Europewithkids

My wife and I are thinking about taking our 3 boys, ages 19, 16 and 12, to Poland for 10-12 nights this August. We have been to Switzerland, France and the Netherlands, as well as Australia, with them. We are looking for something new and a place that is a little more affordable. Poland struck me as a possibility. Any suggestions on whether Poland might be a good choice, where we might take them and if other countries are better choices?

Cowboy1968

Poland is a big and diverse country. You can do anything from relaxing on the beaches or zillion of lakes, touring great cities, to exploring the mountains.

But August usually means very HOT continental weather, especially when you are not on the sea.

Another option could be one or more of the Baltic countries.

Christina

I think it's a great choice, but it's not clear of your family has any interest at all in Poland (or family history, etc) or if this is just a place you think will be cheaper.

I like Poland and have been there twice, but only to Krakow (one of my favorite cities in Europe) and Wroclaw, basically. I highly recommend both those cities as places to visit. With only 10-12 nights, you can't really do a whole lot more, but the extra time could be many areas depending on what you want (cities, country, etc).

I was in Poland twice in July, and it wasn't any hotter than many other European countries, like France. Sure, August can be hot, but if you would go to France in August, I see no reason not to go to Poland in August. I have stayed in hotels with AC when I've been there, which is nice, but you can always go cheaper if you want. I'd still say the same things compared to Paris, for example. Krakow isn't too expensive, but hotels are about the same as a lot of W Europe, I think. Wroclaw was cheaper, in the whole, even for comparable hotels.

GSteed

Poland is a good choice. There you have two places to consider, the Mazurian Lakes or Zakopane. Each abounds with outdoor activities. Search both of them. August will be busy as this is the time Poles vacation. A few years ago Polish companies supplied recreational facilities to their employees in these areas. Many have been sold and converted to public use.

Europewithkids

Thanks for the input. I am really just exploring options, but this gives me stuff to look at. Just to give you an idea of what I am doing, I am also looking at Ireland. I have already eliminated Portugal due to the heat. I have done some research and am looking at places the kids might like and that might be affordable if I do it a certain way (example, while Ireland is not cheap, we would probably avoid Dublin anyway).

Amy

Poland and Lithuania are an interesting combo; it's not as expensive as much of western Europe. I had a great time, and there are many of the experiences (such as the Resistance Museum in Warsaw) that I think most teenage boys would enjoy. My trip report for that from 2006 is here: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34841274

In another vein, have you looked into Untours? www.untours.com You could visit Germany or Italy for less than you might think, and save money by eating some meals in. I highly recommned Untours services, and they're an amazing company in that their profits go to philanthropy.

A third, completely different option yet, is to go to South America: Peru is my personal favorite, and a combination of the Andes and the Amazon is marvelous.

Europewithkids

Amy, great trip report. I looked at the Untours website you listed. I don't think we want to do Germany and Itraly is too hot in August for our tastes. As for Peru, I considered it but it seemed like a somehwta difficult trip and it might take longer than the 10 nights or so we have.

skatedancer

Krakow is a very cool place to go, and it is very easy for the kids to wander on their own as well. The main square is always filled with entertainers and lined with restaurants. At night, the small cellars are jazz clubs and restaurants.

we took a wonderful bike ride along the river out to the monastery (although suggesting either getting a really good map or taking a tour, as the path is not always easy to detect). there is also a water park in Krakow, but we didn't have time to get there.

Visiting Auschwitz is a must, and the salt mine is a fascinating excursion, too.

Cool Tours runs half day tours of the former Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz), which is definitely worth taking.

We did not make it out to Zakopane, but would have loved to have spent a few days there if we had more time.

GSteed

What do your sons like to do? Are they outdoor sportsmen? Are they TV watchers? I have met USA bicyclers touring Poland! Polish children ski in Austria and hike in the Tatras. A fourth grade neighbor girl attends week long karate schools. My grandson is learning Italian during his visits to Naples! Have you polled the children?

julies

We've been to Krakow twice--once in August. It was the summer of the big European heatwave and was unbearably hot. No AC in our hotel room, of course. So, we cancelled our last day in Krakow and set off to cool down for a few days in Zakopane. Big mistake. It was packed with people--unbelievable crowds. I would neve visit Zakopane in August.

Prior to that we had spent several delightful days hiking in the mountains of SW Poland near Szklarska Porebna. I should mention that we were visiting our 20 something son who was teaching in Poland, and we wanted a place where he'd also have some opportunities for recreation.

Two summers ago we visited Lithuania and thoroughly enjoyed it. Do a search under my name and you'll find my trip report.

PeterB

Poland's currency is very strong lately - exchange rate is $1=2.25zloty or less ... so not so cheap lately ... considering hotels and restaurants you maybe paying same as you would pay in France or Netherlands ... Your only saving maybe trains and busses, but not your rental car and fuel... Other Easter European countries maybe a better option ... or combining multiple countries vs just 1 to keep your cost down ... Slovakia if you would like to see Krakow and Tatry ... Ukraine is another great alternative. Any of the Baltics are also great alternatives ...