Traveling with Kids: How to Survive It (and Maybe Even Enjoy It)

By Emily King

You may have heard someone refer to vacation with kids as just parenting in a different location. It’s true—traveling with small (or big) kids can be exhausting and stressful, but it also offers the opportunity to see the world through your children’s eyes.

I’m a big believer in learning through experience, and there is no greater way to experience the world than to travel. As a family, we make every effort to travel as much as possible, within a limited budget and a busy schedule full of school, sports, and work. Most recently, when presented with some rare free time, we decided to take our kids to New York City. Here are some of the things we’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—about traveling with our three boys.

Set Expectations… but Keep Them Low

Your kids are not going to behave better on a trip than they do at home. In fact, being out of their comfort zone may cause some dysregulation, anxiety, or tantrums. They’re in a new environment with lots of different sensory experiences. When we walked out of the parking garage and onto the streets of New York, we were greeted by sirens, rushing traffic (and horn-happy cabbies), and people hustling by. One of my kids noticed that there was a new smell every two seconds—street vendor hot dogs, cigarettes, exhaust, and more. These sounds, smells, and sights can be overwhelming, especially if the environment is different from where you live.

We tried to reduce some of their initial stress by telling them what to expect. I explained that there would be a lot of people and traffic, so it was important for them to stay close and always be within our sight. Unfortunately, my kids don’t see enough diversity in their suburban upbringing, so we also talked about how people from all over the world and all walks of life come to New York—and that while we must be safe and careful, the most important thing is that everyone deserves respect.

Let Kids Help Plan

We asked our kids what they wanted to see most on the trip. Their answers reflected their ages and interests, so we made sure to incorporate everyone’s priorities into the plan. The must-see spots guided our itinerary: the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park, and Times Square. My husband and I have been to New York several times and have seen most of the main tourist attractions, but we made sure to include some of our own priorities too, like the World Trade Center Memorial and Ellis Island, which we hadn’t yet visited.

Balance Kid and Grownup Fun

When we went to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park last year—places we had never been before—we took a more hands-on approach to planning the itinerary. We spent a lot of time hiking, which the kids enjoyed at first but tired of quickly. To keep them motivated for activities like hiking to Grand Prismatic and rafting down the Snake River, we sprinkled in fun things just for them that we probably wouldn’t have done on an adults-only trip. In the process, we created silly and joyful memories. We let them spend a little money in kitschy gift shops, visited a playground made of Old West-style playhouses, and made many ice cream stops. Some of these little side trips became even more memorable than the big tourist spots.

Build in Downtime

When we travel, we always make sure to build in rest—time at the hotel or rental house to decompress. When we were in New York, it was hot and humid, so we got out early for sightseeing and came back to the hotel room for a few hours during the hottest part of the day. This allowed everyone time to relax and reset. I try to prioritize this when choosing accommodations.

Typically, we’ll look for a hotel with a pool or a house with room to play outside. When we went to Yellowstone, I surprised the kids by booking a house with a zipline. It was a bit further from the park entrance, but the hours they spent sailing through the trees and wildflower fields with the mountains in the background were some of their favorite moments of the whole trip.

Be Flexible

Things are never going to go exactly as planned. There will be snags—but also unexpected adventures. We hadn’t planned to visit Rockefeller Center, but it happened to have the closest (much-needed) public restroom. We noticed there was no line for the “Top of the Rock” tour and impulsively bought tickets to the top of the building, where we took in panoramic city views from 70 floors up. One of my kids conquered his fear of heights on that unexpected detour, which we celebrated with popcorn and soda high above the city.

I had planned to take the kids to Times Square at night so they could see all the sparkling lights and iconic billboards. But that plan was cut short before dark when one of the kids became tired and didn’t feel well. We hopped in a cab and went back to the hotel—I was disappointed that things didn’t go as planned. A while later, everyone was feeling better and hungry, so we walked to the closest restaurant, a little Italian place we were probably underdressed for. We ended up having the most memorable and fantastic meal, with incredible service. As it turned out, we all just needed some pasta and tiramisu.

Why It’s Worth It

Travel doesn’t just take us to new places—it brings parts of those places home with us. Every journey, no matter how chaotic or brief, becomes stitched into the fabric of who we are and how we see the world. Traveling can be one of the most powerful teachers in a child’s life—especially when it comes to emotional growth, adaptability, and learning beyond the classroom.

So don’t let fear hold you back—plan that trip, whether it’s an hour away or across the world.