Alyssa is an Arab-Latina mama from New York City, a natural adventurer and a world explorer. With two under two, her oldest is 2 and her newborn is just one month old. While she’s pressed pause on traveling temporarily, while she gets to know her new little guy and adjust to family life of 4, Alyssa shares that she is “the most comfortable exploring, learning, and experiencing new cultures” and she hopes to share this love of travel and sense of adventure on to her children, as well.

Let’s talk exploring! The world is opening back up and people CAN'T WAIT to travel again. If we’re staying domestic, where should we go??

Is everywhere an appropriate choice!? One of my favorite places to travel to as a kid--and now that I have my own--is Lake George in Upstate NY. There's nothing like spending days by the lake and barbequing for almost every meal. But my particular favorite is staying on a farm, so the kids can have firsthand experience with the animals, like collecting fresh eggs in the morning and seeing the horses gallop around. Lake George also has activities in town that cater to all ages.

Speaking of activities, how do you choose where to travel with your little ones?

When traveling with kids, you want to keep in mind the accessibility and activities that are available to families to make it easy to keep them occupied and minimize the amount that you have to entertain on your own. While we would all like to lounge at the beach, small kids usually don’t. Find places that cater to all ages and balance the day. Maybe you head to the beach early, then head to a museum or walk around and explore after nap time. My favorite places to explore with kids are places where we can be outside and active as much as possible, It just makes bedtime so much easier--especially in a new place.

What tips and tricks do you have for packing minimally and keeping things simple?

While we may not be traveling as frequently as we are used to, that doesn’t mean we have stopped exploring, we’ve just been staying local. One thing that hasn’t changed is packing as little as possible! Some ways we do this is by packing interchangeable outfits, so maybe one or two pairs of pants for an entire trip and tops that we can mix and match or layer! 

How does this apply to little ones? We all know accidents can happen and we need backups for when those blow-outs arise. Any tips for minimizing with a baby or toddler?            

Well since we use cloth diapers, blowouts are not necessarily a concern (yup, no blow-outs with cloth diapers!!) But layering clothes definitely helps if blowouts happen, so you only have to change the undershirt or onsie. I always recommend carrying a zero waste stain stick in case you need to do a quick wash when on the go.

What advice do you have for parents traveling for the first time with little ones?

As cliche as this may sound, don’t stress the small stuff. On our first trip with our son, he ended up having not one but two blowouts right before we boarded the plane, it happens! Having a bag accessible with extra outfits is key. Also keeping your child’s favorite toy with you for comfort and familiarity especially on long haul trips can be clutch in those tenuous moments. And if traveling by plane, breast or bottle feeding at takeoff and landing will help with the pressure in their ears and avoid tears!

How does your Kibou come in handy with travel?

My Kibou is the ONLY bag I travel with, even when I'm not with my son. Being hands-free, yet easily accessible is key when traveling. My Kibou is small but mighty. I have been able to pack my necessities like my credit cards, money and ID while having room for snacks, wipes, and diapers! When traveling in a crowded area, make sure your Kibou is front facing so you can always keep an eye on your belongings!

Diapers? Does that mean your cloth diapers fit in your Kibou?

Yes! I saw a comment on TikTok where someone said "oh this wouldn't work for cloth" and I responded to them all, "yes it does!!! I do it!" LOL. 

My personal favorite brand that I think works best with Kibou is GroVia. When I’m on the go, I use their disposable liners (compostable and made with natural ingredients) with a diaper shell which reduces the bulk that cloth diapers tend to have. WIth or without the disposable liner, GroVia diapers are some of the slimmest cloth diapers I have used, and they’re by far my go-to brand.

To read more of Alyssa’s recommendations on travel head over to her blog:

www.viajesconmami.com