Mumsnet Talk

...but also a 3.5 year old and a 16 month old.

Where would you go and what would you do???

Any inspiring ideas appreciated .

A road trip across Oz. Hire or buy a camper van at one side and drive across.

Was going to say Oz but I'm not sure I'd want to fly that far. How about Canada? I love to do a road trip across Canada!

Oooh yes, that is something i have thought about too. Although not driving right across Oz because I think there would be too much desert for the kids to stand . But driving up the coast from Sydney to Queensland. I really like that idea .

Yes the Oz flight is scary. But Canada in April might also be scary - from a temp perspective!

I would fly into Florida, do that and then drive across to California either via the Grand Canyon etc or via New Orleans and Memphis or both...

I would probably do the camper thing only in New Zealand rather than Oz.

Well if I could I'd do a roadtrip across the desert states of America, doing lots of climbing.

Or a road trip across parts of Africa, again with lots of climbing thrown in.

Or a month travelling round India.

And I'd take my DS but I don't think there is ever too much desert for kids to stand, I grew up in the desert and couldn't think of anythgin better

April? - Italy or Spain. Campervan if at all possible. Wildflowers, good food. Hot weather the further south you get, so beaches etc. Can I come?

Ooh and I would do my driving across either in an airstream or in one of those huge rvs that I cant think of the name of - like the one in Meet the Fockers

Morocco - The Imperial Cities, the Sahara Desert, the Oases, the Coast, the Kasbahs - magical.

I've travelled round Africa and I don't think I'd be happy doing it with kids that young.

Live on the beach in Goa for a month, heaven!

StripeyKnickers - Where's your sense of adventure??

Echoing the votes for going to Oz. With a month you'd actually have time to get over the jet lag. Sydney is gorgeous and, from what I can tell, there is plenty of kid-friendly stuff there. I went recently with my then 6/7 mo DS and he got on fine. Melbourne is also lovely - from there you could drive down the Great Ocean Road.

I just think I'm a worry wart. I'd be very concerned about road accidents, illness, safety.

I am totally torn between:

(i) a big classic campervan road trip in Oz, or down Highway 1 in California; (although do these countries have cultures that are hospitable to young kids in restaurants at night etc);
(ii) a real adventure in Africa - visiting a friend in Kenya and doing the safari thing (although are kids too young to appreciate the animals and would hours in a hot car be too much for them?);
(iii) pootling around a smaller area, like Sicily, getting to know it really well and taking advantage of its friendly attitude to kids (but is this missing an oppurtunity to do something more exciting?).

I do quite like the Morocco idea though... a more adventurous pootle maybe.

leave africa for a few years - will be a fab holiday for them later on. Hot toddlers are no fun.

personally i'd like option (iii), but them I did quite a bit of the adventurous stuff pre-children.

how are your languages - if you emersed yourself in a new language (italian) then you could reap the benefits for family holidays for years to come.

I think the length of time you have would clinch Oz for me. Unless you expect to have a month available again.

You can go to Sciliy/Morrocco etc for 2 weeks. But you'd never be able to do a decent Oz trip in 2 weeks.

Agree about the time stripey but I just couldnt face the flights...

Canada would be a good compromise - long haul but not as far as oz. I always wanted to do a coast to coast train journey. The bit in the rockies (jasper etc) is amazing.

Is Canada really an option in April?

actually you're probably right - depending what you want to do it mught be a bit too early in the year.

We did the SW of the States for a month in April with 2 very small children and another on the way. Really easy travelling (part camping, part motelling) even though some national parks high up were still snowbound and shut even at the end of April. There was still plenty to see, loads of variety in scenery, attractions and weather (ranging from about 43C in the Arizona desert to -10C a Colorado park). Can really recommend, was a fab holiday.

my db went to the rainforest ( altho kids a little bit older) and LOVEd it