Customer Reviews

The Rough Guide to Travel with Babies and Young Children, 1st Edition

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As the author of several travel books, I often get asked for recommendations on books covering the very different world of traveling with young children. Until now, I've usually sent people to blogs or websites on the subject because none of the books available really covered the subject with any depth. Way too much of the practical advice deals with either car trips to grandma's or well-worn paths to Disney World and Hawaii. What about the people looking for a richer experience?

This book is different. Rough Guides are geared to travelers who want to do more than skim the surface of a destination and this family travel guide goes beyond the simplistic advice about keeping your little ones occupied on the road. Travel with Babies and Young children convinces you that almost anything is possible, but is not afraid to point out the hurdles and sensitivity issues you will encounter along the way. After its 209 pages of advice, rundowns, and stories from other travelers, your family will be ready for whatever the world throws at you all. As someone who got his daughter a passport when she turned three, I found the tips here to be right on the money.

This will be my de facto gift to new mothers and fathers from now on.

I've traveled, sans, with, and as a child, and have a multicultural international family so that might bias me, but I didn't find this book to contain any advice that was extraordinary. For those who are visiting someplace far and unfamiliar, some of the information regarding basic customs might be useful, but do parents really need to be told to bring items to entertain kids, or that trains and airports can be interesting place for kids to explore within reason and supervision. This has more common sense broad advice, not detailed from the trenches this is what to do in this location information, and it glazes over broad areas. If you desire something more specific or hidden ideas for actual situations and products look elsewhere.

This book is basically a stream of consciousness on travel, and reads like a novel rather than a resource guide.

It includes as many important points as it excludes. The advice is basically run-of-the-mill, like how to check-in at the airport. It mixes up advice for infants, toddlers and young children, so it's not easy to get relevant info. Lastly, the index is poor, so looking things up is not easy.

Because this is the first edition (published Jan. 2008), hopefully they'll get it right after a few more tries. In the meantime, consider some of the other books like Rivoli's Travels with Baby -- it's still not great, but much better than this one.

I guess I was looking for a book with more travel ideas and locations than one that lists the obvious essentials of traveling with a baby. We have a nine month old baby and were hoping to get some ideas on specific baby family destinations, and instead we have a book that lists all of the obvious things you already take with you on a trip to the grocery store. Thanks for the tip on taking diapers and formula on my next trip to Asia?? I have no idea where to stay or what to do once I get to "Asia" but at least I will remember to take my stroller. If your looking for a book full of tips you could easily get in a magazine article this is for you. If you want something more specific I guess for now my best suggestion is google.

I found this book helpful in that it leaves no stone unturned - advice for travel to all types of destinations, using all modes of transportation, with planning advice from well before you leave on the trip to after your return. It involves travel to not just standard fare European destinations but also more "exotic" locales where I have family, and so the counsel related to traveling to those parts was very useful. We also really enjoyed the travelers' tales and other travel anecdotes which provided context and flavor for the trips with kids. And the packing lists - though I had one of my own - was more comprehensive than any I'd seen and I now use it. Recommend the book to all journeying anyplace with kids.

I bought this as a refresher for traveling with my third child, 11 months, and then to past on to my brother who's expecting his first. I've read six traveling-with-babies type books over the years and was blown away by how much more information this book offers. There was even brand new information! (Those who have read more than one traveling-with-babies type book will know what I mean.)The only drawback, or plus if you are not American, is that it is written in an International-type voice so sometimes you need to look up words like "Pram" and "travel cot". This is the book for you if you are figuring out how to take your children to Africa, Iceland, or any unsual destination.

I find it refreshing to finally find a guide that offers information regarding traveling with children with special needs. This usually is a topic that is completely ignored in most, if not all, travel guides. As the mother of a kid with autism, I appreciate the info, tips and ideas presented in this book. Traveling with children with special needs is difficult at best, nightmarish at worst, but this book should help you plan and be ready to face all sorts of scenarios.

My husband and I travel quite a bit, but were a little nervous at the thought of traveling with a baby. After reading the personal stories of people going to Africa and going on remote hikes, I think we can pull off week in Spain easily!

This book is a lovely little guide for travelling! Even though i have travelled with my baby girl before reading this guide, I really enjoyed going through the chapters and finding more enthusiasm and inspiration to explore different parts of this world together with my daughter (and maybe more kids to come).
You may think "what do i need a guide for, if i've managed before without", but i think you will find a whole new attitude to traveling, and make each trip a great little experience for your children!

I don't know what I expected but certainly nothing this detailed or so well-written. It was fun to read, and completely educational. I don't have children of my own but as a travel writer I need to know what women travelers and mothers can expect. I wouldn't hesitate a single second to offer this book as a gift to parents, or to recommend it without reservation to anyone considering travel with young children. Not only is it practical, it's fun. I learned plenty about attitudes towards children around the world. Well done!