Traveling with 12 year olds

"What would be a good "first day" activity to do in Paris?" Take the kids for a walk so that they can tire themselves out!

While I don't disagree with the walk I would add a boat ride. I took one of the ones that are offered on the Seine, but there are others. Pam

Hi Patti, i asked my 12 years old son what where is favorites activities in Paris. Here is what he said:
Paris illumination night tour, climbing the Eiffel tower, and visiting Notre Dame (also climbing the tower there). Have fun with your grandchildren!

Most kids love looking at souvenir shops, and the book stalls along the Seine were perfect. Lots of things for them to buy, and I didn't have to be inside a stuffy little shop. I could stroll along the Seine!

Thanks for the great ideas! Bookshops- and being out in the sun along the river -- can't get any better than that! (Sun - we hope!) Any particular park in Paris you would suggest? Also any suggestions for other places on our itinerary? Definitely we will be checking out luge sites near Fussen and Salzburg. Any favorites? We are planning to drive so can visit out of the way places and stop when something looks interesting.

Not so much for Paris, but for later on, try one of the wonderful swimming pools in Germany or a "fun forest", where they can climb around for a couple of hours.

http://www.gargellen.at/fun_forest.html?L=1

This is a website for one in English, but they have these all over the country and I imagine in Austria and France too. They are so much fun and your grand kids will love it. I am 53 and even I enjoy doing this as there are different levels of difficulty.

Hadn't thought about climbing in Notre Dame and checking out the gargoyles. Good ideas! Thanks! And fun forests sound fabulous - for travel weary adults too! And the kids love to swim. Thanks! Great suggestions to break up the sightseeing activities!

Some of it depends on whether they are boys or girls. Our kids all enjoyed anything to do with hiking, climbing, water, animals and castle ruins.

Our boys liked to spend time at armories and torture museums while our daughter prefered art, music and shopping in flea markets.

With 12 year olds, I wouldn't miss the sewer tours in Paris. And do the fountain tour at Hellbrun just outside of Salzburg.

I just remembered this, although 12 years old might be just outside the age range. Many of the most heavily touristed sites in Germany and France offer activity books specifically for children. For example, at Ludwig's castles, the books give children a list of things to identify, like a hidden emblem or something similar.

Hello Patti, In Paris : the museum Citie des Sciences et Industrie is a wonderful place for bringing children to. Young persons, age 12, like being in that place. It is not mentioned in the book "Rick Steve's PARIS". (??) Read about that museum of science and technology in other travel guide books on France and PARIS : ROUGH GUIDE, Insight Guides, ... I assume that you will be in Paris more than one day. And, a favorite place of French families is Asterix theme park, north of Paris.

Just had my 12 yr old daughter( have taken a 14 yr son a few years ago also) to Europe this past summer, and I myself spent my summer at 12 in France,, so,,

in Paris the obvious stuff is fun,, ET( with my son we climbed the stairs up, it had a shorter line, and the views as you climb through the legs are great) , Notre Dame( the Towers especially) and the boat ride up the Seine at night. I took my son to Paris a few years ago and he loved the Catacombs, and Invalids, my dd was interested in seeing neither.
Daughter loved Versailles, son like renting a bike on the grounds of Versailles and riding around Canals,,you have to adjust for personal tastes.

In Wengen my daughter and LOVED our day hiking in the mountains, we took the cable car from Wengen to Mannlichen.. then did the extremely scenic and easy hike to Kleine Scheidegg,, where you could take the train back into town, or hike back down which we did. Tehre are two ways down,, we took a slightly longer and steeper( not difficult just harder on knees) route by descending far left along ridge,, the main trail down is apparently much easier. Either route is doable by any 12 yr old.

I find most kids like the simple things, stopping for ice cream alot, checking out local parks, etc.
Also dd really enjoyed the Museum in Bolonga that had the 5,000 year old "Ice Man " mummy in it.. if you are driving I think it is well worth the visit.

Well, this could be a tough first day, but I take each of my kids the summer that they are 11 years old and one of the biggest hits in Paris are the Fat Tire Bike Tours. We have done the evening tour of Paris, but even better is the day trip to Versailles. Pick up the bike in Paris, then ride with your guide to the train. Haul the bike onto the train - quite the adventure for an 11 year old - and ride to the town of Versailles. Shop at the market for a picnic and ride around the gardens, touring, have a picnic lunch, tour the chateau and ride back to the train station. It's the best way I have ever seen Versailles and I have been about 5 times now.

If that's too much, I would vote for doing the climb of the Notre Dame tower followed by a walk over to Berthillon for ice cream!