EuroTour with Kids: When to do it, When NOT to do it, and How to Manage Logistics

Before we had kids, we imagined our future selves continuing to travel the globe. Europe at least 1x a year, new cities beckoned us to explore, wine bars to try, mountains to hike... And I'm a super-planner, over achiever who believed I could conquer anything, even having a family, with no downsides.

NOT!!!

Well - to be honest, we felt like we were living the dream still for a little bit. Our first baby, was well planned, and arrived a convenient 12 weeks before a trip to Croatia for a friend's wedding. She was vaccinated and breast fed, and off we sped on a overnight flight on Lufthansa (bassinet seats a must!!!) to Munich first for a good 4 day jaunt before we hit Dubrovnik. We were winning!!! Of course my first also ate and slept like a champ. Who said babies were hard? Ha - we laughed in the face of children stopping our travel plans.

We brought our uppababy (Manhattan parents) and two checked bags, a baby ergo carrier, and a car seat. Munich was amazing, parks to walk, museums to see, and our little pumpkin was loving all the time outdoors.

And then it happened. Our third and last night, we had been out sight seeing all day. We were walking back to our airbnb and saw a charming outdoor bar in the middle of a square. Just one drink we said, and then we will go home.

That sweet baby started protesting immediately after we sat down with our beer. Screaming and crying her lungs out. All the other patrons staring at us, we could feel their glares "American tourists - get that baby out of here!." After unsuccessfully trying to comfort her, we ran - literally ran - back to our apartment. We both always remember that moment as the time she told us - don't think I'm going to do everything you want to do!!!

So - when to travel and when not?

The magic age is before 1. Babies travel easily! Yes bottles and food are a hassle, but the next time that little angle is going to comply at all is about 4. So get your trips in that first year.

If you have one toddler - some big travel is doable, but you need open space. Toddlers run - a lot, and don't listen therefore long flights are hell. So are busy cities. I'll never forget year 2 with our first and a Viennese post torte sugar rush that caused her to run in circles for literally an hour in a beautiful square.

During these years (1 - 4) I highly advise prioritizing:

-Outdoor activities (pools, beaches, lakes)

-Biking (you can easily put them in

-Bringing help - paid, or family or team up with another family. Some of our best vacations during these ages were when we went with another family with kids the same age AND/OR paid our nanny to come with us. And yes - you deserve a break so wanting a break from the 24/7 care for your kids is not selfish, it is a GREAT IDEA.

-Kids clubs - my kids and my husband and I never warmed to these. Most seem like daycare unfortunately but depending on the place some families like them.

-Bring or ship (often I Amazon direct to resort) the rainy day activities. Markers, stickers, water pads, clay sets - absolutely necessary! [See my separate post on my top rated easy to ship items]

AND in a few years (ages 5+) you can start doing the long trips again.

So what to look for when you're ready for those long European trips again?

-Use points to fly business on the overnight segment. It's so worth it - kids do not adjust well without sleep.

-Make the itinerary simple and a mix of culture/ kids fun!! Yes you can do both, I go by the rule no more than 2 places a week, and 3 locales for a 2 week trip is the perfect length.

-ONLY pack a carry on luggage and backpack for each person. Also make sure every family member has a cross body bag. Here's a few great ones we bought for our last big trip:

This light, and very nice looking large backpack was a great size for myself and my 12 year old. Enough to hold a few changes of clothes, laptop, book, plane / overnight items. It has tons of pockets, zippers, packing cubes. A really good value!! This other model is similar too - I chose this model for myself.

This slightly smaller (although says 40L) travel backpack was better for my 5 year old. She didn't carry it often herself but it worked for one of us to hold it for her.

Cross body bags are a must, even though they are not foolproof, provide a lot of protection from pickpocketing and absent mindedly leaving your purse somewhere. A few options:

Good for kids: this one on Amazon small and lightweight, colors available

Good for preteens/teens: Slightly more fashionable, better colors and more pockets.

Good for adults: Option 1 and Option 2, both look better in person than on Amazon and you can switch the straps with a custom strap (Etsy!!). I need an outside zip pocket for my phone.

Check out other blog posts for sample itineraries and the best of Europe for traveling with kids!!!!