Travel Tips and Services

best in-flight breakfast

This airline offers a breakfast that, while not free ($7), is worth every penny: Greek yogurt with berries, Hero honey, and freshly made granola. Later, you and mini-you can munch on organic fruit leather while watching the Cartoon Network on your individual screens.

best domestic airport for a layover

Four hours between flights will fly by when you're hanging out in one of Logan's Kidports, in terminals A and C. The play areas have a baggage claim-style slide and a climbable control tower, as well as rocking chairs for parents.

best investment

Briggs and Riley, Orvis, and Victorinox suitcases will survive many a family trip. All three luggage companies offer lifetime guarantees, replacing any broken zippers, handles, or lining.

best opportunity to steal a little alone time with your spouse

Hosting the 2004 Olympics inspired Athens's airport to step up its game. Your kid can play at a supervised children's area while you take in an archaeology exhibit at its museum, indulge yourself at shops like Bulgari and Lacoste, or feast on your final Greek salad at one of the amazing restaurants.

best airport in which to be on diaper duty

Recognizing that 7.2 million children fly through Paris every year, this airport has installed eight complete "baby care" rooms stocked with vending machines (with wipes, tissues, diapers, and more), changing mats, tables, and breast-feeding seats. Even better: Forty-two more baby-care rooms are slated to be added by 2010.

best pacifier for parents

Parents traveling with children for the first time: This is your bible. It offers smart, practical instructions on every­thing from packing for a newborn to handling customs paperwork. Some of the anecdotes from other parents might make you cringe (like the one about the poop diaper in the Egyptian pyramid), but the message—you can handle anything—is ultimately reassuring.

best innovations in the rental-car industry

Touring a city by car can take all the fun out of touring a city. Avis's We Drive U service lets you hire a chauffeur for $36 an hour in many U.S. cities, so you can take in the sights without having to know exactly where they are (a good way to make the most of an extralong layover). If you're renting your own car, sign up for eToll so you can zip past toll lines.

best way to see Europe with a kid

Not only has Eurostar's train service sped up, reducing the travel time between its main cities (and therefore the window of opportunity for tantrums), but it also has a refurbished station in London: St. Pancras, home to Europe's longest champagne bar and good cafés for stocking up on food before the ride.

best way to fast-track a passport

Get ready to check "Get passport for Sophie" off your to-do list. This online source lets you skip the teary session at the photo studio. Take the picture at home (the site provides instructions), upload it, and receive a passport-ready print in a few days for just $7.

best way to soak up some culture

Ancient cities can be breeding grounds for family discord: Is it time for the Vatican or gelato? Context Travel, whose Ph.D.-level scholars lead tours around cities in Italy and France, can help. It knows how to make its walks ("Gothic Paris," "Tintoretto's Venice") fascinating for every family member and offers clever children's activities, like scavenger hunts and mask making.