At the start of 2021 we thought it was about time we packed up and headed off on our first road trip with the babe and pup in tow. I have to say I was definitely a bit anxious not ever having done this with a 5-month-old but now that we have made it out on the other side, I can say it was well worth it!

Our setup:

We basically always give Aspen the entire back of the car and put his bed back there. We have a roof rack that is a must that we mainly put everything in that we know we won’t be needing on the road. I.E extra diapers, pack, and play, all of our clothes. 

Here are my top things we could not have done the trip without! (Check out my full travel guide to get an extensive list of everything you need!) 

Bottle warmer: luckily hunter’s car has an outlet in it so when it came time for Ira to eat. We would pull over, plug in the warmer and make his milk. (if your baby doesn’t have to have warm milk then more power to you!)

Pack and play: We absolutely love this pack in play. It’s so easy to set up and is super compact. I also love the little zipper side pocket and the that it lays completely flat on the ground.

Umbrella Stroller: This stroller is a Godsend. It’s an investment but so compact and a beautiful design. We barely even use our big stroller now that we have this one. 

Baby Carrier: We found this one on sale at a local store in Santa Barbara because it was last year’s model. It was great for carrying Ira around love that he can face out and that it has a sunshade for those super sunny days!

Baby monitor: Love that this monitor can wrap around anything so the setup is super easy. You don’t even have to have a table to set it on. We’ve used bathroom wall hooks and the pack and play itself. So easy!

Our Route: (learn everywhere we stayed by clicking the link here to see the full travel guide!)

Start Santa Barbara

• Point Reyes for 2 nights at Olema House
• Mendocino Coast for 2 nights at Little River Inn
• Bandon for 2 nights at this airbnb ( insane views and right on the beach but unfortunate decor and the fireplace is one of those light up one…which I was not a good sport about.)
• Neskowin for 5 nights at the most beautiful place of all time! 
• Ashland for 1 night at Ashland Springs Hotel
• Healdsburg for 2 nights at Hotel Healdsburg