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Original poster

Where would you travel with two preschoolers?

25 replies

WorkEvent · 15/03/2022 18:57

DS is a September baby so will be pretty much 5 when he starts school. DD is 2 years younger. I was considering today whether we could make the most of the last year before he’s at school and we’re stuck to school holidays only, and perhaps go away for about a month (finances/pandemics/wars permitting - it’s probably a long shot at the moment!).

Where would you take a 4 and 2 year old for adventure, culture, and nature? Open to all suggestions.

OP posts:

Notdoingthis · 15/03/2022 19:36

Interrailing to Lake Bled.
Or to the Alps in Summer.
Or South America.
Or the Scottish Highlands.

Ribb · 15/03/2022 19:40

Interested in what suggestions come up. I'm taking the easy way out and doing a trip to Portugal as flights are relatively quick. Dreading flying with two DS 3 & 6.

AlwaysLatte · 15/03/2022 19:47

Places we've taken them at those ages were France (skiing), Canada, Menorca, and Sardinia. Slightly older (4/5) to Venice and Spain, on Eurocamp holidays. They loved those!

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Holidays

Reluctantadult · 15/03/2022 19:49

@AlwaysLatte

Places we've taken them at those ages were France (skiing), Canada, Menorca, and Sardinia. Slightly older (4/5) to Venice and Spain, on Eurocamp holidays. They loved those!

Crikey, impressive! We did 2 weeks in Menorca, which isn't quite the same! From trips in pre-kids days though, i second Lake Bled.

Reluctantadult · 15/03/2022 19:50

Although we all lived Menorca, Dd still talks about it 3yrs later.

Oinkypig · 15/03/2022 20:29

If you mean 2023 that he starts school I’d go for Morocco in February, you could do the mountains, beach, desert, Cities and it’s warm (hot in the sun) but a good temperature, I’ve been a few times for a week and it’s never enough. In fact you could overland from Spain finishing in Morocco. Whatever you do I’m sure you’ll have a ball!

dinkybella77 · 15/03/2022 20:59

Italian lakes - flight not too long. Enough sunshine without being stifling and the most family friendly place we have holidayed. The Italians just love babies & children! Very fond memories 😊

Original poster

WorkEvent · 15/03/2022 21:34

@Notdoingthis I love the idea of all of them. I’ve wanted to do the North Coast of Scotland since pre-babies. I just don’t know if all the driving might be a bit much for them. South America is very much on my bucket list.

OP posts:

Original poster

WorkEvent · 15/03/2022 21:36

@Ribb We’re off to Spain at the end of the month (if DD’s passport ever arrives!). They’re currently 1 and 3… not looking forward to the plane journey at all!

OP posts:

Original poster

WorkEvent · 15/03/2022 21:37

@AlwaysLatte I’m finding myself more and more drawn to Eurocamp. Know DH has very fond childhood memories too!

OP posts:

Original poster

WorkEvent · 15/03/2022 21:40

@Oinkypig Morocco sounds ideal now you mention it. I’ve been once but only to the mountains for a few days when I was about 19. It was August when I went and far too hot tbh. Spent a lot of time in the hotel room with the aircon on! Assume it’s much less hot in Feb?

OP posts:

Oinkypig · 15/03/2022 21:48

February is perfect honestly, the desert can be hot but not unbearable. We did a tourdust holiday which might be more expensive for a month than you want but they were amazing, have a look for ideas anyway. Very jealous!!

Bryonny84 · 15/03/2022 21:56

Two young kids? Blackpool. No contest. You will think that's too downmarket perhaps? Nope, the kids will love it. Put snobbery behind you and go. Don't forget the donkeys. The best days of my life as a child were in Blackpool and I still go there every single year for a few days and see everyone's kids having a ball.

lifeuphigh · 15/03/2022 22:27

Italian Lakes is a great suggestion. Rent somewhere for a month and use it as a base. You could tick your nature, adventure and culture boxes very easily and, yes, it’s such a child friendly country. We took our older two to Italy when they were those ages - my now 8yo still says Italy is her favourite country. I think she mostly remembers the gelato.

I live in Scotland and love it dearly, but with a month I would go a bit further afield.

Bryonny84 · 15/03/2022 22:50

@lifeuphigh

I live in Scotland and love it dearly, but with a month I would go a bit further afield.

Rent somewhere for a month? What life do you live lol? Oh yeah we'll just head off to the hills. Ridiculous.

lifeuphigh · 15/03/2022 22:54

Read the OP Bryonny…

saltinesandcoffeecups · 15/03/2022 22:59

@Bryonny84

Oops… missed that bit from the OP, did you? Don’t you hate a wasted sneer?

@WorkEvent

A lot of great suggestions. None to add, but enjoy, wherever you end up.

Notdoingthis · 15/03/2022 23:07

No need to drive. We took our 3 and 1 year olds by train to the Italian lakes and stayed Eurocamp. I worked for them years ago. They were terrible employers and I swore I wouldn't use them. But out of season and with kids, it is so easy and cheap.

Ribb · 16/03/2022 06:58

@WorkEvent I'm in the same position as you re passport for youngest.

When we only had one DS and before he started school we travelled the globe and he's a well seasoned traveller. Lots of the UK (although not been to Scottish Highlands and is definitely on the list), Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Ibiza, Germany, Bali, UAE. He's very chilled and a joy to travel with. DS no2 is an entirely different kettle of fish......

Love the suggestions on here so may steal a few and create a list of my own!

SmallElephants · 16/03/2022 07:08

Greece in May/June. Bit of time in cities and all the rest on 2 maybe 3 islands. Perfect for little kids.

cheapskatemum · 16/03/2022 07:40

Menorca is ideal for children that age. I loved the city Ciudadella, amazing architecture, cathedral etc to tick your culture box. Just a lovely laid back vibe, small, sheltered coves with nice beaches & warm sea.

Karwomannghia · 16/03/2022 07:43

Somewhere with lots of play areas, sand and ice cream!

reluctantbrit · 16/03/2022 07:59

If you are ok with several destinations how about Belgium/Netherlands/Germany? A week each so there is not a lot of driving involved. I wouldn't do road trips at that age. Or southern Germany/Austria/Northern Italy.

If money is no objections I would go for Canada or the North-East US maybe with a stint at Disney at the end. Again, find a base for a week and then carry on. Or rent a RV, friends did this before their children went to school and had a blast for 6 weeks. But they were happy with driving longer stretches and sharing close quarters. They rented the odd cabin or stayed at a hotel as well.

As much as I like southern Europe I think you will visit these a lot so for me that wouldn't be a big destination for such a long time unless I have a specific interest in a country.

Frazzled2207 · 16/03/2022 08:02

On a similar theme to eurocamp we went to a Yelloh Village in France when mine were 2 and 4ish and it was fab.
We went to the one at Serignan Plage which is on the south coast- fly to Beziers which is twenty minutes away.

MNHQ

HebeMumsnet · 16/03/2022 11:23

You're definitely not being unreasonable to ask, OP. In fact, we believe a disastrous holiday with preschoolers was in fact the original catlyst for Mumsnet's inception! We've just moved this over to Chat though, where we think you'll get more responses (and won't be told YABU).

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