Trip ideas for 4 yo, 2 yo, and infant?
Jun 4th, 2016, 02:10 PM
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Trip ideas for 4 yo, 2 yo, and infant?
We are a family of five from California with three littles: a 4 year old, a 2 year old, and an infant. We want to take a 4-5 week trip within the next year. We are pretty open on locations, and would determine when to go based on weather and cost. Ideally, we would travel before the baby is too mobile (sometime before next March), but we are flexible. We would love some ideas for places to go!
Here's some info about us.
-Value: We want to go for 4-5 weeks and have 5 of us, and our budget isn't unlimited. So, we would value locations where our dollar will stretch further.
-Style: We probably best fall into the flashpacker category. Also, we generally like to book accommodations that are suite or apartment-style because of the kids. We often do like to have kitchenettes, but that's not a must.
-Variety: We love variety in locations and also like a mix of activities, from cultural/historical to family-friendly to relaxing/fun to good food. Ideally, we would go somewhere new with diversity
-We don't typically travel for such a length of time because of work constraints, so we want to make sure what we do/where we go is worth it.
We are quite interested in a few destinations:
-Australia/New Zealand: But, we are concerned this will be out of our budget, and aren't sure we'd be able to see all we'd want to with the three little ones. Any thoughts about that?
-Latin America: What countries would be good for us to travel to? We've been interested in Argentina, but there are such long bus/car rides that seem daunting with the little ones. Some other locations don't feel as friendly with the three little ones. We've been interested in Belize, but aren't sure that's the best option
-Maybe parts of Western Europe? See below for context.
We want to explore a region/area we haven't really been to yet. Here's a taste of where we've been to give some context:
-Southeast Asia: Last January, we took a 5 week trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Japan with our then 3 year old and infant. It was an amazing trip. We found Thailand wonderful because of the kid-friendly culture, good infrastructure, good sights, great food, and found great value since it's an inexpensive country to visit. We know there's a ton more places in SE Asia, but we probably won't be heading back to that part of the world so soon to get a sense for another place
-Drivable destinations from us: We've exhausted most drivable destinations, but are open to a road trip further away from us in the US. We are considering that, but would like other ideas as well. We also camp, boat, and quad ride a lot, and have done that throughout our greater region.
-Most big cities in the US: We've spent significant time and often had multiple visits to most of the big cities in the US
-Hawaii: We've been to Hawaii many times, so we will not want to spend this next trip going there. We are open to a beach destination that has variety as well, but want a place that would work for 4-5 weeks
-Western Europe+: Before kids, we traveled a lot, spending time in many of the major cities of Western Europe, as well as Prague and Turkey. We didn't cover most countries extensively (except for Italy and Turkey), and are especially open to parts of Spain and France. We also haven't really explored Scandinavia, Iceland, Great Britain, or Eastern Europe too much. Though the dollar is stronger, we are concerned a trip like this would be pricier than we can afford.
-China and Taiwan: I'm Chinese, and have both studied abroad and traveled extensively in both China and Taiwan
Other places we've gone to and don't want to go back: Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and probably the Caribbean (we've had several trips there)
-We aren't interested in going to Mexico.
Here's some info about us.
-Value: We want to go for 4-5 weeks and have 5 of us, and our budget isn't unlimited. So, we would value locations where our dollar will stretch further.
-Style: We probably best fall into the flashpacker category. Also, we generally like to book accommodations that are suite or apartment-style because of the kids. We often do like to have kitchenettes, but that's not a must.
-Variety: We love variety in locations and also like a mix of activities, from cultural/historical to family-friendly to relaxing/fun to good food. Ideally, we would go somewhere new with diversity
-We don't typically travel for such a length of time because of work constraints, so we want to make sure what we do/where we go is worth it.
We are quite interested in a few destinations:
-Australia/New Zealand: But, we are concerned this will be out of our budget, and aren't sure we'd be able to see all we'd want to with the three little ones. Any thoughts about that?
-Latin America: What countries would be good for us to travel to? We've been interested in Argentina, but there are such long bus/car rides that seem daunting with the little ones. Some other locations don't feel as friendly with the three little ones. We've been interested in Belize, but aren't sure that's the best option
-Maybe parts of Western Europe? See below for context.
We want to explore a region/area we haven't really been to yet. Here's a taste of where we've been to give some context:
-Southeast Asia: Last January, we took a 5 week trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Japan with our then 3 year old and infant. It was an amazing trip. We found Thailand wonderful because of the kid-friendly culture, good infrastructure, good sights, great food, and found great value since it's an inexpensive country to visit. We know there's a ton more places in SE Asia, but we probably won't be heading back to that part of the world so soon to get a sense for another place
-Drivable destinations from us: We've exhausted most drivable destinations, but are open to a road trip further away from us in the US. We are considering that, but would like other ideas as well. We also camp, boat, and quad ride a lot, and have done that throughout our greater region.
-Most big cities in the US: We've spent significant time and often had multiple visits to most of the big cities in the US
-Hawaii: We've been to Hawaii many times, so we will not want to spend this next trip going there. We are open to a beach destination that has variety as well, but want a place that would work for 4-5 weeks
-Western Europe+: Before kids, we traveled a lot, spending time in many of the major cities of Western Europe, as well as Prague and Turkey. We didn't cover most countries extensively (except for Italy and Turkey), and are especially open to parts of Spain and France. We also haven't really explored Scandinavia, Iceland, Great Britain, or Eastern Europe too much. Though the dollar is stronger, we are concerned a trip like this would be pricier than we can afford.
-China and Taiwan: I'm Chinese, and have both studied abroad and traveled extensively in both China and Taiwan
Other places we've gone to and don't want to go back: Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and probably the Caribbean (we've had several trips there)
-We aren't interested in going to Mexico.
Jun 5th, 2016, 12:06 PM
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Tybee Island off the coast of Georgia, beautiful seaside town with fabulous beaches, plenty of apartments and town houses to rent at affordable prices, many with a pool and barbecue for your use. And with very few cars on the island, it is very child friendly and cycling is the main form of transport. There is an aquarium and marine science center as well as many other child friendly activities on the beach.If you are planning on taking your trip in July or August you may be even able to watch baby turtles being released into the ocean. There is also a lot of culture on the island to visit such as the lighthouse and national museum. The nearby city of Savannah (twenty minutes by car) is perfect for day trips for historical culture and for all your shopping needs, as there are few mall style shops on the island though there are plenty of supermarkets. There is also a children's museum in Savannah, which I would highly recommend. In Savannah there is also a wildlife center and an interactive pirate restaurant. There are also many fantastic child friendly restaurants on the island, if you would want to dine out a few of the evenings. So whether you want a relaxing day or a day of high adventure Tybee Island is the place to be.
Jun 6th, 2016, 05:20 AM
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2- and 3-year-olds certainly know their Disney characters early, at this age they may still be taking two naps a day and get wiped out pretty quickly. That doesn't mean they cannot enjoy Disney World; it just means adjusting your expectations to visit for a couple of hours in the morning, a couple of hours in the afternoon, and a couple of hours in the early evening, returning to the hotel for rest in between. (Disney provides a designated nap area, as well). It also means skipping the rides geared for older kids and perhaps spending most of the visit in Fantasyland, where the rides are friendlier for young kids.
At 4 and 5, children may have the stamina to hit the park in through the early afternoon, but will most likely need a rest halfway through the visit. They are also able to appreciate bigger rides without being frightened, as well as the parades and fireworks. Once kids become school-aged, they really hit their stride and can handle a full day at a park.
At 4 and 5, children may have the stamina to hit the park in through the early afternoon, but will most likely need a rest halfway through the visit. They are also able to appreciate bigger rides without being frightened, as well as the parades and fireworks. Once kids become school-aged, they really hit their stride and can handle a full day at a park.
Jun 6th, 2016, 08:55 AM
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Thanks for the replies!
thursdaysd, what parts of those cheaper parts of Europe do you think would be child-friendly and good for us?
LolaBolaBear, we actually took our babymoon this past March in that part of the US! We went to Charleston, Savannah, and the South Carolina/Georgia coast. That trip actually sounds very nice with kids, but since we just went there we probably want to branch out elsewhere. Any ideas where else a trip like that would be ideal for us?
It's amazing that kids do know Disney characters well at such a young age! We've thought about pushing Disney World back until the kids are more school aged, especially since we live near Disneyland and make trips 1-2 times a year. We've thought about season passes every year, but my husband doesn't like it enough to fork out the money for them.
thursdaysd, what parts of those cheaper parts of Europe do you think would be child-friendly and good for us?
LolaBolaBear, we actually took our babymoon this past March in that part of the US! We went to Charleston, Savannah, and the South Carolina/Georgia coast. That trip actually sounds very nice with kids, but since we just went there we probably want to branch out elsewhere. Any ideas where else a trip like that would be ideal for us?
It's amazing that kids do know Disney characters well at such a young age! We've thought about pushing Disney World back until the kids are more school aged, especially since we live near Disneyland and make trips 1-2 times a year. We've thought about season passes every year, but my husband doesn't like it enough to fork out the money for them.
Jun 6th, 2016, 10:53 PM
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LOL Your style isn't "flashpacking" at all.
You mention "value" but don't give a figure. While the dollar is "strong" against the £, it's still £1.00 = $1.45 and without having a ballpark figure to work with, the UK may or may not be affordable to you.
IMO, it's better to wait for Europe until the kids are older.
If you've not done Florida, I'd look into going there.
You mention "value" but don't give a figure. While the dollar is "strong" against the £, it's still £1.00 = $1.45 and without having a ballpark figure to work with, the UK may or may not be affordable to you.
IMO, it's better to wait for Europe until the kids are older.
If you've not done Florida, I'd look into going there.
Jun 7th, 2016, 01:36 PM
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Okay, sparkchaser, I think you have a point. Maybe at one point I was a flashpacker, but as I've gotten older and had three kids, I've outgrown that category. Maybe I'm somewhere around the mid-range vacationer, though I very much am attune to value. What would you call me then?
As for a ballpark figure, we are hoping to stay within $10k on our 4-5 week trip, all in. That would include all transportation, accommodations, daily expenses, pre-trip stuff (immunizations, etc), and...well...everything. Obviously, depending on the locale, we would be happy to do it for less than that as well. We would only spend what we need for the kind of trip and experience we are hoping for. We might be able to go a little over that amount if it's worth it.
I usually spend some time to try to find deals so that we can get more on less $. I don't mind doing some legwork and research. Alright then, with that, what are your thoughts?
Also, we have been to Florida many times, so we probably don't want to go back there until we do a Disney trip later on. Mexico, also, potentially could be an option, but my husband really only wants to go to very safe parts of Mexico. Thanks all!
As for a ballpark figure, we are hoping to stay within $10k on our 4-5 week trip, all in. That would include all transportation, accommodations, daily expenses, pre-trip stuff (immunizations, etc), and...well...everything. Obviously, depending on the locale, we would be happy to do it for less than that as well. We would only spend what we need for the kind of trip and experience we are hoping for. We might be able to go a little over that amount if it's worth it.
I usually spend some time to try to find deals so that we can get more on less $. I don't mind doing some legwork and research. Alright then, with that, what are your thoughts?
Also, we have been to Florida many times, so we probably don't want to go back there until we do a Disney trip later on. Mexico, also, potentially could be an option, but my husband really only wants to go to very safe parts of Mexico. Thanks all!
