How to Travel to the Beach With Baby

A seaside vacation can be a delight with your little beach baby--but it can also cause headaches if you don't plan properly. Long gone are the days when going to the beach meant a towel and a swimsuit. These days you'll need everything from swim diapers to a beach tent, which can be a hassle to drag on an airplane. Here's how to travel to the beach with baby.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• SPF of 30 or higher
• Sun hat
• Tent or playard with canopy
• Beach toys
• Swim diapers
• Bathing suit

1. Find out what baby equipment the resort or hotel you'll be staying at has available. You might not need to pack the playard or beach tent--both of which can be used for sleeping in the room.
2. Look into renting baby equipment if the facility doesn't have any available. Go to the Babies Travel Lite website to see if the location you'll be traveling to will have equipment available.
3. See if there's a drugstore, supermarket or discount department store near your hotel or resort. It might be easier to buy swim diapers, suntan lotion and inexpensive bath toys on site rather than packing them in a suitcase.
4. Rent a hand cart at the airport if you do need to travel with large baby equipment. Between the usual times needed for travel with a baby--such as strollers and car seats--you'll be too loaded down to handle the extras without using a hand truck. You can also make use of Sky Cap services, if available, to lighten your load.
5. Take lots of pictures once you reach your destination. There's nothing quite so amazing as the look on a baby's face when she sees the ocean for the first time--or feels sand running between her fingers.