Traveling To Goa With A 2 Year Old - Things To Consider

Traveling with a newborn seems difficult until you have traveled with a 2-year-old :). Don't worry I am not here to scare you. The key to having a smooth journey is to plan everything ahead and keep the baby engaged.

I recently took my first vacation in 3 years!! But things were different this time as we had our 2-year-old with us. I have traveled a lot after I had my baby, but all those trips were exclusively to my parents. There was always some or the other family celebration.

So, this time we decided to take a much-needed break and go on a vacation to Goa. It was the first vacation for my toddler and also his first time seeing a beach and sea. I planned things ahead and we had an amazing time.

Here I am sharing with you a few tips and tricks that worked wonders for me.

1. Flight/travel bookings: Plan your trip at least a month in advance. Making flight/travel bookings in advance is easy on your pocket as well. That way you can get cheaper fares as well as ample of time to pack for your travel.

I booked our tickets a month prior. Also, I made sure to choose the flight closest to my toddler's nap time. Trust me, there's nothing better than a well fed and well rested baby. But we cannot always follow it to the T. So, try and keep it as close to their daily schedule as possible.

Also, do not forget to choose your seats in advance. We started purchasing a separate seat for my son after he turned 2. So, now we get all the three seats in a row, and he gets ample of space to move around and sleep.

2. Hotel bookings: Book your stay depending on how you want to spend your day. For us it was more of a relaxing vacation. My husband and I have been to Goa before and this time we decided not to go for sightseeing. Also, it was a bit hot and humid when we were there.

So, we decided to look for a place where we can relax and have fun at the same time. We opted for Beleza By The Beach. And it was everything we had hoped for. They not only have a pool and restaurants but also have private access to beach.

3. What to pack: I googled the temperature and weather predictions for our travel and packed accordingly. Since, Goa is usually humid during April I packed just the essentials. That included swim wear, shorts, shades along with a sunscreen for my toddler.

4. Sightseeing: I was not too kin on sightseeing given the weather. So, it was not on our list. But if you want to go for it then you can opt for a rental two or four wheeler as per your budget and comfort.

5. Plan your days: Plan your days ahead. Either note it town or keep a mental track of where you want to go and on which day. This way you can pack the required things a day prior and have less chaos.

Other things to consider:

Do check the weather predictions through different sources, beforehand. This not only helps in packing essentials but also in finalizing the destination.

I always pack the basic medicines for my toddler wherever I go. It includes medicines for cold, cough, fever and a nasal drop. You can make a small pouch for the same and keep it separately. It always comes in handy for all the trips.

Keep a toy (or toys) depending on the travel time, in your handbag. I used to go for a new toy which he has never seen before but now he is happy with anything as long as it is a vehicle of some sort. You can pick toys as per your toddler's interest and liking. But keep it simple. Offering them something which has too many parts or is messy can be very risky.

Pack some snacks and water for them, no matter how short the travel time. Toddlers tend to get hungry often (at least mine does :)).

You can also check out my blog post on Traveling with a newborn for some more tips and tricks.

I hope my experiences and tips will help you and make your trip a memorable one. Do check out my other blogs on postpartum care, newborn essentials, toddler friendly recipes and much more here.

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