Paris/London with teens

Breakfast in French hotels is rarely a good deal, even when 'included'. There might be exceptions of course.
Also, with three teens you might be better off renting an apartment, because you will need at least 2 hotel rooms (this will imply that 2 teens share a bed in a triple room, because rooms with three single beds are very rare), perhaps 3.

We took our daughters to London and Paris on a spring break trip when they were teens, and it was a great trip. They liked London more than Paris, but that had more to do with various events that occurred in Paris (like the older one fainting while we were waiting to be seated for lunch in the cafe at Museo d”Orsay).

I would definitely urge you to consider renting an apartment rather than staying in hotels—-both for economy and because hotel rooms for 5 are nearly impossible to find. In Paris they really liked the croissants their dad picked up at the corner bakery every morning for breakfast.

Owner rentals like AirBnB and VRBO are highly regulated in both London and Paris, so I suggest you avoid the pitfalls there and rent from an agency. For Paris, we used VacationInParis which was an excellent choice:

https://www.vacationinparis.com/index.php

It is actually an American company, so there are no communication issues. They have been around a long time (we used them 17 years ago) and have an excellent reputation.

For London, I suggest Marlin apartments. These are serviced apartments in a dedicated building with reception desk. They have several locations around London, but I like the Queen Street one best:

https://www.marlin.com/locations/London-City-Queen-Street

This is very close to St. Paul’s and right near the #15 bus route for easy east-west travel between Trafalgar Square and the Tower of London.

Also consider how much those 3 vacuum cleaners are going to eat, again indicating that an apartment with a kitchen and a generous fridge makes the most sense. Near a supermarket would also help.

Also give a lot of thought to what you're going to see and do, we had some friends who took their teens to Italy and the kids were bored to tears by churches and museums and statues and buildings and weren't happy until they hit the beach in Amalfi.

I'll add my 2 cents based on our experience taking our 10 and 12 year old kids to those cities - let them help plan what they would like to do and see. It helps if they have an idea of what they do/don't want to see and do and you can create a list of places that they can choose from every day. And leave time for afternoon snacks and time to chill out. Besides museums and key historical sights, don't overlook fun places like the markets and quirky sights. Enjoy this time with them!!

London Street Markets are free entertainment. These are held on different days around town. Everything a teen could want: Shopping, Food, Musicians, and fellow Teens. Wander in the City Parks. Go to Highgate Cemetery. Families are allowed in Pubs: eat and watch sports on big screen with the fans. Score some Game Tickets. Go to Theatre with bargain Day of Show tickets. Go to the Tower of London. Ride Boat on Thames. Go to Hampton Court on the Train. If Teens are old enough, let them do their own thing a couple of times and Rendezvous later, so Mom & Dad can have some special time! Get transportation passes that covers buses, underground and river transport. I don't know Paris as well as London, but I would hope that you can make it to Versailles. Bon Voyage!

Personally, I would stick with London and day trips from there depending on the amount of time you have and your budget. Unless things change, adding Paris to the mix will mean extra covid testing and getting a passe sanitaire. The other posters have given you lots of good advice.

I’m biased. Been to Paris twice. London over 2 dozen times. Guess which city I prefer.

As advised get input from the teens about where they are interested in going and what is of importance for them to see.

Historical sites? Art? Theatre? Museums?

As already suggested consider renting an apartment and cooking meals there.

If you go to London, explore street market food vendors as well as looking at pub lunches. Yes, teens can go to pubs which might interest them. Pubs are places where families gather ( including babies in prams and the family dog ) so don’t be leery.

Lots to explore in London. It’s not cheap but with planning and research it can be a lovely family adventure.

I agree about limiting trip to England. If they are Harry Potter fans and studio is open, you should book that months in advance. British Museum has mummies. If you have one or more girls, maybe Windsor Castle. Possibly Bath and vicinity-best as an overnight trip. You need to involve them in the planning-they can watch videos on this website.

The company London Walks has an extensive slate of walking tours. I've taken many and found them all very interesting. The guides are licensed (so the spiel is accurate), and some of them are out-of-work actors, making for dynamic delivery. In the past one simply showed up at the designated Underground station to take one of the tours. At the moment--whether because of lower demand or a desire to limit the size of the tour groups I don't know--you need to make a reservation. It appears that some of the scheduled tours end up getting canceled (perhaps too few registrants in this period of reduced tourism), but there are nine tours that will be running tomorrow. Perhaps the pre-registration policy will be eliminated before your visit. It is very nice to check out the weather before committing to a walking tour in London.

Tours cost £15 for adults, £10 for seniors and students over 15, and £5 for children up to 15.

The Portobello Road market is best on Saturday. I believe Camden Market is busiest on weekends.

Agree with apartments for 5 people.

In Paris and London find the local market days and make a cultural experience out of shopping for some of your meals. Great produce, cheeses, baked goods etc and shop with local vendors and people. In paris hotel breakfast was usually extra and going to a corner cafe was a better deal. Crepe stands were also a good deal and enjoyed by our teens. Davidleibovitz.com website was useful for us to find good affordable local restaurants.

In London finding ethnic neighborhood restaurants is a good value and lets your kids experience unique foods as london is a big melting pot. The markets also have a big variety of food stalls where you can affordably try different cuisines. London cheap eats is a good site for finding good value foods in London.

Breakfast is never free -- you pay higher rates. It is also virtually impossible to find hotel rooms for 5. I would rent an apartment -- let's say you have 5 nights/4 days in each place. Fly into London rent an apartment -- 2 bedroom preferably for 5 nights then take the Eurostar to Paris for a 5 night/4 day apartment there and fly home from Paris. I believe there are airport fees that make flying out of London slightly higher hence Paris first -- but you check by looking at your flight prices before booking.

I have been flying 'open jaw' for 25 years to Europe -- all sorts of combos -- into Paris our of Madrid -- into Vienna our of Amsterdam etc etc and it usually costs about the average of the two round trips. and in a fairly short trip you save a whole day of vacation that would otherwise have been spent on logistics of returning to home base.

If for some reason you must do round trips into one of these cities, then book your Eurostar later that day and use that first jet lag day of travel to get to your furthest point. That day is kind of a waste after an overnight flight from North America -- use it for logistics, then head back to the city for your final days and be there to fly home.

An apartment is not only more cost effective for families because of the need for at least two hotel rooms with 5 people, but you can both save money and enjoy some local food shopping by doing breakfasts in the apartment, having snacks and if you wish preparing or getting take out dinners. Paris in particular has wonderful options for buying prepared foods for the occasional meal. You can also go to a butcher shop and get pate and ham etc and a bakery for some baguettes and prepare picnic lunches for the parks at great savings.

My other advice based on traveling with our teens and later 20 somethings is to have them participate in planning activities in each city and also plan to split up into smaller teams from time to time rather than trying to move 5 people always together. A day where father/sons go do something the Mom/daughters are not interested in and then meet up for dinner can be refreshing for everyone. I remember exploring aqueduct park in Rome with my son while my husband and daughter did some shopping which is something I have no interest in which was very enjoyable for all of us. Older teams can also be turned loose on their own occasionally.

What the rest have said. I'll add in my 2 cents worth as one who has 5 kids, and taken them to Europe multiple times (and been to Paris 15+ times, London 7+ times).

One, I NEVER plan anything too early in the morning when I travel with my kids. I find its best for all :-). Also, I always try to have free afternoon time as well - too much activity in a day is going to be an issue. Food: I make sure my kids get to sample local cuisine... but also try to plan around their likes as well (although NEVER fast food). Paris breakfasts - if hotel, forget breakfast included - the croissants are amazing, and my kids LOVED breakfasts in Paris (no issues in London either). Museums: I def take my kids... but with the understanding we are not staying as long as I normally would, and will not be doing more than 1 every few days or so - outdoor actives seem to work much better. My last Tripp to Paris was with my then 11 year old daughter (youngest, right before Covid). She had a blast - loved the Marais. DOn't underestimate their willingness to explore the cities - again, out door exploring much better!

As others have said, I would look at an apartment - may be the better route rather than multiple hotel rooms - will also have more space. I am going to Paris this spring with my Wife, and we got a lovely apartment in the Marais.

Last piece of advice, let the kids have a say (to within reason) - plan where you are eating with all in mind - but make sure the adults get a nice night out or 2 :-). I LOVE traveling with my kids - they all have a great time, and we get to bond.

Glenn

Thank you so much everyone! All these responses have been very helpful!

With 4-5 people, I think AirBnb/renting an apartment makes sense. Paris apartments tend to be small and quirky, so be prepared for that. So, I agree with others on that.

You can also use the Paris Metro with a Navigo card unlimited, all zones (airport, Versailles, etc), for €22 + €5 for the card, Monday to Sunday. Depending on when you arrive, that can be very helpful and more cost effective.

For breakfast, the best thing I've found I just hitting up a local bakery in the morning and eating in your apartment. I would bring a french press or pour over maker from home for coffee and buy some ground coffee and butter, eggs, jam, etc. from a supermarket in Paris. You can have an amazing breakfast for €3 per person.

For restaurants, I would just recommend planning ahead and knowing what you value. Paris has amazing food at every price point and you just need to find the right place for you and your family to try out. There are pretty affordable large restaurants that serve the typical French main courses, often as a fixed price menu. Bouillon Pigalle, Bouillon Chartier and Bistrot Victoires for example. Pizzeria Popolare is great for Napoli style pizza and isn't expensive. Tons of great street food in Paris as well that's often an incredible value for the quality.

Hi, I will add a couple comments. We took our teenage boys to Paris pre-pandemic, and I will be candid that they did not enjoy the trip. (And they are good travelers and usually up for anything.) One of my mistakes was not renting an apartment, so it did feel like we were on a constant hunt for food and had to eat out all the time. And, they are just not that into museums and shopping. We did a food tour, which was a hit, and they enjoyed just wandering the streets. But overall not one of our more successful trips. Your kids may be totally different, but wanted to tell you our experience. If you go, I also highly recommend getting an apartment rather than a hotel.

We are taking them to London in 2022 so I'll follow this thread for suggestions with interest!

Here's some trip reports from people who took teenagers to London:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/7-days-in-london-with-15-year-old

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/8-days-in-london-with-my-10yo-grandson

Agree with what the others have said--rent an apartment in both cities. We recently rented an apartment in Paris from Cobblestone, which is recommended in the Rick Steves guidebooks, and were extremely pleased. They provide a greeter who meets you at the apartment or a nearby cafe, shows you how to get in, and explains how appliances function. This is a great benefit for tired travelers. Plus the apartment we rented had a dishwasher, washing machine, and a dryer--a must when traveling with teens.

When we were in Paris with our rebellious teenage son years ago, we found that he liked riding the Metro, especially Lines 2 and 6, which travel above ground along much of their routes. He was shocked when we let him order a glass of wine or beer at a restaurant. He thought sports shops with European soccer jerseys were "cool." Going up to the top of the Eiffel Tower was a big hit, and he enjoyed the modernist architecture of the Pompidou Center as well as the modernist art collection. Too many churches and museums were not welcomed, so choose wisely.

One problem I would like to address is jet lag. He had a bad case of it and wouldn't listen to his parents about staying up the first day as long as possible before going to bed. The result was that it took him a long time to adjust--he was often up in the middle of the night playing video games. We faced a crabby, sleepy teen every morning and often did not get out of the apartment until noon. Maybe you could look online in advance for tips on how to deal with teenage jet lag?

We dealt with teen schedules by my wife and i taking a walk when we got up and letting them sleep. Teens need more sleep than us. We would get time together and wander neighborhoods or churches they didn't have interest in. They got extra sleep. We weren't frustrated inn the room hoping they would wake up soon. Once they knew where the local cafe was we just told them to go grab breakfast when they felt like it and text us so we would meet up.

And yes get them to help plan sites. Getting them involved helps immensely. You dont have to do only things they want, but they will pock things you dont think of and maybe you will learn too. One of our memorable days in london ended up being shopping for a suit at petticoat lane for a kid i had no idea was interested in having a suit (we are pretty rural so buying a suit on a street seemed exciting to him) they also loved a jack the ripper london walks walk and the catacombs in paris.

Prior to foreign travel with my teens and nearly teens, I would find something for them to read about where we were going. Our first foreign trip was a trip to Mexico City and Taxco. I gave my 10 year old daughter a book to read about the history of Mexico that include the pre-Columbian. Also, I would purchase a guidebook (no internet then) and show them the places that I thought they would want to see.

I would offer the guidebook for them to peruse or read as much as they wanted. They were always interested and excited about the trips and would do so, further enriching their knowledge of the history and sites we would see.

Further, I would ask them if they had any ideas on what they wanted to do.

I remember my Daughter on going to Venice wanted to ride in a gondola. When we got to Venice we did a gondola ride, and I had my Daughter negotiate with the gondola driver.

My policy is to avoid hotel breakfasts whenever possible, because they really overcharge for them, but I like to have something that's not pure carbohydrate for breakfast. I've found it's easy to find single-serving quiches in French bakeries, along with ham-, cheese- or ham-and-cheese-croissants. Some places might be able to warm the quiche for you, but I'm too impatient and just eat mine at room temperature. The previously-suggested crepes are a good idea; I'm not sure how early creperies usually open, but crepe stands at markets should be available pretty early.

In London I often stop at the nearest Pret a Manger for one of their good salad boxes; the also have nice sandwiches. While not super-cheap, their items are usually more interesting than the equivalents bought at a grocery store, and they are a lot less expensive than a restaurant meal.

I too have used Cobblestone Paris, twice actually. This coming Nov/Dec I will be renting an apartment through Apartments du Louvre,

https://www.apartmentsdulouvre.com, both their buildings have an elevator, which works for my mom who has limited mobility.

Having been to London and Paris many times, I prefer Paris.

I agree with the majority opinion above on hotel breakfasts... avoid! One of my favourite things in Paris is to sit in a cafe with a coffee and a croissant or pain au chocolat in the morning. Many Paris hotel breakfasts are served in basements! No thanks.

An apartment is the way to go for a group of 5. Our most recent visit to Paris was with another couple. We had a marvelous apartment on Ile St Louis through ParisVacationApartments.com. One thing you need to be aware of in Paris is the apartment you rent must have a code number denoting it is a legal rental. PVA does not post the numbers on their site but will supply it on request.

We did a couple of Paris visits with one of our daughters when she was in her mid teens. I took the advice to get her involved rather than just dragging her from place to place. I'm very familiar with the Paris Metro but told her she was in charge of all subway navigation... she read up on it before we left and never put a foot wrong when we were there. And this is a kid brought up on a farm who'd never been on public transit before in her life! LOL She also loved both the Electric Bike tour we did (Paris Charms and Secrets) and the Segway tour. We did several museums but again, tried to interest our teen. She has always been fascinated by ancient Egypt and loves Greek mythology so rather than spend a lot of time looking at European religious art, guess which parts of the Louvre we spent time in? ;^)

Hope you have a lot of fun!