Turkey with pre- and teenagers
 

We're thinking about a trip to Tukey in the summer of 2005 with out (by then) 12, 15, and 17 year old boys. We live in Florida, so beaches - although we will enjoy them - won't be the big draw. Outdoor stuff (rafting, short hikes, kayaking), history, ruins, castles/weapons (for the youngest), boat rides...Any suggestions?

How much time do you have? Cappodocia is a must, and a hot air balloon ride there is fantastic. Far better than Napa, Albequerque, or France where I've done them also.

A really great idea would be to set up a "blue voyage" from Bodrum or Marmaris. The boats are sort of like mini pirate ships. You can get one with a two person crew for really cheap -- and I'd suggest getting one just for the five of you. I don't have the details, but I think this would be a highlight. With your own private charter (and I'm guessing something like $500 a day TOPS for all of you and everything included) they will take you to small inlets and islands and give you a real adventure. They usually like to do these for 5 or 6 nights.

My other suggestion is to go as early in the summer as possible when school is out. Turkey gets very hot and very crowded in August -- that's when all the other Europeans go.

adeewebstr,

Where ever go you will see a ruin in Turkey and this ruin has history go back to very early date. So you won't have any problem with History and Ruins. Bodrum is the right place to see CASTLE and some Weapons and some BOAT RIDE (could be daily or 6 days its up to you)

If you want to have RAFTING and HIKING you should go to ANTALYA you also visit some ruins like PERGE, ASPENDOS, SIDE, and much more... and some daily boat trip. Beaches of Antalya is nice BUT I recommend you go to SIDE or ALANYA This small town has nice beach on the south of Turkey.

Have FUN in Turkey

Sinan Akdeniz

We just started talking about the trip last night, so things are pretty vague - but we plan to spend two weeks in Turkey or Greece or both. I'll need to look at a map to see where the places you both mentioned are. I have never been to Turkey - should we plan to rent a car or take trains or fly or take ferries (depending on distances)? The boat sounds wonderful - and Rob will be excited about castles!

We found driving in Turkey a great pleasure. The roads were amazingly good and well marked -- and very uncrowded. No trains to speak of, if at all. With five of you -- definitely a car or van/mini bus.

You can do a search here for Turkey and see quite a few posts with extensive descriptions of itineraries people have done in Turkey. You might also pick up some brochures of package tours (just for ideas) from a travel agent, or on line -- google for Turkey information.

I'd personally just stick with Turkey, although you could do a day trip or even a one day overnight to Rhodes, where the walled old city will really impress the boys.

Rent a car (for your family SUV or minivan) would be cheaper rather then flying and using BUS or TRAIN.
If I were you I would spend 2 weeks in Turkey or Greece NOT BOTH. Because Turkey has many places to see and 2 weeks is not enough to see.

I am scanning some pictures to make MAP FOR TOURIST and I will write when I finish or if you have Turkish consulate close to you you can get FREE.

Sinan Akdeniz

Mini-van it is then - and probably just Turkey, although I am going to check out Rhodes. How does one get between Turkey and Rhodes, and how long does it take?

Hydrofoil from Marmaris to Rhodes. I believe it is a little less than an hour each way, and not very expensive.

I've got to sit down with a map - but first...I was looking at gulets on booking agency websites. They look marvelous, but I wonder about the boys' interest span. Are 1 - 2 day trips possible, or would you just not get very far/see much? Can you do one way trips? With 5 of us are there any gulets that we would fill up or that we could charter for an amount similiar to what we would spend if there were other people on board? It's not that I'm anti-social (in fact, if it was just my husband and myself I would enjoy meeting other people) but I would hate to have to squash the boys if we ended up with people who were not into children!

Be prepared to pay $100 per person for visa's upon entering the country.

Two friends rented a boat from Kos last summer and sailed from Kos to Bodrum then along the Turkish coastfor 1 week (aegean sea)End of June or the first two weeks of Sempember are the best times for sailing.