Kids' Travel

For airport travel, a ride-on suitcase makes long walks easier and doubles as a seat while backpacks keep hands free; look for telescoping handles that adjust 18-24 inches and about 15-20 liters of storage for snacks and toys. Models like the JetKids by Stokke add a built-in seat and toy storage that work well for 2–7 year olds.

Look for a travel stroller with a lightweight aluminum frame in the 13-20 lb range, a compact one-handed fold, and a UPF 50+ canopy to protect little ones in the sun. The Bugaboo Butterfly, at about 16 lbs, is an example of a model designed to fold quickly for flights and tight city sidewalks.

If you’ll be using rental cars, choose an FAA-approved or road-tested car seat and verify the weight ranges; Cosco Scenera NEXT is FAA-approved and fits 4-40 lbs rear-facing and 22-65 lbs forward-facing. For older kids, a RideSafer vest gives a 5-point harness for roughly 30-60 lbs and packs down for travel.

Lightweight pop-up tents or travel cribs that fold small are best for hotel naps and plane use; aim for options near 3 lbs that fold to about 24x20 inches for easy packing. The KidCo PeaPod features mesh panels for airflow and is sized for babies around 6 months to 3 years.

Measure your child’s torso and match it to backpack torso lengths—kids packs commonly fit 11-18 inches and 10-20L volumes suit most day hikes. Deuter’s kids backpacks use an ergonomic harness for 3-5 year olds, and adjustable straps help keep the load comfortable on longer walks.