Traveling While Both Parents Work

Traveling as a family while both parents work remotely is a different beast than the vacation Instagram wants you to believe. It’s less about sipping lattes in Lisbon and more about negotiating who gets the quiet corner with the least echo during a client call. If you’ve ever asked, “Can we actually travel while both of us are working?”—you’re in the right place.

Why Even Try? The Realities Behind the Dream

Remote work opens doors, but working parents on the move face some tough realities. Schedules clash, internet connections drop, and someone’s always hunting for crayons or a charger. But with the right setup, you can spend a month in Prague, a week at Grandma’s, or a season in a beach town—without crushing your productivity (or your marriage).

Last winter, my partner and I did a month in Asheville. We had two jobs, one energetic kid, and a dog with a vendetta against squirrels. Was it smooth? Nope. But we learned a ton. Here’s how our days looked, what we’d do differently, and how you can dodge our mistakes.

Our Real Schedule: What Actually Worked

Forget the “perfect” 9-to-5. Here’s what a real day looked like for us:

Time	Parent 1	Parent 2	Kid
7:00–8:30	Breakfast, emails, prep for calls	Kid duty, quick walk outside	Cartoons, chaos, pancakes
8:30–12:00	Deep work, meetings	Childcare, errands	Play, crafts, snacks
12:00–13:00	Family lunch, break		Nap (on a good day!)
13:00–16:00	Childcare, outdoor time	Deep work, meetings	Park, exploring, snacks
16:00–17:30	Emails, wrap-up, family walk		Burn off last energy reserves
17:30–20:00	Dinner, bedtime routine		Bath, stories, bed (eventually)
20:00–22:00	Catch-up, calls with different time zones, downtime		Hopefully asleep

Every family’s rhythm is different, but swapping blocks like this let us both get 4–5 focused work hours, plus a few more flexible ones. Some days, it went sideways (sick kid, power outage, unexpected meeting), but structure helped us stay sane.

Internet: The Non-Negotiable Foundation

You absolutely need reliable internet. Here’s a quick checklist—the one I wish I’d had before booking that “high-speed WiFi” rental that turned out to buffer during Slack calls.

• Test speeds before you commit. Ask the host for a screenshot from speedtest.net. You want at least 25Mbps down, 10Mbps up per working parent. More is better. Video calls? Double it.
• Bring a travel router. I use the GL.iNet Slate. It lets you create your own private, stable network—even from dodgy hotel WiFi.
• Back up with your phone. Make sure at least one phone has a generous data plan and hotspot capability. Test it before you need it in a pinch.
• Know local SIM options. In Europe, I grab a prepaid SIM (e.g., Orange Holiday, Three UK PAYG). In the US, T-Mobile prepaid is reliable.
• Scout coworking spaces or cafes nearby. Sometimes, one of you just needs to escape for an hour.

Pro tip:

Never trust the words “fast WiFi” in a listing. Always verify. I once had to take a client call in a rental car because the house WiFi quit during a thunderstorm. Not my finest hour, but it worked.

Childcare Swaps: Divide, Conquer, Repeat

The number one trick? Tag-team. Each parent gets protected work blocks. Ditch the idea of both working “together” all day. Here’s how to make it work:

• Sync your calendars. Sunday night, compare meetings. Who needs quiet when? Block those times first.
• Plan activities in advance. Local playgrounds, nature trails, or even a new sticker book can buy you an hour.
• Trade off the “hard” shifts. Some days, morning will be rough; others, afternoons. Switch it up to keep things fair.
• Don’t be afraid to outsource. If you’re somewhere longer than a week, check Facebook groups or Care.com for vetted local babysitters or drop-in childcare.

Quiet Hours: How to Actually Get Them

Here’s what’s worked for us (and a few friends in the same boat):

1. Noise-cancelling headphones. I use the Sony WH-1000XM4. Worth every penny.
2. White noise machines or apps. myNoise.net is great, or just run a fan.
3. Pick “do not disturb” hours. Mark them on a family calendar—even on the fridge. Everyone (kids included) knows when interruptions are off-limits.
4. Portable work setups. Sometimes, the only quiet spot is the porch, a closet, or even the car. Keep a go-bag with your essentials ready to move.

Packing List: The Must-Haves

Here’s our family’s actual list for a 2-week stay in a rental (with a toddler and two working adults):

Category	Essentials
Tech	Laptops (with chargers) Headphones (noise-cancelling, ideally) Travel router Power strips HDMI cable (for a second screen) Universal plug adapter Portable battery bank
Kid Gear	Favorite toys/books Tablet with downloaded shows Compact stroller Basic first aid kit Snacks, water bottle
Work Comforts	Laptop stand External mouse/keyboard Notebook & pens Foldable seat cushion
Miscellaneous	Copies of IDs Insurance info Local SIM card (if needed) Mini toolkit (screwdriver, tape) Zip bags (for cables, snacks, wet clothes, sanity)

Favorite Tools & Links

• Speedtest.net – For checking WiFi before you settle in.
• TripMode – Blocks background app updates, saving your hotspot data.
• Care.com – Find local childcare, even for short stays.
• Airbnb – Always message hosts about WiFi speeds before booking.
• Nomad List – Crowdsourced info on cities, coworking, internet, cost of living, and more.
• myNoise.net – White noise for any environment.
• Google Family Link – Parental controls for devices on the road.

Final Thoughts

Working and traveling as two parents is a juggling act. Some days, it feels like you’re winning; others, you’re just hoping for stable WiFi and a nap (for the kid or yourself). The secret is flexibility, a little planning, and a sense of humor when things go wrong. Because they will.

When we look back, it’s the ridiculous moments—like taking a sales call in a playground parking lot—that we remember most. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Just don’t forget the charger. Or the snacks.

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