Laura

We are taking our daughters (15 and 10) to London for 7 days and Paris for 5 days. It is the first time the girls will be abroad. What are the absolute musts and since we don't want them to get bored- where are the fun restaurants and shopping?

terrell dempsey

We went to Paris with our 12 and 14 year old daughters in 1995. Food was no problem as there are wonderful, albeit expensive, cafes everywhere. Creperies are nice and they liked Moulles and frittes (mussels and french fries). I don't know your girls tastes, but the Musee d'Orsay was a hit with ours. We live in the sticks, so our girls also enjoyed riding the Metro. Why not buy a good travel guide and make your hobby between now and departure time talking about what everybody wants to see? There are lots of nice less expensive places to shop with hip clothing.
We have never taken the girls to London, though one has gone on her own and we have been several times. We always, always, always go to Harrods. The restored Globe Theatre is a delight. Do the Tower, take the boat to Greenwich, spend at least one day out of London (ride the train) and e-mail when you get back. Bon Voyage!

troy

Fun things in Paris: If you're hard core shoppers go to Galleries Lafayette; it is part cathedral/part giant dept. store. It's gorgeous inside. The area around Les Halles (near Centre Pompidou) has cheap fashion boutiques for the hip, young crowd. Although a lot of it is American clothing (very popular there). You can find truly unique European wear (like NAF NAF)there too. The area of St. Michael (across the Seine from Notre Dame) also has trendy clothing stores due to the large student population from the Sorbonne. It's also a lively area. Of course the Champs has all the expensive stores. Plus restaurants like Planet Hollywood are there. Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie is interesting for kids. The Catacombs are scary! Notre Dame, of course. Try a crepe w/Nutella in it. Take a ride on one of those bateaus along the Seine (you can catch them across from the Notre Dame). Pere Lechaise (sp?) cemetary, where Jim Morrison (the Doors) was buried along with other famous french. I think they flew him home to Florida though. There's EuroDisney 30 minutes from Paris by metro. There's also another theme park called Parc Astriex. London has LegoLand, that might be for children though.

Karen Harris

We are doing the same thing with our two children ages
15 and 16. They have been to London before but this will
be the first time for Paris. A great deal really depends
on your children and their tastes. Get them involved! Let
them browse at the local bookstore and definitely let them
surf the net. They might even find an email pal from Paris
or London. In London the best museums for kids are The Natural
History Museum, Science Musuem and the Victoria and Albert. If
enjoy music head to the Barbican where there are plenty of
free daytime concerts, from classical to Jazz. My kids loved
Starlight Express (they've seen it several times already) and are
planning on seeing it again in December. The Hard Rock Cafe is a
must for any teen or even pre-teen. The list is endless once you
know what they want to see. Of course, the regulars are great too.
Don't miss the Tower, Covent Garden, The National Gallery, a ride
around London in a red double decker bus and a trip to the British
museum. Don't miss Harrods, Selfridges and breakfast at Fortnum
and Mason's is a must. If they don't mind walking you will have
plenty of cheap entertainment - try to see Carnaby St, Portobello Rd,
and Petticoat Lane market especially early on a saturday morning. There
are numerous books on "London Walks" including following in the footsteps
of Jack the Ripper or Sherlock Holmes. I would also recommend getting
a copy of Time Out London or What's On which are published weekly and
contain all the information about anything you can think of in London.
If you can't get one locally befor you leave (they are usually a week behind
once they arrive in the states) you can purchase one at the kiosk upon
your arrival at either airport or train station. One more thing, give your
children each a book with blank lined paper in it and request that they
keep a journal of their travels. You will all be able to relive your trip
over and over throughout the years. Have a great trip!

Donna

Here's a place you and the kids may wish to visit as soon as you arrive in Paris: It's called Paristoric. A multimedia presentation (film, slides, video, awesome music) of the history of Paris, the Parisian people, monuments, churches, museums, sights, the works. After viewing this, you'll know what not to miss during your visit. It's shown in a modern theater (you can listen in English on a headset) at 11bis rue Scribe (around the corner from Opera Garnier). Shown seven days a week on the hour 9-9. Look for discount coupons in all the tourist brochures and the Tourist Office. The kids might also enjoy Musee Grevin, the wax Museum, located on Blvd. Montmartre. We loved this. Includes the history of France, Joan of Arc (rumor has it that is her armor on display, she was tiny!), Napoleon, Marie Antoinnette, and some modern day exhibits, including Michael Jackson and Madonna. Once you've paid your admission, there's an extra charge for a map of the exhibits, but it's worth it! Try to visit the exhibits in order. Wonderful! Also, wait in line and pay the extra and ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Spectacular! Try to go at dusk, so you can view all of Paris while it's still light, and then after dark when the lights are turned on everywhere. Not to be missed. Unforgettable! Also fabulous (and free) is the view of Paris from the rooftop cafe on the 10th floor of the Samaritaine department store. Be sure to have someone take a photo of all of you with the Eiffel Tower behind you! And, a boatride on the Seine is terrific. If the line at the Eiffel Tower is long, go across the bridge, take a boatride, and try again afterward.

Bill Irving

In June we took our 9 yr old son to Paris for 4 days & London for 9 days. Besides the previously mentioned things, what our son enjoyed the most was: the Rodin Museum -- especially the gardens, Napoleon's Tomb, going to the top of Sacre Coeur, the Army Museum with all the suits of armour,
eating French bread & pastries fresh from a bakery, the outside cafe's & omlettes, learning how to use the metro system, learning some French & then using it, going through Versailles palace & grounds, going thru La Conciergerie. For boat rides, the bateaux Mouches were
more comfortable than the bateaux Parisiennes. When there, the elevator on the Arc de Triomphe was broken & we had to walk up to the top, also tower of Noter Dame was under renevation & not accessable. Also if you go to Painters Square in Montmarte, be aware that you will be hounded by
street artists. In London, our son's favorite place was The Rock Circus - a wax museum about the History or Rock & Roll music, also like Trafalgar Square, going all the way to the top of St.Paul's as well as the crypt there, Tower Hill Pagent located near the entrace of Tower of London.
Taking the boat to Greenwich & walking up Greenwich Park to the Observatory. Day trips from London that he enjoyed were to Portsmouth for historical ships tours, Caerphilly - Wales his favorite castle almost had the whole place to ourselves -- eat at the CourtHouse restaurant with very good
food & fantastic view of the Castle, liked Windsor castle. Also enjoyed overnight train to Edinburgh & all the Historical things there -- go up to the top of Calton Hill early in the morning, before buses arrive, for fantastic view, & shopping on Princes Street there. He liked eating upstairs
at the Sherlock Holmes pub & restaurant at 10 Northumberland in London. Each site that we went to had there only shop & our son wanted to stop at each one. Hope this helps. Email me if you want more.

DRucks

In London, don't miss Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum! Everything in there is great. Kids will especially love the dungeon (it is gorey and smells like what I think the real thing may smell like. I found it fascinating, but your kids may have nightmares). At the British Museum, point out to your children things like Handel's Messiah (the real thing); the "off with their heads" decrees by the kings and other powerful people; the illuminated manuscripts; the huge huge doorways from long-gone places that thrived in B.C. (something like what you'd see in films like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade); take a look at the mosaic on the floor; This is a great museum--check the opening times to be sure to get there early. Starlite Express is great! The tunes will continue in your heads for days, but it is fun stuff, with a lesson included. How about the Tower of London? Great for history lesson. As for Paris, buy your kids the children's book called "Linnea" about a little girl who goes to Monet's garden. There is some stuff in there about Paris, mostly about a trip to Giverny. And the more YOU know, the easier it is to stay ahead of them! Have a great time!