Mother/Daughter First Trip Inquiries

Suggestions on what? Food, sights, restaurants, transportation. The best thing to do is do a little homework. Purchase a few guide books. Each will give you a different perspective on the same sights. Once you determine what you want to see, you can than ask specific questions.

I would suggest starting out by reading Europe Through the Back Door (you can probably find it at your local library, or any bookstore). It will give you a good overview of the travel skills you will need for your trip. Then look at several different guidebooks. Not only do they offer different perspectives about an area, but they specialize in different information. Some are more useful than others for dining and lodging information, some have better maps than others, etc. Consider what you spend on guidebooks to be part of the cost of the trip, and choose one or two that have the type of information you are looking for.

Make a list of things you think you would like to see in each city, and then we can help you narrow it down. Have fun planning!

Thanks for info. I purchased Europe Through the Back Door and will get it in the mail shortly. I was more interested in the sites aspect of my inquiry. Are there some "famous" waste off times? Do you recommend dinner at the Eiffel Tower? Where do the locals eat? I know there is a beautiful outdoor market somewhere?

London Sights (pick what appeals to you):
-- Tower of London (which includes the crown jewels)
-- Buckingham Palace of you are there when it's open to the public
-- British Museum
-- Harrods
-- Victoria and Albert Museum (decorative arts)

Paris Sights:
-- Eiffel Tower, Arc d'Triophe
-- Musee d"Orsay, Louvre
-- Notre Dame Cathedral
-- Maybe daytrip to Versailles, but there is so much to do in Paris

melissa,

I'm assuming from your Post that you trip will only be about five nights? Keep in mind that you'll lose the first day in flight times and time zone changes, and noramlly arrive the day after you departed.

The suggestions from Vernon in the previous post are about what I was going to mention, however I'd try to divide the time about equally between London and Paris.

The day trip to Versailles sounds wonderful! However, I am completely non knowledgeable about travel in Europe, if it was the Caribbean it would be a different story. I will be in London for 2 nights coming to Paris for 3 and then back to London for 2 before returning home. What is the safest, cost effective, way from London to Paris that a mom and daughter will not get confused? I do appreciate all your suggestions.

Melissa - You should fly into London and out of Paris and take the Eurostar from London to Paris. Otherwise, you'll spend too much time on a train. As for the Eiffel Tower, most agree that the dinner there is overpriced and not worth the money. If you only have three nights in Paris, you might want to focus on Paris sights and not do a day trip to Versailles.

How long on the Eurostar is it? I have already made my arrangements with each establishment and our focal really was London but did not want to pass on the opportunity to see Paris. Is the Eurostar confusing? That was a good point on Versailles there are so many wonderful foot tours within Paris it seems.

You can see a good deal of the best of Paris in 3 days -- at least all the high spots. Take one of the bus tours and venture off the bus for walks in areas that intrigue you. You can have great meals very inexpensively in the Latin Quarter or pretty much anywhere on the Left Bank, and there's a lot to see in that area, too. Any good travel book will break down the City into easily-manageable days; Rick's "Paris 2010" book is a great guide. I agree with not discounting the effect of jet lag and time change, but one good night's sleep will solve that. I split my time between London, Oxford and Paris on a trip with my son a couple of years ago and we saw all of what we wanted to in Paris in a long weekend. That doesn't give you much time in the museums, but if you plan carefully, you can do what is important to you. The Eurostar is very quick and pleasant -- Just know where you want to go when you arrive in Paris and take a cab -- transportation at Gare de Nord is difficult. Have a great time!