It doesn’t matter where you go. The United States, Europe, Asia; there’s never enough time to do everything. Kids and guidebooks often don’t understand each other’s idea of a perfect day. With my girls, ages eight and eleven, the philosophy has always been use the first trip to help plan the second.
That doesn’t mean you have limit yourself to all too often lackluster bus tours, just because you’re traveling with kids. It just means getting creative. There are lots of ways to cover more ground without a good pair of running shoes.
On a recent trip to Spain, traveling by horse drawn carriage was a popular choice for families. In Nerja and Sevilla, carriages offer access to places buses can’t and can be quite affordable for a family. Find a driver who speaks fluent English, and you’re likely to discover hidden gems, such as great restaurants and local parks. Since you hire them by the hour, you can see as much or as little as you’d like. Throw in a bit of chocolate or a stop for ice cream, and your kids will think you’re the greatest.
Bikes are a blast and can be a tired family’s best friend. Throughout most of Europe, renting a bike is an easy, affordable option. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can plan your own itinerary, or go on a tour and let someone else handle the details.
I booked a tour for my family with Fat Tire Bike Tours to try and help us get a feel for the layout of Paris. We were in town for a family wedding, and our tourist time was at a minimum. The hardest part of the day was choosing a bike. Big ones, small ones, ones with bike seats and tandems—there was a bike to fit every size, every age.
With water bottles tucked in tight, we were off. The guides, mostly U.S. college students on break or doing a semester abroad, were fabulous. Paris is a bustling city, but we never felt unsafe on our bikes. A good two dozen riders strong, we moved in mass through the city. Rolling at an easy pace, my kids didn’t have any trouble keeping up. Nobody complained, nobody got tired, and most importantly nobody wanted to stop.
On a snack break in the Tuileries Gardens we stumbled upon a summer carnival complete with Ferris wheel. After polishing off the world’s largest cotton candy, my girls were ready to roll again. In about four hours we covered almost seven flat, fun-filled miles. We liked the tour so much, we booked the night tour for the next day.
Kids on bikes at night is not usually a good mix. But don’t let the name scare you off. We didn’t do much riding in the actual dark. (During the summer, it’s light until really late at night, adding substantial time to your touring day).
With my youngest daughter on a tandem with dad, and my ten-year-old going it on her own, we took off. As we rode, we watched the city slow down and light up. One turn lead to another and soon we were biking around the Louvre Pyramid. Then there was the ice cream. And not just ordinary ice cream. Berthillon ice cream. You kids will never look at Baskin Robbins the same way again.
When darkness actually started to set in, we headed for the waterfront, locked up our bikes and hopped on board a boat cruise up and down the Seine. My husband and I sipped wine as we sailed past the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre. The girls screamed as the Eiffel Tower turned blue and lit up the sky.
We had such good luck on bikes, when we made it to Sarlat, we decided to test drive a canoe. There are plenty of rental places to choose from in the Dordogne. We went with family-friendly Canoe Vacances.
