Many parents who travel with small children find that their vacation isn’t much of a vacation when they are chasing small children and having to adjust all their plans around naptime and early bedtimes. One solution is to bring extended family with you on your travels (we invite grandmas whenever we can), but that isn’t always possible. Many hotels and resorts also have kids’ clubs, but many of those won’t allow children under the ages of 4 or 5. It’s hard for a parent of an infant or toddler to get a break!
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I’m a strong believer in making sure to get at least one “date night” on vacation, so my husband and I often hire a babysitter when traveling to make that happen. When we are in a location where we can’t ask friends and family for babysitter recommendations, we look to nanny agencies to hire a temporary sitter. Many traditional nanny agencies who place professional nannies in long term positions also have nannies available for single evening jobs. These agencies will be pricier than sitters you might be able to find on Care.com or SitterCity.com, but I tend to err on the side of safety rather than price when I’m hiring someone for just one job. If you are traveling in the state of California, all reputable agencies will verify that their nannies are “Trustline-certified” (Trustline is a background check service created by the state legislature).
Be sure to also ask your hotel concierge about babysitting service recommendations as well. Often they have a list of trusted local agencies that their guests have used time and time again. Disneyland and Disney World, in particular, maintain extensive lists, as do other family-friendly resorts.
My family has had great experiences with our babysitter hires so far. My daughter adored her sitter, Keely, in Hawaii so much that she told me the next morning “Love you, Keely!” Here are a list of nanny agencies in a few locations I can personally vouch for:
San Francisco Bay Area
Hawaii (Big Island, Kona): Malihini Keiki Care
Anaheim (Disneyland): Around the Clock Sitters
7 Tips for Skiing with Toddlers and Preschoolers - Trips With Tykes
Saturday 31st of December 2016
[…] have a list of a few local agencies that other guests have used. We’ve hired successfully hired babysitters from agencies on our travels in Hawaii and Disneyland. The process works much the same way at most major ski […]
6 Tips For Handling Naps & Sleep Schedules While Traveling With Baby - Traveling Mom
Saturday 19th of December 2015
[…] can cause you and your older kids to miss out on night time sights at your destination. Consider hiring a babysitter on your vacation for an evening or two so your little one can still sleep and you can have an evening […]
natalietanner
Saturday 28th of March 2015
Add Seeking Sitters, here in the states to that list. I have used them in many cities. They do background checks on their sitters.
Smarter Disneyland Strategy With a Baby: Maximizing Rider Switch and Fastpass at Disneyland - Trips With Tykes
Friday 30th of January 2015
[…] the next level? Use it to your advantage for a Disneyland date night. My husband and I often hire a babysitter from a trusted agency in Anaheim to stay with our kids at the hotel one evening during our Disneyland trips. On a few trips, we […]
Today’s Hint: 5 Ways to Find a Good Vacation Babysitter – Hint Mama
Tuesday 9th of December 2014
[…] On the Big Island of Hawaii, my daughter loved the babysitter (she was Mary Poppins) we hired from Big Island Nannies. Hint Mama contributor Leslie Neeland Harvey of Trips with Tykes, meanwhile, has some other babysitter agency recommendations for travelers to San Francisco, Hawaii and Disneyland. […]