When you’re a mom traveling with a baby, one thing you need is a high chair that’s portable. And finding the best travel high chair shouldn’t be an overwhelming search!
Why do you need a travel high chair?
High chairs are one of those things that are usually non-negotiable when you’re traveling with a baby during those first years.
If you don’t bring one with you, you’ll have to plan your trip accordingly and dine at restaurants that have high chairs. (If you’re opting to use restaurant-provided high chairs be sure to bring along a high chair cover to minimize germs)
Or you’ll have to be prepared to play “pass the baby” and hold your infant or young toddler on your lap while they enjoy their meal.
Yeah, not exactly ideal, especially if you want your hands free. Or you want to be able to eat undisturbed at any point during your vacation.
But you also aren’t about to pack up your traditional high chair and bring that with you.
Not only are they bulky and take up a lot of space, but they can be a pain to disassemble and reassemble.
Which means you’re going to want a reliable travel high chair at your disposal, something you can easily pack up, store, and set up when you’re on-the-go or on vacation!
I like to purchase a travel high chair before my baby even being born. As soon as they can sit up and have reliable neck control I will bring the chair with us on our travels. Even before solids are introduced!
The seat can offer multiple uses outside of just eating – it’s a safe space for baby to sit! When trying to load the car, unpack, get ready for the day, have a safe place for baby is crucial.
Here is my top pick for the BEST portable high chair plus some more top-rated options to suit a variety of different needs and budgets!
Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links.
My Pick for the Best Travel High Chair
Summer Pop ‘n Dine SE Highchair
In 15 years of parenting, with a total of 4 kids, the Summer Pop ‘n Dine SE has been my absolute favorite out of all the travel high chairs I’ve owned. It held up so well and had everything you’d need in a portable highchair.
The first and most important feature is how easy to use it is.
No frustrating disassembly required–just fold it up like a lawn chair and store it in the convenient carrying case it comes with, complete with a shoulder strap for no-fuss transport.
The design makes it easy to store while traveling – it’s small and compact and easy to fit in an already overfilled trunk!
The other great thing about this travel high chair is how easy it is to clean.
As a mom with a baby or toddler who has transitioned to solid food you KNOW how messy meal times can be, and when you’re at a hotel or staying in a vacation rental home, the ability to clean up messes quickly is even more crucial than ever!
Related—-> Best Foods for Baby Led Weaning: 30 First Foods
So that’s one thing I consider a must when looking for the best travel high chair: easy cleaning.
And this one is definitely one of the easiest out there, with a minimal number of nooks and crannies, a removable, machine washable fabric seat cover, and a dishwasher-safe tray.
Being able to throw the cover in the washing machine is a definite plus, because many washable seat covers are spot-clean only.
I especially love the tray. It’s designed in a way that is easy to take off and on for an adult, but not so easy that a clever toddler will figure it out.
Sometimes, the mess is a little bigger than one paper towel can handle!
Clean-up is a breeze as the tray is all one piece. Simply remove it, dump the remaining food into the trash, then wash and let it dry. It fits easily into any sink!
Speaking of messes – I always like to bring this high chair splat mat to lay under a high chair while traveling. It helps keep the mess contained!
This high chair also has a 3-point harness for added safety and a storage pocket that can be used to store food supplies or as a diaper bag!
Another huge perk of this travel high chair is that it allows for your baby or toddler to enjoy a meal with the family – without taking up space at the table.
It keeps the mess off the dining area and is contained to the single high chair! I love that the height of the chair puts the baby nearby and allows them to feel “part of” the family dynamic without actually sitting at the table.
The more young children you have, the more valuable the table top real estate is! Plus it helps minimize any chance of the baby or toddler grabbing something they shouldn’t – no worries about sharp knives or hot coffee as they are safely out of reach.
Even once our own children grew out of needing portable chairs we still kept this portable chair on hand for guests to use for their little ones when we have company over for meals.
Mommy and Daddy are able to sit in an adult chair and enjoy their meal while their little one sits beside the dining table, secure with the shoulder straps.
I always feel guilty hosting and watching mamas struggle to balance a baby on their lap while they eat or watch the baby be confined to car seats, so this is a win-win option!
We used this travel high chair for several of our babies and have taken it all over the United States (and always brought along my favorite bibs too!)
Other Great Portable Travel Highchairs
While I always recommend my top pick first in these shopping guides, I know it’s not always the best fit for every mom’s needs!
So I’ve done my due diligence to offer up some other fantastic travel high chair options that I have either used, I have heard others say good things about, or that have impressive reviews.
My goal is for you to find the best travel high chair for your needs and situation!
Related—-> How to Successfully Travel with a Baby
Summer Infant Pop ‘n Sit Portable Booster Chair
For another great option by the same brand that makes my number one best high chair pick, the Summer Infant Pop ‘n Sit is a budget-friendly booster seat with lots of great features to recommend it!
One of the main things is, of course, how small and compact it is.
Since it’s a booster seat, it’s designed to be placed on top of a regular dining chair with safety straps to secure it to the seat.
This makes it a great choice when you have limited space in your car or airplane luggage!
It also includes a 3-point safety harness, a removable tray that’s dishwasher safe, and its own included carry bag for easy storage and transport!
If you’re looking for a travel chair with good ease of use, then this is definitely what you need!
Regalo My Chair 2-in-1 Portable Travel Booster Seat
Another affordable travel high chair that comes highly recommended is the Regalo 2-in-1 Portable booster seat, which straps to a regular chair and has a removable tray with a cupholder.
The 2-in-1 feature means that it doubles as an “activity chair” which could be good for outdoor picnics, beach day, or backyard fun.
It also boasts an all-steel frame, so you know it’s going to hold up well as baby grows toward the weight limit!
This seat can also attach to a dining room chair and works nicely for older babies who are ready to chow down on solid food during mealtimes with the family.
Hiccapop OmniBoost Travel Booster Seat with Tray for Baby
The Hiccapop OmniBoost Travel Booster Seat is a newer travel high chair on the market today and has phenomenal reviews!
The design is made for stability – perfect for on-the-go, road trips, picnic tables, or even at the beach! It can attach to a normal chair or be used on its own.
The carrying bag makes it a breeze to take along on any adventures as well as store away when not in use.
The food tray has been redesigned and is a larger size for extra space. It’s dishwasher safe and has a very sleek design to minimize food from getting into cracks or crevices.
I’m not sure why anyone weighing 250 lbs would be trying to sit in a baby portable high chair but just in case it is safe for much older children with that high weight limit!
The wider seat space, adjustable straps and higher weight limits make this a great option as a toddler booster seat as well.
Families with small spaces, or little ones who visit Grandma’s house often, may enjoy this seat for home use with the safety features, simple design, compact size, and light weight.
It also comes in several different colors!
Graco Slim Snacker High Chair
A highly rated product, the Graco Slim Snacker is a standing high chair that folds up nice and flat so you can take it on the go or store it with ease.
It advertises a “one-hand, one second” fold, making it an optimal choice for busy days or busy itineraries.
This is a good idea if you like high chairs with a few extra features: the mesh pocket on the bottom can hold toys or cleaning supplies and the seat can recline to 3 different positions so you can find the most comfortable feeding position for your baby.
And of course, it’s also said to be easy clean by wiping down the seat (though you can also throw the seat cover in the washing machine as well).
The tray is dishwasher safe, so that’s a plus!
This is a great option for anyone who wants a more traditional high chair option with a 5 point harness but is also looking for a sleek design to take up less space.
Inglesina Fast Table Chair
Another good option that takes a different approach is a portable travel high chair that attaches directly to the edge of the table!
The Inglesina Fast Table Chair has received high praise for its innovative and stylish design.
It uses an easy-to-install coupling system to secure the chair to the edge of the table without leaving marks and scratches.
It doesn’t work on every single table, though, so you have to be careful and measure before you buy! It says it fits tables that are up to 3.5’’ thick.
Thankfully, that’s most standard dining room and restaurant tables!
And of course, it also comes with its own carrying case and folds flat for easy storage!
Chicco Caddy Hook On Chair
Another table-side high chair option is the Chicco Caddy, which has sturdy clamps that hook onto almost any tabletop and also claims to not leave marks or scratches!
I definitely like how adjustable the clamp system is!
It also has a removable seat cover for easy cleaning and a high-backed cushioned seat with a 3-point safety harness for added comfort and security.
And of course, it folds up to store easily in the trunk of a car.
This was our first travel high chair and was great for our older two kids when they were babies and toddlers.
It folds down very easily and lays flat to make it a breeze for loading up the car! We never had any issues with this portable high chair seat leaving scratches or marks behind.
Occasionally we would run into issues with it working on certain types of tables and it’s why we eventually decided to invest in our favorite high chair for travel as mentioned above!
We love to bring a silicone placemat whenever we eat out with little ones. We would clamp this seat over the top of the placemat to help it stay in place!
Ciao! Baby Camping Chair
Last but not least is the Ciao! Baby camper high chair. If your family goes camping or you do a lot outdoor picnics and activities, then this is most likely going to be your best option!
It’s designed specifically for the outdoors, designed like a collapsible lawn chair that has no assembly required!
With an easy-to-clean fabric and a 5-point safety harness, it’s a convenient option for families on the go or who are looking for an outdoor use option.
This one is worth considering if you’re looking for a collapsible travel high chair and need something that is all one piece rather than having a removable tray.
The entire thing can be hosed down!
Best Travel High Chair for Baby: Final Thoughts
When you’re traveling with a baby, you know there’s going to be a lot more planning involved and a whole list of things you’ll need to pack if you want yourself and baby to be comfortable.
Having the right baby gear when you travel can really make or break a good trip, and a travel high chair is no exception!
Meal times are extremely important when you have a baby or toddler who is transitioning to solid foods and maintaining a sense of consistency and comfort can be the difference between a great experience and a not-so-great one!
Hopefully I simplified the buying process for you by presenting some of the best travel high chair options I could find!
A great perk to ordering on Amazon is the easy return policy – I recommend purchasing one of these chairs. Get it home to read through the instruction document and see how to configure it to your liking – even test run with your little one!
That way you can easily return during the return window if you decide it’s not the right fit for your travel needs.
Are there any travel high chairs you swear by that I might’ve missed? Or have you used any of the ones on this list of best travel high chairs and liked them? Let me know your personal best high chair for travel in the comments!
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