Hello hello! I hope you all are having a great week. It feels like this week is taking forever! We leave for our trip to Salt Lake City tomorrow and I'm so excited for it! It will be Kai's first plane ride so send me allllll your tips and tricks for keeping a baby happy on a plane! It's a 3 hour flight, so not too long but long enough.

On the flip side though, I want to talk to you all today about road tripping with babies! We didn't do a ton of travel with Kai this year but we did do a couple of road trips out to see family in Ohio, which is about a 5 hour drive. The first one when he was 4 months old was a little rough but this last one we took went so much smoother. I believe it's because I thought out way more how to keep him occupied and how to help him nap when he's supposed to during the drive. So here are my biggest tips for road tripping with an infant...

So what I mean by this is if you are going on a 5 hour road trip, bring 5 toys. They don't have to be huge or anything, just small things they can bang, throw, chew on, etc. Just keep rotating them out when you notice them getting bored with them. I honestly think I only ended up using 2 out of the 5 I brought plus his pacifier.

I don't normally sit in the back seat with Kai when we drive around locally, but I did for our road trip out to Ohio the 2nd time. The first time I didn't at first, but had to move back there in the end because he wouldn't stop crying. Just think, they get lonely and bored! I was able to entertain him, plus give him back his toy whenever he would throw it. Which I would encourage because it kept him happy and entertained, ha! I was also able to feed him some solids when he was hungry + kind of guide him in to his nap when he needed to sleep a little. He's usually really good about napping in the car but when he's been in it for hours, he gets restless.

Our babes are buckled in nice and tight in their car seats so they need to stretch every couple of hours otherwise they are going to get real cranky. When it's time to feed them milk, find a rest stop and feed them. We're forced to do this because I still mostly breastfeed Kai, but he is bottle fed, too. So technically I could just give him a bottle in his seat, but the break is still necessary to give us all a stretch and bathroom break. Plus this is the perfect opportunity to change their diaper.

We don't usually let Kai watch TV, but a thing like this is an exception. I give him a toy and put on Mickey on my iPad and he's good for at least 30 min to an hour. He mostly plays with the toy but occasionally watches Mickey and gets all excited. We also have an awesome Disney playlist put together for him on Spotify. It's full of the best Disney songs + other kid-friendly movie soundtracks. It's called Kai Tunes, look it up and follow it for your little ones too!

When push comes to shove a pacifier or some puffs almost always does the trick. We have these Wubbanub pacifiers for Kai and he loves them so much. They almost always comfort him. Depending on what comforts your little one most besides you holding them, bring that. He is also a huge fan of these puffs from Happy Baby. He could probably eat the whole container in one sitting! They quickly dissolve in their mouth so they aren't a choking hazard and they actually taste so good! So snacks and binkies for the win!

That's all I've got for you all so far! Simple, but useful. I'll keep the tips coming as we travel more and will definitely do a post on all the tips and tricks I learn from flying with an infant soon!

The great natural wonder of the world known as Niagara Falls is located in Ontario, Canada and New York, USA. The Falls and the Niagara River create the border of the USA and Canada and can be seen from both countries. The more scenic side of The Falls is located on the Canadian side. We visited The Falls by driving there from Chicago. We crossed the border in to Canada through Detroit, MI, USA and drove through Canada, which is approximately an 8 hour drive + border crossing time. The other road trip route that can be taken is to continue on 1-80 E and enter Canada on the Rainbow Bridge in New York, USA, which is about a 9 hour drive + border crossing time. The other option is flying in to the Buffalo/Niagara Airport in Buffalo, NY, USA.

There are 4 bridges that will get you across the Niagara River to and from Canada and the US near The Falls.

Lewiston Queenston
This bridge is located north of The Falls near the Butterfly Conservatory and Floral Clock in the Niagara Park on the Canadian side. This bridge experiences less border crossing traffic during the day.

Rainbow
This bridge is the famous Niagara Falls bridge that goes through The Falls. You are also able to walk across this bridge for spectacular views of The Falls over the river. Border crossing times can sometimes be high for this bridge as it is the most popular one in the area.

Whirlpool
This bridge is located north of The Falls but is a Nexus Only bridge. Do not attempt to cross this bridge unless you have a NEXUS card.

Peace
This bridge is located south of The Falls. This bridge experiences less border crossing traffic during the day.

To see live border crossing times visit the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission.

The Falls
Obviously the main reason to go to Niagara is the see Niagara Falls. The more scenic side of The Falls is on the Canadian side and from that view you can imagine what the New York side would be. However, if you are in the US and do not have time to cross the border or do not have a passport to get in to Canada, then the NY side will still do the trick as The Falls are spectacular no matter what.

Walk Across the Rainbow Bridge
For 50 cents a person, you can walk across the Rainbow Bridge and get to see The Falls from both sides of the river + be directly over the river in the process. How cool is that!? Don't forget your passport though because you need it to actually get off the bridge on both sides.

Maid of the Mist
Take a ride on the famous Maid of the Mist where you ride in a boat on the Niagara River right through The Falls. Don't forget your rain poncho though as you get soaking wet on this adventure.

Floral Clock
​Visit the Floral Clock in the Niagara Park on the Canadian side. It is one of the most visited attractions in all of Canada every year!

Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden is located in the Niagara Park on the Canadian side, as well. Take a stroll through the beautiful garden as a nice break from the hectiness near The Falls.

Clifton Hill
Clifton Hill is like the Las Vegas Blvd of Niagara Falls. You can find everything bigger and better on this street. You can visit Ripley's Believe It or Not, the Guiness Book of World Records, tons of shops, restaurants, and lots and lots of lights at night

Wine Tasting
The Niagara Wine Region is quite incredible. There are 100s of wineries to choose from and many of them have tasting rooms. Each side of The Falls has plenty to offer with the USA side having what they call The Niagara Wine Trail and the Canadian side being called the Ontario Wine Country.

Hiking
There are plenty of trails on the Canadian side to walk along the river but to experience some great hikes it is best to venture over to the American side and go to the Niagara State Park. Go for a hike in the Devils Hole State Park for some of the best views of the area.

Visit Niagara-on the-Lake
​This quaint town is something that you don't want to miss. You'll discover some of the cutest shops you'll ever find and some of the best eats in this little town. Plus Queens Royal Park is right on Lake Ontario and a wonderful place to spend an afternoon relaxing.

Il Gelato di Carlotta
This gelato is incredible! This shop is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake and is perfect for an afternoon snack lakeside. Try the pistachio or strawberry and you won't be disappointed.

Stromboli's Pizza Ltd.
A little pizza shop located in St. Catharines. Get the pizza combo for a ton of food and remember that if you order bacon on your pizza that you're in Canada...and it's not their fault ;)

Nina Gelateria
This bakery/gelato shop is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Grab some breakfast here in the morning and some treats or gelato for a snack in the afternoon. We highly suggest their chocolate strawberry crepe and pasteries in the morning and some macarons in the afternoon.

Lococo's Fruit and Veggies
Grab some groceries at this fruit and vegetable store to have a picnic. A couple of perfect spots are right across from Niagara Falls on any of the lawn areas right on Niagara Parkway or in Queens Royal Park on Lake Ontario in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Cafesito
This cafe is located in St. Catharines and is the perfect spot to grab a quick cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich to start out a morning. Whether you grab and go while you're heading out of town on your last day or for a quick stop before you do a full day of exploring the area, their breakfast sandwiches are delicious.

Springbank House
This gorgeous B&B is located in St. Catherines in Ontario, CAN. It is a dog friendly B&B. Their hospitality is mind blowingly wonderful and the house itself is gorgeous. Make reservations on their site here.

Niagara-on-the-Lake
Any of the B&Bs in Niagara-on-the-Lake seem incredible. They are all located within walking distance of the main street and Lake Ontario.

For more great tips on vacationing in Canada visit Your Guide to Trekking in Canada on All the Rooms!
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Hey everyone! Sorry this post is coming to you a day late but the Cabrera Crew has been busyyyyyy. We had a really productive weekend and Monday but my to do list is still a mile long. We're slowly getting there, though! I may not have gone grocery shopping in the last 2 weeks but our car seat is installed, the nursery is is about 95% done, and really the last essential we still need is our stroller. We ordered it a few weeks ago and it should be here this weekend! Besides knocking things off our to do list and visiting with my Nana (she broke her hip last week and had to have surgery...my poor little Nana - please keep her in your prayers), we went to see Wicked on Sunday! I have been waiting to see this musical for over 10 years. It was absolutely incredible and if you've never seen it either, try your hardest to go see it on this national tour! After the show we decided to pop into our favorite dinner spot in Chicago, the Tortoise Supper Club, and had a delicious dinner. Funny enough the last time we went there I was pregnant, but we didn't know it at the time! Now that I'm at the tail end of my pregnancy and this past Sunday felt like one of our last true days out just the two of us without having to worry about making plans for Nugget, it felt like a great way to bookend the pregnancy. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, too!

Today I want to bring you some really fun travel content (after all, it is Travel Tuesday!) and tell you about all the really fun places you can bring your pups when you visit Niagara Falls! Last spring we took a road trip up to Canada with Wrigley to see the Falls. I had read that dogs were allowed at the Falls and being the crazy dog mom that I am, had this dream of taking him up there to see it and getting a really awesome picture of him being grumpy about it. Wrigley is so cute all the time but sometimes we'll get these really awesome pictures of him where he is just looking at the camera like "seriously guys?" Well it turns out Wrigley LOVED the whole experience and pretty much looked like the picture you see above the entire time. I did get one "grumpy" one though...

There...that's all I wanted! But seriously, I'm so glad he enjoyed the trip and experience as much as we did. He really is our first baby, and we love taking him with us as much as possible. So here is a fun list of places that you and your pup(s) can enjoy when you visit Niagara Falls with them!

Ok so duh, you can obviously have your dog with you when you are viewing the Falls from either the US or Canadian side. They can also walk with you across the Rainbow Bridge. Just remember if you live in one country and want to view the Falls from the other country you need your passport and your dog's rabies shot information. You won't be able to cross the border either way without it.

On the Canadian side of the Falls, you can enjoy what is called the Niagara Park, and one thing inside the park is this amazing clock! Thousands of flowers are planted around it and it is one of the most visited attractions in the whole area every year! It was so beautiful and relaxing. After snapping some shots, we plopped down on a bench and watched the start of the sunset. It was a nice way to end the evening.

Again, in the Niagara Park, there is a botanical garden that allows dogs! There are some beautiful plants inside the garden and another great way to spend some time in the area.

This quaint Canadian town is a must visit spot if you're in the Niagara Falls area. There are tons of bed and breakfast spots in this town for you to stay in with your pup and also a good amount of shops and restaurants. We could take Wrigley into some of the shops and with any food spots either one of us would run in, grab what we wanted, and find a bench nearby to enjoy our food. We had the most delicious crepes and gelato here!

One of Wrigley's favorite things ever is to go hiking. On the US side, along the Niagara Scenic Parkway, there are multiple state parks and Devil's Hole has some wonderful trails to go hiking on.

The Finger Lakes region on the US side and the Niagara Wine Trail on the Canadian side of the Falls has some really incredible wineries! While not all of them are dog friendly, here is a list of a few that are!

• Rancourt Winery
• Rosewood Estates Winery
• Featherstone Estate Winery
• Vineland Estates Winery

​Featherstone and Vineland also put together an annual dog-friendly wine festival that takes place every summer called the Muddy Paws Wine Festival! This is definitely on our list to do next time we make a trip up to Niagara!

If you're planning a trip to Niagara Falls and have a furry friend, you should definitely bring them! Granted you aren't able to go on the Maid of the Mist and go on any indoor attractions at Niagara Falls, it is still so nice to just be outside and enjoy the nature. The wonder of the Falls is truly spectacular and if you can make it possible, bring your fur baby along to enjoy it, too!

Make sure you follow me on Twitter for my #pregnancytales and other daily ramblings! Have a happy Travel Tuesday!