So my kids and I are going to tag along on my husband's business convention in August to DC. We are staying downtown and will not be renting a car. We will need to get to and from the airport and are thinking of a car service. My question is what to do about car seats for my 4 yr old and 18 month old. I really don't want to bring both car seats for the trip, and we don't want to have to rent a car for the whole week just to get to and from the airport using car seats. So what to do? Have you ever went on a trip and not needed the car seats? What did you do? We are still having to pack the stroller and pack and play and I just wanted to cut down on the extra clutter... Any travel advise is welcomed!!!
Thank you guys for ALL your responses. After brainstorming about our trip and reading all that you guys wrote, here is what we have decided: We are bringing the car seats. For one, we will need my 18 month olds' on the plane. I really don't want to wrestle her all the way to DC, and that way she can nap if she wants (ha.) And I do have a Safeguard Go hybrid booster seat for my 4 yr old. And it folds up so nicely that I don't know why I didn't think of that to begin with. We just have to make sure the car service has the top teether for it to work. And with the car seat dilemma I had forgotten about the stroller. SO thank you who ever you were to remind me to bring the stroller (the sit n stand one for my 4 yr old since we will be doing a lot of walking!!!) We don't normally travel with a stroller because we just visit family. And with all the gear we are now toting, I will be getting the pack n play from the hotel. We are staying at a very nice hotel and I have already called and they have those. So all I have to do is pack the sheets!!! I think we are just about ready to go. Now I just have to research what to do with the kiddos while my husband is at his confrence!!! Thanks again to all!!! I love when other mommies put all their ideas together. I don't know what I would do without ya'll!!!
Just tell the car service or call a cab company and tell them you need the seats. They have them and usually the upcharge is not very much.
They have portable carseats now.It looks basically like the pad and harness very small and portable.There are sevral different brands even eddie bauer ones.Here are some links
http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Portable-Seat-Collectio...
http://www.amazon.com/Eddie-Bauer-Portable-Seat-Collectio...
http://www.shopwiki.com/portable+car+seat
many airport car services/shuttles have car seats that you can request when you set up the reservation.
also, I am not sure how you might feel about using the hotel pack n play...typically now hotels offer these instead of regular "cribs".
You first need to check what the rules are for car seats in DC. IF you don't have car seats and it is the law, then there is a chance the car service people (if they don't provide them) will not be able to allow you in the car.
My sister works for a shuttle company at an airport (not in DC) and she runs into this problem all the time. People get mad at her, but she is just following the law and can lose her job if she doesn't.
Most towns have shuttles from holels to downtown or attractions. I just called and checked and they if your 4 yr old is 49 inches tall then he does not need a car seat. But call the state and find out. G. W
Most car services and some taxi services will provide carseats for an additional charge.
We have the Safeguard Go and use it as a second car seat for our very small 5 year old. We love it & it folds down to fit in a suitcase. It sets up in seconds & enables you to use the five point harness for longer & then converts into a backless booster. I'm not sure if the 18 month old would be big enough. I would never put my infant in a shuttle without a car seat. I've dealt with patients who were adults involved in a collision in shuttles and were severely injured. Who knows what it would have done to an infant. Also, that five point harness with a Britax Marathon saved my child's life last spring when I totalled the car. She would have slid ride out of a backless booster. So, I'd get the Safeguard Go, use a service with car seats or schlep the car seats. They can put a pack and play in your room. Have fun!
I would try calling the airport or the hotel you're staying at and ask about their shuttle options. The hotel might have a shuttle with car seats. The airport might know of specific places that have car seats or can give you the names of the shuttle companies and you can call and ask them. I completely understand about not wanting to take extra stuff while traveling, best to do some research! Good luck!
They make car seats called pack and go, I think they are made by cosco or graco. They are small and flat and will fit in a suitcase. It is just a back board but it has the 5 point harness system which is what you need. They are approved and legal car seats. These are awesome and we love them for travel. They are hard to find in stores. But look on line. We even found them on ebay. they are called tote and go, cosco website says discontinued but they are on ebay
I personally would borrow a pack & play rather than a car seat. There are too many variables that go along with carseats. You can get mattress pads at Babies R Us, and take your own sheets. There are travel vests that you can get for the four year old. They are able to be packed in the suitcase; you might even be able to use the vest on the plane. I will find the vest and add a link for you. Here is that link:
http://www.safetrafficsystem.com
For the 18 month old, I would just take his seat. I know that it is tough. We have 5 children four of them are still in some kind of seat. Hope that you are able to work it out. Have a great trip.
i think that as long as you use a bigger service (not just a guy and his towncar), they should have at least an infant seat for your 18MO. You just need to make the reservations in advance and tell them you need one. If you use a shuttle service, they sometimes have a bunch of seats at the airport, but it's first come/first serve for using those.
I use to work for a rental car company and we use to rent them. Have you checked with them? Local baby stores also rent them, you may find one near the airport that might deliver to you. The other thought is to get a Van that has the built in seats.
Hi S.,
I used to travel weekly for my previous employer and used car services often. I seem to remember some of them offering (for an extra cost) things such as car seats so when they pick you up it is installed. They may not be the situation now - I know it is also common for car rental places as well, but I know you said you guys are not renting. Hopefully the service you are using will offer a car seat. :)Good luck.
Check with the hotel as well. Most hotels have pack n plays or porta cribs which means you do not have to tote a pack n play.
I used to travel a lot with my 2 kids and I used the cosco tote n go seats, they were great because they were easy to carry, I just put them both in their kids suitcase and let the kids carry them, when the little one was small we had to prop him up better because it is not a stable seat and they will have a lot more "wiggle" room, (they could open the car doors from the seat, so make sure you lock the doors if you are not sitting next to them. but I really liked them. like several others said check with your car service and see if they have car seats.
if you can't find the tote n go seats let me know I've still got mine
There are companies that rent baby stuff in different cities. From Cribs to toys to carseats. I don't remember the name or what cities but I think if you do a little searching on the web, you might find some info. Also there are rental car companies that make car seats available.
Good Luck!
Call the car service in advance and see if they can send a car with seats installed in it already!
If not, I'd just take the seat for the 18 month old.
We took the subway just about everywhere we needed to go...and it was most convenient to the airport. Don't know how much luggage etc. you will have, but it worked great for us. Also, your hotel might have a shuttle. Call and ask them before you go.
S.,Check with shuttle services. Most do not require a car seat. Hold the baby and 4 year old can get in seat belt. Good luck! L.
can you take the subway or train?
I didn't read all the responses so someone may have already said this. If you are flying into Reagan then take the Metro. It picks up right there at the airport and goes near most landmarks in the city. And your 4 year old will love it. Of course this all depends on how much luggage you have ;-)
I know it's been mentioned a few times but definitely check with the car service, some of them have car seats that you can either pay extra for or might even be included. I would definitely check with the hotel about the availability of a crib or pack n play that they might have and just pack your own sheet, I do that all the time. The most important item you need is your stroller, everything else should be available in DC. Have fun!
