Our family is taking a vacation to the Cancun area in January. We have an active 2 1/2 year old boy and wondered if we should bring along our carseat. What do you moms out there do on vacations like this? Transports are being handled by the resort but I have no idea if it is a bus or van. I do have the go-go baby travel attachment for the seat if we bring it. Thanks!
having been to Cancun I wouldn't take one.
You'll only use to and from the airport and I don't think it's worth the trouble. You can ride the public bus to get anywhere you want (just remember you'll want to take a shower when you get home, not before you go out). I wouldn't rent a car unless you want to get ripped off or have it stolen.
We went to Costa Rica with our then 18 mo. old last year and just rented a car seat there. You can rent them from car rental companies w/o renting a car as well. Otherwise, I'd probably just check the go-go baby.
Hi S.,
We have taken our 2-year-old to Mexico 3 times now :) We have never taken a car seat. Some of our transfers provided a car seat (upon request, of course). When we were in taxis, we put him in the middle with a seatbelt.
Hope that helps!
Hi S.,
We took a flight to San Antonio over Thanksgiving with our 3 and 5 year old. We had pretty much decided we didn't want to mess with hauling around carseats (even the portable type) through the airport, etc. It was looking like we were simply going to lay out a few bucks to purchase what we needed at the nearby Walmart. My MIL was able to come up with just the booster type seats for free for us so that worked out well. I would do some research first before deciding. First, find out what the laws are in Cancun for child restraints as you may not need anything. Secondly find out from your "travel agent" or whoever is in charge of the transports and see what they recommend(you said your resort has arranged them so check there first). Figuring you guys aren't the first ones to ever bring a little person to Cancun I'm sure they'll be able to answer your questions. Based on our trip to S.A. I am SO glad we didn't tote two carseats around with us. It would have been a headache we didn't need. I hope you have a blessed trip. L.
You should talk to the resort and ask for specifics. Let them know you have a 2 1/2 yr. old and ask them or talk to their transportation desk. Even though it's Mexico, they should be used to those kinds of concerns from tourists from the U.S.. In Florida, vans for public transportation can transport kids without carseats.
Hi there~
We have been traveling to Mexico every year since my first son was 3 months. I now have two boys age 5 and 9 months and we just went again this past Thanksgiving. We learned by experience to NOT bring a carseat. Just leave the carseat in your car at the airport.
You cannot fasten it in the resort shuttle vans or buses and taxi drivers really dislike having to wait for you to put the carseat in and out which causes more stress and on top of that almost all taxi cabs or if you choose to use a bus don't even have buckles. I ended up leaving the carseat in the hotel room since I actually felt safer just having my child on my lap. I brought a car seat with my first two years in a row as we went to puerto Valletta first and then cancun since I thought it might be different. Unfortunately it wasn't.
here is the real question:
would you ever put your beloved child in a vehicle without a carseat to protect him?
A.
I assume you're flying, and at 2 1/2 I assume he will have his own seat? Might as well have him in his car seat in the plane. You will already have it with you and it won't be a question.
And even if he's lap-sitting in the plane, I would take the carseat anyway. It's a safety factor, not just the law. The chances of an accident on vacation are no less than at home, and especially since you're not the one driving it would give you more peace of mind if he was securely in a car seat. (Trust me, I've ridden in these 'transport vans', even just in the US the drivers can be a little crazy!). Call the resort and make sure they will have a vehicle that can accomidate a car seat.
S.- If you are planning on renting a car while you are there I would say take it, but if no car is being rented I don't see aneed, most of the time you will takea bus of some type or a cab adn it would be tooooo much of hassel,, have a wonderful trip
Nicole
Having been there with those crazy drivers, definitely take your carseat!
I've traveled to Mexico with my now 3 yo when she was younger and did not bring a car seat. If you expect to stay mostly on the property of the resort you're staying in, then I'd say you dont' need it. If you're planning to do a lot of day trips, then you might want to reconsider. I always bring a stroller, though. So you can walk to shops etc (if your son will stay in it). A car seat is just SO bulky to bring just for the ride to and from the airport. But, it depends how cautious you are.
If the carseat is too heavy and bulky to travel with easily, you could try a full-back booster, especially if he weighs at least 30#, perhaps even one that has a seat that folds up for travel. The boosters are lighter, and so much easier to move from car to car. They are not as secure as the carseats with harness (our kiddo loves to unbuckle the seatbelt when he's in a booster, so we have to watch him really carefully when he's in it), but he'll probably graduate to a booster anyway, so why not get it now? I've done a bunch of traveling in Mexico, and people seem to drive like maniacs there, so I would feel more comfortable having a child in some sort of child restraint. HAve a great trip!
Hi S. - I would say definitely take your car seat. Kids are so much safer on the plane than strapping them in the seat or sitting them on your lap. Also, most resorts do not supply a car seat in a bus or van and again your toddler is at risk in case of an accident or even a sudden stop which happens alot in Mexico. We were able to work it out with our resort to leave our carseat installed in the van that shuttled us around everywhere we went. We just confirmed with our driver that he would be the one picking us up etc. We only had to take it out and reinstall 1 day when the drivers were rotated. If you have a go-go baby attachment, that probably wouldnt be an issue for you.
Safety isnt always convenient but inconvenience is always better than the alternative.
I hope you all have a terrific time!
C.
You will not be required by any Mexican laws to put your child in a car seat, and as someone else mentioned you will likely find it annoying to use one.
However, it is obviously a safety issue that only you can make the ultimate decision on.
