Post by traveljunkie13 on Jan 25, 2014 14:01:25 GMT -5
I am absolutely incapable of pulling the trigger on a trip!
I am taking the kids (DD will be 4 1/2yrs and DS will be 20mo) to Europe in Sept for a month while DH is deployed. I did this with DD last deployment and it was a great memory from a stressful time (Germany/France/Amsterdam/Belgium)
Since I will have 2 kiddos this time I would rather stick with one country/area to make it easier! Here are my top contenders:
Germany (we have already been to Munich & Rhine region) - easier due to familiarity and I love Germany but kinda feel been there done that
Spain (never been) - we would probably do 2wks in BCN and 2wks in Seville with day trips from those cities. Worried about heat and dealing with the late culture with 2 small kids
Italy (been to Rome) - no interest in going back to Rome or doing Venice with 2 small kids but maybe Florence/Tuscany?
WWYP? Or would you scrap those for another idea? Easy to get around with stroller is my #1 requirement (Paris was rough last time getting DD and the stroller up/down the stairs and through the turnstiles several times a day on the metro!)
I would pick Spain too. We have been with our kids a few times and the Spaniards love kids, it is easy to travel with kids there, and it is an amazing country
Caveat: I know nothing about traveling with kids. That said, I would probably pick Spain out of that list.
Ditto. And I can't really explain why, except I think the pace of life in Spain would be more chill and manageable for you with 2 kids on your own.
My hat is off to you for doing this. I get hives just thinking about bringing a kid on an airplane, much less 2 of them, much less alone, much less entertaining them for a month. Good for you, sista.
That is a fantastic idea! Off your list I'd do Spain because it's a lovely country and fr what I've seen it's super easy to Travel there with little kids.
We took DD to Spain last year and it was reasonable with a stroller. I really enjoyed Spain.
From your list, I've done Spain and Germany with kids and thought both were very kid friendly. Since you did Germany before, I would really consider Spain. Not sure about the weather at that time, but I did not find the late culture to be an issue at all. My kids still went to bed at their normal time (7:30) and never missed dinner. The only potential issue is in the mid-afternoon when some restaurants and stores close for siesta but in my experience it's always just smaller businesses that do. We never struggled to find something to do or somewhere to eat between 1:30 and 4:00.
One thought on Germany - since you did Bavaria/Rhine, what about going to Berlin? We had no problems with strollers there, lots for kids to do and convenient public transportation. Also, about an hour away is an amazing indoor waterpark/beach that my kids loved and in fact they keep asking when we can go back. You can stay overnight in the facility and make a nice weekend out of it.
As much as I love Croatia, I agree with the PP that it would seem tough with strollers. We are holding off on returning there until our youngest is old enough not to be dependent on a stroller. That said, I've never been with kids. Would love to hear from the perspective of someone who has.