Deep In the Heart of Texas

Art had a conference in San Antonio this weekend. Jacob and I tagged along. While Art was conferencing, Jacob and I saw the sights and ate.

A few of our favorite sights were The Alamo, The San Antonio Children's Museum, and the fountains of Main Plaza.

Over the long weekend, we only ate at a restaurant one time- for the other meals we either got take out or ate breakfast at the hotel. My favorites were guacamole at Acenar, cheese enchiladas at Blanco Cafe, and a milk shake from Milam Diner.

Art and I have traveled somewhat extensively with Jacob. Taking Jacob new places is a lot of fun. But, it can be a challenge. Here are some things we have learned that have made our travels less stressful:
1. A portable dvd player is a life-saver. Use it in the car or on a plane- I've even heard of people setting them up in restaurants.
2. Be prepared for in-transit time to take longer than it would otherwise take without kids. Frequent stops in the car help alleviate some grumping. Getting through airport security is already a hassle. Add a small child, car seat, stroller, and diaper bag to the process and it becomes a nightmare. And, airport security will surely search you and your child. So, plan to arrive at the airport early.
3. Airlines will let passengers traveling with small children carry-on more than regular passengers. Take advantage of this and carry-on plenty of diapers, snacks, toys, and drinks. If you are delayed, you will be glad to have all that stuff with you.
4. Be prepared to do less than you originally planed to do. Kids move slowly and require lots of snacks and naps.
5. Try to stay close to the action. Pick a hotel within walking distance of most things you plan to do. Then, running back to your room for a quick nap in between activities is not a big deal.
6. Try to find a hotel that offers suites. Having a second room to close off makes a huge difference in naps and night time sleep. A few hotels we have found that offer reasonably priced suites are Residence Inn, Hawthorne Suites, Homewood Suites, and SpringHill Suites.