Heading out on a new adventure, just my daughter and me, without my husband for the first time felt exciting, empowering, and, let’s be honest, a bit nerve-wracking. But guess what? In the words of my two year old, “I did it!” Our trip to Colorado Springs was filled with hiking, fun travel hacks, and bonding moments that I’ll cherish forever. In this post, I’ll share the highs, the challenges, and some travel products that made our experience way smoother.
Why Colorado Springs?
I lived in Denver until I was 13 years old. Although I had been to Colorado Springs several times, I have no recollection of actually being there. I was excited to take a family trip to help my grandma with her move from Oregon to Colorado.
Colorado Springs is a great destination for families, with outdoor activities that are accessible and kid-friendly. The beautiful backdrop of Pikes Peak and places like Garden of the Gods gave us the perfect excuse to explore nature together. We stayed with family who have an epic patio view of Pikes Peak. It was the perfect spot to reconnect and explore without feeling overwhelmed.
What It’s Like Traveling Without My Husband for the First Time
My husband is the one who manages the car seat, stroller, luggage etc. I started prepping early. I asked my husband to pull all of our luggage and travel gear out of storage. This allowed me to do an assessment. When I saw how much stuff we take on trips, I had to adjust. There was no way I was going to manage a full size car seat with everything else we were packing. I also adjusted to checking one large suitcase instead of my usual one carry on knowing that we were going to have layovers on the trip. Staying with family made the trip a lot easier as they pre-purchased McKenzie’s essentials in advance for us (Amazon or Instacart would be a great pick for staying at ab Airbnb) and in our Toddler Era we have to do A LOT of laundry.
This experience was also the longest I’d ever solo-parented, and it gave me a whole new appreciation for single moms and anyone who regularly flies solo in parenting. Major props to my husband who has solo parented for weeks at a time when I have been on business travel. He still has me beat by like 10 days.
The MVP Products That Saved the Day
1. Travel Car Seat: A Game Changer for Toddlers on the Go
As mentioned earlier we travel with the lighter of our everyday car seat with us in a travel bag. It would have been really challenging for me to carry that car seat any distance. So I knew we were in the market for a lighter car seat. I found this cool harness situation, but realized that she needed to be 3 years of age first. I had also heard great things about the WAYB Pico but that seemed like an expensive purchase not knowing how long I would use it for. I was able to borrow a Cosco travel carseat from a school mate and it worked perfectly. It was super light weight (less than 12 lbs) and all of the features needed for a short trip. It was a bulkier option than the other options listed above but it fit perfectly in our travel backpack and was very light.
If you’re going to rent a car or rely on family cars, having your own car seat gives peace of mind about safety and comfort. If I had to do it all over again, I would’ve purchased the WAYB Pico years ago to lighten our load for the last couple years of trips.Sorry and thank you to my husband!
- Pro Tip: Start at least a week early in preparations for a new travel situation like traveling without your partner. It gave me time to research products, ask around and even borrow gear. *Always be sure to pull up the carseat manual and car manual if you are able. Pre-read so that when you get to your destination you know how to get a good carseat installation. Safety first!
Travel Car seats: Ride Safer Vest | Cosco | WAYB Pico | Car seat Travel Bag
2. Travel Bag from Portland Gear: Stylish and Functional
I used the Portland Gear Cascade Backpack, and it exceeded my expectations! I purchased it at a street market at the beginning of fall thinking that it could have potential. It held all the essentials—think: diapers, snacks, toys, iPads, and extra layers—while still being lightweight and easy to carry. The wireframe top design made it the ultimate grab & go bag. I will admit by the end of the trip the bag so was full and disorganized that I couldn’t zip the bag. Despite that the upright design and the latch on the loops kept everything inside. Plus, it looked super stylish, which is always a bonus for this Jetset mom.
- Why I Loved It: The travel bag had plenty of compartments, keeping everything organized. And when you’re traveling with kids, quick access to toys and snacks is a lifesaver. It has a back luggage sleeve which is the only way I could make putting a carseat on my back and still having a signifiant carry on bag possible.
Portland Gear Cascade Backpack *No partnership here just genuinely love!*
3. Hiking Essentials
Colorado Springs is known for its beautiful trails, which we took full advantage of. McKenzie was screaming in excitement in the car about the “red rocks”. I was not overly prepared for hiking. We had our matching Stanley water bottles and comfy clothes with sneakers and we were just fine for Garden of the Gods. We were able to finish two of the hikes. The first being a very hilly dirt trail. McKenzie tired rather quickly and complained about her legs hurting (even though I was the one carrying her and our gear) so I moved to another parking lot and we were able to hike a second trail. This one was a paved trail and we were able to navigate with a stroller. Here’s what worked well for us:
- Refillable Water Bottles: Stay hydrated! We used our Stanleys and while maybe not ideal worked just fine for us.
- Comfortable Shoes for Both of Us: Good sneakers are non-negotiable with all the walking we did.
- Stroller: I saw a lot of families with hiking carriers but we didn’t bring one. Luckily our compact travel stroller was in the car.
Water bottles: Mom size | Kid sized
Fantastic Sneakers for kids: Dynamo 2 | Flex Runner
Sneakers for Moms: My one pair of sneakers I packed | Something if I was prepared for hiking
Crossbody bag – I even fit a change of clothes in here for the hike which we needed.
Navigating the Airport with a Toddler
Even though MJ is a seasoned traveler a long day of travel can be a bit much for anyone. One way we get her involved is sharing our itinerary of what to expect on the way; car, shuttle, train, how many airplanes we will take for the day, etc.
Here’s what worked for us:
- Check the Car Seat and/or Stroller: For this trip since we had a layover I only checked the carseat and kept the stroller for navigating the airport and she often times likes to sit in the stroller at restaurants or club lounges. The toddler phase of doing things themselves can be difficult in navigating timelines and crowds. So we have a regular stroller game that is exciting for her where mommy goes fast and goes “WHOOSH.”
- Pack Snacks and Toys: I kept a stash of new toys and familiar snacks to avoid boredom meltdowns mid-flight.
- Use the Travel Bag Efficiently: Quick access to wipes, water, and activities meant I was ready for anything.
- Go-Bag: I always pack smaller go bags so that when my toilet training child has to run the bathroom I can just grab & go. Nothing quite like the urgency of a toddler on an airplane.
The Joy of Solo Travel with My Kid
One of the best things about this trip was the bonding time. MJ is a daddy’s girl. So this year of losing my corporate job and this trip has given us lots of extra time for our own moments. Whether it was hiking hand-in-hand or sharing snacks on the plane, this experience gave me confidence in both my parenting skills and my ability to travel solo.
- Favorite Memory: We drove into Denver for a family members retirement party and she was dead asleep as we driving towards the Rocky Mountains. She woke up, screamed “BIG MOUNTAINS” and immediately fell back asleep.
- Fun Moment: Seeing her try to “help” with the map while hiking, as if she knew exactly where we were going.
Affiliate Products That Made Traveling Easier
Below are some of the items that were essential during our trip. If you’re planning a solo trip with kids, I highly recommend these products! Staying organized is key to less frustration.
- Travel Car Seat – Cosco | WAYB Pico | Ride Safer Vest | Car seat Travel Bag
- Suitcase Packing Sleeves – I really liked how many different sized pouches were in this package
- Makeup bag – I love how this bags opens up fully. I take this to the gym with me too.
- Drawing Pad – we keep one in each car for restaurants & this was well used on the plane.
Would I Travel Solo Again? Absolutely.
This trip gave me a whole new level of confidence as a mom and traveler. Colorado Springs was the perfect destination for our first solo adventure, and the products I mentioned made a huge difference in making the journey smooth and enjoyable.
If you’re thinking about traveling solo with your kid, my advice is: just go for it. It’s a challenge, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
Affiliate Disclaimer
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support my blog and future adventures—thank you for your support!
Jetset Jill 
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