What Baby Items Should You Rent for a Family Trip?

Family travel with little ones can be joyful and memorable, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. Packing bulky baby products like strollers, car seats, cribs, and high chairs quickly eats up space in your luggage, creating stress before you even reach the airport. Many families now use baby gear rental services. Renting lets you travel light while still having access to baby items. You may be asking yourself: what baby items should I rent for a family trip?

The Case for Renting Baby Gear

When traveling with a baby or toddler, space is precious. You’re already juggling a diaper bag or backpack, clothing, and personal items, so adding a stroller, pack and play, or car seat to the mix makes traveling more complicated. Renting key gear items eliminates bulky baby luggage while still giving you what you need for smooth family vacations.

With BabyQuip, you can have a wide range of baby products delivered directly to your the airport, hotel, or Airbnb or Vrbo rental. This means you can arrive at your destination with gear delivered, clean, safe, and ready for use. Instead of hauling a car seat and stroller through the airport, you can simply have a full-size crib dropped off and picked up at your convenience.

Baby Travel Gear That Makes Sense to Rent

Not every piece of baby equipment is worth packing. Parents and grandparents should focus on must-have gear for travel that will make life easier and keep little ones comfortable.

1. Car Seat Rentals

The Challenge of Traveling with Car Seats

Car seats are essential baby gear for any trip, but traveling with them creates major challenges. From lugging them through airport security to worrying about damage when gate-checking, you may feel stressed before the trip even begins.. Renting a car seat solves these problems.

Safety and Convenience Benefits of Car Seat Rentals

You can have the correct seat type delivered directly to your rental car or vacation rental, ready for immediate use. This service eliminates the uncertainty of availability at car rental counters and includes the manufacturer manual or install video. You install the seat. You can also avoid the hassle of carrying a car seat through crowded airports and reduce the risk of damage during baggage handling. Scheduled delivery means you begin your trip smoothly, without delays or last-minute adjustments. For best practice car seat stages, follow AAP guidance.

Choosing the Right Seat for Your Child

Car seat rentals also allow parents to choose the best model for their child’s age and size without compromise. For instance, an infant bucket seat might be perfect for a six-month-old, while a convertible car seat offers more comfort for toddlers. Families traveling with multiple children can rent booster seats as well, ensuring everyone rides safely. Our quality providers inspects, deep cleans after pickup, and sanitizes again before delivery.

Car Seat Rentals for Frequent Flyers

For families who fly often, the convenience of car seat rentals cannot be overstated. Instead of navigating terminals with a bulky seat in hand, you can land at your destination knowing the right seat is already waiting. Our providers don’t install car seats, but can connect you with Tot Squad or local CPSTs. The result is a smoother arrival process and greater confidence that your child is safe from the very first ride.

2. Crib or Pack and Play

Why Sleep Setups Matter for Babies and Toddlers

Sleep plays a major role in family travel. Disruption affects the entire trip, so the right setup is necessary. Renting a crib or pack and play provides the structure children recognize from home, supporting nap times and nighttime routines even in new environments. For infants, a bassinet rental may be the best choice, while toddlers benefit from full-size cribs or pack and plays.

Crib Rentals in Hotels, Vacation Rentals, and Airbnbs

Hotels and vacation rentals may not provide cribs. They are not required to, and playards may not meet newer federal crib rules. When you rent through BabyQuip, you remove all the guesswork. Families can reserve a full-size crib ahead of time, knowing it will be clean, sturdy, and set up upon arrival.

Crib Rentals for Grandparents Hosting Visits

For grandparents preparing for family visits, crib rentals eliminate the need to purchase expensive furniture that may only be used a few times each year. A rental service provides drop off and pick-up, so there’s no storage hassle afterward.This approach is more affordable than paying airline baggage fees for oversized items like a pack and play.

Added Comfort Through Extras

You can also request extras such as mattress protectors or fitted sheets. This small detail makes a big difference when maintaining bedtime comfort. For babies sensitive to routine changes, a consistent setup supports calmer, more restful sleep.

3. Stroller Rental

Why Renting a Stroller Makes Sense

Exploring a new city, visiting attractions, or strolling along the beach all require the right stroller. However, traveling with your own stroller adds significant bulk. Airlines often disclaim liability for stroller damage, so checking a stroller risks loss or damage. Renting a stroller gives families flexibility while protecting their personal gear from unnecessary wear and tear.

Matching the Stroller to Your Trip

Families can select the perfect stroller for their specific trip. Lightweight umbrella strollers work well for urban adventures and quick navigation through airports. Jogging strollers are ideal for outdoor activities, hiking trails, or seaside boardwalks. Double strollers keep siblings comfortable during longer days of sightseeing.

By renting, you gain access to exactly what you need without trying to make one stroller fit every scenario. At many BabyQuip locations, you can choose from single, double, and jogging strollers.

Delivery and Cleanliness You Can Rely On

Another major benefit of stroller rentals is the convenience of delivery. Instead of juggling a stroller during check-in and boarding, you can travel light and have the rental waiting when you arrive. Our providers thoroughly sanitize strollers and ensure they’re in excellent condition, so parents can trust the quality. For grandparents, renting a stroller means they can provide visiting grandchildren with reliable mobility without having to buy and store one permanently. Our providers follow published cleaning and sanitizing standards.

Trying Before You Buy

Renting a stroller also gives families the chance to try out different styles before committing to a purchase. Parents considering a new stroller model can test it during vacation, which makes the experience both practical and insightful. Renting ensures families enjoy outings without added stress or baggage.

4. High Chair and Booster Seat

The Challenge of Mealtime on Family Trips

Meal times are some of the trickiest parts of traveling with little ones. Dining without a high chair or booster seat often frustrates both parents and children. Renting these items ensures safe, clean, and age-appropriate seating for your child, no matter where you stay.

Options for Hotels, Rentals, and Restaurants

Hotels or rentals may not provide high chairs. Renting guarantees age-appropriate seating at your stay. With BabyQuip’s rental service, you can request the exact gear needed and have it delivered to your accommodations. A high chair makes it easier for babies and toddlers to enjoy mealtime safely, while a booster seat provides flexibility for older children who still need support. Families can even request portable, lightweight designs that are easy to move between rooms.

Convenience for Grandparents Hosting Family Visits

For grandparents hosting family visits, renting a high chair or booster seat means they don’t need to purchase equipment that may only be used once or twice a year. Drop off and pick-up services make the process effortless. Instead of struggling with a wiggly toddler in your lap, you can enjoy meals together as a family.

Cleanliness and Peace of Mind

You’ll also appreciate the hygiene factor. Rental providers follow strict cleaning standards, so the gear you receive is sanitized and safe for use. This level of cleanliness helps reduce stress and ensures that every meal is a positive experience rather than a messy challenge.

5. Baby Bath and Changing Gear

Why Bath Time Routines Matter on Vacation

Maintaining routines during family travel often extends to bath time and diaper changes. Hotel bathtubs and sinks are not designed for babies, and balancing a slippery infant in an awkward space creates risk. Renting a baby bath makes the process safer and more enjoyable. Small tubs fit perfectly in vacation rentals and hotels, giving your baby a familiar bathing environment.

Changing Pads and Sleep Accessories

Changing pads are another practical rental option. While some parents try to improvise with towels or blankets, having a dedicated surface for diaper changes makes a big difference in both comfort and hygiene. Rental services also offer portable sound machines and white noise machines that support sleep routines, particularly in noisy environments. Undo undo

Support for Grandparents Hosting Visits

For grandparents, renting baby bath gear and changing pads allows them to create a safe, baby-friendly environment without cluttering their home with bulky baby things. This thoughtful approach shows visiting families that their needs have been considered, reducing stress and helping everyone enjoy quality time together.

Keeping Routines Consistent While Traveling

Renting these baby items helps you and your family maintain familiar routines during travel. Evening baths and nighttime diaper changes feel just as manageable on vacation as they do at home, contributing to smoother, stress-free family trips.

How Baby Gear Rentals Reduce Stress

You want to travel light without sacrificing comfort or safety. Renting baby gear saves luggage space, provides convenience with delivery and pick-up at your rental, and ensures safety and cleanliness.

Travel Scenarios Where Renting is the Best Choice

Air travel: Airlines usually check one stroller and one car seat per child for free, but checking still adds hassle and risk. Renting reduces what you carry.

Vacation rentals: Staying in a vacation rental means you need to set up a safe, home-like environment. Gear rentals provide all the must haves.

Grandparent visits: Grandparents hosting family visits don’t need to buy baby equipment. Renting a crib, booster, or baby monitor makes visits stress-free family experiences.

Car rental trips: Renting a car and picking up baby gear at the same time means less hassle and more peace of mind.

Cost Considerations of Renting Baby Gear

You may wonder if renting costs more than buying. For a weeklong family trip, renting a full-size crib, high chair, and pack and play is often cheaper than purchasing or checking items on a flight. Renting baby gear is a way to travel light and avoid fees while still giving your child comfort.

Why BabyQuip is the Go-To Rental Service

• Providers deliver clean, safe baby gear to your destination.
• A wide range of baby items is available, from portable cribs to baby carriers.
• Drop off and pick-up services make travel smooth.
• Grandparents and traveling families alike can benefit from having everything ready upon arrival.

We are the leading baby gear rental marketplace and, as of September 2025, Vrbo’s exclusive partner for baby, beach, and pet gear rentals, with delivery in hundreds of cities across the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand.

Rentals include up to $1,000,000 in liability insurance.

The Future of Baby Gear Rentals

Baby gear rental is not only helping families but also creating opportunities. Platforms like BabyQuip allow people to start a baby gear rental side hustle, providing a service that supports both families and entrepreneurs. This growing network strengthens trust and ensures more families can enjoy stress-free travel with little ones.

Final Thoughts

Planning a family vacation becomes easier when you rent gear like strollers, car seats, or cribs. With trusted providers such as BabyQuip, you travel light, avoid stress, and enjoy more time creating lasting memories with your family.