Let’s face it—toddlers are not the most easy going travel companions you can have. They are stubborn, lack independence, and have the patience of, well, a toddler. Luckily they are also excited about everything, eager to learn, and absolutely adorable. Traveling with little ones, while not always easy, is a great way to teach your children about the world around them and bond as a family.

This past summer I took a 24-day road trip with my two-year-old twins.

I’d argue that traveling with a toddler is the most challenging of all the stages. Babies take work, but they are portable and can’t venture off on their own. Meltdowns and tantrums aside, the real issue when traveling with toddlers is that they are active, mobile, and into everything and anything. Given all the time, effort, and money that we put into toddler-proofing our homes, staying in random accommodations for even just a few days can be very stressful.

Sleep is a big issue too.

The thought of being trapped with a screaming child on an airplane is enough to keep even the most avid travelers on the ground. For others, it drives them to play Polly Pocket or to speak in an unnaturally high and sweet voice for hours on end. To spare you from this, we’ve come up with ideas that will help keep everyone sane on the plane.

Just like kids, parents come in all types of personalities—the planner and the non-planner, laid-back and uptight, etc. We’ve met them and possibly been them all.

Why would anyone want to take a baby or toddler to Europe? Kids that young won’t remember the trip anyway … not to mention that it sounds like a nightmare.

You cannot get a more Parisian park than the Luxembourg Gardens. It is situated in the heart of the beautiful sixth arrondissement around St. Germain, making it hugely accessible for everyone.

Sometimes the best-laid plans are the first ones to fall apart. Last summer we planned a trip to Italy with our two daughters, Lily and Charlotte (ages 1 and 3, respectively). We rented a villa in Tuscany, forty-five minutes outside of Siena.

Raising our two girls—currently 1 and 3 years old—in New York City has certain advantages. We take weekly visits to the Museum of Natural History and utilize it …

London’s biggest selling point for parents living or traveling here has to be the impressive amount of big, green parks and numerous playgrounds. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to spend a day in London …

For many of us, planning a stay with friends or extended family sounds like a brilliant stroke of travel planning genius. Particularly for those …