Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a reason why Denmark/norway is better for those ages?

NP and my favorite place in the world is Paris but I agree with Denmark/Norway with kids those ages. To me, the fun of Paris is “adult” stuff like shopping, strolling around, seeing art and beautiful spaces, and eating. There are just more fun/exciting activities for kids in Copenhagen - Tivoli, outside swimming, castle tours, etc. And Norway has beautiful nature and hikes for kids those ages. As does Switzerland, but Switzerland is really expensive and I think Norway is equally or more stunning.

PP again. Norway is also extremely expensive so I guess that’s not really a differentiator. I just like the scenery more.

Anonymous wrote:Is there a reason why Denmark/norway is better for those ages?

NP and my favorite place in the world is Paris but I agree with Denmark/Norway with kids those ages. To me, the fun of Paris is “adult” stuff like shopping, strolling around, seeing art and beautiful spaces, and eating. There are just more fun/exciting activities for kids in Copenhagen - Tivoli, outside swimming, castle tours, etc. And Norway has beautiful nature and hikes for kids those ages. As does Switzerland, but Switzerland is really expensive and I think Norway is equally or more stunning.

Denmark/Norway!!
Not even close in my opinion

Is there a reason why Denmark/norway is better for those ages?

Anonymous wrote:Op again. Kids are 12 and 9. Grandparent is in her 70s but pretty fit. Can hike as long as the terrain is even.

I would definitely choose the Denmark/Norway option. There are some really cool Viking attractions in both places that kids this age would like. But I would spend most of the time in Norway. See previous threads on Norway.

Op again. Kids are 12 and 9. Grandparent is in her 70s but pretty fit. Can hike as long as the terrain is even.

How old are your kids and how mobile is the grandparent?

Airbnbs are plentiful both places, though if you do Copenhagen I would look into hotels, some of which will offer "family rooms" that might have the space you need. When we travelled to Copenhagen with our DC we found it easier to book hotels even though we usually stay in AirBnBs. In Paris I would do an AirBnB or other apartment rental for sure because hotel rooms there tend to be very small.

You will find vegetarian options in both cities. Both cities have fantastic food but you will need to be very careful about where you eat because not all place accommodate vegetarians. This will be even more true when you venture outside the cities. Though do you eat fish? If so then Norway will be much easier than Switzerland.

In general I think Copenhagen is better with younger kids as there is more for them to do there. For MS and HS kids I would lean more towards Paris as it's larger and more cosmopolitan and older kids will appreciate those aspects more.

Both cities are very easy to get around on foot and by public transportation but if the grandparent has mobility issues, Copenhagen may actually be a bit easier because it is smaller. Though honestly you will do a ton of walking both places.

Is the plan for Norway the fjords? How would you visit them? I would actually suggest doing Sweden instead of Norway if you just want nature and outdoors -- closer and there's ton of scenic nature to see there.

Sorry I can't pick one or the other for you without knowing your situation a bit more. Both are good options.

Paris isn’t great for vegetarians. It is also sometimes very hot in August. If you don’t want somewhere with a lot of history then Paris is bad, there is a lot of it there unfortunately.

I would do Copenhagen/Norway.

I’d do Switzerland but skip Paris.

Op again: the question is which of these 2 options would you pick.

Planning our summer vacation for Aug 2025. Includes our family of 4 plus 1 grandparent for 10 days. Trying to hit a city plus some scenic outdoors. We like nature, cities and history in moderation plus something fun for the kids ( like tivoli). Moderation being the key word. We are a vegetarian family to easy access to kid friendly vegetarian food is a huge plus. And places we can get by with English would be great. (Yes, we’ll learn some phrases before we go.)
Also, is Airbnb well established in these cities? Anything to look out for? With a party of 5 it’s easier to have a place than book 2 rooms.