Baby’s First Holiday: Choosing the Right Destination & What to Pack

Philip’s first holiday.

First time on a trip as a family of three.

First time seeing the ocean, boarding a plane, getting a first stamp in his first passport … so many firsts!

I am beyond grateful for these precious memories and soaking up every single moment.

We had been waiting for the right time to take our first holiday as a family. If you’re planning your baby’s first trip, I’m sharing everything we learned—how to choose a baby-friendly destination, what to pack, and a few travel tips.

Choosing a Baby-Friendly Destination

Planning your baby’s first holiday is such an exciting milestone, but picking the right destination makes all the difference. My husband and I spent a lot of time researching baby-friendly hotels, resorts, and locations—places that felt safe, comfortable, and convenient, with easy access to essentials like medical care, baby supplies, and family-friendly activities.

We knew we wanted:

✔️ A place with mild weather—extreme heat or cold can be tricky with a little one.

✔️ To travel after all vaccines but before weaning—since I exclusively breastfeed, it meant one less thing to worry about (no sterilisers, bottles, or formula to carry).

After considering several options, we chose Tenerife, Canary Islands.

✨ Flight time: 4.5 hours from London—longer than a short-haul, but not a long-haul either.

✨ Weather: A pleasant 20°C—warm but not scorching.

✨ Baby-friendly: We booked a family-friendly hotel where 90% of couples had children under four. Since it wasn’t half-term, it was also quieter.

With the right destination, your baby’s first holiday will be a beautiful experience for the whole family, full of special moments and happy memories.

What to Pack: The Essentials & The Whole Kitchen Sink

I started packing a week in advance and still felt like I was forgetting something. In the end, we had seven pieces of luggage (including the pram!). It was a lot, but knowing we had everything we needed gave me peace of mind—better safe than sorry!

Here’s what I packed for Philip for our 7-day trip:

✅ Travel & Essentials

• Our everyday pram (didn’t buy a travel one—more on that below!)

• Baby carrier – always, always with us

• Noise-cancelling headphones

• Vitamin D drops & BioGaia baby probiotics

• 3 spoons for supplements (sterilised with boiling water from the hotel kettle)

• Thermometer (just in case)

• Calpol (just in case)

• Electric baby nail file

✅ Clothes

• 10 onesies/pajamas (one per day + extras)

• 10 sets of outfits (joggers, tops, trousers, T-shirts)

• 7 short-sleeve vests

• 7 wrap-over bodysuits

• 10 pairs of socks (because they always go missing!)

• 2 sleeping sacks (0.5 & 1.5 Tog)

• 1 jacket

• 2 baby swimsuits with matching hats

• 2 sun hats

✅ Toiletries & Extras

• 50+ SPF baby sunscreen

• 1 cellular cotton blanket & 1 fleece blanket

• 1 towel

• Baby shampoo & comb (Philip has amazing hair!)

• 5 burp cloths (always handy)

• 5 muslin cloths (you can’t have too many)

• 1 large muslin

• 20 disposable nappy changing pads

• Baby tent with UV protection

• Inflatable baby chair

✅ Nappies & Wipes

• 1 full pack of nappies (70 in total)(some parents buy at the destination, but I preferred to bring our usual brand)

• 2 packs of water wipes

• 2 travel-size Bepanthen creams

💡 Pro Tip: I kept most of Philip’s essentials in my hand luggage and stuffed extra items (like nappies, wipes, and the baby tent) into our pram bag for extra storage.

The Pram Dilemma

We use the iCandy Peach 7, and I love it—it’s the perfect pram for us, especially in London. The only downside? It’s heavy. I didn’t want to buy a travel pram as we needed the storage and also I feel like they’re not as comfortable as the “normal” prams. 

I was conscious about how we’d manage the pram while traveling. I ordered a huge stroller bag from Amazon, thinking it would fit both the bassinet and the frame. Spoiler alert: It didn’t. And we only figured that out at the gate before boarding! (Note to self: test these things in advance!)

Here’s what we ended up doing:

✔️ Checked our suitcases but took the pram to the gate.

✔️ Bassinet went into the stroller bag (along with nappies, wipes, blankets, and more).

✔️ Pram frame went separately.

✔️ Got two luggage tags for the pram at the gate and handed it over to staff.

💡 Travel Tip: Different airports have different rules. Some give you the pram as soon as you step off the plane, while others (like ours) return it at the oversized luggage area after passport control.

Final Thoughts

This was our first trip abroad with a baby, and like any new experience, it came with a few challenges. But as they say—you learn on the job!

✈️ For our next trip?

We’ll try to pack lighter and optimize luggage (though I make no promises!).

📍 Coming up next: I’ll be sharing our experience with flights and holiday travel tips. Stay tuned!

💬 I’d love to hear from you!

What was your first trip with your little one like? What worked? What didn’t? Let me know in the comments!