Personally, it's easier to fly w/kids, than to drive w/kids. Because flying is still a big deal to them, & they think it is great fun. 6 hours is our max. drive time. Of course, I only have 2 kids, not 6.

We've travelled with our kids from a very early age. As others have said, travelling continues, how and where has changed. Frankly, it was the easiesttravelling with them when they were young. The didnt have opinions or schedules. Our trips didnt have to compete with school or activities. As our two sons got older, they still love to travel, but we have to cooridnate two different school schedules, too many different sports teams schedules, and work schedules. Travel early, travel often. It sounds harder when your kids are young, but it isnt.
Good luck!

I would also add that eating in restaurants is good discipline for kids whether you are on vacation or at home.

beachgirl-

You have received many good and thoughtful comments.

A few additional thoughts...

I agree with Rachel that traveling with older kids presents its own challenges - school schedules and activities really cut into vacation time and flexibility. Traveling with a 2 month old, a 2 year old and a 12 year old each has its advantages and disadvantages and is a different experience.

I also agree that having traveled with our kids from the very beginning has helped them become great travelers and independent and resourceful people - they are great in restaurants, on planes and in cars, etc.... Of course, we spent a lot of time teaching them what was expected (and carrying them out of places if they were being disruptive :D )

Good luck! I wish you many happy travels with and/or without kids!

Oh, and I meant to add that dfr shares similar thinking with us as well.

What we do and where we go takes our kids' interests into consideration as well. Sometimes we have spent time in DisneyWorld or whatever which we wouldn't have done without them (and we had a great time, I may add).

Or, for example, when traveling in London, we skipped several of the museums we might have visited without the kids (that doesn't mean we don't go to any museums), but did enjoy a rock n'roll tour and a soccer game (football match). In fact, the kids really expand what we do in our travels and we love it!

Wow, so many responses :) Thanks so much everyone! I have had a great time reading through all of these today. Please keep your opinions and experiences coming! I love traveling with my hubby, but you have all eased my mind, and gotten me excited to share our travels with future children someday, too!

Our 8 and 10 year old sons have been to 25 states and 15 countries. We love traveling with our kids. Our goal for the boys is to take them to every continent before they go to college.

We traveled with 4 kids (+ or - a few at any given time) that now that we are empty nesters, it is STRANGE to travel without any! ;-)

You will be fine and learn what works/does not work for you. Don't sweat it, and look at it how I always did: so many people have done this before me that surely I can make it work, too.

Congrats on your decision, and hope it "takes" quickly! ;-)

We have a 4 month old and our travel future looks different AK (after kids) versus BK (before kids) mostly because I am a stay at home mom now. We aren't necessarily germ-o-phobes but I must say the thought of taking a baby onto an airplane is not my idea of fun so we are looking now at places that we can go by car. I am now also thinking of cost effective but family friendly places like state parks, zoos, museums, and trips to the beach. Whether you travel by plane or car just expect to be carrying and keeping track of so much more gear. If you travel by car take a PAck n Play so baby will have a safe place to sleep at any time. And just be patient and flexible as OP have said. The days of set plans and agendas are going to be gone for a while. With all of that said, having a child is the most awesome experience in the world.

Traveling with children has its challengings but the rewards are much, much greater.

In your later years, you and your children will laugh and smile at all of the stories and memories you have shared and created together.

Best wishes for your future!

beachgirl, you've gotten a lot of positive responses about traveling with kids, and I would add mine to the list. Overall, the pleasures far outweigh the inconvenience. However, since you seem like the planning type, take note of times when it's best not to travel with a child. For instance, the first 5 or so months of life are too delicate; the "cruising, walking, getting into everything" age of about 12-18 months is a real challenge, as are the terrible twos, which start a little before two and a half.

Because your child will hit these milestones on his or her own sweet schedule, it's important to be flexible. Someplace like Hawaii is great with a 4 year old; when they're younger than that, you may feel that the beach near your house is just fine. Also, kids love to revisit places while growing up; it gives them a kind of emotional anchor. Again, the well-worn vacation spot near home might be just the thing.

Hi Patg - Something you wrote made me think twice... I don't have any children yet so I'm sorry if this comes across as one of those questions that I should obviously know the answer to but what do you mean by the first 5 months of life are too delicate? Is it unsafe for a baby 5 months or less to travel? I've wondered what the age is when it is "safe" to take a baby on it's first trip (including on an airplane). TIA.

Hi BG86 ~ Here is the link that I think travel_addict was trying to post:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34823319

I think what Patg was probably referring to is the fact that during those first few months you are most likely trying to get your baby 'on a schedule' + if you happen to breast feed that also comes into play. Not to mention the multitude of diapers, etc. It is easier once they are better 'regulated'. Personally, my daughter was at the beach @ 6 weeks old. Her first flight was at or around 6 months. First overseas trip, about 9 months. My son was about the same age, but his first flight was actually to the Caribbean.

Babies are (normally) much hardier than we give them credit for being. It's the parents who are wrecks for the first few months. Sleep deprivation is tough and a new baby will put stress on even the best marriages. We were lucky, our daughter slept through the night before she was 2 months old. Parents are the ones who want/need the comfort of knowing where everything is so they can find it in a haze of exhaustion and of knowing that their pediatrician is only a few blocks away.

At that age, the babies are incredibly portable - they will sleep anywhere and if you are breastfeeding, there is no need to bring bottles, formula, food, etc. All you really need to bring for them are weather-appropriate clothes, a means of transportation (car seat, sling or stroller) and a place to sleep safely (bassinett, Moses basket or Pack n Play).

Most pediatricians recommend avoiding airplane travel until after a baby has had their first set of vaccines at 4 months old, but this isn't necessary (my cousin took her baby home from Boston to Melbourne, Austrailia as soon as her passports came through when she was about 6 weeks old - the baby did better than her mother did).

We took our daughter on her first vacation at 3 months old, but it was just to a family summer home. Her first plane flight was at 5 months old - a 3 hour flight to visit her great-grandmother. Her pediatrician suggested we not bring her into a nursing home any earlier than that.

Obviously, none of this applies to preemies or other medically fragile infants.

bgans,
As a new mother myself I couldn't have said it better. I was literally a walking zombie for the first 8 weeks. Of course by about 3 1/2 months or so, my son started sleeping through the night and it makes all the difference in the world.

Hey Beachgirl,

Having children doesn't mean you have to stop travelling, it means you'll be travelling differently. The pros outway the cons, not to worry.

In all honesty, other than the actual transportation (plane, etc.) it's not unlike doing things in your hometown with your kids. My one big suggestion - apartment/house rentals instead of hotels - sometimes it's even cheaper and you have a kitchen which comes in very handy with kids.

We recently went to Europe with our 3 and 1 year old - here's the trip report if you want an account of what it was like travelling to 4 cities with them from the US:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34836796

Hope this helps!

John

If travel is your passion... it will continue. But you will learn what works and does not for you. I keep a journal on my trips...and dedicate the trip home to what did and didn't work. Examples, with kids I find renting a house in Europe for a week works. Shlepping around on trains didn't (at least until they got older). And now my kids (14, 19, 26) are all passionate travellers themselves (and always ace geography)!

Beachgirl, i sort of answered your question before you asked it (-: (See last response on your American West thread re: your great air fare).
That you and DH are caring and wondering about this already bodes well for you and your children-to-be.
Have you read about the trend in some hotels for new parents who want to bring babies? It's supposed to be both romanitc and in tune with the baby's needs? Yes, it IS possible, if more of a challenge!!

Now that you've gotten all this advice, isn't it time to get crackin?