Traveling with Kids and Dogs {Helpful Tips}

This past trip we were 1) in the car a lot 2) swam a lot 3) took our dog.  Knowing you're going from swimming hole to swimming hole and taking a pet with you can require just a little forward thought.  Some things I thought of and some things I didn't. (Like Milam's lovies! Didn't pack any of them!)

First and obvious, do your lodging options allow for dogs? Ours did so that was easy!

Will your dog and all she requires fit in your car? Ours did, even with her kennel up and put together. Double win. I packed her a bag so all her things would be in one place.  Travel bowls, metal tether, leash, her lovies, food, and treats. Also, lots of places will require updated shot records so have those on hand or make sure her dog tags are accurate. Luckily our dog travels well and does not get car sick or pant and rarely barks.

How you pack.  Make sure your swim bag (sunscreen, towels, goggles, bug spray, floats, puddle jumper, water shoes, sun hats, swimsuits, wet bag) are all packed last so you can get to them first and have a game plan for how you're going to change once you get there.  Google searches will let you know if your destination will have bathrooms.  Ours all did but changing in the car was easy enough for us most of the time.  To save room Jonathan and I packed in one suitcase and I packed the kids in one suitcase.  Plus we had two swim bags, Penny's bag, and a bag of food.

FOOD! Snacking makes for happy kids in the car so I do pack snacks but I try and pack things that aren't going to make huge messes.  Granola bars and cereal bars are a no because Milam gets them everywhere.  I do pouches for him because he eats them so quickly that he doesn't make a mess.  I don't do a lot of drinks because the more liquids equal more potty stops which slow us down.  We do eat a lot of popcorn.  I just pour it in the kid's cup holders and they do a good job of keeping it there.  Also, since we were traveling with a dog we needed to have outside eating options that allowed dogs.  Most of the time we ate at food trucks and found really good ones.  Also, where there is one food truck there are usually several so everyone can get something they like!  I also like having breakfast items packed so we can get going easily in the morning. One of our hotels had an amazing breakfast so we ate there one morning but our first hotel did not have any food options.  So look into that before you leave home!

Sleeping.  This one is harder for us.  Our dog is easy.  She sleeps in her kennel and doesn't cry, bark, or dig.  Milam is harder.  He's still in a crib at home in his own pitch black room with a sound machine.  I bring extra blankets when we travel to use as black out curtains and we travel with a sound machine but Milam still doesn't sleep as well in a shared room as he does in his own space.

Odds and ends that we traveled with? Medicines and a first aid kit.  We never travel with out all of that.  Georgia has gotten way too many random fevers and we've learned.  An air pump for our floats. The water is cold so a float helps and the pump fills them up so much faster.  We have a hand one. I also pack a hammer and handful of nails to discreetly hang up blankets over windows if need be. I never leave visible holes. We bring headphones for the kids and us and I have earplugs because it's so hard for me to fall asleep with little random noises that are different than home. I also have a bag full of little car games that are from Chick Fil A that we always enjoy busting out on long car rides.

When I'm packing I mentally run through our daily routine and keep a list on my phone of things I need to pack.  Any must have items you always pack? Let me know!