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Posts Tagged ‘travel gear’
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Go Baby Go! makes vacationing with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers easier for parents. To streamline your travels, this San Diego company offers such handy rentable items as full-size cribs (or travel cribs), high chairs, bouncy seats, humidifiers, and even beach necessities. Baby equipment rentals save on baggage fees and the stress and backaches caused by lugging gobs of gear through the airport. Plus, some children just sleep better in a full-size crib or refuse to nap without a baby swing.
Take a peek at all that Go Baby Go! has to offer. To receive a 15% discount off your travel gear rental order, just enter “Travel Mamas” at check-out.
Congratulations to Susan @ Real Life Travels! You are the winner of a $75 baby equipment rental from Go Baby Go!
The winner of the Go Baby Go! Giveaway was chosen at random using Random.org. If the winner does not claim the prize within 48 hours of notification another winner will be selected.
You might also like:
• Disney’s New Ship Is a Dream for Babies, Toddlers, and Children
• How to do a Home Exchange – Part 1
• Keeping Up with Laundry While Traveling With Kids
• 10 Reasons to Rent Baby Travel Gear
A Note from The Travel Mama: As a Travel Mamas advertiser, Go Baby Go! received a discounted rate to run this giveaway.
Tags: babies, baby equipment rental, giveaway, Go Baby Go, preschoolers, toddlers, travel, travel gear
Posted in Family Vacations, Giveaways, Toys & Gear | No Comments »
Thursday, October 20th, 2011
San Diego is a mecca for traveling families with its abundance of child-friendly attractions like SeaWorld, LEGOLAND California, the world famous San Diego Zoo, sandy beaches galore, and so much more. Are you planning a vacation with a baby or toddler to this gorgeous seaside city? Or, are you a San Diego auntie, grandparent, or friend looking forward to hosting a little one at your home? Then you’re going to love this giveaway because Go Baby Go!, a San Diego County baby equipment rental company, is giving away a $75 travel gear rental to one Travel Mamas family!
Go Baby Go! full-size crib with organic linens
Go Baby Go! opened three years ago after Owner and Mom Heike Caldwell had a difficult time lugging baby equipment during a trip to Europe with her two children. The airline broke her double stroller on the way there. In order to get a refund for the damaged stroller, she was instructed to keep the stroller with her in Europe and bring it back with her to America. She said, “I was traveling by myself with my kids on that trip. Moving across airports with two children, our luggage, and a broken double stroller was extremely unpleasant. That’s when I thought there had to be an easier way to travel with small children and all the necessary gear you need.”
As a mom of two, Go Baby Go! Owner Heike Caldwell wants to make travel easier for parents with young children
What can you get with your $75 baby and toddler travel gear rental?
A weekly rental of:
- Full-size crib with organic linens ($75)
- Double jogger ($50) plus a standard convertible car seat ($25)
- Beach Package with two high-back beach chairs, a beach umbrella, four beach towels, and a bag of sand toys plus ($50) plus a high chair ($25)
- Or your choice of Go Baby Go! rentable items. The combinations are seemingly endless…Go Baby Go! has got you covered from playtime to bathtime to bedtime and beyond.
Go Baby Go! Discount
Can’t wait to win?! You can receive a 15% discount off your travel gear rental order from Go Baby Go! Just enter “Travel Mamas” at check-out. The winner is not eligible to use this discount when claiming the $75 prize.
Enter now!
There are two ways to enter this contest. Do either or both, it’s up to you! Enter using each method once for a total of two maximum entries.
- Fill out the simple entry form on the Go Baby Go! website. Be sure to make a comment below to let us know that you filled out this form!
- Like Go Baby Go! on Facebook and make a comment on the page about your favorite spot in San Diego or what attraction(s) you’d most like to visit during your visit. Be sure to leave a comment below about your Facebook entry for this to count!
The winner will receive a $75 rental from Go Baby Go! Delivery charge is not included. The prize must be redeemed November 1, 2011 – August 30, 2012.
The winner will be selected at random using Random.org and will be notified via email. If the prize is not claimed within 48 hours, the winner will forfeit the prize and another winner will be drawn. This giveaway ends on Monday, October 31, 2011. This contest is now CLOSED. Find out who won now!
Want to be notified of other giveaways and happenings on TravelMamas.com? Sign up for the Travel Mamas e-newsletter now! Mailings are typically sent out once per month.
You might also like:
• Hilton Garden Inn Vacation Wishes Giveaway
• LEGOLAND Splash Zoo for Toddlers & Beyond
• 10 Tips for SeaWorld San Diego with Kids
• The Best of the San Diego Zoo with Kids
A Note from The Travel Mama: As a Travel Mamas advertiser, Go Baby Go! received a discounted rate to run this giveaway. Want to advertise with Travel Mamas or run a giveaway with us? Click here to learn more.
Tags: baby, giveaway, Go Baby Go, San Diego, toddler, travel gear, win
Posted in Family Vacations, Giveaways, Toys & Gear | 9 Comments »
Friday, September 9th, 2011
When my husband and I had our first baby earlier this year, we were determined to continue our active lifestyle. We plan to raise children who are well-traveled and knowledgeable about the world. Plus, we want our own lives to stay just as fun and interesting as always! It does take a little more effort, but traveling with babies is totally doable. Our 4-month-old has already been on multiple road trips, seen busy tourist destinations, and stayed overnight in hotels and friends’ homes. My advice for traveling with little ones is to plan ahead and invest in a few key products to make the trip hassle-free. Here are my favorite picks for the best travel gear for babies.
On-the-Go organizer
Often called “car organizers,” these handy contraptions can help corral your baby’s stuff whether you’re in a plane, train, boat or automobile. The Tuffo Family Car Organizer keeps toys and diapers handy and even has insulated pockets to store bottles. Best of all, its lid is sturdy enough to serve as a makeshift table when you need somewhere to jot down notes or grab a bite to eat while baby’s napping.
Seatbelt strap holder
Why is it that all car seats seem to inhale the seatbelt straps? Every time I put the baby in there it’s like I’m playing tug-of-war just to get my son buckled up. The Buckle-Pals Seatbelt Holder is a bendable cord that wraps around the car seat and pulls those belts to the side so they don’t fall behind the baby. This saves quite a bit of aggravation when taking off on a trip.
SippiGrip
With their lack of hand-eye coordination, babies have a hard time keeping a hold on their toys. When they are able to firmly grasp things, they think it’s hilarious to repeatedly chuck stuff (bottles, rattles, spoons, you name it) across the room and watch their parents retrieve it. This is particularly bothersome while traveling because these objects end up on the floor of public transportation vehicles instead of your spotless kitchen. Yuck. Put an end to the constant game of fetch with the SippiGrip, a handy strap that connects toys and other objects to a stroller or car seat.
Car seat head support
Parents want to stretch their budget as far as possible and get products that grow with their child, so car seats are being made to fit babies from from infancy all the way to toddlerhood. The fact is, however, babies don’t come in one size! Extra accessories are needed to really give them a comfortable ride. We used the Kiddopotamus Snuzzler Support when our son was really little and now use the Kiddopotamus Cradler Head Support to keep his head from bopping around on the go. This keeps him from slumping when he falls asleep, and I feel better knowing that he’s safe and securely tucked in for any bumps along the way.
Sleeping cover
I’m thrilled that my baby is alert and enjoys interacting with the world around him. There are times, however, when he’s cranky and I want him to just go to sleep already. The SnoozeShade is a breathable shade I can put over his car seat to block the sunlight out so he can catch a nap when we’re on the go. Another bonus? It keeps strangers’ hands away when going through the airport or grocery store. They even make a bigger SnoozeShade to fit over strollers, so tired babies can get some rest anytime, anywhere.
As someone who keeps a careful eye on my budget, I’m always hesitant to buy new products that will only be used for a short period of my son’s life. The best part about most of these accessories is that they grow with the child and will come in handy for a long time. Spending a small amount on convenient products will make travels easier and save tons of time, leaving you free to focus on making memories with the family.
Chelsea Day blogs at Someday I’ll Learnwhere she and her husband tackle domestic life…one day at a time! They blog about cooking, parenting, organizing, money management and more. The pair lives in San Diego and enjoys traveling to snowy destinations for a change from the norm. They’re currently planning a cross-country road trip with their baby.
What is your favorite travel gear for traveling with babies or children? Please tell us in the comments below!
You might also like:
• Road Trip Snacks, Toys & Games for Children
• Savvy Sassy Mom Travel Picks for Kids
• 10 Reasons to Rent Baby Travel Gear
• Travel Sleep Tips for Babies, Toddlers & Children
Tags: babies, baby, toddlers, travel gear
Posted in Family Vacations, Toys & Gear, Travel Tips | 2 Comments »
Friday, July 29th, 2011
Travel BaBees provides baby and toddler travel equipment rentals to lighten parents’ loads when traveling. You can choose from an array of items to make your life easier when traveling with a little one, from strollers and nursing pillows to car seats and full-size cribs. Check out the Travel BaBees website now!
Two lucky readers are the winners of the Travel BaBees Giveaway on TravelMamas.com. They will each receive a $30 voucher to spend on a travel gear rental on their next family vacation.
The winners were drawn using Random.org. The first winner is fritter, who said, “I would take the Full Size Crib with linens (two of them) when we would go see my sister in the DC area!” The second winner is Kimberly Rotter, who also wants to use her Travel BaBees voucher when visiting family. Congratulations, Travel Mamas! If the prizes are not claimed within 48 hours of email notification, new winners will be drawn.
You might also like:
• Road Trip Snacks, Toys & Games for Children
• 10 Reasons to Rent Baby Travel Gear
• Tips for Visiting Family & Friends
• Top 10 Disneyland Rides & Attractions for Babies & Toddlers
A Note from The Travel Mama: Travel BaBees is a paid advertiser on this site but I did not receive any money to host this giveaway. Travel BaBees will provide the prizes to the winners.
Tags: babies, toddlers, Travel Babees, travel equipment, travel gear
Posted in Giveaways, Toys & Gear | No Comments »
Thursday, July 14th, 2011
Want to lighten your load on your next family vacation? Travel BaBees is giving away $30 baby equipment rental vouchers to TWO lucky Travel Mamas readers. Read on to find out how to win.
Remember that scene in Sex & The City when Miranda thought she was a terrible mother because she couldn’t get her infant to stop crying, only to discover a vibrating bouncy chair was the only thing that would soothe her baby? My firstborn was similar; she refused to nap for the first several months of her life unless she was in her bouncy chair with its little motor humming. In fact, during one of my first trips as new mother I wound up buying a bouncy chair just so my daughter could get some rest (and I could get a break!).
My daughter in her beloved bouncy chair
But then what to do with the bouncy chair afterwards? While I could have dropped it off at a local charity, I had no time on take-off day between final packing, caring for the baby, and transport to the airport. So, I crammed the extra, unneeded gizmo into my overstuffed bag and lugged it home. If only I had known then about travel gear rental companies like Travel Babees. Today, with ever-increasing luggage fees, there is all the more reason to rent baby and toddler travel equipment.
Choose Your Gear, Baby!
A plethora of baby and toddler gear is available for rental from Travel BaBees: pack n’ plays, strollers, baby swings, high chairs, safety gates, humidifiers, potty chairs and beyond.
As a more experienced Travel Mama, I have rented full-sized cribs for weeklong trips to Grandma’s house. Travel BaBees even assembles the crib, complete with bedding, and takes it down at the end of your stay.
I have also rented pristinely cleaned car seats from travel equipment providers for use when being carted around in someone else’s car during faraway visits with family and friends. Although you can rent car seats from car rental companies, if you don’t want to lug yours on board the airplane or cruise ship, Vanessa advises renting this life-saving device from a baby equipment rental company instead. She said, “Because rental car agencies are not in the primary business of baby equipment it’s most likely the seats will not be in as good of condition as if you were renting from a company that specializes in it, like Travel BaBees. We guarantee that all of our seats are less than five years old (in most cases that’s even less than the manufacturer recommendation), sanitized between every use and monitored for recalls.”
Travel BaBees has received last-minute calls from panicked customers because the car seat they reserved from the car rental agency was not available. She said, “There is nothing more unacceptable than to arrive at the airport and not have a car seat available. It is not only dangerous but in most cases it’s illegal.”
About Travel Babees
Travel BaBees was founded in 2006 by Vanessa Reed and her sister, Elisia Chestang. Vanessa said, “Before I moved to Charlotte from the San Francisco Bay Area I was travelling with my children two to four times a year to my in-laws in South Carolina. It seemed like every time we visited, the kids had grown out of the gear we stored at their home. So I began to search for an alternative and discovered the baby equipment rental industry.”
Travel BaBees has locations in nine popular family travel destinations: Orlando, Oahu, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Phoenix, Tucson,Washington DC, and Virginia Beach.
Vanessa believes its the Travel BaBees’ commitment to customer service that sets them apart from other baby gear rental companies. She said, “As a franchise, we are positioned to offer our customers the same quality products and the same great service at every Travel BaBees location they travel to. Our goal is to exceed the customer’s expectation every time we interact with them.”
Enter to Win!
Win one of two $30 travel vouchers for use in any of their nine locations in Florida, Hawaii, California, Arizona, Washington DC and Virginia. The winner will be chosen at random using RANDOM.org and will be notified by email. If the prize is not claimed within 48 hours of notification, the prize will be forfeited and another winner will be selected. Enter by 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on Thursday, July 28, 2011. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED. Find out who won!
The vouchers require a 7-day advance rental reservation. Not applicable towards retail items, delivery fees and installation fees. 48 hour cancellation policy.
There are two ways to enter to win. Do one or both! Be sure to make a separate comment below for each entry to count.
1. Take a peek at the Travel Babees website and add a comment below about how you would spend your $30 voucher if you won.
2. Follow @TravelMamas and @TravelBabees on Twitter; then copy and paste this tweet (provide a link to your tweet in your comment below!):
Got a baby or toddler? Love to travel? Win @TravelBabees baby & toddler travel gear http://tinyurl.com/5svkqn4 on @TravelMamas
Would you like to be notified of other giveaways and happenings on TravelMamas.com? Sign up for the Travel Mamas e-newsletter now! Mailings are typically sent out once per month.
You might also like:
• 4 Packing Sanity Savers
• Recommended Travel Toys & Gear
• Savvy Sassy Mom Travel Picks for Kids
• 10 Reasons to Rent Baby Travel Gear
A Note from The Travel Mama: Travel BaBees is a paid advertiser on this site but I did not receive any money to host this giveaway. Travel BaBees will provide the prizes to the winners.
Tags: baby equipment rental, baby gear rental, car seat, giveaway, toddler, Travel Babees, travel gear
Posted in Family Vacations, Giveaways, Toys & Gear | 11 Comments »
Thursday, August 12th, 2010
At first I was skeptical about the usefulness of the My Handy Hold, an alternative to a safety harness that children hold onto instead of being buckled into. I thought, if they can let go of it, what’s the point? But, I figured what they heck, and I accepted a free My Handy Hold from the manufacturer to see if it might be something worthwhile for traveling parents.
Well, I tried it and guess what? I like it! The My Handy Hold provides a good alternative to hand-holding for kids who like a bit of independence but who still need to stay close to mom or dad. This child security strap helps keep kids close by when out and about. As an alternative to a harness, attach the My Handy Hold to your belt, purse, shopping cart, or (my favorite place for it) your younger child’s stroller. When crossing a busy street, I still recommend holding hands if possible.
Sometimes I have a hard time wrangling my five-year-old daughter when we are out exploring the world. Getting her to hold my hand when we are in a busy place, or when she is dawdling and falling behind, can be a challenge. Asking her to hold “her handle” seems less stifling than holding hands to her. Plus, it keeps my hands free to push her younger brother in the stroller. Ahh…more freedom (and less whining) for everyone!
My Handy Hold comes in your choice of blue or purple and costs just $13.95.
What do you think about using a safety harness or security strap for young children? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
You might also like:
• Health & Safety Travel Tips for Kids
• Recommended Travel Toys & Gear
• Savvy Sassy Mom Travel Picks for Kids
• The Best Travel Toys & Activities for Kids, from Babies to Teens
Tags: My Handy Hold, preschooler, safety harness, travel gear
Posted in Toys & Gear | 2 Comments »
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
Usually my Disney-loving family flies to sunny Florida every other year to visit Mickey Mouse. This summer, however, I will be driving with my wife and two teenagers from central New Jersey to Orlando. My 17-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter merely tolerate each other’s company, at best. Right about now I can hear some of you saying, “Are you crazy?”
Well, maybe I am crazy…but we have people and places to see this year during our journey south. We will be traveling to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit close friends and attend their son’s Bar Mitzvah. Rather than make this just a very expensive weekend we decided to turn it into a family vacation. Here’s how we plan to stay sane along the way.
Research Travel Options
I spent considerable time researching all of our travel options. What made the most economic sense was to rent a car for the drive down so that we can then fly home after our adventures. We determined a minivan would be the most desirable vehicle, not only because it provides ample room to separate the kids but also because a van allows us to bring along a lot more STUFF! I scoured the internet for online coupon codes and car rental deals but I was surprised by the lack of available minivans.
I began having nightmares about our journey: I pull out of the driveway and my daughter screams at the top of her lungs that her brother is staring at her. Then my son starts with, “Her foot is on MY SIDE!” It ends with my wife yelling so loud that I can see the veins popping out of her neck as I pull on to the shoulder of the freeway and slam on the brakes.
As the nightmares continued, so did my search for a minivan rental. Persistence pays off! I finally found a minivan through another car rental agency. An added bonus was the price, which was approximately $100 less than the last-resort SUV I had reserved, just in case.
Preparation is Key
It will take us approximately 12 hours to travel to Charlotte for our two-night stay. Then it should take us roughly 10 hours to reach Walt Disney World. How can we possibly enjoy such a long drive in a confined space without our children killing, or at least, maiming one another?
Even with the kids sufficiently spaced apart in our newly booked minivan, on such a long trip there are bound to be some edgy nerves and arguments. Young or old, kids are still kids. The success of this trip will depend upon how my wife and I manage our expectations (perfect behavior isn’t possible) and our children’s boredom (by providing a multitude of entertainment options).
Over the last couple of weeks I have asked friends, relatives, and co-workers if they have ever driven double digit hours to reach their family vacation destination. I asked in-depth questions of those who had embarked on such a journey to get some tips for success. I got very similar advice from all, regardless of the children’s ages.
Keep Kids Busy
Of course, the most important factor of any long car drive is keeping your children occupied. So, what will we do? We’re going to try family favorites like 20 questions and iSpy. Plus we’ll ply the kids with their favorite snacks and drinks (being careful to limit the amount of liquids so we don’t spend the whole trip seeking out rest stops for bathroom breaks!).
Then there are the toys and electronic gadgets. Suggested items to bring along for teens include: travel versions of board games, a DVD player and plenty of movies, hand held video game players, and iPods.
All of the parents I interviewed said their kids handled the long drive better than they expected with just a few, but very controllable, episodes of impatience. Surprisingly, many parents said traveling with younger children was easier than travel with tweens and teens because the little ones were easier to keep occupied with simple toys or diversions and because they napped longer than big kids might!
Although my wife and I aren’t exactly looking forward to the long drive, we plan on making it a safe and fun-filled family experience. I’m bringing some earplugs along though…just in case!
Travel Daddy Stuart Sternberg and his wife, Michele, live in New Jersey with their two children, Bret and Haley. Their favorite vacation spot is Walt Disney World. Outside of work the only things that distract Stuart from thinking about Disney (besides his family) are Yankee baseball and seeing Bruce Springsteen live in concert. He writes a blog on all things Disney called Disney Geek Dad and he contributes a weekly blog post to the Disney Driven Life, home of the Neurotic Disney People.
What do you think – is a road trip with teens a crazy idea or a fun way to spend time together? Share your thoughts with other Travel Mamas and Travel Daddies below!
You might also like:
• A Road Trip with Children Experiment: Eat While You Drive. Stop to Play.
• How to Plan a Disney World Vacation
• The Best Travel Toys and Activities for Kids, from Babies to Teens
• 20 Things Your Traveling Teen or Tween Wishes You Knew
Tags: travel games, travel gear, travel with teens
Posted in Toys & Gear, Travel Tips | 4 Comments »
Monday, April 19th, 2010
Here are ten reasons to consider renting gear when traveling with your baby or toddler:
1. When flying with a baby, lugging less stuff through the airport means less stress and baggage fees for you.
2. Many babies and toddlers sleep better in a big crib than in a portable pack n’ play. This especially makes sense when you are staying in a loved one’s home or rental property where you have room to spread out.
3. Air travel is easier with a compact one-pound CARES safety restraint than with a cumbersome toddler seat, but you will still need a car seat to keep your child safe in on the road at your destination.
4. If you reserve a car seat from a car rental company, you might be disappointed to find there are none available upon arrival.
5. From my personal experience, the car seats are much cleaner and better maintained from a gear rental specialist than those you might get from a car rental company.
6. If you’re going on a road trip with a baby in a smaller car, you just might not have room for that stroller once you cram all of your suitcases and paraphernalia into the trunk.
7. Some babies simply can’t part with a bouncy seat or baby swing!
8. A full-sized crib with wooden slats is more easily disinfected than the portable crib with cloth sides that will likely be provided at a hotel.
9. If traveling with more than one little one, you just might have too much stuff to bring along.
10. If you’ll be eating-in quite a bit at your destination, a high chair will make meals easier, particularly on longer trips.
Check out the list of Baby Gear Rental Companies on TravelMamas.com for your next trip!
Have you ever rented baby or toddler gear for your travels? How’d it go? Leave a comment below!
Tags: car seat, CARES, flying with a baby, road trip with a baby, travel gear
Posted in Family Vacations, Toys & Gear, Travel Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, April 1st, 2010
Traveling with Kids CAN be fun, I swear! You just have to have the right attitude and some cool travel accessories. Being organized is rule numero uno. Here are my Savvy Sassy Picks that make traveling with kids something to look forward to!
Trunki
Why is it when traveling with kids your gate always seems to be the very last one in the terminal? With Trunki your kid can hitch a ride to the gate and take a seat while waiting in line for the security check or to use the bathroom. They have a variety of colors and animals like the Bumble Bee, Ladybug and Tiger. Buy the sticker pack and you have another activity to keep the kids occupied for an extra 15 minutes.
Chalkboard Placemat
Here’s a roll it up and take it with you chalkboard. Whether you’re looking for a diversion at grandma’s, on the plane, in the car, or at a restaurant - this is a simple, no mess creative solution. Kids can play hang man or tic–tac-toe, practice the alphabet, or draw some funny faces. It comes with 2 chalk mats, chalk and an eraser. Order them over at Leaps and Bounds.
Snack Time 2-in-1 Container
I bet you didn’t know the Container Store is overflowing with cool travel items! Check out these bright colored 2-in-1 beverage and snack containers. Freezer gel is built-in to keep the beverage cold. Twist it open for a fresh snack. Find me a better kid’s travel container, I dare you!
Coby DVD Player Carrying Cube
Everything is better in color, even carrying case for your portable DVD player. We have made the mistake of just throwing our DVD player around like it’s a rag doll. After dropping our first one for the fifth time and busting it, we thought maybe the next one needs a case! Coby makes this one and you can buy it from Amazon for a little protection!
Wireless Headphones by Kidz Gear
This is my husband’s department. I usually put him in charge of all electronics on our trips, and it’s the one thing he actually packs quite well! So naturally when our kids needed headsets for the plane he got them the mini version of what he would wear. These are award-winning wireless headsets for in the car or wired headsets for the plane by Kidz Gear. Ahh… silence is golden!
Andrea Fellman created SavvySassyMoms.com as a fun resource for modern moms who haven’t lost their style to motherhood. It is a destination for great products, fun giveaways, useful tips, and supporting moms in business and the moms making a difference. Andrea is also a bit savvy when it comes to travel. She and her husband did not give up travel because they had kids, in fact that is why they keep traveling; they want to show their kids the world. HaveKidsStillTravel.com is their motto!
Is there a cool travel accessory you just can’t live without? Leave a comment below!
You might also like:
• 4 Packing Sanity Savers
• List of Travel Gear Rental Companies
• Packing Lists
• Recommended Travel Toys & Gear
• The Best Travel Toys & Activities for Kids, from Babies to Teens
Tags: chalkboard placemat, snack container, travel gear, travel toys, trunki
Posted in Toys & Gear | 4 Comments »
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