By serving tiny travelers and their parents from coast to coast, baby gear rental companies know what babies and toddlers need to travel in comfort and style, so take advantage of them and save on checked baggage fees.
Why Renting Baby Gear Saves Stress & Money
Ensuring that baby’s needs are met for a trip, it’s easy to reach your limit – before you know it, the trunk is full or you’re exceeding airline baggage regulations. There may not be room for a stroller, crib, or playpen, let alone the swing, gate, potty seat, or extra toys. Besides baby’s comfort, her safety is another travel consideration.
When they first began site inspections, the Consumer Products Safety Commission, in conjunction with the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, found unsafe cribs and play yards in 80% of hotels and motels visited. Even though many hotel chains updated their baby equipment after a 2012 government mandate, the CPSC reports that even a favorite company like IKEA had more than 300,000 crib mattresses recalled because they did not fit crib frames safely. Fortunately, you have safe new baby and toddler gear available in most regions you travel, for reasonable rental rates.
Nationwide Baby Equipment Rental Agencies
Many vacation destinations now offer rentals of up-to-date, safety-checked baby supplies, delivered upon arrival by local vendors. These great services offer a jumpstart on arrangements to make trip-planning less stressful.
Perhaps the largest, Baby’s Away (800/571-0077) is a baby supply rental franchise operating in 28 states with over 80 locations nationwide. Locations deliver equipment straight to customers’ accommodations, in house or at a hotel. The franchise’s website is where your order is taken, and then a local vendor will fulfill your request and offer tips — usually quite useful advice since the company’s been in business since 1991.
Babies Getaway (844/795-1539) services every state except Alaska and Hawaii with a wide selection of gear, including strollers, cribs, car seats, pack and play’s or anything else to make your stay away from home more comfortable. Carrying recognized labels such as Bugaboo, Uppa Baby, and Mountain Buggy, they promise 24/7 service and free delivery with minimum two days’ notice on orders over $100. Ordering is easy online, coupons are available, and a chat window makes it quick to ask questions.
Traveling with your baby to a major city or resort area? Traveling Baby (800/304-4866) delivers high quality equipment that meets all current safety standards straight to your hotel, relative’s home, or even the airport if you’re going to someplace really remote. After meeting great success in providing strollers at Disneyland, then renting a large selection of new and stylish gear in Los Angeles, they have expanded to more than 60 destinations around the US ranging from Colorado to Washington DC to Puerto Rico.
JetSetBabies (888/571-0800) is a baby product delivery service which ships baby food, diapers and toiletries to a destination in advance of your arrival. Products in a wide variety of brands can be ordered through their website. JetSetBabies works with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as well as Joie de Vivre Hotels to supply the needs of younger traveling guests.
Regional Baby Gear Rental Agencies Cater to Popular Resorts
There are many (literally) mom n’pop businesses that can serve your needs equally well as the big agencies, often at lesser cost. Check out your destination’s Chamber of Commerce if we haven’t listed one to meet your needs, or add your favorite local baby gear supplier in our Comments field below.
Arizona
In the Phoenix and Scottsdale region of Arizona where golfers love to take their babies, contact Anything For Baby (480/515-9783 or 877/515-9783). They will package all the essentials — the top name brand crib, car seat, high chair, stroller, as well as accessory items of your choice — for a competitive weekly rate with free delivery. Best yet, they rent electric breast pumps.
Florida
Serving south Florida is Baby Borrow Rentals (954/489-0083), whose large showroom stocks a variety of useful furniture, gear and fun toys — all safety inspected, cleaned and santized. We love their motto: “We deliver everything but the baby” and for 35 years, they have, to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
Based near the Palm Beach Airport for more than 30 years, A Baby’s Choice serves residents, visitors and many hotels from Miami to Port Saint Lucie with an inventory of almost 1,000 sleeping items, playpens and over 600 folding and rollaway beds of all sizes with linen packages.
Vacationers to the Florida Panhandle will welcome the services of Babies-n-Town (850/267-2346 or 800/294-6388), whose rental items are certified safe by trade associations. Top of the line items range from high chairs to cribs and strollers (including jogging strollers), and other basic baby gear. Rental bicycles are available for both kids and adults (including those toting toddlers), all of which come with free helmets. Rentals are stored locally, packaged on a weekly basis, delivered and set up in your accommodations in Bay, Walton, or Okaloosa counties before you arrive, so all you have to do is relax.
Massachusetts
Visitors to Cape Cod, Massachusetts can check out Auntie Vi’s Cape Cod Rentals (508/548-4075, 877/263-8899)), a long-time supplier of essentials such as linens and towels, in addition to infant gear, jogging strollers, humidifiers and other kids’ essentials. Reserved items are delivered to your house, condo or hotel and if you’re dissatisfied with any products, they are replaced within 24 hours.
Mid Atlantic Region
For visitors to Washington DC; Baltimore, Maryland; upstate New York and New York City (3 day rental minimum); or the Wilmington, North Carolina resort area, Breezy Baby Travel Company (877/273-3994) features a wide variety of baby equipment and accessories. Breezy Baby delivers to and picks up from hotels, resorts, residences, and major airports.
Travelers to the Jersey Shore can contact Coastal Baby Rentals (732/272-6804), started by a mom who wished a service like hers existed when she began to travel with her infant daughter. Now grown up, they cover a lot of the fun Jersey Shore with great products including fixed rail cribs with ultra-pedic crib mattresses, toddler beds, joggers, car seats, high chairs, beach gear, bed rails, toys and much more. Note the northern Shore areas are only serviced between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Texas
Bring The Baby (866/355-4457 or 469/569-2707) is a Dallas and surrounding areas rental service started by a former travel agent. They offer full-size cribs, port-a-cribs, strollers, high chairs, carseats, scooters and helmets, safety and baby-proofing items, name brand bouncy seats and more, all sanitized and ready to go.
Canada Baby Gear Rental Agencies
We certainly haven’t found every baby gear rental service in Canada, but here’s a start.
Planning a trip to Big White, or within Kelowna, Okanagan region of British Columbia? Tiny Tourist (250/868-2042) welcomes visitors from around Canada, the US and other international locations by offering free pick up, set up and delivery of everything from baby backpacks to cribs, potty seats, strollers and toys for infants and toddlers. Their premium items are cleaned, sanitized, and inspected after every rental, and Tiny Tourist will try to accommodate special requests for items not on their list.
Baby on the Move (877/572-2229), based in Red Deer, Alberta helps make a trip to the Canadian Rockies a breeze. Their shop sells baby carriers from Tula and Chimparoo, and you can inquire from them about rental cribs, strollers, car seats and other essentials.
International Baby Equipment Rental Agencies
Heading to the Caribbean Islands? Visitors to Barbados can rent all their baby equipment from Baby Gear Hire (+1 246/826-4327). In addition to cribs, high chairs and other necessities, this company also provides services such as babysitting and shopping for baby’s necessities (diapers, formula, food, toiletries, etc.) to make your vacation even easier. Download their brochure, order and sit back.
If you’re going further afield to the UK or Europe, you may be able to arrange to have all your baby’s supplies delivered by a local service. Check out the Baby Equipment Hirers Association website and its directory of geographically sorted members. These member companies agree to abide by the safety standards of the organization, which also lists companies in Canary Islands, Cyprus, Dubai, France, Spain, Portugal and the U.S. among its members.
London Baby Equipment Hire Company delivers rental pushchairs, nappies, baby food and toddler essentials in the London area, and is sister company to Holiday Buggies, based in the South West of England. The Baby Loft is another U.K. agency that delivers equipment to passengers arriving at England’s Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham and Midlands airports. If you’re traveling the British Midlands specifically, the family-run Renting 4 Rascals (+44 07872 921 415) can supply anything you need in the standard high chair, booster seat, crib line as well as thoughtful items like soft play items and floor mats.
Don’t forget, if none of these fine services work for you, ask your hosts (relatives, friends, or hotel concierge) to give you phone numbers for a local party supply company. Often, you can rent baby gear and car seats that meet current safety standards from them.
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On January 15, 2015, Google announced that it would stop selling the Google Glass product to consumers — who became its “Explorers” — while it makes more improvements to the technology and hardware. Simultaneously, the product will move from its test phase at Google X and become its own department within the giant technology company.
For complete details, please see this story: Google Glass Sales Halted.
This is a great summary of emerging family travel trends in 2015. I am very excited to see ecotourism evolving to include the youngest travelers as well as multi-gen travelers. Very interesting to see uber attempt to dig into the family market. As for all-inclusive hotels, after years of resisiting, I am finally a convert. My kids have always loved them and now their parents finally see the ease and economy of the pay-one-price concept. Happy Travels in 2015!
great feedback on what we’re seeing for 2015; agree that ecotourism has become so mainstream that it’s time all ages and all abilities (including those with disabilities) are included in nature-focused travel.
And yes, disruptive technologies like uber and airbnb are usually started by young people and grow by appealing to young travelers, but as we all know, they too will settle down and have kids and then look at new ways to make their services more “family-friendly.” So that’s an area where we see tremendous growth potential and hope for fresh ideas.
excited about what’s coming in 2015! Thanks for your comments.
I’m in, would love to win a stay at the Camelback water park in Pennsylvania. Close to my NJ home and sounds like a fun snowy or rainy day break with my boys. Sign me up!
After returning from a vacation with her daughter, C.S. shared this review of the Dreams Punta Cana resort in the Dominican Republic.
“Hi, we did not get sick at Dreams Punta Cana, stuck to bottled water, they were nice there not really attentive at concierge or lobby not knowledgeable and internet not working well, entertainment was okay and food just okay beach nice, tours not organized very well for swim with dolphins and no shopping for malls provided.
Yes the food was not great at all, hoping for better at gourmet restaurants, they always burnt the steak and not great the food, the world café was fine, buffet.
Kids club for my 8 year old she was bored, most of the kids were younger and not a lot to do for the 8 to 9 year olds, riviera maya dreams does a better job with kids club and takes them out to the real pool for kid games that is always nice.
I like Riviera Maya Mexico still a lot better.”
“The Singing Tower.” Bok Towers Gardens. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 July 2014.
The Vera Bradley outlet sale sounds like a midwestern version on Filene’s Running of the Brides! It sounds like a paisley lovers dream and a fun Mother/Daughter bonding event. Thanks for sharing!
How’s the weather up there now? Would it be warm enough to swim outdoors in late April, or still chilly? Seems like a fun spring break getaway since we only have a few days. Thanks for sharing.
I love Rocky Mountain National park! It’s great for all Colorado seasons. In the winter, when other parts of the park are closed down, they open up sledding areas. When I went, we shared the hill with just one other small group. A great afternoon for all ages!
In spite of all the cold weather we have been experiencing, this story makes me want to head up to Montreal for a frosty weekend of fun. The Montreal en Lumiere festival sounds like a winner, as does the hotel. Thank you for the terrific seasonal suggestions!
Skiing is such a wonderful way to experience Colorado’s beauty! There is such pride in that state and I love that so many resorts really cater to children too.
Eldora Mountain Resort wasn’t mentioned on this list, but on Saturday, March 8, they are hosting a scavenger hunt to raise money for Leave No Trace, an organization dedicated to teaching people to take care of the world around them, while also having fun. How awesome is that?! Can’t wait to hear more about it.
This is an excellent article. Well researched, thoughtful and motivating. I know as a parent right now considering a family cruise this Spring Break in March, kids drowning will be on my mind even though my son is on a swim team and swims two miles five nights a week for practice. Drowning can happen to anyone, any time, at any age. As a former swim instructor and lifeguard myself for many years to earn summr spending money and put myself through college, I know how water is dangerous — whether in a pool, lake, baeach or bathtub. But we all need reminding and education about what drowning looks like. And that is what you’ve done for me today. Thank you.
As a teen life guard, I saved a kid at our local pool who was “just floating.” It was a crowded pool on a sticky, hot Midwest day. A swimmer in the middle of the packed giant kids’ pool started yelling at me and pointing to the child “floating.” I’ll never forget doing mouth-to-mouth, his wide vacant eyes, his limp body, and then him catapulting upwards, spitting, sputtering to life. I tear up as I write this. What if he hadn’t lived? The guilt, the fright, the parents, the park district, the system…who to blame if the child had died? Would I be blamed for not seeing him inactive sooner? Would the pool be blamed for allowing too many people in? Would the park district be blamed for booking the swimming event? Did anything change after this incident? Yes. I got fired. And went to work for another pool heading up their swimming lessons program.
Thank you for writing this and your call to action for everyone to take responsibility for children around water at all hours of the day and night. Your “unthinkable” article has given us all much to think about.
Would be a fun vacation if you could really save money by doing it too!
What an adventure, I would love to do embark on a journey like this with my teens. The flora and fauna seem incredible, the guides professional. Thank you for sharing!
We’ve heard the Boeing factory tour is really interesting – wondering now if there any exhibits or parts areas that relate to the new Dreamliner. Would love to see one up close, especially being assembled after all the battery snafus.
Wish we all could have been there, Morocco looks fabulous and during the winter it would be a very productive coder’s retreat.
Congratulations to ALL of the students who entered in the FTF Writing Scholarship contest :3 Of course a big "congrats" should be merited to our winners, but I think every student who entered deserves a pat on the back–hopefully they'll be inspired to continue writing, too!
This sounds like a great resort for my all-inlusive loving teen children, who have a " bigger is better" attitude. I love that it is so close to the Cancun Airport, so you can get right to the fun as soon as you land.
I love the idea that guests at the hotel can "assemble" their own favorite meals from a variety of healthy offerings. Sounds like a great idea. If only I had time to cook so many different options every night at home!
This looks like a fascinating experience to remember and to go too! I have always wanted to go to Dubai and going there is a vacation never to forget!
Enjoy
One of the best states to come visit!
You make me want to go there and spend weeks on end, reconnecting with nature and making friends. And blobbing too. Thanks for sharing this.
Cincinnati, Ohio. Just another city in the Mid-West, right? Wrong. Cincinnati is one of the greatest cities in Ohio. With our stunning river front view, our bustling downtown, and the newly gentrified Over-the-Rhine, what else could we have in store?
For starters, Cincinnati has the 7th best zoo in the nation.Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a great location for exploration and learning. People of all ages can appreciate the wide variety of animals found in the Zoo. Not only are the animals astounding, but guests get the chance for a hands on experience with many of the animals. For example, in Giraffe Ridge, guests can purchase a snack for the Giraffes and then feed them over the balcony. These moments will be remembered and cherished for the rest of a person's life.
Another great accessory Cincinnati has is the new, urban planned area called "The Banks. The Banks features apartments on the second floor of the buildings and restaurants and music venues on the first floor. This is a great area for younger couples to hang out at night.
Findlay Market is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon or weekend. Findlay Market is the oldest public market in the state of Ohio. The market is open every day but Monday and is one of the best places to find locally and organically grown foods. Another great feature about Findlay Market is that the area surrounding the market is newly gentrified, meaning that it has been refurbished. This makes the area even more desirable.
The Newport Aquarium</a>is not located in the city of Cincinnati itself but it is an awesome place for family fun. Newport, Kentucky is only a 10 minute drive from downtown Cincinnati and has other amenities. Other places to visit while in Newport would be Dewey's Pizza, Brothers, Brio, and the Haufbrau House. All these restaurants give a different essence to the name "Cincinnati". Dewey's is a local pizza joint that runs the gamut in available options. Clever names and quick service make for a great time. Brothers and Brio are Italian restaurants that serve authentic Italian cuisine (Brothers is the less expensive option). The Haufbrau House is a German Bier Garten style restaurant that offers a large selection of beers and sandwiches. Along with normal options, the HaufBrau House also provides authentic German food. After you eat, the chicken dance is played, giving patrons the opportunity to dance on the table tops.
Other Cincinnati food traditions are Goetta and Skyline. When German immigrants came over to America, they settled along the Ohio River, then called the "Rhine". The Germans created a meat similar to sausage called Goetta. Goetta consists of ground pork or beef, oats, and a variety of spices. This specific meat can only be found in Cincinnati and occasionally there are large festivals for Goetta and German heritage. On the other hand Skyline is chili, created by Greek immigrants. The name "Skyline" originates from the owner believing that the Cincinnati skyline was the most beautiful he had ever seen. Skyline chili has a unique flavor due to the large amount of chocolate used in the chili.
Come one come all! Memphis is the breeding grounds to fun and adventure!
I truly love my City of Houston. Though I don't know where my education will take me, Houston will always be my home.
Austin is a great place to live, love, and visit. It has wonderful sites, people, and things to do. Everybody should visit Austin.
Say what you will. An open mind is insightful.
Thank you for this spot-on mini-review of Greve and Panzano, two of the most scenic and charming towns in Chianti. Daniel Ferro's summer music program only adds to the area's beauty, with music in the piazza to entertain locals and visitors alike. The rental property sounds like an excellent choice for families who choose to vacation in and explore the area. Thanks for sharing!
Ames, Iowa provides many opportunities to experience American culture and become immersed in American history. Since the mid 1800s, Ames has become a booming college town. Culture has had lots of time to flourish in this time, and evidence of the age of this town can be found everywhere. Tourists coming to Ames can also feel safe and enjoy Ames' attractions without fear of crime. Gun fights in Ames are practically unheard of, and the friendly people never hesitate to wave, even at newcomers to the area. Any tourist can appreciate the age and personality of Ames, as well as its safety.
To experience the culture in Ames, tourists must visit Stephen's Auditorium on Iowa State University's campus. This theater hosts a variety of concerts, plays, musicals, and other theatrical performances. Comfortable seating and awesome acoustics make this location a worthy contender for a relaxing night out. Big acts such as Bill Nye the Science Guy and the band Needtobreathe have to known to reserve this venue so one feels included in a special and popular event, but the space does not have an overwhelming size, so overcrowding and overheating will not deduct from the experience. Stephen's Auditorium will help in discovering the culture of Ames.
Tourists wishing to discover some of Ames' culture would greatly benefit from attending Ames' Farmer's Market on Saturdays on Main Street. Vendors have local and homegrown produce, meat, eggs, pastries, jewelry, art and many other items for sale that offer a taste of Iowan culture. Musicians often perform for shoppers, so they can be entertained while shopping. Ames' Farmer's Market provides an excellent opportunity to experience the culture of Ames and Iowa.
Evidence of Ames' history can be found in a visit to Iowa State University's campus. Founded in 1858, Iowa State University was the sight where George Washington Carver decided to do much of his botany research. Visitors to the college will see evidence of the age of this college in the buildings from this era that still exist. Iowa State University also housed the master minds who created the first computer. Tourists to Ames can take a trip to Durham Center in Iowa State and view the replica of this first computer. Main Street offers a taste of history also. The buildings in this area of Ames give a taste of what architecture looked like back in the early 20th century. A mural on Main Street depicts some of the founders of Ames. History holds great importance in Ames, and tourists can experience this without too much trouble.
To curb tourist's hunger, Ames offers many excellent places for dining. No tourist should visit Ames without eating at Hickory Park. This restaurant is famous not only for its deliciously moist chicken but also its tangy barbecue sandwiches. After the main meal, enjoy sweet and creamy ice cream. Dublin Bay offers wonderful Irish cuisine for tourists to enjoy. Try the moist Shepherd's Pie with perfectly salted fries for contentment. For fans of Mexican food, El Azteca guarantees friendly service, free chips, and delectably flavorful food. Many restaurants with amiable service and food that delights the taste buds are available for hungry tourists.
Though a relatively small town, Ames offers visitors a chance to learn about the history and culture of not only Ames, but the state of Iowa without fear of crime. Numerous attractions exist for this purpose. Visitors can also talk to the mayor of Ames, Ann Campbell, about the culture of history of Ames. City council members happily will answer questions from tourists. Tourists will not be sorry for visiting this town.
Northern Nevada never stops to amaze.
Sunday River has been on my radar for a potential family ski trip for quite a while. This story is so loaded with good information, it seems like it is worth the extra time spent in the car to ski at such an excellent family resort. Thanks!
Wow, this sounds likea great merging of chocolate and history, two of my favorite subjects.
I am looking forward to experiencing this for myself, thank you for the informative post.
I love this post so much! I hope I will come here one day!
This is a terrific article that I am so glad to have read. I didn't know there was a car-free way to appreciate the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Sounds like a fun, scenic and eco-friendly option.
Your essay moved me to tears. I am also a finalist in the scholarship and I wrote about visiting Poland’s concentration camps. I would love your opinion on my essay.
I wrote this essay hoping to bring people closer to understanding, as close to understanding as we can get. I want to share an experience that had an impact on me. This trip truly changed me, and what I want do with my life. I suggest if you have the means or are able to visit Poland or go on March of the Living. I know there are teen and family trips with BBYO.
Thank you so much for what you said. I truly appreciate what you said. I also visited the picture of your family. Your family is beautiful and I am so glad that they were able to make it through such a devastating time.
I loved reading about your romantic return to what sounds like a beatiful and vibrant island. Thanks for sharing some of its treasures.
This is a great story, thank you for sharing the glories of Octoberfest in lesser known Nerumberg. My mouth was atering reading about all of the regional delicacies that accompany the beer!
Oh goodness, this is so sad! Thanks for sharing all of this information, a lot of these things I did not know until just now. We're taught about the Holocaust at school, but I'm sure that there is nothing like actually being at a concentration camp to understand how it actually was. Thanks for sharing.
wow! This sounds like such a wonderful experience. I'm sure it was very enlightening, and it really makes me happy to read that last paragraph. I think it's beautiful that you see things that way, and I hope to some day personally come to that realization through my own experiences. Thanks so much for sharing this.
Hi Debbie,
You will want he Medical Authorization Form from each child's parents with a photocopy of their insurance card.
Then you can use the last form which is for group tours, school outings etc. It is fine for domestic travel, Include travel info for each child so that parents assign you guardianship for certain period of time only.
Get these forms notarized. Make several photocopies in case an adventure tour operator wants to keep one. Or, if you all travel on same flights, get one long form, like a petition, and be sure both of each child's parents or guardians sign it.
You should be fine with it. Does the hotel know? Many states say it is illegal for a minor to occupy a room without an adult present. You may need connecting rooms guaranteed.
Enjoy the trip and write about what you did!
JaguarZ writes to the Admin with a very good question:
I will be traveling to Hawaii, originating on the eastcoast, with 4 minors (only 1 is my child) – they will all be 17 at the time of travel. I need to be able to "act as their guardian" — for example, sign waiver forms for activities, seek medical coverage if necessary.
I found a form or two on the site, but they seem geared toward international travel and do not seem to include the ability to "sign the waiver forms" I mention above. Any suggestions? I realize I may be able to get some of these forms signed before we leave, BUT for those activities they decide on when we are there — H E L P!
Thank you so much for your anticipated support
Debbie
This is really incredible. It is a dream of mine to visit Alaska, and I hope that if I ever do get to go, that I can experience what you did. My dad and I are avid kayakers, so it was somewhat relatable, although I doubt that Miami waters are NEARLY as cool (haha) as those in Alaska.This truly sounds like the trip of a lifetime.
I wanted to add that I loved the way you described everything, it was so beautiful and real.
Aw, I'm so sorry that happened to your dad but I'm glad something good came out of it. My family was actually planning on going to Gatlinburg next summer but we're all way too chicken to do this white water rafting haha. Thanks for sharing this.
Thank you for sharing this! That sounds like a truly beautiful experience. I love the bit about never underestimating yourself the most, very true.
*2009 not 2008
This is about my trip to South Dakota.
This trip was indeed and enriching expreience.
If you copy and paste the URL at the bottom of the post into your browser, it will take you to a video clip of the event, and if you skip to the last 12 seconds of the video you will see myself and one of my good friends sprinting in to the finish. We ended up tieing for 9th place.