I Used to Love Travel. Then I Became a Twin Dad.

Written By The Dudela

I used to travel on a whim. Friday night flights. Road trips with no map. Wake up in Denver, fall asleep in Zion. I loved it. I lived for that kind of freedom—me, Viv, a packed bag, maybe our dog Gryff riding shotgun. Those were the days where adventure felt easy.

And then we had twins.

Overnight, “spontaneous travel” turned into “survival logistics.” And no one prepares you for how hard that shift is—not just practically, but emotionally too.

Travel started to feel like something we lost. There was one trip early on where everything felt stacked against us: missed naps, overtired parents, screaming babies, too much stuff, not enough sanity. We had this moment in the car, Viv and I just looking at each other like, What are we doing?

Honestly, it wasn’t fun. Not at first.

I grieved the version of travel I used to love—the one where I could say “let’s go” and go. Now it felt like work. Like risk. Like maybe it just wasn’t worth it.

But here's what happened: instead of forcing the old version, we leaned in—together. Viv and I started working as a team in a whole new way. We simplified. We prepared better. We let go of trying to make the trip "perfect," and found joy in the moments we used to rush past.

And slowly, the magic came back. Not the same magic. Not the pre-kids magic.
A deeper kind.

We talked about all this on our podcast recently—Mike (the other dad behind Dudela) and I broke down the ups, the downs, and the travel tips we wish someone had given us. If you're in the middle of figuring out what family travel looks like for you, check it out:
🎙 Listen to the Travel Episode of the Dudela Podcast

Did You Know?

  • TSA does allow baby formula, breast milk, and toddler snacks over 3.4oz—just let them know.

  • You can rent cribs, high chairs, and strollers at your destination using BabyQuip. Total game-changer.

  • Many airlines let you gate-check both a stroller and a car seat for free.

What Actually Helped Us

  • Packing cubes + gallon bags = your new best friend

  • Ziplocks labeled by day/outfit = zero thinking required mid-meltdown

  • Dad go-bag: wipes, extra shirt, noise machine, Bluetooth tracker, emergency protein bar

  • Permission to suck at it the first time: You will. It’s okay.

📥 Download Our Dad-Friendly Travel Packing List (PDF)
Custom-made for chaos. Editable. Printable. Printable again when your toddler eats the first one.

🛠 Stuff That’s Actually Worth Packing

Here’s what made our travel better, not bulkier:

(Yes, these are affiliate links—supporting Dudela keeps our coffee warm and our content free.)

🔗 Travel Resources We Actually Use

  • Google Flights – perfect for “where can we go that’s cheap?”

  • Roadtrippers – plan stops before the baby wakes up

  • BabyQuip – again, lifesaver

  • NPS Junior Ranger Program – fun for toddlers, secretly fun for you

Final Thought from a Twin Dad

Traveling with twins is chaos. No way around it. But if you’re waiting for it to feel like it used to—you’ll miss the version that’s unfolding right now.

You can travel as a family. It’s not easy. But it’s meaningful.

Viv and I had to learn to show up as a team, drop our expectations, and choose the moments instead of chasing perfection. And on the other side of that? Memories we wouldn’t trade for anything.

You’ve got this, dad. Just maybe… pack extra wipes.

The Dudela
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Rallying Your Dad Squad: Building Your All-Star Team