Can we all just agree that the past year and a half has been… shall we say, intense? We are used to traveling a lot. Whether it be a flight across North America, or a road trip in our province of BC, we spend a lot of time in hotels and restaurants.

Now if you were to ask me in 2019 (or the beginning of 2020) how we travel with our kids I feel I would be an expert at all the tips and tricks for a successful trip. Bring on majority of 2020 and the challenges that came with it, I struggled to pass the wave of anxiety that came with leaving our bubble (home) and risking mine or my kids health.

This year my husband and I agreed our life had to “move forward” and do things this summer we normally would. After a summer at home in 2020 and an almost non existent hockey season, we planned a few somewhat local getaways this past spring and summer.

So to the info you want to know – How to safely travel with kids in 2021. As we packed our car (several times this past spring and summer) some essentials were:

1. A cooler with snacks and drinks to limit stops, stores, restaurants/eating out.

To make it as easy as possible and avoid public exposure where we can, we typically picked a night, or a meal that we would eat out. The rest of our meals we would order in and eat at our accommodation. Packing significant amount of snacking food meant the kids could healthy foods and not be hungry for take out every time we went to do something.

2. A bin of toys for during long car ride, ferry travel (we stayed in car), and entertainment while at our destination.

I like packing a small basket of toys for our drives but also for our accommodations. It gives us a bit more downtime without kids being bored too! We usually pack a ball, bubbles, outdoor stuff that doesn’t take up much room and find a field, a quiet park or any outdoor space at our hotel or resort.

3. A plan before travel. Where we want to go, what we want to do and see etc.

While we did do a couple “major” events like the water park, I like to plan ahead all the things we want to do. Figure out not only is it realistic to do all those stops in a day with 3 kids, but what they will be like for space. For being crowded and safe. I planned as many fun things we could do while keeping our distance as a family.

Some of our favourites included mini golf. Lots and lots of mini golf! Obviously the water park was a hit! I was a little out of my comfort zone with the large crowds and zero distancing but we went for it. Another surprising favourite was the botanical gardens! Big beautiful gardens and lots of space for your family to distance.

4. Extra masks for everyone, in car and in suitcase.

I always packed extra masks for everyone. I like having one in car, easily accessible, but also in suitcases! Also lots of sanitizer! I like keeping a big one in car for every time we return to our car. I also keep minis in my purse/luggage, and lysol wipes in the car for any surfaces (tables, baby highchair etc).

5. Like above, look for activities that can be done just around your family, not a close knit place with others, or outside.

Especially being summer, we looked for spacious outdoor activities. Private resort beaches, resort tennis/basketball courts, a playground nearby, a trail walk, and a lot of hotels were doing pool bookings to avoid crowds. Check with your accommodations ahead of time.

And that’s all I’ve got for now! If we get to continue our travels I will update with any helpful tips I discover! Thanks for reading!