First-Time Traveller

Europe will be memorable - guaranteed - and I recommend it. On our first trip, with 2 kids, we rented a campervan in Frankfurt and toured Germany and France for a month. There are larger motorhomes available. Camping fees can be quite low, and Europeans love to camp so you'll meet a few. It's a more relaxing way to travel than a train IMO, and picnic meals make it a lot less expensive. Just a thought.

Marci, What is your budget? For six of you, even for just 10 days in Europe will run over $10k (conservatively). What are the ages of the kids?

The budget is where I'm running into a problem. The ages of the kids are 17, 11,10 and 7 with the youngest being the most difficult child and only girl. :) I really wanted to try to do the family for under 5k unfortunately. Maybe we should do the family vacation closer to home and save Europe for a couples trip...?

The way airfare is running lately, you'll likely spend $5K just in airfare, not to mention passports (if the kids don't have them already). Once you get to Europe, you can travel relatively cheaply with kids, it's the getting there that can break the bank.

Well, maybe we should save the family European trip for later. :( I agree...airfare is soooo expensive! Ok then...we'll do something closer for the family and maybe head over seas for our trip alone...The question is where? Like I said, I want to see so many places I just don't know where to start...Ireland, Italy, Paris, Spain, Greece??? Any advice there for a first timer?

It really doesn't matter what countries you visit first. You can have fun anywhere in Europe. You have to do some research and decide what places appeal to you the most. Then pick one or maybe two countries, get the maps and guidebooks, and try to come up with a sensible itinerary. The main thing is not to try to do too much in one trip. If you try to see too many places, you'll wind up spending too much time (and money) just getting from place to place. Once you've made your first trip to Europe, I guarantee you'll want to return again. You'll find out that it's much easier to do than most people think. So it's pretty safe to assume that your first trip won't be your only one. You don't have to cover the waterfront your first try.

Since you haven't traveled before, I would suggest visiting the UK or Ireland for your first trip. For one thing, you won't have language difficulties (well, not as many, anyway).

I would agree with Nancy in picking somewhere in the UK so you don't have to deal with a language barrier...In terms of trying to stay within a budget, Ireland's Aer Lingus seems to always have some of the consistently cheapest airfare (by comparison, anyway), and lots of sales seem to pop up.

For something closer to home, consider Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Boundary Waters of MN, Glacier National park and the surrounding area, San Francisco and Sonoma. Since you're from Oregon, renting a camper and hitting the Canadian Rockies, Vancouver, then circling back through Glacier might be fun.

How about renting a place on Cannon Beach or Lincoln City for a week with the fam (tank of gas will get you there from anywhere in OR). Lots for kids of all ages to do. Then take the savings and use on the couples trip to Europe? Agree UK or Ireland are are good first stop and then maybe pair with a little more intense (Paris or Rome or ??).

I would not make England or Ireland the first trip to Europe unless that is where I really wanted to go. Having traveled to many countries and not knowing anything but a little Spanish, you just work it out. Sign language, smiles, drawings, pointing will usually get you what you need. Yes, you will probably want to go back after the first trip, but sometimes things are not always possible....(especially with 4 kids) I would go to where I dream of going, not what I think might be easy.

I agree. Don't pick your first European destination by what's easy. Choose someplace you've always dreamed of. You will easily be able to communicate in all of the places you mentioned ... Paris, Italy, Spain, Greece. Of those four, I think Greece may be the most English-speaking of all, unless you're on a tiny island. And even then, a non-English speaker simply has to ask a child to act as translator, as they all learn English in school. So take a family trip nearby (Cannon Beach? Yosemite?). And then start planning a great European adventure.

Marci, do you watch Rick Steves' TV programs? They're available for viewing - for free! - on this website and on YouTube. I'd suggest that you start by watching them and seeing with ones set your heart aflutter...;-) Only problem with that strategy is that you want to go to wherever the last program was LOL! Then read "Europe Through the Back Door" for the practical advice you need to plan and enjoy a trip to Europe. That book will be money well spent (or, check your library - I'm sure they have a copy, if it's not perpetually checked-out!).

Marci, Travellling in Europe would be an excellent experience, either for your family vacation or for a trip for just you and your fiancé. However, when travelling with four children you'll definitely need to consider the budget. For the first trip, you and your fiancé might consider going without the children just to get used to travelling in Europe. I definitely agree with a previous reply, which suggested reading Europe Through The Back Door to begin with. That will provide you with a lot of information on how to travel "well" in Europe. Watching Rick's shows on PBS will give you some ideas on places you might like to visit. It would help if you could provide a few ideas on the places you want see, as I'm sure the group here would be able to offer lots of practical suggestions. Although this Forum is primarily concerned with Europe, you could mention other places too as some HelpLine members live in those locations and can provide practical travel advice (including some who live in Hawaii). Your feeling of being "overwhelmed" will probably subside once you start narrowing down places you want to see. Good luck with your planning!

Marci:
Perhaps I missed it, but the ages of the children are probably important pieces of the puzzle. While Europe leaves most first time visitors wanting more like it did my wife and me; for some it can be nightmarish. If you, your fiance, and especially the children, are comfortable with un-routine events, and enjoy the unexpected (like a transportation strike, or a hotel reservation that got lostboth of which we encountered on consective days), then go for Europe. By all means, go for the place you really want to visit (If Italy for example, perhaps a week-long-stay in a Tuscany villa with day trips to where-ever via car). But, if unexpected events bring frustration, etc., to any one of your group, then maybe stay a bit closer to home. I have never met anyone who visited Hawaii and didn't like italot. A cruise to several of the Islands might be just the ticket. It would be a memorable event, and you could budget your trip with most costs known up-front. If I lived in Oregon, I'd rent a car and drive to Vancover and take the Canadian Pacific to Winnipeg or Toronto, the countryside is beautiful and the hotels are fantastic. When you get to the eastern terminus, stay a day or so, then fly home. Back to Europe before closing: Have you considered an European cruise? With a cruise you won't have the hassle of changing lodging and you can have an introduction to several of the larger cities on the coasts.

Oh, I would recommend going to Europe - even if you have to cut it down a few days. I saw so many 45E/night hotels on booking.com today and (GE) bahn passes are a spezial for 24E each way now.
Your children are at an age where Europe will be breathtaking and a lifelong memorable experience.

With 6 people traveling on a 5K budget I'd stick closer to home. During the time kids can travel airfare from the west coast to Europe is high. When I was a kid all I wanted to do on vacation was swim. I'd go to Hawaii now and plan for a European trip in a year or a few years later then you can save or plan for a higher budget.

Wow...lots of great advice...since someone asked...kids are 17, 11, 10, and 7. I think I do agree that maybe Europe with the kids should wait. My 7 year old is a bit difficult anyways. :) I really like the idea of Canada with the kids. We've done a lot of small family trips around here...(Lincoln City, Cannon Beach, Seaside etc) We haven't been to Crater Lake or the San Juan Islands so that might be an option as well. If my fiance and I go to Europe, I'd really like to see Greece or Italy and Ireland is on my list as well. My fiance has been to Italy, Paris, and Germany etc when he was stationed there years ago. He would love to see Spain though. We have also considered going to Mexico, Isla Mujeres looks especially nice to us. We've really been discussing this a lot. I'm a bit more adventurous as far as the fact I'd love to just book airfare and find our way around and places to stay on the fly..fiance...not so much. lol

Also, I have watched Rick Steves but I will definitely watch more episodes hoping for inspiration. I have Europe through the Back Door..but it's the 2008 edition so I'll need to upgrade that.

ETBD 2008 is fine; the info probably hasn't changed that much, anyway. It's not like a guidebook with hotel and restaurant info, museum hours and entrance prices, etc. The basics - how to ride trains/buy tickets/read timetables, how to call home, what and how to pack, etc. haven't changed. You're fine with the 2008 edition. Have fun dreaming and planning!

Marci, One comment on travelling east by train from Vancouver. You'll likely be travelling on VIA Rail and while it's a beautiful trip, it's not cheap! With a group of six, I'm not sure if you'd be able to do that trip with a budget of $5K? You could start in Victoria and Vancouver, perhaps heading east to Banff/Jasper and ending in Calgary? There are LOTS of possibilities, depending on which mode(s) of transport you plan on using, what you want to see, etc. Incidentally, I was in Portland for a short visit a few weeks ago. Cheers!

Marci, "I love this little city...There's no place like home." I feel the same way about living here! I love to travel, but there's nothing like coming home to familiar surroundings. Cheers!

Thanks for the heads up on the Canada trip! Good to know! Maybe we'll just do a road trip if we head up that way! Cool that you were in Portland. :) I love this little city...There's no place like home.

Just keep in mind flying to/from Europe means a ghastly long flight and you'll be flying coach. The kids will get awfully restless (we adults do too!!); meals are so-so at best; movies are limited. Have you thought about something memorable here in the U.S.? The Grand Canyon is simply gorgeous.