What’s your best travel/vacation tip?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP - I suppose anywhere you go can spark interest even Disney but me? I'd def go somewhere not man made AKA Disney. Maybe even a city with culture you can't duplicate but sure, you find ways to make Disney worth it? My kids have done to Europe. Asia, throughout US and the islands and are in their teens. Don't think they missed much not ever going to Disney.

Here we go... every thread devolves into "I'm cultured cause I didn't take my kids to Disney." Looking forward to the poster saying unless you can take your kids on a 4 month backpacking adventure in Point Nemo where you live off the land, then whatever travel you are doing is too touristy and oversaturated.

There's nothing wrong with taking your kids to Paris! Or London! Or Tokyo! Or Chicago! Or Disney!

Agree, the anti-Disney posters are tiresome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If traveling to Europe, try to get the latest possible flight you can. Air France has a 10.30 pm flight to Paris, Virgin had an almost-midnight flight to London. Try for these so you're ready to sleep when you board. Take a light sleeping aid to force sleeping.

Research your destination plan as much as possible. Book tickets ahead of time if available. Don't spend your vacation time waiting in lines if it can be avoided.

Don't worry about the food so much. A piece of bread with cheese bought off a market stall is an okay lunch.

Kids can walk much longer than you think.

Try not to check a bag. I tell the kids that every pair of pants is worn at least 3 to 4 times, a top at least twice (if not soiled). Carry 2 pairs of shoes always.

It's ok to forget stuff at home. Nothing is truly irreplaceable.

Take public transit at your destination. Don't be afraid.

When booking your flights, it helps to be flexible to save money. Most airlines will now have a calendar where you can see what your flight will cost across several months.

It's ok to miss a few days of school in elementary, and even middle.

Don't not travel if you cannot have your perfect trip. My DH cannot travel overseas right now so I travel with two older kids as much as I can. When it's time to travel all five of us, we will, but I won't let this hold me up. Don't not travel.

You can immediately tell a traveled person from a non-traveled one by their conversation.

Don't waste foreign or long travel on a young child. I say confidently, nothing much they will see before age 8 will be remembered, and if they do, it will be inconsequential stuff.

I agree with all of this except the last one; my daughter is 6 and has been to Europe several times and she remembers a lot of the trips and when we were there she enjoyed the trips she doesn't remember. She's a remarkably easy traveler now.

I took my oldest to Paris when he was 6. He enjoyed it at the time, and it was fun, but he's now 14 and remembers nothing of it except the climbing structure in Parc Monceau.

I'm taking my 4 year old to Paris next year because I myself miss it and want to go. However, I am now only booking hotels that are near fun playgrounds and things for him to do. So, I'll take a hotel next to Luxembourg gardens over one near Eiffel Tower.

We lived abroad in Europe with toddlers. We referred to our weekend and longer trips as “pigeons across Europe”. Didn’t matter where we went, mostly our toddlers wanted to feed and chase pigeons. We did have one great afternoon at a Munich beer garden that had an awesome play ground. They also enjoyed French supermarkets for some reason. Also the ice cream trucks in Germany.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't go to Disneyworld over Thanksgiving.

Or Christmas

Don't go to Disney World. Ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It could be literally anything, just the one bit of advice you give to others. It could be location-specific, relaxation-specific, transportation-specific, packing-specific, etc.

What’s that one tip or piece of advice you just have to share?

unless your are obscenely rich. dont go.

save your money

travel is for the rich.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Return on a Saturday so you don’t crash from airline travel stress straight back into work. Hold onto the vacation vibes one day longer, have a slow morning, take time to reflect, do laundry.

Pack a mini medical kit. No one wants to run out to get NyQuil or Children’s Motrin at midnight - and you won’t find these things many places abroad. You don’t want to figure out dosing of an unfamiliar med while traveling.

Travel when you are young even if you go into debt to do it. That 5 or 10k in credit card debt will be nothing to pay off when you are in your 40s, but you will never be this young, free and comfortable traveling on a budget again.

That 5 or 10k will have snowballed into $25k with interest by then. Don’t ever go in to debt to travel.

really, what an entitled person. probably has a vagina and married someone to pay of their debts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Don't waste foreign or long travel on a young child. I say confidently, nothing much they will see before age 8 will be remembered, and if they do, it will be inconsequential stuff.

I remember traveling to see my grandparents in Fort Lauderdale when I was 3 to 8, and going to see them was a lot of fun for me.

I remember flying before there were no-smoking sections. It was entertaining seeing the strange no-smoking lights come on.

We started off having to climb up stairs to get into the plane.

That stuff was inconsequential when I saw it, but now, when I look back, that was part of a strange and different world. I’m glad I remember a little of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Don't waste foreign or long travel on a young child. I say confidently, nothing much they will see before age 8 will be remembered, and if they do, it will be inconsequential stuff.

I remember traveling to see my grandparents in Fort Lauderdale when I was 3 to 8, and going to see them was a lot of fun for me.

I remember flying before there were no-smoking sections. It was entertaining seeing the strange no-smoking lights come on.

We started off having to climb up stairs to get into the plane.

That stuff was inconsequential when I saw it, but now, when I look back, that was part of a strange and different world. I’m glad I remember a little of it.

We drove cross country when I was 7 and I remember a lot of it, including going to Disneyland and being terrified on space mountain but also the San Diego zoo and Loews verde and pikes peak and the badlands and Yosemite and the endless flatness that was Kansas in a heat wave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Don't waste foreign or long travel on a young child. I say confidently, nothing much they will see before age 8 will be remembered, and if they do, it will be inconsequential stuff.

I remember traveling to see my grandparents in Fort Lauderdale when I was 3 to 8, and going to see them was a lot of fun for me.

I remember flying before there were no-smoking sections. It was entertaining seeing the strange no-smoking lights come on.

We started off having to climb up stairs to get into the plane.

That stuff was inconsequential when I saw it, but now, when I look back, that was part of a strange and different world. I’m glad I remember a little of it.

I think before age 6 is more accurate, based on knowledge of brain development and experience. My son remembers going whale watching at age 7.

But it’s not only about the memories. My son travelled at least once a year starting as a baby and he’s very comfortable with new environments, he’s very social, and he became interested in learning languages and can speak 3, and is on his way to learning another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Don't waste foreign or long travel on a young child. I say confidently, nothing much they will see before age 8 will be remembered, and if they do, it will be inconsequential stuff.

I remember traveling to see my grandparents in Fort Lauderdale when I was 3 to 8, and going to see them was a lot of fun for me.

I remember flying before there were no-smoking sections. It was entertaining seeing the strange no-smoking lights come on.

We started off having to climb up stairs to get into the plane.

That stuff was inconsequential when I saw it, but now, when I look back, that was part of a strange and different world. I’m glad I remember a little of it.

I think before age 6 is more accurate, based on knowledge of brain development and experience. My son remembers going whale watching at age 7.

But it’s not only about the memories. My son travelled at least once a year starting as a baby and he’s very comfortable with new environments, he’s very social, and he became interested in learning languages and can speak 3, and is on his way to learning another.

I have one kid who is like what you describe, and one who is not. They are just very different people, even though they have done the same trips, etc. It's nice that you have had nice trips with your son.

[Anonymous]

We traveled to Brazil when our son was a baby. People were so incredibly kind and helpful. We never had to wait, were given special accommodations. Of course, our kid doesn't remember anything but it was an amazing experience for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP - I suppose anywhere you go can spark interest even Disney but me? I'd def go somewhere not man made AKA Disney. Maybe even a city with culture you can't duplicate but sure, you find ways to make Disney worth it? My kids have done to Europe. Asia, throughout US and the islands and are in their teens. Don't think they missed much not ever going to Disney.

Here we go... every thread devolves into "I'm cultured cause I didn't take my kids to Disney." Looking forward to the poster saying unless you can take your kids on a 4 month backpacking adventure in Point Nemo where you live off the land, then whatever travel you are doing is too touristy and oversaturated.

There's nothing wrong with taking your kids to Paris! Or London! Or Tokyo! Or Chicago! Or Disney!

We're taking the kids to Disney Tokyo, what does that say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP - I suppose anywhere you go can spark interest even Disney but me? I'd def go somewhere not man made AKA Disney. Maybe even a city with culture you can't duplicate but sure, you find ways to make Disney worth it? My kids have done to Europe. Asia, throughout US and the islands and are in their teens. Don't think they missed much not ever going to Disney.

Here we go... every thread devolves into "I'm cultured cause I didn't take my kids to Disney." Looking forward to the poster saying unless you can take your kids on a 4 month backpacking adventure in Point Nemo where you live off the land, then whatever travel you are doing is too touristy and oversaturated.

There's nothing wrong with taking your kids to Paris! Or London! Or Tokyo! Or Chicago! Or Disney!

We're taking the kids to Disney Tokyo, what does that say?

That you are okay with waiting in lines?

[Anonymous]

Take photos of everything you might worry about at home- nothing like getting on a flight and wondering if you turned off the coffee maker.

I take a backpack with cushioned straps through airports. It's not chic but it's comfortable and helps me move quickly.

My husband travels to more international locations- his advice is to power through the jetlag.

I have a "hangry" family + foodies to boot. I plan food/ restaurants carefully. Even on casual days, I have some plan for food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:On traveling with young kids….do it if you want to do it, but they won’t remember much/. They might remember a particular slide or an animal or one thing you ate. My four year old adored Costa Rica but now a decades later does not remember any of it.

I don’t think early travel really makes them better travelers in the long run — those of you with good travelers that are older probably would have had good travelers anyway/. A lot of it is genetic. Also if your kids were bad travelers (eg didn’t sleep well at night) you probably would have stopped. So you didn’t create good travelers — you just lucked out with them. We traveled a ton when my kids were little but my oldest (now an adult) is just not an avid traveler due to sleep and dietary issues. And I never traveled as a kid because my parents didn’t have the money but I am a great traveler and was pretty much immediately that way as soon as I was able, because my personality type is just laid back, like to try new things and I have no sleep or dietary issues.

I do think early travel can help kids develop interests that will sometimes stick with them. So a kid that takes a great hiking trip at 6 might discover a love of it that causes them to hike more at home and get really into nature. Or a kid might develop an interest in animals or history or something that sticks with them. Like any kind of learning, it’s good for brain development even if it doesn’t stick with them.

All of this is perfectly reasonable but so often when people discuss traveling with young kids the question is whether the kids will remember anything. Another perspective: I don’t care what they remember, if anything. I will remember it! I want the experience of traveling with my kids and seeing the world with them. I want my memories to include the fun places we went together and the experiences we had. My kids are now late teens and we have been traveling together since my youngest was a few months old. We have had years of amazing experiences, I remember all of them and they remember the later ones or funny snippets from the earliest ones. It is all worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP - I suppose anywhere you go can spark interest even Disney but me? I'd def go somewhere not man made AKA Disney. Maybe even a city with culture you can't duplicate but sure, you find ways to make Disney worth it? My kids have done to Europe. Asia, throughout US and the islands and are in their teens. Don't think they missed much not ever going to Disney.

Here we go... every thread devolves into "I'm cultured cause I didn't take my kids to Disney." Looking forward to the poster saying unless you can take your kids on a 4 month backpacking adventure in Point Nemo where you live off the land, then whatever travel you are doing is too touristy and oversaturated.

There's nothing wrong with taking your kids to Paris! Or London! Or Tokyo! Or Chicago! Or Disney!

We're taking the kids to Disney Tokyo, what does that say?

That you are the worst-case scenario.