Travel with Kids
More and more Americans are taking their kids on their European adventures. Rick and Anne Steves have written up their lessons (after 17 years of packing their kids along) in Rick's book, Europe Through the Back Door. They also recommend Cynthia Harriman's Take Your Kids to Europe for those with kids age 6 to 16. But here's where you experienced parents can share your own tried-and-true tips with those planning their first European family vacation.
How do you keep Junior happy on the long flight over? What are your favorite child-friendly attractions? How did you manage in hotels and with finding baby supplies on the road?
- Please don't post questions here. Use our Travelers Helpline.
Dog Tags- a great ID for kids
We are going to be in Europe for 45 days this summer with our two boys, 12 and 15. I knew I didn't want them carrying their passports everywhere, and I knew they would not be eager to wear an ID type bracelet. I found a web site that had dog tags for about $7.00. They come as a pair, but you can put different info on each one. I put their names, birthdates, passport numbers, and blood type on one. On the other I put US contact numbers for my sister and brother. When they got them for Christmas they both put them on right away. They just tuck under their clothes and give me piece of mind that I can let them have some freedom. The site I used is http://www.dogtagsonline.com/
Sue
Royersford, PA USA 06/18/2009
Czech Rep, Germany & Austria with 7 & 12 year olds
We just returned from a two week trip to Europe with our kids and my father. While our kids are seasoned travellers, they had never been to Europe. We set 8:00 as the time on the flight when we would "close our eyes and rest" and they both slept the remainder of the flight. They never had jetlag! Their highlights were Berlin - "Ampelmann", boat cruise and climbing to the top of the Reichtag; Prague - changing of the guard, walking the Charles Bridge, going up in the Astronaumical Clk tower and the terrace @U Prince; Vienna - horse carriage tour; Salzburg- singing through the Mirabell Gardens (my 7 yr old);Berchtesgaden- Hitler's Eagles Nest and mountains; Munich -Hofbrauhaus; Rothenburg- Krimminalmuseum and Nightwatchman Tour (12 yr old);Dresden-pool @hotel;Gorlitz -walking into Poland. They kids surprised us by only complaining twice the whole trip about walking too much, but I think that is because we tried to stop at cafes every couple hours for a snack and drink. I was amazed that they enjoyed sitting in cafes with us watching people, although they hated the smokers!! The kids kept journals each night, which for my son (12) shocked me because he hates to write, but he loved writing about all the different things he saw. We also bought lots of ice cream while walking around to keep them in good spirits, but I have to say that for all my concerns about taking them on such a long trip, it was one of the best family vacations ever! It did help that grandpa was there, so my son stayed in a room with him and my daughter was with us, so they got a break from eachother at night.
Deanna <email>
Canton, GA USA 06/04/2009
Czech Rep, Germany & Austria with 7 & 12 year olds
I forgot to add to my previous posting that we gave each of the kids their own digital camera so that they could take pictures from their perspective. This along with their journals should help them remember a lot more of the trip. The other thing we did was visit Mauthausen Concentration camp in Austria. My son saw everything and seemed to process it ok, but we just brought my daughter (7) through the yard and barracks and gave her a very basic explanation of what happened. She never mentioned it again, but my son mentioned it first thing to his teachers upon returning to school.
Deanna <email>
Canton, GA USA 06/04/2009
Rhine River Castles w/children
If you are considering looking at castles on the Rhine in Germany, Rheinfels is large, but it is truly in ruins. We liked that, as we were traveling with children who never could have been interested in a true tour of a castle. The walls are literally made of stone and are half standing. It is perfect for 6 years and older as the children can run around and use their imaginations, sword fights, looking for enemies, etc. I would NOT take any child who is mobile but who lacks the ability to recognize danger (if any child has it?). I would take a 4 year old if he/she was the type of child who would stay close to you or if he/she would hold your hand, but other than that I would be careful...some of Rheinfels, could be dangerous to someone who is running headlong into....a steep stone stairway. A 6 year old, on the other hand, has the coordination to make a quick stop and the imagination to look down that stairway and think of all sorts of exciting things. Even I, as an adult, enjoyed doing so. :)
Another thing to consider is that the floors of most of the castle are bumpy stone, making cobblestones seem smooth by comparison. I saw a few people trying to maneuver strollers on the rocks and it was not a pretty sight or experience for either the parent or the child being bumped around.
If you are looking for a rustic experience, then Reinfels Castle is it. If you are looking to be "in" a castle, you might want to take Rheinfels off your list and choose another Rhine castle. You also want to make sure that there is an English tour at the castle of your choice, if that is important to you. There is no tour at Rheinfels, although there is a very rudimentary piece of paper and Rick does describe it thoroughly in his book.
SuzieeQQ <email>
San Diego, CA USA 05/30/2009
What to bring for toddlers
Last May we took our daughters (then 3 1/2 and 1) to Italy for 10 days traveling entirely by train and staying in a combination of B&Bs, hostels and pensions. The best investment we made was in a Phil & Ted's jogger with double attachement. The stroller was narrow enough to navigate the crowds and narrow sidewalks and when it rained (at least half an hour every day) the stroller fit perfectly under a cheap plastic poncho.
Chara Gafford <email>
Houston, TX USA 05/27/2009
Car rental/booster seats
Re: car rental with children.
If you need a car seat, make sure you tell the rental company when booking your reservation ----and tell them the age of your children. You do not want to arrive with a 7 year old and find that your car is equipped with an infant seat!
Suzanne <email>
San Diego, Ca USA 05/10/2009
Avoiding paying for water at restaurants
This is a very mundane topic, but it is something I wish I knew before I went on my trip to Germany last month. We are a family of 4. At every meal, we would each have one bottle of water (without "gas" ie without carbonation). Each bottle was approx 2 Euros, x 4 people = 8 euros per meal x 2 meals = 16 Euros per day (approx $24/day on water). Spending $24 a day on water, particularly on 1 measly bottle per person per meal, was not ideal. We FINALLY figured out we could order what is basically tap water, at no charge. I've been told not every place will do so, but upon learning of the option, we had no trouble. Needless to say, in Europe you should have no trouble with traveler's disease from drinking tap water.
In France you can ask for a carafe of water, which is basically tap water and free, "Je voudrais un carafe de l'eau."
If you don't ask in either country, you will be charged for your water. If you are on a budget, skip the bottled water and ask for the tap water.
Suzanne <email>
San Diego, CA USA 05/10/2009
Holland with Kids
Best country for kids: Holland, hands-down. We love to travel but took a break of several years while we had two kids and let them grow up a little. They are 5 and 7 and we decided to go to Holland as our first trip. What a fantastic place for kids! The Dutch really love kids and everywhere are kid-friendly parks, etc. The food is not too weird and there are plenty of french fries, chocolate, and cheese, not to mention Beglium waffles and other fun stuff. I resisted renting a car because the trains are so good, but my husband insisted and it was a good thing. Amsterdam itself was not the highlight, although they did better than expected at museums. We hit the beach at Scheveningen and splurged at the famous and fancy Kurhaus Hotel, built in 1885 right on the North Sea beach. Rocky and cold, by the way. Delft is absolutely charming and Gouda is yucky. We went to a local theme park that was truly amazing called "Efteling" on the advice of a local friend. It is like a huge and classy Disneyland. Tons of walking. What a find! The "Madurodam" park near The Hague is a top spot. It is a tiny and perfect replica of nearly every important spot in Holland. It is absolutely amazing and surprisingly interesting for everyone. We have a friend who went to Holland once, about twenty years ago, and he said his one vivid memory is of going to Madurodam. Did we coin the term "Dutch taxi" for attempting to squeeze three people on one bike and hoping to get there in one piece? Biking was cool but should have pulled the kids; they each had their own and it took forever to get anywhere. We regret not making it to one of the open-air culture museums where you can watch craftsmen make cheese, etc. Holland with kids is for those who are slightly more adventurous than starting with an English-speaking country.
Jenny
Memphis, TN USA 04/23/2009
Sweden, Germany & Czech Republic with 18 month old
Last June, we purchased a new Volvo via Volvo Overseas Delivery.
We flew over on SAS Airlines, and they were more than very accommodating. Our seat was against a bulkhead which had a bassinet attachment. Not that Daniel slept a whole lot. We had lots of toys, his pacifier (to suck on for altitude), and great neighbors on both legs of the 10 hour flight.
We had an utterly fantastic time! How did we do it? Our trip was designed to be completely about Daniel. Instead of museums, fine food and the arts; we toured playgrounds, parks and zoos.
The brochures in the hotels, asking the concierges and talking to people in the street yielded a never ending list of things to do. Alot of the key was flexibility. Even though we had reservations, we left plenty of travel time so that if we found something interesting, we could delay a day or two.
We spent an extra first day in Goteburg to get acclimated to the time shift. Riding the tram and visiting an indoor playground occupied our time.
After picking up our Volvo, we traveled down the west coast of Sweden to stay at a bed and breakfast on the coast. The ocean proved a wonderful playmate for our previously landlocked son.
Arriving in Germany on the island of Rugen, we found thatour first hotel, which was only supposed to be for a night, was close to a petting zoo. Our first delay of a day so we could visit that zoo. We also played in the neighborhood park by the hotel.
Into the Czech Republic, we visited with a friend about 2 hours east of Prague. While visiting, we went to a zoo close to her house.
From there it was on to Plzen for a few days. Most adults visit the brewery, but we visited the Dinosaur Park and the zoo. These dinosaurs were big, really honking big! From there, it was onto Nurmberg, Germany where we stayed on a farm/bed and breakfast. We visited the zoo, Play Mobil Park (amazing, amazing, amazing!) where we pretended we were kings, pirates and many other fantasy characters. This park is meant for children a bit older than Daniel, but he had a really good time and there were lots of age appropriate activities for him.
While walking in the street, Daniel asked if we could say hello to a woman's dog. That opened the door for a conversation where she told us about an amusement park called Schloss Thurn. A converted estate, this is a one price admission ride all you want park. They had numerous rides that were age appropriate for Daniel, and he still talks about them.
After we turned our car in for shipment home, we spent the day playing in the city park. There was a water wheel and a spigot that water came out of, plus some riding toys. Perfect for a toddler.
Tips: We always anticipated where we would be be when nap time came around.
We had zillions of toys and music he was familiar with. Workers in stores, hotels and restaurants were a great asset - they gave us lots of gifts, candy, toys and advice. We are co-sleepers, so we usually did not ask for separate bedding.
You can see some pictures of us on this trip on his web page: my.inbox.com/photos/danielsvillage AND you can see a video of Daniel helping us read Rick Steve's German book on Youtube (search for "DanielsVillage"
For us, it opened a whole new vista of travel, and we look forward to being able to do it again.
Steve, Sharon and Daniel <email>
Eugene, OR USA 02/18/2009
Safety with a Toddler in Europe
While traveling with our 18 month old son in Europe (see descriptive story below) for safety, we purchased wristbands for Daniel that he wore around his ankle.
While on the plane and airports, we included flight information. Each time we checked into a hotel, he got a new ankleband with the name of the hotel and phone number.
Inside each of his shoes was a permanent label with his name and passport number. We also ironed labels to some of his clothing with his name and passport number.
Steve, Sharon and Daniel <email>
Eugene, OR USA 02/18/2009
CAR SEATS AND STROLLER
we are planning a trip to london nov. 09 with our 23 month old girl and our 7 month boy. our main concerns are the car seats. how do we take taxis. would they provide them if booked in advance? how about a stroller. we have the side by side stroller. would this be to wide for european standards? please help! thank you.
JUDY
MIAMI, FL USA 01/12/2009