Throw out any and all ideas as long as it's outside the US! Next fall (probably September or October of '10) we're taking a three week vacation with our two girls. They travel a lot within the US but this will be their first big trip abroad. DH and I traveled a bit before they were born so we're not completely fearful of new places. We used to enjoy viewing wildlife, historical cities, wineries, architecture, and immersing ourselves in a culture. Now I think we'll need to dial it back a bit and find places that are safe for toddlers (I'm guessing the Masai Mara is out) with things to offer kids without spending our whole time in a theme park setting. I'd also love to see several different countries but not spend too much time in a car, and not be constantly traveling. The older one will try new foods now, but the younger one is picky. We probably need at least five days in each spot. Ideas??

If you want to go to Europe, then I'd recommend a villa or apartment rental. If you want different kinds of experiences, consider renting a villa in Tuscany or Provence for a week or 10 days and then an apartment in a city for a week or so. You could go to Rome or Paris easily. I think Venice would be too difficult with all the walking, but Rome has a decent bus and metro system, as does Paris. And walking in those cities is also pretty easy.

Australia would also be a great destination. There are some wonderful animal parks where the kids could touch and play with kangaroos and koalas, and there's a lot to do. You could spend time in both the cities and the beach areas. Granted, it's a much longer flight, and I think that has to be a consideration.

The kids might enjoy a city like Hong Kong if you could find an apartment that could accommodate you all. There are a lot of places you can get to easily in day-trips from there. But again, the travel time is onerous.

Spain would be another good destination, as would Portugal. Both have a wide range of apartment-style accommodations.

Whatever you do, I'd limit your travels to 2 or at most 3 bases, from which you could do easy day-trips.

Thanks for the suggestions! I've been to much of Western Europe so I'd prefer to go someplace new (I'm a big of a travel addict) but Spain/Portugal is a good option and then we could take the ferry over to some places in north Africa maybe. I'd been thinking of Australia/NZ/Tanzania even though I've been there because it's got a lot to offer. I like the Hong Kong idea, but is it a tough place to visit in terms of language? Would day trips be primarily within Hong Kong or how easy is it to get into China or other countries for the day? Is it even worthwhile to leave the country?

Japan maybe? Tokyo's subway system is great...easy to use and safe. Your kids might like all of the bright lights and people-watching. Tons of things to do ranging from museums to parks to shrines and temples. Tons and tons of restaurants, so you won't have trouble finding something the kiddos will eat!

Hong Kong is a really easy city to navigate, the subway system is really simple, and most people speak english in Hong Kong. You would also have the option to go to disney land for your kids. There are a lot of things to do in China, i'm not sure how a 2 and 5 year old would enjoy the mainland, but there would be plenty for adults. Come to think of it your kids might want to see the pandas, but that would be more than a day trip. a few of us did a weekend trip to Chengdu from Xi'an to go and see the pandas and the giant Buddha in Leshan, which you and your kids might enjoy. Im not sure but there are probably easier places to see pandas.
Spain and Portugal is also a very good option, Madeira is a really nice island that you might enjoy. good luck planning

Japan & HK are very intriguing! For some time I'd been thinking we'd see the pandas when the girls are at least 5 and 8 since they can probably appreciate everything else China has to offer then. I'll look into Madeira as well. I've been toying with Croatia, but we'd probably rent a car for day trips & I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be driving from Croatia to Montenegro with two little ones.

If you are interested in Croatia, that is a distinct possibility. There are a lot of villas to rent in Istria, which is not unlike Tuscany, and you can reach the entire peninsula on day-trips. Pula has a colosseum that is much better preserved than the one in Rome. Then you could take a ferry down the coast and visit Dubrovnik. I wouldn't really worry about driving into Montenegro. It's less than 2 hours from Dubrovnik. You might also check into the possibility of ferry services. But this would be a great trip. If you wanted to charter a sailboat to see the coast that would also be a possibility.

croatia would also be nice, good idea and info doug

great info! Thanks so much, this definitely gives me some direction to get more details on the area specific boards.

Driving in Croatia is very much similar to driving in any other Western European country. The roads are decent for the most part, and the scenery is spectacular. Montenegro is lovely as well, although we visited as a daytrip from Dubrovnik. We combined Croatia with Slovenia and had a fabulous time.

I also too would suggest Japan. In Kyoto I believe there is a monkey park (we didn't get a chance to visit) that the girls would probably love.

Tracy