The famously colorful and well-photographed Nyhavn at sunrise.
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As a late 30’s millennial, the underlying angst and torrent of stressful life events that happened this year drove my dormant wanderlust to a breaking point, and we jetted off to Europe in search of calmer waters (metaphorically speaking) and enough kardemumabullar to test the limits of my 25-weeks-pregnant belly.
We visited Komet Cafe Stockholm, a quick jaunt from Central Station, three times during our five-day stay.
Traveling to a new, foreign place is thrilling and exciting, pandering to the innate human desire to explore and discover worlds anew. The potency of wanderlust varies among us, as does its purpose. Classically, we turn to bucket lists and check-boxing destinations, often giving exotic destinations more appeal. Breaking routine and a change of scenery is wonderful for the human brain. For me, when pondering the human experience and existence, I often ask: Have I been seeing and experiencing the world in all its splendor? It is then that wanderlust strikes. I’m drawn to the wild and remote regions of the planet where mother nature reigns supreme, but with a 20-month old toddler in tow and a bun in the oven, we really needed to sit down and revisit the purpose of our travels for the time being.
Wandering the stately baroque Frederiksborg Castle Gardens in Hillerød, Denmark.
They say that one of the best ways to test your relationship is to travel with your partner. The logistics (frustratingly dynamic pricing of flights and hotels can be nightmarishly stressful) are already a headache-inducing part of decision-making. Back when I solo-traveled, I was only concerned with my own comfort and needs. In my 20’s and childfree, I could tolerate uncomfortable (read: cheap) lodging because I would only be in the hotel to sleep. Tack on a toddler’s nap schedule, restlessness, and undeveloped impulse control, I needed to adjust my expectations for travel abroad (I was also pregnant!). Many people talk about the burdens of non-solo travel, but even I have to admit that the special companionship of my husband and toddler were a treat I did not expect. Still, traveling at all these days is an enormous privilege, with rising fuel prices and a volatile political environment pricing travelers out of desired trips.
Sunrise at Gamla Stan in Stockholm, Sweden. Hard to get shots without early morning vans and trucks, but I made it work.
We chose to visit Copenhagen and Stockholm partially because they are culturally rich but also because they are known to be incredibly safe and family-friendly. No need to worry about gunmen or pardoned felons thanks to a strong social safety net and happy citizens. Outdoor play is heavily emphasized in nordic countries, whatever the weather - particularly in Denmark - so we figured there would be no shortage of playgrounds and green spaces to enjoy.
Right outside the Danish Architecture Center is this beautiful play area with slides, cargo nets, and stairs - perfect for a toddler to practice going up and down the stairs.
A little gem of a playground modeled after historic Swedish countryside buildings.
Pre-kid, we crammed as many attractions, photography spots, and restaurants into each day as we could to capitalize on the time we had at a destination. But this time, our trip wasn’t about express cultural immersion. We just wanted to relax and enjoy a new place and culture as a family.
Lifted pick-up trucks are ubiquitous in the United States but frowned upon in Europe where bikes and smaller vehicles reign supreme.
Setting Aside Great Expectations
As a type-A individual, I always set a high bar for everything and that includes my leisure time. Originally we planned on taking a boat ride out into the Swedish archipelago, but because of the rain and wind and just generally things shutting down for the season, that plan did not make sense and we had to scrap it in favor of staying urban. Alas, an epic photography trip this was not, but it did make for some absolutely wonderful family time enjoying little city gems.
Åsöberget kulturreservat: A hidden gem in Stockholm where these lovely Swedish red houses can be found. And no tourists!
T-Centralen: Stockholm has some impressive “cave” subway stations with their own theme/artwork.
Kungsträdgården subway station
Honestly, the thing about traveling with a toddler to a European city is that toddlers could have fun just about anywhere. We stopped into a food hall to look at the wares and all she wanted to do was run around and point at interesting things.
Packing List: Everyday Baby (Toddler) Carry (EBC)
Being so far north, October brings chilly weather and rain. As it was nearing flu season, we made sure to get our flu and COVID vaccines before the trip to reduce the risk of contracting a severe illness on vacation (which would ruin our vacation much more than the weather!). After a few days of 20,000 steps worth of stroller walking, we had our “everyday baby carry” down. For a rainy and chilly season like October, we found these essentials to be workhorses. I call this set our Everyday Baby Carry.
Shock-absorbing stroller suitable for mid-day napping: A compact stroller that can handle cobblestones and unpaved paths: since our toddler was going to be napping in the stroller, we wanted to bring one that could recline well and absorb shock from cobblestones which are so common in old European cities. We brought the Guava Roam which is technically a running stroller, but its (relatively) compact fold and shock-absorbing wheel base made mid-day naps much easier.
Stroller rain cover: Season-dependent, but essential for us since it rained every single day in Stockholm.
Footmuff: Again season-dependent, but since we were experiencing 40-60 degree weather, essential for stroller naps. Our baby loves being cozy in ours. We used the Uppababy CozyGanoosh which was still suitable for the Guava, despite being a different band.
Silicone bib and baby utensils: We like Busy Baby. Easy to clean and store, plus it has tethers for the “yeet everything off the table” phase of meals.
Baby bowl: We love these from Béaba. Great for preventing restaurant-ware from being broken.
Food-safe scissors: For cutting up food.
Leak-proof sippy cup: We needed something to ensure toddler could stay hydrated without too much spillage. The Munchkin sippy cups work well for us.
Foldable/packable shopping bag: Many European countries have banned plastic shopping bags and don’t always supply a paper bag, so having one handy can be a lifesaver. We don’t travel without our Peak Design foldable shopping bag with zipper closure - incredibly handy for groceries, hauling toys, dirty clothes, etc.
Shoe bag: For toddler’s shoes! We just used a plastic grocery bag from home as we knew it would get very dirty.
Sunglasses: As it was overcast every day, baby didn’t need her sunglasses, but if the sun came out, she would always have these on. Some babies may not take well to sunglasses, but ours loves her Babiators.
Sunscreen: We were outside a lot, so we always kept some stick sunscreen around for her face; she was always covered otherwise.
Plastic ziplock bags: We used this mainly to store leftover food (like pastries or fruit) and when it got beyond saving it would be a makeshift trash bag.
Antibacterial wipes: For the inevitable mess and when no sink was available for baby to wash her hands. We’ve used these by Boogie.
Stroller hooks: Great for hanging a bag or two without having to stuff something at the bottom of the stroller. We like these Oxo hooks.
Shoes and extra socks: For that inevitable mess! Baby has been wearing Xero Prio shoes for a while.
Portable diaper bag and wipes: We didn’t bring diapers for the whole trip - just enough to survive the plane ride and a day or two. This one is compact and easily clips to a bag or stroller.
Rain shell: Weather-dependent of course, but a packable one for baby was quite heavily used in our case. You can also go for a rain suit, but we figured if it was that bad, we would do an indoor activity.
Other Essentials for Hotel & Just in Case
Dyson Supersonic travel hair dryer: You could use whatever is provided at the hotel, but since we like to hand-wash our clothing and our shoes would frequently get wet, we splurged on the mini Dyson Supersonic travel hair dryer and it honestly made our lives so much easier. We used it as a hair dryer, shoe dryer, and on-the-go clothes dryer. It is dual voltage, so all you need is a travel adapter.
Travel adapter: Speaking of which….we use EPICKA.
Merino layers: I like Iksplor and Wool& for babies/kids and adults, respectively. Merino travels like a dream.
Body wash and shampoo for baby: I didn’t want baby to break out from heavily scented hotel products, so I brought a small tube of Babo Botanicals fragrance-free shampoo and wash. Use whatever brand your baby is used to.
Non-slip shower mat: Because we weren’t giving baby a bath, we bought this non-slip mat for her to stand on while we washed her with the shower head.
Toys, books, blanket, and stuffy from home: To give her a sense of familiarity, we brought a few toys and this wonderful merino blanket.
Sound machine: We love our Hatch Go mini sound machine which we always bring with us when traveling. It helps drown the sounds from the hotel hallway or street if we happened to be close to ground level.
Infant tylenol, bulb syringe, and some burp cloths: Just in case baby got sick, we didn’t want to have to scout out a pharmacy.
Airtags for stroller and checked bags: We nearly lost our stroller, but due to the presence of an airtag and a luggage tag with our contact information, it was located! Can’t recommend enough.
Baby dish detergent: You can certainly use dawn, but I like Dapple Baby personally. Only issue is that these bottles don’t travel well and tend to link, so I would decant them.
Closing Thoughts
I am so glad we traveled this year, even with a toddler in tow. I hesitated for a while, but I’m glad we took the leap. It was daunting but we survived and learned from the process. The flights are limited in duration and I’m sure our baby’s temperament contributed to the ease of traveling with her. Sure, it’s much harder to be spontaneous, but that break from routine, at least for me, has been so refreshing and fulfilling. The next challenge is travel with 2, and that’s going to be next level difficulty.
Thank you for reading.
