Road Trip to Florida with a Toddler and a Baby: The Car Kit
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Road Trip to Florida with a Toddler and a Baby: The Car Kit
Most families who visit Florida's parks and beaches drive. Twelve hours with a toddler and a baby is a long day, but a car you've packed well is basically a rolling nursery. This guide is the kit: what goes within arm's reach, what goes in the trunk, and the safety basics that matter on a long drive.
The short version
Car seats installed right, and no puffy coats under the straps
A break about every two hours
A front-seat bag with diapers, wipes, snacks, cups and one spare outfit each
A spill kit
A potty plan for the toddler
One overnight bag so you don't unpack the whole trunk at the hotel
Keep one bag where the passenger can reach it without unbuckling:
Diapers (about one per hour of driving, plus a few) and wipes
Disposable changing pads Munchkin Arm & Hammer Disposable Changing Pads; many families change on the back seat rather than a rest-stop counter
Spill-proof cups and snacks in containers with lids
Bottles and formula, or your nursing/pumping plan; a portable bottle warmer The Baby's Brew 3.0 Portable Bottle Warmer ProCheck price at Baby's Brew is a nice-to-have
Pacifier plus a spare
One full change of clothes per child, and a shirt for each adult
Hand sanitizer and wipes
Any medicine your kids already take
The spill kit
Every family road trip has a "moment." Keep a small kit together in a bin or bag:
A roll of paper towels and a small towel
Plastic or wet bags for soiled clothes
A collapsible bucket Collapsible silicone bucket for car sickness or a quick rinse
Spare seat cover or a puppy pad for a potty-training toddler
A small trash can or bag for the console Car trash can with lid
Potty on the go
If your toddler is potty training, a folding travel potty OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty with liners means you can stop on the shoulder of the exit ramp instead of racing to the next station. Many fold flat to double as a seat reducer on regular toilets.
If you're splitting the drive, pack one small bag for everyone for the hotel night: pajamas, tomorrow's clothes, toothbrushes, sleep sack HALO SleepSack 100% Cotton Wearable Blanket, white noise, a night light and the baby's feeding kit. Leave the big suitcases in the car. If the hotel provides a crib, check it before you use it, and ask for another if you have any doubts (>AAP).
Looking for a family-friendly stop on the way down? See [where to stay on a Florida road trip](/where-to-stay/ road trip stopover map
Florida tolls, simply
Many of Florida's fastest highways are toll roads, and some have no cash lanes.
E-ZPass works on Florida's toll roads run by Florida's Turnpike, FDOT and the Central Florida Expressway Authority (>Florida's Turnpike, >CFX). Bring yours if you have one.
SunPass is Florida's own transponder. Uni is a portable E-PASS transponder that works on all Florida toll roads (>CFX Uni).
Toll-By-Plate mails a bill to the vehicle's registered owner and costs more than a transponder.
Rental cars usually come with the rental company's toll program and its own fees (>SunPass rental info). Read the terms at the counter.
Hurricane season
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 (>NOAA). In those months, keep the gas tank above half, check the forecast for your route, and keep a day of extra formula, diapers and water in the car.
Checklist
The best road trip with little kids is the one with the most stops. Build them in, and the miles go by faster than you'd think.