A week at the beach is a ton of fun. But traveling with a toddler means that fun relies on great planning. Here are some tips for making your trip great when traveling with the younger crew.

People told me I was crazy to plan a 14 hour car ride to Tampa, FL with my 18 month old son. But, being the brave soul that I am, I ventured bravely into the unknown, booked our condo, and made a list of things to pack and purchase. While amidst my planning and buying lots of sunblock, travel size toothpaste, and a new beach umbrella, I turned to friends in my MOMS club for some sanity tips to help me out. Here were the tips I gathered and used:

Tips for the Car

• If feasible, plan the bulk of travel time around sleep. The drive will go faster for everyone involved. For instance, we left at 2:00 am. I know, sounds crazy. But my husband (the driver) went to bed right after dinner the night before, around 6 pm (with a little help from our good old pal, Benadryl). I packed up the car, let the boy wonder run around until way past his bedtime, and prepared the blankies and pillows for the transition from bed to car seat. So, I woke hubby up a little before 2 and he had nearly 8 hours of sleep—he was good to go and my son was still in a deep REM.

• No matter what, there will be some awake time. So, you'll want o have an arsenal of things to do—a portable DVD player is like the Holy Grail, but you can also get crayons and coloring books, car bingo, or handheld games. But you know the toddler attention span—you'll want at least five or six different things to cycle through.

• Snacks are critical. Dried fruit, licorice, and other non-messy, easily portable snacks are ideal. And bear in mind sugar content—the last thing you want is a hopped up toddler strapped in the backseat.

Tips for the Beach

•  You'll need trial size sunscreen and a lot of it. You can buy a larger jug and dispense into smaller bottles or just buy the trial sizes. Keep a few around the condo, throw one in your purse, in the beach bag, in the cooler…everywhere. Kids have sensitive skin and the southern sun can be brutal. You may not think to apply sunscreen before heading out to dinner, but you may have to wait on the patio for a table, so be ready with the sunblock. Travel size hand sanitizers, wipes, Kleenex and should also be readily accessible at all times.

• Toddlers are curious, so running after them at the beach can get tiring. We brought a small blow-up pool with us to the beach every day. We blew it up in a few minutes, then filled it with a few inches of water by hauling buckets of ocean water. This was hours of fun and we could sit on our chairs and sip on cocktails while Junior played, free from the stress of his wandering for at least a little while. It also helped when we built sand castles.

• Hang loose and enjoy the break from the daily grind, but don't completely dismiss your regular routine. Taking a break for a nap may be a lifesaver to having a pleasant evening. Skipping or delaying a meal can mean disaster. Just remember, they are still little and actually rely on these routines.

In the end, the trip was a great success. I would tell anyone else that traveling with a kiddo that young is not only doable, it's magical. There's nothing like seeing a toddler dip his toe in the ocean for the first time or finding his first seashell. You need to plan like a SWAT team and have a few tricks up your sleeve, but I promise you'll create great memories that last a lifetime.