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It’s officially Fall! It definitely doesn’t fe It’s officially Fall! It definitely doesn’t feel like it in Miami, it really never does but that just gives us a reason to explore other states. West Virginia is one of them, fun fact I actually lived here between undergrad and grad school! Here are Things to do in West Virginia (SAVE + SHARE): 

1. Enjoy New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, or visit any of the states 35 state parks as West Virginia has 1.5 million acres of parks and public land. We personally walked the Shavers Lake Trail and canoed on the lake. 

2. Enjoy some serious adventures! We’re always trying something new and West Virginia offers a lot of options from whitewater rafting, to 1,000+ miles of off-road ATV trails, to rock climbing, caving and mountain biking . 

3. Take a train ride on the Cass Scenic Railroad which stops at the Whittaker Camp where those who worked in the lumber and coal industry lived during the work season. 

4. Explore Cranberry Glades Botanical Area where you might just get to see some black bears! 

5. Walk the Falls of Hills Creak trail to get up close to some gorgeous waterfalls! 

This week I’ll be sharing various cities and states you can experience a beautiful Fall getaway. What are some of your favorite places to enjoy autumn?

Tap the link in my bio for my West Virginia blog post and a blog post of the best places to experience Fall in the US!
Still not over our day exploring the waters of For Still not over our day exploring the waters of Fort Pierce. We danced, snorkeled, fished and went tubing. Definitely want more days like this and still pinch myself that this is what a day of work looks like for me sometimes. Thank you @seadoo for the opportunity.
If you know my husband you know water activities a If you know my husband you know water activities are his favorite! Fishing, jet skiing, just being on a boat on the ocean relaxing, name it, he’s there. So we couldn’t be more excited than to not only get the chance to test out the new @seadoo Switch but be the stars of a whole commercial for it. We had entirely too much fun filming this. Of course now he wants to buy one!

Do you like getting out on the water? Favorite activity?
Our 3 Day London Itinerary (SAVE + SHARE): 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Day 1: Walked across the Tower Bridge (you can take a tour of London of Tower as well), walked along the River Thames and took a make a fascination hat class with @create_your_own_hat! 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Day 2: Harry Potter walking tour, checked out Borough Market and went on a night ghost bus tour. 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Day 3: Morning Tea at Peggy Porschen, Buckingham Palace for Changing of the Guards, and explore Westminster for the infamous red telephone booths, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey.

If you have more time on previous visits to London we have taken a day trip to check out Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Castle, rode the London Eye, took a ferry ride down the Thames River, checked out Warner Brother Studios, and did a graffiti/street art tour.

Is London on your list? If you’ve been what did you do that you think is a must for visitors?

Things to do in London, London with kids, family travel
Then vs Now (swipe left)!🥹🥰 My babies are no Then vs Now (swipe left)!🥹🥰 My babies are not babies anymore. Where has the time gone? Excuse me while I go cry in the corner 😭😭😭😭. 

Too in my feelings to provide an informational post, I’ll be back tomorrow.
Why is this man always trying to stop my fun? List Why is this man always trying to stop my fun? Listen replace husband with whoever you need to but why these ppl keep acting like we can take our money when we’re gone?!? Y’all feel me or nah? 😅😬😩
Morning Tea in London! Afternoon or High Tea is us Morning Tea in London! Afternoon or High Tea is usually on everyone’s things to do in London list but since the girls and I don’t eat beef or pork the menus for most places didn’t make sense for us as they are filled with ham sandwiches and other things we don’t eat. I ended up finding Morning Tea at Peggy Porschen instead which offers a tea menu with breakfast items, while not traditional it worked best for us! It cost £35 pp.

For a traditional Afternoon or High Tea Try:

🫖Palm Court at The Ritz
🫖The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason
🫖Theatre Royal Drury Lane
🫖The Grill Room Hotel Cafe Royal (has vegetarian an vegan options)
🫖Coronation Afternoon Tea at Cellarium, Westminster Abbey
🫖The Rosebery Coronation Afternoon Tea at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
🫖The Goring Hotel

Afternoon Teas Geared Towards Families:

☕️Peter Pan Afternoon Tea at Aqua at The Shard
☕️Jurassic Afternoon Tea at the Ampersand Hotel
☕️Jungle Book Afternoon Tea at Brown’s Hotel
☕️Secret Garden Afternoon Tea at Taj 51
☕️The Buzzy Bees Afternoon Tea at St. Ermin’s Hotel
☕️Grover’s Children’s Tea at Grosvenor House Hotel
☕️The Peppa Pig Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
☕️Sherlock Holmes Inspired Afternoon Tea at the Mind Palace
☕️Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Tea at One Aldwych
☕️Mad Hatter Afternoon Tea at The Sanderson
☕️Wizard of Oz Afternoon Tea at The Soho Hotel

Have you done a proper Afternoon or High Tea in London before? Was the one you did on this list, if so what did you think of it? If you have additional recommendations please do leave a comment!

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5 Tips for a Smooth Airport Experience With Kids

June 30, 2016      Tips on Traveling with Kids

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

You finally booked that trip with your child and made it to the airport, hopefully on time. We all know getting through security as an adult is a pain and now you’re adding on a child! Find out the best car seat carrier to use and four other tips for a smooth airport experience with young kids.

Documents Needed When Flying with Kids

Before you head to the ticket counter to check in make sure you have the proper documentation for your children.

Domestic Flights: For unpaid lap infants you will need to carry proof of age in the form of a birth certificate, immunization records, or passport. I personally have never been asked to show it but I have seen firsthand a father, who didn’t have proof of age, denied boarding for his flight unless he paid for a seat for his daughter. Buying a ticket at the gate is no small fee so better to be safe than sorry.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips on Flying with Babies or Tips on Flying with Toddlers

International Flights: All passengers regardless of age require a passport to travel internationally (read how to apply for a child one here). If both parents or legal guardian(s) are not traveling with the child you are required to have a notarized document giving you permission to take the child out of the country alone or proof that you have sole custody. Although only required for entry to some countries, airlines, cruises, and immigration officers have the right to ask you for this documentation as they try to reduce kidnappings and human trafficking of children. Throughout our travels I have been asked for this form twice, once by Royal Caribbean and another by Delta Airlines. We’ve always gone to our bank to get the forms notarized. Although it can be a pain, I’m glad we took the precaution to get it done so we didn’t miss out on those two trips.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Surviving Long-Haul Flights with Kids

All passengers require a boarding pass, even non-ticketed infants. Some airlines such as Delta will have a notification like “Infant in Arms” on the adults boarding pass that they are linked to, others like JetBlue have separate boarding passes for the infant. Some airline apps allow you to access the infant boarding pass from it just like your own but others will only show the adults so you will have to stop by the check-in kiosk or ticket counter so allow extra time!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

Kids Luggage Allowance

On most airlines parents of lap infants will be allowed to check in both a car seat and a stroller at the ticket counter or at the gate, free of charge. You will also be able to bring a diaper bag on board in addition to your carry-on allowance. If you purchased a ticket for your child they will have the same luggage allowances as an adult. Airline rules vary, especially when traveling budget airlines, so be sure to check the website of the airline you’re traveling. Print a copy of what’s allowed and keep it with you in case you are challenged by an uninformed gate agent or flight attendant.


Getting Through Airport Security with Kids

Children under 12 do not have to remove their shoes, light jackets or headwear when going through the metal detectors, thank God! Unfortunately you still have to remove yours. I recommend wearing easy slip on and off shoes as you will likely be juggling with a car seat, stroller, and/or carrier or a combination of the three.

Traveling with Food and Breast Milk

Can you take food through airport security? Yes you can bring food through airport security as long as it isn’t restricted from being brought from the country you are leaving to the one you are heading to. Don’t worry there will be plenty of signs letting you know what those are.

What about bringing drinks through airport security with kids? When traveling with an infant or toddler you are allowed to carry milk and juice for them and these liquids do not have to follow the 3.4oz. Keep in mind these liquids will be subject to additional screening so give yourself an extra 15-20mins for this.  Pack these items in a separate bag to make it easier. Once at the x-ray machine take them out or your luggage and put it through the machine separately.  There is no limit on the amount of breast milk or formula you can bring on the plane. Do not let a TSA agent tell you otherwise, some of them unfortunately just don’t know the rules. Ask to speak with a supervisor if you get push back and read more on traveling with breast milk here.

You are allowed to have ice packs, freezer packs, etc. to keep these items cool. However, if your ice packs are not frozen TSA can make you toss them as they are now liquid so be sure they are frozen. To avoid this altogether consider traveling with a gallon sized zip lock bag. Once you get through security you can ask someone at a food counter or the flight attendants to fill it with ice.


Gate Checking Strollers and Car Seats

If you are gate checking your stroller or car seat they will also have to go through the x-ray machine. If they do not fit, they will be hand searched. When using a baby carrier TSA agents are supposed to have you remove your child from the carrier, put your carrier through the x-ray machine and have you hold your baby while you walk through the metal detector. I’ve learned while your child always has to come out of the car seat or stroller, TSA seems to be more lenient with the carrier.

Some agents have made me take my kids out of the carrier while others just let me walk through the metal detector. Whether you carry your baby in the carrier or in your arms you will have to have your hands tested for certain particles. If you aren’t traveling with your infant car seat I recommend using your baby carrier through the airport and checking your stroller at the ticket counter. I love my Ergobaby 360 and highly recommend it. You can read more TSA rules and tips on flying with children here.


Getting To the Gate with Kids: The Best Carrier For Car Seats in the Airport

Being hands free and having your children confined is the fastest way to get through the airport. I like to carry as little as possible so my infant is always in the carrier. When traveling with a car seat the easiest way to get it to the gate is to use a car seat carrier for the airport. We have the SmartMove by Brica and it is absolutely a lifesaver.

The car seat carrier we use in the airport

 
​
If you have an infant you can use the Brica Cover Guard Car Seat Tote to either carry your infant car seat like a backpack or roll it. It’s also fits convertible car seats so if you’re not using your car seat on the plane you can use this to protect your car seat. You’ll want to do this before gate checking it so it doesn’t get dirty and filled with germs.

 

mom with baby in carrier and pushing other child in the stroller
Best carrier for infant car seats in airport


If you aren’t traveling with a car seat using a carrier or Mountain Buggy Bagrider is the perfect option for getting your infant and toddlers to the gate. You’ll easily be able to carry your luggage and other items since you don’t have to hold anyone’s hand.

dad pulling suitcase with toddler sitting on top of it


​Killing Time Before Your Flight with Kids

Before getting to the airport check if there are any play areas for kids. This will keep you sane, especially if there are any unexpected delays.  If not, lounges have saved our lives! Lounges offer free food, drinks, wifi and comfortable seating. We get lounge access via our Priority Pass, which was free from one of our credit cards. Learn more about Priority Pass here and which credit cards offer a free membership here.

kids playing in play area at airport

I hope these tips prepare you for smooth sailing through the airport with your kids in tow. If you found this article helpful please share it!

The Traveling Child is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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Comments

  1. Alison says

    July 4, 2016 at 1:53 pm

    Make sure your ice packs are frozen solid! I made that mistake flying back with breast milk. The freezer in my hotel didn’t work and I forgot to ask the hotel to let me keep my Medela ice packs in their freezer. At security the TSA agent said my breast milk was fine but I couldn’t’ leave the ice packs because they were now liquid. Luckily I always keep a gallon storage bag with me so I asked someone at a food counter to fill it with ice for my cooler which saved my milk.

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Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

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