SOS!!! Family trip to Europe this Summer
May 16th, 2011, 10:40 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SOS!!! Family trip to Europe this Summer
HELP!!! I am desperately seeking advice from all you experienced family travelers!
My husband and I are taking our 3 daughters(6,10 & 12) to Europe for 3 weeks in August. Part of the trip is business/family but the other part is coming up with additional places to visit with the kids. Here's what I have so far:
Aug 4-7: Fly to Germany and stay with friends in Munich
Aug 7-10 Train or plane to Austria(??) , possibly Salzburg(heard it was really pretty and lots to do with kids). Don't know where to stay yet but would love a pretty hotel with a pool
Aug 10-16 - Fly(?) to Sardinia to stay with family
Aug 16-21 - Fly to Paris. Would love to tie in an overnight to Euro-disney at this point. Don't know where to stay yet.
Aug 21-28 - Train to London where my husband will be working for the week. Again, Don't know where to stay yet!
August 28 - fly back home to New York!
AS you can see, I really could use advice on how to structure our trip from transportation to hotels, sights to see that are fun with the girls, etc. Any advice, tips or suggestions for all or part of this trip would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
My husband and I are taking our 3 daughters(6,10 & 12) to Europe for 3 weeks in August. Part of the trip is business/family but the other part is coming up with additional places to visit with the kids. Here's what I have so far:
Aug 4-7: Fly to Germany and stay with friends in Munich
Aug 7-10 Train or plane to Austria(??) , possibly Salzburg(heard it was really pretty and lots to do with kids). Don't know where to stay yet but would love a pretty hotel with a pool
Aug 10-16 - Fly(?) to Sardinia to stay with family
Aug 16-21 - Fly to Paris. Would love to tie in an overnight to Euro-disney at this point. Don't know where to stay yet.
Aug 21-28 - Train to London where my husband will be working for the week. Again, Don't know where to stay yet!
August 28 - fly back home to New York!
AS you can see, I really could use advice on how to structure our trip from transportation to hotels, sights to see that are fun with the girls, etc. Any advice, tips or suggestions for all or part of this trip would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
May 16th, 2011, 11:15 AM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"Fly(?) to Sardinia to stay with family"
Do you have family in Sardinia or are you taking the family? It is a lovely place, very different to the mainland with the best seascapes in Europe. However, it is usually very busy in August and you should book well in advance.
Which are had you planned on visiting?
The is a question mark next to flying. Firm that up to a definite flying. The logistics from Austria are fairly simple and it is a great drive through Italy to the ferry but unless you have your own car the drop off charges wit.h a hire cvar will be huge.
I wouldn't begin to start to plan by overland public transport it would probably be very convoluted.
Do you have family in Sardinia or are you taking the family? It is a lovely place, very different to the mainland with the best seascapes in Europe. However, it is usually very busy in August and you should book well in advance.
Which are had you planned on visiting?
The is a question mark next to flying. Firm that up to a definite flying. The logistics from Austria are fairly simple and it is a great drive through Italy to the ferry but unless you have your own car the drop off charges wit.h a hire cvar will be huge.
I wouldn't begin to start to plan by overland public transport it would probably be very convoluted.
May 16th, 2011, 01:16 PM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rent apartments in Paris and London. Just search this site to start -- there are plenty of threads. Otherwise, you need a junior suite (minimum) at any hotel if you're trying to stash your hubby and the girls.
I'd avoid EuroDisney. Disney is quintessentially American and with the $-E exchange rate as bad as it is, you'll be hemorrhaging money there.
I'd avoid EuroDisney. Disney is quintessentially American and with the $-E exchange rate as bad as it is, you'll be hemorrhaging money there.
May 16th, 2011, 01:36 PM
#4
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We stayed in London for 10 days last year when our daughters were 13 and 6 and there was plenty to do to keep them busy. We stayed at 51 Buckingham Gate which is a hotel containing serviced apartments and is part of the Taj hotel chain. We had a 2br apartment which was great b/c it allowed our teenager to sleep in a bit while everyone else got up and had breakfast and get started on the day. It was also nice to have all the extra space but still have the amenities of a hotel. The location near Buckingham Palace was great as we walked to many of the places we wanted to visit and there was also a tube station right down the street.
Lisa
Lisa
May 17th, 2011, 06:26 PM
#5
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lisa - would the hotel in LOndon fit 6? j9paris I feel your pain - My husband and I are also looking for a place in London that same week. It is hard with 4 kids. I will keep an eye on your post to see what we people have to say.
May 17th, 2011, 11:10 PM
#6
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Munich is a great town, and no doubt your daughters would love a day trip to see some fairytale castles - Neuschwanstein, Lindau, etc. These can be booked though hotels or the tourist info in the main square (Marienplatz) when you're there, or online before you arrive. The Viktualien Markt (central market) in Munich, will be a great place to wander and grab a walkabout lunch. You can climb the tower of St Peters (not THAT one) just near the main square for great views of the city. And there is ice skating at the Olympic Park just a short metro (UBahn) ride from the centre if you're looking for other activities. The Deutsches Museum has a great section for kids, so is worth a look, but can be a little overwhelming for the younger ones.
No need to fly from Munich to anywhere in Austria - train is much quicker, covers more places and lets you have a scenic ride through different regions. Salzburg would be good, nice combination of sightseeing, day trips (Salt Mines/Salzkammer, Sound of Music if you're into that) and hiking if you want to get out into the mountains. Innsbruck is a good base for more adventure sports - mountain biking, rafting, paragliding - but with the ages of your daughters these activities may have to wait a few years. Not sure about hotels with pools - not something I've ever looked for in a hotel in Salzburg. If you rent a car, there are some swimming areas in lakes within driving distance. The Seenland (Lakes District) in the Salzkammergut region near Salzburg comes to mind.
Not sure on flights from Austria to Sardinia, but ex-Munich might work better, check online for flights, but it might be as said previously a series of flights. Munich is a bigger airport than Salzburg or Innsbruck ie a better chance of flights. Ditto flying Sardinia to Paris - haven't checked but might involve flying to Rome or even Nice then on to Paris.
Disneyland Paris (aka EuroDisney) is, as another poster mentioned, a bit of a drain on finances, but if your kids would enjoy it and you can fit it in your budget then it's certainly something for a day in Paris. Depending on what might interest you and your family, there are also things like the Sewer Tour of Paris, replete with smell-o-vision (not really, only some sections), a walk though the Catacombs (which can be gruesome even for adults, so not for the easily frightened), a ride on the ferris wheel that has been put back up (yay!) on the section between the Tuilleries Gardens entrance and Place de la Concorde. It's not the Eiffel Tower (and no doubt you'll do that) but it's a different view for sure, and a little fun. Always Parisien and visiting families on it, esp weekends. You could even ease your kids into a little art (unless they are right into it, in which case ignore the above and go nuts at the museums!) by taking a stroll through the gardens surrounding the Rodin Museum. Little cafe inside does ok cafe au lait (wouldn't go there just for that though) and the Luxembourg Gardens are pretty, and interesting (stautes, bee hives, the works).
The Eurostar is the most convienent way to travel between London and Paris, so book your tickets AT LEAST one month in advance for the better prices. And if travelling on a Friday or Sunday, you'll need to book further ahead as it gets busy. I don't think you'll need too many suggestions for London, plethora of things for families/kids, but let us know or have a searc through the boards (have been other posts) for ideas.
Accommodation will depend on your budget, preferred room types, etc. Advice on finding apartments in Paris and London is good. Munich and Salburg have plenty of hotels of different styles, depending on budget.
No need to fly from Munich to anywhere in Austria - train is much quicker, covers more places and lets you have a scenic ride through different regions. Salzburg would be good, nice combination of sightseeing, day trips (Salt Mines/Salzkammer, Sound of Music if you're into that) and hiking if you want to get out into the mountains. Innsbruck is a good base for more adventure sports - mountain biking, rafting, paragliding - but with the ages of your daughters these activities may have to wait a few years. Not sure about hotels with pools - not something I've ever looked for in a hotel in Salzburg. If you rent a car, there are some swimming areas in lakes within driving distance. The Seenland (Lakes District) in the Salzkammergut region near Salzburg comes to mind.
Not sure on flights from Austria to Sardinia, but ex-Munich might work better, check online for flights, but it might be as said previously a series of flights. Munich is a bigger airport than Salzburg or Innsbruck ie a better chance of flights. Ditto flying Sardinia to Paris - haven't checked but might involve flying to Rome or even Nice then on to Paris.
Disneyland Paris (aka EuroDisney) is, as another poster mentioned, a bit of a drain on finances, but if your kids would enjoy it and you can fit it in your budget then it's certainly something for a day in Paris. Depending on what might interest you and your family, there are also things like the Sewer Tour of Paris, replete with smell-o-vision (not really, only some sections), a walk though the Catacombs (which can be gruesome even for adults, so not for the easily frightened), a ride on the ferris wheel that has been put back up (yay!) on the section between the Tuilleries Gardens entrance and Place de la Concorde. It's not the Eiffel Tower (and no doubt you'll do that) but it's a different view for sure, and a little fun. Always Parisien and visiting families on it, esp weekends. You could even ease your kids into a little art (unless they are right into it, in which case ignore the above and go nuts at the museums!) by taking a stroll through the gardens surrounding the Rodin Museum. Little cafe inside does ok cafe au lait (wouldn't go there just for that though) and the Luxembourg Gardens are pretty, and interesting (stautes, bee hives, the works).
The Eurostar is the most convienent way to travel between London and Paris, so book your tickets AT LEAST one month in advance for the better prices. And if travelling on a Friday or Sunday, you'll need to book further ahead as it gets busy. I don't think you'll need too many suggestions for London, plethora of things for families/kids, but let us know or have a searc through the boards (have been other posts) for ideas.
Accommodation will depend on your budget, preferred room types, etc. Advice on finding apartments in Paris and London is good. Munich and Salburg have plenty of hotels of different styles, depending on budget.
May 18th, 2011, 12:17 AM
#7
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I can personally recommend the RE Shoreditch, London - we stayed there a couple of months ago. The rooms and bathroom was spotless, and they had the best breakfast facility I have had in the UK - everything was fresh and lovely and well cooked. We did the bed and breakfast option.
They don't have rooms that can fit all five people in at once (I checked), but I did notice when I was staying there that they have rooms with doors that open between them. So if you booked two rooms and just left the door open between them you could keep an eye on the kids. Just email them first and as specifically for one of type of rooms.
Alternatively, an apartment might be another choice, www.housetrip.com is a useful tool.
As for what to do - there are heaps of things to do that wont cost you very much at all!! One of the things I would suggest is kids week at the westend - which runs while your family is in London. Lots of free activities and fun things http://www.kidsweek.co.uk/home/ as well as free kids entry so long as they are accompanied by an adult into paying events.
I can also recommend The Butterfly House at Natural History Museum which takes place from 10am - 6pm, Thursday 12th April - Sunday 11th September 2011.
For other useful tips and places to go see on a budget, try my blog http://travelbritainonabudget.com
They don't have rooms that can fit all five people in at once (I checked), but I did notice when I was staying there that they have rooms with doors that open between them. So if you booked two rooms and just left the door open between them you could keep an eye on the kids. Just email them first and as specifically for one of type of rooms.
Alternatively, an apartment might be another choice, www.housetrip.com is a useful tool.
As for what to do - there are heaps of things to do that wont cost you very much at all!! One of the things I would suggest is kids week at the westend - which runs while your family is in London. Lots of free activities and fun things http://www.kidsweek.co.uk/home/ as well as free kids entry so long as they are accompanied by an adult into paying events.
I can also recommend The Butterfly House at Natural History Museum which takes place from 10am - 6pm, Thursday 12th April - Sunday 11th September 2011.
For other useful tips and places to go see on a budget, try my blog http://travelbritainonabudget.com
May 18th, 2011, 09:13 AM
#8
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I believe our apartment at 51 Buckingham Gate would have accomodated 6 guests. One bedroom had a King size bed, the second had two singles and there was also a pull-out sofa which we didn't use.
Our daughters were 13 and 6 when we visited last year. If anyone would like the details of our visit to London then you are welcome to read the trip report on my travel blog at www.gonewiththefamily.typepad.com
There is so much to do in London that your week there will fly by!
Lisa
Our daughters were 13 and 6 when we visited last year. If anyone would like the details of our visit to London then you are welcome to read the trip report on my travel blog at www.gonewiththefamily.typepad.com
There is so much to do in London that your week there will fly by!
Lisa
May 18th, 2011, 02:04 PM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would NOT take Travel_Britain's recommendation. Shoreditch is on the fringe of Central London and the connection to the Liverpool Street station that the hotel touts on its website is relatively useless to you -- you'll be coming into St. Pancras and leaving from Heathrow, which is south-west of London. You're not going to fly from Stansted, and your most likely day trips (Hampton Court Palace, Windsor, Bath, Dover) are not serviced by Liverpool Street Station.
The RE Hotel is also outside the Circle Line loop of Central London, which means more time on the train for you to drag the girls through.
The RE Hotel is also outside the Circle Line loop of Central London, which means more time on the train for you to drag the girls through.
May 29th, 2011, 06:51 AM
#10
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
@ Big Russ - I recommended it because we had stayed there and it was a nice place to stay, was a good price. I also thought that an apartment would be suited more to their needs, since there was five of them, which is why I suggested that as well.
May 29th, 2011, 10:05 AM
#11
The problem w/ places like the RE Travel_Britain mentioned -- it is not at all near a tube station. Hoxton station on the London Overground isn't that far --but it isn't convenient for getting into the center. So really not the greatest area for first timers. It is close to the wonderful Geffrye Museum -- but that's not a reason to stay there IMO.
Try these flats -- next door to the Tower of London, on a beautiful marina, right ON the river, . . and <i>not</i> in Shoreditch
But they are popular and do book up http://www.hamletuk.com/
Try these flats -- next door to the Tower of London, on a beautiful marina, right ON the river, . . and <i>not</i> in Shoreditch
But they are popular and do book up http://www.hamletuk.com/
May 29th, 2011, 11:15 AM
#12
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 5,830
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Any place where you are staying 3 days to a week, consider an apartment. You will have more room for your stuff, a mini-kitchen, a living room, more than one bathroom. And save money. Even it you eat only breakfast in, you will be ahead. Google vacation rentals - (name of city). VRBO.com, vacation rentals by owner, is a good place to look.
May 29th, 2011, 11:16 AM
#13
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 506
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Check out www.whichbudget.com for air travel ideas. Like others have suggested, I would take the train from Munich to Salzburg. Another thing to do that kids usually like is the Sound of Music tour. Sure, it is hokey but it still fun. 
Stay in apartments whenever possible. Also, keep sightseeing balanced for the kids. We usually do mornings for us, then lunch and then, something fun. If you don't want to do Disney, you can always do legoland near Munich.
Stay in apartments whenever possible. Also, keep sightseeing balanced for the kids. We usually do mornings for us, then lunch and then, something fun. If you don't want to do Disney, you can always do legoland near Munich.
