Help me with travel logistics, carseats and cabs?

[Jennifer626]

We will be taking DD to Puerto Vallarta when she is 20 months old. We will buy her a seat on the plane and bring her Scenera seat with us. Then strap it into a cab and get us on the 40 minute drive from airport to hotel.

Here's my question: If we want to go into town at all, it's about a 8-10 minute cab ride into town. What do we do about a car seat? I don't think that bringing the carseat, then lugging it around all day while we shop and do tourist things, and then put it back in the cab for the ride home, is the right answer...

I was thinking that maybe there are "carseat cabs" like how there are "wheelchair cabs" and we could just call ahead and get a carseat cab (if that even exists)?

Also thought we could ask a cabdriver to keep the carseat in his trunk, and promise him a $40 tip (it's a $6 cab ride to our hotel from downtown) and ask him to pick us up at 3pm at this intersection. But that's a lot of trust to put into a cabdriver, I think...

I would feel comfortable with her in the Ergo if we were able to ride a public bus, however there is no bus along that route. I guess worst case, I could put her in the Ergo and put a seatbelt around myself, but that seems really unsafe to me...also not sure if that would be illegal or not in Mexico?

How do you do it? I can't wrap my head around this one...

[arivecchi]

Does your hotel have vans/shuttles that take you to town or are you staying at an apt or residence?

[jjordan]

This might be a crazy idea, but maybe there is somewhere in town that you can store the carseat? Like public lockers or something like that? I definitely wouldn't want to lug it around all day! Maybe someone at the hotel would be able to tell you if there is a way to leave it somewhere in town during the day.

[o_mom]

How big is she?

[Jennifer626]

We are staying at a resort, not sure if they have shuttles, we have just always taken cabs. If we took a shuttle, would we leave the carseat in the van, or would I wear her in the Ergo in the van? It's literally a 5-10 minute drive down a small road, no freeway or anything like that...

Also I feel like I have to write this...I would NEVER consider carrying her in my own car in just an Ergo...I am a staunch carseat person.

DD is 8 months old right now and about 18 pounds? But this trip is a year away, so no way of knowing how big she will be then...and I don't want to do the infant seat and snap n go, she will be 20 months old during the trip.

[arivecchi]

I would wait until next year when the trip is closer to figure it out. If the van has a shuttle I would take something cheap like a Scenera and have them store it in the van while you are out and about. If not, I might rent a car for the couple of days you are planning on going to town and not stress about cabs. I would definitely not lug the car seat around while you are in town.

[ckelly]

Can you sit the Scenera in your stroller and attach with a bungy cord for while you're walking around town?

Or if money is not an issue there's always this option:
http://www.gogobabyz.com/product-i14518-c27-g6-b0-p0-Infant_Cruizer_Toddler_Adapter_Bundle.aspx

Somone else may be able to weigh in on how easy to use this is as I've not had any expereince with it myself. :)