My Printable Packing List for Your Alaskan Cruise

I’ve already shared my top 5 products for an Alaskan cruise, but now it’s time to share the details of packing. What’s worth bringing, what’s not, and how to organize it. I created a simple, printable guide to help you pack for this trip-of-a-lifetime with your kids and/or toddler.

This guide breaks packing down into specific categories, focused on packing for a toddler—but it applies to kids and adults too! I focus on essentials, the diaper bag, and toddler equipment, plus the basics, with an eye on what is and isn’t available on a cruise ship. Click below to download!

If you haven’t already, check out my blog posts on 5 products that helped my packing organization and everything I learned on our Alaskan cruise.

5 Products to Help Organize Your Alaskan Cruise Packing

Packing for myself for a 7-day trip is often a slog. But packing for 3 people (myself, my 22-month-old, and my 8-year-old) is almost torturous. It’s overwhelming and daunting. 

But I’ve found a few things to help me pack for my kids that take the stress out of it—plus a few pieces that I think will help make your Alaskan cruise just a little easier. 

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1. Day of the week packing cubes

These packing cubes have the days of the week on them and let me tell you, they make packing for kids so much easier. While I was packing for each kiddo, I just laid these out on the floor and stacked outfits and pajamas on top for each day. It cut down the amount of guesswork and just made my life so much easier. Plus, it makes being on the cruise easier as well; my 8-year-old was able to grab the day he needed and change without digging through a suitcase full of clothes. Win-win. 

2. Wet bags

Wet bags aren’t new, but they are a valuable packing tool. I used wet bags to pack swimsuits and sunscreen; this way the sunscreen was contained in case it burst and I knew to look for the wet bag when digging for swimsuits. Plus, once we were on the boat, I carried one with us in case of an emergency diaper change. 

3. Laundry bags

For years while traveling, I have packed a garbage bag to put our dirty laundry in. Times have changed and I knew I needed something a little more resilient for this trip. Plus, you never want someone to mistake your dirty laundry for garbage. These laundry bags are MASSIVE (like way bigger than I thought!) They come in a two pack. We filled one up entirely on our 7-day trip and I was able to put it into our largest suitcase (which was pretty much empty by that point). It keeps the dirties contained until you can handle them. 

 4. Toddler cutlery 

Toddler cutlery? What’s this doing on the list? Well, as I was packing I kept thinking about if they would have toddler cutlery on the boat. News flash: they don’t. I ordered this set to keep in our stroller and it was truly a lifesaver. Violet is at the age where she wants to do everything herself and trying to wield a too-big fork just wasn’t it. This set is compact and barely takes up any room. Perfect for streamlined packing. 

5. Toddler leash harness 

Last but not least, a toddler leash. I know, I know, this might be controversial. But cruise ships can be CROWDED and toddlers don’t like being contained. I recommend not bringing a baby carrier for your toddler—it was just impractical—and opt for this instead. It is super compact and takes up less space than a baby carrier, and you’ll be able to let your toddler have a little bit of freedom. 

I Went On an Alaskan Cruise With a Toddler. Here’s What I Learned.

When my mom first suggested an Alaskan cruise for my entire family (my parents, my siblings and their kids, plus my husband and kids), I was excited. But as the days grew closer, I found myself getting more and more stressed. 

When you have kids, especially those under 6, packing for vacations is always a little more daunting. Not only do you have diapers and wipes (and all the things that come along with those things), you have to worry about packing cups for milk (because when do restaurants ever have cups that toddlers can drink out of effectively?), toddler cutlery, and any emergency supplies. Never mind packing for yourself! 

We set out on our Alaskan cruise on Norwegian Cruise Lines in early August. For 7 days, we sailed from Seattle to Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Glacier Bay, and Victoria BC before returning back to Seattle. There were so many parts that were beautiful, fun, and exciting. But there were also parts that were, well, not-so-fun. That’s just the reality of traveling with a toddler, right? 

I will be sharing a series of blog posts over the coming days about our Alaska cruise experience—including products I bought that I think saved our butts, plus a packing list guide that will keep you from overpacking. 

But first, let’s talk about everything we experienced on our first cruise as a family. 

Let’s Talk Amenities

I went on an Alaskan cruise when I was around 13. I can’t actually remember a ton about that cruise—I know I had fun—and I know it was on a different cruise line. But compared to that cruise, and according to my mom (who has been on tons of cruises with my dad in the last few years), I definitely felt like the amenities had changed. 

Firstly, your stateroom, no matter what, is going to be small. Whether you have a balcony or an interior room, it’s going to be tight with not a lot of storage space. So as your packing, consider that. It’s also something to consider when thinking about sleeping arrangements: if you have a toddler who is very finicky about their sleep, this is going to be tough. We originally planned to have a pack’n’play (provided by the ship), but there was simply nowhere to put it in the room. I mean, nowhere. 

Secondly, your stateroom might not even have items you consider standard in hotel rooms. Prime example, our stateroom didn't have shampoo. I’m not joking. I know other staterooms did (my sister’s did!) but the dispensers in our shower only had body wash and hand soap. (Hand soap!) I hadn’t packed shampoo because I’d expected it—and no matter how many times I requested it from guest services, it never arrived. 

When it comes to food, there is plenty of it. Depending on how you book, you might also have the unlimited drinks package, which means you can pop up to any bar and get a soda or cocktail (or beer presumably). However, outside of meal times, there isn’t a whole lot around: there are ice cream places and a candy shop, but nowhere to grab, say, a bowl of chips outside of buying some from a shop.This is to say: if you’re traveling with kids whose appetites are unpredictable, bring some reliable snacks. 

One thing I found frustrating throughout our cruise was the lack of consistent information; there were times where I was told one thing and then that turned out to not be true. This can likely be chalked up to the sheer size of the cruise ship I was on; it had over 4,000 guests on it, which meant even with a huge staff, they were stretched thin. On days we weren’t in port, everything was crowded. 

That being said, everything we had access to as an amenity was great; the complimentary dining room was fantastic; the specialty restaurants were great; the bar were top notch. There was no aspect of the food or entertainment that I didn’t enjoy. However, if you’re traveling with small kids, there just simply isn’t a lot for them to do and the 3 course dinners in the evening are loooong for them. There wasn’t a single night where Danny or I didn’t have to leave dinner with Violet. We tried to alternate, but it was what it was. 

One other important amenity: after Covid, cruises stopped offering coffee pots in staterooms, primarily because they’re just hard to clean and cleaning so many between cruises is a chore. However, the internet (and my mom) told me I should be able to request one. I requested one for 3 days in a row and finally gave up. It was a huge pain in the butt to have to walk up to the buffet to get coffee in the morning (writing that out sounds so silly, but listen, I was sleeping with an active toddler who kicked me all night, I needed coffee), especially when my family wasn’t ready to actually go to breakfast yet. Something to consider on your trip!

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To Pack or Not To Pack? 

I think I acutely knew even as we were boarding our cruise that I had overpacked. And I did; I packed too much stuff we didn’t touch or need and I didn’t pack enough of stuff we did need. 

One hilarious fact is this: Alaska in the summer is typically not-hot, but not-cold and can be pretty rainy. Watching the weather the week leading up to our cruise, I felt confident in what I packed: spring weather clothes, plus all our rain coats. Friends, do you think we needed those rain coats? No. It was 80+ in every single city we stopped in. According to the Alaskans we met, it was their one nice week of weather during the summer. We did not need those raincoats and I was sweating my butt off in my leggings. I had only packed 4 t-shirts and then primarily sweatshirts. I’m not sure there was any way I could have anticipated such out of the ordinary weather, but I probably should have had more t-shirts at least. 

I’ll have a more in-depth packing list post coming up, but for now, here’s a summary of my suggestions for packing with a toddler: 

• Bring your stroller, not a baby carrier. We brought our tush baby and the snug attachment we have for it and we didn’t use it once. It’s not an easy to pack carrier either. I was very annoyed with myself about it. We used our stroller every single day, though, because Violet just isn’t big enough to walk on her own most places yet. 

• Pack a light number of activities for your kids. I went a little overboard with activities and we really didn’t touch them hardly at all. That felt, again, a little silly of me. A sketchbook and a pack of crayons were really all Forrest and Violet needed to entertain themselves. 

• Don’t bring extra electronics. Ok, so, there is no free wifi on cruise ships. There is wifi you can pay for (it was $200+ for the week and that was non-streaming). This rendered our iPads pretty much useless for the entire week. I didn’t even touch mine. 

• Pack clothes in outfits, not items. 

• Pack snacks you know your toddler will eat or that can keep him or her entertained during dinners. 

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Excursions with a Toddler

Full disclosure: most of them were too long or too boring for Violet. The first excursion we had planned in Juneau, I realized the day of was going to last for 5 hours until past 8pm. I just knew she wasn’t going to make it, so I stayed behind while Danny took Forrest. Even for Forrest, it was a long time with a lot of walking and moving to different locations. He enjoyed it, but he was exhausted afterwards. 

Our second excursion was a train ride in Skagway up to the White Pass. I really, really enjoyed it and so did Danny… but Violet fell asleep and Forrest got very bored. As much as I enjoyed it, I did wonder if we would have had more fun just exploring Skagway on our own or taking the shorter train ride with a more active excursion. Well, hindsight is 20/20. 

That is to say: vet excursions carefully before booking and do so with an eye on what your toddler is capable of. Some toddlers absolutely might love a train ride. Violet was just less than enthused! 

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The Best Parts

The food. It’s sounds so silly, but the food was so good and fun. Every evening, we ate at the dining room, called the Manhattan Room. It was a 3-course dinner where you pick an appetizer, an entree, and then a dessert, plus you can get drinks from the bar. It was… magical. It was my favorite part and even on really hard days, I looked forward to it. 

We also enjoyed the buffet, the Garden Cafe, for breakfast and lunch every day. There was always something for everyone, and they had a huge selection of fruits and vegetables at eat meal time. 

Forrest loved the pool, the arcade, and laser tag. The laser tag arena had very odd hours, so he was only able to go once, but he loved it. 

Violet primarily enjoyed the Guppy room, which was primarily a room for toddlers to play. It was great for her to have somewhere to go. Unfortunately, we did catch hand foot and mouth disease from the Guppy room, so my love for it is now 50/50. 

We had the unlimited drinks package and I will admit that being able to get a cocktail whenever I wanted to was a temptation too strong even for me. I loved getting a mai tai at dinner. Now that’s luxury! 

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The Hardest Parts

The timing of nearly everything is not set up for toddlers at all. The breakfast buffet opens at 6:30, perfect, she’s been up for an hour. None of the dining options opened before 5:30—and Violet’s bedtime is usually 6:30/7. By 5:30, she is in her prime freak out time: overstimulated and getting tired. Especially on the ship, I knew she was pretty much constantly overstimulated because of the sheer number of people around us. So that was hard. 

Thus, the days become loooooong. When you’re up at 5:30am (even with the time changing to Alaskan hours) and dinner ends at 7pm at the earliest, the day becomes so long, especially with just not a lot of space for a toddler to be active and entertained. By the time we were getting off the boat, I knew Violet was totally DONE with being on that boat (never mind that she also had the early stages of HFMD at that moment, so she wasn’t feeling great).

One other note here: I found out the last night that the medical center on the boat will not treat guests under the age of 3. So I guess if your toddler gets hurt or sick, the only options is to get you off the boat. If I had known that before the cruise, I’m not sure I would have actually gone because that does seem unsafe and a little scary. This might differ based on the cruise line (and honestly, it might have been something one employee told me because they didn’t want to take Violet’s temperature—I don’t know!), but just something to keep in mind, especially if you have a toddler with medical issues.  

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Would I Do It Again? 

When my kids are older, absolutely! I would personally not take a toddler on a cruise again. Here is my reasoning for why: 

• Finding out they don’t treat medical issues for under 3 years on the cruise ship scares me. 

• There simply isn’t enough for toddlers to do on a cruise ship and there isn’t enough space to let them safely wander/walk/explore. If you have a toddler like Violet who needs near constant stimulation, this is a nightmare. 

• Since Violet often needed a break, Danny and I would split up throughout the day. Without wifi or cell service at sea, we had no way to contact each other until we paid $200 for wifi. If my kids were older, I wouldn’t be so worried about splitting up and contacting each other—but not being able to text was rough for the first day. 

• 7 days was perhaps too long for Violet (and me). A shorter cruise I might consider taking a smaller child or toddler on… but 7 days was a lot. 

Have you been on an Alaskan cruise with a toddler or small kids? I’d love to learn about your experience in the comments!

So, You Want to Go to Post-Pandemic Disneyland

I originally posted this on my Substack, but realized it may be better suited to my blog… now that I’m blogging again. If you’d like to subscribe to my Substack, you can do so here.

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I kind of hate traveling. I’m a creature of habit: I not only do not like change, I actively resist it. I like my planner set up, my calendar meticulous, my bed made, and the same routine every single day. Traveling disrupts all of my little creature comforts. But sometimes, I’m willing to disrupt those little things for something that is just as predictable and comfortable as my day-to-day.

That thing is Disneyland.

I do think people often wonder about those who travel exclusively to Disney properties. And I can’t speak for everyone, but I can say this: I know what to expect. When I get to Disneyland, I know exactly what is going to happen and what I’m going to do. No surprises. No confusion. I know how to get there and how to get home. It’s far away without being too far. It is comfortable and familiar. And I like that. Maybe I’m boring (spoiler alert: I am kinda boring), but that’s how I like my vacations.

Disneyland closed for a large portion of 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. When it re-opened in June 2021, they had a little bit of a slow start. I had promised my son (and myself) that when the park re-opened, I would plan a trip for us—which I did for October 2021.

What I didn’t know is after that original very slow 2021 summer, Disneyland attendance exploded. But here’s the kicker: despite using a reservation system to limit guest attendance, Disneyland has chosen not to release official attendance numbers for those days. And it definitely did not seem like they were limiting park attendance in October 2021.

Update: We also ended up taking a second Disneyland trip in June 2022—yes, I was 20 weeks pregnant and took myself to Disneyland. I am who I am. It ended up being a lot more fun than the October trip, mainly because I followed my own advice in this blog post. Even my 20-week-pregnant self was able to make the most of that trip.

I have a few points I want to make about the new reality of Disneyland. I guess this might be the point to get started.

1: Realistically, there are no more slow seasons.

I went to Disneyland in October 2010 and it was a ghost town. When I went in December 2006 the week before Christmas? A ghost town. For both of those trips, we walked on to every single ride.

I have not experienced a slow season in several years—but I had chalked that up to visiting as busier times, such as June, the week of Christmas, etc.

It was in October 2021 that I realized October was no longer a slow season—it never will be again. The dates I went this trip overlapped with the same dates in 2010: mid-week, mid-month. But in 2021, the park was packed: more crowded than I had ever experienced it before in my life and that includes summer trips and trips the week of Christmas (notoriously the busiest season).

Fans have for years created crowd calendars based on previous years data (anecdotally collected), holidays, and events to create a rough calendar of what days will be so-crowded-you’ll-lose-your-mind and what days will be ghost towns. This year, there are maybe 3 “not-that-crowded” days in the entirety of October.

A huge part of why crowds are so high is potentially “revenge travel”—a phenomenon that has been popping up post-pandemic to explain why everyone is, well, traveling so much. We couldn’t do anything for 18 months and regardless of the continued risks, people are traveling. They’re going, whether anyone tries to stop them or not.

Another part of this is the Disneyland reservation system. I’m not tapped in to the current Disneyland fandom (omg) enough to fully understand all the issues with the reservation system—but it definitely is inflating crowd numbers. The system was designed in part of limit crowds, but it is hilariously seeming to do the opposite.

2: Genie+ and Lightning Lane Help, but the System Needs Some Work

The Disneyland park (and by extension, I assume, other Disney properties) are becoming increasingly reliant on their branded apps for use around the park.

Genie+ is a service that helps you arrange your day in the parks. It is fairly user friendly, but kind of confusing. The recommendations are based on wait times in particular, but they don’t always make sense; regardless of wait times, most people try to stay in one area of the park at a time, so you don’t have to walk back and forth multiple times. But Genie+ will suggests It’s a Small World, followed by Star Tours, followed by Haunted Mansion, followed by the Mad Hatter Tea Party. It doesn’t always make sense.

It also suggests places to grab food or place a mobile order, but again, it doesn’t seem to take your location in the park into account. For example, on our last day, we were in Downtown Disney and it suggested the Coke Corner on Main Street USA for us to get lunch—when we had already left the park and were surrounded by other food options.

So, Genie+ needs a little work. It’s one shining spot is really Lightning Lane, which gives you access to, basically, Fast Passes that you book on your phone. It shows you the return window and when your window is up, you just scan your phone for everyone in your party. Super, super easy.

The only downside is sometimes you don’t need Fast Passes, like first thing in the morning. The only other downside is that some rides, like Radiator Springs Racers, the new Star Wars ride, and Web Slingers cost additional fees—around $7-$15 depending. It’s not a huge fee, but it does add up depending on the size of your party. The one day we spent in California Adventure, the wait time for Radiator Springs Racers are 120 minutes at opening—so we knew we wanted to get Lightning Lanes. It’s not a ride I can ride right now, unfortunately, so we spent $30 for my husband and son to get Lightning Lanes. Is $30 equivalent to 120 minutes wait time? Is it worth it? I’m not sure. It definitely helped, but I’m not sure how often I could do that.

You can also only book Lightning Lanes once your ticket has been scanned into the park and the park itself opens—that means 8am and whenever you enter the park. That does keep people from crowding into Lightning Lanes and dominating the space before others have time to get their morning coffee.

3: Sorry, but the Newest Parts of the Park Suck

This might be controversial and I’m so sorry to the Star Wars and Marvel fans, but quite frankly, those new areas suck. They’re so bad. Star Wars Land is just a series of walls with no natural shade, no places to sit, and nothing to do. It is huge and far away from the other areas of the park, so it is quite a walk to get there (and a lot of it is uphill). One thing you’ll notice about the original areas of Disneyland is, yes, they are smaller and more crowded—but they have tons of seating, shade, hidden places to sit and relax. Star Wars Land and the Avengers Campus have none of these things. Just huge walls, no trees, nothing.

That has always been one of my big gripes when it comes to California Adventure as well: the design is very cute, but there are no shady areas in the park outside of restaurants. Many of the walkways are just bare, which means there is nowhere to sit and wait or sit and eat the item you just got from a food cart. It’s bad design, frankly, and I don’t care who hears it!

Even worse is that there is nothing to do in these 2 new lands. Star Wars Land has 2 rides and that is it—and neither ride are great, if I’m being honest. When we went on Rise of the Resistance, it was such a long wait (this was back in October, before Lightning Lanes) and then we were loaded onto basically a bus? I remember looking at Danny and saying, “This is it? We’re on a bus watching a screen?” Then it got worse. I hated every second of it.

Smuggler’s Run is better, but again, it’s just not… that good. I don’t want to sit and click a button on a ride. Neither of these rides are very kid friendly either (which is a point I’ll get to later). 2 rides in a MASSIVE addition to a park? Please.

And Avengers Campus only has one new ride—the other is the Tower of Terror in a new, Guardians of the Galaxy dress which, I’m sorry, still makes no sense. Webslingers is a very fun ride, so I’ll forgive it, but again—a huge addition to the park and there are 2 rides? That’s it? Cars Land, in comparison, has at least 3 rides. Are they 3 great rides? Not really, but at least there is more to do there.

This is going to be the most “I think this sucks and I’m sorry, but it does suck” part of this newsletter. The OG Disneyland is so meticulously designed and so many Imagineers still work so hard on these concepts—but the execution? Baby, what is happening here?

4: Disneyland is No Longer a Kid-Friendly Park.

See, I told you I was getting there.

Disneyland was started pretty much because Walt Disney wanted to create a place where families could play together. That meant rides that parents and kids could go on. You can see that so clearly in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland and even in the “newer” areas like Adventureland, including New Orleans Square, and Frontierland. Not every ride is very small kid friendly, but most of them are kid-friendly to an extent. There may be height limits, but most kids surpass them by 6-8 years old—still pretty young.

And none of the rides are overly scary. Probably the scariest is Space Mountain, but even that can be overcome.

In comparison, Smuggler’s Run scared my son so bad, he refuses to even think about going on it again. Some kids might do ok with these rides, but they are aimed at lifelong fans of these huge franchises—not kids, but adults.

The rumors of newer lands in Disneyland and California Adventure are based, again, on franchises that primarily adults are into (although there are rumors of a Tangled land? Who is asking for this, I just want to talk). They aren’t designed for families and their kids—they’re designed for adults.

That’s fine. Disneyland doesn’t have to be exclusive to families with kids (and I’ll never make that argument), but can’t we have a few new rides for little kids? For kids who are afraid of the dark or don’t like super fast rollercoasters? Please? Just one or two? Update: When I originally posted this, a friend sent me a message saying that an Ewok-themed space in the Star Wars land area would be amazing and I have to agree. A nice, shady, Ewok-themed area? Call me, Disney. My fee is substantial.

You’re telling me no one could think up a single a kid-friendly Star Wars ride for the new land? Or a kid-friendly Marvel ride? No one? No one in the entirety of Disney? Hm.

It’s not the end of the world, but it does mean that Fantasyland (the most kid-friendly area of the park) becomes wall-to-wall on the busiest days. We couldn’t even go there in October or June, because it’s just insanity. If there are only a few places with rides for kids in the park, then that means they aren’t going to even bother going anywhere else.

5: Expectations Have to be Readjusted

Gone are the days of fitting in everything you enjoy about Disneyland into a 2 or even 3-day trip. Remember what I said about slow times? Yeah, the parks are so damn busy by around 11 or 12 every day that usually, we left the parks. We returned in the evening (usually after 4 or 5) to ride a few more rides. It meant we had to divide and conquer: these lands on these days and these lands on these days.

It used to be that 3 days was more than enough time in the parks to do everything you could possibly want to do. I’m just not sure that is the case anymore—and maybe that is what Disney is trying to do. Longer park stays of course mean more money—more snacks in the park, more souvenirs you have to have, more meals at Downtown Disney… the list goes on.

Despite all these things, we still had fun.

There are always going to be things that need improvement, especially about something as big as Disneyland. I still love it! I still had fun! This past trip in June was one of the best trips we had had in a while—and straight up, it’s because we gave ourselves the freedom to leave when we got overwhelmed, return later, and take lots of breaks. You just have to adjust your expectations about what Disneyland is like now—because it’s not the same as it used to be and that’s ok. Things change—it’s ok!

If there is anything you’d like me to touch on or questions you have about my visit(s), let me know.

One thing I haven’t touched on here is COVID protocols; when we went in October, masks were still required on rides and we wore masks the majority of the time in the park. This time in June, masks are no longer required and social distancing is not enforced (or even encouraged) in lines. I had forgotten to pack masks, so this made me especially nervous in lines when CMs were asking everyone to squish close together. If this is a concern to you, definitely pack some masks—I would have felt much better with them! We did not get sick on either trip, which I’m very thankful for, but we were very careful both trips. I do know a few people who have returned from Disneyland, however, and they had gotten COVID—so use that information how you will and travel accordingly (and safely, of course).

3 Tips for Thanksgiving Day Travel with Kids

Thanksgiving is a stressful time of year, as we have established. If you didn’t catch my post about self-care and self-kindness during the holiday season, go ahead and give yourself a break from manic Thanksgiving preparations to read this.

If you’re traveling for Thanksgiving, things can get even more stressful. And if you’re traveling with kids? Forget it! It feels like you have 4 million things to do. Plus, you have to pack up what feels like half the house to take along. What if they get sick? (They will get sick. Or you’ll get sick. Fun!)

We’ve traveled for Thanksgiving before and for anyone planning their first Thanksgiving traveling, I wanted to share a few tips and tricks. Before that, however, here are a few others posts I have about travel prep and packing with kids:

• Make packing a little less stressful with these tips.

• Want to pack some masks for self-care? Here are my suggestions.

• Learn to maintain your skincare routine while traveling.

• All about Autumn road trips.

• My post about taking a toddler to Disneyland (and relevant for all travel experiences!).

• Have to work over Thanksgiving? Here are some tips.

Hopefully, you find a few gems among those previous blog posts. Now, let’s talk traveling this Thanksgiving!

1. Monitor the Weather Leading up to Thanksgiving.

If you’re traveling a long distance and might experience inclement weather, be prepared. Get your oil changed beforehand, check your tires, and have an emergency kit just in case. If you’re flying, keep a close eye on weather at any of your stops and your destination.

When I was young, it felt like there was always some huge storm at one major airport that made Thanksgiving travel way more difficult. Being prepared and aware beforehand is much easier these days, so stay mindful. If you’re driving, remember that if conditions look bad enough, it’s ok to postpone driving—or cancel.

2. Break Your Trip Up.

If possible, the number one piece of advice I always give to parents traveling with kids for the first time is to break the trip up! An example is that when Danny and I drive to Idaho now, we usually stop in Bend. It’s perfectly doable to drive to Idaho in one day; it’s 9 hours, give or take depending on how many stops we make. However, with a child, we’ve found that having a stop makes it a much more pleasant trip for us.

For Thanksgiving last year, we did this for the first time and it made a huge difference in how we felt when we got to Idaho! Plus, we got more time to be with family.

3. Find Ways to Make Your Trip Fun.

Here are a few things we do, besides splitting our trips into two parts, to make road tripping over the holidays fun:

• Get a DVD player (or holder for an iPad!) for your little ones. I know many aren’t fans of this, but let me tell you… that really saves us every time we go for a long drive.

• Stop along the way and do something fun. Whether you get lunch at a new, fun place, stop to take a few photos somewhere exciting, or just get out to walk around a Wal-Mart, breaking up the trip this way helps a lot. Plus, you can schedule convenient bathroom breaks this way.

• Pack a special snack. We also pack one of Forrest’s favorite treats (honestly, it’s usually the yogurt he eats every single day, but it’s still his favorite thing) to have midway through the second day. It gives him something exciting.

• Download a podcast you’ve been wanting to listen to. Danny and I always try to find a long form podcast to listen to for our drive; when we went to California in 2017, we listened to You Must Remember This about the Charles Manson murders and, honestly, it’s one of the most memorable parts of the trip for me. It helps pass the time so much faster!

Those might not be things you would do, but try to think of a few ways to pass the time and make the trip enjoyable for you and your children. Traveling over Thanksgiving can be really exciting, but daunting, especially if you’re a new parent. You’ve got a million things to think about, as well as family relationships to contend with. Find ways to treat yourself well, laugh with your family, and have fun.

Have tips for Thanksgiving travel? Send them my way!

A Busy Mom's Guide to: Road Trips (Featuring Hungryroot!*)

Danny and I love taking road trips. It used to be something we really looked forward to, especially when we were first dating and, later, first married. Once Forrest was born, we definitely scaled back on the amount we spend driving every summer--but we still love taking a few road trips every single year!

This year, we’ve already been on quite a few road trips: we’ve been to Sunriver several times and Idaho several times. Coming up this summer, we have plans for a big trip to the coast, as well as some smaller trips to Portland, the coast, and Central Oregon.

By no means am I a road trip expert--but I feel like I do know how to do a road trip with an infant, a toddler, and now a preschooler in a way that keeps me from feeling like I’m absolutely losing it! I want to share all my tips and tricks for a perfect summer trip. At the end of this blog post, I’ll also have a FREE download with packing checklists, memory sheets, and much more to make your road trip go just a little bit smoother. I also have an exclusive deal for some Hungryroot snacks!

I’m a consistent overpacker. And honestly, I will defend my overpacking: sometimes, you just need extra stuff, especially with kids. The days of Danny and I breezing into hotels or houses with a bag each, and maybe a cooler, are over. These days, it looks like: a storage bin, a bag, Forrest’s suitcase, my bag, Danny’s bag, my computer bag (gotta work!), my tripod… It’s a bit like a clown car.

I just don’t like having to spend money unnecessarily on trips, especially if we are pinching pennies already. That means, I often try to pack anything I can think we might need in an emergency. For us, that’s extra medications, plus any kids medicine we might need (such as suppositories, cough medicine, Ibuprofen, and band ads), as well as a flashlight, some extra food, and a small stash of water.

Here’s a rundown of what my packing list often looks like:

• Medications

• Medicine: kids Ibuprofen, kids suppositories, band aids, antibacterial cream, sanitizer

• Cleaning wipes*

• Emergency kit: two gallons of water, extra food, extra clothes, matches, small candle, flare

• Travel potty if your toddler is younger, recently potty trained, or just prone to accidents

That’s just a few extras I add alongside everything else we’ll need, like clothes, laundry bags, extra bags for souvenirs, our charging cables, and more. You know what you’ll need best on vacation, but it’s important to remember on road trips to prepare for what you think you’ll need. In case of an emergency, I prefer to have everything with me, including extra water and more.

A note on cleaning wipes: I know single use wipes have become increasingly unpopular--and I totally agree! However, if I’m traveling and staying at a hotel, I like to do a quick wipe on everything just for that extra level of clean. It helps me feel more at home and feel much better. I like to use the new Everspring line from Target; these wipes are compostable, cruelty-free, and ammonia free. They come in three scents: Lavender & Bergamot, Lemon & Mint, and Citrus & Basil. I like the Lemon & Mint the best. Even better, they are very affordable. You can find them on Target here.

One thing I also like to make sure I have packed? Plenty of snacks! I get bored when I’m driving, especially during long stretches where there isn’t anywhere to stop. When we go to Idaho, we cut through Bend and Burns to Caldwell. The stretch from Bend to Burns and then Burns to Ontario are absolutely grueling; each leg is only 100 ish miles each, but there is nothing between! Nowhere to stop, nowhere to go to the bathroom, nothing. So, snacks are important.

That’s one of the things I love about Hungryroot! On our most recent trip to Idaho, we took along a big box of Hungryroot snacks: the salted pili nuts, coconut cashew granola, crunchy bean toppers, superfood almond butter, and almond milk maca matcha. These were the perfect snacks to have on the road--much better than my usual Cheez-Its! Not only did we feel better about our snack choices, we avoided that nasty travel stomach that is so common from eating food on the road. Plus, all of these options gave us ways to customize hotel breakfasts: we grabbed a few extra yogurts to eat with the coconut cashew granola. Our hotel had a smoothie bar (!) and we used the almond milk maca matcha in our smoothies. Plus, the almond milk maca matcha made a great drink in the morning to get the day started throughout our trip.

If you’d like to stock up on some healthy snacks before your next road trip, I can’t recommend Hungryroot enough! And even better, you can use the code PAUSES2021 to get 40% off your first order PLUS a free gift for life!

“But Michelle,” you ask, “how am I supposed to keep a toddler entertained on a road trip?”

You know those two 100-mile stretches between Oregon and Idaho I mentioned? Those are often our hardest on the road. So here are my tips:

• Play car games. Whenever Forrest starts to get whiny or bored, I say, “I spy something… blue!” And we start a game of I Spy. Or, we’ll play Bingo. Car games seemed so lame to me when I was younger--my parents were not fans--but I totally get them now. This can fill up time and keep your little one from getting too distracted.

• Get a travel DVD player. LISTEN! I know what I say about screens and we don’t let Forrest have a tablet… but I would literally lose my mind without our travel DVD player. It is perfect for when there is no stop along the way to stretch our legs. Pop in a Daniel Tiger DVD and hit play, then Danny & I can relax. You can find these for really affordable on Amazon and in stores too.

• Look ahead and plan fun stops. One thing Danny and I do before any road trip is plan somewhere to stop for fun. Whether it’s just a cute shop we see on our route (such as the Crescent General Store after the Willamette Pass) or something bigger (like a rose garden), we try to plan a few short (like 15-20 minutes total!) stops to stretch our legs, let Forrest have a bathroom break, and break up the monotony of the drive.

For me, these things are all part of planning our trip. We aren’t just looking at hotels to stop along the way, but rather activities we can do together. This might include things like stopping at the Mount Shasta viewing area on the way to Disneyland (this feels like a lifetime ago!), going for a walk along the river in Bend on our way to Idaho, and more. If you’re staying a few nights at a hotel on your road trip, you can always look for places to go around it; you’ll have a few hours in the evening, of course, so you can always do some walking (to release pent up energy!) and find somewhere fun to eat.

One important aspect of planning your trip… is planning how you’ll pack your car. Danny and I like to pack the car in a way that makes sense to us, although we used to just throw things in and hope we all made it in one piece! Now, we arrange everything depending on what we know we’ll need throughout the trip. This means, our travel potty is in the back seat, along with some paper towels and a trash bag; our snack bag is within reach; our bag with activities for Fo is right in front of him where Danny or I can reach it. How you arrange your car is totally your preference, but this will save you so much hassle on the road! Basically: organize your car and keep it organized!

It goes without saying, but: on vacation, your child just isn’t going to sleep like they do at home. That’s an important expectation to keep if you’re staying at a hotel throughout your trip or just on a few stops on the road. They might get better as time goes on through the trip, but I think it’s so important to keep your expectations quite low when it comes to sleep when you travel!

When we travel, I make sure to bring two things to make it easier on Forrest: his sound machine and one of his blankets. Before, we would bring stuffed animals he had been sleeping with, but Forrest isn’t a lovey kid—he doesn’t have anything he feels particularly attached to. However, having a familiar blanket definitely helps with the sleeping. As well, the sound machine helps all of us sleep, drowns out noise from the rest of the hotel, and reminds him of home. He usually still wakes up at 3am on the dot in hotels, but it could totally be worse.

The sound machine we use is not currently made anymore, but this one is from the same company and looks like it has many similar features.

As I said in the planning section, doing something fun at the hotel when you arrive, even if it is perhaps a little later than usual for your family, can help little ones settle in, burn off some energy after being in the hotel all day, and sleep better. Here are a few suggestions:

• Visit the pool to splash & play around before dinner.

• Walk to dinner! This is a great way to explore the area, find somewhere interesting, and stretch your legs (as well as get some steps in if you, like me, are a slave to your Fitbit)

• Visit a local attraction for a quick visit. A good option is a rose garden or an art exhibit.

• Find a local ice cream parlor to take everyone to.

• Window shop!

Once you’ve made it through the evening, grabbed dinner (I highly recommend getting pizza delivered if you’re absolutely exhausted, which kids also love), and slept (maybe), it’s time to think about breakfast!

Like I said, Hungryroot is a great way to augment a potentially lackluster hotel breakfast—if your hotel provides one. It might not, which is totally possible! Hungryroot can help there too. A great option are the Hungryroot oatmeal cups, like the Cherry Chia Maple Oatmeal; you only need to add hot water, so if your room has a coffee maker, you can easily use that to heat water and make oatmeal for everyone.

However, if your hotel does offer breakfast, you can use plenty of Hungryroot options to make it just a little bit better: adding some granola to those little tubs of yogurt makes it much more filling and delicious. Or you can add some granola on top of a waffle or eat with milk and any fruit offered. The hotel breakfast doesn’t have to be sad, cold bagels and bad coffee. A little planning ahead can make it much more filling and healthy for everyone in your family. Don’t forget you can use my code PAUSESBROWNIES for free brownie batter (for life!)

Once you’re ready to head out, check your room for anything left behind and get on with your vacation!

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Danny & I enjoy road trips. And even though I’m on record as saying I don’t love traveling, I do love giving Forrest memories that last forever. Road trips can be incredibly intimidating, especially if you’re a new mom or you’re just an anxious person (like me). I hope these tips help you make the most of this summer. And of course, I hope you take the chance to try some delicious Hungryroot snacks & food options to make your summer even better.

As an added bonus, I have an exclusive download just for you! This include itinerary planning for your trip, hotel information sheets, journal pages for your memories, and packing checklists perfect for new moms & experienced moms alike! Click the button below to download.

I’m turning it over to you! What are your big tips for traveling with kids?

Disclaimer: Products for my recent road trip were provided to me by Hungryroot in exchange for mentioning them, as well as a small kickback whenever you use my code. Posts like these have helped me keep Writing Between Pauses going! If you’d like to learn more about my disclosure policy, click here.

My 3 Absolute Favorite Masks to Travel With

I love masks. I don't love traveling. But I do like pampering my skin while I'm traveling. I've always heard that it's great to wear a sheet mask on planes, because it protects your skin from the dry air. Next time I take a plane, I'll definitely be packing a sheet mask to relax with... but for now, I want to share the 3 masks that I always bring for road trips and quick weekend trips to keep my skin looking the best it possibly can (even in adverse conditions, like extreme dry heat). 

If you didn't catch my post last week about keeping your skincare routine while traveling, you can read that here. 

1. The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mask

I love the Body Shop's Tea Tree facial cleanser--I use it every single day and it has made a huge difference in my skin. So, when I had a 20% off coupon at Ulta in June, I decided it was time to treat myself to the matching clay mask. Here's what it promises: 

“Cool and deeply cleanse your skin with our Tea Tree infused clay mask. Perfect for blemished complexions, the instantly cooling sensation refreshes skin, without over drying. This mask will help to clear impurities while absorbing excess sebum, leaving skin feeling smoother and clearer looking.”

If you have a lot of issues with acne, this mask is perfect: it contains tea tree oil, which we know helps with acne, but isn't as tight and drying as many clay masks. I've rocked clay masks before and while they always helped my acne a little bit, they also left my skin feeling very dehydrated--which make texture on other areas of my face (like my forehead) worse. This mask doesn't so that; it feels lovely on, smells great, and has made a huge difference in my skin. The next thing I want to try from this line is the Tea Tree Night Mask. 

2. YesTo Coconut 2-Step Lip Kit

I always get chapped lips when I travel, probably because 1) I'm usually drinking less water and 2) I don't have access to my usual glut of lip balms. I'm a firm believer that lip balm just makes dry lips worse, but at this stage in my life, I'm too far gone: save yourselves, I'm addicted to lip balm, I know it's a problem. That being said, this mask is one of my favorites to bring on trips or to pick up while I'm traveling (because it's at almost any Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, or Target). Here's what it does: 

“Say Yes To the Coconut 2 Step Mask and going coo coo for coconut, sugar and sodium hyaluronate to plump and smooth lips naturally. Step 1 features a lip scrub to exfoliate and smooth lips, preparing them for plumping. Step 2 includes a lip mask to plump and hydrate lips, making them softer, fuller and more supple.”

I'm a huge fan of YesTo products; they are one of the handful of truly cruelty free drugstore brands out there and their masks have always worked for me. While this mask does contain coconut oil, it's not a face mask; it's a lip mask, so I don't have to worry about the oil clogging my pores. (Reminder: coconut oil is horrible to put on your face. Scalp and hair? Ok. Lips? Ok. Face? If you're acne prone, absolutely never.) 

3. Oh K! Korean Multi-Step Charcoal Mask 

The Oh K! masks are a Korean brand that you can find at CVS and Walgreens. They're super cute, which great packaging, and this one is one of my favorites. If you're going on a short trip, perhaps just overnight, it's a great one to bring along because it condenses your routine into one mask. It includes a cleanser, a mask, and a moisturizing serum, so you're all set. Here's what it promises: 

“Charcoal acts as a magnet to extract dirt from the skin and this multi-step mask offers a complete cleansing regime: deep clean wash, charcoal fiber mask to remove impurities and a moisturizing serum. Fiber masks are super nourishing, the sheet acts as a barrier to prevent the formula evaporating so skin can absorb 3 x more than a liquid mask.”

Those are powerful promises! This mask includes one of my absolute favorite serums: the moisturizing serum seriously was so amazing, I tried to see if Oh K! sells is alone. It doesn't appear they do, so I do one of these masks every month (they're a little spendier than the average sheet mask) just to use that dang serum! Cute, compact, and effective, it really doesn't get better than that. 

Everything You Need for Disneyland with a Toddler (& Nothing You Don't)

Earlier this week, I shared my three tips for making Disneyland with a toddler just a little more enjoyable. (At least, what I will remember for next time! You live and learn, after all.) Now, it's time to talk about what, exactly, you should pack. 

When we first started planning our trip, I downloaded every Disneyland packing list I could find. I devoured packing lists. I read blog post after blog post. I made lists. I bought clear plastic containers at Wal-Mart to pack snacks and more in. I organized and fretted and bought extras. 

Here's the truth: we didn't touch maybe 75% of what I packed. It was just extra. Totally useless. We didn't need it. Maybe in an emergency, we would have needed it, but realistically, in the park, I wouldn't have access to my two plastic tote bins of medical supplies, band aids, life vests, and more. I would only have what was in my very stylish fanny pack and the stroller. 

This leads me to a very stark reality: everyone overpacks for Disneyland. We all do it. Realistically, if you go in the summer (and, if you can, do try to avoid it), it's going to be too hot to wear anything cute and you're going to sweat all over it anyway. Even more realistically, bags get searched going into the park area, so the more bags you have, the more you get searched. 

While going through security one day, the guard complimented me on the fact that I only had my fanny pack and Forrest's small backpack (which is actually a leash, but we'll get to that); little did he know that, originally, I had planned on bringing a cooler, a backpack, and way more crap... only to narrow it down after one very long day. 

The truth is, Disney makes everything available to you. At a price, of course. But what you gain is the ability to spend less time dealing with all the stuff you brought into the parks and more time just enjoying life there. 

With that in mind, this is my list of the essentials you need for Disneyland. 

• Water. If you're driving, buy a Costco pack before you head down. If you fly, get an Uber to Costco in Anaheim and buy a pack there. Put as many bottles in the fridge as will fit.
• 1 small bag. I'm talking small here. I bought this fanny pack (or bum bag, if you're British and think I'm very gross) before we left and I don't regret it. I looked extremely frumpy, but I was hands free. It had enough room to hold my ticket, my debit card and license, my cash, sunscreen, lip balm, and a few extra hair ties. I can also use it for hiking in the future.  
• Sunscreen. Seriously. Just buy 3-4 bottles of sunscreen and take at least one in the park every day. I saw so many sunburned children and it broke my heart. Reapply every 90 minutes. 
• Two snacks. Not a box of snacks. Not every snack ever. TWO SNACKS. Every day in the park, I packed my son a fig bar (his favorite) and a packet of applesauce. He always ate both, plus other snacks that we bought ourselves. 
• For younger children: a bottle & formula; a water cup; diapers; and a pack of wipes. I bought travel packs of wipes to keep in Forrest's backpack, which we used as our "diaper bag." 
• A "safety harness." Some people let their young toddlers run freely in the park because, ultimately, it is safe. However, Forrest is a runner and if I set him down, he would be halfway across the state if I let him. This is why we use a leash. This is the one we have. It gave Forrest some freedom in the park, without me having a panic attack that he was running straight at a pretzel cart. 

That's it. That's all you need. I know, right? Michelle, where's the Motrin? What about the band aids? A first aid kit? Ponchos? Jackets? Changes of clothes? Girl, leave that in the hotel room. If you really need it, you can go get it. If it's urgent, Disneyland does have first aid centers where you can get band aids. If you have small children, they have fully stocked changing rooms in the Baby Care Center on Main Street USA. You don't need to bring your whole kitchen in the park.