Complicated traveling-with-carseats question

Here's my dilemma: We're going to Cape Cod for vacation this summer -- flying from Denver to Boston and sharing a rental house in Truro (near the very tip of the Cape). We're spending the first night at my friend's house in Cambridge because our flight gets in too late to make it to the Cape that night.

I really want to take the ferry from Boston to Provincetown (the girls would love it and it would be so much more pleasant than driving) and just rent a car there for the week. But the only car rental place in P'town doesn't rent car seats.

Sooo, we'd need to check the car seats from Denver, then carry them from the Boston airport to my friend's house, then to the ferry terminal the next morning and get them on and off the ferry somehow -- and do it all in reverse a week later. (I'm assuming we'd take cabs within the city -- I had planned to do it by subway and walking, but there's no way we could manage that with car seats.)

Alternate plan is to take the subway to my friend's house, then rent a car, with seats, in Cambridge and drive down to the Cape. It's a 3-hr drive (probably with heavy traffic). Renting from Cambridge is more expensive, but since we'd be skipping the ferry, it would probably balance out.

So, at the moment I'm thinking that driving in heavy traffic, no matter how much I hate it and how much I would love the ferry, is preferably to carrying car seats all over creation. If you've managed to read this far, do you think I'm making the right decision? Is there some third option I'm not thinking of?

 

Do you have two sets of car seats? If so, can you ship one set to your friend's house?

 

How about THESE??

My neighbor used it when they traveled to FL and rented a car/flew in the airplane with her 2 young kids and said it was a great way to get carseats, kids, and suitcases where they needed to be!

I also would see if purchasing/shipping the carseats/boosters and taking the subway, etc until you get there would be cheaper than paying extra for some of the out of way travel.

FWIW-- many taxis now require carseats/boosters for young kids. Some have them in the car and some dont. Check.

Any friends in the area that could lend you a set?

 

Have you checked with an independent rental place like Baby's away? Here is a link.

 

Those straps you linked to. I was wondering about those! They looked like they would make things so much easier! Thank you for reminding me! I just may have to get a set cause we may be traveling later this year with the boys. Car companies that do carry car seats don't promise they'll have them when you arrive. I still think that is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. if they have car seats available, but only a limited amount, you should, as a rental customer, be able to reserve a car seat or two if they are available when calling ahead. It just doesn't make sense to me. If you have a child with you and they don't have a car seat when you arrive, what are you going to do? Leave your kid in the airport because the car company that said they rent car seats for kids ran out when you got there?

Anyhoo, just a small rant there. I Thank you again! I'm going to show these to my husband.

 

Shipping the carseats straight to Tuoro would be perfect! Any local UPS store can ship them for you and they'll get there in two days. Easy-peasy. They'll even pack them up for you.

If you don't have two sets of car seats, I vote for checking them on the plane, then carrying them to your friend's house and taking the ferry with the car seats on your back. Or get creative and use one of those old suitcase rolling thingies (remember the frames with wheels). You can strap both car seats to one of the cheap frames -- I did this last summer when I had to bring both carseats to the airport without my husband to help. I used bungie cords to keep them secure, but did have to untie everything to check it on the plane.

Driving to the tip of the Cape is P.A.I.N.F.U.L in the summer. The trip can easily take four hours, or even five if you hit it wrong. And the ferry is so much fun. Your kids would love it.

Edited to add: Could your girls just sit in booster seats? I don't know the MA law, but if they qualify, that might save you the hassle of carrying huge car seats. You could buy their booster seats early and ship them or carry...

 

I've considered those, but I read some reviews that make it sound like they're pretty unstable with older kids, especially if you don't have huge suitcases. (Nearly all the Amazon reviews are 5-star, though, which makes me wonder where I read that...) Anyway, it would be an option if we HAD to bring the carseats, but I think I've pretty much ruled that out.

FWIW, we do have a GoGo Kidz Travelmate and I love it! I'd rather have a rolling carseat in one hand and a rolling suitcase in the other than try to maneuver them both together. They are pricey though (more than they should be, IMO).

Sigh -- I think you're right about the length of the trip. I'd been thinking 3 hours, but I think that's offseason, and I've never actually driven as far as Truro.

Right now I'm leaning towards a baby gear rental company (like Leighann posted). Then I guess one of us would take the rental car from P'town with the luggage, go pick up the carseats at the house (the company delivers them there) and go back to the ferry to get the kids and the other parent. No idea how long that will take (I get the sense that it's not far from P'town to Truro), but since the kids can't ride in the rental car without seats, I can't see any other way.

I hadn't thought of buying extra carseats and shipping them to Truro, but the rentals are only $30 a week (each), so even if we already owned extra carseats, it would be cheaper to rent.

Thanks for the advice! More is always welcome.

 

I used the traveling toddler straps on our trip to FL, but I didn't put the kids in the seats. I just strapped the car seats to our carry-on, so we didn't have to carry them separately. It worked great. I highly recommend taking the ferry to P-town. The drive down there is long, even without traffic. If you are driving on a weekend, forget it. Getting over the Sagamore Bridge can be a nightmare. I'd rather struggle with car seats, than do that drive with kids. Just my opinion.

 

back pack for a car seat

You can try this too. I found this and it looks like it may work nicely if you want your hands free.

 

Since your girls are 4 1/2 have you thought about getting backless bosters for the trip? We got my girls these for when we travel and to keep in DH's car. They love them and sit fine in them.

 

What day of the week are you heading to the Cape? If it's not Friday afternoon or Saturday, the traffic probably won't be too bad. However, taking the ferry would be much more pleasant!

Just asked my DH, and he said you can take cars on the ferry from Boston to Provincetown, but you have to reserve a spot. So, that's an option too. No idea how much that costs, but it might be easier to rent the car in Cambridge, and possibly rent carseats, drive to the ferry, and go from there.

ETA-My DH is TOTALLY wrong! Should have googled first, but I trusted someone who grew up in the Boston area.
Sorry, you can't take a car.

If not, I would either go with bringing backless boosters (cheap and much smaller to carry) if your girls are big enough for them. Or shipping your carseats to Truro.