The Absolute Best Places to Travel with Your Newborn
Embarking on your first trip with a newborn can feel daunting, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to create lasting family memories and rediscover the world through new eyes. Choosing the right destination is key to a successful and enjoyable journey for both parents and baby. Drawing on extensive family travel experience, we’ve compiled a list of the absolute best places known for being exceptionally baby-friendly, offering relaxation, convenience, and memorable experiences. Whether you’re looking for a quick getaway or an international adventure, these destinations are tried and true favorites for traveling with an infant.
Portugal
Portugal stands out as an exceptionally welcoming country for families traveling with babies. The Portuguese culture is incredibly baby-friendly, and families are often shown preferential treatment, such as being invited to skip lines – a significant convenience when navigating new places with a little one. The sense of community and warm reception makes families feel truly welcome. Consider starting in Porto before exploring the scenic Douro Valley wine region or taking a road trip down the coast to rent a villa in the charming, low-key surfside town of Comporta.
Where to Stay in Portugal with a Baby
When traveling with a newborn or infant, finding accommodation that caters to your needs is crucial. Six Senses Douro Valley is renowned for its baby-friendly approach, offering everything from cribs to sterilizers, ensuring parents can pack lighter. They also provide reliable in-room childcare services. In Porto, consider this hotel recommended for its suitability for families, while renting a villa in Comporta offers a relaxed, family-friendly base.
Tokyo, Japan
Japan is celebrated as one of the most baby-friendly travel destinations globally. Its culture emphasizes cleanliness, organization, and respect, making it ideal for families. Public transit in Tokyo is efficient and stroller-friendly, and the city is also highly walkable, perfect for stroller naps and exploring parks. While great for toddlers with interactive museums and Disneyland, Tokyo is equally suitable for babies of any age.
The Best Time of Year to Visit Japan with a Baby
For travel with an infant, mild temperatures are often preferable. The best times to visit Japan are April-May or September-October, avoiding the heat and humidity of summer and offering pleasant conditions for exploring. Cherry blossom season (April/May) and fall foliage are particularly beautiful, though any season in Japan is lovely.
Mexico
For families seeking a tropical, relaxing escape with minimal travel fuss, Mexico is an excellent choice for a vacation with a baby. Mexican resorts are often highly accommodating to children and infants, providing amenities and services that make travel easier during that crucial first year.
Where to Stay in Mexico with a Baby
Mexico offers a range of baby-friendly accommodations.
- Luxury Options: The Rosewood Mayakoba in Playa Del Carmen provides exceptional service, anticipating family needs with amenities like bottle warmers and baby baths upon arrival. Their talented on-site nannies are a significant perk. The Waldorf Astoria Pedregal Los Cabos is another stunning luxury choice in Cabo, with the unique benefit of having a private, heated plunge pool in every room, perfect for babies.
- All-Inclusive Value: For families seeking an all-inclusive experience, Finest Playa Mujeres near Cancun is highly recommended. It features an extensive kids club with waterslides and activities, plus the significant advantage of full-time nannies available at no additional cost.
Napa Valley, California
While often associated with adult getaways, wine regions like Napa Valley offer a relaxed pace, beautiful scenery, and excellent food, making them surprisingly suitable for travel with an infant. Many wineries in Napa and nearby Sonoma are kid-friendly, allowing parents to enjoy tastings while their little ones are accommodated. A stay here provides a chance for parents to relax and enjoy world-class wine and cuisine.
Where to Stay With a Baby in Napa Valley
For a luxurious stay, Montage Healdsburg offers beautiful vineyard views, sophisticated rooms, and excellent dining, making it a perfect luxurious, baby-friendly base. The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma is another great option, offering spacious rooms, a pool, and proximity to family activities.
The best time of year to visit Napa Valley: Fall, during harvest season, or spring offer beautiful weather and a lively atmosphere, ideal for visiting Napa Valley with a baby.
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona, with its stunning red rock landscapes, offers a different kind of family getaway. Known for its natural beauty and spiritual energy, it’s a great destination for relaxation and rejuvenation, which is often needed when traveling with an infant. The easy access to hiking trails makes it possible to enjoy the scenery even with a stroller or carrier.
Where to Stay with a Baby in Sedona
Enchantment Resort is an excellent choice, offering easy access to hiking trails right from the property, eliminating the need to drive.
The best time to visit Sedona
Spring is popular for its mild weather, ideal for hiking, but can be crowded. Fall offers pleasant temperatures but is more prone to rain. Winter is the least crowded and least expensive, with variable weather ranging from cool to cold, potentially with snow or rain, but can also offer beautiful clear, chilly days. Avoid summer due to excessive heat.
Switzerland
Switzerland’s safety, stunning natural beauty, and welcoming attitude towards children make it a fantastic travel destination with a baby. The country offers excellent facilities for families and a wide range of activities that adults and children can enjoy together, from exploring vibrant cities to visiting picturesque villages and enjoying mountain landscapes.
When to visit Switzerland with a baby
Summer (June to August) is the best time for families to visit Switzerland, with great weather for outdoor activities like hiking and swimming in the lakes. For those looking to avoid peak crowds while still enjoying pleasant conditions, consider visiting in the shoulder season, such as September.
The Maldives
While a longer journey for many, the Maldives offers an unparalleled luxury tropical escape that is surprisingly baby-friendly. The slow, relaxing pace of island life, combined with high-end resorts catering specifically to families, makes it a dreamy bucket-list trip with an infant. Biking around the island, stargazing, and enjoying the beautiful surroundings create unique family moments.
The best places to stay with a baby in the Maldives?
One&Only Reethi Rah is a top choice, featuring family villas with pools, a great kids club, and easy accessibility by boat from Male. Six Senses Laamu is another fantastic option known for being exceptionally baby-friendly, offering in-villa babysitting, toys, and amenities like octopus pancakes for little ones, ensuring big adventures for even the smallest travelers.
The best time of year to visit the Maldives
The driest season, from November to May, is recommended for visiting the Maldives with a baby to enjoy the best weather conditions. Planning travel with an infant often involves considering seasonal weather patterns, similar to choosing the best time to travel to ecuador or any other tropical location.
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is known for its charm, historic architecture, incredible food scene, and Southern hospitality, making it a wonderfully baby and kid-friendly destination for a family getaway or even a multi-generational trip. The nearby beaches add another layer of relaxation and fun.
Where to stay in Charleston with a baby
Hotels like The Hotel Bennett, Zero George, and Charleston Place offer great options in the heart of the city. For a quieter luxury experience outside town, consider Kiawah Island, or Wild Dunes for a lively family resort on the beach.
The best time of year to visit Charleston with a baby
Visiting Charleston with an infant is most pleasant in May/June or September/October, avoiding the intense humidity and heat of the summer months while still enjoying beautiful weather.
The Caribbean (St. Martin & Anguilla)
The Caribbean offers numerous baby-friendly islands with calm beaches, soft sands, and warm weather.
St. Martin
St. Martin is considered one of the most kid-friendly islands, offering calm waters perfect for little ones and a family-friendly restaurant scene. The Belmond La Samanna is the premier luxury resort, offering a secluded setting on a stunning beach with Mediterranean-inspired architecture and excellent facilities for families. Its safe and easy-to-navigate environment makes it highly recommended for travel with a baby.
Anguilla
Located near St. Martin, Anguilla is known for its breathtaking beaches. Belmond Cap Juluca is a highly recommended luxury resort for families, praised for its baby-friendly beach and stunning setting. For value, Frangipani Beach Resort on Mead’s Bay offers excellent hospitality, family-friendly activities, and a prime beach location. When considering logistical details for travel, sometimes unexpected stops are part of the journey, and it’s interesting to see snapshots of places like flying j dealer — mega travel plaza breezewood photos, showcasing various aspects of travel routes.
Tropical beach view at Frangipani Beach Resort, Anguilla
Hawaii
Hawaii’s islands are a classic family vacation destination, offering a blend of relaxation, adventure, and stunning natural beauty. With a long history of welcoming families, Hawaii provides numerous activities and accommodations suitable for even the youngest travelers. Traveling with a newborn or toddler in Hawaii allows parents to revisit their own childhood memories or create new ones in a familiar and welcoming environment.
Where to stay in Hawaii with a baby
- Maui: The Four Seasons Maui at Wailea is highly recommended for its impeccable service and baby-friendly amenities. Located on a beautiful stretch of beach, it caters to families seeking understated elegance and delicious dining.
- The Big Island: Four Seasons Hualalai is an ideal choice, offering an extensive list of baby essentials upon request, including cribs, playpens, diapers, wipes, bottle warmers, and even white noise machines. This significantly reduces the amount parents need to pack, making travel much less stressful. When considering travel systems, especially for growing families or multiple infants, researching the best travel system for twins can also be a valuable step in planning for future trips.
Palm Beach, FL
For a quick, sunny getaway within the USA, Palm Beach, Florida, offers a luxurious and incredibly baby-friendly option. The Four Seasons Palm Beach is highlighted for its calm beach, family pool, toddler room, and proactive provision of baby essentials like comfortable cribs, white noise machines, and diaper pails, making it a true luxury family vacation spot within the US. It offers good food, a nice beach, and reliable warm weather year-round.
Traveling with a newborn is not just possible, but can be a truly enriching and memorable experience. By choosing destinations and accommodations that prioritize family needs and offer a welcoming environment, parents can enjoy a relaxing and adventurous trip with their little ones. The destinations listed above are consistently praised for their baby-friendly amenities, welcoming cultures, and beautiful settings, making them ideal choices for your first travels as a family.