Trip to venice- san marco or lido?

[Anonymous]

Any recs for hotels in venice with kids? i was thinking about lido in case they have a break down and just want to hang out on the beach or is it better to be in a central location?

[Anonymous]

I think it is better to be in a central location. Personally, I think the best part of Venice is just soaking up the atmosphere and you don't really get the same atmosphere on the Lido. Plus I think the logistics of going back and forth might get tiresome.

[Anonymous]

OP- agree about the atmosphere - however with a toddler its different so I was looking for a place he can just hang out if the exploring gets too tiring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- agree about the atmosphere - however with a toddler its different so I was looking for a place he can just hang out if the exploring gets too tiring

I understand, but personally it doesn't make sense to me start on the Lido. I'd rather avoid extra logistics of the vaporetto (why tire him out getting to someplace interesting?). You can always hang out in a cafe in Venice (let him chase pigeons) when he is tired or take a day trip to the Lido, Murano, or another island if you want something different. I guess it seems like staying on the Lido is sort of giving up on Venice before you get there, but I understand that travel is different with a child.

[Anonymous]

How old? We stayed at a hotel near the airport and took the boat bus to San Marco that leaves from the airport, walked all over Venice and took the bus back to the hotel. Our then 4 year old LOVED the transportation options and the fact it was a city without roads. He normally hates cities and is difficult to get to do much anything with in crowded places. With that said we spent a full day doing it and he had no interest in doing it again the next day so we ventured further away from Venice. I guess it depends on your kid and what you want to accomplish and how long you'll be there.

[Anonymous]

We stayed in a central location with a toddler. It was not easy, so I totally get what the OP is getting at. Also, depending on what month you're traveling, just turning DC loose in St. mark's square to run with the pigeons isn't a slam dunk. When there are 1.2 million school kids, cruise boat refugees and Asian tour groupies ... it's not fun.

Our solution was to do X cultural thing each day (duct taped into the stroller for safety) and then take a vaporetto to a place where DC could run. If you go to the few remaining residential areas in Venice, there's actually grass and parks with swings! Torcello was good and grassy, too.

[Anonymous]

we went with preschoolers and rented a flat. I highly recommend it! Having a fridge, microwave, WASHER/DRYER--we ended up not cooking that much, but it was still great to be able to buy yogurt, fruit, etc cheaply at the market and have breakfast in our PJs. And the kids could siesta in the afternoon without having to worry about being in the way of housekeeping or other guests. The flat was centrally located (Dorsoduro) and across a piazza from a vaporetto stop. I would not stay at the Lido. Apart from being less convenient with less ambience, one of the wonderful benefits of visiting Venice with the kids is that cars, bikes, scooters and skateboards are prohibited in central Venice, so it is super pedestrian friendly for kids. There are cars on the Lido.

Another wonderful thing about being in central Venice is that so many tourists are day trippers (from cruise ships, or staying on the Lido). In the evening, the city becomes a quiet, peaceful place. PS the flat was also less expensive than any comparable hotel.