You Can't Take it with You

Well, OK, maybe that's a misleading title for this post, because you can take it with you, but its going to be a huge hassle! That goes for car seats, full sized strollers, cribs and play yards. Why take it when you can just pick it up on the other end?

TRAVEL TIP:
Rent the larger items you will likely need for baby, including all of the above and much more. Baby gear and toy rental companies, like those below, are a huge success, because they're such a convenience. The costs range from item to item and location to location, naturally. Still, the last time I price checked (recently) you could get items like a car seat for just $6 per day.

KRIS PICKS:
National companies:
www.thetravelingbabyco.com
www.babysaway.com
www.baby-equipment-rental.com

Regional companies:
www.breezybaby.com
www.babygearrental.com
http://www.baby-equipment-rentals.com/
http://www.baby-equipment-rentals.com/
http://babytravelpros.com/
http://www.babysmarttravel.com/
http://www.babiesneedgear.com/
http://www.babyandbeach.com/

To Lock, or Not to Lock?

To lock, or not to lock?
Many travel advice columns advise people to lock their suitcase before checking bags in.
Unless care is taken, this act will -more often than not- get you a broken lock and a note from TSA indicating that they had to break into your bag for security reasons. Why?
The rules of travel have changed drastically since 9/11 and baggage handlers must be able to inspect any suspicious bags (locked equals suspicious, according to the TSA representative I spoke with).

So what can you do? Most airport shops and travel retailers now sell TSA sanctioned locks for your bags. These locks can only be opened by you, the bag’s owner, or with a master key in possession of official TSA agents. And no worries, the TSA Master Key is government issued and cannot be purchased over the counter by thieves.