was originally supposed to occur in May 2020 pre-baby (we all know how 2020 went…). Instead, our Iceland trip took place in June 2022 with our 10-month-old daughter. This gave us extra time to fine tune our trip and to also make it baby friendly.

We also have paced this ‘Iceland with a Baby Itinerary’ out based on how we were able to complete traveling around Iceland with our baby in real time. We had a loose plan of what we wanted to do before we went on our trip and then we planned this trip out based on how things played out real time each day. Everything takes more time with a baby, and this real time method helped us better gauge how much we could realistically do in one day. Here is our 9-Day Iceland with a Baby Itinerary.

Note: This guide covers our Iceland Ring Road Itinerary that we traveled with our baby. For more baby travel tips, please our Top 10 Baby Travel Tips , How to Hike with a Baby , 5 Top Baby & Toddler Flying Tips and Flying with a Baby posts. Further, this itinerary is really fit for anyone to use but was made with a baby at the forefront of our plans.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. That means that, at no cost to you, we may get a small commission if you purchase through these links. This helps us keep providing travel resources for you!

Overview of Iceland with a Baby Itinerary

Þórufoss , Thingvellir National Park, Efstidalur, Strokkur Geysir, Gullfoss, Faxi Waterfall and Kerid Crater
Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Skogar Museum, Kvernufoss, Dyrhólaey, Reynisfjara Beach Lighthouse/Peninsula, Vik
Fjaðrárgljúfur , Vatnajökull National Park (Svartifoss,Svínafellsjökull Glacier), Hof, Hangandifoss/Múlagljúfur Canyon, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lake/Diamond Beach
Hofn, Vestrahorn Mountain, Hengifoss and Litlanesfoss Hike, Egilsstaðir, Seydisfjordur
Fardagafoss, Rjukandafoss, Stuðlagil Canyon, Dettifoss/Selfoss, Hverir Mud Pots, Grjótagjá
Myvatn, Myvatn Nature Baths, Husavik, Godafoss, Akueryki
Akueryki, Kolugljufur Canyon, Hvammstangi, Kirkjufellsfoss/Kirkjufell, Svortuloft Lighthouse, Arnarstapi
Arnarstapi to Hellnar Trail, Rauöfeldargjá Canyon, Búðakirkja church, Reykjavik
Reykjavik

Day 1 Iceland with a Baby: Arrive & Golden Circle

Fly into reykjavik.

We arrived on our flight to Iceland with our baby around 10:30 AM local time (departed from Chicago the evening prior). We’d recommend arriving earlier than this if possible. By the time we got our luggage picked up, went through customs and got our campervan, it was 1:30 PM. By the time we got groceries, it was 3 PM local time. If we were to redo this trip, we would have booked a flight that landed earlier in the day to get more of a jump start on our day.

Tip: Consider staying on your home time if visiting during June or July

Due to the midnight sun (it never actually got dark) occurring in Iceland during our June trip, we never switched our time schedules. Instead, we stayed on US Central Time the entire trip. So even though the time would be 12 AM or 1 AM local time, it would only be 7 PM or 8 PM on our clocks (5 hour time difference).

This decision was helpful not only for our baby but also us. We never had to deal with time changes and had quite a smooth transition into and back out of our trip (although it is never easy to come back to everyday life from a trip…). Also, exploring late at night was great for being the only people at many attractions. Turns out, most people do not do this. So, when we would be at normally very busy attractions at 12 AM local time, we usually were the only ones there. Score!

Tip: Buy groceries in Reykjavik before starting your trip

Grocery store options are very limited once you leave Reykjavik. Stock up on some essentials before you head off on your journey

We recommend stopping at Kronan to pick up some groceries. We found this grocery store chain to have the best prices and variety throughout our trip. On the north side of the Island (where we did not encounter any Kronans), we would recommend stopping at Netto .

There is also a Costco in Reykjavik that we stopped at in addition to Kronan to buy some drinks in bulk.

Tip: If you have extra room in your luggage, bring as much nonperishable food as you can.

Food is EXPENSIVE in Iceland. The expense of food is logical given that Iceland is an island but coming from the midwest where cost of food is very affordable, we were in a bit of sticker shock. Bring what you can to cut back on cost.

Drive and Visit Golden Circle Attractions

Þórufoss (1 hour 5 minutes from airport).

Porufoss is a slight detour off the regular Golden Circle route, but it is definitely worth the time to stop as you will likely be the ONLY people there! This waterfall is so peaceful. It is less impressive than some other waterfalls you will see on this trip, yet it is likely one of the only ones you will have to yourself, especially on the Golden Circle. Our baby loved watching and listening to the waterfall here.

Finding Porufoss: After about 15km on Route 36, turn left onto Route 48. Drive for about 5km and then you will see a small sign on the right for Þórufoss.

Note: If a site has FOSS at the end of it, it’s a waterfall. FOSS=waterfall.

Thingvellir National Park (16 minutes from Porufoss)

The next stop on your Iceland road trip with a baby is Thingvellir National Park. This National Park is of historic importance as this is where the Icelandic Parliament met between 930-1798. Thingvellir National Park also is home to the rift between the North American and the Eurasian tectonic plates. These tectonic plates move 1mm-18mm/year! Between the tectonic plates is some of the clearest and cleanest water in the world.

Thingvellir National Park with a baby Iceland

Note: You can snorkel between the tectonic plates here. We initially had a tour booked to snorkel the Silfra Fissure with Tröll Expeditions in May 2020. We did not rebook this for our June 2022 trip as we had our baby in tow and also felt we would prefer to do more hiking here than snorkeling.

Parking is 750 Kronos (pay in bathroom)

Öxarárfoss Hike

In Thingvellir National Park, be sure to hike to Oxarafoss. The falls here cascades over the rift between the tectonic plates that is a visual reminder that you are standing on the border of these tectonic plates. This 2.6 mile loop hike goes by fast. This hike goes through Thingvellir National Park, past several other attractions in the park, including Pingvellir church, making the hike seem shorter.

2.6 mile loop hike with 744 feet of elevation gain

Efstidalur (40 minutes from Thingvellir National Park)

The next stop on your Iceland trip with a baby itinerary is Efstidalur , a family run farm turned into an ice cream parlor and restaurant. Here you can enjoy farm-to-table dining while overlooking the mountains or the farm cows. During dinner, our baby liked watching the cows eat through the large windows as well as playing with the silverware. Oh the simple joys of a baby.

Warning: It’s a bit pricey. Dinner and ice cream for the 2 of us (baby did not get her own meal) cost about $75 USD. This is pretty expensive in comparison to US prices but actually quite on par for Iceland standards, especially for farm-to-table dining.

Finding Efstidalur: 801 Bláskógabyggð. On Route 37, after the split from 365, drive about 12km (you will pass Route 366 on the right). You will see a sign for the farm on the left side of the road.

Strokkur Geysir (11 minutes from Efstidalur)

The next stop on your Iceland with a baby trip is the Strokkur Geysir, a thermal area that erupts every 6-10 minutes. Our baby loved watching the Geysir bubble up and erupt. She thought it was funny and would giggle when it started to bubble.

Tip: Go late at night for little to no people. We went right before sunset at 11:30 PM local time in June and only saw two other people. Otherwise, this spot is very popular and busy during the day.

Gullfoss (10 minutes from Strokkur Geysir)

Next stop on your Iceland road trip with your baby is Gulfoss, one of the largest and most powerful waterfalls in Iceland. Gullfoss flows down in a three step staircase-like pattern before plunging into the river below in two dramatic stages. It is a short walk from the parking lot down to the waterfall here but if you walk on all the trails around the waterfall, it is about a mile.

Tip: Go early in the morning or late at night to have it to yourself. Otherwise, like Strokkur, it is really busy.

Faxi Waterfall (10 minutes from Gullfoss )

Faxi is a waterfall hidden gem that most people drive right by. Here you walk from the parking lot down to the waterfall in a couple short minutes. This stop is not a must do but a quick 20 minute stop that we recommend taking if you have time. We saw some very friendly Icelandic horses just before we pulled into this parking lot.

Finding Faxi Waterfall: Located on road 35 between Strokkur Geysir and the town of Reykholt (there is a small sign on the left when you are driving South pointing towards the falls).

750 Kronos to Park

Kerid Crater (45 minutes)

Up next on your Iceland with a baby itinerary is Kerid Crater, a volcanic crater with crystal blue water. The green around the rim contrasting the red soil and blue water is truly stunning. You can walk around the top of the rim and/or bottom rim. Do both! The views are equally beautiful at the top and bottom rim but different

400 Kronos per person for trail use (during attendant hours), children under 12 free

0.9 miles loop, 114 feet of elevation gain

Kerid Crater AllTrails

Stay in or camp near Selfoss

In Selfoss, there is a Kronan grocery store. Be sure to stock up on fresh groceries again tomorrow morning as supply options only get more sparse the further you get away from Reykjavik.

Day 1 Driving Map- 3.5 Hours of Driving

Day 2 Iceland with a Baby: South Iceland

Seljalandsfoss (1 hour from selfoss).

The next stop on your Iceland with a baby trip is Seljalandsfoss, almost 200 feet tall. It is one of Iceland’s most unique waterfalls as you are actually able to walk behind it!

WARNING: Don’t ruin your camera here. If you walk up to/behind the waterfall, it will get wet.

Tip: Waterproof Everything!

Be sure the whole family, especially the baby, has waterproof gear. We almost did not bring a Baby Rain Suit for our baby and that would have been a huge mistake. We would have not been able to walk behind the waterfall. This would have been a real shame because she loved walking behind it and being misted by the waterfall. She couldn’t stop giggling!

Here is the gear we love and recommend:

Baby Rain Suit
Men’s North Face Waterproof Hiking Pants
Women’s North Face Waterproof Hiking Pants
Men’s North Face Waterproof Rain Jacket
Men’s Keen Waterproof Hiking Boots
Women’s Keen Waterproof Hiking Boots
Women’s Waterproof North Face Rain Jacket

TIP: Don’t forget to look at the little waterfall next door : Gljúfrabúi

Gljúfrabúi is the secret waterfall, hidden in a cave less than a 10 minute walk to the left (when walking from the parking lot) from Seljalandsfoss . Many people don’t even realize it was there because they are so mesmerized by Seljalandsfoss and do not walk further down the trail. It isa little smaller than Seljalandsfoss with a 130 foot drop, yet arguably as inspiring as Seljalandsfoss.

Note: You have to wade through a shallow stream into this cave. Be sure to have waterproof boots, like the ones we recommended above, to do this. The stream is shallow and we had no problem safely doing this with our baby strapped to us in our hiking boots.

750 Kronos per car for parking

1.2 miles out & back, 226 feet of elevation gain

Skógafoss (27 minutes from Seljalandsfoss )

After you leave Seljavallalaug, a short drive will take you to Skógafoss, another epic 200 foot waterfall. Don’t make the mistake of only viewing the falls from the bottom. Be sure to head up the stairs and check out the area above the falls. There are 526 steep stairs to make the climb to the top overlook and the trail that continues on.

If you keep walking along the river, you’ll also encounter some other smaller waterfalls before the main drop. These falls are also quite beautiful and perfect for tourist-free photos. Our baby seemed to like these smaller waterfalls better than the main Skogafoss here. She must like scenic spots better with less people too!

There is about 1.5 miles of round trip walking to/around here to see different waterfalls/views . We walked to the bottom of Skogafoss, climbed the stairs to the top overlook of Skogafoss and then to the next waterfall after this. The trail from the top of the falls actually goes 26 miles so you can make as short or as long as you want

Skogafoss Waterfall AllTrails

Note: Supposedly, per our research, the lighting at this waterfall is better in the afternoon and you may see a rainbow with the sunlight. It was raining when we visited in the afternoon so we really cannot speak to this being true or not.

Kvernufoss (1 minute from Skogar Museum )

A short 15 minute walk from the parking lot takes you to Kvernufoss, also known as the “Hidden Waterfall.” It is a quick walk with unworldly scenery to this waterfall. This was Natalie’s favorite waterfall hike up to this point in the trip. It is a great bang for buck hike. Also, we only saw two other people at this waterfall which was a tranquil contrast after visiting Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss (as both were quite crowded).

Note: This trail is located very close to the Skogar Museum. You could park at the museum and walk over to the trail located just to the east. Find the fence you need to climb over (ladder goes over the barbed wire fence) and then take the path to the waterfall. You will not be disappointed with the views.

0.9 miles out & back, 147 feet elevation gain

Kvernufoss AllTrails

Dyrhólaey Lighthouse/Peninsula (27 minutes)

In the summertime, many Atlantic puffins can be found nesting on the cliff faces of Dyrhólaey. This spot is not far outside of Vik and you can see Reynisfjara Beach from here.

Note: The lighthouse is only open 9 AM- 7 PM local time

This spot was actually closed when we arrived. It is only accessible 9 AM- 7 PM local Icelandic time. We arrived at around 9 PM local time and unfortunately were unable to visit. We do not feel we missed out, but this is likely the best opportunity to see Puffins on this trip itinerary. So if you have never seen Puffins (we have seen them in Kenai Fjords National Park ) or really want to see them in Iceland, be sure to arrive before 7PM or after 9 AM local time.

Reynisfjara Beach (22 minutes)

The next stop on your Iceland with a baby trip is Reynisfjara Beach. This is a short walk out to the black sand beach with the iconic massive hexagonal basalt columns. When we visited Reynisfjara Beach, it was super windy. Our baby girl found it quite amusing!

Caution: Beware of “sneaky waves” on the beach. Do not go anywhere where the sand is smooth (or has had water obviously wash up on it). People often get close to the water, turn their backs and then get swept away by the large waves that sneak up on them. Numerous people have drowned. Don’t be one of them.

Vik (11 minutes)

Up next on your Iceland road trip with your baby is Vik, a remote seafront village in south Iceland. Our favorite spot in this village was the pretty church on the hill surrounded by picturesque purple flowers

Fun fact: These purple flowers, alpine lupine, are actually an invasive weed (yet so pretty!)

This village has several restaurants, a gas station and a grocery store. Vik was actually much smaller than we expected. We ate at the Stronan Pub in Vik that had some nice distant views of Reynisfjara Beach. The food we had here (pasta and lamb chops) was also quite good. And, most importantly, this place is open until midnight! We actually tried to eat at two other restaurants but they closed at 9 PM local time and since we stayed on our home time, we needed a place open later.

* Look for all the different scenery as you drive further on the Ring Road*

Laufskálavarða (30 minutes).

This is a small lava rock area with many rock cairns that remained after a large farm was destroyed by the eruption of the Katla Volcano. The tradition here was to stack stone cairns as a sign of good luck while crossing the area. This is an interesting quick stop right off the road.

Eldhraun Lava Field (16 minutes)

Mossy lava field that looks like something out of the Teletubby show from the 90s. The Apollo 11 crew came here to train for their impending moonwalk. Route 1 runs directly through Eldhraun so you cannot miss it. It is a quick stop/drive through.

Stay in Laki or Skaftárhreppur (camp or accommodations). Alternatively, stay in Vik and drive about an hour more the next day

Day 2 Driving Map- 3.5 hours of driving

Day 3 Iceland with a Baby: South/East Iceland

Fjaðrárgljúfur (10 minutes).

Absolutely stunning 1 mile long, 300 foot deep beautiful slot canyon. The third platform has the best views of the canyon and there is a waterfall at this spot too. And there will be less people at this platform as most tourists only make it to the first viewing platform.

Fun Fact: Justin Beiber’s “I’ll Show You” music video features this spot

2 miles out & back, 248 feet of elevation gain

Fjadrargljufur AllTrails

Vatnajökull National Park (1 hour 9 minutes)

Vatnajökull National Park is the next stop on your tour of the ring road with a baby on board. You could spend days in this massive national park. We saw the highlights of this park by hiking to Svartifoss and the Svinafellsjokull Glacier.

Parking costs 750 Kronos/vehicle

Iconic Svartifoss waterfall

Svartifoss is known for the hexagonal basalt columns that surround its cascading falls

Fun fact: The Basalt Columns here inspired Hallgrimskirkja Church design in downtown Reykjavik

This waterfall is further from the road than most other waterfalls in Iceland but well worth the extra effort. There are three traill options to see Svartifoss. We recommend the mid-option (what we did). Here are the options to see it:

2.0 miles out & back, 439 feet of elevation gain
Most people do this one as it is the shortest
2.5 miles loop, 449 feet of elevation gain
Same as the shorter option but on this trail you take a different route back to the trailhead to make a loop.
Do this one!
On this loop hike, on the way back from Svartifoss, we did not see any other hikers. This part of the trail was so peaceful in comparison to the first half of the trail (the part that most people do as an out and back, option #1). For not much added effort, you’ll likely have this part of the trail to yourself, get better views of the waterfalls leading up to Svartifoss and see the snow capped mountains in the distance better.
4.4 miles loop, 869 feet of elevation gain
Loops out to the east rather than the west (mid-option does this) and takes you past a couple other waterfalls

Svínafellsjökull Glacier

The Svinafellsjokull Glacier is a really pretty spot where you can touch parts of ice that have broken off from the main glacier. Baby G loved touching (and tasting) pieces of ice glacier. We also only saw a few other people on the trail when we visited mid-afternoon, making it a very peaceful short hike.

Fun fact: This glacier was used in filming of Interstellar, Batman Begins and Game of Thrones

Caution: Sometimes this glacier is closed due to landslides

0.7 Miles out & back, 184 feet elevation gain

Svinafellsjokull Glacier AllTrails

Eat at the Adventure Hotel in Hof

Next, stop for a meal at the Adventure Hotel in the small quaint village of Hof. This is the nicest restaurant and the best food we ate in Iceland up to this point.

Hof is a very small quaint and peaceful village on the southeast part of the island. Hof, and this area in general, has very limited eating, lodging and camping options. The next place with lodging, camping and dining options is Hofn which is about 60 km away.

Hangandifoss/Múlagljúfur Canyon (36 minutes)

This hike with several waterfalls, most notably Hangandifoss, truly offers out-of-this-world views. At the summit of this hike, you overlook the stunning Múlagljúfur canyon with the flowing Mulaa river and Hangandifoss waterfall within it. You also can see the snow-covered volcano Oraefajokull in the distance. Pictures and words do not do this view justice. Baby G was a smiley little peanut for this hike. She was very curious about all the different views throughout the hike. We also only saw 3 other people throughout this hike, making it very serene.

Caution: Loose gravel/slippery in a lot of spots

Natalie actually tripped and fell forward with G strapped to the front of her while on this trail. G was fine, Natalie’s leg and arm took a beating but nothing requiring medical care thankfully. We would still hike this trail again but just be very cautious hiking on the gravel path as it can be slippery in spots. We would advise not hiking this with a toddler who is mainly walking themselves though.

3.6 miles out & back, 1,204 feet of elevation gain

Hangandifoss Múlagljúfur Canyon AllTrails

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lake + Iceberg Lagoon/Diamond Beach (12 minutes from Canyon)

The Jökulsárlón lagoon is filled with massive ice chunks that have fallen from the Jökulsárlón glacier . This lagoon is over 800 feet deep-making it the deepest lake in all of Iceland.

There are several pull-offs from which you can see the lagoon. Feel free to park at one or several of them and soak in the different views. We recommend parking at the parking lot just past (east of) the bridge for the best views.

You might even be lucky enough to see a seal here—we saw about 10!

Don’t forget to spend some time near the ocean at Diamond Beach . This beach got its name because of the crystal clear ice chunks that you’ll find on the starkly contrasting jet black beach. We were here at sunset and the views were stunning.

Tip: Go here early in the morning or late at night to avoid the crowds

Stay overnight in hofn or at vestrahorn mountain .

Drive about 1 hour to the Hofn or Vestrahorn Mountain area. We saw many sheep on this drive, many on the road where the speed limit is 90 kilometers per hour. See our Iceland general tips for further details about sheep in Iceland.

Day 3 Driving Map- 3.5 hours of driving

Day 4 Iceland with a Baby: East Iceland

Hofn (1 hour from jökulsárlón glacier lake ) .

Icelandic fishing town in the southeastern part of Iceland. Near Hornafjörður fjord and with views of Vatnajökull.

Fun fact: Vatnajökull is the largest and most voluminous ice cap in Iceland

Honestly, there is not much to see in Hofn but there is a grocery store. Be sure to stock up on food again here as there is not anywhere to buy supplies for almost 3 hours to the north. Unfortunately, the grocery store in Hofn was closed the day we visited (for an unknown reason) so we had to stop in the next main town, Eglisstadir, about 3 hours to the north. We got a hotdog and sandwich from the gas station here and they were surprisingly good.

Vestrahorn Mountain (21 minutes from Hofn)

The next stop on your Iceland with a baby itinerary is Vestrahorn Mountain located on the Stokksnes peninsula. Located here is a black sand beach next to the tall spring mountains. The area was a bit fog-covered when we visited, yet the contrast of the mountains with the black sand beach was still quite stunning. It was very windy here and Baby G got a kick out of that.

Vestrahorn Mountain Viking Village Iceland

You can also walk around a small Viking village here. It is neat to see a primitive Viking settlement. However, this was a neat extra and not a must-see.

The beach at Stokksnes is private and there is a small entrance fee, 900 Kronos, to drive down to the beach

Drive route 95

Next on your Iceland road trip with your baby, drive Route 95. This gravel road has so many waterfalls along it (you literally will see a waterfall on either side of you driving at all times) and there are also very few cars/people on it. Taking this route is not out of the way either and it actually gets you to the next waterfall (Hengifoss) hike on this itinerary in less time than driving Route 1. Other travelers we encountered saw reindeer on this road, but we were not so fortunate.

Hengifoss and Litlanesfoss Hike (3 hours from Vestrahorn Mountain)

The Hengifoss is the third highest waterfall in Iceland at almost 400 feet tall. It is quite impressive and with the red streaking in the rocks around the waterfall, it looks quite different from the other waterfalls you have seen at this point.

This was actually our favorite hike in Iceland at this point in the trip. It was not overly strenuous or technical so you could get into a nice flow state. Also, there were so many waterfalls and other scenery to see on the way to Hengifoss that the hike went by really fast. We further only saw about a dozen other people on the trail which was a nice contrast to some of the waterfall hikes on the south part of the island. Most importantly, our daughter was in a great mood for the hike. She babbled most of the time and then fell asleep in our carrier. Happy baby = happy parents!

2.9 mile out & back, 830 feet of elevation gain

Hengifoss – Litlanesfoss Waterfall AllTrails

Eat in Egilsstadir at Salt Cafe & Bistro

This restaurant had a large variety of food options for a reasonable price and the staff was friendly. Also, there was a cute high chair for baby G. And it was open when we were driving through town. If you want to eat at a restaurant today, Egilsstadir is really the only town you will be able to do that .

Seydisfjordur (1 hour from Hengifoss and Litlanesfoss Hike )

Up next on your Iceland with a baby trip is visiting the town of Seydisfjordur. This town felt like something out of a fairytale. The town has a quaint blue church with a rainbow road leading up to it and really picturesque fjord/mountain views. We had a lovely time walking around this town with baby G. Most tourists don’t make it to this town as it is a bit out of the way and this allows for a more local experience.

Further, driving to this town is half the experience. To get here, you drive straight through the mountains. The scenery driving was much different than any other part of our trip. There was much more snow cover on the mountains than anywhere else on our trip up to this point. Similar to other parts of our trip, we saw many pretty waterfalls and sheep on our drive to this town.

Stay in Seydisfjordur or Egilsstaðir

Day 4 Driving Map- 4.5 hours of driving

Day 5 Iceland with a Baby: East Iceland

Hike fardagafoss (in egilsstadir) .

Getting to this waterfall is a peaceful, relatively short, 30 minute hike. It is certainly not a must do but a local hike located very close to where we stayed night 4 in Egilsstadir.

Fun Facts: An old folktale claims that a female troll used to occupy the cave behind the waterfall. Also, the notorious outlaw, Fjalla-Eyvindur, sought shelter in the cave behind Fardagafoss in the 18th century, but was driven out by locals.

Stock up on supplies in Egilsstadir

There are very limited options for supplies/groceries on the east and north side of the island so be sure to get gas and food here as you will not see another gas station or grocery store again until you reach the Myvatn area (Reykjahlíð).

Rjukandafoss (40 minutes from Egilsstadir )

This very short walk leads to a pretty 3-part waterfall located almost right off the road (route 1).

0.4 miles out & back, 114 feet of elevation gain

Rjukandafoss AllTrails

Stuðlagil Canyon (26 minutes from Rjukandafoss )

The next stop on your Iceland with a baby itinerary is this unique canyon. Stuðlagil Canyon is filled with tall basalt columns and unique streaks of color. You can either hike out to this part of the canyon (east side) or view it from a viewing platform (west side).

We went to the west side viewing platform as well as hiked out to the east side of the canyon. The hiking views on the east side of the canyon are much better than from the viewing platform. While hiking, you can see both sides of the canyon and even climb down into the large basalt columns. Sam did this and got some cool vantage points. We would rate this hike as easy from a technical standpoint as it is a level gravel path and flat in most parts. Also, you can really get into flow state with this hike.

5.7 Miles Out & Back, 561 feet of elevation gain from P2 parking lot.

You can potentially park 1.5 miles closer at P1. However, you need to have 4 x 4 drive as this road is ridden with potholes. We only had 2 wheel drive on our campervan and did the longer hike.

How to find Stuðlagil Canyon :

When heading to Northern Iceland from Egilsstaðir, you need to take a turn to Road 923. Then you drive about 19 kilometers to the farm Grund where you will find a parking lot and a path to the riverbank (5 minute walk). This takes you to the viewing platform on the east side of the river and is where Google Maps will take you to if you type in “Stuðlagil Canyon.” The viewing platform is reached by climbing down (and then up) about 200 stairs and is a very short walk from the parking lot. There is a stand here with food and drinks for sale as well as restrooms you can use for a small fee.
To access the hiking trail, you need to drive back 5 minutes to P2. There will be signs on how to access the hike at the viewing platform food stand too.

Stuðlagil Canyon on AllTrails

Dettifoss and Selfoss (2 hours from Stuðlagil Canyon )

The next stop on your iceland road trip with your baby is Dettifoss. This waterfall is said to be the second most powerful waterfall in all of Europe. It is located in the desolate Vatnajökull National Park. There is another waterfall here, Selfoss, that is only a few hundred meters downstream from Dettifoss. You can access Selfoss via a rocky footpath (follow the sticks marking the trail to navigate). Be sure to wear sturdy hiking boots as this rocky path is quite uneven and took us longer to hike than expected because of its uneven nature.

How to access: There are actually two different roads that lead to Dettifoss, but make sure that you enter from highway 864 (not 852) for the best view on the east side

Note: The road to the east side is pothole ridden and it will take about an hour to get to the waterfall. However, on the east side, you can walk along the edge of the gorge to get better views of Dettifoss and Selfoss. If you do not want to deal with the gravel road, you can enter from the west side on a paved road. However, you will likely get very wet and because of how the mist sprays, likely have a difficult time viewing the waterfall itself.

2.3 miles out and back, 498 feet of elevation gain

Dettifoss AllTrails

Hverir Mud Pots (1 hour from Dettifoss)

Next, stop at the Hverir Mud Pots. Here, you may think you have left Iceland and landed on a different planet. We have never been to Mars but this is what we imagine it looks like. While the scenery is stunning, the smell from the sulfur here is truly terrible. It smells like rotten eggs and neither of us could stand the smell too long.

Grjótagjá (7 minutes from Hverir Mud Pots )

This is a quick stop to look in the cave that became famous from Game of Thrones Cave as it is where Jon Snow and Ygrette get it on. It is a neat spot and is unlike anything we had seen on our trip so far. The constantly changing scenery in Iceland is astounding.

Stay in Myvatn/ Reykjahlíð area ( 20 minutes from Grjótagjá )

Day 5 Driving Map- 4.5 hours of driving

Day 6 Iceland with a Baby: North Iceland

Hike around the dimmuborgir area in myvatn .

On the first stop today of your Iceland road trip with a baby, you’ll hike through unique volcanic rock caves and lava rock formations in the Dimmuborgir area. There are several short trail options here. We hiked the red trail which ended up being about 1 mile total. Baby G mastered using our water bite valve,and it was nothing short of adorable.

This area reminded us a bit of the rock formations in Arches National Park (see Arches National Park Quick Guide ) and the Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park ( Bryce Canyon National Park Quick Guide ) but made with dark lava rock.

Caution: Beware of the midges if you are visiting in the warmer months. These small bugs don’t bite but sure do bother you in swarms. Many people were wearing head nets to keep them away. We did not have head nets so we were just constantly swatting at them. Myvatn literally translates to “lake of midges” in Icelandic so this area really in well known for these annoying bugs.

Swim at the Myvatn Nature Baths

Next, stop at the Myvatn Nature Baths for a bit of spa time. This location is an outdoor lagoon with milky blue water that is naturally heated by hot springs. Our baby loved swimming and playing around the milky warm water. We also found this spot to be very relaxing and with some really stunning views. Unlike the Blue Lagoon (outside of Reykjavik) that does not allow children less than 2 years old, all ages (with an adult) are welcomed here. Kids 0-2 are free to swim too. This lagoon is also less crowded than blue lagoon with equally beautiful baths and (arguably better) views.

Tip: The earlier you get here, the less people there are. There is no time limit on how long people can be here so it tends to be busier later in the day as more people accumulate.

5900 Kronos/adult, Open 10 AM- 11 PM

Myvatn Nature Baths

Tip: Get groceries and gas before leaving the Myvatn area

Husvak (46 minutes from myvatn).

Up next on your Iceland trip with a baby is the charming little village of Husvak. This village is well known for its incredible whale watching and picturesque harbor. The most famous landmark of the town is the quaint wooden church, Húsavíkurkirkja, in the center. We could not get enough of the Harbor views while here. We did not book a whale watching tour but if that is something you want to do, do it here!

Eat at Gamli Bakur while in Húsavík! The dining room decor and harbor views are on point. The food was some of the best we ate in Iceland as well. We loved our seafood pasta, fish soup and lamb steak. The lamb steak was the best lamb we had in Iceland and the fish soup was the best fish soup we had in Iceland. The food and vibes were a real win here.

Godafoss (40 minutes from Husvak)

Next stop is Iceland’s most powerful waterfall, Godafoss. Godafoss is actually not just one waterfall but about five waterfalls together. Godafoss translates to ‘Waterfall of the Gods’. Legend has it, it got its name from when pagan Gods were thrown into it after Iceland became a Christian country.

The hike here is an easy walk along the cliffs to the falls. Be careful though as it is *literally* right along the cliffs. You can also hike down to the base of this waterfall on a short rocky path for some even more up close views. The hiking trails total about 1.5 miles if you hike them all on both the east and west side of the falls.

Drive to Akueryki and stay in Akureyri (30 minutes from Godafoss)

Day 7 Iceland with a Baby: North/West Iceland

Explore akueryki (30 minutes from godafoss) .

Next stop on your Iceland with a baby trip is Akueryki, the second largest city in Iceland. Here, park & visit the free Lystigardurinn Botanical Gardens in the city center. The paths at these gardens make for a leisurely walk around the different flora of the area. There are lots of pretty flowers and one of the most northerly botanical gardens in the world.

From the Botanical Gardens, you can walk to the iconic Akureyrarkirkja church. We recommend staying parked at the Botanical Gardens as parking is more difficult once you get further into the city center. After visiting Akureyrarkirkja, walk down to the main street of the city center and stop at the cute shops. Additionally there is a small park, and our daughter loved playing in the miniature viking ship and going on the slide with Natalie (her first time on a slide!)

Drive to Snaefellsnes Peninsula (5 hours from Akureyri)

Next up is a 5 hour drive from Akureyri to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Make sure to make several stops along the way to break up this long drive.

Stop at Kolugljufur Canyon

This rural canyon has a tiered gorge located about 20 mins southeast of Hvammstangi. Also, it is only a short (less than 5 km) detour from the ring road. The best part is that you will likely be the only one here as it is just far enough off the beaten path that most tourists do not make it here. To get to the canyon, you drive through ordinary farmland and then suddenly, BAM, this massive canyon arises. We spent about 30 minutes hiking around. You could also have a picnic in this peaceful spot as there is a picnic table near where you park.

Fun fact: Legend has it that the female Kola troll dug this canyon and her treasure is hidden in it.

Get a meal at Sjavarborg Restaurant in Hvammstangi

Sjavarborg restaurant in Hvammstangi has large windows that overlook this fishing town’s bay. In this bay, whales are often seen breaching. We did not see any during our dinner but if you are lucky enough, you may see one during your meal. Our daughter liked looking out the large windows regardless of whether the whales were there. We had the fish of the day (cod) and a grilled sweet potato topped with chickpeas, coleslaw and peanut sauce. Both were delicious! The decor in this restaurant we’d describe as modern meets industrial harbor front.

Sjavarborg restaurant in Hvammstangi Iceland

Start to explore Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Stop at the iconic kirkjufellsfoss and kirkjufell (5 hours from akureyri).

Next up is the iconic Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall and Kirkjufell mountain. The falls themselves aren’t that impressive but the uniquely shaped Kirkjufell mountain in combination with the falls makes for a very pretty scene.

Tip: To get the iconic photo that everyone loves, you need to walk from the car park up towards the waterfalls. There is a bridge to cross over and walk down.

Parking 750 Kronos per vehicle

Take in the views at vibrantly colored Svortuloft Lighthouse (45 minutes from Kirkjufell)

Next stop on your Iceland with a baby trip is the unique Svortuloft Lighthouse. This lighthouse is so cool because it is bright orange and really contrasts the black lava rock along the coastline. Seasonally, during the summer, there are a lot of different birds in the rocks on the coastline too. We were the only people here at 11 pm local time when we visited. We had a nice dinner in our campervan overlooking this spot with our daughter. She loved sitting in her compact camp chair .

Caution: The road leading out to this unique spot is very rough yet still drivable with 2-wheel drive.

Stay in Arnarstapi or Hellnar (40 minutes from Svortuloft Lighthouse )

Day 8 Iceland with a Baby : West Iceland Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Hike the arnarstapi to hellnar trail.

The first activity of your eighth day in Iceland with your baby is hiking the Arnarstapi to Hellnar trail. This is an easy walk along the bird-filled (seasonally in the summer) cliffs lining the coastline between the small towns of Arnarstapi and Hellnar.

Before making your return journey from Hellnar, stop at Fjoruhusid Cafe. This cute cafe with indoor and outdoor seating is located along the water. Stop here for some tasty local Icelandic food and stunning ocean views.

4 miles out & back, 144 feet of elevation gain

Arnarstapi Hellnar Hike AllTrails

Take a short hike to Rauöfeldargjá Canyon

This short (less than 0.5 miles) trail leads to some stunning cliffs that lead into a canyon where water flows through. Be sure to enter the canyon to see the impressive views from lower down as well.

Fun Fact: Legend has it a half man/half troll named Rauöfeldargjá lives in this canyon.

Stop at the iconic Búðakirkja church (25 minutes from Rauöfeldargjá Canyon )

This famous, and very frequently photographed, black church on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula stands out amongst the green flora surrounding it. The church is very picturesque but also very busy. We would advise visiting this spot in the early morning or late at night to avoid the crowds

Drive towards Reykjavik (2 hours and 20 minutes) and stay in/outside of Reykjavik

Day 9 Iceland with a Baby : Reykjavik

Explore reykjavik on your last day in iceland, hallgrimskirkja church.

This church located in the Reykjavik city center is named after a 17th century hymn writer and took 40 years to construct. The organ pipes here mimic the basalt formations, like at Svartifoss, found throughout the country.

ISK 900 to go to top for city views

Go to a Museum in Reykjavik

We did not have time but go consider visiting one of the museums below:

Iceland Phallological Museum (AKA Penis museum), ISK 1700
National Iceland Museum (Viking artifacts), ISK 2000

Get Lost Walking Around the City Center

There are some fun, interactive paintings on the street. Natalie had a fun time hopscotching the 106 spot hopscotch. Who decided it should be 106 rather than 100 spots is a great question!

We walked through the neighborhood around the city center and saw some unique architecture while getting a glimpse into local life. While doing this, we stopped at a local park. Our baby girl crawled around and played with a local baby. She loved it and we enjoyed our conversations with the other baby’s parents.

Where to Eat in Reykjavik

Bakery known for cinnamon rolls and buttery croissants. So delicious, soft and worth every penny .

This lively cafe has only two items on the menu–a daily changing vegetarian and meat soup. The soup here comes in a scrumptious sourdough bread bowl. The wait staff was very friendly and they had a fun, unique highchair/rocking chair for our baby to play in. She loved it and we got a kick out of it too.
ISK 2400 for soup in bread bowl

Drive to Airport and Fly Home

Note: Slow this itinerary down or speed it up as you please. We found this itinerary to be very manageable in a campervan with our curious, and very wiggly, 10-month-old. If you do not have a baby (or pokey adult) in tow, you may be able to do it in 8 days. If you want more downtime and/or plan on staying in hotels rather than doing a campervan, we recommend taking 10+ days to do this itinerary. Also, if you are traveling without a baby and want to go to Sky Lagoon or the Blue Lagoon near Reykjavik (do not allow babies under 2 years old), we recommend 10 days as well.

General Iceland Tips

Important: you need a pin number to buy gas in iceland even if you are using a credit card .

You likely will need to call to get a PIN number for your credit card in order to use it to get gas in Iceland. We had to call to get a PIN number for our credit card prior to our trip and it took about 2 weeks to get it so do this ASAP (right now would be a good time). Be sure to store the PIN number somewhere you will have access to it on the trip. We never have used a PIN number with our credit cards before so we are glad we found out about this prior to our trip.

Also, get gas as often as possible. Gas stations close early and do not stay open 24 hours a day (unlike what we are accustomed to in the US).

Campervan Offers More Flexibility and Allows for a Consistent Home Base

We LOVED having a campervan to explore Iceland with our baby. It allowed us so much flexibility. It was great to have a consistent home base and not have to unpack/repack each day, especially with a baby. We would have not been able to see as much as we did with our baby if we had done hotels instead. Also, a campervan was more economical than rental car + hotels.

We rented our Campervan from Kuku Campers . We would highly recommend this quirky campervan company. Friends of ours have rented from Camp Easy and they also had a positive experience. We rented a 5 person campervan for the 3 of us and felt that was the appropriate size. We appreciated having a little extra room.

Tip: Play around with the reservation campervan system and see when a multi-day discount kicks in to save some $. For the time we were visiting, a multi-day discount applied to our campervan after 9 days. With this discount, our campervan actually cost less for 9 days than it would have for 7 days. Score!

Bring Waterproof EVERYTHING!

Seriously though, from waterfall spray to the unpredictable weather, you will want waterproof gear for the whole family. So glad we had a Baby Rain Suit for G. It kept her dry and happy exploring with us.

Gear we recommend to have to explore:

Baby Rain Suit

This gear kept us dry and warm all day exploring in the rain and walking behind waterfalls

Plastic Bags for lagoons and hot springs
Compact quick dry towels

Iceland Driving Tips

Do not speed, high fines, cameras will catch you and you may get a ticket months after you return
Do not stop on the road unless clearly marked. It’s dangerous and you can get a fine.
There are more sheep than people in Iceland. Do not hit them. Easier said than done as they like to stand in the middle of roads where the speed limit is 90 kilometers per hour. It’s about a $500 fine if you do hit one. The Police and owner must be contacted too.

Food to Eat in Iceland

Kleina (fried pastry, not our favorite)
Snudur (Cinnamon Bun, most delicious cinnamon buns at Braud & Co in Reykjavik)
Skyr (Flavored Yogurt, pretty sweet and thin in comparison to the Greek yogurt we have become accustomed to eating)
Geyser (Rye Bread) & Soup (best fish soup in Husavik at Gamli Bakur, delicious bread bowl soup at Svarta Kaffid in Reykjavik)
Lamb Hot Dogs (Can get almost anywhere, inexpensive, all taste pretty much the same (delicious) per Sam)
Most campsites cost about 2000 Kronos per person/night
Do not need to make reservations prior to visiting unless visiting the first week/weekend of August (banking holiday in Iceland)
If you pull up to a campsite after staff has left for the day, just pull into an empty spot and pay in the morning
Iceland Campsite Map

Fun fact: Many Icelandic people believe in fairies, trolls and other incredible creatures. Icelanders are known to have small houses in their gardens for elves and the like to take shelter in.

We hope this guide helps you plan your trip to Iceland with your baby. Anything you’d add to our guide? We’d love to hear your feedback and questions. Please leave us a comment!

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And remember, Always Have A Trip Planned!

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34 Comments

This is super helpful! I appreciate all of the work that went into this. I’m thinking about taking this trip with my 15-month-old. I have one question. Did you bring a pack and play? If so, how did that work in the van?

Hi Molly! We are so glad you are finding the guide helpful. How exciting! 15 months will be a really fun time to go with your little one. We did not have a pack n play on this trip. With the 5 person camper van we had, you could have fit a small travel sized pack n play on the ground or on the lower bed area (and then you could sleep on the upper bed area). This would not work with a smaller van though. I encourage you to reach out to the company you plan to use with specific dimensions of the pack n play to see if it will fit in the van you are looking at renting. Kuku Campers was very easy to contact, and always very helpful, with their online chat option. Please let us know if you have any other questions. -Natalie

Thank you so much for the information! One other question–did any of the items on your itinerary involve the F-Roads?

Hi Molly! Great question! No! All the items on this itinerary do NOT require going on F-roads. Some of the roads (especially at Detifoss) are rough but not F-roads. No F-roads will save you a lot of money (on rental) and time! Please let us know if you have other questions. Happy to help! -Natalie

This is super useful, thank you! We are planning on traveling with our baby who will be almost 15 months! Just one question- is this itinerary doable if we wanted to do a traditional accommodation rather than camper van? Like hotels or airbnb?

Hi Raj. Absolutely! You can definitely do this itinerary with traditional accommodations rather than a camper van. At the end of each day on this post we suggest an area to camp/park camper van or book accommodations. That being said, keep in mind you will not have as much flexibility with your days and will need to stick to a more set schedule as you will need to get to your next accommodations for the night. You also will not have as much time-zone independence as we did as you will likely need to check-in by a certain local time. It is definitely doable but you may want to slow this itinerary down a bit or cut out some hikes if needed. My best advice is to have a plan but be willing to deviate from that depending on how the day is going. 15 months is such a fun age and I am so excited for you to take your trip. Please reach out with any further questions. -Natalie

This itinerary is so helpful! We are planning to do this trip with our soon-to-be 11 month old. Question: where in the campervan did your baby sleep? Did you cook in the van? And where did you take showers, wash clothes, etc.? Thank you!

Hi Valerie! We are so glad to hear you are finding the itinerary helpful! 11 months is a great time to travel with your little to Iceland! To answer your questions: 1. Baby slept between us on the bed. We found this to work for us when our baby was 10 months old. However, this likely would not work for us now with baby being older than a year. 2. We did not cook in the van. We ate easy meals in the van and ate out about once per day as well. I think there were 1 or 2 days where there were no restaurant options when we were on the northeast side of the island (due to being quite remote) so we did not eat out at all those days. Otherwise, we bought cheese, bread, meat, fruit, veggies and yogurt at the local grocery stores (we went to the grocery store almost everyday once) that we could eat easily without cooking. These meals made up the majority of our meals. We had a fridge in our campervan that made storing these items no problem. We had all the supplies we needed to cook yet found this easier than cooking in the van after full days of exploring. 3. We took showers at campsites we stayed at along the way. All the campsites have showers. We brought enough clothes that we did not have to do laundry but I believe several of the campgrounds had laundry facilities onsite you could pay to use. I hope these answers help! Please let us know if you have any more questions. I am excited for you to take your trip. It is going to be so fun! -Natalie

Hi! This is great! We’re planning to go with our to be 6 month old in early April with hopes to see the northern lights (we also had a trip planned pre-baby when Covid hit…) and I’m curious about a few things: 1 How many of the hikes would you think become too hard when it’s colder? Maybe also icier perhaps? 2 Any sections that you’d skip to spend more time elsewhere or just think it’s the perfect itinerary (seems pretty perfect lol)? 3 Main question – any concerns with your baby in the natural springs? How long was she in the water? It’s really hard to find info on what’s ok/not ok for baby’s and the hot springs, but she seems to be very happy in the pics! We’re open to just staying in the area and switching off who’s at the springs and who’s at the hotel, but would be nice to just take her with us.

Thanks again! Terrific write-up.

Hi Bobby, Oh how fun! You are going to have a great time with your six month old. I bet you will get to see that Northern lights at that time. That will be so neat! To answer your questions: 1) I think the main hike I would not do would be Hangandifoss Waterfall/Múlagljúfur Canyon because I think the trail could be rather slippery there. That was our arguably our favorite hike in Iceland but it is a less trafficked hike and could be slippery. All of the hikes on this itinerary have the potential to be icy if too cold but if it is above freezing you should theoretically be okay. I would check All Trails reviews the day of/day before hiking and look at reviews from the last couple days to see what people are saying about trail conditions. We did not do this in Iceland but have done it when wanting current trail conditions on other hikes and found it to be helpful. Side tip–If you are going in April, the days will be shorter and you likely will not be able to get as much ground covered in a day as we did due to limited sunlight (where we had almost limitless sunlight in June). I would extend this itinerary by a day or two (slow it down) or cut somethings out you are less interested in (maybe cut out some of the longer hikes as those take the most time). 2) I’m a bit biased but think this itinerary for a first time trip to Iceland is perfect :). As we said in the guide, we spent years researching and coming up with this itinerary. We even replanned our trip for a second time as the first one got cancelled due it being in 2020 so this is really our best version. We do hope to go back to Iceland someday and visit the highlands but I think that makes for a better trip of it’s own instead of trying to cram it in with seeing the Ring Road highlights on this itinerary. 3) We had no concerns with dipping in the Myvatn Nature Baths with our baby. That hot springs allows babies and only do so because it is safe/not too hot. And you are correct, our daughter loved it! 🙂 The Blue Lagoon does not allow babies and if you were to stop at any more hot springs along the way, you may have to be more careful as the ones not regulated could be more of a safety concern with your baby. I would highly recommend the Myvatn Nature baths so your whole family can enjoy the hot springs at the same time! Check with your pediatrician at your baby’s next check-up too. Hope those answers help you with your trip planning! Please let us know if you have any more questions. Happy to help! -Natalie

Lovely blog post. We are planning a trip with our baby in April. I wanted to get your perspective on car seat. Our baby will be 7MO when we will be travelling. And I was just wondering if you took your car seat with you. Also if you rented one there, then are there any services that you recommend?

Once again appreciate the effort that you have taken to put this post together.

That will be such a fun age to take your baby to Iceland! We are glad to hear you are appreciating and finding the blog post helpful. 🙂 We did take our personal carseat with us. I always prefer to bring ours (rather than rent) as I know it fits our baby properly. We actually were able to bring are carseat on the flight with us both ways (without added cost) too. See our ‘Flying with a Baby’ blog post for more details on how to try to do that ( alwayshaveatripplanned.com/flying-with-a-baby/ ). You also can easily gate check it. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Happy to help! -Natalie

Hi, this is super helpful as i am planning a 10 day trip with a 4 and 6 years old! How do you buckle your car seat in the camper van?

do you mind sharing your camping location for each night?

We honestly did not write down any of our campsites. We just pulled up to whatever campsite was most convenient for the night and booked nothing in advance. Unless you are visiting the first weekend of August (Iceland banking holiday), no need to book campsites in advance as they have plenty of capacity (per the rental campervan company we used). This gave us a lot more flexibility. In the guide, we suggest the general area to camp for the night if you follow our itinerary. Also, under ‘General Iceland Tips’ on the guide, there is a campsite section that links to a map with all the different recommended campsites. We found this map to be helpful to use on the road when we weren’t exactly sure where to stay for the night. Unless visiting that first weekend of August, don’t stress about campsites in advance. -Natalie

That will be such a fun trip! I am glad to hear you are finding the guide super helpful. We had no issue buckling our carseat into the middle seat of the campervan. However, contact the campervan company you are going to use and ask specifically if what you have will work with the set-up of the van you plan to rent. We also had the option to rent a carseat from the campervan company directly but opted to use our own. We used Kuku Campers and found their customer support chat function to be SO helpful and easy to use. Hope you have a great trip and let us know if you have any more questions! -Natalie

This is super helpful! We are traveling with my to-be 1-year-old baby in the last week of May and have booked a campervan. Your blog helped us a lot to plan for the trip. How/where did you give bath to your baby?

Hi Vinni, That will be such a fun trip! We gave our daughter a ‘bath’ in the camp showers. One of us would hold her and the other would bathe her. Not the most ideal set-up but it worked. We are so glad to hear you are finding the guide helpful! Please share the guide/our blog with a friend and be sure to follow us on social media! 🙂 Let us know if you have other questions. We are happy to help! -Natalie

Hi Natalie! Thanks so much for this blog post. We’re so excited to use it as a guide for our trip in June with our 9-month-old. Lots of great questions asked (many that I had) and great answers that you’ve already given. This one might be naive, but do camper vans have toilets? Wondering about the restroom piece of the puzzle!

Hi Julia, We are so glad you are excited to use the guide and to hear you are finding it helpful! Camper vans do not have toilets. You can use the restrooms at camp grounds and at all the public spots you stop at a long the way. Finding a public restroom was not logistically challenging. You can probably rent an RV that would have a toilet but that would add a lot more logistics to figure out to your Iceland adventure. Let us know if you have other questions. We are happy to help! -Natalie

This is very helpful! We’re planning to go to Iceland in September with our 9 mo old. Two questions, what would you recommend cutting out (or keeping) if you only had 5 days? And have you found time changes to be difficult for your daughter to adjust? We’re thinking of keeping our son on our time zone when we go in September, which would be five hour difference. Thanks!

Hi Tam, We are glad to hear you are finding the post helpful! That will be such a fun trip with your 9 month old. That is a hard question! Realistically, 5 days is not enough to drive the full ring road and actually experience it. I would drive as far east as Vestrahorn Mountain and then head back to Reykjavik and then go west to explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. I would not spend much time in Reykjavik either and use it more as a base in between days. As far a time zones, our daughter has always adjusted better to time zone changes than us. We loved not switching times when it was essentially light almost 24 hours a day when we visited in June. We had so many spots completely to ourselves ‘late’ at nigh local time. However, that might not be as much of an option for you in September. Check into when the sun sets and rises then. You always could do a modified adjustment of just a couple hours. Don’t let the time adjustment intimidate you too much though. From our experience, we are more affected by it than our little. We follow her lead and go with the flow for our schedule for the day. You’ve got this! See our Top 5 Baby and Toddler Flight tips for some more on this. alwayshaveatripplanned.com/5-top-baby-toddler-flying-tips/ Let us know if you have other questions. We are happy to help! -Natalie

Thank you so much for this post! We’re hoping to do a camper van trip in Sept with our (will be) 11 month old. Question on the car seat… did you rent from KuKu? Was the car seat in the front seats or were there options for installing on the back? Thanks again!

Hi, you are so welcome! We are glad to hear you are finding the post helpful. We brought our own carseat (we like having ours on the plane and being familiar with the carseat we are using) but you definitely can rent from them. The carseat was installed in one of the front seats and they deactivated the airbag for that seat. There really was no where to secure it in the back of the particular campervan we had but reach out to KuKu and ask them about the specific campervan you are renting. They are so helpful and will be sure to have that answer for you. Please let us know if you have any other questions. What a fun trip that will be with your 11 month old! -Natalie

Thank you so much for this post we are finding it so helpful. Question: We are about to start booking a week long vacation all throughout Iceland 6/25-7/3 but the weather forecast is showing nothing but rain, should we push it off for another time or should we go ahead as planned?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Kevin, We are so glad you are finding the post helpful! I would go ahead with the trip. I think it is too hard to predict the weather at this point still and June/July weather should be better than most months. Be sure to get good rain gear for the whole family (what we use and recommend is under Day 2 in the itinerary). It rained one full day we were there but with the rain gear we have, we had no issues staying comfortable (baby included). The weather can change at the drop of a hat in Iceland. I would 100% go forward with the trip. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Happy to help! -Natalie

This was so great and made me feel like I can make my dream trip happen! We’re trying to plan a trip for late March early April with our baby that will be 8 months old! Ive been messaging Kuku campers and wanted to see if you felt that there any add ons that were necessary vs. what you brought yourself !! Thanks for such an extensive itinerary and answering to people’s questions – you’ve helped soo much!!!

Hi Krysta! This warms my heart to hear! We are so happy to inspire you and help you make your dream trip happen with your 8 month old. As far as add-ons, I think the only thing we added on was some pillows and blankets (and added on when we got there) because we could not fit those in our luggage to bring from home. Otherwise, we got the basic/standard package. We did not take any extra auto insurance (just the basic that comes with the base price). Let me know if there are any specific things you are questioning adding on and happy to give you our input if necessary. I am so glad we have helped so much and thanks for reaching out! -Natalie

Hi! I am going to Iceland with my 15 month old at the end of august. Did you bring a stroller? Or just your carrier? We have the ergo baby, but wondering if it would be good to have a hiking carrier as well. And if a stroller would be worth bringing.

Hi Grace, We did bring a stroller (carseat/stroller combo, see Top 10 Baby Travel Tips Post for the exact one, alwayshaveatripplanned.com/baby-travel-tips/ ) and liked having it to use in the airport and in the cities of Reykjavik and Akureyri. We only used it in those spots but did appreciate having it. If you have space for it, bring it. Otherwise, don’t sweat it, you can baby wear instead (we did this on our hiking trip to Norway and just wore the backpack carrier in any of the cities we visited). At 15 months, I would use the hiking backpack carrier rather than the Ergo. We used the Ergo until about 12 months and then switched to the hiking backpack carrier. We’ve found the hiking backpack carrier to be more comfortable for us and baby after that point. See our hiking with a baby post ( alwayshaveatripplanned.com/how-to-hike-with-a-baby/ ) for the hiking backpack carrier we recommend. That will be such a fun trip with your 15 month old! Please let us know if you have any other questions. Happy to help! -Natalie

Thank you so much for sharing your experience in Iceland with your daughter – we are very excited to be taking our almost 1-year-old there in a few weeks! We plan to follow your itinerary exactly, but we actually have one extra day in Iceland and were wondering if there is a place you would’ve spent more time at or a place you didn’t go but would have if you had the extra day?

Hi Kayla! How fun! That is awesome that you have an extra day. Honestly, our favorite parts of the country were the more isolated areas and cute small towns. Maybe spend some more time in North/East Iceland? You could spend a day whale watching up in Húsavík too. I would not spend any extra time in Reykjavík or the bigger cities unless those are your jam. If you have a 4 x 4 vehicle, we’d recommend exploring the Highlands for a day or going to see some of the waterfalls (Halifoss, Aldeyjarfoss, etc.) that require 4 x 4 vehicle. Seeing either of those waterfalls alone could take you a 1/2 day. Another option is to start exploring the West Fjords but, from our understanding, you need at least two or three days to really do that. You also could slow down our itinerary and just take some more time to settle in the first day. You really can’t go wrong with whatever you decide to do! Hope those ideas help! Let us know if you have other questions. Feel free to reach out on social media too. Happy to help! -Natalie

Dear Natalie and Sam, thank you very much for writing this. It is super useful. I would like to ask you to have a general idea, more and less how much I would have to budget for a similar trip like yours (same durations, same places, same time of the year)?

Hi Abner, great question! If paying cash, we would say budget between $3500-$5000 USD if traveling from the US. The biggest variable will be how much you pay for flights so watch flights for a deal. Our flights had a cash value of about $500 per person round trip but that is a very good deal (normally $900+ round trip from Chicago) and we used points to book them so that was no cost to us. We also got a deal on our camper van through booking more than a week. It was about $1800 for the 9 days with gas (which is a steal) but you will likely have to pay a bit more for that now too. Remember that the camper van is your accommodations and rental vehicle though so that is more economical than renting a car and paying to stay somewhere overnight. Also, food is expensive in Iceland. Going out to eat even somewhere simple can be $30 per person and groceries are more expensive. However, you can save a lot of money on this trip by minimizing eating out. Some of the hiking trails/waterfalls have a small fee to park but otherwise are little to no cost. Campsites also have a fee but again that rather minimal. I hope that helps you plan! Let us know if you have further questions. -Natalie

The Best Places to Travel in Europe with a Baby

For new parents who love to travel, carrying an infant along may seem like quite a task. However, traveling with a baby can be easier than you expect, and finding the right destinations is the key to successful family travel. Here are our top 5 places to travel in Europe with a baby, plus some tips and tricks to make traveling with your baby easier than ever.

Travel to: Europe

1. Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is a city of bright colors and fairytales, which babies (and parents) will love. When the weather is good, head to the Tivoli amusement park and enjoy the funfair booths and beautiful flower gardens.

You’ll also want to visit The Blue Planet, Copenhagen’s famous aquarium with over 20,000 living creatures to entertain your baby. Copenhagen is also a great city for walking tours, which means you can avoid taking public transportation or riding in the car too much.

2. Granada, Spain

With beautiful architecture based in the Moorish era of Spain, Granada has plenty to offer parents. To get a complete tour of the city and rest your legs, get on the hop-on, hop-off city train, an enclosed tram that takes you through the entire city. You can listen to interesting details of Spain’s history while your baby sleeps peacefully. Also, be sure to visit the beautiful Alhambra Palace, wander the gardens, and get a glimpse of Spain in another era.

See Also: What to Pack for Two Weeks in Europe

3. Munich, Germany

While it may be known for Oktoberfest, the German city of Munich has much to offer families as well. An easily walkable city, Munich is home to plenty of family-friendly parks. This includes the 89-acre zoo, Tierpark Hellabrunn, complete with pony and camel rides for kids.

If you’re looking to buy a souvenir or two, head to Obletter, a multi-level toy store with over 16,000 toys.

4. Lisbon, Portugal

This seaside city in Portugal is nestled into a culture that adores children, and many restaurants offer kid-friendly play areas. If you’re looking to relax and soak up some sun with your infant, Lisbon is a great city.

Unfortunately, Lisbon isn’t very walkable since the city is built on steep hills leading up from the coast. However, there is a tram that will take you around, so you can rest your feet and still see the sights.

See Also: The Least-Visited Countries in Europe

5. Tuscany, Italy

Feeling welcome is important, and Italy is another European country that is in love with babies. Many come here for the scenic landscapes and countryside homestays, labeled Agriturismo as an amalgam of agriculture and tourism; here, you can wander the fields and gardens, and if you’ve got a toddler, there will be plenty for them to discover. Also, public nursing is allowed, which is a nice perk for new parents.

Whether you decide to head to Pisa to see the leaning tower, wander through the gothic-style Cathedral of Florence, or just drive through the iconic rolling fields of Tuscany, you and your baby will absolutely love this part of Italy.

Use these tips to travel better with a baby

To make your family travel a success, try these five tips.

Carry your baby using a wrap

Strollers are heavy, hard to bring on a plane, and just plain cumbersome. If you can, try to avoid bringing a stroller by carrying your baby with you.

Using a baby wrap will keep your infant close to you, where they feel most safe, but will also keep your arms free to carry luggage, open doors, eat, and snap photos to cement those memories forever!

Buy disposable baby gear at your destination

Don’t worry about packing tons of extra diapers: just bring enough for the trip. You can always buy basic baby supplies once you get to your destination. Any local supermarket or pharmacy will carry what you need.

Use trains to get around

If you’re using public transportation on your trip, a train is absolutely the safest method. Thankfully, Europe is full of trains, which makes your travel even easier. You can carry your baby with you, and in many cases, they can travel for free!

Plan for one travel hub rather than moving around

While it’s tempting to plan a few nights in Italy, a few in Spain, a couple in Denmark, and so forth, be careful not to overbook your trip.

Instead of planning fewer nights in more places, plan more nights in fewer places. Ideally, find cities that you can call your ‘home base’ and spend the entirety of your trip using one hotel room or apartment. This will make the trip easier for your baby while still allowing you to take day trips to nearby destinations.

See Also: Tips for Travelling with a Baby Under 1 Year Old on a Plane

Avoid the summer months in southern Europe

Southern Europe gets very hot in the summer: it’s not unusual to see temperatures of over 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) for multiple days in a row.

So, when traveling with your baby, it may be best to avoid July and August. But don’t worry: you can catch good weather and avoid the crowds by traveling in May-June or September-October.

While traveling with your new baby may be a bit more challenging than it was before, it’s absolutely worthwhile. For a couple who fell in love with travel before they expanded their family, introducing your baby to new experiences and cultures will leave an impression that will last a lifetime. Best of all, you’ll be strengthening your family ties and developing cherished memories together.

Have you traveled with a baby or small child? Tell us your stories below!

Amy Copadis

Amy Copadis is a freelance writer and blogger currently living in Spain. She writes to fund her addiction to travel and coffee.

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Traveling With An Infant In 2024: Planning Tips From A Mother!

02 Jun 2023

Attention new mommies! Creative writer Sukanya Sen, mother to a year old boy, shares tips on planning the first trip with your baby. And no, this is not a ‘what to carry guide’, which you find plenty online. In fact, she addresses everything you should consider while planning holiday travel with your little one – right from where to go and how to plan; to what to do, and what not. Take a few tips from her before traveling with an infant!

Why Should You Plan Your First Trip With Your Little One

A couple playing with their little daughter on a vacation

Image Courtesy: Bonnie Patowary and Premjit Adhikary

People say babies bring miracles to life, they do wonders and change your life completely. I second all these. Moreover, I emphasize the fact that life changes 360 degrees after having a baby. Motherhood is all about sleepless nights, smelly diapers, formula feed, and tiny little hands and feet . It is also about prolonged postpartum depression for new mommies. They often look for vacations or holiday getaways, which act as effective antibiotics to break the dark side of staying back at home.

With a new little family member, traveling or planning holidays becomes a little different and tricky, and especially the first trip, when your baby is not even a year old . It is not easy or simple like earlier vacations, where choosing the destination was based on geographical locational preferences, budget, and sight-seeing options. Now there are many points that need to be taken into consideration before finalizing the complete plan for traveling with an infant.

Must Read: 5 Relaxing Picnic Spots Near Coimbatore Where You Must Go With Your Family

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Tips For Traveling With An Infant

A couple and their baby taking a quick nap during a stop over

Image Courtesy: Akanksha and Vaibhav Saxena

Here are a few points you should keep in mind before you plan your first holiday with your little one. Keep scrolling down and read along to know more about it!

1. Minimum Travel Time & Ease and Comfort of Travel

Road trip or train journeys leading to the decided destination should be hassle-free and easy. For example, hilly and undulating roads leading to remote hill stations, winding pathways, or jungle resorts are not advisable while traveling with babies. Even if you are driving, just keep in mind that the baby is too young to travel through the winding, steep, and difficult roadways. Prolonged travel makes them cranky and uneasy; so choose a destination that can be easily approached in minimum time.

2. Big No To Stop Overs

Stopovers are not only time consuming but also a matter of botheration and stress, especially with an infant. With loads of luggage, stopovers at airports or change of trains might cause uneasiness for the baby. Reasons for this could be hampered feeding cycle or disturbed sleep . There is no point in creating discomfort to the little traveler, instead, choose a destination that can be reached directly from hometown.

3. Check Weather Forecast

You should pick a place for a holiday that is neither too hot nor too chilly; neither too dry nor too humid. Extreme weather conditions cause uneasiness to the baby – the little one may feel cold or sweaty. And any which case, you have killed the fun of traveling with an infant.

4. Go For An All-Inclusive Package

With an infant, never mind paying little extra to get an all-inclusive package that covers accommodation and other facilities. While zeroing down on the hotel options, check for services needed for infants – meals, doctors on call, and cab facilities. Your chosen destination should have nice hotel options. Homestays, youth hostels, and lodges just don’t work with infants.

5. Go For A Light Itinerary

Hectic travel plans and chaotic tour schedules are not conducive for infants. If it’s a 5 days’ trip, going out every morning for a hectic sight-seeing program is not a favorable option with babies. They are too young and delicate to take that travel stress. If it’s a seaside vacation, try and spend days on the beach enjoying beach-food and building sandcastles. Let them enjoy and be on their own. In short, plan your trip with light sight-seeing plans and maximum relaxation.

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6. Check Accommodation Options

Another pointer for first-time parents. While fixing the travel plan, double-check whether all the accommodations allow infants or not. While for most Indian destinations it may seem obvious, be sure when traveling to party hot spots like Goa. Even for traveling within the city, there are several museums, amusement parks, churches, and other spots that have a minimum age for entry. Better to be well aware rather than getting disappointed on spot.

7. This Is Not The Time For Adventures

This is for adventure freak couples! Now you have been promoted to being parents. So let’s put a break to the adventure trips like paragliding, skiing, snowboarding, and snorkeling for a while till the little one attains the permissible age. Right now it’s time for a relaxed and peaceful trip by the seaside or by the mall road of a renowned hill station.

Further Read: 12 Affordable Things To Do In Goa With Kids For Your Family Adventure

Glance through all the necessary pointers and keep in mind each of them while choosing the travel destination. After all, it is your first trip as a mom too! You have all the reasons to rejoice and relax. So, plan your family trip right away and get ready for a memorable experience!

Disclaimer: TravelTriangle claims no credit for images featured on our blog site unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to its respectful owners. We try to link back to original sources whenever possible. If you own rights to any of the images and do not wish them to appear on TravelTriangle, please contact us and they will be promptly removed. We believe in providing proper attribution to the original author, artist or photographer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Traveling With An Infant

What documents do i need when traveling with an infant.

While traveling with your little one, you must carry documents like the passport of the child, immunization form, birth certificate, and medical records.

Can babies travel before vaccinations?

No, babies should not travel before vaccinations according to the National Health Services.

Can newborn babies travel abroad?

Yes, newborn babies can travel abroad but you will have to take precautions,

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Scotland Road Trip with a Baby or Toddler (Itinerary + Tips)

Are you planning a road trip in Scotland with your baby or toddler?

We’re a Canadian-American family of three visiting Scotland for a few months and we recently did a week-long road trip with our 15-month old baby. I’m here to tell you that doing a Scotland road trip with a baby or toddler is 100 percent doable , even with a baby who’s never liked the car (like ours!).

You’ve probably heard that Scotland is an amazing country to drive around in — highlands, incredible scenery year-round, distilleries and castles galore… But you may not have heard that it’s also really, really great with a baby/toddler/child too!

There’s plenty for a little one to do, as long as you know where to go, plan ahead of time, and be sure to dress everyone for the weather! I’ve also written an article specifically on how to travel in the Scottish Highlands with a toddler which you can read here .

Planning Your Road Trip in Scotland with a baby or toddler

I always think it’s a good idea to have an itinerary/plan for what you’d like to do each day (check ours out below!) , but to also keep your plans flexible and to be able to move things around based on the weather and how you’re all feeling.

In Scotland especially, the weather is very unpredictable and you’ll want to brace yourselves for lots of rain and gloom (and then perhaps be pleasantly surprised!). Honestly, the rain and gloom is part of Scotland’s beauty, in my opinion.

We did our road trip with the three of us (me, my husband, and our toddler son) and my parents, who were visiting from the States. We had a few things in mind that they definitely wanted to see while in the country, and then some “it would be nice” items.

My advice would be to leave your expectations at the door and leave LOTS of space for spontaneity. Choose just a few “must-dos” or “must-sees” and don’t stress the rest. For us, our “must-dos” were:

Visit St Andrews
Visit Edinburgh
Go on a whisky distillery tour
See the Scottish Highlands

I did a lot of research on Visit Scotland , the Scottish government tourism organization, which has some really great information, and even itineraries that gave me ideas for our road trip week.

We never did more than 5 hours total in the car in one day. That was the MAX amount of time, and we made lots of stops every day — for toilet breaks, coffee breaks, food, sightseeing, etc. There are plenty of fun and necessary excuses to get out of the car which I recommend you build into your journey time expectations.

What time of year to do a Scotland road trip

It’s probably best to try and go when you have a better chance of good weather (and when more things will be open — some castles and such are seasonal), so starting in April to the end of October .

We did our recent road trip in October and it was lovely — nothing was too crowded , and the changes leaves were beautiful. It wasn’t too cold or rainy either. We actually got very lucky and had mostly sunny days all 6 days.

What to wear on your Scotland road trip

Scotland has the four seasons but can be more on the chilly and windy side year-round. I would recommend bringing raincoats, waterproof shoes/boots and changes of clothes on day trips. This goes for the adults and the babies/toddlers.

In October when we went, we brought a full-body rain suit for my son as well as a warm winter coat, and a winter hat to cover his ears. It was really windy on some days and we were glad to have him bundled up.

For adults, it will depend on your tolerance for cold! I can’t bear wind in my ears, so I needed to bring a hat. I also wore a winter coat most days. But my parents, who are hardy Bostonians, were fine most days in just a sweater and rain jacket.

Stroller vs. Carrier/Hiking Backpack

At the moment, we are HUGE fans of leaving the stroller at home when traveling. There are just too many places, especially in Europe, where there isn’t stroller access and we’ve had to carry our stroller up a hill WITH our son in it (such as when we walked up a miniature mountain in Barcelona to Park Güell!).

If this isn’t an option for you, don’t worry — but you may be a bit more limited in terms of places you can go (especially natural places that don’t have ramp access).

We travel with our Lille Baby carrier everywhere (my husband is wearing it in the photo above) and we’re getting more and more into our baby hiking backpack (our currently hiking backpack is a model from MEC in Canada). These are all great for navigating the airport with a toddler as well.

Our 6-day Scotland Road Trip Itinerary (with a baby or toddler)

We are based in Dundee , near St Andrews , but this itinerary would also be ideal for anyone staying in Edinburgh as well.

We slept in one place the whole week (in Dundee). Without a baby or toddler, it might have been nice to jump around and sleep in other towns but, with a wee one, we opted for the simplest plan! We wanted to pack a lot of sightseeing in, but still have it be enjoyable for our son and make sure he got enough sleep.

You’ll see later that even though I took the time to create a “perfect” bespoke, curated itinerary — road tripping with a toddler, grandparents, and sleep-deprived parents requires giving yourselves grace and making room for last-minute changes!

Here is what we planned; our complete itinerary (the simplified version), with more of an explanation down below:

Day 1: Edinburgh

There is a LOT to see and do in Edinburgh , so if you’re able to spend more than one day here, I would! You’ll be slowed down considerably by a baby or toddler so you’ll want more time here if there are many things on your Edinburgh wish list. We had all been there before so we decided to just do the one day.

Here are some of the best things to stop and do in Edinburgh with a baby or toddler:

Calton Hill

There’s a lot of open space for a toddler to run around, and great views of the city.

Edinburgh Castle

You may have to reserve this in advance depending on the season! If you only have time to do one or two activities in Edinburgh, this is a good one to choose because you’ll get history, views, and plenty of space for your toddler to run around!

Day 2: St Andrews

My parents wanted to see the town of St Andrews because it’s where my husband is working as a visiting scholar this term (and the reason we’re in Scotland…) but also because St Andrews is beeeaautiful!

It’s kind of a thing that Americans walk around Scotland saying, “oh my god, I feel like we’re in Harry Potter!” and truly, you will feel like saying this a lot when you’re in St Andrews.

It’s kind of a fairy tale university town and home to the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world. You’ll visit cute little old cafes, winding cobblestone streets, a gorgeous ruined castle on the seaside… and a cathedral in ruins that was once the largest building in Europe.

Another fun fact — St Andrews is where Prince William and Kate Middleton met each other as students. And there are some cafes/restaurants around town that advertise themselves as places where the two met for a date. Some of the places to visit in St Andrews include:

St Andrews Cathedral
St Andrews Castle
The Swilcan Bridge
St Andrews Botanic Garden
St Andrews University

My son’s favorite thing to do in St Andrews, now that we’ve been there several times to visit his dad at school, is to run around the ruins and cemetery at St Andrews Cathedral. There’s also a cute canal full of ducks that he loves to chase.

Day 3: Distillery tour, Stirling, the Kelpies

This is definitely too ambitious to try and do ALL of these in one day. I listed them together as more of a choice. You could choose to visit, for example, the city of Stirling in the morning and the Glenturret Distillery (the oldest working distillery in Scotland!) in the afternoon.

Or you could visit the Lindores Abbey Distillery in the morning and then see the Kelpies in the afternoon… Or do any other combination of these awesome sites/attractions!

The Kelpies are a 100-foot tall double horse head statue that is really impressive in person. They’re part of a larger family park, with nature trails, called the Helix .

I would definitely recommend seeing the Kelpies at the Helix with a toddler (or baby or a child!) because (1) it’s FREE to just go and see them (without a tour) and (2) there are places to eat, drink, shop, and play — plenty of space and playgrounds for toddlers and kids to have a blast. There are also picnic tables if it’s nice out and you wanted to bring your own meal.

Day 4: Dunnottar Castle and Stonehaven

This day in the car was perhaps my favorite so far, if I had to choose. It’s a drive up the coast (for us, from Dundee to Dunnottar Castle, near the town of Stonehaven).

Dunnottar Castle itself is stunning, a ruined castle perched on a cliff. You climb winding stairs up the entrance, so a baby carrier or hiking backpack is pretty essential. This was our final destination, the climatic finish to a day of road tripping along the Scottish coast.

We had so much fun running around the grounds of this castle. We arrived a bit later in the day, around the time of the last entrance (I want to say it was around 3 pm) and that was PERFECT because we had the place almost to ourselves — and during golden hour.

On the way to the castle, we made a couple of stops. Some of the places you can stop along the way are:

The Davidson Cottage: Where the family who created Harley Davidson lived
Fettercairn Distillery
Arbroath Cliffs

We stopped at Arbroath Cliffs and Lunan Bay on the way up to Dunnottar Castle and found that that made for the perfect day trip for us.

Arbroath is a seaside town with the most gorgeous walk along massive cliffs — with very high, steep drops! We had our son in his carrier the whole time so I wouldn’t have a heart attack.

We also stopped for lunch at a cute cottage restaurant in Arbroath called the Old Brewhouse , which had great service — especially for our son. They brought him a little coloring set, juice, and had a great kid’s menu.

We stopped at Lunan Bay , a beautiful beach where my dad and husband had fun skipping rocks before getting back in the car and back on our merry way!

Day 5: Highlands drive in Cairngorms National Park

This was a road trip day that we actually did on another day, a few weeks later, despite having it planned for this 6-day road trip week.

It’s a good example of how we should try to be flexible and delete/move items from our itinerary that best suit our family in the moment!

I’m glad we got around to it, and if you like to hike, I suggest that you try to make this one of your priority days. If you want to see the Scottish Highlands, but you only have one day (and a baby/toddler with you), this is a good way to do it: Drive to Glen Clova , about 50 minutes north of Dundee, and do the Loch Brandy hike.

It’s not too strenuous and we were able to stop comfortably many times along the way to give our toddler a break from the hiking backpack and fuel up on snacks! And the views are incredible.

There’s also a hotel with a restaurant and cafe if you want to get coffee and drinks before or after your hike. I think it would also be lovely to spend a night at the hotel — it’s super cute, nestled at the foothills of the highlands.

We also considered other longer routes through the highlands, such as doing a loop in the Cairngorms up to Balmoral Castle . This was Queen Elizabeth II’s property in Scotland.

There are so many ruins and castles to see along this road (such as Braemar Castle and Knock Castle ), but it takes about 5-6 hours (without stops) so with a baby, I thought we would probably have to stop somewhere in between to sleep for the night or it would be too long of a day trip for us. It’s still on my list though!

Day 6: Glamis Castle

We were SO pleasantly surprised by Glamis Castle ! It’s just a 25-minute drive from Dundee and the childhood home of the the Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth II’s mother) and the birthplace of Princess Margaret.

It’s also supposedly the most haunted castle in Scotland and has connections to Shakespeare’s Macbeth .

You can visit the castle and gardens, or just the gardens (which is cheaper). The “Alice in Wonderland”-like gardens are so beautiful. You can also take photos with carved statues of the three Macbeth witches.

It’s another place that’s great for a toddler because there’s so much space to run around. While my son could not be put down inside the castle itself (because he would have destroyed all of the priceless furniture), he loved throwing rocks into the fountain outside, running down the garden maze paths, and smacking the statues.

Other places near Glamis Castle that would be great to stop in, explore, and get a coffee or meal:

the town of Forfar
the town of Kirriemuir (where playwright and writer of Peter Pan , JM Barrie is from!)
the Gin Bothy Experience

Alternative Routes and Stops for Your Scotland Road Trip

If you’re still looking for more activities and places to add to your Scotland road trip itinerary, I would recommend some of these ideas:

Loch Lomond
Broughty Ferry: A cute seaside town with good restaurants, cafes, and free castle (with a playground next to it!)
The Black Watch Castle and Museum in Perth
Lomond Hills Regional Park

Of course, where you choose to road trip will depend greatly on where you’re choosing to stay in Scotland. My ideas tend to be a bit more to the east because we’re based in Dundee, but anywhere you go in Scotland will be magical I’m sure.

Do I Need to Reserve Tours Early for My Scotland Trip?

Depending on what time of the year you’ll be visiting Scotland and what attractions you really wish to see, it may be necessary to reserve certain tours in advance.

Since we’re here in the semi off season (October), we haven’t had too much trouble getting tickets to things like Edinburgh Castle on the day of, but I’ve heard that popular attractions like this can sell out days in advance in the high season.

Whisky distillery tours require advanced booking as well — most of them take reservations on their websites. If there’s a particular restaurant that you know you want to go to, make a reservation. We sometimes had trouble finding a place to eat without a reservation in cities like Edinburgh and St Andrews.

How to Rent a Car for Your Scotland Road Trip

We simply used the Enterprise car rental website, booked in advance, and picked up our rental car from the Enterprise location across from our Airbnb! It’s a good idea to look up rental places near where you’ll be staying if you plan to do any road tripping while in Scotland.

Also: It’s a good idea to watch some YouTube videos or do some Google searches to become acquainted with the Scottish/UK road signs if you’ve never driven here before.

We brought our own car seat with us from the States and Canada.

What to Pack in the Car for Your Scotland Road Trip with a Baby or Toddler

You can be tempted to bring the entire house with you when you’re taking a car ride, and while it is good to be prepared, I think bringing too much stuff in the car just makes a mess and makes it harder to find things quickly when you need them.

My biggest piece of advice would be to really think about what you’ll need immediate access to while your baby or toddler is in the car and put those items loosely in a reusable shopping bag at your feet (or close enough for you to be able to grab quickly).

Here’s what I like to place in that “close” bag:

Food/drinks (snacks that he can eat in the car and milk/water sippy cup)
Some sticker books
A few battery-powered toys with buttons that I know he likes
His blanket and pacifier
Snacks and a water bottle for the grown-ups

In the trunk, we put all the winter jackets and clothes, the baby carrier, and anything else.

I hope this helps you plan your own Scotland road trip with a baby/toddler comfortably! You’re going to have so much fun 🙂

Brittany is a Wayfaring Human who loves to adventure with her husband and son. When she's not having adventures, she's taking pictures of them and writing about them.

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“ We went to this little village in Thailand where people grow their own food. Our CEO showed us how to separate the rice from the husk so it can be turned into food. It was cool to see how the food we ate got from the ground to our plates. ”

The Robertses discovered a new kind of theme park: Planet Earth

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10 Na Pali Coast Tours with Toddlers and Babies (2024)

January 1, 2024

Looking for Na Pali Coast tours with toddlers and babies allowed? I have a list of the top options for you!

When I was planning my Kauai trip, the number 1 thing on my list was a Na Pali Coast snorkel cruise. I had my toddler (3 at the time) with me, so I had to do some research to ensure there was a cruise that would allow him.

Good news is that I found a couple of options. While most of the snorkel cruises offered allow ages 5 and up, there ARE a couple that allow as young as 3 years old.

Bad news is that 3 is the lowest age allowed on the public tours. Womp, womp. BUT— if you can’t make the snorkel cruise, another AMAZING option is a helicopter tour.

The helicopter tours take you all around the island, including the Na Pali coast. And many of them allow lap infants under 2 years old (AND they’re free!)

You’ll get about 45-60 minutes of in-air time viewing all the beauty the island has to offer.

No matter which option you choose, you will have a mesmerizing experience.

Need help planning out what to do on your trip to Kauai? Kauai With Kids Vacation Guide Best Area To Stay in Kauai Best Beaches in Kauai

Key Takeaways

The youngest age allowed on Na Pali Coast snorkel cruises is 3 years old.
Na Pali Coast snorkel cruises take between 4-6 hours, depending on the cruise you choose.
Another option is a helicopter tour. Most allow ages 2+ but there are options for lap infants as well.
Helicopter tours take guests all around the island, including the Na Pali Coast, and the ride lasts about 1 hour.

Na pali coast boat tours for toddlers.

This is the sitch on the cruises—everyone meets up, they give you the introduction and safety information, then everyone heads onto the boat.

Once you get on the water, the captain narrates what you’re seeing, gives you history of the coast and Kauai, and any other fun tidbits they have.

The ride up the coast is 17 miles of sea arches, caves, rock formations, pristine beaches, and gorgeous shoreline. The smaller cruises can also go into the sea caves, the bigger cruises will slowly stop so you can look at them.

Most of the boat cruises are snorkel tours and it takes about 1.5 – 2 hours to the snorkeling point. You’ll get about 1 hour to snorkel and swim, then you’ll head back. So, the whole tour lasts about 5 hours. You’ll also get served a meal plus drinks onboard.

Captain Obvious here- this cruise goes into the sea. Sea conditions can get rough, so this could be an adventure. Bring Dramamine or a sea band just in case, even if you don’t usually get seasick. I took it before we got on AND at the mid-way point and still got a little woozy on the way back.

More importantly, the cruise will take you through one of the most beautiful scenes in the whole world . Bring your camera, but also just enjoy the sheer beauty of what you’re viewing!

Now for the fun part, which cruise will you choose?

They all offer the same thing—showing you the Na Pali Coast. But they all have their own twist, so pick whichever one sounds the most fun for you!

Boat Tour Options for 3 Years+

1. lucky lady deluxe na pali morning snorkel tour.

Get an early start to the day and take this Lucky Lady half-day snorkel tour on a luxury catamaran. It’s earned Viator’s Badge of Excellence and has almost 1,000 reviews!

You’ll cruise along the coast for almost 2 hours taking in all the beautiful views, then stop at a reef to snorkel and swim for about 45 minutes. Snorkeling equipment and instruction are offered by the crew.

A breakfast treat, a deli lunch, sodas, and iced water are all included. Beer, wine, and mai tais are available for the adults too.

This tour is roughly 5.5 hours.

Start time: 6:45am Price: $217.42 per adult (ages 13+), $206 per child (ages 3-12)

Check availability on the Lucky Lady Deluxe Na Pali Morning Snorkel Tour by clicking here!

2. Lucky Lady Deluxe Na Pali Sunset Snorkel Tour

If you’d rather head out later in the day and catch a Kauai sunset, try the afternoon version of the Lucky Lady tour. It’s also earned the Viator Badge of Excellence.

Like the morning version, this tour takes you on an almost 2-hour ride up the coast taking in all of its jaw-dropping beauty. During whale season, December – April, you might even spot a whale on your trip.

You’ll stop at a reef to snorkel and swim for 45 minutes, then make your way back to the starting point while you chase the sun.

A hearty dinner is served including appetizers, salad, a buffet, and dessert. Sodas, waters, and alcohol for 21+ is all included too.

Start time: 1:15pm Price: $217.42 per adult (ages 13+), $206 per child (ages 3-12)

Check availability on the Lucky Lady Deluxe Na Pali Sunset Snorkel Tour by clicking here!

3. ‘IMILOA Express Na Pali Sunset Tour

If snorkeling isn’t your thing, try an express tour. Another Viator Badge of Excellence operator with 4.5 stars and over 100 reviews.

Hop on a speedy boat and take in the views as your guide narrates the surroundings and gives you history and interesting facts about the island.

A full dinner, sodas and water, plus alcohol for adults are all included. On your way back you’ll get to see a different view of the coast at golden hour.

This tour is roughly 4 hours (1.5 hours shorter than the others).

Start time: 2:00pm Price: $179.37 per adult (ages 13+), $168.50 per child (ages 3-12)

Check availability on the ‘IMILOA Express Na Pali Sunset Tour by clicking here!

Boat Tour Options for 5 Years+

4. na pali sunset and sightsee boat tour.

Another option for non-snorkelers. Hop on this power catamaran for a slow ride up the coast. This almost 5-star tour has nearly 900 reviews!

You can relax while you take in the views, listen to the guide give you details about the Na Pali coast and Kauai history, and have an al fresco dinner during golden hour. What a treat!

A full dinner, sodas and waters, plus beer, wine, and craft drinks are all included.

This tour is roughly 5 hours.

Start time: 2:00pm Price: $242.16 per adult (ages 13+), $219.11 per child (ages 5-12)

Check availability on the Na Pali Sunset and Sightsee Boat Tour by clicking here!

5. Ni’ihau and Na Pali Coast Snorkel Boat Tour

Put on your explorer hat and spend the day on a power catamaran going through the Na Pali coast AND the forbidden island of Ni’ihau.

Unlike the other tours, this one is a full day tour, and you’ll explore 60 miles of shoreline. You’ll learn interesting facts, history, and legends about Kauai from the guide throughout the tour.

You’ll see the whole Na Pali coast, and instead of turning back when the other tours do, this one continues onto Lehua Crater and Ni’ihau where your snorkeling adventure begins.

The water conditions in Ni’ihau are some of the clearest in all of Hawaii, and because not as many visit the area, more elusive animals show up!

Since you’ll be there all day, you’ll get a light breakfast and lunch, sodas and waters, and alcoholic beverages for adults.

This tour is roughly 8 hours.

Start time: 6:00am

Price: $357.48 per adult (ages 13+), $334.42 per child (ages 5-12)

Check availability on the Ni’ihau and Na Pali Coast Sunset Boat Tour by clicking here!

Helicopter Options

If you don’t want to spend the day on the water, another option is to see Na Pali Coast from above! Choose from different options of helicopters and airplanes.

Not only will you see the Na Pali coast, but you’ll see all of Kauai’s most famous landmarks.

Some of the hot spots you’ll fly over are Waimea Canyon, Mt. Waialeale (a dormant shield volcano), the North Shore, and Manawaiopuna Falls—also known as Jurassic Park falls.

The flights last between 45-60 minutes depending on the tour you choose.

The best part about a helicopter tour is that you will see parts of the island that are inaccessible in any other way (which is roughly 70%!)

And more good news—each of the recommended tours below besides one allows babies! Children under 2 are considered lap infants and they’re free.

6. Kauai ECO Adventure Helicopter Tour

This 5-star rated tour earned Viator’s Badge of Excellence, plus over 1,500 reviews. It’s also the only Hawaiian helicopter tour company that has received the FAA’s Certificate of Excellence Award!

The new Eco-Star helicopters offer business class-style seats and reduce overflight noise by 50%. Guests also get Bose aviation-grade noise cancelling headsets to use to talk to the pilot.

You’ll soar above the island taking in all of jaw-dropping beauty through the wide viewing windows while the pilot, also a certified Hawaii Tour Guide, explains everything about it.

At the end of the flight, you’ll also be able to purchase a USB in-flight video and photo package so you can remember the moment forever (and show off to everyone at home, hehe!)

Flight time is 50 minutes, and the helicopter holds a minimum of 4 people and a maximum of 6 people.

Start times: 8am, 9:05am, 10:10am, 11:15am, 1:20pm, 2:25pm, 3:30pm Price: $349 or $389 per person depending on option (ages 2+), Free for lap infant (under 2)

Check availability on the Kauai ECO Adventure Helicopter Tour by clicking here!

7. Deluxe Waterfall Safari

This deluxe waterfall tour is rated 5 stars with over 600 reviews, plus it gained Viator’s Badge of Excellence rating.

As you soar through the sky marveling at Kauai’s most beautiful gems, the pilot will give information about the landscapes you’re passing over, including the Na Pali Coast, Waimea Canyon, and Mt. Waialeale.

Flight time is 55 minutes, and the helicopter holds a maximum of 6 people.

Start times: 8:25am, 9:30am, 10:35am, 11:40am, 1:40pm, 2:45pm, 3:50pm Price: $309 per person (ages 2+), Free for lap infant (under 2)

Check availability on the Deluxe Waterfall Safari Tour by clicking here!

8. Ultimate Kauai Adventure

Take an adventure in the sky with this highly rated tour with over 100 reviews.

You’ll have the option to soar above the island in a standard or luxury helicopter. Both are designed specifically for sightseeing and offer big viewing windows, but the windows in the luxury option are a bit bigger.

At the end of your trip, you’ll have the option to purchase a souvenir DVD and photos of your tour too.

Flight time is between 50-55 minutes, and the plane holds a maximum of 6 people.

Start times: 8am, 10am, 1pm, 3pm Price: $294 or $349 per person depending on option (ages 2+), Free for lap infant (under 2)

Check availability on the Ultimate Kauai Adventure by clicking here!

Airplane Options

9. entire kauai island air tour.

If you’d prefer a plane, take this tour in a slow-flying airvan, designed for sightseeing. It’s rated 5 stars with over 1,000 reviews on Viator!

You’ll slowly fly above the island as the pilot narrates everything you’re seeing. Noise reduction headphones that allow you to talk to the pilot are included.

The large bubble windows and spacious cabin give you plenty of room and great views of all the famous landmarks of the island plus waterfalls, the Menehune Fish Pond, Eucalyptus Tunnel of Trees, and the Waita Reservoir.

Flight time is approximately 1 hour, and the plane holds a maximum of 6 people.

Start times: 8:25am, 9:30am, 10:35am, 11:40am, 1:40pm, 2:45pm, 3:50pm Price: $149 per person (ages 3+), Free for lap infant (under 2)

Check availability on the Entire Kauai Island Air Tour by clicking here!

10. Private Kauai Airplane Tour

If you want the plane all to yourself, try this private airplane tour! This 5-star air tour earned the Viator Badge of Excellence, plus over 100 reviews.

The high-wings plus the large windows make aerial viewing ideal, and all of the sights are described by the pilot as you fly above them. And since it’s just your group, receive undivided attention with a bit of personalization!

Flight time is approximately 1 hour, and each reservation requires a minimum of 2 people and a maximum of 4 people.

Start times: 8:30am, 10:00am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:00pm, 4:30pm Price: $209 per adult, minimum 2 adults (ages 10+), $179 per child (ages 2-9)

Check availability on the Private Kauai Airplane Tour by clicking here!

Our Experience on a Na Pali Coast Snorkel Tour

So you know what to expect, I want to give you the lowdown on our experience.

We went on a half-day snorkeling tour, leaving in the morning. It was absolutely one of the highlights of my trip to Kauai. The sheer beauty is something I will always remember. The cruise itself was fun, the staff was very nice and helpful, there’s ton of food, and the atmosphere is fun.

There are a couple of things I want to point out to you though (nothing bad, just telling you so that you’re aware).

Firstly, after I got pregnant, I started getting seasick. A lot of reviews I read about the Na Pali Coast tours is that it can get rough. That got me nervous so I bought Dramamine and took them before we got on the boat.

It worked for the whole ride over to the snorkeling spot, and stopped working as we were floating there. I popped more but they didn’t work. So the second half of the trip I was not in a great spot. There were numerous others on the trip that were in the same condition, if not worse. A little girl instantly got sick and had to lay down the whole time, I felt horrible for her!

When they say it can get bumpy, they are not being dramatic. If I were to go again, I would get something more powerful because I felt like I missed out on fun because I was feeling nauseous.

Secondly, they pack these cruises tight so expect a lot of other people with you. Most excursions in Hawaii are crowded so I guess it’s just the name of the game.

I still had an amazing time and would 100% recommend visiting the Na Pali Coast though!

As you can see below, my toddler had a blast and was relaxed enough to fall asleep right on the table!

Wrapping Up: Na Pali Coast Tours With Toddlers and Babies

Whether you see it on the water or in the air, you won’t be disappointed on a tour of the amazing Na Pali Coast.

While the cruises don’t allow babies, there are tour options for toddlers as young as 3 years old. The air tours allow for free lap infants, under the age of 24 months.

So whichever option you go with, I hope you have the BEST time!

And if it’s your first time, check out my first timers guide to Kauai with kids by clicking here!

here is one of the na pali coast tours with toddlers

Your Go-To Girl for Beach Travel

Hi! I’m Besa. I’ve always been a travel-loving beach bum… and then I had kids. Two boys, born 19 months apart. But I didn’t let that stop me. I still travel, even with a couple little boys in tow – and I want to help other parents like you do the same!

I’ll be sharing all my travel tips , beach hacks , and guides for some of my favorite family vacation beach spots .

Why Trust Beaches and Babies?

Besa has been a frequent traveler for almost 20 years, and the last five years of her travels have included her two toddler boys, 19 months apart. Years of flying and beach bumming with her kids has given her plenty of hard-earned experience in the travel world.

Need Help Booking Your Trip? Use My Favorite Resources!

FLIGHTS Kayak searches hundreds of travel sites for the lowest prices plus the flexible calendar tells you which days are the cheapest to fly.

LODGING booking.com is easy to use and gives options for all types of lodging. When I know I want a big rental house, I use VRBO .

RENTAL CARS rentalcars.com scans multiple agencies at your destination to give you the best price.

ACTIVITIES Viator lets you search for a specific activity at your destination or scroll all available.

Read over my full list of the best sites to book with on my Resources page.

Bike Touring With A Baby

Some people will tell you it’s impossible or, at the very least, impractical but we’ve found a few parents that prove travel with young kids is more than just feasible. It can be a lot of fun too.

As you’ll see from the case studies below, all the families had positive experiences and have tips to share about distances, routines and special packing lists for bike touring. Their answers vary, although one clear winner here seems to be the Cougar Chariot bike trailer ( $437.93 from REI ). It comes in a single and a double version and is used by 3 of the families featured here. The fourth family also uses a Chariot trailer.

If you want to see more than the case studies below, check out answers about bike touring with babies in detail from the families.

We also enjoyed a story about “Cycle-Toddling” from Stuart & Kristie’s Family Adventure Project website.

BIKE TOURING FAMILIES – 4 CASE STUDIES

Case Study #1 – Elle (mother), Jose (father) and baby Lennon The Tour: 2 weeks In Oregon (see their journal Lennon’s First Road Trip ) The Baby: 11 months old

In 2009, the Bustamante family hit the road for a two week tour of Oregon, including baby Lennon, who was 11 months old at the time. Lennon rode in a Cougar Chariot trailer for the 600 mile trip. His first trip in the trailer was at 6 months old.

I did a lot of research and made the decision after talking with our pediatrician and making sure Lennon’s neck was strong enough to hold up a helmet and his giant head. Also, I picked the Cougar Chariot because it was the only trailer that had suspension as vibration is a main concern for babies and biking.

Once on the road, Lennon loved the trip and enjoyed spending time in the trailer, though there were some difficult moments.

There were times when Lennon would be having a melt down after a long day (we’d all be feeling that way) but we’d only have a few more miles to go or we couldn’t stop safely. It was added pain to the tiredness of the ride but in the end, the second Lennon was out of the trailer, he’d be happy as can be. Babies are incredibly resilient and forgiving. We just had to keep that balance, patience and flexibility and listen to his needs.

As for special equipment, Elle recommends disposable diapers for convenience (although they normally use cloth), teething tablets and a picnic blanket to make rest breaks that much more enjoyable during the day.

Case Study #2 – Reuben (father), Heidi (mother) and baby Eden The Tour: Eight days in Southwestern Ontario (see their website Pedal Powered Family and their journal of the trip ) The Baby: 16 months old

Reuben, Heidi and 16-month old Eden set out in 2008 on a 650 kilometer journey around Southwestern Ontario. Eden rode in a trailer and the family mostly free camped along the way, instead of taking paid campgrounds or hotels.

They say Eden adapted well to the touring lifestyle, and as parents they took special care to work in plenty of stops at playgrounds and schoolyards along the way.

Making time for her to run around during the break and play on the slides and jungle gyms was extremely important. As time went on, she learned the rhythm of the days and would climb back into the trailer on her own when she was ready to get going again. Some times, she wouldn’t even want to get out when we arrived at camp for the night!

Among the things they packed were small toys and books for Eden, plenty of clothes (in case they couldn’t clean or dry out soiled ones), and a wide variety of food, so Eden wouldn’t get bored with the same thing every day. They also brought a thermal sippy cup filled with milk, which let her “drink on demand” in the trailer.

They urge parents thinking of a trip with a baby, to just get out there and do it.

As with anything in life, you will never be able to make your trip with-baby 100% predictable or 100% safe. You will also never be 100% prepared. Don’t let those worries hold you back. Just get out there and adventure with your kids while you can. You will both love it as long as you remain flexible.

Case Study #3 – Robin (father), Erin (mother) and baby Ronan The Tour: 2 weeks In Iceland The Baby: 18 months old

Family camping and bike touring in Iceland

This family of Canadians, including 18-month old Ronan, did a 14 day tour of Iceland. To keep things manageable, they tended to do a couple relatively short biking days (40-60km), followed by a rest day and they also occasionally used buses to bridge the gap between destinations.

Robin & Erin were initially worried about how Ronan would feel spending so much time inside his trailer but a few trial runs before going to Iceland helped reassure them.

“Prior to going we travelled around home and found that after a while he loved his trailer. He’d point to it and our bikes in the garage and say ‘ride’. Mostly he gets lulled to sleep or just looks out the windows and ponders. Sometimes we’d hear him ‘talking’ to his duck and we’d try and talk to him as we went so he knew we were still there,” says Robin.

Because their trip to Iceland involved a big time difference from home, they also started adjusting their eating and sleeping times before leaving.

To make up for the 6 hour time difference, we started getting up earlier and earlier for the week before, 45 minutes at a time. We shaved off 4 or 5 of the hours before we left. It helped Ronan adjust and hit the road running. Any amount of preadjustment is probably worth it depending on schedules or plan to scrap a day or two on the other side.

They also recommend planning days around the routine of the kids, including working in time for an hour or two or play once you arrive in camp.

Another great tip involves getting your trailer on a plane, without extra charges. It’s all in the wording!

Don’t pack a trailer. Pack a stroller with a bike attachment. Then it doesn’t cost as much! It’s all the same but clerks don’t know.

Case Study #4 – The Londahl Family The Tour: 40 nights and 1,535km through Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. The Baby: Two kids: 2-1/2 years old and 4 months old

Martin sent us this story, after we originally published the 3 case studies above.

There were four of us: my wife and I, and our two kids Sarah and Isac, at the time of leaving 2-1/2 years old and 4 months old.

The kids were fine and adjusted rather quickly to life on the road. There were some problems in the beginning with Sarah, who found out that she could stop us by saying “I need to pee” and then spend some time running around with no pants. She did not use diapers, except at night, at the time. Luckily she quit this behaviour within a week.

Last summer we went on a one-week trip with the kids, and this time managed to separate them. Sarah rode in a bike chair and Isac in the carrier. This really made a big difference and so I would really, really recommend it. It’s difficult to fight if you can’t reach your adversary.

Was it fair to travel with such small kids? Yes, I definitively think so. For 40 days we spent day and night together, with no distractions from work. They enjoyed that, for sure. And they certainly enjoyed all the coffee breaks. Sarah ate cookies every single day, which she hasn’t done ever since.

Would I do it again? Definitively yes, yes, yes! But with the kids separated…

Want to know more? See detailed answers about bike touring with babies.

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A Mini-Guidebook to Cycle Touring with a Baby/Toddler

Recently a few people asked us about cycle touring in general and more specifically about cycle touring with a baby. Since the questions keep piling up we figured we’d put together a blog post about our recent experiences of cycle touring with our son Neil. Neil turned two in February and we have cycled with him in four overseas countries and have also done some short trips close to home, in British Columbia, and the nearby Washington state. Every time we go on a cycling trip with him we are amazed by how easy it is, and even though the worries keep on building up before the trip, once we start cycling everything seems to work out. Many times being together on a trip feels a lot easier than managing daily life at home. This is of course our individual experience and every family/child is different. We are not saying there aren’t challenges, but we feel that they just help us grow as a family and every trip is a memorable experience.

When to Start? This is of course very individual and depends on you, your child and what you feel comfortable with. We started cycling with Neil in the trailer when he was four months old, although we know people who started even earlier (such as five weeks old). We bought a used trailer and started riding with him around the city and along the beach. For us it was a transformational moment. We love cycling and it’s always been our main mode of transportation. Being able to cycle with Neil really got us closer together and it was great to do what we loved with him.

Not long after we got the trailer we went on our first overnight trip by bike with Neil to Galiano Island . We had been there before so we were comfortable with the route and plan. The trip went well and we all had a great time. Later on that summer we mostly put our efforts into hiking , as we usually do in the summer months, but we kept on biking with Neil around the city and to Steveston , a favourite day trip of ours. When Neil was seven months old we went on our first overseas cycling adventure – a three month cycling trip to South Korea and Japan . Gili took five months parental leave which allowed us to go travelling comfortably and spend a lot of time together (basically 24/7…).

The Trailer Our trailer is a Thule Chariot CX-1, which we would recommend. It has an adjustable suspension, windows that can be removed, extra storage and decent waterproofing. As a bonus, you can use it as a stroller, for cross country skiing , and jogging, if you get the additional kits. The Cougar is similar – it doesn’t have the removable windows, which are nice for hot weather. Both trailers are expensive, but you might be able to find a used one for less than half the full price, try Craigslist, eBay and similar sites. One bonus of using a trailer that doubles as a stroller is that a stroller normally travels for free on flights, just make sure to call it a “stroller” and not a “trailer”!

When we started riding with Neil, when he was four months old, we used the Thule Chariot Infant Sling. It’s like a mini-hammock for babies, and Neil certainly looked very comfy in it. Just before our trip to Korea and Japan, when Neil was seven months old, we noticed he was almost too big for it, so we switched to the Thule Chariot Baby Support which has some additional support around the head. We continued using the sling until Neil grew out of it, at which point we started just placing him in the trailer with no additional cushioning, which seems to work fine.

Gear Since we we had been cycle touring for a number of years before Neil was born, we continued using much of the same gear. Our general recommendation is “not to sweat the gear” – use what you have when reasonable and upgrade key items as you go.

Our bikes are cheap commuters, chosen so as to avoid any additional attention from the very prevalent bike thieves in Vancouver. We find we are able to fit all our gear in two rear panniers each, strapping our sleeping mats on top, and carrying diapers and some associated gear in the back of the trailer. The panniers we use are the popular and waterproof Ortlieb Back Roller. As always, if you have extra money to spend, you could try to lighten your load. An often more efficient way to cut your load is to carry less, be it clothes, luxuries or even food (at the price of stocking up more often).

Our current tent is a Big Agnes Copper Spur UL3, which is roomy and light (1.8kgs), although we have not been impressed with its durability. A few years ago we finally upgraded our sleeping bags to the custom made ZPacks bags, which feature 900 fill and weigh only 600g for the 10F version – we like them a lot, but we’re a bit skeptical about the temperature rating. Our stove is an MSR Whisperlite International which we have been using forever. It has the advantage that it can burn both white gas, kerosene and car fuel, but the last two really clog things up. It also doubles as Neil’s favourite toy.

Diapers When we did our three month trip to Korea and Japan, when Neil was 7 to 10 months old, we used cloth diapers. We brought with us about 30 big white cloth sheets and about 12 covers. Because of that we had to wash our laundry every 3-4 days. It wasn’t too bad, because after 3-4 days of cycling we felt like we needed a break anyway, so it was a good opportunity to do the laundry. In Korea if we stayed in hotels they were always happy to do the laundry for us (weird, I know), or they would let us use their washing machine. If it happened to be that we needed to wash diapers but we were camping Gili washed a few by hand (messy business). We brought with us a folding bucket that served as a sink for that purpose. We would usually hang them where we were camping but sometimes we had to dry them on the trailer while riding.

In Japan laundromats were very common and sometimes we could even do a wash during our lunch break. In general the weather in Japan was wet for us, so we couldn’t really dry the diapers in the sun like we did in Korea, so we had to use the dryer a lot more which took its toll on the diapers. By the end of the trip Neil had a lot more leaks and we needed to change his clothes often and that just increased the amount of laundry we needed to do.

We also carried a small amount of disposable diapers, and we always used a disposable at night. In retrospect, I think we could have just gone with disposable diapers, but we wanted to be environmentally friendly and not leave piles of diapers everywhere. We used cloth diapers at home, so we just thought we’d continue with what we were used to. We also didn’t know how easy it would be to find diapers whenever we needed or how much they would cost, and with the cloth diapers we always knew we would have them and could wash when needed.

When we went to France, which was a three week trip, we decided just to go with disposable diapers, and it made life easier. Laundry in Europe turned out to be very expensive, and we mostly camped anyway, so we were happy with our decision and finding diapers in supermarkets was very easy. In New Zealand we continued with the disposable diapers (called nappies in Kiwi), and although they were expensive they were easy to find.

Choosing Your Destination Choosing your destination can be tricky. For us a key factor, especially now with Neil, is to ride only roads with very light traffic or when possible dedicated bike paths. We chose South Korea since we had heard they have wonderful cycling infrastructure and we weren’t disappointed. In our two and a half weeks of crossing Korea by bike we followed a bike trail called the Four Rivers Trail. The trail follows rivers and streams, rice paddies and soy fields, and is a designated cycling path that is mostly separated from traffic. It was built and designed for cyclists and we crossed endless tunnels and bridges, most of them only for cyclists, and many were actually huge dams. Then we headed to Jeju Island , where we encountered some traffic, but once away from the cities, we were basically following a cycling path as well, which was right by the ocean and very scenic.

Japan was a bit more tricky, since they don’t have the same amazing cycling infrastructure as Korea. We cycled in Kyushu mostly on back roads with light traffic. Our main mistake on that section was cycling into Nagasaki, which is a big city, with main roads leading into it. For three days we were quite exposed to traffic (and rainy weather) and we didn’t like it, so from then on we kept away from main roads as much as possible. We found the drivers in Japan to be cautious and respectful of cyclists, so there was a silver lining to our Nagasaki experience, as well as the hospitality we encountered on the way.

We also cycled a few small islands on the way to Okinawa and beyond. Those islands were great for cycling as they didn’t have a lot of traffic and there were always nice beaches to stop at. Catching the ferries in between was an experience too, so in general we feel that island hopping is a great option with kids.

Our next overseas destination was France , when Neil was 18 months old. France has some of the best cycling infrastructure we’ve seen. We cycled in Brittany following canals, all on bike trails, passing through magnificent medieval towns along the way, enjoying a croissant or pain au chocolate every single day. Then we cycled along the coast, on quiet roads well marked for cyclists. It was our first time cycling in Europe and it opened our eyes to the endless possibilities Europe has to offer.

Just before Neil turned two we flew to New Zealand for a month. It was a tough winter in Vancouver and we were happy to switch over to summer. We were also excited about the flights as both flights were direct night flights which made things very easy with Neil – he slept 11 hours out of 14. Naturally we took our bikes with, but we soon realized that New Zealand was probably not the best option for cycle touring with a trailer. They don’t have the cycling culture and infrastructure like Europe, and the roads are very narrow, windy, hilly and with zero shoulder. We still had an excellent time, but we had to plan our route very carefully. We cycled in an area called Northland where we were able to find some back roads, some dirt roads and even a bike trail. However, this bike trail offered a different challenge, since it had dozens of gates we had to pass through. The gates had a narrow passage only for a bike, so we had to lift the trailer above almost all of them, sometimes while Neil was sleeping.

Keep Them Interested/Engaged On our first trip, when Neil was less than one year old, keeping him interested was easy. He was usually a happy fellow in the trailer, mostly napping when we were riding. If he was awake and being a bit fussy but we still wanted or needed to cycle a bit more we would put on music for him, mostly Raffi, which always kept him happy. Our lunch breaks were usually quite long, he was still breastfeeding so we made sure to take enough time to eat, breastfeed and play with him. Gili was usually quite active with him in order to tire him out. We brought two books that we kept on reading to him to the point that we knew them by heart. We brought a few small toys along, but they proved useless after a short time. Neil played with everything accessible, menus in restaurants, the pot and bowls if we were cooking on the stove, our flashlights, the wheels of the trailer, and sand and sticks. People were also very generous and always wanted to spoil him with gifts so he collected a ball and a few stuffed animals along the way.

On the last two trips, when Neil was already a toddler, keeping him interested was more challenging, but in a way it was also more fun because he was much more engaged with the trip and what we were doing. If Gili was working on the bikes Neil was right there helping him out – there probably aren’t a lot of two year olds who know the names of all the parts of the bicycle and how to use Allen keys. The stove was definitely his favourite “toy” and if we wanted him busy the stove kept him going for a least an hour. Also stickers were a great discovery as they kept him busy on flights or if we had to take other modes of transportation such as a train, a bus or a ride in a car.

We spent a lot of our time in playgrounds which was also a cultural experience, since we could see parent-children interactions up close. Playgrounds were also very easy to come by. In France almost every campground had a decent playground, and in New Zealand there were also trampolines, zip lines, tall slides and fun swings. Also, Neil loved just hanging out on the beach playing in the sand or sometimes he just spent his time throwing rocks into a river. It was very rewarding to see how the small things kept him happy, not fancy noisy toys, and he was never bored.

The best thing though that we brought along on our two recent trips was Neil’s balance bike. Almost every day after lunch Gili would take Neil for a ride on his bike and sometimes in the mornings and evenings too. Neil got to explore a lot of campgrounds, trails and towns that way and it gave him a lot of freedom and independence and many times he was leading the way. Of course, he always attracted attention from the locals.

Camping For us camping is the easiest way to travel – if you have your tent, you can have a home anywhere. There is something very easy and simple about camping, the freedom and being outside constantly. It’s usually easy to find a place to camp, it’s cheaper than any other accommodation, and it is in many ways stress free – there’s no need to worry about breaking anything indoors, or taking all our gear and bikes up stairs or an elevator.

Neil loves camping and he is very excited about the tent and always helps to set it up, and of course loves the inside of the tent too – the blow up mattress and the sleeping bags. His first night in the tent was when he was three months old, and that was one of the first times he slept through the night. Of course, not all nights in the tent are easy, and we definitely had our share of rough nights , but in general it works great for us.

We were always big fans of wild camping in places where it is deemed OK. Both Korea and Japan were very camping friendly. In Korea, when we were following the Four Rivers Trail we often just camped on the side of the trail after we decided we had enough cycling for the day. On Jeju Island there were a few free campgrounds or sometimes we just camped on the beach.

In Japan we intended to camp more as we heard it’s a camping paradise where cyclists can pretty much camp anywhere, but the weather was not so great. Japan has rest areas, called michi-no-eki where cyclists can pitch their tent, and we did it a few times which was excellent. Many times we planned on camping and already set up the tent, but then we were told it was impossible. Not that it wasn’t allowed, they just wouldn’t let two foreigners with a baby sleep outside in pretty cold weather. We were invited into people’s homes over and over and even spent the night at a community centre. The list of places we stayed at in Japan goes on and on and is quite bizarre, but no doubt those are our best memories. On our island hopping portion of the Japanese adventures we again camped in free campgrounds. Since it was off season, we were always by ourselves in the campgrounds, but as is typical in Japan, they were clean and tidy with fresh soap and toilet paper.

In France and New Zealand we mostly camped in campgrounds. In France they were very easy to come by and the price ranged from 4 to 14 euros a night. Most campgrounds came with a built in playground, and in some you could even order your croissant and baguette to arrive fresh in the morning. It was already the end of the season so most campgrounds were not so busy.

In New Zealand it was a different story. We were there at the peak of summer (their summer) and we didn’t realize that camping was so expensive, a couple of times we even paid $50 a night! True, those campgrounds were five stars and with amazing playgrounds and trampolines, but still. We heard that wild camping is frowned upon, although we would probably have done more of it if we were without Neil. They have areas designated for wild camping (freedom camping in Kiwi) and we stayed in those a couple of times.

Tent Sleeping Arrangements We carry an extra sleeping mat for Neil, a Therm-A-Rest Z-Lite Sol size small, and put it in between us. So far we have managed to get away with carrying just a small sheet for Neil, and we cover him with a thin but high quality down jacket. This has the advantage that the down jacket can double as a warm layer for one of us while Neil is awake. If it’s a cold night, we dress Neil extra warm, with a base layer and/or fleece.

Transporting Your Bike On all our trips so far, we have brought our bikes with us. For short trips, it might be more worthwhile to rent a bike, given the annoyances of transporting a bike. When travelling by plane, carrying a bike might be free or might cost you as much as $200 or more per bike per direction, so it’s worth checking before booking. Most airlines require you to box your bike. It’s usually easy to find used cardboard boxes for free by calling up a few bike stores nearby. Boxing your bike might take an hour or two the first few times you do it, so leave enough time. Try to get a box that belonged to a larger bike, it makes things easier. Some airlines will allow you to send your bike through in a large plastic bag, after removing the pedals and turning the handlebars. This also seems to be a good option, and there are endless debates online on whether boxes are better than plastic bags.

If you are planning to travel by bus or train, make sure to find out what the exact rules are in advance. Some bus companies will allow you to just wheel your bike into the hold, as happened to us in New Zealand. Other bus companies require you to box your bike even for a bus ride of a few hours, as Greyhound does on most routes. Many train companies will allow a few bikes on board each train – we did so in France, but check carefully which trains take bikes and whether they require dismantling your bike or not. Ferries are often the most carefree transportation solution, as they will often just allow you to roll on your bike for a small additional free.

Warm Showers & Hospitality If you used Warm Showers (or Couchsurfing ) in the past, don’t hesitate to keep doing it despite having a kid. The worst that could happen is that people will tell you it doesn’t work for them. We actually had some of our best Warm Showers experiences with Neil. Both in France and New Zealand we stayed very comfortably with families with a few kids and Neil was happy to have other kids to play with, and they were happy to have another kid around.

In Japan we met incredible people both through Couchsurfing and Warm Showers – in Fukuoka Asami hosted us for three nights, taking excellent care of us while showing us her home town and feeding us delicious Japanese food. In Okinawa Aki went out of her way to arrange bike boxes for us for our flight back as well as a ride to the airport with a friend of hers with a pick-up truck.

People also invited us over spontaneously, surprisingly often. In Japan we had the most random hospitality encounters. One of them was with a Japanese family with a baby exactly Neil’s age who took us in, right in the eye of the storm. We spent the evening with their extended family, and we still keep in touch with them. Another evening was spent with a Japanese grandpa who took us for a fun evening of okonomiyaki (a savoury pancake) and soaking in an onsen (Japanese hot-tub) and comfortably hosted us in his home.

In New Zealand on our first day of riding which was quite challenging, both mentally and physically, a family chased us down a hill just to tell us that the campground where we intended to camp was closed. They immediately invited us over, and we spent two nights with them and their awesome three year old, which Neil still talks about. The only reason they chased us down and invited us over was because they saw the trailer and knew we had a baby. There is no doubt Neil opened many doors for us.

Every now and then we stayed in a hotel or a hostel, but we prefer Air B&B. It’s a great solution if there is no Warm Showers or Couchsurfing nearby, or if you just prefer it. In Kagoshima, where we finished our inland portion of our Japan trip, we rented a small apartment for four days. It was great to relax after a challenging four weeks of cycling, mostly in rainy weather, and to get to know the city. In Seoul we rented a room in a tiny apartment with a Korean couple, luckily Neil was not so mobile then, otherwise it wouldn’t have worked. In New Zealand, the two places we rented had a big yard, dogs and other animals which was great for Neil.

Distance Most likely you’ll be cycling shorter distances than you were before you had kids. It’s best to define your expectations accordingly, which will make the trip more fun for everyone. On flat routes, like much of our trips in France and South Korea, we cycle an average of 50 kms a day. On hilly terrain or gravel roads, such as most of our trip to New Zealand, it might be as little as 30 kms. For us, cycle touring is not about the distance we cycle, it’s about the experiences we have along the way. We take lots of breaks, both to enjoy and explore our surroundings, as well as to allow Neil to play and do all the usual baby things.

How and when you cycle will depend on you and your child, as well as on the terrain and attractions along the way. Our net daily riding time is usually between three and four hours. It typically takes us a good two and a half hours to pack up camp, eat and so on, and by that time Neil is likely to fall asleep not too long after we head out. That gives us maybe around an hour and a half of riding before he needs a break, at which point we take an extended lunch break. Once Neil has eaten, played and run around plenty, he’s ready to get back into the trailer. At that point he might fall asleep again, or maybe we’ll ride for an hour, take another break and then he’ll fall asleep. We find it’s good to go with the flow, and having a tent, stove and food with us means that we can be flexible about where and when to stop.

Our cycle touring trips aren’t focused only on cycling. We feel that in the days we cycle we actually have more routine and structure to our day, but we also take lots of rest days when we don’t cycle at all. We rest, explore the town or area we are in, eat well, go to the beach, the pool or to the aquarium. We use buses or trains to get around or we walk. For Neil anything that is not a bike or his trailer became a novelty, even a ride in a car. For all our trips we brought with us our Ergo carrier, which can be used front facing or on the back. It’s also a good idea to give your family the time to adjust, especially if there is a time difference involved. On the first nights of our trip to France Neil was up between 2am and 5am.

Start Small It’s a good idea to test the waters with some short trips. This will allow you to start getting an idea of what works for your family, find out if you have the right gear, and allow you to gain some confidence and an idea of what is possible. We get around our home city almost exclusively by bike, so we had plenty of opportunities to get used to towing a trailer, as well as getting Neil used to it. Then we did some half day and full day trips from home, and weekend trips such as heading to the nearby Gulf Islands .

Keep the Memories Alive So what happens when you get home? For us usually for the first week or so we are really excited to be back home. We love our life in Vancouver and the routine we have developed, but not long after we’re back we start thinking about the next trip. However, we also keep on talking and thinking about our previous trips. One of the things that really helps to keep the memories alive is photo books. For each of our overseas trips I wrote a story with photos for Neil. He loves those books and almost every day we read either Korea, Japan, France or New Zealand, or sometimes all of them. Neil improved his vocabulary based on these books, and he remembers names of people and places we’ve been to. So every day we get to re-live at least one of our trips through his little eyes.

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Peta kaplan.

This is a terrific comprehensive guide that no doubt would be useful to other parents contemplating something similar. It’s definitely interesting reading the pros and cons.

I did wonder about the cloth diapers and how you managed….That is a pretty funny picture of them drying while riding.

The photos are great and the trip photo books such a terrific idea. We made those as well from quite a few of our trips… and love looking at them. It is nice to hold them in your hands especially now that people don’t print photos that much anymore. I can see how Neil would enjoy looking at those over and over.

This is incredibly helpful, thank you so much for putting your experiences down in words. My daughter is 15 months now and I’m eagerly thinking about the bike touring possibilities. I’ll be referring to this post over and over

Hi Andy, really glad you enjoyed this blog post, we really just wanted to share our experience and to show that it’s not only possible to tour with a kid, but also lots of fun. I hope you’ll discover it very soon. Also, sorry for the delay in replying, we were actually cycle touring in Washington and Idaho for a couple of weeks, it was amazing!

What a wonderful post and brings back so many great memories. 🙂 We took our 10 month old along the Rhine River cycle. ~1600km through 6 countries from Switzerland to the ocean. Almost identical set up to you. Would recommend it! Latest cycle tours were in quebec. Good, but with the trailer, recommend only paved routes. Found some good ones through the Eastern townships! I’ll be looking up the cycle you did in Korea! We’re looking for more flat-ish safe (low traffic or separated path) longer distance trips for our family (now a preschooler and toddler). Thanks for the post!

Hi Sandra, Thanks glad you enjoyed the blog post! Your Trip in Europe sounds amazing. I think we’ll be looking for more things like this in the future. You should definitely check out South Korea! It’s mostly flat, completely separated from traffic, you can basically camp anywhere and accommodation is not so expensive either: http://inmagicland.com/2015/10/south-korea-part-1/ Let us know if you have any questions or need more info!

Baby’s Whirlwind Tour of Animal Exploitation

Image by Esperanza Doronila.

The other day I rewatched Howard Hawk’s classic 1938 romantic comedy, Bringing Up Baby, for the first time in what was probably decades. Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant star as an eccentric heiress and straightlaced paleontologist who come into possession of a leopard. Apparently, the beloved film was a box-office bomb.

Hepburn’s heiress, Susan Vance, is the niece of a wealthy philanthropist who Grant’s paleontologist, David Huxley, is trying to solicit a donation from. Vance’s brother sends the feline, Baby, who we later learn was intended for the philanthropist aunt, Elizabeth Random. May Robson’s character wanted the creature as a pet. Hijinks ensue.

Baby is played by a leopard named Nissa. The story of the fictional feline inadvertently provides a whirlwind tour of human exploitation of animals in its many different forms. For instance, this includes hunting, pet-keeping, food production, zoo-keeping and traveling entertainment, among other things.

Vance’s brother caught Baby while on a hunting trip to Brazil. Her aunt’s companion, Major Horace Applegate, played by Charles Ruggles, is a hunter as well. The contrast between his daring tales and cowardly behavior when faced with an actual leopard provides some of the film’s best comedy.

Of course, Baby’s fundamental unsuitability as a pet is the driving force of the plot. Large, wild predators are uniquely ill-fitted to being forced into a domestic relationship with humans. However, I don’t think more traditional pet ownership is beneficial to animals when considered as a whole.

The practice puts cats, dogs, and others in a position of perilous dependence on their human masters. Most notably, vast surpluses of healthy creatures are ‘euthanized’ due to a lack of homes. Even in a domestic context, pets can face horrific abuse and more everyday examples of neglect.

Baby encounters the meat industry when Vance, Huxley and the leopard crash into a poultry truck. Cages packed with chickens, ducks, and swans spill across the road. Baby eats some of these, so Huxley goes to a store and purchases 30 pounds of steak, which he explains will be eaten raw, much to the butcher’s confusion.

Interestingly, when Huxley suggests they give Baby to a zoo, Vance refuses. She says this is a cruel idea as the leopard would be miserable. The sentiment is undercut later in the movie, when Vance allows Huxley to call the zoo, but this seems borne out of desperation, rather than any kind of change of heart.

Finally, the human characters confuse Baby with a performing leopard from a traveling circus, also played by Nissa. This other feline character represents animal resistance to human control. The creature has apparently mauled her trainer and is destined to be killed with gas when Vance lets her out of a cage.

Obviously, Nissa was a performing leopard as well. Her trainer stood off-screen with a whip throughout production in case she misbehaved. But the animal ‘performance’ which I found most disturbing was that of the birds whose cages are knocked into the street. As far as I can tell, that was real.

Thankfully, I believe a similar film would be made differently today, if only to prevent harm to the human stars. Grant was reportedly terrified of working with Nissa. Hepburn was more fearless with the leopard, but still had a number of close calls. Presumably, Baby would be a computer-generated character now.

Jon Hochschartner is the author of a number of books about animal-rights history, including The Animals’ Freedom Fighter , Ingrid Newkirk , and Puppy Killer, Leave Town . He blogs at SlaughterFreeAmerica.Substack.com .

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On The Red Carpet

Backstage tour at pixar reveals how 'inside out 2' came to life.

"On The Red Carpet" is taking viewers inside Pixar Animation Studios for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new film " Inside Out 2 ," now playing in theaters everywhere.

The sequel to the Oscar-winning original "Inside Out" takes place several years later, with the character Riley now a teenager -- which means new emotions like Anxiety , Envy, Embarrassment and Ennui.

In a new episode of "On The Red Carpet," host George Pennacchio toured the usually closed-to-the-public Pixar Animation Studios to see firsthand some of the incredible animation technology used to bring the film to life.

He also saw some of the unique offices the Pixar animators have created for themselves, including one designed to look like a witch's hut.

"Creativity oozes out of every door of this department," Pixar animator Aaron McGriff told Pennacchio. "This is literally where our characters come to life."

Pennacchio also interviewed the all-star cast of "Inside Out 2," including Amy Poehler, who returns as the always bubbly Joy.

"It's Pixar. They're geniuses," Poehler told said at the film's world premiere in Hollywood. "Everybody loves this movie. The first one won an Oscar, babe. And the second one's just as good!"

Maya Hawke voices Anxiety, one of the new emotions Riley has to contend with as she faces the challenges of puberty, pimples and all.

"Puberty is so, so hard," Hawke told "On The Red Carpet." "It's a deeply confusing and strange time, and I think that those little gestures (like giving the character blemishes) are to create a sense of realism in the movie."

"I actually wish I had it as together as Riley did when I was that age. Like, I wish that those were my things I was struggling with," she said.

Watch the full episode, "On The Red Carpet Presents: Inside Out 2," in the video player above. The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of Pixar Animation Studios and this station.

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Tyler Childers’ road crew adopts 3 shelter puppies while touring

Members of Tyler Childers' road crew adopted three shelter puppies while on tour.

CHICAGO (Gray News) - Three puppies at an animal shelter were adopted by members of Tyler Childers’ road crew while on tour.

The puppies were invited to the Childers concert at the United Center in Chicago by Live Nation.

One Tail at a Time said Live Nation wanted to give the road crew a bit of “levity and love.”

“We certainly did that, but what we didn’t expect was all three puppies being adopted by members of Tyler’s road crew! Congrats to Tyler and Larry, Kyle and Cheryl, and Suzanne and Ted. We couldn’t be happier for these little road dogs!” the shelter wrote in a Facebook post .

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BABYMONSTER's debut fan meeting tour kicks off with explosive success in Tokyo

YG's new girl group BABYMONSTER is currently holding their debut fan meeting tour with great success, and they recently shared behind-the-scenes footage of their starting point, the Tokyo concert, on the 15th.

During their first overseas schedule, the airport was crowded with people waiting for BABYMONSTER. Buoyed by enthusiastic farewells and cheers, the members arrived in Japan, quickly overcoming their initial nervousness and diving into rehearsals with a professionalism that impressed everyone.

Finally, on the day of the fan meeting. As it was the start of their tour, the venue was packed with numerous local fans eagerly waiting to meet BABYMONSTER for the first time. Fans took commemorative photos at the photo zone and struck BabyMonster’s signature poses, warming up the atmosphere.

BABYMONSTER couldn’t hide their excitement either. The members, each finding their own way to ease their nerves, took to the stage with strong determination. Opening with "SHEESH" amidst a standing ovation and explosive cheers from the audience, they showcased a variety of performances including songs from their repertoire and debut reality show stages, raising the fans' heart rates.

The energy at the venue did not wane with BABYMONSTER's overwhelming live performances and stage presence. Additionally, during talk time, they charmed the fans by communicating fluently in Japanese, once again showcasing their 'all-rounder' qualities.

The next day, their abundant energy continued into the second performance. Over the course of two days, the members performed for about 26,000 fans.

They expressed their gratitude, saying, "We were touched by how you enjoyed our songs and dances together. Thank you so much for allowing us to finish happily until the end."

BABYMONSTER is currently showcasing their overwhelming ticket power through their debut fan meeting tour '[BABYMONSTER PRESENTS: SEE YOU THERE]' . Recently, due to overwhelming demand, they added an additional performance on July 31st, increasing their originally scheduled two performances (July 30th and 31st) in Kobe, Japan to three, despite it being a weekday.

As a result, BabyMonster will be connecting with more fans across a total of six cities in Asia with ten performances.

BABYMONSTER

ONEWE captivates audience at 2024 Awesome music festival in Daegu with dynamic performance

K-netizens react to NewJeans ‘Right Now’ MV

I’ve watched a few videos of their fan meets and it looks like everyone is having a blast! I would love to see them live one day

They are getting more original music. Excellent. Their vocals are stellar.

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From Our Shop

'This Is What You Came For': Watch Taylor Swift's surprise songs in Liverpool

Taylor Swift 's surprise guitar songs on the final night in Liverpool were murder mystery, true crime coded.

"Don't mess this up," Swift said picking up her guitar to perform a mashup of "Carolina," a song she wrote for the 2022 movie "Where the Crawdads Sing," with "No Body, No Crime" from "Evermore."

On the piano, the singer mixed "The Manuscript" from "The Tortured Poets Department" with the title track from "Red (Taylor's Version)."

'Baby, this is what you came for'

On night two, the singer belted the song "This Is What You Came For" during night two in Liverpool, England, and the crowd erupted. The song is speculated to be on "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" as a vault track because it's never been on any of her studio albums.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

In 2016, Swift wrote the summer hit for then-boyfriend and Scottish DJ Calvin Harris using the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg. Rihanna sang the original version.

Swift blended the song with "Gold Rush" from "Evermore."

When she finished, the crowd inside Anfield Stadium chanted "Taylor Swift."

"That was so nice of you," she said in her blue dress. "You guys are just beyond. I'm having the best time tonight."

Swift performed a live version of "This Is What You Came For" prior to Liverpool . On October 22, 2016, the headliner presented a 15-song set to 80,000 fans at the Formula One Grand Prix in Austin, Texas and included the track.

On the piano, she fused "The Great War" and "You’re Losing Me" from "Midnights."

'I Can See You,' Liverpool

On night one, Swift smoothly merged "I Can See You" and "Mine" from "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" on the guitar. The music video for "I Can See You" was shot in Liverpool and featured actors Joey King and Taylor Lautner.

As she walked to the piano and sat down, the pink dress singer cracked a joke, "I can do it with a sniffling nose." The temperature at Anfield Stadium was in the mid-50s with the wind blowing through the arena.

On the piano, Swift fused "Cornelia Street" from "Lover" with "Maroon" from "Midnights."

For a complete list of her surprise songs, click here .

Don't miss any Taylor Swift news; sign up for the free, weekly newsletter This Swift Beat.

Follow Taylor Swift reporter Bryan West on Instagram , TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV .

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YG's new girl group BABYMONSTER is currently holding their debut fan meeting tour with great success, and they recently shared behind-the-scenes footage of their starting point, the Tokyo concert ...
Taylor Swift performs several surprise songs at her Liverpool concerts
Taylor Swift's surprise guitar songs on the final night in Liverpool were murder mystery, true crime coded. "Don't mess this up," Swift said picking up her guitar to perform a mashup of "Carolina ...