When my husband Glenn and I told our friends and family we were planning our sixth-anniversary trip to Aruba, most of them said one of two things: (1) "The tropics in summertime. Interesting choice," or (2) "You're not taking the kids are you?" The kids are Maggie, 3, and Lucy, 7 months. And, yes, we were taking them with us on a four-hour flight to a speck of an island only miles from the coast of Venezuela. In June.

Hoofing the girls to Aruba was something of a test: Could we manage a serious trip (and maintain our have-kids-will-travel philosophy) now that there were two of them? Once we discovered Children's Dramamine, Maggie has been easy to jet around with. Would throwing a baby into the mix make relaxation abroad impossible?

We learned that not only is it possible to relax with a baby on vacation, but in many ways, preferable. Read on for our lessons learned while traveling with young kids.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.