- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Europe Trip with kids
Posted on 1/19/23 at 3:46 pm
Posted on 1/19/23 at 3:46 pm
Wife and I are looking to take our 2 children (3 and 9) to Europe for around 10 days this summer. I know the 3 year old isn't ideal, but I don't want my oldest to miss out on travel just by having a younger sibiling. My parents never took me anywhere other than the beach (which was great and all), but I'd like for my kids to have some different experiences.
Bonus if I can use Chase Ultimate rewards as I'm sitting on a ton of them currently.
Wife and I have previously done Italy and Greece, so would prefer to go somewhere other than those. Really open to anything; not looking for luxury dining or lodging.
Am currently considering Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Velncia?); but am just beginning the brainstorming process. Ideally, looking for somewhere relatively easy to get to (direct from east coast of USA).
Any thoughts?
Bonus if I can use Chase Ultimate rewards as I'm sitting on a ton of them currently.
Wife and I have previously done Italy and Greece, so would prefer to go somewhere other than those. Really open to anything; not looking for luxury dining or lodging.
Am currently considering Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Velncia?); but am just beginning the brainstorming process. Ideally, looking for somewhere relatively easy to get to (direct from east coast of USA).
Any thoughts?
4
Posted on 1/19/23 at 4:10 pm to CidCock
quote:
Bonus if I can use Chase Ultimate rewards as I'm sitting on a ton of them currently.
You can get some really good values by spending them for hotels on the UR travel portal.
We stayed at this 5 star hotel in Malaga for 25000 Chase points a night and it truly is a 5 star hotel. Impeccable service. Gran Hotel Miramar Malaga
Spain, other than Barcelona is pretty easy on the pocketbook. However, it's a seafood oriented country so you'd best like seafood.
Personally, I wouldn't do Madrid or Valencia. I've been to both and enjoyed Madrid more. I'd be more inclined to do Seville (which you can day trip to Ronda or Gibralter from) and Malaga which is more compact, just as beautiful and easier to navigate than Valencia. Valencia's beach is also more like a mudhole than a beach.
This post was edited on 1/19/23 at 4:14 pm
Posted on 1/19/23 at 4:26 pm to VABuckeye
Thanks for the reply! That’s a great value in Malaga, I have the sapphire reserve too- so even better value.
My oldest would love to go to Paris, I’m not just sure I feel like shelling out for meals that the kids likely won’t eat. Spain just seems less stressful; but again, I’m open to anything. Considering Prague / Berlin also.
My oldest would love to go to Paris, I’m not just sure I feel like shelling out for meals that the kids likely won’t eat. Spain just seems less stressful; but again, I’m open to anything. Considering Prague / Berlin also.
Posted on 1/19/23 at 4:34 pm to CidCock
Take the kids to Toledo in Spain. When they see the castles and all the medieval swords in the stores they'll go nuts! 
ETA: Iget what you're saying about luxury lodging but if you're sitting on a lot of points you can get really nice redemptions at very nice hotels.
ETA: Iget what you're saying about luxury lodging but if you're sitting on a lot of points you can get really nice redemptions at very nice hotels.
This post was edited on 1/19/23 at 4:35 pm
Posted on 1/19/23 at 5:02 pm to CidCock
quote:
My oldest would love to go to Paris, I’m not just sure I feel like shelling out for meals that the kids likely won’t eat. Spain just seems less stressful; but again, I’m open to anything. Considering Prague / Berlin also.
Paris and France food is great for kids FWIW. Roast chicken, streak frites, tons of pastries. I'm not sure about Spain for food but kids are everywhere so I wouldn't stress about that. Don't overlook Germany for kids either they have great food for kids, its a very overlooked country for food IMO.
Personally what I'd do is set some flight trackers and go wherever you get the best deals.
With kids I'd really try to get out of the cities. Cities are really hard with kids its a ton of walking, stairs, public transportation, etc. Its really nice to take a car from door to almost door and then have a home base to allow them to nap, and they can nap from one spot to the next.
Posted on 1/19/23 at 5:16 pm to CidCock
quote:
Don't overlook Germany for kids either they have great food for kids, its a very overlooked country for food IMO.
I second this. We took our then 16 yo daughter, 13 yo daughter, and 11 yo son to Western Germany and they totally dug it. We saw Bocholt (to visit friends), Cologne, Koblenz, Heidelberg, Rothenburg, Munich, Neuschwanstein, and Andechs. The youngest was really into Neuschwanstein. The German food was good and inexpensive.
Posted on 1/19/23 at 7:41 pm to CidCock
Have taken kids (now 10 and 8) a few times. Youngest was 3 first time we went. It’s a good age to start. Of course all kids are different.
Couple tips learned the hard way.
Find a flight that leaves US late. You’ll be tempted to take say the 4:15 pm out of Atlanta to wherever you are going so you can get cracking and land at 7 am. Don’t do this. Take the last flight out. Let the kids sleep as much as possible and land at say noon. It’ll be 6 or so on their body clocks, europe will be open, you can check into hotel (after clearing customs, etc…) and just makes for a better entry point.
Can you swing biz class on points? With UR play around with United and find a good redemption. Transfer the points. If you can fly biz class it makes a huge difference. Also Air France can have some deals, especially if you can find award avail on air Europa out of Miami.
Try and plan maybe one big activity a day. A museum, a monument, a castle, whatever. There is ice cream around every corner and a simple “if we can do this, we will get ice cream after” works wonders.
Another thing we have done is give out points for good behavior, not complaining, trying new foods, and if you get enough points, you get to buy a new toy last day of trip. Most big European cities have really cool toy stores. Benefit here is they also have something to play with on the flight home.
Now this didn’t address where you should go in Europe (but Spain is awesome for kids) but these tips have served us well.
Couple tips learned the hard way.
Find a flight that leaves US late. You’ll be tempted to take say the 4:15 pm out of Atlanta to wherever you are going so you can get cracking and land at 7 am. Don’t do this. Take the last flight out. Let the kids sleep as much as possible and land at say noon. It’ll be 6 or so on their body clocks, europe will be open, you can check into hotel (after clearing customs, etc…) and just makes for a better entry point.
Can you swing biz class on points? With UR play around with United and find a good redemption. Transfer the points. If you can fly biz class it makes a huge difference. Also Air France can have some deals, especially if you can find award avail on air Europa out of Miami.
Try and plan maybe one big activity a day. A museum, a monument, a castle, whatever. There is ice cream around every corner and a simple “if we can do this, we will get ice cream after” works wonders.
Another thing we have done is give out points for good behavior, not complaining, trying new foods, and if you get enough points, you get to buy a new toy last day of trip. Most big European cities have really cool toy stores. Benefit here is they also have something to play with on the flight home.
Now this didn’t address where you should go in Europe (but Spain is awesome for kids) but these tips have served us well.
This post was edited on 1/19/23 at 7:43 pm
Posted on 1/19/23 at 8:12 pm to BlackenedOut
Great tips, thanks!
Posted on 1/19/23 at 8:57 pm to CidCock
Another thing I can’t stress enough is read every article, blog, watch every YouTube show (and let kids watch), travel show about where you are going. Places to eat, drink, playgrounds, that appear on a few or that are interesting plug into your Google maps. Can’t tell you how many times we’ve saved a day by realizing “just around the corner is a place on my map to get a glass of wine and it’s next to this square with a playground.”
This post was edited on 1/19/23 at 9:03 pm
Posted on 1/19/23 at 10:07 pm to CidCock
9 year old won’t appreciate Europe and a 3 year old will be a nightmare. Leave with grandma and have a nice trip with your wife. Put the kid’s airfare in their college fund.
Posted on 1/20/23 at 8:38 am to Drizzt
quote:
9 year old won’t appreciate Europe and a 3 year old will be a nightmare. Leave with grandma and have a nice trip with your wife. Put the kid’s airfare in their college fund.
Ha, you must be a great parent.
We just went to Paris for over 2 weeks for Thanksgiving with 4, 6, and 9 year olds and they had a blast. We came home and I took my kids to a park they hadn't been in a long time and my 4 year old asked me "do they speak french here dad?" Since she was used to playing with french kids every day.
I've been on plenty of vacations where teenagers and wives didn't appreciate the vacation. There's a ton to learn for school age kids.
Seeing historical sights in person goes A LONG way imo in having a better deep understanding.
Posted on 1/20/23 at 9:21 am to baldona
quote:
9 year old won’t appreciate Europe and a 3 year old will be a nightmare. Leave with grandma and have a nice trip with your wife. Put the kid’s airfare in their college fund.
There is nothing better than traveling with and seeing your children experience new places and cultures. Kids are impressive with how accommodating and adaptive they can be.
A local travel guru once told me: "at some point vacation is just life in another city"
Posted on 1/20/23 at 2:22 pm to Drizzt
quote:
9 year old won’t appreciate Europe and a 3 year old will be a nightmare. Leave with grandma and have a nice trip with your wife. Put the kid’s airfare in their college fund.
I hear you on that perspective and I don't have the means to travel as much as I'd like, but I'm trying to give me kids some cool experiences while they are under my roof. We have been to WDW 5x over the past 3 years and love it (I know, not popular), but I would rather do something more memorable.
Posted on 1/20/23 at 4:29 pm to CidCock
Don’t listen to that guy. Go. Make awesome memories with your kids. Sure maybe they won’t remember it perfectly but you will.
Posted on 1/20/23 at 8:01 pm to CidCock
Godspeed to you sir. Get an external battery for the iPad for the kids.
Also, seriously consider economy plus over regular economy. Definitely worth the extra 20% for the more comfortable seats and room on a leg to Europe, especially with kids.
Also, seriously consider economy plus over regular economy. Definitely worth the extra 20% for the more comfortable seats and room on a leg to Europe, especially with kids.
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News