The thought of flying with my 8-month-old daughter, Zoe, was petrifying. I was just starting to get the hang of multitasking with only one free hand and changing the baby in public places, along with a host of other challenges that new parents face. When we finished renovating our vacation rental property in Texas wine country, however, it felt like the right time to take Zoe on her very first trip.
We flew Southwest Airlines, and we were so glad we did. Not only were we able to check two bags each for free — including Zoe’s car seat as well as her Pack ’n Play (a portable playpen) — but families also get priority boarding after Group A. Plus, the flight attendants were an absolute delight and even made a shaker toy for Zoe out of pretzels and a cup with a lid. She ended up having more fun with her makeshift pretzel shaker than the brand-new toys that we bought specifically to distract her during the flight. Go figure.
My partner and I brought both of our families together for a few nights, taking over all four units at Behrends Family Homestead, our recently launched boutique vacation rental company in Fredericksburg, Texas. Raise your glasses, because in Texas wine country, it’s perfectly acceptable to take your infant wine-tasting with you. Our property is wedged between two tasting rooms, so my mom, Zoe and I walked over to Hilmy Cellars to sample some local whites. Later, we took the rest of the family to Signor Vineyards for a chocolate and wine pairing in an outdoor picnic area.
It was a decadent way to bring the family together.
Sign Up for Our Monthly Family Getaways Newsletter
I accept the T&C and Privacy Policy.
