Traveling as a Single Parent? Here’s Your Complete Guide

106 Shares

Whether you are travelling as a single parent or traveling alone with a child, this post is for you. With some 25% of households headed by single parents, it’s more common to be the only adult while you take your kids on a holiday.

Traveling with kids is a lot of fun and can help create some of their best memories. That said, you also have to take certain steps to stick to your budget and stay safe while exploring the world.

I have had limited experience taking my child alone on international trips. Usually, it’s been only for a long-haul flight to come back home while my husband goes elsewhere. Domestic trips with my daughter have been several. I did a mother daughter trek in the Kashmir Alpine meadows which was great fun. Many in the travel industry have started offering single parent programs and discounts that make travel for these families both more affordable and enjoyable.

Disclaimer: This helpful post contains some Affiliate links. This means that if you click on any of the links in this post (AND make a purchase) I may receive a small commission at absolutely no cost to you. As such I thank you in advance should you decide to click & buy.

Page Contents

7 Tips for Traveling as a Solo Parent

Safety Always Comes First

This may sound obvious, but the reason this is so high on the list is that most parents don’t consider new types of danger, such as hackers and other criminals on the internet. Share your location via GPS with a trusted family member or friend while traveling as a single parent.

So, besides choosing accommodation that’s in a safe area and keeping an eye out while roaming around a new citty, you should also consider purchasing a VPN. There are many providers, but I advise that you choose a well-known platform like Surfshark and research it thoroughly. You can find out all you need to know about Surfshark VPN online.

Fun and Life Lessons Are Close Seconds

Most single parents set a high-security standard when traveling with their kids, but it’s also important to keep the fun and teaching alive!

Stimulating your kids helps them stay engaged in the trip and avoid boredom, so always build your holidays around fun activities. And for most children, this doesn’t include a day by the pool.

Also, remember that putting your child in a new situation will result in more questions than ever, so be prepared to instill some knowledge while guiding the trip as well. Want a little tip to keep their curiosity alive? Plan the trip with them and have them choose some of the activities.

Ask for Help

There will be several occasions on your trip, where you may need to ask for help from strangers. It could be as simple as taking a photo. Or managing a screaming baby on a long-haul flight. Just relax and don’t be shy of asking for help. Remember you are not the only single parent in the world and there are loads of others in similar situation. When my daughter was younger and I did trips within India just with her, I have had strangers help with the baby stroller up and down the stairs.

Mother Daughter Hiking Trip to Kashmir with others. My daughter loved it!

A good reason to take single parent group trips is that you get to lean on other parents on those group trips. So, if you need to take an optional hike or take a nap, there is another parent who would volunteer to watch the children at the pool.

Pre-book your hotels and tours

Don’t make a rushed itinerary for your trip. Take time at each spot to travel slow and easy. It will help you manage everything better as a single adult, plus bond much more with your child.

To alleviate anxiety and unpleasant surprises, pre-book hotels, rental car, train tickets, main tours on your itinerary. Booking early will also give you better availability and pricing.

Travel light with a baby / young kid

This seems like an obvious one. Although I must admit that it is hard to keep the checklist to a bare minimum when traveling with a baby. But many a times, you will find that hotels and restaurants do have strollers or high chairs or cots for guests’ babies and toddlers. Or that you can rent a car seat when you rent a car in another country.

When traveling as a single mom, it is important to pack light. — wearing a baby on a sling will keep your hands free.

You also need to keep your carry-on bag light and super-organised while traveling as a single parent / mom so that your hands are free to manage your baby.

Strike a Balance between Planned and Spontaneous Activities

It’s a good idea to prevent your child from getting bored by planning several activities. However, in most places, there are tons of fun things to do locally and these are usually only available once you get to the location.

The solution here is to find the right balance between planning a large portion of your trip, but also leaving some free time to either recharge your batteries or do another fun activity.

Tips to Keep Costs Low

Budgeting is a massive part of your family holiday, even if it’s just a short parent-child holiday. Not to mention that this is even more important for larger tips! A large portion of parents plan on spending less than $200 per day on each child while on holiday. This number varies greatly depending on your location, income, and other factors.

Natural attractions often have a low price tag, important to consider when traveling as a single parent. — Lots of free things to do at every vacation spot.

To help keep your budget low, you can:

Choose a destination with low-cost or free attractions: Reserves, parks, beaches, and other natural attractions often have a low price tag or can even be free, so you can target locations with this type of attraction if you want to keep costs low.
Research the area you’re staying: By knowing the area you’re staying you will know exactly what options you have available, so you can plan every day of your trip every day in more detail.
Hunt for bargains: Bargain hunting feels like a millenary tradition and you should not hesitate to tap into this resource, just like countless parents who have planned amazing vacations on a low budget.
Check your credit card miles and points: One of the best ways to get flights and accommodation in a fun location at a low price is to use your credit card miles and points. A lot of parents forget about these, so check your account if you haven’t yet. Also, check out Frugal Flyer on how you can use miles and points to save money on your next vacation.

To Wrap Up

Traveling as a single parent is a uniquely rewarding experience, especially if you take the time to organize fun trips with your little ones on a regular basis. I hope that the guide above helps you stay safe, plan a fun trip, make sure your child is engaged, and make time to answer any questions that come from the little one.

Likewise, it’s important to leave some wiggle room for spontaneous activities. This will help cultivate a feeling of adventure while showing the kids just how fun it can be to grab life by the horns.