These days, the world is flat when it comes to vacations: they are so much easier to plan and enjoy thanks to the Internet. Even better: your kids can be a part of the vacation in most every way! The sights, sounds and secrets of any major European city can be explored beforehand as well as discussed by the family so as to plan an itinerary that everyone can enjoy, both together and with one or two other family members. A Paris vacation is a great idea owing to its rich history, central location and love affair with the arts.
To travel with kids was once thought a burdensome endeavor, and one that those seeking to enjoy a vacation alone or with someone else tended to abhor. With a bit of planning and the participation of the kids, however, the travel itself can be made a mini-adventure to be enjoyed rather than loathed. Making sure your kids help choose activities, have everything they may need packed and have something to do when there is the inevitable wait (especially at the airport!) are three things that help make travel with kids fun.
Parents would do well to let their kids perform on-line research. A Wyndham Rewards study regarding what kids think about vacations their parents planned stated that approximately 53% of them think they could plan one better. With the World Wide Web at their fingertips, kids can look up all the events, spots and much more for the destination. With that in mind, parents would do well to task their kids to each present three to five ideas and let the family vote for one or two from each child.
During your travel with kids, perhaps the hardest part is the air travel. Be sure to help pack your kids’ bags and make sure that what is included doesn’t violate Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules. Be sure that things your kids may want while waiting can be easily accessed. Finally, don’t forget to let each child have something for that down time for which all airports are notorious. While a book may suffice for you, kids want something interactive, so be sure they have a Gameboy, tablet or perhaps a small digital camera.
If a camera is packed, then be sure to get a selfie stick too! These neat little items are easy to pack (they telescope) and can make a digital camera a whole lot more fun! Bloomberg News, a leading economic news source, disclosed that in 2014, more than 100,000 selfie sticks had been sold. Why miss out on all that fun and the memories? A vacation in Paris is an experience the whole family will cherish for a lifetime.
Not all these tourists go to Paris, of course, but most will visit the City of Love. The entire country boasts some 8,000 museums (as well as 45,000 historic monuments), but there is one museum that must be on the list: the Louvre. As recently as 2014, it was announced that it was the most visited museum in the world: some 9.3 million visitors. Why would you not give your family the chance to see and appreciate the world’s greatest art?
And it need not just be art. Paris boasts loads of great toy shops, winding streets, open cafés and a plethora of gardens, boutiques and activities for kids. There are also zoos, parks and play areas featuring puppet shows, pony rides and bike-riding, the last being a method of conveyance that your kids are sure to love. For those who travel with kids, Paris is a one-stop destination.
But not all travel with kids has to be oriented just for them. There are thousands of intimate, old-world restaurants. And don’t forget the world-class wines! While travel with kids probably prevents such an in-depth appreciation of wine, the restaurants in Paris will allow for an authentic taste of that which the world loves.
What are you waiting for? Seeing as nearly 50% of Americans take a summer vacation, and with the ease that travel with kids has become, it’s time that the whole family get geared up to enjoy one of the greatest cities on the planet: Paris!