If you’re in the thick of summer vacation planning, you’re not alone. Whether it’s road trips with kids, flights, beach getaways, or quick day trips, we’ve done them all with our four little ones (ages 7 and under).
Over the years, we’ve learned a lot—and collected way too much gear in the process. I’m sharing our most-used family travel essentials, broken down by type of trip, plus a few favorites that are currently showing up in Amazon Prime Day deals.
Road Trip Essentials (with Four Kids Under 7)
Roadtripping to Birmingham, Alabama
Road trips can feel like the “easier” option compared to flying. And in some ways, they are. But road tripping with kids still requires serious strategy.
Think:
Car packing so no one feels too claustrophobic
Car seat setup for safety + comfort
Snack planning (that won’t trigger meltdowns or motion sickness)
Planned potty breaks before they become emergencies
After years of traveling with kids, I've learned that successful road trips aren't about keeping kids entertained every minute—they're about staying one step ahead of everyone's needs. For example, motion sickness is a big issue in our household. I have to have their anti-nausea medicine prepared, vomit bags accessible, and paper towels and trash bags ready to go.
TIP: Always keep a "car emergency bag" within arm's reach instead of packed in the trunk.
I’ve pulled together all of our best road trip tips in this post. And here are our go-to road trip essentials for families (many included in Prime Day deals right now).
Beach Trip Essentials
30A, Florida
Our kids absolutely love the beach—but I’ll be honest, beach days with toddlers and babies come with a mental checklist:
Ocean safety (constant vigilance mode) - I even wrote this post on beach safety with babies and toddlers
Hauling ALL the gear (here is everything we use)
Keeping everyone shaded, fed, and not sandy and crying by 10 AM
TIP: We unpack shade and snacks before ASAP. We've found that the first hour often determines the entire day—shade in place, snacks accessible, and drinks within reach can prevent most beach meltdowns before they start.
And if they do happen to start, remember that successful beach days with little kids aren't measured by how long you stay. Sometimes two happy hours at the beach is much better than five overtired ones.
Travel Entertainment That Actually Works
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Whether you’re on a long flight, road trip, or just trying to survive a restaurant meal, keeping kids entertained is everything.
On our recent trip to Colorado Springs, a friend brought ONE simple toy—and it completely changed the game. It kept all the kids engaged long enough for adults to actually finish conversations (a rare win 😅). What surprised me most was that it wasn't flashy or electronic. It was something all five kids could use together, which bought us 30 uninterrupted minutes of adult conversation.
TIP: The toys that work best while traveling are usually open-ended, lightweight, and easy to share between siblings and friends.
👉 Here are our favorite travel toys for kids + Prime Day finds here.
What’s Next?
Coming up next, I'll be sharing our Colorado Springs family itinerary, as well as a detailed post about staying on 30A.! If you found this helpful, I’d love to have you follow along on Instagram for more real-life family travel tips, gear finds, and behind-the-scenes chaos with four kids under 7.
Happy Travels!
Shaina
