Inspiration

The insider's guide to travelling with children

Taking the family on the road can lead to long years in therapy. But help is at hand: these well-travelled mothers share their hard-fought tips
Childfriendly holidays
  • Emma McClean's freespirited kidswear label is inspired by her beachy lifestyle 'We're spoilt living in Byron Bay. New...

    Children of the Tribe

    Emma McClean's free-spirited kidswear label is inspired by her beachy lifestyle

    'We're spoilt living in Byron Bay. New South Wales beaches are beautiful and usually empty. The best kid-friendly stretch is The Pass, with its easy-to-climb lookout and calm current.'

    'Bali is great; the locals are so family-centric. We stay at the Ramada Bintang Bali Resort, which is right on the sand - it's definitely worth checking as some beach hotels aren't.'

    'To help my girls cope with the change in air pressure when flying, I give them honey lollipops - you can get these in the UK at Planet Organic.'

    www.childrenofthetribe.com

  • Feather and Flip

    Henley Vazquez founded this website to offer kid-friendly hotel reviews: for places parents actually want to stay

    'Babies in cities are easy; with older children, find a guide and book a tour for early on in the trip. My daughter still talks about the Context Travel tour we had at Kensington Palace - we were told utterly gross stories about kings dying on the lavatory.'

    'There are plenty of great, less busy alternatives to the obvious NYC sites: Top of the Rock instead of Empire State Building; ferry to Governors Island instead of Staten Island; Whitney Museum instead of The Met. But never, ever skip Central Park.'

    'Some people say rentals are easier for families, but I'm a sucker for a good hotel - the Rosewood group especially. I love the closeness of all of us camping in a small space, staying up late and eating cookies in bed in front of cartoons.'

    www.featherandflip.com

  • Mr Fox

    Lydia Gard edits this new online magazine for boys who want to get their hands dirty

    'I always carry Pommade Divine, an amazing balm that goes on anything: bruises, scrapes, wind or sunburnt dry skin. And Rory's Story Cubes - packs of dice, which have different pictures (a castle, a tortoise, a key) on each side to inspire made-up tales - save carting loads of books.'

    'In the Everglades, my eldest drove a swamp buggy, ate alligator and called everyone "buddy". It's perfect for outdoorsy families.'

    www.mrfoxmagazine.com

  • The Littlest

    Art director Elizabeth Antonia's blog charts low-key LA family living and back-to-nature escapes

    'Most summers we head to the Pacific Northwest to rent a cabin on Bainbridge or Whidbey Island. It stays light so late there, but it's easy to tire out the children by running around forests, playing in the tide pools and feasting on fresh seafood. It's childhood at its most simple.'

    'Farmers' markets and pick-your-own are great for getting kids to try new fruit and veg. In Baja California we discovered a restaurant called Flora Farm in the mountains near San José del Cabo. Everything is organic and grown on site - my girls loved seeing where their dinner came from.'

    'At home we use a noise machine at bedtime. When we're away, the relaxing sounds of Ambiance app is great.'

    www.thelittlestblog.com

    This feature was first published in Condé Nast Traveller July 2015

TopicsFamily HolidaysInsider TipsWord Of MouthUSALondonByron BayCaliforniaMarrakechNew York