Traveling With 8 Kids: What We’ve Learned (and What We Forgot)
Discover the joys and challenges of traveling with a big family, and learn from our experiences on the road.
What Worked
What Flopped
Favorite Family Moments
Our Family Adventure
Yes, We Really Travel With Eight Kids
Yes, we really travel with eight kids.
And no, we don’t have a personal assistant, a nanny, or an unlimited budget. Just snacks, systems, love, and a whole lot of trial and error.
From our very first road trip to Miami in 2020 to flights to Australia and Bahamas family adventures, we’ve figured out (the hard way) what helps—and what absolutely doesn’t—when you’re traveling with a crew this big.
What Worked
That We’ll Never Travel Without Again
Baby Carrier
Whether you’re rushing through TSA or exploring somewhere scenic, babywearing saves your arms and sanity. It keeps the littles close and frees your hands for everything else (like grabbing a twin running in the opposite direction).
Booking a Suite or Airbnb
Hotels are great—but space is sacred. When possible, we book multi-room suites or vacation rentals to avoid bedtime battles and overstimulation.
Noise-Canceling Headphones
For long flights, car rides, or overstimulating days, these help our neurodiverse son stay regulated—and give us all a break from the chaos.
Snacks
We’ve learned to pack more than we think we’ll need. Snacks prevent at least 73% of family drama.
Wrong Stroller Choice
Bringing a bulky stroller made navigating airports a challenge, teaching us to pack lighter next time.
Favorite Family Moments
Exploring the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and building sandcastles on the beaches of the Bahamas were unforgettable highlights of our travels.
What Flopped
Don’t Be Like Us
Our first misstep was underestimating the importance of snacks. With eight kids in tow, hunger struck at the most inconvenient times, and we found ourselves scrambling to find something suitable to munch on. Lesson learned: never leave home without a well-stocked snack bag!
We underestimated the snack needs. Again.
One day, five hangry kids, zero fruit snacks. Lesson learned
We brought the wrong stroller.
Big, bulky, hard-to-fold—regret. We’ve since upgraded to a compact, fold-flat model we love.
One of our favorite memories?
Favorite Moments
Watching the kids smile and light up as they interacted with a kangaroo in Australia. They were so calm, so curious, and completely comfortable. That moment was worth every passport stamp, every meltdown, every extra bag.
The twins squealing in the ocean during our Bahamas trip.
Pure freedom.
Pure joy.
areas to improve
What We’ll Do Next Time
For our next adventure, we’ve compiled a wishlist to make our travels smoother. Portable chargers are at the top of the list to keep all devices powered and ready for use. A white noise machine will help ensure restful sleep for everyone, no matter where we are.
We’re also planning to embrace more flexible itineraries, allowing us to adapt to the unexpected joys and challenges of travel. With these additions, we’re excited to see how our family adventures will evolve.
Looking Ahead
More chargers.
Everyone needs juice and nobody remembers their cords.
A portable white noise machine.
Hotel life + toddlers = sleep sabotage.
More flexible plans.
Not every attraction is worth the tantrum. Sometimes the best memories are the ones we don’t over-schedule.