I Took My Twin Toddlers on Vacation and Somehow Survived
Taking twin toddlers on vacation isn’t a getaway—it’s a full-contact sport. Picture this: two screaming two-year-olds mid-flight because naps are apparently for the weak, me ugly-crying at customs while waiting for luggage, and a suitcase bursting with snacks, toys, and just enough sanity to make it through. Sound fun yet? Welcome to my version of “vacation.” As a mom who’s lived to tell the tale, I’m here to share the good, the bad, and the utterly ridiculous moments from our trip to the Dominican Republic. Spoiler: it’s not all beach bliss, but with the right prep, you might just survive—and maybe even smile—through the chaos.
THE RESORT
We searched high and low for a resort that checked all the boxes for traveling with a large group and small kids: close to the airport, a short flight, minimal transit time after landing, and amenities for all ages. Enter: Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana. Ziva is the family-friendly counterpart to Hyatt’s Zilara, which caters to adults only. The resort’s layout was perfect, offering easy access to entertainment, pools, the beach, and plenty of dining options.
We stayed in an oceanfront suite with a separate room for the girls. While the extra room featured slat walls that didn’t quite allow for a private sleeping space for the toddlers, the resort provided complimentary cribs that fit perfectly in our room. A small caveat to the luxury, but it worked out fine as we quietly navigated in and out at night.
Club-level access and the suite came with the added bonus of the world’s kindest butler service, accessible via WhatsApp. Need whole milk at bedtime? Santo had it covered. A last-minute dinner reservation? Santo made sure the table was set, high chairs were ready, and everything went smoothly.
Though most activities catered to kids 4+, our two-year-old twins were fully entertained. The large splash pad, beach, and water park provided endless fun. Changing things up between the pool, the beach, and the water park (complete with slides, a lazy river, and even big-kid water slides that we joined them on!) kept everyone happy and engaged.
Dining options at the resort were abundant—you never need to leave. Adults can even access Zilara’s restaurants, expanding the choices. Between the kid-friendly menus and adult options, we barely dipped into the snack stash we had packed in an entire suitcase.
Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana was truly a luxurious, family-friendly escape. With thoughtful amenities and activities for all ages, it’s a fantastic option for families seeking a stress-free getaway.
THE PREP
Call me Type A, call me OCD, but these travel essentials were the MVPs that helped ease the chaos of taking two toddlers out of the country:
MiaMily 18-inch Ride-On Carry On
Prepare to be stopped by everyone as you travel—this suitcase is a showstopper! We skipped the strollers (because let’s face it, that’s just one more thing to lug around), and since our toddlers are in the “I’ll do it myself!” phase, this patented Swiss ride-on carry-on was a lifesaver. TSA-approved and designed to be as fun for kids as it is functional for parents, it made rushing through the airport a breeze.
I discovered this heartwarming brand while searching for an easy-to-travel-with diaper bag. No Reception Club creates elegantly designed travel products with one goal: to make family travel more meaningful and less stressful. Every product is meticulously crafted based on real-life parenting experiences, and it shows. Here are the two bags we went with:
The Getaway Bag by No Reception Club - This bag was a lifesaver for airport transitions and in-flight organization. It fit perfectly under the seat in front of me, giving me quick access to snacks and entertainment for my little snack monsters. The thoughtful side-opening design and well-placed pockets made grabbing what I needed a breeze, even with one hand and limited leg room.
The Hideaway Duffel by No Reception Club - This bag organized everything we absolutely could not afford to lose in-flight while keeping it accessible. It attached effortlessly to our luggage handles or could be worn as a backpack, which was a game-changer with all our suitcases. Pockets galore—you’ll struggle to fill them all! An insulated pocket held snacks like applesauce and yogurt, and the removable interior cubby? Genius! While we used it for tech (nightlight, cameras) and spare clothes this time, I’m already dreaming of shorter trips where this bag will handle everything.
All the stuffies were secure and accounted for, too.
Don’t forget all the little things that are so much more convenient when organized:
KeepGoing Kids First Aid Kit – This perfectly organized little lifesaver is always in my diaper bag, but on vacation, it became my hero. When Emma stepped on a bee poolside to kick off our morning, the handy tweezers and rubbing alcohol saved the day—and saved me from a full-blown panic.
Travel Pill Organizer - Paired this with labels from this affordable label maker to mark all important meds for the adults in case of emergency.
Bagsmart Electronics Cord Organizer - This held ALL our cables, a bluetooth speaker, charging cords, and two portable chargers (these are AMAZING and because they don’t need any extra cords - everything folds into itself and they are super portable). Don’t forget to pair this with cable labels and silicone cord ties for the chef’s kiss level of “I’m ready for whatever.”
Flat plug power strip extension cord - This was a lifesaver when we were coordinating the noise machine and camera set up by the girls cribs since hotels never have enough outlets!
Compression packing cubes helped tame the chaos in all of our luggage.
Maple + Lark’s Bliss Bins are a chef’s kiss for all the spare bits and pieces that come with being a parent. These hard-shell CLEAR zippered bins allow you to easily see what is inside of them while keeping all medicines, spare clothes, tiny toys, meal-time items, and other categories organized.
THE ENTERTAINMENT
As a screen-free family, I was petrified at the thought of entertaining our little ones for a 3.5-hour flight. Spoiler alert: we couldn’t do it. In a moment of desperation (and sanity preservation), we added an Amazon Fire tablet to our travel arsenal right before the trip. We loaded it with their one true obsession—Moana—along with Disney favorites like Frozen and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Quick shoutout to Bandou for having super comfy and safe headphones for littles.
That said, we didn’t abandon our screen-free roots entirely. Here are the other essentials that helped make our travel bearable and kept us mostly sane:
Push & Go Airplane toys to get them pumped for their first flight.
Montessori travel sensory boards are a must in keeping toddlers entertained. We got this bear themed busy board as well and they were busy for at least 20-30 minutes at a time on the plane and in restaurants.
Travel magnetic magna-tiles were so easy to pack and enjoy on the go.
Magnetic puzzles kept the twins attention for a while as well, but they really just enjoyed the process of the pieces magically sticking to the magnet pad, not so much to complete pictures. (If animals aren’t your style, we purchased the traffic set, too)
Dinosaur color sorting sensory toys were a hit, even for just practicing colors while mom did the hard work of moving the colors to where they needed to go.
Caution when using Melissa & Doug’s sticker stamper: Your toddler may have too much fun and be sad when the stickers are all used up so buy two or more! (Lesson learned)
These string sensory activity boards were fun for the adults and toddler’s alike as a pre-dinner calming activity. Sifonol offers the boards in various shapes and sizes, adding to the fun.
We can’t forget the poolside/beach entertainment:
Reusable Water Balloons with Magnetic Self Sealing - These were a hit for our girls AND the kids we made friends with all week.
RACPNEL must have had siblings in mind with their collapsible beach bucket & beach toys set. This came with the perfect amount of items to split and share into two included carry bags that were fun for the girls to carry around (for two seconds).
Tiny Twinkle’s Mess-proof wet bags were invaluable in storing all their wet items.
THE TRAVELING SECRET
There isn’t one. Stop looking for it. I spent hours—after work, early mornings, even while on the toilet—searching for the secret sauce to vacationing with toddlers. Spoiler: it doesn’t exist. The best advice I can give is to expect the unexpected and remember that your kids don’t stop or define your ability to travel. Did you need to be this prepared pre-kids? Probably not. Can you still have a shred of fun? Absolutely. Safe travels!
