Two years ago, we decided it was time to bring our kids to Europe for their first international trip. The airlines were finally starting to recover from the pandemic and we were ready… but had to move our trip back a summer to help Ken’s mom move across the country. But by 2024 we were more than ready to go! Europe was the obvious choice for us since I lived in Germany for a few years and feel more at home in Europe than I do in the States. We couldn’t wait to show the kids Amsterdam (our favorite city) and France, both Paris and Normandy Beach. Our youngest, Cassidy, has always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, Aidan has his daddy’s artistic talent and couldn’t wait to see the art museums and our oldest, Ethan, is our historian and wanted to go to Normandy Beach. We determined our itinerary would be around the Low Countries (the Netherlands, France and Belgium) and when we found inexpensive flights on the low cost Icelandic carrier Play we decided to give them a try since the tickets cost about $500 per person, from the USA to Amsterdam round trip! We did have to add a positioning flight from our airport to Washington D.C. for the deal, so that cost increased the total price, but was still a steal for summer flights to Europe.
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
I’m often asked how I find inexpensive plane tickets to Europe and here is my best advice. First, when traveling a long distance, be sure to plan your international trip for 10+ days to get the most out of your flight price and to capitalize on seeing a few locations or getting outside of the large cities to do day trips. For us, 2 weeks is the perfect balance with a family, longer and the kids start missing their friends and pets, plus it is hard to work on the road and spend quality time as a family. Hubby did a great job of balancing it, but it was hard. I didn’t do as good of a job balancing it. I was planning to do a lot more hotel tours and videos, but I’m disappointed with my lack of footage. Many adults love to travel and can go, go, go… I’m one of those people that could travel 365 days a year, but my family aren’t all built that way and traveling for longer puts too much pressure on patience and exhaustion. Additionally, there is a lot of walking, stairs and dragging suitcases, so after 2 weeks, backs and feet get sore and we all look forward to sleeping in our own beds again.
Low cost airline sales and watching for deals on apps like Travel Pirates and Going are great ways to jump on a cheap opportunity. Flying mid-week is always cheaper than on the weekend, hence why I took my kiddos out of school two days early, because the difference between 2 days can be thousands! There are also a few flight carriers that offer a week-long layover in their home country as a way to promote tourism, this can be a great way to add seeing a whole new country like Iceland (Icelandair) or Portugal (TAP airlines) to your itinerary without added transportation expenses. The option to pay off flights over a few months (or even a year) with Affirm or Uplift is a great way to get the flights you want now, but have time to pay, especially when taking a family of 5 to Europe. Finally, my best tip is to use credit card miles and frequent flier programs to rack up points to purchase flights in miles and not cash. Being loyal to a brand like Air France, KLM or Southwest (only flies in North America) allows you to wrack up miles sooner, especially if you have a certain area of the world you like to visit. Once in Europe, flights are often inexpensive on budget carriers such as Ryanair, Easy Jet, Vueling, German wings, etc. or look into taking trains, ferries or renting a car.
Passports & Documentation
We booked our flights before getting the kids passports, but for most first time international travelers I suggest applying for the passports before booking the trip, since so many first time passport waiting times are increasing due to high demand and low staff to process requests. Ken and I both have global entry status and I highly recommend it for anyone who is traveling out of the country at least once a year, but did not get our kids Global Entry yet, since our two underage kids can get it for free in October when the rules change and our oldest’s account is pending. He will be able to have his interview upon our return to the States since his clearance status is pending, but usually citizens need to apply and then schedule an interview at a local international airport. There are new visa requirements being adopted into the European Union for US citizens and will soon need to register their travel plans a few days before traveling to the EU, however it did not take effect in May 2024 as was originally projected so we still have not needed to deal with visas. I probably will in November when we head back to Amsterdam next.
European Itineraries
My original plan was to fly into one city and out of another, however Paris flights were really expensive because of the Olympics/French Open/80’s anniversary in Normandy and when we found the Play airline deal we decided round trip could work for us on this particular trip. We will fly into Amsterdam and will spend almost a week in the Jordaan, then travel by train to Paris for a few more days before picking up a rental car to drive to Normandy. After we explore Normany, we will drive through Belgium, stopping in Brussels and Antwerp, then back across the Netherlands border to spend our last 2 days at the Dutch Seaside village of Zandvoort before flying home from Schiphol airport. Hubby and I feel very comfortable, and prefer to drive ourselves in Europe and he is a parking pro. He can get any car into the tightest European spaces, even a 3rd row Euro car. I acknowledge that many first time visitors to Europe may be intimidated by driving with signs in other languages. We look signs up on google, save our itineraries on google maps and sometimes make mistakes and have a good laugh about them.
This was the best itinerary for our family, but not the best for everyone. Many travelers choose to go to their country of origin first, because they want to follow their roots and often they want to experience the food and culture from that region. Many first time international travelers are concerned about not being able to speak the language and would like to go someplace like England or Ireland for their first trip, so that language is not a worry. If this is your situation, consider the Netherlands since the Dutch learn English & Dutch in school and everyone will speak to you in English straight away. Sometimes tourists feel like they need to at least try to speak the language, but this isn’t even a concern in Amsterdam. Even in notoriously snobby language areas, like France, you simply need to learn a few greetings and pleasantries in the language, but still will not have much trouble. Some other first time, family friendly itineraries could include:
- Ireland, Scotland, England
- Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic (Poland is becoming more popular)
- Spain & Portugal
- Complete Italy itinerary
- Greece & the Greek Islands
- Mediterranean Cruises (see lots of cities without dragging your bags through every airport and train station)
I often hear concerns about mobility in Europe, walking 20,000+ steps is very realistic when touring a city. In addition to walking a lot, there are lots of stairs and often very steep flights that curve that you have to drag bags up. Many European travelers call themselves backpackers because they wear backpacks instead of pulling suitcases. They don’t have much on the suitcase travelers in the airport, but once those travelers have to carry their suitcases up stairs or pull them across a cobblestone street, they quickly see why international travelers prefer backpacks.
Packing for Europe
My husband is the heavier packer out of the two of us, surprising I know, but I have learned my lesson many times over, dragging bags of clothes and toiletries that I didn’t use on trips. Hubby really spoke to my minimalist side on this trip and got me to agree to bring one laptop for both of us to work from on the trip. I was grateful he convinced me when my fancy travel water bottle leaked all over my bag and soaked it through! On this trip, we each brought one carryon and one backpack, but still had to pay to “carry on” our bags (but not our backpacks) on the European carriers. This is where the budget carriers make their money, we had to pay $400 on the way to Europe and $460 to carry our bags on the plane! Our bags were all between 12-15 kilos, we were able to accomplish this light packing by turning 2 weeks of clothing into 1 week of a wardrobe and scheduling laundry mid-way through the trip. Many hotels provide laundry facilities and in our case, I found a laundromat service for only 14 euros a load, to wash, dry & fold our clothes while we sightsee. It is the perfect way to use our trip time well, while also packing efficiently.
In addition to only packing half the clothes we will need, limiting shoes and toiletries is a big part of the strategy for packing light. We each bought two pairs of good walking shoes (sneakers, hiking boots, walking sandals, etc.), always wear the bulkiest pair and pack the other, then everyone brought flip-flops for the beaches and Cassidy and I each brought a summer flat shoe to wear at night with dresses. Lay out your clothing ahead and then go through them and scrutinize what can be left at home and what really needs to be packed. I should have scrutinized a little more, what I would’ve done for a few more pants this trip! Choosing a capsule wardrobe that can mix & match and has only one base color and lots of neutrals will get you much farther. Put shoes in the bag first and stuff your socks (and anything else small) into the shoes. Next, put anything large or bulky (jeans & hoodies count to me) in the bottom of the bag folded flatly. Then move on to the rest of the clothing like shirts, shorts and dresses into the bag after rolling each. I fold clothing as long as possible and then roll it up and tuck into rows that are similar in size and shape. I can get at least 2-3 layers of clothing into a carryon size bag and much more in a larger bag. I repeat the process when we leave, even with dirty clothes because a lot more will fit in the bags when they are rolled and not just stuffed. I do fully admit this is easier to accomplish in summer than in the winter with layers, coats and outerwear. Whenever possible, I book Southwest flights (with 2 free bags) if we are going on a cruise or traveling for a formal event like a wedding and can’t pack as lightly. It is also a good tip if you are going to check bags, to split your clothing between 2 bags and always keep a full outfit in your plane bag, in case one is lost you still have something to change into while the airline looks for your bag. It also really helps, if you plan to check a bag, to pop an airtag into each suitcase to track it if needed.
The final packing tip, is to buy toiletries at your destination. We did not bring any shampoo, body wash or shave gel and bought it all there. We had a combination of hotels and rental homes, where we would have to provide our own products anyway. Hotels in Europe will typically provide shower gel/soap and shampoo, but rarely conditioner or washcloths. Some people are really bothered to not have a washcloth or sponge to apply their soap, if that’s you, pack a washcloth/sponge and a ziplock bag or you can buy a pack of 4-6 washcloths at a home store. When I lived in Europe I had those poof shower sponges, but when I just travel for a week or two I just do as the Europeans do and use your hands to apply the soap, it’s not worth the space.
Planning the Educational Activities
The educational and cultural activities are the most important things to book and plan, after the itinerary is nailed down. Talk about where you are going with your kids to build anticipation and excitement for the trip. Getting some library books and watching videos before you go will build background knowledge and help your kids create lasting memories. Ask your children what things they want to see or do in each area of your itinerary. Always plan a walking/biking tour of a city or canal cruise in many European cities to help everyone understand the geography and architecture of the location. It’s best to have this booked upon first arrival or the first day to get your bearings early. When possible and safe, take public transport to give children exposure and involve them in learning to read the maps or use their phones to navigate directions and subway maps, don’t just do it for them especially with teens. These are important life lessons that help our children become confident travelers and hopefully make good decisions when they travel without you. Watching my children confidently navigate the streets of Amsterdam and not get run over by bicycles has truly given me more confidence in their abilities…. especially the 19 year old!
When researching your destination, keep in mind the following areas to focus on including History, the Arts, Culture of the region and food & drinks popular in that area. For our trip to France and the Netherlands, World War II history was important, between the Anne Frank House and the Dutch Resistance Museum as well as the Normandy Beach invasion and museums on the French side. We were exposed to other history as well, castles built in the 1500’s, the French Revolution and Dutch Golden Age. We focused on the Arts when in Paris, both at the Louvre and at Giverny, Calude Monet’s home, studios & famous waterlily gardens. Culturally, we learned a lot about the way the Dutch took a wet region and created a major port city to connect all of Europe. The This is Holland Experience was super helpful in learning more about Dutch history and geography of the regions in bite size pieces. Learning about the Dutch shipping industry and getting to see the ship technology throughout the ages was also educational and a replica ship turned out to be my daughters favorite activity in Amsterdam.
For the kids, food & drinks were the major differences. Their first observation was how good the fruit tasted when I brought berries and bananas home from the market. We picked up additional fruit selections at farmers markets along the way and each time the fruits were amazingly sweet and delicious. The kids liked trying all the different flavored chips and sodas, like Fanta in the EU tastes better and has many more flavor options without the added colors. I relaxed my 1 soda a day rule on this trip, but will have to whip them back into shape when we get back home again. The kids noticed how popular paprika flavored chips were and that the cool ranch doritos were called cool American and tasted even better! Cassidy is my ice cream girl and we had it every day at least once and many days she also had a milkshake too. The gelato, ice cream and shakes are smaller sizes there, but also an experience in tasting and trying new flavors.
The food in Amsterdam is delicious, casual and has lots of international diversity. I knew I wouldn’t have any trouble getting my kids to eat there, especially when I brought ketchup packets I’d collected for months from fast food restaurants. It was funny to see all three of my kids with ketchup packets open at the FoodHallen, with fries, chicken tenders and burgers. In France, the food was a little less accommodating and we ate a lot of pizza and Italian food. I love French food and I got the kids to fall in love with croissants (especially with nutella) and baguettes with jam or brie cheese. We had sandwiches and cold cuts for breakfast or lunch and the kids didn’t seem to mind that at all. When we went to the market the first day, the cereal aisle didn’t have many options and Cassidy even asked me, “Where are all the kid’s cereals?” Sugary cereal is not a thing in Europe and my kids have transitioned away from it well, I’ll have to keep that going back home. I’ve always gotten them nutella, but now they have asked me to buy croissants & baguettes regularly.
Depending on what locations you’re planning to visit, those that are busy will need reservations and tours booked ahead of time. European destinations in the summer, especially to Paris, Rome, Venice, London, etc. will book up quickly and you’ll leave disappointed. I always book the big ticket items, on this trip that included the Anne Frank House, Muiderslot castle and a cheese & wine tasting experience in Amsterdam. In Paris we booked a Seine dinner cruise, Eiffel Tower and Louvre (direct to the Mona Lisa) tickets. I also make reservations for popular restaurants and places that I know my picky family will enjoy. When it is just hubby and I, it is easier to get a spontaneous table for two or we can sit at the bar. However, when our family of 5 travels, I ensure that I have reservations and can point out at least two options that each kid will like on the menu. Gone are the days when you can be spontaneous, unless you are traveling during a dead time. Booking all important activities and restaurant reservations ensures that you are able to get into attractions and restaurants without a 2 hour long wait in line, but don’t over book.
On this trip, our kids are of varying ages and do have the ability to leave them in the hotel or rental home (as long as the neighborhood is safe) alone. I wanted to plan one special activity to share with each child, something they connect with me on and we both enjoy. For our oldest, Ken and I took him on a historical walking tour of Amsterdam, for my cheese loving son we reserved a wine & cheese taking event and finally, my daughter and I went on a few shopping trips and back to the ship replica at the Maritime Museum. Ken and I also split the kids up, with me taking Cassidy to do one activity and Ken and the boys doing another activity. We did this about three times total, but we did most things together and a few separate activities. The boys all spent an extra day traveling around the 80th anniversary of D-day. They had the best time for a father/son day and we were so excited to tell me all about it at dinner. There is only so much WWII history a 9 year old girl can take!
Since my kids are getting older, I created an itinerary note and put everyone on the note with all reservations and confirmations… just in case. It was great to not have to hear, “What are we doing next?” every few minutes and allowed them to have some more autonomy when free time was scheduled into the itinerary. Since this trip, I will be adding a lot more days with only one activity and reservation and lots more free time to choose activities and adventures on their own. All three of my kids felt extremely safe and empowered traveling the streets of Amsterdam and they didn’t even try riding bikes through it…that is still intimidating!
Apps & Maps
Before you leave home, do these few things to make your trip seamless. At least a week or more before leaving, order Euros or local currency from your own bank. You have a relationship with your bank and they will always give their customers the best conversion rate. If you wait until you get to the airport, train station or one of those currency stands, you will pay a lot more. I always suggest having some cash on you, especially small bills for tipping, small purchases and paid bathrooms. Europe has changed significantly since the pandemic and now credit card & cashless systems like apple pay are quite popular and can be used almost everywhere. That’s great for those of us who like to travel with our travel credit cards that award points. So load those travel cards onto your wallet before you get your trip started and get ready to tap. This also allows both hubby and I to use the same card if we are working on a sub or specific type of points, but are apart in the city.
Download the airline’s app, if you don’t already have it, so you can access your boarding tickets and have TSA precheck available on your device. If you have not flown with this airline before, sign up for their frequent flier miles. These miles can only be used to fly their airline, but you never know where your miles can take you in the future. I suggest a toilet finder such as Flush, you will need it at some point! We arrived in Brussels, parked in a garage and were desperate to find a bathroom for all of us. I whipped this trusty app out and it told me where there were pay toilets and urinals along our route. I was happy to pay 1 euro to use a well stocked and clean bathroom, plus it is cheaper than going into a cafe or bar to buy drinks and use their facilities.
Download the MPC (Mobile Passport Control) app and create profiles for everyone that is traveling with you. Hubby and I both have Global Entry since we travel abroad often and it includes TSA Precheck for domestic flights. We got our oldest son his own Global Entry, but he was only provisionally approved and allowed to have his interview and fingerprints completed while returning to the country. Ken and I decided he’d go with Ethan through Global Entry and I’d take our under age kids through the regular line. In October, minors can apply for Global Entry for free, so we held out. I downloaded MPC a few years ago, but never used it because of my Global Entry Status. Upon landing at Dulles Airport, I started a new submission that was valid for 4 hours, with a countdown timer. I entered minimal info, everything was automatic from the location finder to the passport photo upload. The kids and I were able to go through the prechecked line which was much shorter, we only had to wait behind one family. We cleared before Ethan even finished his processing with Global Entry, so I couldn’t recommend it more, especially when traveling through busy or understaffed airports.
Google Maps is a great place to hold your itinerary and all the locations you are visiting or considering in one place and can be easily used to see where locations are compared to each other. Take time to plan out your itinerary, so that you are not crisscrossing the city between activities and restaurants. I try to organize my days by neighborhoods, but then I have found that our family likes to have a nap or rest in the late afternoon, so restaurants by the hotel location are ideal for us. Having public transportation apps ready to go before you leave is also a good idea. Since I travel frequently to Amsterdam, I always have the GVB (Amsterdam transportation) ready to go for the next time I want to buy tickets or a day pass. I added the Trainline app for this trip and it was so convenient to have our train tickets at my fingertips.
Just a word of warning, NEVER let your kids (or husband) hold their own passports, you might never see it again. On a recent trip, my husband didn’t give me his passport back immediately after boarding our flight to Iceland. I specifically told myself not to ask for it, “He’s a grown up and I’m not his mother or teacher,” Famous last words! As we were regrouping on a short layover in Reykjavik, we were getting out our passports to go through control and he couldn’t find his passport. We ripped through every bag and jacket pocket and could not find it. Hubby has the terrible habit of throwing his wallet and important documents in the seat pocket (never do this, it’s not safe and many are open at the bottom). We held our breath as a flight attendant ran back onto the plane to look for the passport. Thankfully they found it and we were able to continue on our journey and were not forced to stay in Iceland to visit the consult. Needless to say, hubby always hands me his documents now and so do all the kids. I have a waterproof wallet that fits all 5 passports and documents for just this occasion. Be sure to take photos of all passports and keep them in the cloud that can be accessed from anywhere if needed. It is suggested that you keep your passports in the hotel safe and not on your person at all times.
As school ended for my kiddos, we were packed and ready to go on our two-week long European trip to the Netherlands, France & Belgium. The lessons they learned about the world and themselves will last a lifetime. Relaxing at a cafe together, only a few days into our trip, hubby told me he’s seeing international travel as truly the gift it is to our children. He was 40 before his first international trip, and is so proud to give his children that core memory at 19, 16 & 9! Keep following my next blogs to learn all about our travels and European adventures.
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