Live chat with William Gray, award winning family travel journalist - Mon 7th July 1-2pm

[CatherineMumsnet]

Hello all,
Just to let you know that we'll be welcoming William Gray for a chat on all things family travel related on Monday July 7th between 1-2pm.

Will has been a travel journalist for over 15 years. He's travelled extensively with his children, Ellie & Joe - now 7, whilst researching his family travel guide Travel With Kids.

So if you're still undecided about your summer and are looking for something a bit different, or if you'd like to know the top 5 destinations at half term and if you'd take toddlers to South America/ india etc, then please come along.

If you can't make it on the day, please post your questions in advance here. Otherwise - see you on Monday.

MNHQ

[sara75]

Hi Will, I will be in New York and then Barbados for about 10 days in late August. Are there any places you would recommend us to visit or not to visit? We are travelling with our 5 months old daughter and it is a new experience for us as she is our first child! I was wondering if there are family friendly affordable restaurants but also attractions you would recommend.
Thanks in advance
Sara, Fabio and Imogen

[bossykate]

you have forgotten the sticky!

[Loubee2]

I too am in Barbados next February with kids aged 1, 2, 3 and 4. The dads are going to watch cricket by day whilst the mums entertain the kids. Any top tips for day time activities, restaurants, shopping etc welcome. In the evening the dads will babysit and the mums will party. So top tips for nightlife also welcome.

Thank you, Louise

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[WilliamGray]

dont go to barbados go to pontins.
love Bill

[scorpio1]

[AwardWinningWilliamGray]

I prefer Ulan Bator

[WilliamGray]

dont fly a baby around she ownt remember it and all tehplane will hate oyu..
go to a ball pool/

[OverMyDeadBody]

lol lol
Cod you are norty

[TotalChaos]

Can you suggest a few European towns/cities that are toddler/pre-schooler friendly?

[WilliamGray]

Widnes.

Stoke.

[OverMyDeadBody]

I hate the term toddler/pre-schooler friendly.

Pretty much everywhere is child friendly, the notion that travelling with kids needs to involve 'child-friedny' destinations makes me want to pull my hair out in frustration.

I wish more people would realise that children are hardy and resiliant and can enjoy travelling around remote parts of the world witout specialist entertainment and other such nonsense.

[WilliamGray]

i do believe oyu haev spelled resilient wrongly

[OverMyDeadBody]

TotaltChaos the whole of Europe is toddler/pre-schooler friendly. Why wouldn't it be?

[OverMyDeadBody]

[WillliamGray]

Blackpool's okay. Bit tacky but okay.

[WilliamGray]

arf

[TotalChaos]

IME - Lisbon - people very friendly, helpful, waiters not put off by tantrumming 3 year old. Prague - cafes and restaurants with little slide/ball pool areas in corners. That's the sort of thing I meant by child-friendly.

William - do Widnes and Stoke have Kinderhotels?

[WilliamGray]

They do
they rae behing a concrete post in the underground car park - very niche obviosuly adn the aroma taKES Some gettign used to

[TotalChaos]

concrete post/underground carpark - how very edgy but I suppose I should introduce my darling child to Industrial Architecture.

[WilliamGray]

brutalism.
oh yes
then go to the south bank and then the Robin Hood estate

[Marina]

Not forgetting Perret's visionary remodelling of the centre of Le Havre

[WilliamGray]

id liek to kwno where is best to go wiht a disabled child - Holland?

[CatherineMumsnet]

Hi bossykate - have done now, thanks!

[billgray]

holland could be good-very flat.

like norfolk.