Rick Steves' Europe: Travel With Kids: 2000

Travel with Kids: 2000

More and more Americans are taking their kids on their European adventures. Rick has a "Europe Through the Back Door" chapter on traveling with a baby, and he recommends Cynthia Harriman's "Take Your Kids to Europe" and Maureen Wheeler's "Travel with Children." But here's where you experienced parents can share your own tried-and-true tips with those planning their first European family vacation.

What are your your strategies for keeping Junior happy on the long flight over? Your favorite child-friendly attractions? Have you found family-sized rooms and baby supplies on the road? And how have you kept your teenagers interested and entertained?

We had the opportunity to travel with our four young children throughout France. Their ages (4, 8, 10 & 12) were a concern. We assumed they would be easily bored at the many museums, chateaux and monuments. To our surprise, they loved every minute of the trip.

At the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay, each child was equiped with their own disposable camera. They loved finding pictures they'd seen in books. They mimicked the poses of the statues and took each others' pictures.

We avoided long, drawn-out meals. Their favorite meals were picnics as well as crepes from street vendors.

We also made an attempt to do memorable activities every day. These included biking from Amboise to Chenonceaux, canoeing down the Dordogne, swimming at the Pont de Gard and in the Mediterannean.

Don't think young children won't appreciate or enjoy the sites' history and beauty. They will surprise you.
B Flint <email>
fruit heights, ut USA 12/31/00

Traveled with two of my kids, 12- and 11-year-old girls, this past summer for ten days, in search of Harry Potter sights.

Edinburgh was tops on our list because this is where author J. K. Rowling lives. It was perfect, with castles and stone and lots of symbols from HP everywhere. The kids had a ball & loved Archie's 9B Scotland Street B&B, a stone home, not in the book but should be. The shopping was great for girls. (They also like shoe shopping in A'dam.) The festivals were just about to kick off and the kids loved the tour buses, and seeing all the youth arriving. We're from a small rural town in the Texas desert, so the rainy mist with periods of sunshine was great.

In London we stayed up in Hampstead Heath. Great place. Felt at home in the neighborhood. But downtown London was a Tube too far for three days of back and forth. The kids loved St. Paul's cathedral 5 o'clock service with the boys choir. The London Eye was also tops on their list. Kids liked goofing for pictures near the Burghers and Thames at Parliament. Abby Road was cool for dad. We limited museums in London, using "Mona Winks" to hit some of the highlights. Thanks Rick.

Took Eurostar through the Chunnel to Paris, and it was okay, but a non-event. Next time will fly. Again thanks to Mona Winks, we went on a late night to the Louvre, hit the highlights, and got to spend 30 minutes with Mona Lisa with less than 20 people. Both kids said Mona Lisa winked at them. Superb. Loved the underground in Paris with all the musicians. American Express offices gave us the best exchange everywhere.

Left Paris to A'dam by train. Kids loved Anne Frank and Van Gogh. Enjoyed A'dam pancakes, Argentina steak (like Tex-Mex fajitas) and pizza (everywhere). The gay parade through the canals was a humorous side view (hairy men in tutu's). Rented bicycles — great way to see the city. Next time will rent for more days. Prinsengracht became our neighborhood with locals recognizing us after just two days.

Mistake, flying roundtrip out of London. We had to backtrack. But we discovered Travel Inns. In the expensive UK, they are a good option, much like new La Quinta here. Americanized enough to keep the kids from feeling homesick. Will go with those more next time to UK.

Other mistake: Letting mom pack for kids. She'd been to Europe when in high school and packed accordingly — too much luggage. Now exploring REI for travel-weight clothes from underwear to pants and shirts that will wash out and dry overnight.

Overall, Harry Potter tour very successful. Pizza and American food high priority. Appreciation of the masters an unexpected bonus for kids. They decided they would like to live in a place like A'dam which lets bikes rule the roads.
Kevin
TX USA 12/27/00

We drove through Italy with our 15-month-old. Italy is NOT baby-friendly. If a restraunt has a child seat, it's probably one the owner has for his own kids. Changing tables are almost nonexistent in the entire country and forget about child supplies. Pack for the duration and be prepared for headaches. But the Italians do love kids and try to work with you as much as possible.
Chris Reich <email>
Ansbach, GER 12/24/00

Get your kids ready for travel in England by listening to the radio. If your computer is up to speed, visit www.bbc.co.uk and go to one of the five London radio stations and listen (my favorite is Radio 1). It will help your kids get acclimated to the accents and get a feel for the popular music. There is also talk radio listed on the site.
Nancy Bradford <nbrad@yahoo.com>
Brady, TX USA 07/18/00

London with the kids? Look at my website: www.KidsToLondon.com It contains information specifically written for families traveling to London.
David White <mail@KidsToLondon.com>
Columbia, MD USA 07/11/00

A few months before my husband and I took our 4-year-old to Central/Eastern Europe, I wrote and e-mailed all my European friends and family and asked them to please send a postcard from where they lived. It was fun to see what postcard would show up each day. I put them all in a little photo book which we packed for our trip.

It ended up being my daughter's favorite thing to look at on long train and plane rides or when she was bored. She made up stories of who lived in the pictures, while learning about places she has never been to. It also was a great icebreaker for new friends we met on our travels. Oftentimes a small group of people would gather around to look at the pictures and it started nice travel discussions. As a special treat, we also would leave one or two postcards behind with hosts/hostesses that we particularly enjoyed.

And, last but not least, we added to our postcard collection as we went. Usually those pictures turned out better than the ones we took (!) and it is a cheap souvenir. Now the same book that delighted Europeans is having the same effect on Americans who love seeing pictures of Europe!
TBearup <TBearup@home.com>
Irvine, CA USA 07/09/00

While we did not take children along on our recent trip to Paris, we noticed that there is much in Paris that is child- and family-oriented.

The Tuileries is more a family park than a garden — there are childrens' playgrounds, pony rides, amusement park rides, children sailing little boats in a pool. In the Luxembourg Gardens, children run and squeal. Les Jardins des Plantes in the Latin Quarter has a great little zoo, Zoologique, sort of like Zoo Atlanta or our Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Fl — complete with a nursery and educational information for kids. We saw Parisienne families walking and biking (you can rent bikes near an entrance) through the Bois de Boulogne and saw children chasing the pigeons and peacocks near the Bagatelle Garden in the Bois.

We joined a university seminar group our second week in Paris. One of our traveling companions was accompanied by her teenage daughter and niece, and they attended a fashion show, shopped the Champs Elysees and Madeleine area, and went to the cinema to see an original version of an American movie.

The university booked us into a hotel that appeared ideal for families, The Hotel Home Plaza Bastille near the Bastille monument. It has suites, rooms with kitchenettes, a lovely courtyard, breakfast and a restaurant on the premises. We prefer the small hotels du charme, but this hotel seemed to be serving many families. And it was air conditioned!
Susan Rebillot <rebillot@gte.net>
St. Petersburg, Fl USA 07/04/00

I just returned from 3 weeks in Europe with my 7-month-old son. It was fabulous! From the moment we flew into London to the moment we left Rome, people were amazingly kind and wonderful to our baby and to us! Every place we went people would come up to us and start talking to our son — they touched him, kissed him, wanted to hold him, etc. It was so interesting to be surrounded by security guards in the British Museum cooing at a baby! That was our first stop — and it was like that for 3 weeks! It happened at every place we went! (Of course, at each place know where you can exit quickly if the baby starts to make noise!)

It was the BEST ice-breaker ever! People did not hesitate to come up to us to see the baby and try to speak with us. Having our baby with us opened more back doors for us than we ever imagined! (Of course, we avoided places that we thought would not be kid-friendly.) Lots of planning helped us — can't say enough good about Rick's guidebooks. They are the best! If you are hesitating about taking a baby, take my advice and go! This was a good age to take our son — no chasing a toddler, etc. Just take enough baby wipes to wipe off your child's hands, faces, feet, etc. because they will be handled by baby-loving Europeans! Happy travels!
Lynn <chaika_us@yahoo.com>
USA 06/30/00

On the recommendation of Hans & Marjet Kiefte, proprietors of a very nice B&B in Haarlem (recommended by Rick), we took a side trip to the Efteling amusement park. It's about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Haarlem and was a welcome break for our kids aged 9 & 16. Many of the rides are similar to U.S. amusement parks with some different twists. The setting is also nice in that it's in a park like setting. A good change when your kids are tired of museums.
Brent Kato <brentkato@cs.com>
San Francisco, CA USA 06/29/00

Just got back from 2 wonderful weeks in England with our kids, ages 10 and 13. Every place we stayed our kids were warmly welcomed. We never encountered any problems in the pubs, even in London, although we did pass up a few where everyone seemed to be in business suits. Our favorite diversions were the walks we took, our favorite being in the Cotswolds where we walked through many fields of sheep, cows and horses. All the tourist information centers are very helpful with walking info and maps. We all enjoyed the York Castle Museum, which was recommended to us by locals in a pub. Warwick Castle was interesting, and I am glad we went, although it is quite commercial. We had a great day on the North Sea coast, exploring Whitby, even in the cold rain. Some of our favorite adventures and places came when we ventured off the beaten track. We created so many memories, and my kids actually came back more mature.
Roberta Zimmerman <kzman56@mindspring.com>
Atlanta, GA USA 06/25/00

Riding the luge was a blast in Bilbach, Tirol area of Austria. Local phone # 056745350. About $5.50 u.s. per ride, some student discounts apply. A must with kids and adults. They usually open June 1. Take the camera! Plan on a picnic lunch, they have a playground.
Barbara <LangeLBCC@aol.com>
St. Louis, MO USA 06/18/00

When my daughter was in third grade, her teacher gave the kids an interesting assignment at Thanksgiving which has helped us to make our travel easier. The kids were asked to think of what they would have taken on the long trip on the Mayflower and make a list of all those things (they had to all fit in a box slightly smaller than a shoebox). We use the idea of "The Mayflower Box" when taking our trips, scaling it down as space requires. If you give your kids a chance (and a small container), maybe you can come up with some extra cool ideas.

A few ideas my daughter came up with, while hardly revolutionary, were pretty nifty — and some can be used as icebreakers with other kids (and adults) when your family travels: string for Cats Cradle (variations from country to country), paper for origami, jacks, dice, small homemade tablets of dot-to-dot paper, marbles, small books which can be left with friends met on the road (Bailey kids, etc.)....
raleigh, nc USA 06/16/00

We just returned from 12 days in England and Ireland with our children, aged 3 and 1. Southern England, especially Brighton and London were a delight for the kids. Ireland, especially Dingle, was also a wonderful place to travel with the children. We felt welcome and people were so friendly. Also, public toilets in England and Ireland were clean, well stocked, and had baby changing areas — even in the London subway! The Millennium Dome even had emergency diapers for sale. I wish potties in the US were that clean and easy!

In Dublin, our hotel, the Mespil, was not kid-friendly (despite booking us into a "family room") — the restaurant would not seat us for dinner, and for breakfast put us in the far back, where we did not get any service at all! Anyway we didn't have very good luck in Dublin. Stick to the south and west of Ireland, where children are welcome and seen as blessings to be treasured. London, Avebury, Brighton, and small towns in southern England were also quite welcoming to children — pubs, restaurants, parks and ice cream vendors alike.
pda <p_acha@yahoo.com>
Milwaukee, WI USA 06/14/00

Our 15 and 17 year old sons had a wonderful time on their own for the day in Venice. They toured St. Mark's Basilica and went everywhere on the vaparettos and then sat at an outdoor cafe on the Rialto bridge and ordered lunch and ice cream sundaes. In other words they did almost the same things we did but had a heightened sense of adventure on their own. Siena was another great place. They went to dinner one night on their own and learned alot of Italian ordering pizza. Rick also suggested the Cinque Terre. We stayed in Monterosso and it was just made for teenagers. The time that they spent on their own made this trip seem less like a guided tour by the parents and much more their own. It also gave us some time together as a couple for a gondola ride in Venice and a seaside picnic in the Cinque Terre. They weren't sure about going on the trip at first but they soon learned more Italian and had a better sense of direction than we did. One of their favorite places was the castle youth hostel above the Rhine river in Bacharach Germany. We happened to arrive their on a feast day when a VIP had been there being filmed for a television show so we were treated to a free feast and a ceremony about the vanquishing of evil at the tower above the castle. I would recommend all of the above places for a family vacation.

The best advise I have is to prepare your kids with basic cultural differences, and language and money conversions. I also gave them their own money on a daily basis and we didn't spend all our time in museums. When everything around you is unfamiliar you bond together as a family. They may not remember every painting or statue or church we saw but they will always remember this time together.
Lori
Dallas, TX USA 06/12/00

My children (girls aged 12 and 9) travelled beautifully for three weeks in Switzerland, Austria and Germany last year. The B&B owners were all charmed by them. They are not perfect but they have been taught to behave and respect others. They had a fantastic time exploring the other cultures and meeting people. We wouldn't trade the memories for anything, and they are dying to go back. I don't think I would try travel overseas with much smaller children, although I know many who have done it successfully.
Karla Stahl <kbstahl@aol.com>
Odessa, FL: USA 06/09/00

Babies must be the best ambassadors anywhere, guaranteed to crack a smile from the grumpiest codgers. I recommend travelling with babies, particularly if you breastfeed them... no bottles to fuss with, and they can share your bed! Best places I've found to feed babies discreetly are cathedrals, where this has probably been done for centuries. Relax and enjoy the light and serenity while baby gets his/her nosh.
Jean Zimmer <jzimmer@crocker.com>
Northampton, MA USA 06/04/00

One thing that helps on the flight over...request a sky-cot or bassinet for your infants. People are not thrilled to see passengers board with a little one, but if you are trying to do everything you can to keep your child quiet and entertained during the flight they will be more understanding. Taking care of the child is #1! As a parent — it's your job to keep the children in-line on the flight over, so don't sedate yourself for the flight. Too often on international flights I've seen parents that are asleep (drugged) while the children misbehave.
A well-seasoned traveler
CA 05/31/00

Start a "subway scrapbook". My 14 year old son loved comparing the subway systems in the different cities we visited and taking pictures of the cars and platform ads, signs and performers. Tickets and system maps make great addittions to the book. London, Paris, Rome and Milan are now part of his "subway story". He became quite the expert on the various underground systems and was quick to notice the tires on the Paris Metro rather that metal wheels. London is, of course his favorite — and Rome his least favorite.
Gary <grice@kings.k12.ca.us>
Hanford, CA USA 05/23/00

Our family (including children 11 & 14) had a wonderful time in Great Britain. For accomodation, I chose the Travel Inn chain. They had locations everywhere we wanted to go and the price was amazingly low for the UK. Just as in the States you pay for the room, not per person. They turned out to be the perfect way to go for a family traveling by car. Each room is cookie cutter in all locations with a Queen bed, sofa bed and trundle single that pulls out from the sofa bottom, modern baths with strong showers, and remote TV. All locations have an adjacent family friendly Pub and restaurant. The Travel Inn County Hall in London was a real score. It is two blocks from Westminster,on the Thames, next to the Millenium Wheel and the Aquarium. The price was only about $100 for the four of us. Most of the other Travel Inns around the UK are only about $64 per night. Not a big savings for a couple, compared to B&Bs, but great for a family.

We all were allowed one small rolling suitcase except that I used Rick's travel backpack which is great. Also one carry on to use as a day bag. Just enough to fill the trunk and not a killer to check in and out with. We also learned a lot so here are some tips we found to be helpful to us....
LONDON
— We also bought a family pass each day for about $10 for unlimited Underground travel in the tourist zones.
— We bought buns, fruit, pastry, juice etc. each night for the next morning so we could each eat breakfast while the others were getting ready. Not only a money saver but a big time saver over going to a breakfast restaurant.
— Take the kids to a London play. We chose The Mousetrap which has been running for 48 years in the small, wooden, classic St. Martin's theatre. Not many plays were suitable for kids. They loved this one. We bought expensive seats but did not need to as the theater is so small there are no bad seats. Afterwards, walk around the Covent Garden (Theater District) area for takeout food and ice cream.
— Millenium Wheel was cool. Wait for a clear day and if you are not early be prepared to wait. About $40 for the Family.
— Use Rick's book as the main guide. It covers all the best things to do and is easy to use. Some books have more info but are a pain to carry ie; Eyewitness.
— Take a walking tour. We took the Jack the Ripper tour on a cold drizzly night which was the perfect setting. $8 per adult — Kids free.

AROUND THE UK.
— If you have access to one of the Entertainment Coupon Books for your area there are great Car Rental Upgrade coupons inside. We used one from National and got upgraded to a full size car (Vectra), perfect for four. National is good because you get to pick the actual vehicle you will use.
— We brought a collapsible cooler with us for sodas, food etc. on the road and in the room.
— Rick's itinerary for the UK is great. After London we used the Travel Inn in Swindon as a base to explore the Bath area, Stonehenge, Avebury, Cotswolds etc. Cotswolds were beautiful. We liked Bourton on the Water the best.
— Give the kids a break and go to Blackpool. It was like Coney Island but they loved it. Four hours and $100 was plenty.
— Kids especially loved Warwick Castle as it is Disneyfied to be a real Medieval castle. Very entertaining.
— Great view of Edinburgh from the Arthur's Seat mountain but a tough climb. Allow about three hours round trip.

All in all we had a great trip. We were disappointed that so many pubs do not allow children unless they have a family room. We missed a lot of pub grub because of this. Traveling in Europe brings out the best and worst in family togetherness. We did not do too bad for being together so much in one room and a car for so long and you will enjoy it as well. Take the kids!
Brian Dunne <welldone@bellsouth.net>
Fort Lauderdale, FL USA 05/21/00

It has been my experience in Spain, Italy, and especially England that the inhabitants became even more effusive and welcoming when in the presence of our children (at least 90% of the time).
Suzanne <suegru@sprynet.com>
Boston, MA USA 05/21/00

Traveling with children in Europe is a wonderful adventure! I am fortunate that my parents traveled with my siblings and me while we were young. Remember what Rick Steves has said, "Globetrotting destroys ethnocentricity. Travel changes people..." Travel is one of the best hands-on educational experiences you can give your children. Kudos to those of you who travel with your children!

USA 05/11/00

I am taking my daughter (who will be 5 next week) to Europe for the third time this summer.

Re: car booster seats. You shouldn't need one for an older child unless he/she is really small. Last year I was told by family in Holland that I only needed one for Beth if she was under 20 kilos.

We are fortunate in travelling in that we have friends and family all over Europe, so we rarely stay in hotels. I have found that the best way to keep my daughter happy on the plane and in the trains is to give her a bag of her own to fill with toys. She has a kid-sized suitcase on wheels and she loves to pull it around. She had the most fun last year with books on tape (they are also a Godsend on long car trips). She has her own cassette player and headset. She also enjoyed crayons and paper. I buy a bunch of small toys just before we leave and wrap them up for her and distribute them when the boredom factor is very high. I have bought her a whole set of Anniken books (tiny 2"x2" versions of some really good kids' books), tiny finger puppets, card games (but then you have to be willing to play with her) and activity books. I have also gone to a local secondhand toy store that sells old McDonald's toys for 15 cents each and picked up the whole set of Epcot Disney characters. I don't have any problems with her on long plane, train or car trips and have actually had many people travelling in the seats next to us compliment her on her behaviour.

One way I keep her interested in where we are travelling to is teach her a few words in the local language (it also makes me learn it). I teach her "please," "thank you," "hello," and she uses it wherever she goes. People love it when they hear her try to speak their language and they are very friendly. We have met a lot of local people this way. This makes the trip much more interesting for my daughter as well.

Every once in a while we have a "Beth Day." She gets to pick what we do that day. Sometimes it might surprise you what they want to see. In Budapest she most wanted to go over one of the bridges. She also wanted to go to the zoo, to the baths, and to the amusement park. This trip the number-one thing on her list is to see the new bridge between Denmark and Sweden (she saw it on the Discovery Channel). By giving her her own day every once in a while she is much more receptive to seeing what I want to see. We also stop a lot during the day to spend 30 minutes or so in a playground. Again, this keeps her going when we are seeing things that don't interest her. We also meet a lot of local people this way.

I have also kept her interested by buying her her own kids' camera. I let her take pictures of whatever she finds interesting, although I limit the number of pictures she can take in a day. Again, this keeps her interested in her surroundings, and it gives her a record of the things she most found interesting in Europe. I think it will be great for her to look back on her photos when she gets older.

A word of warning when travelling in Southern Europe. My daughter is a beautiful blond with big blue eyes. In Italy and in Spain everyone has to touch her. They were not obnoxious in the least and were very warm and friendly to her. Fortunately my daughter is very outgoing and it didn't bother her. A shy child would have a really hard time with it though. I told her to tell me if the attention bothered her, and she told me she liked it. (I am not sure I will be so easygoing about this when she is a teenager, though!) For example, every waiter had a nickname for her, and brought her treats. The people having a business dinner at the table next to us in Barcelona spent most of their evening talking to Beth and hugged her good-bye. On the train from Naples to Pompeii the woman in front of us repeated "Bella, bella" throughout the entire ride (40 minutes). When Beth go off she said "ciao" to a little Italian girl she had been playing with and the entire car replied "ciao Beth!" You get the idea. You do need to watch out for this if you have a child who will be bothered by it, and take steps to minimize it.

When travelling I ensure that I have juice boxes, snacks, a change of clothes (accidents happen, especially when travelling) and a box of wet wipes with me at all times.

My best advice when taking kids to Europe is to just do it! A lot of people think I am nuts for travelling around Europe alone with a small child (my husband usually joins us for 3 weeks out of our 2 months) but I keep doing it! If you relax, take each day and each event as it comes, you will have an amazing experience in Europe. It may not be the same as the one you had when travelling without kids, but it will be memorable in its own way!
Darlene Spencer <Darlenespencer@home.com>
Surrey, BC Canada 04/30/00

Last summer we took our four children (ages 13, 11, 9 and 7) to Austria and Bavaria for three weeks, and it was fabulous. Austrians, in particular, seem to love kids and everyone was so friendly. Plus, virtually everyone speaks English. Room rates are fairly low (unless you're staying in Salzburg or Vienna) and they usually include huge breakfasts. The scenery, food and culture are all incredible.

Economize where it makes sense: picnic lunches and the occasional picnic supper; shopping around and renting a car before you leave home; using any promotional "miles" both for the flight and other things (we stayed at a Marriott in Vienna for free, and this summer we're using Marriott "miles" for a British Heritage pass); staying at bed and breakfasts in small towns or places like Rick's recommended Gatshof zum Schluxen (on a farm outside Reutte, Austria, and easy easy driving distance to Neuschwanstein, two luge rides, and a zillion other great sites); and be on the lookout for family tickets at museums (these usually get 4 or 5 people in at a reduced rate, but lots of ticket takers smiled at our family of 6 and offered to let us in on the family ticket anyway).

We tried to balance thriftiness with the occasional splurge for those once-in-a-lifetime moments. Walking through cobbled streets, hiking in the Alps, checking out toys in a Bavarian toy store, climbing around crumbling castle ruins in Reutte are all free. Luge rides and many museums are cheap dates too. That leaves you with $$ to spend for a Mozart dinner concert in Salzburg, a night in an Austrian castle hotel, or a knights' tournament just outside Munich.

The biggest trick for us was working information about our upcoming trip into our children's school projects ahead of time. They were engaged and enthralled wherever we went, because they understood something about what they were seeing. When our third-grader had to write a biography for school, we had him do his report on Brueghel, because the largest collection of his paintings is at the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum and my husband and I enjoy art museums. What a hit! We couldn't get our children out of the museum. We tried to leave after two hours, but Sam said he wasn't done yet and we spent another couple of hours in one of the other wings, checking out the Renaissance art. (By the way, if you're going to do art museums, check out Rick's "Mona Winks" — my older children think Rick Steves' commentary is hilarious and all four spent the whole trip keeping track of "pudgy winged babies," Rick's definition of baroque art. If it's got those babies, it's baroque.) Our oldest son's class was studying medieval history and he had to build a castle model — he did the castle where we were going to spend the night, and the owners of the castle were delighted to fax him the floor plans and history for his report. They got such a kick out of the photos of their castle, constructed out of painted oatmeal cartons and foamcore, and our son got royal treatment at their castle hotel. Even our littlest daughter had read all about Mozart — check out Amazon.com for picture books on composers, artists, operas, plays, etc. When we went to see "The Magic Flute" at the Salzburg Marionetten Theater (splurge!), she was the one explaining the German plot to her older siblings. It made all the difference in the world.
Jackie Burrell <jackiebee@home.com>
moraga, ca USA 04/26/00

Dress little ones in bright colors for airport/train travel. I dressed my 5- and 3-yr.-olds in bright red sweats. It made it very easy to give active little ones a small amount of freedom to explore in the airports, yet I could watch easily follow their movements and keep them within boundaries.
Sherrie Moomey <swm053@yahoo.com>
Beaverton, OR USA 04/24/00

We did 2 separate visits to Italy and France with our sons (11, 14, and 15). Camping was great in Italy as they have family activities and pools, are safe, and the kids are very friendly, playing ping pong and exploring. Food is reasonable and the Italians more tolerant of normal boy behavior. Having swimming available was a great tension releaser for the boys. There are "teen bars" with pool, ping pong, MTV, electronic games — although not knowing the language or the kids it was a little intimidating for the boys.

I would give them a campground book, they would look at the picture symbols and pick where they wanted to stay.

Apartments and staying put for a period of time was much more comfortable for them. They loved going to the market and picking our food. Local MTV was fun for them to watch and listening to teen radio stations in the car was fun.

They especially loved jumping from the calangques (cliffs) in Cassis, Bandol, and Marseille in southern France. The gorge at Verdon provided wonderful (and safe) cliff-jumping and renting pedal boats with slides to go down the gorge. Horseback riding was reasonably priced.

This trip provided a bond with my sons and a closeness that was very special especially in their teens. It also taught them "when one door closes, another one opens," when we were unable to stay or find a place to sleep. The convenience of the tent that "flies" open and does not require much work to set up provided us with a constant safety net, as campgrounds were always available. The summers abroad sure beat out watching them swim back and forth at the local swim team practices.
sandy <yorkie@pacbell.net>
newport beach, ca USA 04/24/00

A posting below recommends preparing a fairly detailed itinerary before traveling with kids. But our family didn't find it necessary and I think we enjoyed a heightened sense of freedom and adventure due to a more flexible schedule.

We are a mom and dad, daughter 12, son 10 who traveled for nine weeks in mid-summer around the Mediterranean. Transportation was primarily by railpass with several car rentals, ferry trips, and bus journeys.

We had reservations for the first two nights of the trip, in Athens, and we had a one-week house swap arranged in southern France midway through the trip. Other than that, we had no advance arrangements.

On a shorter trip, I might pin things down a bit more...but on a longer trip, this didn't seem very practical. How can you know how much you like a place until you get there? Before leaving home, we established which countries we wanted to visit and approximately how much time could be devoted to each. After studying Rick's "Best of Europe" and "Europe Through the Back Door," we developed a list of towns and cities which we would like to visit — more than could possibly fit into our two-month trip. I ripped out the pages covering those destinations from Rick's guidebooks and brought them with us. As we traveled, we chose from those possible destinations based on our prior knowledge and research, our newly acquired first-hand knowledge of the region, and the time remaining there.

While in Greece we decided to go to Turkey for five days. In Siena we chanced to arrive during the Palio and decided to stay an extra day. We acquiesed to our son's plea to vist Venice and we all loved it. In southern France we found ourselves near the Alps and added a visit to Chamonix. Although we missed Barcelona because it was booked solid, this allowed us to spend more time in Madrid which was a wonderful city that didn't feel overrun by tourists.

We followed Rick's advice of phoning ahead for hotel reservations a day or two in advance. European phone cards are a great convenience. Sometimes I had to make several calls, but we always found something, usually something pretty nice. We showed up in Nice, Lisbon, and Marrakech with no reservations and quickly found lodging. We were psychologically prepared to spend a night in a train station if necessary, but it never happened. Our loose itinerary worked great for us.

Be advised, however: planning on the fly can be demanding. In our family's case, I was the travel agent, banker, and tour guide, which meant that I had to be planning our sightseeing activities in the current town while making transportation and lodging arrangements for the next.

By the way, the most difficult arrangements to make were train reservations in Spain and Portugal, where reservations were required despite our railpasses. At the Atocha station in Madrid, I had to take a number and wait hours to get train reservations heading south. In Coimbra, Portugal, there are two train stations. You can buy international tickets from only one of the stations and you can board international trains from only one of the stations. They are not the same station. Go figure.
Mike Maxwell <max@fone.net>
Mancos, CO USA 04/09/00

We have been traveling across Europe since our two children were four and seven. Kids need down time too and they need to be part of the decision-making process (at times).

Our most important tip: Let the kids have a focus and not just be dragged along on your vacation. We stock up on disposable cameras for the kids and let them record their own versions of vacation. One year our eight-year-old took pictures only of birds — swans, swan boats, ducks, pigeons. We love looking at those pictures because it is such an insight into the child's mind. She loved having her own reason for traveling and it was so much fun for her to be an ace photographer.

A different type of focus: This time without pix, our older child "collected" toilets — how many different ways they can be flushed, built etc. Holes in the floor were especially popular, but again it gave us all something to giggle about and was a great way to alleviate stress (in more ways than one).

Let them buy "cheesy" souvenirs. Our teen hangs her German cow bell from her bedroom door knob and we had better ring it prior to entering. We have a video of her buying it when she was only seven and it is such a great memory.

Visit those museums you never would consider: the "Torture Museum" in Rothenburg is a riot.

Be flexible. Find playgrounds, great places to people-watch and meet local parents.

I know you recommend the Hotel Maximilian in Reutte, Austria as a "splurge" hotel, but it is fantastic for families. The "family" room is actually a two-room suite with bunkbeds and a neat crawl-space-type bureau in a small bedroom, then a double bed and balcony in the large room. This year we understand they are adding additional family rooms.

We have been there many times and love the children's playroom off the dining room where our little ones played while we finished dinner each evening. Last visit they took off for the ping pong in the basement while we enjoyed some wine. During winter the Koch Family has a ton of child-size ski equipment available for complimentary use and there are several small ski areas nearby for family fun. Of course there is also the outdoor playground at the hotel, and cows and soccer across the street and the quite accommodating children's menu. Lots to do in the area — climbing the ruins, visiting the castle, the summer luge rides, swimming and boat rentals in the Plansee.

Alas, now we can visit only during school vacations, and last time the hotel was full of Rick Steves readers from the States — not many Europeans. Gabi apoligized, but the kids were thrilled to have new friends. This year we are returning to Hotel Maximilian with our own two children plus our friends and their four children. That is how kid-friendly it is.

The Locanda Sturion in Venice also has a two-bedroom suite which affords the parents a little privacy for those years when the children are too young to have their own room.

With children we have found it better to stick to one location for several days and really get to know an area — visit the markets, find a favorite restaurant — much less stressful with children than packing up and moving every couple of days.

Italians love kids and are very accommodating to even the pickiest of eaters. Our youngest has been led around restaurants in Italy and allowed to pick out her own fruit. Tiramisu with smiley-face icing was presented to our girls in Florence. If you do want to splurge at a fancy restaurant, have your hotel staff call in advance to ask if they can prepare something simple for the children. We have never had anyone refuse in Italy.

Go to amusement parks — Tivoli is beautiful of course. GardaLand on Lago di Garda in the Lakes District of Italy is soort of an Italian DisneyWorld. We loved it.
Barbara <Wurz9496@aol.com>
Lowell, MA USA 04/05/00

For older kids, look into nighttime walks — for example, York and Edinburgh both have good ghost walks that begin around 8pm. We also make up a "scavenger hunt" sheet, in table format, and each family member has to "find" certain things and write them down on the sheet, such as favourite gelato flavours, the scariest or funniest sight in a particular city, favourite fountain, strangest use for a building, etc. Filling out the scavenger hunt sheets between cities, or at night over one last dessert or cappucino, helps us make time to talk over what we've seen or plan the next day's adventure. It also adds to our trip diaries.
M Blay <mtblay@aol.com>
London, UK 03/24/00

To prepare our elementary-school-aged children for a 2-month trip to Europe, I took apart old college art textbooks and travel brochures and magazines. From these scraps, I made a booklet which covered the paintings, sculptures, buildings, and cultural events our children would see. With this booklet, I could spend time reviewing information which made the trip more meaningful for me and the children, and some of the pictures started great discussions ("Why are people always naked in those art pictures?" "How come their buildings are so cool?"). Also, two great board games with an international flavor are 1) Take Off!, a map game complete with little airplanes, and 2) the Prestel Art Game, which covers everything from famous art pieces to some art skills and personal taste.
Kathy Conley <conley_kathy@hotmail.com>
Sublimity, OR USA 03/23/00

Our family just came back from a 10-day trip to England with 4 children, ages 7-15. It was tough but we're glad we did it. The trick is to try and combine educational sights with entertainment, and try to maintain their interest.

Buxton-Peak National Park was worth the trip by train from London. There are caves, gorges, and canyons there. My 8- & 7-year-old girls loved visiting Pooles Cavern in Buxton. They were especially thrilled when the young tour guide of the cave named a rock formation after them.

In London, my older and younger children especially loved the theater. We took them to a musical comedy, Gilbert & Sullivan's "HMS Pinafore," which they loved — yet classically British.
ted heiser <tyheiser@yahoo.com>
chapel hill, nc USA 03/20/00

I Palmer (below) has some great advice for places in London to take kids. I don't think we visited a more kid-friendly city in Europe.

St. Paul's was a favorite of mine and my son's. The Beefeater tours are not to be missed — arrive at nine and miss the line to see the jewels. Trafalgar Square is another great place for kids. The pigeons and the lions are a perfect photo op. St. Martin's in the Fields is great for the rubbings and the music. I don't think my son could have made it through the 2-hour Vivaldi concert — but they practice in the church most afternoons and that was enough for both of us. And I have to reluctantly add the "Tower Bridge Experience." It was not cheap and not terribly exciting — but my son loved it. He would have spent all day there. The view from the top is spectacular, but not worth the price unless you have kids.

I do have to disagree about Madame T's though. It was a not-to-be-missed experience for both my son and I. The house of horrors made me jump several times. Yes, the Spirit of London ride at the end is as cheesy as it gets but we had a blast!

Italian is great, but don't forget the fish 'n' chip stands and all that wonderful Indian food.
Gary <grice@kings.k12.ca.us>
Hanford, CA USA 03/17/00

My husband and I just returned from a week in London with our 2 kids, ages 10 and 7. The kids' favorite things were: St. Paul's Cathedral (especially climbing all the way to the top of the dome for the spectacular view), Saturday-morning shopping at the Portobello Rd. market, The Museum of London, The Maritime Museum in Greenwich (great hands-on kids' area), brass rubbing at St. Martin in the Fields Church in Trafalgar Square, and The Tower of London (the Beefeater tour is great for kids). A big disappointment was Madame Tussaud's — do not go!

Before our trip we bought books on London and British history for our kids to read, and this really helped them to be knowledgeable and excited about what they saw.

A word of advice on eating out: Italian restaurants are plentiful and very welcoming to kids. If the adults in your group like pubs get The Good Pub Guide. This guide will tell you if a recommended pub allows children, and even if they do it's a good idea to send in an adult just to make sure. Our kids had a great time and are anxious to travel to Europe again!
l palmer <lhpalmer@excite.com>
atlanta, GA USA 03/12/00

A lot of readers have found vacation rentals to be great for kids and families. The following site has rentals in the Rhine, Moselle, and Bavarian regions of Germany and provides an on-site host to help you get around to sights, festivals, etc.: http://members.xoom.com/Eurowalker
Dusty <sac48224@saclink.csus.edu>
Sacramento, CA USA 03/09/00

We took our 3 daughters (7, 9 and 12)to Europe last fall ('99) and had a great time. Our oldest loved maps. She figured out the Paris metro as well as the Budapest one and felt confident enough to want to do it alone (didn't let her, though). She was always figuring out the street maps as well and liked to be the one to handle the money and buy things.

For all three, the shopping was a treat. Their favorite places and things to do were: Monet's garden, cafe au lait, the catacombs in Paris, carousels in Provence, the gargoyles, the Musee D'Orsay, night trains, Shakespeare and Co. bookstore in Paris (the cats), the town of Hallstatt, the folk museum in Szentendre (outside Budapest), pools anywhere, wine tasting(!), the castle in Carcassone, Murano and Burano in Venice, chasing pigeons, Pont du Gard, food in general, and of course gelato and ice cream anywhere.

I did find that our 7-year-old thought that we walked too much and when we slowed the pace down, it was better. While the girls liked all that we did, we moved at a fairly quick pace and the times that were more relaxed were more enjoyable for them.

We all carried our own small packs, including the 7-year-old. Hers converted to a roll-along which thrilled her to use.

Because we were 5, cost was an issue. We were consistantly charged by the person for rooms even if they shared beds and it was hard to find places that could hold all of us in 1 room. Sometimes we had to get 2 rooms. (In Paris, the Hotel Marignon in the Latin district was great. Although a basic 1-star, it had a great location, use of the kitchen facilities and dining room, as well as free use of their commercial washers and dryers. The people were very helpful and I could see repeat guests there. Great for families.)
Joanne Pal <edmonds@saltspring.com>
Saltspring Island, CAN 03/07/00

We took a trip through Europe with our 11-month-old son. Train travel is a great way to go with babies this age. There is so much to look at they don't get bored, and they can "cruise" as opposed to being strapped in a car seat for hours at a time. Some of the newer trains even had diaper changing stations.

As previously posted, B&B owners were great. Most offered us a portable crib in our room and some even had high chairs available at breakfast.

For peace of mind, I took a baby first-aid kit with things like baby Tylenol and Motrin, ipecac syrup, Band-Aids and Neosporin. We ended up only using the Tylenol once because of some teething pain but it was nice to have it just in case.

To allow our baby at least a few hours each day to just play, we lowered our expectations of how much sightseeing we would do. We found that we became more relaxed tourists and didn't feel we had to SEE everything in a city, comfortable in the knowledge that we would be back. We ALL had a great time and are already planning our next trip!
Kelly Casaday-Thompson <KellyC777@aol.com>
San Diego, CA USA 02/01/00

We have taken our son to Europe for the past 4 years now. He has celebrated his birthday every year there. He got his passport when he was 2 and it is the cutest picture. My husband and I were a little intimidated driving over the Switzerland border into Italy. The guards had machine guns and serious looks on their faces. We nervously handed our passports to them, but when they opened our son's passport they both broke out in the biggest grins. Phew!

We have found everywhere we went with him that people are so open to us. We were in the Black Forest at a little b&b and as we were pulling out of the driveway the owner ran out of her house waving us down because she had a chocolate suprise for our son. In Holland the owner of the b&b came to our room with a huge stuffed banana for our son to sleep with, saying it was her children's and our son could borrow it for the night.

He still remembers our trips and we look forward to traveling with him for a long time. Don't be afraid to take your kids. You'll probably have more fun because of it.
Shelley Harris <circleh@altavista.com>
trophy club, tx USA 01/26/00

Before your trip to Venice (with or without a child), buy the book "Vendela in Venice" by Christina Bjork, the author of "Lennea in Monet's Garden." Everything you ever wanted to know about Venice as told by a young girl traveling with her father. The pictures are like photos and her story makes me want to return. It would be an excellent intro to the city for child or adult. Children would enjoy visiting the same "back door" places as Vendela and will learn a wealth of history without knowing it.

On a related topic, take Rick's advice and try to get lost in Venice. But let your child pick the directions and see where you end up. My 14-year-old son led us to the Arsenale area where we had a wonderful tourist-free evening. Remember, you can't get lost, you're on an island. Now if only they would get rid of all those "per San Marco" signs.
Gary <grice@kings.k12.ca.us>
Hanford, CA USA 01/13/00

We went to Paris with an almost-2-year-old. I wouldn't have missed it for the world! A few tips that made our lives easier: rent an apartment, if possible; bring an erasable notebook with crayons; and bring a baby sling! We used the Mayawrap sling, and it was perfect for those places (Versailles, the Metro) where strollers are either prohibited, or too much of a challenge. Also, if you are travelling with a small child, allow a lot of extra time to see sights, and don't expect to see everything you want to see. Plan to return!
Kay Z <accession@earthlink.net>
Chicago, IL USA 12/19/99

Martha Stewart recently traveled abroad with several youngsters and adults not related to them. She said she highly recommends traveling with kids because of their outlook and attitude...and leaving parents behind so no one is getting in anyone else's hair. So if parents can't travel with their kids without unreasonable expectations or without being too controlling, maybe you can let your kids take a trip with another family member or trusted friend. By the same token, maybe childless travelers could add to their fun and adventure by volunteering to take a niece, cousin, godchild, etc. on vacation. If bunches of set-in-their-ways seniors can get along while traveling, surely we can welcome the view through children's eye without too much wear and tear. (I would restrict this to well-behaved kids unless you are willing to be a consistent disciplinarian!)
Frank Idogiad
Chicago, IL USA 12/05/99

My favorite tip is to visit a card/stationery store early in a country. I always find many things there to entertain and educate my kids. Usually you will also find a local "what to do with kids" booklet. These stores usually have a mother working in them and they will ALWAYS have a suggestion or two for things to do with the kids. Very few guidebooks suggest activities designed for kids.
Matthew <mattlehman@yahoo.com>
11/27/99

We are recently back from a month-long trip through central and northern Italy with our one-year-old daughter and four-year old son. Almost universally, Italians were very warm and friendly to our kids. When our son would say "Grazie" the usual response was "Bravo, bravo!" and lots of compliments to us on our brilliant son! When our very active daughter was climbing around the musuems, the guards would come racing over, not to chastise us for bringing a child, but to play with her. We bought a book on Florence art for kids, which produced one of the high moments of the trip: my son, on rounding the corner in the Uffizi, yelling in a very loud and excited voice, "Mommy, Mommy, it is the Birth of Venus!"

We did two home rentals of one week each, which were terrific. It was great not to have to make the kids behave 24 hours a day, as we did in hotels, and we could do our own cooking. On our next trip, we will do more home rentals or exchanges and less time in hotels. One thing to be aware of is that hotels will charge an extra 30-35% for an extra bed in a hotel room, and sometimes a triple was 50% more than a double. Highchairs were also scarce. Our trip was wonderful although exhausting. Our son already says that he misses Italy. Food was not a problem for the kids, by the way. We had daily gelato and both kids ate all kinds of pasta, including wild boar papardelle. Yum!
Sonya
CA USA 11/18/99

We are planning a big (6-month) trip for the spring. While we are doing lots of research beforehand (we love your videos, Rick!), we are also trying to keep our plans relatively loose. One thing that is working quite well in our planning stages are the "What if..." and "Where will we be..." questions. These are helping our 8- and 10-year-old prepare for tourist scams, different foods, lost parents, etc. They are concerned about how we will celebrate Easter, birthdays, and so on. So we talk about possiblities. Can you buy a birthday cake in Italy? We'll find out! I am also hoping to arrange a few scattered visits to elementary schools across the continent (I have already used a teacher contact in Holland to plan one such day). This way our children will be able to come home and share what they have experienced in a different school in another country. They won't know the language, but math is math. I'm sure that this will be fun too! We are getting very excited!
Evelyn <ek@canada.com>
St. Albert, AB Canada 11/12/99

We took our 4-year-old daughter on a 3-week trip to Italy this summer. She was a great ambassador and opened doors for us with many locals. We taught her a few phrases in Italian: yes, no, please, thank you, her age, excuse me, etc. I'll never forget my daughter asking the waitress in a small restaurant in Florence, her name in Italian. The waitress clapped her hands with joy and called to the kitchen. We were immediately surrounded by the cook and the entire staff as they waited for the little American girl to speak more Italian. We gave her a disposable camera to take the pictures she wanted. There was a very happy nun in the Roman subway that was proud to pose for her. Museums and churches got a little old but my wife told her at the Uffizzi that each painting tells a story like a book. Our daughter was eager after that to hear the "story" that was being told by each painting.
Ken <cinkenjul@earthlink.net>
Lafayette, CO USA 11/06/99

I'm a single mom who took my two kids (12 & 15) to Europe for a month. We used trains only, and while we were often glad to get off, the kids learned to read schedules in all kinds of languages. I allowed no Gameboys or electronics of any kind because I wanted them to interact with people, including me. We did bring 2 decks of cards and 6 books that we all read. My daughter now has pen-pals in 3 countries. We learned smatterings of 4 languages and chatted with everyone in some combination of these, plus gestures. We had a great time! However, the rules are different for moms traveling alone with kids. We need a chapter on this, Rick! It's not like couples or single women at all.
Sally <Isla28@aol.com>
PHX, AZ USA 11/04/99

We got back from a two-week trip to London and Paris with our two children ages 8 and 3. Our 8-year-old was great! Our 3-year-old was not! It was really hard to travel with a 3-year-old little boy. He was a challenge! We're in the Louvre 15 minutes and he wants to leave (in a screaming fit). The whole trip was that way!

We stayed at the Marriott County Hall in London across from Big Ben on the Thames. That he enjoyed! "Look, Just like Peter Pan," he would say every night as we looked out our hotel window and heard it chiming the hour! What a great central location.

In Paris we stayed at the Marriott Champs Elyeese. Not the greatest place for kids. Lots of shopping and restaurants.

It is a good idea to learn a little French before going to France. I tried to go to McDonald's late at night with our kids and order (in English) a cheeseburger with only catsup, and got the highest rolled eyes I've ever seen, as the girl asked her friend to interpet for her. But the city itself is beautiful and has wonderful food.

If you go with no expectations and just let things happen as they do with little ones the trip will be wonderful. But if you have schedules and behavior expectations then don't bother because no one will have very much fun.
Mary
ca USA 07/31/00

I had a wonderful trip to Vienna, Italy, Paris and London with my 18-year-old! He knew I had saved frequent-flyer miles for years for this dream trip, and it was his graduation present. The trip was a wonderful way for us to cement our mother-son bond before he leaves for college. Secrets to our success:

1) We stayed with a teenage friend in Vienna, so he could explore the nightlife and learn a little German.
2) His Discman kept him entertained during flight delays, long train rides and queues for museums.
3) He went out on his own in Rome (the Spanish Steps are a kid-magnet in the evenings).
4) London Dungeon was his choice for a tour and The Starlight Express held his theater interest.
5) Hyde Park speakers opened his mind.
6) We stayed near sights I could visit alone in the morning while he slept in!

The one thing I did not do was get him to pack light, so he learned that lesson on his own after checking his bag on the plane and losing it temporarily. The best thing was hearing him tell the new friends he met that Rick Steves is his "home-boy" after experiencing our success with Rick's back door recommendations!
Maryann Kemper <makemper@webtv.net>
Palo Alto, ca USA 07/29/00

We just returned from two weeks in France with our two boys, ages 10-1/2 and 8. Our 8-year-old turned down a chance to go to Eurodisney on his July 4th birthday (though we've never been Disneyanywhere) and chose to celebrate by going to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Traveling with kids is great as long as you don't burden them with adult expectations. Know that you'll be able to spend 2 or 3 hours at the museums, but not 4 or 5 hours. Breaking up the sightseeing with an ice cream cone or something kid-oriented is mandatory if you want to avoid crabbiness overload. Be prepared for the unexpected (like 7-hour delay in your flight to France).

Our only gripe about traveling with kids is we felt discriminated against in big-city restaurants. Parents with kids in Paris restaurants seemed to be out of the ordinary. Although our kids were well-mannered, we spoke French, and were prepared for meals to be leisurely affairs (wait staff really are overworked in France), we often seemed to be "forgotten". Maybe that's a function of the tip being built into the cost of what you order, but it was frustrating when we were left alone for really long periods. Perhaps not coincidentally, we had no such experience in the smaller places in France.

There are plenty of great things for your kids to do abroad. Ours loved wandering in castles, taking pictures (let them use their own camera for what they find interesting), exploring the Metro, and climbing the towers of the Notre Dame.

P.S. Rick is right; don't order Andouillette sausage. It's not a smaller version of the spicy sausage they serve in New Orleans.
Steve Peiffle <mpeiffle@aol.com>
Arlington, WA USA 07/28/00

We live in Germany and travel everywhere with our 2 children — Italy, France, England, Egypt, Switzerland, and of course all over Germany. Our tips:

— Keep them well fed and they will be less likely to get cranky.
— Our children are small (4 and 2) so we carry them in backpacks or slings so their legs don't get so tired and we can keep a fast pace when we need to. — Carry rain ponchos (ours are from Expo 2000 — great ice-breakers) — it's hard to keep umbrellas over everyone. — Small packets of wet-wipes are indispensible as are baggies. — Parks in Europe are wonderful. Our most recent trip was to Kassel, where Wilhelmshohe is a wonderful, huge park. Be sure to be there at 2:30 on Sunday for the "water spectacle." Quite a hike to the top, however!

The biggest thing is to continually talk and explain to your children. Our older daughter loves museums and continually recognizes works of art we saw a year or two ago!

Most Europeans love children and are always friendly toward our children. Our daughters are always happy to meet other children. Children don't have so many of the artificial barriers that the rest of us do. They are open to all sorts of experiences. My advice: take your children and enjoy; they're only small once!
Jen Wagnon <gwagnon@surf1.de>
Dexheim, Germany 07/22/00