Safe Firearms Storage when Traveling with Children [2026]

I’ve been a father for a couple of years now. Our family likes to travel, sometimes flying and sometimes taking road trips, staying in hotels or with family. As parents who conceal carry and regularly train, firearms are part of our travel plans. This year alone we made a 30+ hour round-trip drive to train with Chris Costa, and a 40+ hour round-trip drive to visit family over the Summer. With a toddler and a crawling baby, leaving guns on the bedside table isn’t an option.

In the Room while Traveling

How you store your guns when traveling may be influenced by your children’s age. A newborn isn’t particularly capable of opening drawers, unlocking latches, or other tasks which require strength and dexterity. This changes quickly however, with babies younger than 12 months gaining the ability to pull themselves to standing, potentially climbing and opening things that were up to now secure. This means that a zippered case or nightstand drawer won’t be sufficient for very long. It’s better to prepare ahead of time than to have an “Oh shit” moment on the road, realizing that your child can suddenly defeat your preferred storage method.

Quick Access Options for Firearms Storage Around Children

For pistols, a quick access safe such as the Steelhead Fast Access Pistol Box is a great solution. It fits on the nightstand, holds just about anything I need to store, and is more than capable of keeping kids out whether they’re two or 22 years old. I also put my other EDC items I want to keep away from children in here, such as pepper spray and knives. During our Summer trip our Steelhead safe held two pistols, both of our Pom pepper sprays, a spare magazine, and more. In some situations a Pelican style case may work for a while, but even my toddler can open certain latches already. If going this route, look for those with multiple steps required to open, such as pressing a button while lifting the latch.

If traveling with a long gun, you may have a little more difficulty securing the gun from your child, particularly if you want it in some sort of ready condition. For shotguns and ARs, the StopBox QD Chamber Lock has been great for our family. It allows me to keep the gun in a Cruiser Safe configuration, while also making the gun incapable of firing. There are other products along this line which also work for pistols and other firearms which may suit  your needs as well.

For all of these options, you’ll need to ensure that they’re used properly. They won’t do anything if the case isn’t closed and locked, or the chamber lock is incorrectly installed. If you’re not currently interacting with the device, lock it. Pay attention, and ensure that no wandering fingers are reaching for a trigger or snatching your OC when opening and closing. Don’t get complacent.

Outside Interference

During our travels we kept our Steelhead safe on the bedside table. While our children were unable to access its contents, they did manage to press the buttons on the safe on more than one occasion. This could result in the safe failing to open upon entering your combination. If using a mechanical lock like the Steelhead, I recommend starting by clearing out any inputs prior to entering your combination. For those using electronic safes, be familiar with any lockout features or how to clear previous input. If you need to access your gun now, you don’t want to find yourself locked out of your quick access safe.

Unfortunately most hotels nowadays seem to have gotten rid of tall shelves or dressers, so keeping these things out of reach isn’t always within our control. Especially if we want the safe within arm’s reach in an emergency. The same can be said about the furniture arrangements in guest bedrooms, AirBnB, and other accommodations.

Slow Access Safe Storage when Traveling with Children

If quick access isn’t something you need, then your options expand quite a bit for safe storage when traveling with kids. You can get free cable locks through Project Childsafe, most law enforcement agencies, and gun shops. Even Wal-Mart typically has these on the shelves, which should work with most any make or model of long gun or handgun. Just make sure to keep the keys secure from your children, both for their safety and to keep from losing access to your defensive tools away from home.

If you forget to grab locks, you’re not out of luck. Simply pull out the bolt or field strip the gun and store the components separately from each other. No special tools or accessories required. It may be a bit messy, and you’ll absolutely want to ensure you have everything before permanently departing your room. Nobody wants to leave a slide or bolt behind as they travel cross-country. Store your ammunition separately from your firearm as well, to further reduce the likelihood of accidents or tragedy in your travels.

Transferring Guns from your Car to the Room

Safe storage of firearms in your room around children is one thing. Getting the guns from your car to the room is another. Nobody wants to advertise to the hotel lobby that they’ve got guns in tow. That brings unwanted attention which may escalate into social drama or attempts at theft. Here are some methods We’ve used to keep a low profile while traveling.

Disguising the gun is the best option here. For our pistol safe, we simply stick it into our luggage. Coming in at 14 pounds empty, the Steelhead takes up quite a bit of room, but we find it to be worth it’s weight. Other options will be smaller and lighter, making for easier storage in your suitcase. If flying, be sure to weigh your baggage beforehand. You may need to pay a little bit more if your bags hit a certain weight.

For long guns, we have a few options. One of the better options are the Camping Chair cases from Vang Comp. They look just like a generic camping chair bag, with extra padding to both protect and conceal your firearm. These are designed to store a shotgun, so they may not be ideal for those with ARs or optic-equipped rifles.

Similarly, an instrument case, such as a guitar or electric bass, may suit your purposes well. These come in a variety of configurations and price points to suit your needs, and often can easily accommodate a wide variety of guns and accessories. An instrument may still receive some attention, both from enthusiasts and thieves, so be prepared to ask questions and to safeguard your gear.

When Out and About while Traveling

You probably won’t be spending all of your time at your destination in your hotel room. We like to see the sights when we travel. That can be monuments, aquariums, and other attractions of all sorts across a wide variety of cities and states. This means we’re dealing with a variety of security measures away from home. This can be troublesome in a new place, as you may not know what you’re walking into. Even with familiar locations, security equipment and procedures may have changed since your last visit. It’s very likely that you may come across more intense scrutiny than expected, and may not be able to enter with your concealed firearm.

Consider in-vehicle storage as a backup to your normal concealment gear. Unless your family is comfortable with seriously changing plans, or having you sit in the car while they enjoy the day’s activities, you may need to forgo the gun from time to time. I wont get into details on in-vehicle storage here, as that is a subject for another day. However it’s important to be prepared for whatever you may come across.

Closing Thoughts on Safe Firearms Storage when Traveling with Children

Don’t let your guns get in the way of your travel, and don’t let travel get in the way of your guns. Adventures are an important part of bonding with your children, and you can travel without compromising safety for you and your family. These are just a few tips on how to keep everyone safe inside your lodging, and while out and about. It doesn’t take much time, and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Check out our other resources for safe storage of firearms and gun safety!

Safe Firearm Storage – A Primer

Gun Safety around Children | Resources for Parents

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