The passage of July 4 marks the onset of summer travel season. One scroll on Instagram and you'll find smiling families in locations ranging from Positano, to Zion National Park to Nantucket. What's not pictured? The flight delays, bathroom lines, hours of traffic and other unmentionables that make traveling with children feel impossible. My husband and I don't shy away from aggressive family travel. After all, what's nine heinous hours on a plane compared to a week of gelato and Aperol spritzes on the Southern Med? The best parent travelers are the prepared ones, and that doesn't mean a hundred coloring books, a mountain of food, or toys that come in a zillion pieces. Here is your quick hit checklist of travel items that will keep you and your family sane on the road and in the air this summer:
Choose Snacks Wisely: Snacks are a given but they're not created equally, especially on airplanes or in cars. I choose healthy, easy options that leave little mess. No Cheerios crushed between seats or sticky, half-melted granola bars. My family's current obsession is RIND, a new brand of delicious, highly addictive skin-on dried fruit. In flavors like Tropical, Orchard and Tangy Kiwi, these easy-t0-close, travel-friendly snacks retain the natural skin and core of classic and exotic fruit to maximize nutrition. Each piece of persimmon, kiwi, peach, orange, pineapple and apple is U.S.-grown, non-GMO and has no sulfites or added sugar. Plus we enjoy knowing that preserving peels (instead of trashing them) is better for the planet.
Opt for Easy Transport: You see these strollers all over New York, and for good reason. The Babyzen YOYO is the jet-setting family's best friend. This all-in-one multipurpose stroller is lightweight, compact and easy to maneuver with one hand. It features a convertible system with a newborn nest and car seat adapter, and it upgrades to a front-facing stroller at six months. It's also super easy to carry when folded and fits into most airplanes' overhead bins. That means no more waiting for your stroller at the end of a flight, when all you want to do is splash some water on your face and erase the last few hours from your life.
Find Your Screen: I used to pack crayons, coloring books, stickers and a myriad of blocks, legos and toys to entertain my kids. No more. When flying all they want is a screen, and while stuffed among hundreds of crabby strangers, I'm happy to comply. Everyone has an Amazon account, many of us have an Amazon Prime account, which means that with a $50 Amazon Fire, you have hours of free shows, books and games streamed or downloaded directly to your device. Plus you can dial up all of your prexisting HBO, Netflix and Showtime accounts. At that pricetag, it's not a tragedy you accidentally leave it en route.
And Add Some Phones: Because the soundtrack to SpongeBob Squarepants on repeat might be enough to irk your neighbor, invest in Puro Sound Labs children's noise-canceling headphones. They eliminate 82 percent of outside sound and limits volume, so your children aren't exposed to dangerous noise levels nor will they be deaf to your commands. Plus, they're wireless and miraculously fit on the smallest heads. Bonus if you're heading to Glastonbury.
Lighten Your Load: Kids love taking ownership of their belongings on a long travel day. All you have to do is give them a bag they like. Enter STATE Bags, a bag brand founded by Brooklyn-based husband and wife, Scot and Jacq Tatelman. After watching countless kids in at-risk neighborhoods carry ripped trash bags, the pair formed STATE - a company that delivers the tools children need to better their communities. Let your kids choose their style and teach them that by wearing one, they're actually giving back. Now, they just need to keep track of their stuff.
Pack Emergency Swim: If your kids are like mine, they need to be swimming as soon as they get anywhere. Luggage never arrives and room are never ready, so throw a simple bathing suit in your carry-on. While your little ones strip down to their skivvies, you'll be sitting pretty in the Mikoh Las Palmas onepiece. It's a universally flattering silhouette that offers just the right amount of coverage while you're fishing your kids out of the deep end.
Soothe Yourself: You want to relax on board yet alcohol worsens jetlag and other effects of a longhaul flight. Enter cannabidiol - the beloved nonsychoactive molecule that will make you feel better about schlepping two kids across the world. CBD stimulates the body's own endocannabinoid system, which lessens anxiety, reduces tension and relieves pain. I love Vertly, a plant-based skincare line founded by Claudia and Zander Gladish. Their luxurious lotions and lip butters are handcrafted using ethically-sourced formulations hand-poured in small batches to ensure freshness and quality. Housed inside a chic white tin, the hemp-infused lip balm is discreet, stylish and will blend in with the rest of your skincare. For post-travel aches and pains, try Lord Jones Pain & Wellness Body Pure CBD lotion. It's formulated with a natural agent that creates a cooling sensation upon contact.
You Do You: Don't wait until you get home to take care of yourself. April Gargiulo, founder of Vintner's Daughter recently launched a travel sized option of the game-changing, performance-driven serum. This mother of two gets that family travel is all about keeping things easy, and after a red-eye flight or six hour drive, a simple application of this botanical serum is all you need to reenergize your complexion. It's healthy, radiant skin in a simple step. Now, pour a glass or two of Pinot Grigio and usher in summer vacation like the rockstar parent you are.
