Tips for Dealing with Long Layovers

I’m a big fan of non-stop, direct flights.  Scratch that, I’m a HUGE fan. But sometimes you are going to get stuck with a layover.  Whether you’re looking to save a few dollars or just get a little further afield, layovers happen.

We recently had a 4-hour stop in Athens on our way back from Santorini that was too short to leave the airport but too long for me to just distract Chet with some Duty-Free Smarties and the bustling activity outside the picture window. It got ugly.

So what’s the trick to surviving long airport layovers with kids?  I asked the experts on Twitter and Facebook. After a few joking (I hope) responses about Benadryl and the airport bar, folks came up with some great tips:

1.  Technology can save your bacon

iPhone enthusiasts came out of the woodwork to talk about how travel is so much more bearable when you can pass the  iPhone to the kids. I wholeheartedly agree and make sure that the phone is charged before any trip. I’ve uploaded several movies and also have a bunch of apps for Chet to play with – though lately he can pass hours merely taking snapshots of his toys and shoes. But you don’t need an iPhone to provide technological distraction. Leapsters, Nintendo DS and and portable DVD players also do the trick.

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