Where would you go if you had 6/7 weeks?

[whompingwillo]

My husband is taking a 6/7 week sabbatical over summer. We have 2 girls who will at the time be aged 6.5 and 2.5

Where would you go?!

Why do people think dc enjoy travelling long distances? Doing interrail or RV touring with a 2 year old is horrible

I think it depends on the child - mine were actually much happier doing long car and train journeys as younger children than they are now as heading to tweenagers. I found it quite relaxing travelling with them as they'd generally be quite chill when we were on the move. Plus you know they can't escape so you don't have that having to have eyes in the back of your head worry that can be an exhausting part of being on holiday with young children.

We were supposed to go interrailing when mine were 5 and 2 (didn't happen thanks to Covid) - I had no reservations about doing it at that age but I wouldn't do it now as I they'd be bored and whingey or glued to a tablet.

Depends a bit, will you ever get this chance again? If not would go somewhere need a longer period for like Australia.

We have been in our summer and had a wonderful time seeing the wildlife (tree kangaroos, kangaroos, possum, pademelon, wallabies, platypus, cassowary, wombat, koala, bettong, crocodile, turtles and tropical fish, whales and dolphins) and Great Barrier Reef. North of Australia was plenty warm enough for me. But it is a long flight and if say you have chance to go in another 10 years might be a better age.

Unnecessarily rude reply

Interrailed with a 1 and a 3 year old. It was magical.

Vietnam

Magical for a baby? How do you know? It’s just dragging them around. My dc when a bit older engaged in the holidays and that wasn’t sitting for ages on a train. Cannot see any dc getting much out of that as a nursery age dc,

Do you know by any chance who they did the house swap with? Thanks

It was a 'friend of a friend' situation, so I don't think they went through any proper company.

New Zealand. Despite never having been 😂

Just because it is spectacular and so many people rave about it but also the scale of it and the distance from the U.K. mean a long trip makes it worth it. It is also stable and there is good health care available and it is relatively safe.

As long as everyone is having fun in the moment, I’m not sure it matter much if the kids remember it. I always think it’s odd when people worry about this!

Asia

I agree with a motorhome meander around Europe, or similar coast to coast in Canada. If Europe plan carefully and see as much as you can.

Make the most of it, you have the time, so pack it in! I wouldn't do a long haul trip though, far too much to see in Europe or in a six hour flight to Canada. You could start in Montreal or Quebec, do Newfoundland and wander across country to Vancouver. Then take the Rocky Mountain train back, or fly (hours and hours) back from Vancouver or Calgary (taking in Lake Louise)!

Have a great adventure whatever you decide.

A stint in Bali. Weather should be decent. You can get Nannies to help
With the kids. Much cheaper than Europe. But pick your places well. Can be lots of traffic and Australia's Costa del Sol

@Bigtom Yes, I do get what you're saying. My DCs are in their 20s now and can't remember any of our holidays before 7/8 yrs. Only we have all those wonderful memories. But I'm glad we shared with them some exciting places when they we're old enough to have those memories too.

I’d hire a camper van and drive around France and Spain, maybe pop across to Morocco.

Van Vancouver has lovely summers (usually). I'd ferry hop around salt spring islands. But, I've not done it with a toddler 😄

What a great opportunity. I think I would be tempted to do a campervan trip in Europe (France or Greece for me), or Canada. If you can travel to Oz then a campervan would also be fab.

Personally I'd do a country like Japan and split it across a couple of places and do day trips.

I would do a road trip of Europe - down through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, across France to La Rochelle / Bordeaux area then northern Spain and Portugal so plenty of different scenery but hopefully not too hot. You could do it with a camper van or drive and book accommodation.

With very young children I wouldn’t want to be doing a very long flight or going anywhere likely to be very hot.

Would probably depend on how long you wanted to spend in one place though, and whether you are flying or taking ferry . In which case my itinerary would be better to skip the Portugal bit to get the ferry back from Spain.

Euro rail across Europe - go to more out of the way places.

Personally I’d go to SE Asia but perhaps not with children as young as yours, same goes for Australia and New Zealand tbh!

You could cover an awful lot of Europe in 7 weeks, hire a big camper van and really explore. Europe is wonderful and there’s loads to see.

Can you not tell when a baby is having fun? One year old's love trains! We all had a magical time with no queuing, waiting in airports, parking, stuck in traffic. Just big windows, changing scenery, people watching, games. And new countries, food, things to explore. We ended up in Venice, and the one who was three still remembers it many years later and keeps asking to go back.

Great suggestions thanks so much everyone! I will let you know what we decide!

South East Asia !