driving to Portugal from UK with kids in tow... anyone ever done it?

[sammyjayneex]

It's all in the title really. Just wondering if anyone has ever done it. DH has been invited to a family wedding In Portugal (Lisbon) and wants us all to go. He doesn't want to fly because of all the fiasco that comes with flying for example... Luggage allowance and all the extra costs, the flight tickets cost so much for 4 children and 2 adults and trying to keep children quiet and occupied on a plane ect and also because it's just after Christmas and the wedding was announced last minute it's going to be difficult to get flights at short notice. Also he said it's an experience because kids will get to see parts of France and we will spend the day in Spain on the way back and sleep over there. He also wants to do something special as it's our daughters 5th birthday on the 29th December.

Now I'm worried about it all. He's said he's thought it through and has every bit of the trip planned. I don't want to say no because I never went on any trips and never went abroad when I was a kid and I want my kids to experience things. He said we will be getting the ferry at Dover and we will sleep over in small hotels on the way and one of them will be in France. On the way back we will stay in a hotel in Spain too. Accommodation in Portugal is being sorted out by his family.

It's a long journey but I'm prepared to do it for my kids and we will make lots of preparations and make regular stops. He doesn't mind driving and has drove to London and back on the same day ( picking his family up at airport). Has anyone ever done it and how was it?

We have had a lot of problems recently and I'm actually surprised he's suggested us all to go.

Is it a stupid thing to do?

I told my mum and she said its sounds exciting and will be fun for the kids if planned properly and their dad has said she's welcome to come along ( if she can contribute to her hotel costs ect). if she can get time off work and it's extra help for us with kids. ( he has a 7 seater car)
She likes the idea of coming too.

It's actually cheaper adding it all up than going by flight and with us sharing the cost too.

So has anyone got any tips or ideas I would be grateful.

My brother used to drive to Switzerland from the far north of Scotland to ski. He just did it. He'd stop at Motel 6 type places and have the snow tires and everything. So just go, have snacks and something to keep the kids entertained. If it works, fantastic, if it doesn't then you'll know not to do such a long journey again.

There's been lots of good advice from people as well as people saying it will be horrible...

I drive a lot in France with kids, and I wouldn't do what you are proposing. The roads probably will be ok, but do factor in delays at the Channel. The last times we've been through Dover / Calais there have been significant delays (about 2-3 hours). That can throw your plans out.

I have been lucky enough and have travelled a lot - but I think you are hugely overestimating what you will see in France and Spain while en route.

Think about it - you will probably be travelling for the best part of 3 days to get there, another 3 to get back, and then you might have 3 days in Lisbon. Whatever the hassle of flights, that isn't worth it. I also suspect that by the time you've added up everything, the costs won't be dissimilar.

I can tell you are desperate to have a holiday, but why not miss this wedding and have a fun holiday another time.

Some of my happiest memories are crazy long drives when I was a kid. There's something special that happens when you all get that bored together! (That sounds sarcastic but what I mean is you end up making your own fun). I would do it, but I would seriously weigh up whether I would rather skip the wedding and save the money to go in nicer weather.

If you do it get some audio books!

Even better, I'd consider writing my own family book.

Its a last minute Christmas-time wedding three countries away, on your DD's birthday... does DH have to go?

Op I don't think you understand everyone angst tbh

Food - yes you can eat cheap in Portugal at family's home, but how are you going to eat the 3 days it takes to travel down and back? You can take some picnic stuff but your will need to stop once a day for an actual meal for the children. That's the costs. You can't take 3/4 days of food in the car with no fridge or cooker. It's winter so can't actually picnic. Some meals will have to be in restaurants.

You live in Manchester. Manchester to Calais alone is an extra days travel. So your actually looking at 8 days travelling (4 there and back). Does that leave you just one day there if your saying your away 9 days

£42 per night will not be for a room to fit 6 people. They won't allow bunking in for health and Safety so that's x2 family rooms or x3 rooms needed per night. Family rooms cost more so that's £42 x3 per night, or x2 family rooms. Hence £150 a night.

You will not fit more than x7 hand luggage size suitcases in an average 7 seater with all the seats up. So more luggage flying. Many airlines allow a hand luggage case plus handbag anyway so even more.

If your travelling 8 days, that's 1 day in Lisbon for wedding. You wouldn't need any luggage!!

Is not the actual journey. The drive with children is fine. It's the fact it won't be any cheaper, and your not gaining anything from it.
Each summer we often drive London - Athens to family. It takes 3 days and the driving is fine . However we have family and friends in various countries along the route so use it as a chance to see them overnight along the way. Accomadtion is free, we drive roughly 10 -12 hrs a day, spend the evening with friends, and it's summer so stop off an hr at lakes for swim/ picnics along the way. We have a large 5 seater, and just x2 small children so loads of space. We stay in Greece a month before return journey. If we go for an event we 100% fly as would be pointless driving 3 days for 2 days there and 3 days back. And wastes time you can be home working

I have just found my notebook with the cost of my drive too portugal from germany (anally retentive here)

i drove almost 2000 miles

it cost me approx 300 pounds in petrol

it cost approx 100 pounds in tolls (only france and switzerland, used non toll roads in spain and portugal, although i believe you would have to use toll roads in portugal to get to lisbon.)

the other thing i would recommend is break down cover, it costs a lot to get towed off the french highway (i know this, but luckily had cover!!) your car may be new and in good condition, but if some idiot drives into you, you will be royally screwed without it.

i haven't included the costs of accomodation as i only have the costs from the way there, and i camped, which of course you won't be doing, and i didn't write down the costs of the hotels, but yeah €40 a night per room seems reasonable but they will offer no food for that and breakfast will possibly be extra. these cheap hotels are almost always on an industrial estate so there is no where to eat out at.

and as someone else pointed out, if you stick to the highway for quickness, you will see nothing of france or spain,

All that said, it is an adventure, i LUFFS a road trip and if your kids are cool with car journeys (mine are) then it will be fine, it does all depend on your state of mind, positive thinking and all that.

oh my travel costs i have quoted are only one way btw

So because I chose to have a large family that means we are not allowed a holiday and we are not allows from accompany a wedding together?

He can't miss this wedding as it's important to him as its his family

You are allowed whatever you want FGS. You do whatever you want.
You have had advice. You choose what to take from it.

Also pointing out that if the wedding and having the family there was that important for the bride and groom, they would have given more warning and not booked it for such an expensive time.
Is she pregnant or something?

**

So because I chose to have a large family that means we are not allowed a holiday and we are not allows from accompany a wedding together?

Who said that?

You can have as many children as you want - however, that is going to impact on what you do and how you do it.

Don't overreact and be a drama llama

i've driven london to nothern spain with two adults three kids in a seven seater. luggage space is pretty tight. more so if you have four kids taking up seats in back. has to be well planned and you wont get more than one bag per person anyway ie same as flying. plus your food, drink and eg camping stove if you plan to really cut costs and eat at the (rainy) roadside.

in summer over two days staying in a decent ish hotel (not the cheapest formule 1 but campanile or ibis) it's fine and even a good trip.

but you are adding on time from liverpool to calais (n winter, busy traffic) plus another long drive from northern spain to lisbon. so two nights stop over at least if you want it to be relatively pleasant and no too tiring for the driver(will you share the driving?)

Lots more dates available with Ryanair from Manchester than Easyjet, so could go for a shorter time if you wanted, around 1350 for 6 with 5 nights in Lisbon (28-1st)

what is the longest drive you have done with all the kids to date?

how was it and how were they?

how old are they and do any get car sick/in midst of toilet training/need constant wee stops ?

if you say that yes you travel often in uk with all the dc and did full day's journey of 500 miles just last week then clearly you have an idea of what you getting into.

My kids all have iPads
I was planning to pack them dove puzzles ect

My children are 9, 8 4 ( turns 5 in December) and 3 ( turns 4 in February)

They are usually fine on driving trips. We have drive form Manchester to Somerset which took about 5 hours. We have driven to London and back from Manchester (twice) which is a long way and one of the times we did there and back in one day/night

Ok - we do the journey from the Midlands via ferry to the South of France once a summer.

A - i'd really not fancy it in the winter; all those miles with no roadlights eugh. It's bad enough with glorious sunshine and wonderful fields to gaze out on.
B - motorway food for 4-6 of those days as it is all travelling. Just for a wedding?
C - Just so so so so long in a car. Ours takes 2 days there and two back; once we did a 24 hour drive and did the whole thing in one day and my golly, we were knackered. And we have no kids in the car.

Next summer, we have a 23 person set of villas booked; we are flying. There in a couple of hours rather than a couple of days and not being tired = bliss.

Can you and him go and leave the kids at home and just fly?

We're not saying it to be mean, but it really is a trawl.

I could not imagine doing it with DCs that age. Did ferry and France to Biarritz when DCs were .. youngest 7, and that was a long old haul, but to drive to Portugal in Winter? I think you'd be bonkers but up to you, this is just our opinion.

As I said, I've just got back from 1600 miles through Spain and we were lucky with the weather but on our return and travelling north it got much colder and dark early, first part of the journey down we were driving into great temps, so different on the return journey.

I have a bit of experience of this. My parents used to drive us (4 children plus two adults) down to the Algarve back in the 70s/80s. We did both the entire drive and the ferry to Santander and it was in the days before 7 seaters so there was very little room. Our car didn't even have a working radio!

The ferry to Santander was better than the longer drive, but if it was rough it could be pretty horrible.

We never really minded the drive though as we had piles of comics/books/games to play in the car and it was quite exciting to sleep in hotels.

You will really need to plan it so you know where you will get to each day and where you will stop to eat along the way. Try to stop somewhere where there's something to visit, a museum or a chateaux, anything to stretch your legs. We found it better to take a bit longer to get there than to try and push too far each day.

Audio books are great, and nowadays there are so many reasonable cheap handheld consoles/tablets that they will be kept entertained.

Those who suggest flying to Madrid and driving from there have a point, but be aware that hiring a 7 seater is MUCH more expensive than a smaller car and you'll still have to cram your luggage into it somehow whereas with your own car you can pack it all in the roof box.

Good luck!

If You do drive I suggest doing Manchester to Calais stretch overnight. So at least the first 6-7hrs they are asleep and it's quicker traffic wise. Leave 11pm Manchester, aim for 6.30/7am ferry so you have the full first day to get through France. You and Dh will have to take turns driving though so other can nap/ rest.

We stop every 2 1/2 hrs for 20 mins usually. Somewhere everyone can stretch/ little ones run/ toilet. Then every other stop or every 5 hrs stop for 45mins-60mins for a longer walk/ to eat food etc. I would look for indoor play area stops in your case as winter and they can go crazy 30 mins

We haven't used DVDs travelling as I think it makes them sick. Story tapes only.

Yes we was planning to set off at midnight so they sleep most of that drive.

Lot's of people drive Manchester to London in a day fairly regularly. It's not comparable as you know the roads. And all leaving at midnight on Christmas day for days in the car sounds so miserable - your kids will want to play with their presents.

Calais is the longest possible route you can take and you don't see anything of towns and cities on the autoroutes.

Hiring a car in Spain is a problem as you can't take them across the border (I'm pretty sure) as well as the cost for a 7 seater.

If you're determined to go I'd look to at least fly one way and use trains for the way back.

Why is the wedding at such short notice - seems insane especially combined with an expensive time of year? (Not your fault, I know, I'm just curious)