i have visited yosemite 2 different times as a solo parent with my kids

Whether you are a single parent traveling with a child or traveling alone with kids for another reason, this post is for you. As a military spouse, I often find myself on a solo road trip with kids, flying alone with kids, or simply taking a single parent vacation with kids. I started traveling solo with my first born when she was 6 weeks old and with my second when he was 4 weeks old. We’ve done it all: from international flights to staycations! I am here to tell you give you the solo parent travel tips I have learned over the years so that your trip can be easier and to encourage you to brave solo traveling as a mom! (or dad!)

With some careful planning and preparation, you can have a successful and enjoyable trip with your little ones. Here are some of my tried and true tips for traveling as a single parent:

Here are 7 ways I make traveling as a solo parent easier for both myself and the kids:

1) Safety First, Safety Always

Safety is PARAMOUNT when traveling alone with kids. I never want to be in a situation where something goes wrong while I am on a solo trip with kids, but it can easily happen.

Here are a few things I do for safety:

Always always always let someone know where you are and about how long you’ll be there for - I typically let a family member know, but if I am meeting a friend I also share with them.
Always have a plan for if you get separated from your child (see tip 3)
Always have copies of important documents
Never keep all of your payment methods in one place (cash, credit cards, debit cards)
Never share detailed travel plans on the internet or with strangers (exact dates, times, addresses)
Keep your information and data safe while on public internet with a VPN — we use and really like Express VPN.

The kids and i spent 5 weeks traveling around costa rica!

2. Pack as Light as you can:

Backpack Diaper Bag + Stroller is all we used when I flew from Florida to Texas with the kids by myself

Anyone who has traveled for any amount of time will tell you that excess baggage will weigh you down. If you are traveling alone with kids (i.e. -- only one adult) that rings even truer. Excess baggage is never a good idea.

When I fly solo with a toddler or baby, I typically pack a single carry-on bag plus our normal diaper bag for international flights. When I travel with a toddler on a domestic flight, I only bring my diaper bag as a carry-on plus a bag of snacks. I only bring necessities because I will be responsible for carrying everything onto and off the plane. Anything else goes into a checked bag.

I have put together a guide that explains how I pack light when traveling with a toddler!

I love taking solo mom road trips with my kids and this concept still applies. I do try to pack light when we are on the road, but I like the luxury of extra space for more comfort items when taking a road trip. As a matter of fact, my kids and I spent 4 months camping out of our minivan!! Check out how I turned our minivan into a camper!

Click to Join my Solo Mom Travel Facebook Group with 20K other solo moms

3) Prepare Your Children

one of my solo parent trips to north dakota and teddy roosevelt national park

Before your trip, and if they are old enough, it's important to prepare your children for what to expect. Explain to them where you are going and what you will be doing. Make sure they understand any rules or expectations you have for them during the trip. This can help to avoid any confusion or safety concerns on your travel day.

I also like to make a plan for if things were to go wrong while traveling solo with kids. My older children have my phone number memorized, we have a set of code words for non-parent interactions, and a plan of action if we were to get separated at any point in time. If your child is not old enough to memorize a phone number, I suggest writing it in marker somewhere on them or investing in the temporary tattoos with your name/phone number on it. You can also purchase a bracelet or keychain to attach an Airtag to your child for extra precaution if it gives you more piece of mind. Single mom travel does bring a set of safety concerns that dual parent travel does not, but being prepared can give you peace of mind.

My sister and i did a trip to new river gorge national park together with 5 of our kids. The weather did not particiapte but we were preparied with rain jackets and jackets to keep the kdis warm as we hiked!

4) Use Technology to Your Advantage

We like the 3 seat combo when it's just the 3 of us. — One of my many solo parent plane journeys with two little toddlers

Technology can be a lifesaver for solo parent travelers. I like to use apps to help me stay organized, find things to do, and help us find the easiest routes when I am on a solo road trip with kids.

Some ways I use my phone to make travel easier as a solo parent:

Take Photos of all of the passports/documents needed for travel (I created a photo folder in my phone specifically for this)
As a GPS. I like to use both the built in GPS and Google Maps.
Take photos of each kid each morning of the trip so I know their outfits
Email my itinerary to my “in case of emergency” contacts
Share my location with someone I trust
Share my estimated time of arrival (ETA) with someone I trust on roadtrips (specifically my map as I drive)
Store all of my trip info in an app like TripIt so I can easily access reservation IDs and plans
Store at least one of my credit cards in Apple Pay in case I lose a wallet
Order food delivery to the hotel or Airbnb after a long day of traveling solo with kids
Pre-Download all travel apps such as Airline and Hotel apps, food delivery apps, and any apps that are associated with activities we will be doing.

For the kids, I bring along a tablet or smartphone to keep them entertained during long journeys. I always download movies, games, and books in advance in case there is no internet on our trip. Bring along a portable charger to ensure that your devices stay powered up.

Check out my guide for 15 Awesome Ways to Entertain a Toddler or Preschooler while Traveling

a flight back to the usa from a solo trip to costa rica!

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5) Plan Ahead

the kids and i on a solo parent adventure in north dakota

One of the most important things you can do when traveling with kids as a solo parent is to plan ahead. This means booking your accommodations, transportation, and activities in advance to avoid any last-minute stress. Create a rough itinerary that outlines your travel plans, including departure and arrival times, transportation, and activities. The more prepared you are before you even leave the house, the easier you trip will feel as you move through it.

This does not mean you can’t be spontaneous! You definitely can! It just means that you have given thought to where you want to stay, the activities you want to do, and how you want to get around. This alleviates the stress of showing up to sold out events, unprepared for weather, or to a hotel in an unsafe neighborhood.

For me, I like to build out my plans in an excel worksheet and link to everything I need. Then I email myself this spreadsheet so I can access it on my phone.

If you’re a single mom traveling with toddler, check out my posts on Flying with a Toddler and The Best Road Trip Snacks for Kids.

the kdis and i at kelso dunes outside of29 palms in california. it was over 100 degrees, so we made sure to get there at sunrise. a good plan kept us all happy and safe!

6) Ask for Help

I asked a stranger to take photos of me and my kids at delicate arch on a sunrise hike! He was so helpful and I took photos for him in return!

As a solo parent traveler, I have had to swallow my pride and ask for help more times than I can count. Whether it’s asking a flight attendant to hold a baby while I go to the restroom, asking a stranger to help me carry something heavy, or asking a friend if they want to tag a long on an adventure - I have done it all. I have had friends join me in Yosemite National Park, couch surfed a friends house in Chicago, camped near a friend while exploring White Sands National Park, and even had a friend join to hike with us when we visited Indiana Dunes National Park!

As a solo mom traveler, I am the sole decision maker. The sole luggage carrier. The sole safety provider. The sole food getter. The sole potty assistant. This is a lot for one person, especially when traveling alone with multiple kids. So, I ask for help whenever I need it. I have even booked guides to help make exploring a new spot easier on myself — check out the guided tour we took in Redwoods National Park — it was one of the best things I have done on a solo parent National Park trip!

Or I look for ways to make my life easier like using the lounge at the airport so my kids could sit in the kids room while I ate a meal hands free.

This is the kids play room in the centurion lounge in dallas on an 8 hour layover on a solo trip from florida to california — having this break was SO nice

7) Keep Your Plans Flexible

It took us 5 tries, but we finally made it to the channel islands national park! This was a solo cross country trip with 2 kids!

Traveling with children can be unpredictable in the best of conidtions. When traveling alone with kids, big changes to the trip can be mentally exausting and extremely frustrating. I find it is very important to go into each solo adventure with kids knowing I need to be flexible and willing to adjust the itinerary as needed.

I try to work in time for rest and free play. While I have been known to over-schedule our days, I do try to have at least one major activity based around the kids and their interests.

Remember that the goal of your trip is to have fun and make memories, not to stick to a rigid schedule.

If you’re reading this post, I would like to personally welcome to the single parent travel club! There are more of out there than you might expect and I encourage all of you headed out on some solo mom travels to join my Solo Mom Travel Facebook community where there are over 20,000 solo moms coming together. There are many single mom travel groups, but Solo Mom Travel is an excellent judgement free zone to get support and advice.

All solo mom travelers are welcome here whether you are a single parent traveling with child, a single mother traveling with child, or simply choosing to travel alone with kids for another reason. We are all experience the same stress and worry, so hope let’s support each other while we have epic global experiences.

Have you ever found yourself traveling alone with kids? Let us know in the comments!