London/Paris or Italy or cruise with 4 kids?
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:32 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
London/Paris or Italy or cruise with 4 kids?
We have 4 kids ages 7, 9, 12, 15. We've never been to Europe. We are planning on going this summer but need some serious help. We thought a cruise might be good, never having been there before. We really want to go to London/Paris, but aren't sure of all the logistics. With a family of 6, we would have to get 2 hotel rooms, or rent an apt. Then we wonder what the restaurants are like. We go out to eat all the time and some restaurants look @ us like we're crazy with 4 kids. Then we wonder are they going to be bored if we dragged them around for a week. (I don't think they will be, it's just a thought). I like the idea of just flying to the country and sightseeing on our own. The cruise doesn't give much time to experience a place. Should we do guided tours to be sure we get to see certain places. I wouldn't want to miss something because of really long lines. We thought the cruise would keep them entertained a little more. Then another thought was to just go to Italy for a week and visit various places there. I feel like I have a million ideas bouncing around in my head. I have several travel books on these places, but it helps hearing from real people who have done it. It just makes me nervous going across the world and not knowing what to expect when we have 4 kids in tow. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:44 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,567
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sparkle-- you wrote <<I like the idea of just flying to the country and sightseeing on our own<< WHICH country??? France? England? Scotland? Spain?
While you seem to have some realistic views of this proposition you also seem to be all over the place. A week in Europe, summertime with 4 kids, never been to Europe has a lot of elements for a nice disaster. IF you MUST go for only one week, in the summer pick ONE CITY/PLACE, rent an apartment and sightsee from there. I suggest you rent an apartment in London and see how that goes....
A European cruise can be intense; the stops are close so it can be exhausting trying to make the most of every port every day. It can get very pricey too.
While you seem to have some realistic views of this proposition you also seem to be all over the place. A week in Europe, summertime with 4 kids, never been to Europe has a lot of elements for a nice disaster. IF you MUST go for only one week, in the summer pick ONE CITY/PLACE, rent an apartment and sightsee from there. I suggest you rent an apartment in London and see how that goes....
A European cruise can be intense; the stops are close so it can be exhausting trying to make the most of every port every day. It can get very pricey too.
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:47 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I recommend also choosing one place for one week. Either London or Paris would be great choices and you can rent an apartment and settle in for a week. There is more than enough to see in both places and the chance for some lovely day trips if you want a bit of variety out of the city.
I dont think you will have any problems finding places to eat out. Once you select a place we can help you with the apartment searches and restaurants etc.
I dont think you will have any problems finding places to eat out. Once you select a place we can help you with the apartment searches and restaurants etc.
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:47 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I recommend also choosing one place for one week. Either London or Paris would be great choices and you can rent an apartment and settle in for a week. There is more than enough to see in both places and the chance for some lovely day trips if you want a bit of variety out of the city.
I dont think you will have any problems finding places to eat out. Once you select a place we can help you with the apartment searches and restaurants etc.
I dont think you will have any problems finding places to eat out. Once you select a place we can help you with the apartment searches and restaurants etc.
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:51 AM
#7
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Welcome to Fodors! You can get the tag changed to United Kingdom by clicking on the triangle and asking the editors to fix it.
With the variety of ages of your children, I think you would do better to find one or two places to settle in for a while and really see how people live. People here, especially with younger children, write of how much the kids enjoyed exploring new places while at the same time coming "home" to their same apartment/hotel. Staying longer in one place also gives all of you a chance to really get to know more about everyday life, returning to the same cafe or market, becoming a regular of sorts.
While cruises do give you the same place to return to each night, as you mentioned you don't get much time in each place, Plus each day begins and ends with the logisitics of getting on and off the ship and making connections to the places to visit. For some cities, for example cruises that "stop" at Florence and Rome, the cruise ports are at least an hour from those cities, so precious time is wasted making the connection.
I suggest following your first instincts: plan a vacation that splits time between London and Paris, easily connection by train OR plan a vacation in Italy.
The participants on this forum can help you plan whichever vacation you prefer. When asking your questions, be sure to provide enough information to get us started--it is very difficult to make suggestions if we know nothing about your interests or budget. Begin a new thread with a title like "Two weeks in London and Paris with four kids" and tag it for England and France. Then describe your family: "We have 4 kids ages 7, 9, 12, 15. We've never been to Europe. We want to go to London and Paris for 12-14 days. We love historic sights, dislike art museums, love to hike, hate to shop. Our budget for accommodations is $400 per night. We are thinking of 6 nights London, 6 nights Paris, with a daytrip to Versailles." Then ask your particular questions.
With the variety of ages of your children, I think you would do better to find one or two places to settle in for a while and really see how people live. People here, especially with younger children, write of how much the kids enjoyed exploring new places while at the same time coming "home" to their same apartment/hotel. Staying longer in one place also gives all of you a chance to really get to know more about everyday life, returning to the same cafe or market, becoming a regular of sorts.
While cruises do give you the same place to return to each night, as you mentioned you don't get much time in each place, Plus each day begins and ends with the logisitics of getting on and off the ship and making connections to the places to visit. For some cities, for example cruises that "stop" at Florence and Rome, the cruise ports are at least an hour from those cities, so precious time is wasted making the connection.
I suggest following your first instincts: plan a vacation that splits time between London and Paris, easily connection by train OR plan a vacation in Italy.
The participants on this forum can help you plan whichever vacation you prefer. When asking your questions, be sure to provide enough information to get us started--it is very difficult to make suggestions if we know nothing about your interests or budget. Begin a new thread with a title like "Two weeks in London and Paris with four kids" and tag it for England and France. Then describe your family: "We have 4 kids ages 7, 9, 12, 15. We've never been to Europe. We want to go to London and Paris for 12-14 days. We love historic sights, dislike art museums, love to hike, hate to shop. Our budget for accommodations is $400 per night. We are thinking of 6 nights London, 6 nights Paris, with a daytrip to Versailles." Then ask your particular questions.
Mar 9th, 2011, 08:58 AM
#8
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,987
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How about a few days in Paris and then a self-drive boat on a French canal?
Starting with this picture to the next map you can see our Burgundy canal trip:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622755059630/
There are "old stones" along the route. We gave our kids (they were teenagers) money and they did the shopping at the Tonnerre market. I believe that Tonnerre also had a public swimming pool where part of our group went swimming for a couple of hours.
Starting with this picture to the next map you can see our Burgundy canal trip:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622755059630/
There are "old stones" along the route. We gave our kids (they were teenagers) money and they did the shopping at the Tonnerre market. I believe that Tonnerre also had a public swimming pool where part of our group went swimming for a couple of hours.
Mar 9th, 2011, 09:07 AM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree with jamikins' posts (both of them ;-)).
First, forget the cruise. The four monkeys will go batsh!t crazy on the boat and you don't see a da*n thing on your 5-6 hour city tours before embarking on your floating prison again. The notion that Rome or Florence is a cruise destination is just a joke: both are inland.
ellenem has a good idea - you can easily do London and Paris and just rent an apartment in both places. You need to do this because hotel costs in Paris and London can be prohibitive and it's a convenience issue -- get all the demonspawn in one place so you can round them up and frogmarch them out in the mornings. But if you only have ONE week, not two (as ellenem indicated), then you can only choose one city.
Don't do your implied plan in Italy of bopping about the whole country. That's too difficult to do with four monsters in tow. Either get one or two out of the house before doing that, or stash the kids with the oldies and do it yourself.
London is the easiest place for an American family because the British speak some variant of English, there are TONS of activities that can appeal to the offspring, and the historical sites are impossible to avoid.
First, forget the cruise. The four monkeys will go batsh!t crazy on the boat and you don't see a da*n thing on your 5-6 hour city tours before embarking on your floating prison again. The notion that Rome or Florence is a cruise destination is just a joke: both are inland.
ellenem has a good idea - you can easily do London and Paris and just rent an apartment in both places. You need to do this because hotel costs in Paris and London can be prohibitive and it's a convenience issue -- get all the demonspawn in one place so you can round them up and frogmarch them out in the mornings. But if you only have ONE week, not two (as ellenem indicated), then you can only choose one city.
Don't do your implied plan in Italy of bopping about the whole country. That's too difficult to do with four monsters in tow. Either get one or two out of the house before doing that, or stash the kids with the oldies and do it yourself.
London is the easiest place for an American family because the British speak some variant of English, there are TONS of activities that can appeal to the offspring, and the historical sites are impossible to avoid.
Mar 9th, 2011, 09:08 AM
#10
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,109
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would also recommend choosing one city and then spending the week you have there. Find an apartment--more room to spread out, a place to come back to each day, a chance to eat without going to a restaurant.
London would be my choice, but that is just my opinion.
I spent a week there with two nephews 10 and 12, and there was more than enough to keep us busy for a whole week. We then took ten days driving in the countryside. They loved riding the Tube, walking, etc.
Tell us some more about what you like to do and budgets, etc.
sounds like a wonderful trip ahead.
London would be my choice, but that is just my opinion.
I spent a week there with two nephews 10 and 12, and there was more than enough to keep us busy for a whole week. We then took ten days driving in the countryside. They loved riding the Tube, walking, etc.
Tell us some more about what you like to do and budgets, etc.
sounds like a wonderful trip ahead.
Mar 9th, 2011, 09:47 AM
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for all the help so far. I think we are probably leaning the most toward London/Paris. We have about 8-9 days to spend there. Should we rent a hotel or an apartment in both places? We usually stay at Westins or Four Seasons hotels, but knowing how expensive these cities are, I'm wondering what places would be comparable. We won't be in the room much so I don't want to spend a fortune. Also I need some advice about the train, Eurostar. Is it best to book that myself or maybe have a travel agent do it? We want to see historical sites and some museums. Shopping is a must for my 15 yr. old daughter and myself. Any other advice is appreciated. Thanks.
Mar 9th, 2011, 10:03 AM
#12
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,253
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
"We won't be in the room much so I don't want to spend a fortune."
Glad you are considering doing this on your own. it would still be very helpful to us to give a particular dollar/pound/euro amount--"We usually stay at Westin or Four Seasons, but we can't spend more than $500 per night for all 6 of us"--something like that. London and Paris are international destinations so Westin and Four Seasons may be much more high priced than you expect or are willing to pay.
For a group your size, apartments in both places might be good idea, giving you more space to spread out and a kitchen. However, since you are new to European travel, you might appreciate a hotel stay for the help you might receive from the hotel staff/concierge.
You can book the Eurostar yourself. I believe the sooner you book, the cheaper the price. Here's the official site:
http://www.eurostar.com/dynamic/index.jsp
Glad you are considering doing this on your own. it would still be very helpful to us to give a particular dollar/pound/euro amount--"We usually stay at Westin or Four Seasons, but we can't spend more than $500 per night for all 6 of us"--something like that. London and Paris are international destinations so Westin and Four Seasons may be much more high priced than you expect or are willing to pay.
For a group your size, apartments in both places might be good idea, giving you more space to spread out and a kitchen. However, since you are new to European travel, you might appreciate a hotel stay for the help you might receive from the hotel staff/concierge.
You can book the Eurostar yourself. I believe the sooner you book, the cheaper the price. Here's the official site:
http://www.eurostar.com/dynamic/index.jsp
Mar 9th, 2011, 11:16 AM
#13
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A cruise is NOT the way to see europe. What you see is mostly the boat - with short part-day trips to various cities. I think a bad idea for anyone (except perhaps an elderly couple who has limited mobility) and terrible for kids.
What you need is to pick one place for each week that you have and rent an apartment there - in an area with access to activities for kids including a park. This will take some of the pressure off everyone (being trapped together 24 hours per day for along period can be extremely stressful) and will give you some room to spread out - as well as a kitchen for snack and breakfast.
If you don;t have any language skills I would suggest places that are either english-speaking or cosmopolitan enough that many people will understand basic english.
Out first trip we took out daughters - 11 and 14 - to London and paris for 2 weeks. We stayed in a hotel since they were older - but they had their own room - and once we had settled into each city and showed then how to work the tube or metro they spent some time doing teen things while we did things they weren;t that interested in. They loved it - paris more than London since they liked the opportunity to use their French - and the vacation was very successful. A cruise would have been hell.
What you need is to pick one place for each week that you have and rent an apartment there - in an area with access to activities for kids including a park. This will take some of the pressure off everyone (being trapped together 24 hours per day for along period can be extremely stressful) and will give you some room to spread out - as well as a kitchen for snack and breakfast.
If you don;t have any language skills I would suggest places that are either english-speaking or cosmopolitan enough that many people will understand basic english.
Out first trip we took out daughters - 11 and 14 - to London and paris for 2 weeks. We stayed in a hotel since they were older - but they had their own room - and once we had settled into each city and showed then how to work the tube or metro they spent some time doing teen things while we did things they weren;t that interested in. They loved it - paris more than London since they liked the opportunity to use their French - and the vacation was very successful. A cruise would have been hell.
Mar 9th, 2011, 12:10 PM
#14
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
NYT's suggestion of letting the kids roam free depends upon savvy kids. I grew up in NYC and could read a Tube map like a Dr. Seuss book when I was no older than your youngest, so traveling around London or Paris or Rome by myself at age 15 was easy. If your kids aren't conditioned to riding the rails or navigating a city the size of New York (London) or Chicago (Paris) on their own, you may want to revisit that concept.
I'm a proponent of apartments, not hotels. Your budget is obviously capacious because if you travel with kids in the US to Four Seasons hotels, you won't have inexpensive accommodations. That should net you a good-sized rental place. I don't think you need concierge services for London because there are tons of tourist resources, your kids are all Internet friendly and could probably map the way to wherever you want to go, and the convenience of an apartment is difficult to surpass with a hotel.
But you can combine the two with an Oakwood property, if they have availability. Oakwoods are extended stay apartments that are usually let for 30 days minimum, but commonly will lease for less time. High quality, fully furnished. There are a bunch in London and a handful in Paris.
I'm a proponent of apartments, not hotels. Your budget is obviously capacious because if you travel with kids in the US to Four Seasons hotels, you won't have inexpensive accommodations. That should net you a good-sized rental place. I don't think you need concierge services for London because there are tons of tourist resources, your kids are all Internet friendly and could probably map the way to wherever you want to go, and the convenience of an apartment is difficult to surpass with a hotel.
But you can combine the two with an Oakwood property, if they have availability. Oakwoods are extended stay apartments that are usually let for 30 days minimum, but commonly will lease for less time. High quality, fully furnished. There are a bunch in London and a handful in Paris.
Mar 9th, 2011, 05:26 PM
#15
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Agree that setting the kids out on their own assumes that they're used to a big city and public transit. If they've been very sheltered you may want to keep a closer watch on them.
Since ours were used to NYC and subways we had no problem letting them (together) head out for the day and meet us for dinner. (We had limited interest in teen shopping for tscotkes.) Or - when they were older - going out in the evening to where local students hung out.
Since ours were used to NYC and subways we had no problem letting them (together) head out for the day and meet us for dinner. (We had limited interest in teen shopping for tscotkes.) Or - when they were older - going out in the evening to where local students hung out.
Mar 10th, 2011, 01:45 PM
#16
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 515
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We took our 3 kids to 4 countries in 12 days 2 years ago and it was alot. We loved the trip, but want to go back to almost every city we visited as there was just not enough time.
This year we are taking the kids to London for 6 nights (we have never been) and Paris for 5 nights (2nd trip). We rent apartments having 3 kids. It lets us spread out, fix breakfast or even dinner if the kids are done and the cost for a very nice place is typically less than 2 hotel rooms. We are working on our plans for London, but may wing it in Paris being the second trip. Paris was the favorite city we visited 2 years ago, so we can't wait to return. It's an easy train ride from London making it easy to visit both cities. Fly into one and out of the other. Try to spread yourself for 9 or 10 nights, then you would have enough time to really enjoy both cities and it will be easier to find apartments. Many do not want to rent for less than 5 nights. There are companies that rent, but I have always had great success with VRBO and Homeaway. I will post a report when we return.
This year we are taking the kids to London for 6 nights (we have never been) and Paris for 5 nights (2nd trip). We rent apartments having 3 kids. It lets us spread out, fix breakfast or even dinner if the kids are done and the cost for a very nice place is typically less than 2 hotel rooms. We are working on our plans for London, but may wing it in Paris being the second trip. Paris was the favorite city we visited 2 years ago, so we can't wait to return. It's an easy train ride from London making it easy to visit both cities. Fly into one and out of the other. Try to spread yourself for 9 or 10 nights, then you would have enough time to really enjoy both cities and it will be easier to find apartments. Many do not want to rent for less than 5 nights. There are companies that rent, but I have always had great success with VRBO and Homeaway. I will post a report when we return.
Mar 20th, 2011, 05:36 AM
#17
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My husband and I are doing the same thing this summer - we have four daughters (13, 11, 9, 5). We are traveling around Scotland, Wales, England (London) and possibly sliding over to Paris in a 3 1/2 week trip. I know what you mean about being overwhelmed. We are renting a car and just driving, stopping whenever and wherever the girls want or need to. We plan to stay in London for a week and just taking the train to Paris for a day. We are on a tight budget so staying in Paris anylonger is not an option. This site has a lot of good suggestions that I have been writing down. Continue to read through the list of forums to get ideas. Looking forward to what you decide.
Mar 20th, 2011, 10:42 AM
#18
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I vote for London and/or Paris. If you've never been to Europe, in many ways, London is "easier" to adjust to -- either do only there or start there ?
I'm in the midst of a trip report (and need to finish!) where we did both in about 10 days total. It was a great trip and one we would do again (and probably will!). My kids were ages 6, 8, and 10 at the time of the trip.
Click on my username for my trip report for the London piece, at least.
I'm in the midst of a trip report (and need to finish!) where we did both in about 10 days total. It was a great trip and one we would do again (and probably will!). My kids were ages 6, 8, and 10 at the time of the trip.
Click on my username for my trip report for the London piece, at least.
Mar 20th, 2011, 02:48 PM
#19
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am also not a fan of cruises as a way to visit Europe. Do you plan on having 8 or 9 full days for vacation? If you are also including travel days you do not have as much time as you might think.
London or Paris for that time with a apartment or house rental would work well. We rented a three bedroom house in Fulham last June which worked out nicely for us but you may want something more central as someone new to london. We also tend to stay in hotels like the Westin and Four Seasons but you will not want to do this in either London or Paris as each room is likely to cost you between $500 and $1000 each in the summer. The George V in Paris was about $1000/night last time I looked and the Westin was somewhere around $700. If you had more time and could do 5 full days + in each place with an open jaw that would be best. Eurostar between London and Paris is easy to do and can be quite reasonable in price as long as you book way ahead of time.
London or Paris for that time with a apartment or house rental would work well. We rented a three bedroom house in Fulham last June which worked out nicely for us but you may want something more central as someone new to london. We also tend to stay in hotels like the Westin and Four Seasons but you will not want to do this in either London or Paris as each room is likely to cost you between $500 and $1000 each in the summer. The George V in Paris was about $1000/night last time I looked and the Westin was somewhere around $700. If you had more time and could do 5 full days + in each place with an open jaw that would be best. Eurostar between London and Paris is easy to do and can be quite reasonable in price as long as you book way ahead of time.
Mar 24th, 2011, 12:04 PM
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm happy to say we officially bought our airline tickets. After searching for over a week, I found a really good price and bought them. We are flying to London roundtrip. We have 11 days, so we will stay in London for a few, then go to Paris by train. We will take the train back to London the day before we fly home. Now I have to look for apartments/hotels. Although we are leaning toward the apts. I am very excited. When I told our 15 yr. old daughter today we got the tickets she started crying. she is so excited. I'll keep you posted on my planning.
