Traveling with family is no easy task! We recently took our first trip together as a family of four. We share some of our tips that helped us along the way.
Figure out a spot that’s right for your family Whether you have toddlers or teenagers, finding a spot that is a good fit for your family is half the battle. It took a while for us to figure out where to go. We love going to New York but decided the kids weren’t old enough to fully enjoy the shows and restaurants we have come to love. We eliminated a cruise because we had never done one before and didn’t want anyone to be sick and then stuck on a boat all week. So we landed on Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii. From everything we heard it was geared for families. It did not disappoint. From the splash pad and water play area to the character interactions and activities, it is a great option if you are vacationing with your kids. We plan on sharing some of our insider tips at Aulani so stay tuned! 
Pack with care Packing for a trip is like a strategic game. My goal is to bring as much as we can without being charged for being over the weight or bag limits. It’s always good to check what the restrictions are before you travel. Each airline is different and domestic is different from international as well. We also had to remember that our little guy could only carry a backpack. We settled on one large suitcase that we would put everyone’s clothing and necessities in. We then used Jujube Starlet duffel bags and Be Right Back backpacks as our carry on and personal items. I love Jujube bags because they are machine washable so was soon as I was done with our trip I put them in the wash.
Getting through the airport, finally at Aulani, and day trip to Hanauma Bay snorkel gear in tote
In our duffel bags I put items that were heavier so that we wouldn’t go over the weight limit on our checked suitcase. This included shoes, snorkel gear and snacks. We love the Tokidoki collaboration that they have. Each person had their own print so we knew which one was ours. We used the bags throughout the week especially when we went snorkeling and needed a tote for our gear, clothes and snacks. For our backpacks we used the Be Right Back style. We used the backpacks to pack what we needed for the long flight. Little guy had activities and snacks in his. Daddy had protein bars and our laptop and mine had diapers and baby essentials. The backpacks have tons of pockets perfect for sunglasses and other travel essentials. They also have deep gussets for water bottles and come with a chancing pad too.
Whether it’s a trip or day to day I love pairing my Jujube backpacks with the Be Set and Be Organized. They come in a set of three descending size bags that can fit into a larger bag like a backpack, tote or purse. It helps me from having to rummage through a bag and pull everything out. I can group items together and just pull them out one at a time. For little guys backpack I did each of his activities in a Be Set piece. One had magnetic blocks. One had wiki sticks and coloring books and the last one had cars. In mine, I had our Zoli Toki matswhich are perfect for airline tray tables because who knows when those were really cleaned. We used a Be Ready to house our camera gear too. I like to coordinate that prints to the bag so again, I know whose stuff is whose. Some of our favorite celebrities love Jujube x Tokidoki too including Selma Blair, Zoe Saldana, and Miley Cyrus.
L-Selma Blair, M-Mei on the go, R-Zoe Saldana
Be flexible
We opted to bring our nicer stroller on the trip. It ended up being a great decision. In the airport we were able to use the large carrier underneath to put all of our duffel bags so we didn’t have to carry them. When we were ready to board, we put the stroller into the UPPAbaby Vista travel bag and then gate checked it. If you have some items that you don’t need while you fly, you can also put them in the stroller bag. On the way home, we found this to be a great spot for our wet bags filled with wet swimsuits. Once we arrived to the resort the time change definitely affected us. One would want to nap while the other was ready to swim. One would be ready for bed while everyone wanted to eat dinner. Thankfully they would just go in the stroller. We would recline the seat and put the shade up and they would sleep wherever we were poolside, restaurant or strolling by the ocean. The shade has a UPF of 50 so you don’t have to worry about baby getting sun burned. Celebs from John Krasiniski and Emily Blunt to Sarah Jessica Parker and Kourtney Kardashian find the UPPAbaby Vista perfect for their little ones too.
L-Kourtney Kardashian, M- baby sleeping poolside, R-John Krasinski and Emily Blunt
Don’t forget the sunscreen Whether you are headed to the beach or the countryside, it is important to bring your sunscreen. We love Swim Zip because it has UPF 50 built into their swimsuits and rash guards. They have super cute styles from long sleeve to short sleeve rash guards and suits. We opted for some family matching suits because we figure the kids will only let us match with them for so long. In some of the places that we visited, they encouraged visitors to wear rash guards versus putting on sunscreen because some sun screens contain chemicals that kill the coral reef and fish. So be conscious of that as well as you plan for your vacation.
Checking out the fish at Rainbow Reef and splashing around in the splash pad
Explore Some people like to debate and say you should pick between a stroller or a carrier. Our choice is clear, BOTH! We don’t know how we could live without either one. We were able to do several hikes and day trips thanks to our Tula Explore carrier. We hiked Diamondhead Crater and Waimea Falls. While Waimea Falls has paved trails that are great for strollers, many of the side paths are not paved. So having baby in the carrier enabled us to be able to explore these areas. Diamond Head had rocky terrain and lots of stairs. We switched off carrying the baby because it was a difficult hike. We kept baby facing inwards because she was sleeping, but we love the Tula Explore because it gives you the option to face out.
Hiking Waimea Falls and Diamond Head with our Tula Explore Carrier
We love dads baby wearing and celeb dads like Daniel Craig, Chris Rock and Chris Hemsworth are no exception.
L-Daniel Craig, M-Dad at Waimea Falls, R-Chris Rock
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We were gifted Jujube bags, UPPAbaby Vista and travel bag, Swimzip Swimsuits. All of our thoughts and opinions are our own.
