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People with experience traveling with multiple children ~2 years old

Posted on 8/19/17 at 10:32 am
Posted by AnonymousTiger
Franklin, TN
Member since Jan 2012
4863 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 10:32 am
Are there any trips that are worth the expense?

I'm not talking about a simple weekend trip via car or a trip back home to see family, I'm talking about a serious vacation overseas or an extended trip to somewhere in the US via plane.

The wife an I have been looking at several options, but I just don't know if the amount of headache of dealing with small children under 2 would be worth the time and money. They're too young to appreciate it, and I don't know if we'd be able to either because of limited options with kids.

Any advice on trips that might be worth doing with children around this age? Or should we just continue to save for a few years and do a big trip once they're a little older?
This post was edited on 8/19/17 at 10:33 am
Posted by CorkSoaker
Member since Oct 2008
9784 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 12:57 pm to
We decided it's not worth it so haven't done anything major with them yet. Next summer they will be 8 and 5 and we are finally planning something fun. Not sure where yet.
Posted by Tyga Woods
South Central Jupiter Island, FL
Member since Sep 2016
30149 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 1:31 pm to
Not worth it. They're too young to enjoy much. It will be a nightmare for the parents. Put the money in an account and take a baller trip to Disney World when they are 5-ish.

We took our boys on long trips when they were 2 and 3 and 3 and 4 and it was more work than fun. Neither of them remember anything about our vacations during that period of their lives.
This post was edited on 8/19/17 at 1:35 pm
Posted by BasilFawlty
Baton Rouge, LA
Member since Dec 2014
1156 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 2:31 pm to
No
Posted by dallastiger55
Jennings, LA
Member since Jan 2010
27752 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 2:36 pm to
F that. I work hard to enjoy a vacation once a year without crying kids

We just do simple day or overnight local trips for the kids.


Big stuff for us. I'd wait until they at least get in school
Posted by makersmark1
earth
Member since Oct 2011
15892 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 3:27 pm to
Save your money.

Under 3 years old, Disney is a waste of time.

Maybe you could go to a mountain or beach place with awesome views and just chill.

We took the kids to the beach at that age, by most of our trips were family events.
Posted by Civildawg
Member since May 2012
8568 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 3:52 pm to
Leave them with the in laws. The passengers on the plane with you will greatly appreciate it.
Posted by hogfly
Fayetteville, AR
Member since May 2014
4650 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 5:16 pm to
Our kids spend the first 7 or so years just doing the beach. It's the most enjoyable vacation for that age, imo. I highly recommend having a place with a pool as well though because beach can be unreliable entertainment (jellyfish, seagrass, kids who hate sand, etc...) and pool is always gold.

In the last two years we've started moving into other territory with more adventure and culture. They aren't going to remember the meal in Paris or seeing the Louvre when they are 2, so just do something easy and relaxing.
Posted by AnonymousTiger
Franklin, TN
Member since Jan 2012
4863 posts
Posted on 8/19/17 at 9:04 pm to
Seems like a consensus, and what I figured. Well probably do some short cabin weekend's and beach trips until they get older.
Posted by Teddy Ruxpin
Member since Oct 2006
39584 posts
Posted on 8/20/17 at 7:50 am to
Dump them on the grandparents and go.
Posted by speckledawg
Somewhere Salty
Member since Nov 2016
3920 posts
Posted on 8/20/17 at 7:54 am to
We don't take our 3 yr old on any international or big trips yet. Like others said, he just won't appreciate it at that age. We do always make sure he gets some fun trips to closer destinations, like a long weekend at the beach. He would much rather play in the sand all day than walk around a foreign city anyway.
Posted by 632627
LA
Member since Dec 2011
12770 posts
Posted on 8/20/17 at 9:23 am to
We have an 18 month old, and I refuse to take any lengthy trips with her, it's just too much to deal with to enjoy a vacation. We've only taken her down to San Diego once for a weekend (we live in LA). Her grandparents took care of her when we went to Boston and Washington DC.

the only vacation I could imagine that would be worth bringing a young child is something where you're sitting on a beach or pool all day long with direct access to the hotel room. Aside from that, no way you want to be sightseeing and moving about a city and constantly needing to stop for changing, feeding and naps.
Posted by StringedInstruments
Member since Oct 2013
18421 posts
Posted on 8/21/17 at 7:34 am to
2-5 year olds just want to play. That's it. Are there places worth going to that involve a lot of play time? Sure. Are they worth the expense? Probably not.

Something that was fun for us was visiting Arizona in late March. Weather is PERFECT, and there's a lot to do that is fun for both parents and kids. My son was three at the time and enjoys hiking, exploring nature. So we went to Sedona for a day, which was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Phoenix is a really large city, so you can find plenty to do around town that the kids will enjoy. There's baseball spring training, a train park/museum, and Western towns. It's also fun to bring a kid out to see the desert especially if you're from the South where it's mostly green and thick. My son enjoyed learning the names of the different cacti and seeing some different wildlife.
Posted by VABuckeye
Naples, FL
Member since Dec 2007
35570 posts
Posted on 8/21/17 at 8:26 am to
Doesn't sound like a vacation to me. It sounds like torture.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
20483 posts
Posted on 8/21/17 at 10:47 am to
Good God people, live your life. Kids are not a prison sentence.

We just took our 3.5 and 14 month old to England for 8 days this summer. Sure there were times it was hell, there were also incredible memories and for the most part we had a great time. We also went to Jackson Hole Skiing. I've gone to DC, and Seattle with a 2 year old and the wife pregnant. Is it an All-Inclusive relaxing vacation-no. Its not hell though, you just plan the stuff you do appropriately.

The idea of not doing stuff "because they won't understand it or remember" is laughable. We took our 2 year old to disney twice (FL resident using 4 tickets on two weekend trips) and she talks about it at 4, and she had the absolute time of her life.

Do you Backpack Europe? No. But there's a ton to do. Its not easy, but I'm not putting my life on hold for 8 years until things are "perfect".

For the most part we split our day around a nap. Get up and go, have lunch and a nap plan, then go again. Our 4 year old talks about the Tower of London when she watches Mary Poppins and Peter Pan. Snow and wildlife in Jackson Hole. Part of traveling with them, is teaching them to be flexible and living outside of their comfort zone.
This post was edited on 8/21/17 at 10:52 am
Posted by LouisianaLady
Member since Mar 2009
81212 posts
Posted on 8/21/17 at 12:08 pm to
Friend of ours was raised here in Louisiana. Has lived in NYC, LA, Las Vegas, London, etc. Met his Brazilian wife in London while they were both living there. Now, years later, they have a 3-year old who was born in London so she has tri-citizenship (US, England, Brazil). That kid has been all over in her 3 years on earth. They took her to Sri Lanka when she was an infant. She is so well-behaved and quite the good traveler.

If you aren't someone who travels much, I guess I could see the argument to not waste money while they're young.. but I think people starting kids off traveling from a young age is really cool.
Posted by StringedInstruments
Member since Oct 2013
18421 posts
Posted on 8/21/17 at 2:39 pm to
I think something valuable that comes with traveling with children is setting the tone that you willtravel as a family.

My son just turned four and has visited 11 states. That's pretty damn good for a four year old. Thing is, this has been the worst financial times for us...well really since I was born. And yet we're still figuring out ways to make traveling a priority without breaking the budget. Makes me think we're really establishing traveling and exploring new areas as a routine and not just something we wait for the right moments to do perfectly.

Posted by trident
Member since Jul 2007
4751 posts
Posted on 8/22/17 at 7:16 am to
It is either take them when they are really young, like <12 months, or wait until they are older.
Posted by 632627
LA
Member since Dec 2011
12770 posts
Posted on 8/22/17 at 8:22 pm to
Also keep in mind you will need to haul around the baby gear, stroller and maybe a car seat.
Posted by hogfly
Fayetteville, AR
Member since May 2014
4650 posts
Posted on 8/22/17 at 9:03 pm to
quote:

Also keep in mind you will need to haul around the baby gear, stroller and maybe a car seat.


This is what broke us. We would go "camping" with our kids, and it looked like a freaking Everest expedition. Keep in mind, I've spent two weeks on trail with a backpack and food drops, so filling up the entirety of the bed of my Tundra for two nights of car "camping" felt insane. We weathered those years with some camping trips and yearly trips to the beach. Got in a trip to Idaho and some others as well.

My initial advice was to stick to the beach because it's easy. Even though we mainly did the beach (and those were most enjoyable) the fact that we attempted some of the other trips now makes us appreciate the ease of travel with 11 and 8 year olds. Just did 2 weeks in some remote parts of Costa Rica with them this summe, and it was awesome. Did Spring Break in Santa Fe, and it's amazing having your 8 year old wake you up before dawn ready to go mountain biking on some trails in the morning.

So while I do think some trips are more fun with that age than others,'I do subscribe to the idea of getting them traveling and used to the "chaos" of being off routine, having things go wrong and most importantly just enjoying the moment can be beneficial for later travel experiences. My kids are kind of game for anything and will sit down to a two hour dinner with no screens without complaint. We built that through travel.

On the other hand, we know people (rich) who would go to Italy for a month with their very young kids. They'd just plop their kids down with iPads at dinner, and not give a dam about looking like ugly Americans. We don't allow that shite.
This post was edited on 8/22/17 at 9:06 pm
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