Traveling with a Baby: Warm Weather Essentials
We have been visiting Palm Springs, CA each winter for the past several years, and it is the loveliest place to explore in late January / early February. My sister’s actually own a home down there and my parents stay at the house in the winter now that they are retired. It’s been so nice to simply buy a plane ticket and not worry about a car, where to stay, etc. It’s always been an easy breezy trip in years past, but I knew a baby would throw a few more wrinkles into the mix. Alas, I was bound and determined to keep things simple.
Tyler flew out with us and stayed for the first week, but Marin and I stayed another week to sneak in some extra sunshine and snuggles with Grandma and Grandpa. While a few extra days in sunny California never hurt anyone, it sure meant I had to be strategic about packing because I was going to have to lug our stuff and a baby back to Indiana all by myself. (GULP!) There are no direct flights to Palm Springs from Indiana, so multiple flights with a baby and only two arms to carry everything was quite the feat!
Having lived to tell the tale, I wanted to pass along a few recommendations I have for anyone looking to travel to a warm climate with a little one. I am by no means an expert, but these tips, tricks, and essentials served me well.
If at all possible, buy items in advance and have them shipped to your destination. Things like diapers, wipes, sunscreen, body wash/shampoo, lotion, etc. I definitely couldn’t have traveled for two weeks with simply a carry-on bag if I had had to pack all of that stuff. Alternatively, you could always run to a store as soon as you arrive at your destination.
Since my parents drove out to California for the winter, we shipped out a car seat (we needed to buy a convertible one anyway), pack-n-play, and a stroller that they will haul back to Indiana with them in March. While these were smart purchases for us because we needed the items anyway, you can always rent stuff at your destination! I know a lot of airlines also gate check a stroller for free. I chose not to bring our Thule because I didn’t want to have to lug it around nor wait on it after the flight because I had some REALLY tight layovers - I had to run in Denver to catch our flight!
I packed very few clothing items for myself and Marin with intentions of washing things frequently. It worked really well and drastically cut down on “stuff”. I was able to easily pack for myself and Marin in my Joshu + Vela back pack and Lo & Son’s Weekender (which I’ve had for years).
W A R M W E A T H E R E S S E N T I A L S
Portable Sound Machine : If there is one thing I would recommend to someone traveling with a baby, it’s this portable sound machine. I legitimately don’t know what we would have done without it. It was a last minute buy and the best $30 I’ve spent. It’s incredibly loud (seriously, SO loud), drowns out a house full of guests, stays charged for quite a long time (not all night, but close), and is somehow the most soothing sound to a baby. While perfect for our trip, I think we’re also going to get a lot of use out of this in the car and on random day trips in the coming months.
Swimsuit : Although not really necessary, babies in swimsuits is just too cute to pass up! We purchased the 6-12 month size which was pretty big on Marin, but I think it will be perfect come summer.
Baby Carrier : We chose not to take a car seat or stroller through the airport, so this baby carrier was my lifeline. It allowed me to travel solo with just a backpack and carry-on bag. I’ve become pretty skilled at getting it on in a flash, and it’s also comfortable for long periods of time. Marin loves it. I also wore the carrier many times on vacation when we had to run to the grocery or wanted to walk around the block before bedtime.
Flour Sack Towels : These are one of those “never leave home without it” staples in our household. We use them for EVERYTHING. I actually got stopped by several folks in the airport saying how nice of a blanket Marin had. Ha!
Sunscreen : An essential if your little one is going to be in the sun. This is the only sunscreen we’ve tried, but I liked it and would buy again. It went on easily, didn’t have much of a smell, has a fairly clean ingredient list, and Marin stayed well protected during our entire trip.
BOB Stroller : We have a Thule Urban Glide stroller at home (which we think is great), but I found a killer deal on the BOB Rambler during Cyber Monday and bought one to ship out to California. I originally thought we would leave it in California for future trips (we go out often since my sister’s live there), but I actually think my parents are going to keep it at their house. Regardless, we really put this thing to the test (6+ mile walks every day on all kinds of terrain), and it was great! The sun shade is PERFECT for sunny climates like southern California. No matter the time of day, Marin was shaded from the intense sun.
Backpack : I’ve professed my love for this backpack many times before, but it really is the best everyday bag. It holds an incredible amount of stuff and looks great. I like pieces that serve many functions, and this does just that. If you’re worried about this color getting dirty, it also comes in black and other shades.
Organizer : I use this in my Joshu + Vela backpack, and it is incredibly handy. Diapers, wipes, extra clothes, bottles… it all fits neatly into this organizer. I have the “mini” and it’s a perfect fit.
Brimmed Bonnet : A hat is essential for little ones in sunny climates, and I really like the old fashioned look of a brimmed bonnet. It did a great job of keeping the sun out of her eyes, and she looked so dang cute!
Swim Diaper : A great reusable option, this swim diaper worked like a charm. This is actually the same brand of cloth diapers I purchased before Marin was born, but I haven’t gotten around to using them yet. After using the swim diaper on our trip, I’m excited to give the cloth diapers a try!
While galavanting off to southern California for two weeks sounds like quite the luxury (and it is!), I’m not going to lie, there were a lot of sleepless nights (thank you three hour time change), 3AM drives to sooth a cranky baby, early bedtimes for Mom & Dad instead of wine tastings with the family, and meals had while holding a squirming little girl. Vacations sure look different these days, but I am really proud of us for stepping out of our routine to explore this big world. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so glad to get back to my own bed, but believe it or not, I’m looking forward to more trips in the future as a family of three. I really do think it gets easier with practice, and a little change of scenery does us all some good.
This post is not sponsored or in partnership with any of the aforementioned brands but the article contains affiliate links. When you shop via the links above I may make commission on a sale at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.