2 weeks in Europe with 6 and 8 year old

Posted by clark.ashley on 01/23/25 08:40 PM

My family is looking to embark on its first international trip with our 6 and 8 year olds this summer. We're looking at a trip in the June and July timeframe and will be coming from DC.

We are deciding between France, Spain, and Italy -- or some combination of the two. Our interests include: outdoor activities (swimming, kayaking, hiking, exploring parks, riding bikes, boating, surfing), food and culture, museums and sightseeing (a limited number that would appeal to young kids, like the Eiffel Tower). We are open to renting a car so we have the flexibility to get around and find that Airbnbs and rentals suit our family best at this stage of life with access to multiple bedrooms, a kitchen and washer/dryer.

I've been thinking about a few itineraries, like:
San Sebastian to Paris with stops in between
Coastal Provence to Paris with stops in between (we prefer to stay away from the really busy spots like Nice and instead explore smaller town like Sanary-sur-Mer). Our own tour de France of sorts!
Northern Italy - Venice into Lake Garda

Thanks for any suggestions, including specific itineraries you would recommend for a 2 week visit.

Posted by valadelphia

01/23/25 08:48 PM

5567 posts

Those all look great to me! I think the main thing is to keep it limited to no more than three bases. For the first two possibilities, I would sort out how much time you would want in Paris and then see where that leaves you. I felt like Basque Country would be great for an outdoor loving family (I am childfree but have a big family so some places do stand out as kid friendly. Good surf area as well as great hiking.)
For the Italy option, ditto--first determine how much time you would like in Venice, then sort out if you might like to dip up into the mountains (in summer, I would!) if you don't feel you need a week plus on the lake. good luck!

Posted by AmandaR

London, UK

01/23/25 09:27 PM

456 posts

Have a look at camping sites in France, they do really good ones, with cabins as well, good pools and facilities. Often they’re near rivers or other natural areas, which would be great for stop-offs during your travels.

Posted by G3rryCee

Bellingham, WA

01/23/25 10:22 PM

658 posts

Yes to San Sebastián. Great for kids! The amusement park at Monte Igueldo is awesome. And you can take them in all the bars. I did a tapas crawl with my 12yoa son. We both loved it!
Sadly, our AirBnB doesn't seem to be available anymore. It was up on the hill near the Intxaurrondo station. We were in an apartment building just off a large square that had a great playground, a little shop and some restaurants. We walked into the city on the first day but used the bus after that. We didn't have a car and were unable to see the flysch at the Basque Coast Geopark (next time!), but we took the bus to Bilbao to see the Viscaya "hanging" bridge.
On the way to Paris, be sure to visit Sarlat-la-Caneda, which hosts this year's Felibree 7/4-6. Even if you are not there during the festival, if you visit after, you will see the decorations, which are loads of mostly artificial flowers strung up everywhere. So cool!
Also in the Dordogne Valley, Beynac was our favorite castle to visit (among many in several countries), and LaRoc St Christophe was very cool. Cave paintings. Man, there is a LOT going on there. As far as where to stay, I suggest a search of AirBnB for a place that suits your needs (parking, wifi, laundry, whatever), pretty much anywhere in Dordogne. You really can't go wrong.
You might want to rent one car in Spain, then take the train between San Sebastián and maybe Bordeaux and get another car there that you can drop off in Paris (or before). Dropping off in a different city comes with a fee; dropping off in another country comes with a MASSIVE fee.
In Paris consider the Montparnasse Tower instead of the Eiffel Tower for going up. It's pretty cool.