Family summer in Europe
Oct 22nd, 2003, 02:18 PM
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Family summer in Europe
My wife and I along with our 15 yr old son will be meeting up with 20 yr old daughter late June in Leeds. Should we stay somewhere outside of London and drive/train to sites? Are there still those house exchange programs (we live in California across the bay from S.F.)? I'd like not to have it be so hectic on my son, who's never been to Europe before. After England, we would go to France for another week and do the two nights per city thing, probably Paris, the Burgundy region and ?? Any suggestions? Keeping expenses down will be an issue as well.
Oct 22nd, 2003, 04:31 PM
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If you search fodors under "Home Exchange", you should pull up some old threads. The principal services are HomeLink and Intervac. While you can still list for next summer, the main books have already gone to print.
Please note that to do a home exchange, needs must be mutual.
Your location in California would be attractive to many but since 9/11/01, home exchange has been difficult. People are reluctant to fly on both sides of the Atlantic. For example, I live in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Prior to the terrorist attacks, I always got a number of attractive European offers. Since 9/11/01, the only exchanges I have done have been within the US.
My advice to people who must be in a certain area at a certain time is to plan to stay in a hotel or rent an apartment because the chances of finding someone in a specific location are minimal. To be successful at home exchanging you do have to be very flexible about where you will go.
If you go to Leeds, there is an excellent weapons museum. I haven't been to it, but it is supposed to be good according to everything I have read.
The person who said Leeds is a good clip from London is correct. I would not recommend doing either city as a day trip from the other. You might want to stay a few days in each of them.
By the way, I would never do the "two nights per city thing" because packing up and moving every few days is exhausting. Pick a couple of central locations and stay put. In Burgundy, I recommend either Dijon or Beaune as good locations to stay overnight.
Please note that to do a home exchange, needs must be mutual.
Your location in California would be attractive to many but since 9/11/01, home exchange has been difficult. People are reluctant to fly on both sides of the Atlantic. For example, I live in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Prior to the terrorist attacks, I always got a number of attractive European offers. Since 9/11/01, the only exchanges I have done have been within the US.
My advice to people who must be in a certain area at a certain time is to plan to stay in a hotel or rent an apartment because the chances of finding someone in a specific location are minimal. To be successful at home exchanging you do have to be very flexible about where you will go.
If you go to Leeds, there is an excellent weapons museum. I haven't been to it, but it is supposed to be good according to everything I have read.
The person who said Leeds is a good clip from London is correct. I would not recommend doing either city as a day trip from the other. You might want to stay a few days in each of them.
By the way, I would never do the "two nights per city thing" because packing up and moving every few days is exhausting. Pick a couple of central locations and stay put. In Burgundy, I recommend either Dijon or Beaune as good locations to stay overnight.
Oct 23rd, 2003, 05:42 AM
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Hi,
Why not have your daughter meet you in London?
>...I'd like not to have it be so hectic on my son, ...After England, we would go to France for another week and do the two nights per city thing,...<
These two statements appear to be mutually exclusive. You might want to rethink this.
Why not have your daughter meet you in London?
>...I'd like not to have it be so hectic on my son, ...After England, we would go to France for another week and do the two nights per city thing,...<
These two statements appear to be mutually exclusive. You might want to rethink this.
Oct 24th, 2003, 02:33 PM
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thanks to all of you - i realize now that i need to research this a bit first - i have way too many metrics, time, money, distance, kid boredom, etc - it was so much easier when i was a kid in college!
Oct 24th, 2003, 06:53 PM
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We live in Ottawa, Canada - not as attractive a location as yours, and we did a sucessful home exchange with a family 5 km outside of Paris in August and with a family in Lewisham just outside of London in 2000. I am registered with Homelink and since September I have had several offers to exchange with families in Brittany, Madrid, Berlin and outside of Amsterdam. Home exchange is great especially with kids as it's more economical, you don't all have to stay in one room, and you get to stay in a local neighbourhood. Most exchangers swap cars too. I'd say give it a go.
Oct 28th, 2003, 05:02 PM
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Hi
From Leeds, you can explore some interesting countryside in England--Yorkshire Dales come immediately to mind. Whether that's an idea trip for a 15 year old boy or not depends upon his (and the rest of your family's) interests. Terrific hiking, beautiful countryside, a number of castles and historic sites, connections with James Herriott as well as Wallace and Grommet...
If you are interested in exploring London, I'd stay in the center of the city, rather than commute in...No worry about finding enough to interest your family in London, and you could easily spend 5 days seeing the major sights.
My son, at age 14, really enjoyed Paris. He also liked exploring in Normandie. The Loire Valley was less enticing, but still worthwhile. Interestingly enough, his sister was 18 at the time
From Leeds, you can explore some interesting countryside in England--Yorkshire Dales come immediately to mind. Whether that's an idea trip for a 15 year old boy or not depends upon his (and the rest of your family's) interests. Terrific hiking, beautiful countryside, a number of castles and historic sites, connections with James Herriott as well as Wallace and Grommet...
If you are interested in exploring London, I'd stay in the center of the city, rather than commute in...No worry about finding enough to interest your family in London, and you could easily spend 5 days seeing the major sights.
My son, at age 14, really enjoyed Paris. He also liked exploring in Normandie. The Loire Valley was less enticing, but still worthwhile. Interestingly enough, his sister was 18 at the time
Oct 28th, 2003, 05:05 PM
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....{how the heck did I post that incomplete reply?}
Whereever you go, consider focusing on just a couple of areas, rather than entering the grind of "two days per city, back on the road, another two days, etc." That can get tiring in a hurry.
Dave White
[email protected]
Whereever you go, consider focusing on just a couple of areas, rather than entering the grind of "two days per city, back on the road, another two days, etc." That can get tiring in a hurry.
Dave White
[email protected]
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