Our first trip as a family of 4!
Tie front tank: Nordstrom Rack | Joggers: Zella – these are legitimately heaven! So soft and comfortable and look nice enough to wear anywhere in my opinion. I sized up for a looser feel. | Slides: Shopbop – waterproof, $45 and come in a ton of patterns. If in between, size up! | Sunglasses: Le Specs
Good morning and cheers to a new week!
Thanks for hanging in there with me while I attempted to get this post together. Life has been kind of hectic since we got back from vacation and I wanted to make sure I was able to answer everything you all had asked.
As you might have seen, we were able to sneak away for a week at the end of August and it was so needed. Quarantine has been difficult for everyone and it was so nice to be in a different house for a few days. I thought the easiest format would be just to answer the most common questions I received and if you are curious about anything additional just let me know!
Where did you go?
We drove to Folly Beach outside of Charleston, SC for the week! We knew Trevor had a week off from work and we needed to get away so we did a ton of research on our options. A beach town in Michigan would have been ideal since it’s a much shorter drive (around 4 hours) but unfortunately houses with their own pool are few and far between there. Most that have that option are enormous and meant for multiple families to rent together.
Having our own pool was a deal breaker for us with Covid-19. As you all know, we have been very isolated just out of caution with Zahra and did not want to leave our rental if we didn’t have to.
I stumbled upon this rental in Folly Beach and we couldn’t believe how perfect it was. The house itself is small but it’s all we needed (2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom) and the outdoor space was a dream, especially with children. The front porch and backyard are completely enclosed and offer so much space. The pool was the perfect size and depth for us and I think Zain was in it for almost the entire trip.
The week before I found the rental South Carolina had mandated masks and their cases were dropping which made us feel a bit safer. We didn’t plan on leaving our bubble so it wasn’t a huge concern but if you are wanting to go out to eat, socialize and such and don’t have the ability to quarantine after returning that may be something to consider.
We are also not huge beach people but the rental is virtually on the beach. The entrance is just a few steps away and we did take Zain one morning for about an hour. We didn’t see anyone but again we were there early in the morning and during the week so that may have something to do with it! I could see that further down the beach towards the pier seemed to have more umbrella’s up but still not a lot.
How was the drive?
I have to say, it was not that bad! I’m not sure if the mental preparation mattered because I have had 3 hour car trips with just Zain that seemed much more unbearable. The total drive time was about 10 hours and we stopped just for gas! I had packed an abundance of food for the road, these portable potties and a few new things to entertain Zain.
We left at 6am both times and it worked out great! Getting a bit of driving in before the sun comes up helps and we didn’t seem to hit much traffic either way. It also got us home around 4:30pm which is nice. Enough time to unload, shower and have dinner before an early bedtime.
Zahra slept on and off a lot of the way and happily looked out the window but she was never our concern. Babies tend to sleep a lot in the car and her demeanor is so relaxed we figured she would do a great job! Toddlers are a whole other story 😉 Although Zain didn’t take a nap either way he stayed pretty busy with his toys, books and Ipad. We made sure to download Daniel Tiger, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and a few Homer activities he likes to keep him busy. He also complied with wearing his headphones most of the time he used the IPad which saved us all from having a headache.
My biggest advice would be to pack a few new things and allow unlimited screen time! We let him pack his own backpack which he stuffed with a few favorite books, his new flashlight and a coloring book. I then packed my bag with these scissor pads which he loved.
How did you prepare and what did you pack?
Overall, we packed very light! We knew we wouldn’t be exploring the town at all and didn’t have much room in the car. We didn’t take a stroller just the baby carrier and that was a good call since we never left the house except the short walk to the beach. There was also a washer and dryer in the house so we all packed just a few days worth of clothes that we could wash and re-wear. Even with that, I could have taken less! I spent every day in a swimsuit and then pajamas so could have left most of my other clothes at home.
We also packed a few pool floats and toys since those were easy to deflate and carry, our backpack cooler, the portable fan, pack and play, baby bouncer, and Snuggle Me. I will say being able to fold the Baby Bjorn bouncer down flat is a lifesaver!
I’ve also shared other guides on traveling with kids pre-Covid so those may have more pertinent information if you all are flying! I tried to include everything below and in my Amazon Shop but if you have a specific question just let me know!
How did Covid-19 affect your stay?
All in all, it was fairly easy to keep to ourselves and the house allowed us lots of outdoor space. It’s why we were so picky about having a pool! I packed the portable potties which worked great and am now just keeping in my bag. We have yet to have an accident but with so many places closed now due to Covid I think it will be great to have on hand. They just fold open and are strong enough to have a toddler sit on.
I also placed a grocery order for pickup two days before our arrival! When we got to the house we unpacked everything and then Trevor picked up our order about an hour later. The house had an outdoor grill so we were able to cook out by the pool every night!
Honestly, with kids I’m not sure how much we would have gone out otherwise so although we were careful to stay home we still had a great time! Once we returned home, out of an abundance of caution I kept us isolated. The only activity Zain normally has is swim so I cancelled his lesson for the week we returned and he will go back this week.
To be honest, we saw less people there than we do here so I’m not sure it was necessary but it was easy to do so I would rather be on the safer side.
Hope this is helpful and you are all able to sneak away somewhere!
Moments after we arrived he was already in!
The kitchen was adorable and the perfect size for us!
We spent a lot of the mornings on the front porch swing 🙂
The best Amazon suit! I love getting your messages about it, flattering on every body type!
Zain’s swim float| Zain’s goggles
Zain’s swim shirt | Zain’s swim trunks | Zain’s Beach Set
Zahra’s Headband | Zahra’s Outfit
Thank you so much for this post! I was thisclose to booking a house in Folly Beach for a family trip this month, but my husband and I chickened out at the thought of a longer drive with our toddler and baby lol – you really put us to shame! Instead, we’re headed to the beach a bit closer to home, so I’m still adding all this stuff to my Amazon cart 🙂
I go to folly beach every summer right after labor day, though didn’t this year. I’ve bookmarked this house, my dogs LOVE swimming and this pool is ideal. Thankfully it’s not too far of a drive, as I live in Atlanta instead of Louisville, but yeah, FB has been a somewhat hidden gem, not ever too busy, and with the advent of instacart, you can pick up your groceries a few miles up the road, plus Bert’s market right on the main drag, to get anything you missed if you don’t want to sit in the traffic on the main road to go to and from publix.