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Comments

  1. Debbie

    January 8, 2008 at 1:27 p.m.

    Hypatia,

    Thanks for all your great suggestions! We're working as fast as we can to get more great family destinations online & we LOVE to get great reader suggestions like yours... keep them coming.

    Debbie

  2. Hypatia

    January 8, 2008 at 2:48 p.m.

    So glad I found this site and have already bookmarked it. We're planning our first trip to New York with our daughter, and am looking forward to checking out some of your suggestions.

    Am surprised though that Boston hasn't made it on to your list of destinations yet. We've visited the city a few times with our daughter and have had a fantastic time-the Children's Museum, the beaches, the parks, etc...Another city people might like to take their kids to is Toronto, who can resist the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Place, the Toronto Islands, etc...Finally, as a Montrealer, can I suggest my hometown? In the middle of the city is the 'mountain' after which it was named, much of which is parkland (designed by Olmstead, the same man who designed Central Park) there are museums, Place des Arts (with bilingual concert series for children) and within a very short drive, several beaches, a farm to visit, and the Ecomuseum.

    Regards,
    Hypatia

  3. Kellie

    February 20, 2008 at 11:42 a.m.

    I just discovered your website. Thank you so much for taking the time to share such resourceful information. My husband and I are passionate travelers (we even got married in Italy!)and now want to travel with our baby girl. We have already begun planning our first trip to Europe with her this summer (she will be 13 mos) and we look forward to reading your travel tips, etc.!

  4. Jeanne

    February 25, 2008 at 8:18 a.m.

    Great site! Glad I stumbled upon it and glad you are doing it!! We are 18 months into an open ended, multi-year trip around the world as a family, so I am always interested in finding good traveling family sites to blog about. Keep up the good work & I wish I had found you before your trip to Spain. Happy travels!
    http://www.soultravelers3.com/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn9rDT...

  5. Jill

    March 7, 2008 at 9:27 a.m.

    Hi!
    I am SO glad I have found your site! We are getting ready for a trip to Rome with our 18 month old... and are trying to decide if we'll need to bring a car seat. We are planning to use one of the new CARES restraints for the plane (the new FAA approved thing), and aren't sure if we'll "need" the car seat once we arrive in Rome. We plan to either travel by train or foot anywhere we go... so what's your opinion? Thanks so much!

  6. Debbie

    March 7, 2008 at 10 a.m.

    Jill,

    Have a wonderful trip to Rome. At 18 months old, your child will have such a wonderful time exploring the city. The fountains and street performers throughout the city are easy entertainment, but our son also loved the sculptures (and thought things like feet w/out bodies were hilarious).

    Rome doesn't have great public transportation, but you can get most places by walking, and I would not (and did not) bring a car seat. We've never used a car seat on a train either.

    Good luck,
    Debbie

  7. Heather

    March 13, 2008 at 5:45 a.m.

    Do you know if I can buy Pull Ups in Barcelona or the equivilent? I'm wondering if I should pack enough for the whole trip there.

    Thanks so much!

  8. Debbie

    March 14, 2008 at 11:44 a.m.

    Pull Ups are available in Spain, but they are more difficult to find than diapers (As I understand it, Europeans aren't totally sold on the Pull-Ups concept). Cortes Ingles or a large grocery store would be the place to look for them.

    If your trip is short (or your child uses Pull-Ups only when sleeping) you could pack enough for the entire trip. If not, you could consider using waterproof washable training pants or reverting to diapers if you cannot find more pull-ups when you need them.

  9. Vanessa

    April 4, 2008 at 8:53 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    Love this site! We are heading to Paris and will be taking up your suggestion on the Airport Shuttle. I was wondering if you used their car seat or if you brought your own. If you used their car seat, is there anything I should be weary of from a safety standpoint? Also, what apartment did you stay at in Paris or which one do you recommend?

    Thanks again - your suggestions just made it a way more fun and cheaper trip for us!

  10. Debbie

    April 6, 2008 at 4:23 p.m.

    Vanessa,

    We used the airport shuttle car seat. I was a lot less savvy about car seat rentals back then, but I'd do it again in order to avoid dragging along a seat for just that one use.

    Be sure to specify the age and weight of your child with your reservation, and carefully inspect the car seat using our tips: http://www.deliciousbaby.com/journal/...

    We stayed in apartments on Rue Dragon (in the 6th) and loved the convenient location. http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/f...

  11. Charity

    April 24, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,
    Thanks so much for all your great information. I was wondering if you have ever gone on a trip as long as 3 weeks with your children? I'm taking my 18 month old by myself by plane to visit grandma and grandpa for a week, then drive 3 hrs to meet up with daddy (he doesn't get much time off) at the other grandma and grandpa for a week, and then drive 6 hrs to an old college friend with a baby the same age for a week. And then fly home. Am I completely nuts?
    I've culled most of your articles about travel and have gotten lots of ideas. Anything else you would think I should be aware of on such a long trip?
    Thanks!

  12. Debbie

    April 24, 2008 at 2:47 p.m.

    We've done several one month trips, and actually I'm a fan of longer trips. I think it gives everyone a little more time to adjust and settle in. It also relieves some of the pressure for every day and every moment to be perfect (which of course is impossible with a small child)

    Your trip sounds great to me & I hope you have a wonderful time. Here are a couple of tips I think might help:
    - At 18 months, you should talk to your child a lot about what's happening & when you'll be going to a new place.
    - I would do the driving trip at night (if you don't think you'll be to sleepy) when baby is sleeping
    - Avoid moving between too many different destinations. The list you have sounds great, but I'd worry a little bit about adding more (though your child might be less stressed about that than mine are)
    - Your child will probably be getting lots of extra attention on your trip (which is a good thing) Expect that there will be an adjustment period when you return home where he or she tries to figure out where all the magic went.
    - Don't feel like you need to bring everything you might need with you. You can buy diapers and other baby needs on the road and I'm willing to bet that grandma and grandpa will contribute a few new toys.

  13. Charity

    April 24, 2008 at 3:19 p.m.

    Thanks! It's reassuring to hear you say I'm not completely insane. And I forgot all about the adjustment to no longer being the center of everyone's attention. Good tips!

  14. Cherrye

    May 21, 2008 at 9:32 a.m.

    Loving your blog! Loving it!

  15. Rachael

    May 21, 2008 at 11:32 p.m.

    Congratulations on a fabulous website ! In terms of content and form it's a great resource and is wonderful to get tips from like-minded mums.
    We are taking our 8 month old daughter on a 6 week trip to Turkey, France (Alps & Provence) and Spain (Vallencia, Mallorca and Barcelona). I was umm'ing and argh'ing about buying the ergo baby carrier (as we can borrow a baby backpack) yet you have sold it to me, we at least confirmed what i was thinking in terms of size and weight. Keep the tips and info coming.
    Syd, Australia

  16. Debbie

    May 27, 2008 at 4:20 p.m.

    Rachael,

    Have a wonderful time on your trip! I hope the Ergo will serve you well.

    Debbie

  17. Amanda

    May 30, 2008 at 11:53 p.m.

    Hi Debbie
    Thanks for a great website!
    We are planning a trip to barcelona with other friens who also have babies who'll be 12 months..we will need to get taxis from the airport to our apartments and wondered if we would need to take car seats to use in the taxis? Logically, I think we would but if so am not sure how practically this would work!
    Any thoughts or advice would be gratefully received..
    Amanda

  18. Debbie

    May 31, 2008 at 9:30 p.m.

    Amanda,
    When we visited Barcelona, we took the train from the airport to the city center and then walked the remaining few blocks to our apartment.

    If you have a lot of luggage, another option would be to send one person in a taxi with all the luggage and someone else on the subway with the babies.

    A third option is to find a taxi service or van service that will provide a car seat. Since the babies are 12 months old, you will want to verify that they have an infant or convertible seat that can be installed rear-facing (and have a back up plan in case the service shows up without the seats)

    Have a great trip!

  19. Jennifer

    June 8, 2008 at 8:56 p.m.

    Hi Debbie,

    What a great website! I have enjoyed getting useful tips and ideas from this site.

    We leave next month for Europe, we have purchased a seat for our 14 month old however do you think taking a carseat would help him sleep on a plane or what do you recommend for comfortable sleeping for a child?

    Thanks! Jennifer

  20. Debbie

    June 9, 2008 at 8:18 p.m.

    I would not bring along a car seat just so that your son can sleep. You don't say what airline you are flying, but many airlines will provide a travel cot if you request one in advance. We've had good luck with getting our children to fall asleep in our arms and then moving them gently into the travel cot.

    You do need to have a save way to buckle your child in to the airplane seat though (the lap belt isn't enough for a 14 month old). Of course your car seat works well, and we also like the CARES harness because it is so easy to carry.

    http://www.deliciousbaby.com/products...

    Before you leave that car seat at home, you'll also need to consider whether you will need a car seat at your destination. In most of Europe, public transportation is good enough that we don't bring one, but you'll need to decide based on the specifics of your trip.

    I hope this helps. Have a wonderful time!
    Debbie

  21. Angie

    July 28, 2008 at 11:24 a.m.

    Hi Debbie. Just heard your interview on Amateur Travel Podcast and have spent a few minutes browsing your site. Great ideas; I can't wait to spend more time checking out your travel tips. Our oldest daughter made her first oversea adventure to England at four months (unless you count her trip to Italy when I was seven months pregnant). She is turning six this summer and has since been to India twice, Nepal, Thailand, and Cambodia as well as numerous places around the US. My husband and I met in Nepal and love to spend our money and vacation time experiencing Asia. We have found our post-children travels so enriching because of the social doors that have opened because we have our children with us. We have met with so many more smiles and friendly greetings from strangers, especially women (which can be difficult to interact sometimes in Asia). Keep up the great work...

    Angie in Alaska
    http://www.southwould.com

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