Is a week manageable with young kids to visit USA?

[Tarantella43]

My elderly aunt, who has been very important to me, almost didn’t survive pneumonia last winter and lives in Florida. I’d like to visit her, and I have DC age 7 & 9. We could go for a week in Xmas holidays. We’ve just moved house and kids really want to have Xmas in the new house, so thinking of going Boxing Day. Anyone done just a week in USA with kids? Would it be a nightmare with their jet lag? I can’t go by myself as I’m a sole parent.

It wouldn’t be worth the travel and expense to me ….all that way for 5 days really ( 2 travelling)

Have Christmas Day earlier and go for longer. My 2 children didn’t seem to be too bad with let lag, they went to bed a couple of hours after landing and did sleep on the flight back.

I found the jet lag horrible coming back, but was fine on arrival, just went to bed really early the first night. It's a hellish long way for a week though - I'd try to do 10 days which gives you 8 days there.

I agree see if you can extend it. Flying on Xmas Day is usually quite good, quiet etc. it will be hard with jet lag and a 10 hour flight but could still be worth doing. My advice is book an airport hotel for the night you arrive so you can all leave the airport and flop immediately into bed then wake up fresh the next morning. There’s so much to do in Florida so while of course you should spend time with your aunt maybe see if there’s anything nearby for the kids too (just be careful as some areas are very dodgy).

7 and 9 not that bad. Just do it. Buy some melatonin while you are out there to help with transition on return which can be a bit rough. The west to east will be fine - don’t sleep on plane and they will just wake early the first few mornings. Honestly fine. For a sick relative I wouldn’t hesitate. Florida in December is lovely.

Sounds fine to me. Florida is east coast so not that far. If you can manage seven days there (plus the two travelling) rather than five it’s obviously better. Business people go to the US for 48 hours all the time. Some friends of mine did a long weekend (four days!) in Florida with a 1yo.

Totally fine I think - a lot of people go to Disney for half term, for example.

We’ve taken our kids to Florida from when they were tiny. many of those trips were only a week. It’s only 9 or so hours on the plane which at 7 and 9, will be a doddle.

Ours always slept the entire flight back so no jet lag.

For 5 days? ( 2 to travel)…..never known anyone do it for this short time…..how many people have you known go to Florida for a week? Would you do it? tell the truth

Yes it is and we do it quite often as DH is American and we need to visit his family. Its a 10-hour flight to FL, which is quite long if your DC aren't used to it, but they'll be able to watch films and it's quite an adventure. I suspect they'll love it. The time difference means you can all sleep in when you arrive and when you get back it's a bit of a PITA to get everyone back in UK time, but honestly, I think you'll all enjoy the trip and think it's worth it. Go for it!

All that way for 5 days holiday…..you must be richer than me ….cos you surely would want more holidays than that in a year

@Kitkat1523 Yes, I did it when I was a child (my mum didn't think she could stand it for more than a few days)

tell the truth? Patronising much 😂. You’re not speaking to a 6 year old.

i have, and am doing it feb half term. My dc is coming home from the US for a 5 day visit at Christmas.

going out is fine as time difference means you’re staying up rather than having to sleep earlier. I’d encourage a short nap on the plane. Flights tend to get in early evening so you have time to get to your hotel, settle, find food etc. coming back is slightly worse but as they are young if you can get them to sleep on the plane flights are overnight so that can bump them back to a decent routine.

it also depends where in florida. If you’re going to one of the main destinations -Orlando, Miami etc then flights are direct making it much easier. You will get nearly the full time- as I said, get in at 4 ish on arrival day, have the evening. Leaving day you’ll have nearly the full day, flight at 6, arriving 8am.

Why is it patronising 🙄….so many bullshitters on my ….. you may still be one of them🤷‍♀️

So what’s the point of telling someone to “tell the truth” then like they were 6?!

everyone could be making up any sort of bullshit here 😂. You saying tell the truth like you’re standing in front of a child wagging a finger isn’t going to change anything 😂

ive been to florida a couple of times for 1 week, its doable, if you think a lot of people will go to NYC for 4 nights the flight to florida isnt that much longer

I didn't say it was our only holiday.

We admittedly tend to go for at least 2 weeks, but we have done plenty of quick jaunts. (We have a house on the gulf coast so sometimes go just to do a bit of decorating if friends are planning to use it.)

You gain 5 hours back because of the time difference and the flights to Miami tend to get in at about 3pm. So in my skewed logic, I convince us all that we don't spend a whole day getting there!

Thanks everyone. Might see if I can extend by a day or two x

We took ours age 5, 9 and 12 to Chicago for a week. We suffered much more from jet lag than they did. Definitely doable.

I’ve done Florida for just a week a couple of times , it’s fine but jet lag doesn’t seem to affect me likely due to my already poor and erratic sleeping habits .

We have travelled to NY for 5 days and Vegas for 7, both were fine although jet lag once home can be a bit rough for a few days.

What do you want to do there? If you just want to see her then a weeks fine. If you want to make the most of being in Florida eg Disney/ Universal, then definitely extend.

I'd say depends what your dc are like.... if they're easy going, good sleepers and ok on long haul flights then go for it, they'll adjust better than you will!

We've done it to visit family in CO. It's not a holiday and the jet lag on the home leg was erm, challenging, but we still did it.

I’ve been many times for a week in half term, it’s really not that far and time difference is 5 hours. Going there it’s fine, but can be a bit rough with jet lag coming back but I find getting back into quickly routine helps and I buy melatonin over there to help.