Is it feasible to fly to London or a European city for a weekend. Some airfares are cheaper than domestic US trips. The schedules limit travel to major cities. You can leave as late as 6 p.m., fly to the connecting city (I don't live in NY or Boston), arrive in London (for example) by noon.<BR><BR>One could drop off the luggage at the hotel and sightsee that afternoon, have a nice dinner. On Sunday, one could leisurely walk around in the am, though things are probably closed. Maybe see the outside of a building then fly home in the early afternoon.<BR><BR>Is this crazy? Cities that this is possible include London, Amsterdam, and if I leave a bit early from work on Friday, Paris.

If you are near the east coast it is very possible for a European weekend. Almost all tourist attractions are open on Sundays so that is not a problem.<BR><BR>If you have to fly from the west coast it is harder because the flights are so much longer. But if you can swing an extra day off even that is doable.<BR><BR>The jet lag is tough - but the excitement of a whirlwind trip takes care of some of that.

My experience is that it is doable, but I enjoyed myself more going to cities to which I had already travelled ie Paris and Amsterdam. I already knew the airports, customs, taxi stands, metro and a host of other logistics. Less anxiety from the unknown and more usable time. <BR>A long weekend or Thanksgiving in the US, it's not a holiday over there, work well.

Personally, I wouldn't do it unless your air fare is free. Just doesn't seem economically sensible to me, but it is certainly doable. If you had a 3 day weekend, either Friday or Monday off, then it begins to make a bit more sense. But remember that on Monday, many of the main attractions in the city are closed.<BR><BR>If you go, my suggestion is to try to arrive in the early morning by flying out of the U.S. on the preceding afternoon or evening. Sleep on the plane overnight, and drop off your bags at the hotel on Saturday morning as you planned. You should really have almost all of Saturday and half of Sunday.

Andy, absolutely it is feasible I do this to Paris once a month. Most of the European cities are commutable for a weekend but the jet lag can be tough if you don't get any sleep on the overnight outward bound flight. Better if you can leave on a Thursday night or take a Monday off. In my experience you spend no more than you would going to a US city and in some cases more if you stay in the US. The first think you often want to do when you get of the plane is freshen up this can be a problem as most flights will get you in around 7am and most hotels will not let you check in that early. You do need to plan your trip well or if you don't be prepared to get to know a place by walking around and hope that you go back another time to explore it more fully. My favourite cities for a weekend are Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, London and if you had one more day you could go to Italy - Venice. Unless you experience this type of travel you will never know what these cities are like. Don't get stressed out if planes are late, things are unexpectedly closed, go with the flow. If you are going to museums plan ahead as sometimes they are closed on a Monday but not in all cases. Have funa nd enjoy!

Even if the flight was free, I would never leave for Europe on a Friday night and come home on Sunday. I don't sleep on planes, so the fatigue, aggravation at not being able to see much, etc wouldn't be worth it. And I am often able to get a direct flight from Boston--you mentioned that you would have an additional flight besides. For me, four nights at my destination would be the bare minimum. <BR>

DEFINATELY do. So many Brits go to the States on long weekend, so why not the other way

Long weekends are one thing, but for just two days in another. I've done it just to watch a soccer match, but I wouldn't do it just to tour around. I've done the long weekend thing, too, but only because I was going over for job interviews. I never sleep on the plane (unless I'm in business class, which doesn't happen often enough), so I have to take a nap when I arrive or I'm pretty miserable.

whoops..&quot;just for two days IS another...&quot;

I have done this several times but always on 'long' weekends. Then I always try to add a vacation day on one end or the other, I can't see a Fri-Sun though.

If you only have what basically amounts to two half-days there, then I'd definitely recommend Amsterdam. Purely and simply because its so compact and easy to get around. Also if you need to take public transport, then instead of taking the tube, as in London or Paris where you see nothing between stations except walls, you can take trams and see everything along the way, so you feel like you've seen a lot more of the city.

I would do this (and have done this) ONLY for a long weekend. NEVER for a Friday night through Sunday -- you'll be exhausted.

Andy, this came up a while ago, and got many similar answers. I've done it several times, but like another responder, only to a place I've been before so I'm not wasting time getting out of the airport and finding my way around. I also usually leave Thursday night and come home Monday.<BR><BR>I justify it by saying it's (usually) cheap flights, and as I said before, I have friends who drive from here in Boston 6+ hours to ski in northern Vermont and southern Canada for a long weekend, so why not a similarly quick jaunt to Dublin or London???

For those of you who have done or do this, I'm curious as to the number of hours you spend getting to your destination (and please figure in the time spent at the airport) compared to the amount of time actually available once you arrive. Do you sleep at all once you're there?

I have done this type of trip - 3 nights about 8 times. Usually have to be at the airport for 5.30am flight at 6.30am, land Heathrow 8.45am, go round shops, take off for Chicago or New York around 11 am arrive 12.30pm (chicago) their time, arrive at the hotel maybe 2.00pm UK time 8.00pm. Hit the ground running, you dont feel tired in a big city with so many things to see!<BR>You only live once Just Do It

Andy, If you really look at some of the posters who claim to do this, you will notice they are talking LONG weekends, not leaving Friday night from the US and departing Europe early Sunday. Also, I'll bet many who do it don't have to fly through another city. <BR><BR>Think about the time involved, from airport to destination, including the time for an international flight and security. I think you'll see you will be spending more time on the air travel portion of your flight than actually in Europe with your scenerio. <BR><BR>We live on the west coast and fly through another city in the US. It takes us about 18 hours to get to the door of our hotel from home. I have done this on a long weekend, from Thursday through Tuesday. This is quite doable. Anything much shorter is too exhausting for me to enjoy myself. Think long and hard about this.

The trip Andy describes -- leaving home on Friday evening, changing planes, arriving in London (orwherever) at noon on Saturday and then heading home on Sunday afternoon -- is completely insane. I don't think I'd do that trip even for free.

Yes, a direct flight is the key, and it helps if you're flying from the east coast. Someone asks how you do it? I generally sleep on my way over and back, and hit the ground running at my destination. Generally, it's too short to get acclimated to the time change, but I am visiting friends and keeping later hours anyway, so it's not that harsh on the body clock.<BR><BR>Time in transit? Leave work at 5 p.m., on a plane at 7:20 (work very near the airport) and in Dublin by 7 a.m., and all about 3 hours of that I will have slept.<BR><BR>Like I said, I wouldn't do it to someplace I haven't been before and someplace I really want to savor as a first time visitor, but for a fun quick getaway, I love it.