Where to go in Europe - family of 5: London, Rome, Dublin, or Frankfurt.

[Anonymous]

We are thinking about taking a family trip to Europe this fall or next summer (2026). The kids would be 6-13. Our choices (due to wanting to use airline miles and living in a small town in the midwest with few connections) are London, Rome, Dublin, or Frankfurt. Any suggestions for best destination of the four and best time of year? We are very much "on the go" / "up and at 'em" rather than sit and linger for a meal and people watching. Our dream locations are Iceland or Denmark but those are too out of the way for now. We enjoy museums in small doses (or longer for more hands-on type museums). My youngest has a motor disability that makes it hard for him to hike or walk long distances but he can keep up for the most part and also knows how to ride a bike well, so we can do bike tours. The kids are easy going about food.

Alternatively - would it make more sense to wait until everyone is double digits in age? We have not yet seen all the domestic destinations we want to visit. (We have done a lot of national park oriented road trips in CO, UT, AZ, SD, southern CA, with some city overnights/theme park days mixed in, plus some FL beach trips. I am from NYC originally so we have gone there a few times, but we still want to do a New England trip, a DC/VA trip, a Pacific Northwest trip, etc.) I would like to go somewhere further afield and different, but that might be more for me than for them. DH and I used to go to international places for his work every couple years, but now my youngest has some care needs that are too much for my mom to manage for long periods of time.

[Anonymous]

If it's fall, I'd say Rome or London. If it's summer, I'd day London and/or Dublin. Rome is awful in the summer. Frankfurt isn't really worth a vacation on its own unless you're planning to travel around Germany/Western Europe. Definitely prioritize London or Rome if this is a rare opportunity to leave the country.

[Anonymous]

London because it will be logistically easiest for you and the kids will be able to easily process sightseeing info themselves.

Rome because of the link to Classical history. It provides a foundation to understand later European history. And many kids love the Rick Riordan books.

Is Amsterdam a possibility? That would be my 3rd choice among airline hubs.

[Anonymous]

You could fly to these major cities but I'd recommend venturing beyond them eg you could go to Tuscany or Umbria from Rome, or other parts of the UK from London. As a French family, we fly into Paris all the time but get out of there as fast as possible.

[Anonymous]

I think Rome would make the most lasting impression for the kids. It's the most different from a small town in the Midwest. Obviously, there is lots to see. Give the kids a history lesson before you go, so they know the significance of all the sights - from the Coliseum to the Vatican. I wouldn't go in August though. Spring or Fall are best. I would choose Christmas over August in Rome.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, all. Sounds like London and Rome are best, depending on season. My kids are more into the Harry Potter books than the Rick Riordan books, but my middle is taking Latin this year and the older has been learning about Ancient Rome in Social Studies, so both would be of interest. My son (the youngest) is just excited to use public transportation, so he is easy to please.

I agree about venturing beyond the city. We generally like to see as much as possible, even if some might say we get a more superficial experience that way.

[Anonymous]

WWlll is about to happen and your planning trips to Europe well they won’t want Americans

[Anonymous]

Rome is amazing and has the most to see. August there can be tough die to weather. Frankfurt is not particularly interesting, but you can do a beautiful trip doown the rhine, and even cycle down it through places like Rudesheim and Koblenz, which are very picturesque.
Dublin wouldn’t be my first choice. There is much more to do in London and environs. The best thing about Eire is the countryside-hiking etc.

[Anonymous]

With your kid's mobile issue I might say London over Rome. The public transportation is more dense there.

[Anonymous]

Go to London, but stopover in Iceland on Iceland air

[Anonymous]

Since you're using miles, you have the flexibility to fly into one city and out of another. Fly into London and out of Rome. If you have time, take the train from London to Paris to add that too and fly to Rome from there.

[Anonymous]

Final answer: Rome if you go in fall, London in summer.

Don't wait to travel. We're a family of 5 as well and have started traveling overseas again now that our youngest is 5. Our trips to Spain and South America this past year were really successful, while our previous trips abroad when the kids were infant, toddler and 6 were TORTURE. Good luck on your trip.

[Anonymous]

I would go to Dublin, but only spend a day pr two in the city and then make my way to Western Ireland - Cliffs of Moher, Dingle Pennisula, Ring of Kerry. You could also fly into London for a couple days then take a cheap flight to Shannon Airport to explore western Ireland and fly home out of Dublin.

I would skip Frankfort. One of my least favorite cities.

[Anonymous]

Frankfort is meh, but train travel in Germany is easy and you can land in Frankfort and get anywhere else pretty easily. Berlin is nice and flat with tons to do, cheap for a Western Europe capital city, and the food is varied and amazing.

Plus your kids would probably get a kick out of taking a high speed train.

[Anonymous]

PPs all make good points. I have 3 boys and have taken them to Rome, Dublin, London; I have been to Frankfurt but briefly and it was pre-kids.

Keying in on not being really into museums AND that Iceland and Denmark are dream destinations I’d suggest you consider Dublin. As a PP said, you can (and should!) plan to leave the city and likely head to the west. Or as another PP suggested some combo of London/Ireland might be possible…though for that matter a combo of London/Scotland might suit you and Harry-Potter loving kids well. Scotland was one of our families most faborite trips.