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We stayed in a hotel over Easter weekend when visiting family in Wisconsin. It was our first time staying in a hotel as a family of four and it went pretty well. It’s only a 2.5-hour drive for us but I was happy I packed some of our beloved road trip activities!
Sean and I aren’t lovers of hotels to begin with so we definitely take our preparedness up a couple levels when we have the girls with us. When we travel with kids, we don’t travel light but we make it feel as much like home as possible so everyone gets good sleep.
Use the Bathroom as an “Extra” Bedroom
I got this tip from my dear friend Christian, and I have done it every time I traveled with the girls. Put your pack ‘n’ play in the bathroom with a sound machine and it makes a perfect bedroom. Crack the door to ensure proper ventilation and you’re good to go.
Oh and where do you “go”? The hotel lobby. I like to get completely ready for bed before getting the kids down (i.e. take out my contacts, wash my face, brush teeth) and then if either one of us needs to use the restroom before we go to bed we just go to the lobby. No shame in my game!
Baby Trend Pack ‘n’ Play
Baby Proof the Room on the Cheap
Stop by Dollar Tree before your next trip and grab a pack of outlet covers, a couple dog collars that clip closed and a few bungee cords. You can baby proof the whole room with these tools.
Clip doors closed, plug outlets and tie up cords so the duration of your stay isn’t as stressful. Hide the phone in the night stand and use bungee cords to keep the drawer closed. When you travel with kids, you need to remove stress where ever you can!
Block Out Noise with Sound Machines
There is truly nothing worse than getting your kids to sleep in a hotel room to have them woken up 20 minutes later by a rowdy wedding party. (Though there’s nothing more fun than being that rowdy wedding party when you’re not with you kids, lol!)
Sound machines and white noise apps are here to help you alleviate just that. Now there are tons of white noise apps you can out on your phone. We’re partial to White Noise Fan in our house. However, you need a device dedicated to playing the app the entire time you want your kids to sleep. Plus, in some reviews people have said the app crashed and turned off unexpectedly. We’ve personally never had that happen with White NOise Fan. BUt if you don’t have an extra device or you just don’t want to risk it, here are some portable options.
Homedics Portable White Noise Sound Machine
This sound machine is our go-to because it’s loud, portable and you can plug it in or put in a few batteries and use it on the go. We’ve even used this bad boy in the airport with it’s batteries in to help our toddler stay asleep in the stroller.
The possibilities are endless. We have this owl sound machine because it also has the “shusher” option and it’s rechargeable. However, it doesn’t get as loud as the Homedics one. A fan is also a great option if you don’t use sound machines regularly and don’t want to buy one just for a trip.
Baby Sleep Soother with Nightlight
Look for Hotels with Indoor Pools
Swimming will not only serve as an activity but it will also tire kiddos out. I’m a water baby myself but even if you aren’t, I still suggest doing this. When you’re kids wake up early, which they most likely will because it’s an unfamiliar setting, it’s great to have an activity to do with them.
Looking for the best hotels with pools? Check out this post with the top 10 best hotels for kids in the USA. We love to swim so we can’t wait to cross some of these off of our family’s bucket list.
It’s also a great activity to do if you’ll be going back to your room for a nap time break and one of the kids doesn’t nap anymore. There is nothing harder than trying to keep a kid entertained and quiet! Don’t forget to pack your Puddle Jumper for the little ones!
Ask for an upgrade
How do you get an upgrade? Ask for one. Promise, that’s all I do. At check-in I inquire about larger rooms available and ask what the cost difference is. Every single time, I’ve gotten an upgrade for no extra charge.
One time at a resort we got an upgrade to a one-bedroom suite for free. All I did was politely ask and they were happy to give it to us. Even if it’s just a bigger hotel room, it goes a long way when you have kids in tow.
Those a my top dog tips. Traveling with kids can be stressful but it’s also extremely rewarding. My babies and toddlers might not remember it but that doesn’t mean they aren’t learning from it. Plus, I love doing it and I’ll remember it!
If traveling with kids intimidates you, try one night away to start. We’ve stayed local in the middle of winter just to be able to swim and hangout for a weekend. It’s fun and less pressure!
If you’ve used any of these tips or you have your own to add, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. And don’t forget to check out this post if you need meal planning help on your next vacation!
Taran is a self-proclaimed undomestic mom. She thrives as a stay-at-home-mom by consistently carving out time for herself and practicing realistic self-care. As a busy mom of 3, she knows that if mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy! With a focus on how SAHMs can carve out time for themselves everyday, she teaches fellow SAHMs how they can do the same.
These are great ideas. I have to say, gate checking a fan seems extreme but you gotta do what you gotta do 🙂 I am going to have to go to the dollar tree before my next trip and get the baby proofing items you listed – never thought to use a dog collar that way!
Thanks! I just wanted to see if it would work, lol! I was fully prepared to have to toss it at the airport or lose it to damage. I was pleasantly surprised that didn’t happen:)
So smart! I love your baby proofing ideas. We spent a few nights in a hotel after a flight. We were promised a crib our room. It took two days before they actually had a crib available and we could barely move in our room once it was in. I really wished we had our pack-n-play along. It would have made the stay much easier on everyone.
Thanks! Ugh that’s the worst! That almost happened to us once. Our hotel alerted us that they were first come first serve so we might show up and not get one. Huh? Umm….can’y you just tally up who reserved them and go based on that?! So we bring our own just in case now.