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?!

Southeast Asia; but places where the weather is favourable. We love Malaysia and summer is good for mainland, east islands and borneo.

We have done Australia in both Spring and late Autumn avoiding summer as its winter over there.

you could take them somewhere fun like salou its a got a big water park or somewhere beautiful like Italy .It really depends what you like my other half likes points of historical interest my girls just want to have fun by the sea and me the idea of being a potato by the pool at a cushy all inclusive sounds nice.

Do you like private villas or big all inclusive resorts ,do you like the tourist traps or quieter destinations

really depends you and your budget

personally my priority would be my children picking something they would like first and then find something us grownups would like to .My kids would like Disney Florida even though i'd prefer costa del sol but making the kids happy makes for fun memories

I think constant travelling for six weeks and trying to see lots of different places would be hard work and you would get fed up with it. People’s suggestion of staying somewhere for a bit longer at least some of the time it’s a really good idea. It’s nice to get to know a place well and have your favourite spots there. Packing up too often would get annoying.

Oh that’s so exciting!
I would have to visit Australia as my brother lives there, but go to NZ and Tasmania too. If nothing else, the wildlife is incredible (thinking of the kids)

or maybe a fly drive to Canada. Certainly the west in the first instance.

or spend the time leisurely travelling around South Asia, with Thailand as the main part. (Avoid September maybe but August is the shoulder season so ok.

ignore nasty comments.

We did 9 weeks with a 5 year, 2.5 year old and 4 month old on winter. It was amazing. 5 year old remembers clearly. Baby clearly not, but she spent a happy 9 weeks with us all together being doted on. Never bad. Kids loved long train journeys, amazing sites etc, boats, animals. We went to Singapore, NZ, Malaysia. Now as older teens they still want 'adventure' this summer.
South America would be fab. SE Asia.
Watch all the race across the world series for inspiration.

I go home to the US for a month each summer and that is about my max for time away from home. Travel insurance also gets a bit more difficult if you're away longer than 28 days. I'd probably break it up into two 3 week holidays if I had 6 weeks.

Either south east Asia or New Zealand

New Zealand we actually found it cheaper to hire a car and stay in air bnbs then rent a campervan!
Also if you do it in reverse (so South Island hire car drop off North Island) then it's much cheaper because most do it the other way around.

We did a few days in the vicinity or Aukland to get over jet lag then cheap internal flight to Christchurch

I’ve been thinking about this thread and I’m inclined to agree with you here, and also, just because you can be away for the whole of the summer, doesn’t mean you have to do it. You could spend some quality time together at home with separate weeks (or more) away at the beginning and end of the holiday. Or you may just fancy renting a cabin on a lake or by the beach somewhere and relaxing for a few weeks. And anywhere further south than northern France/Germany, you may want to look for somewhere with aircon. I wrote an earlier post suggesting a European road trip but I don’t think I would actually want to do this over 6 weeks in the summer.

@workstealssleep No my baby didn’t explore Venice. Dc remember places they are photographed in - a 2 year old won’t remember food! You remember it. You talk about it so they pick up on that.

As toddlers ours just liked beaches, water and play. After age 6 they went long haul USA, Caribbean, safari in Kenya and later to the Galápagos Islands, rainforest and Ecuador plus Alaska, Peru and South Africa. They travelled with enthusiasm when they were involved in the holiday. At 1 they would not have cared less about getting on and off trains!

Half the itineraries mentioned here would take us 6 months, not 6 weeks. We savour places and dc got more out of holidays that way. I’d take a nice slow route somewhere!

I would probably consider a big tour of Africa, from South Africa, East Africa to Northern Africa (ending in Egypt).

So much to do with this -vineyards, hikes, safari, historical sites, sailing. 7 weeks would be perfect for this, without rushing from place to place.

I would do Interrailing around Europe - maybe fly home at the end. Or drive round if you can face it. Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France. I would probably stay a full week in a few places & get something like Eurocamp, Landal, Huttopia type accommodation as they would have lots of families. I haven’t been but apparently Austria have Kinderhotels which are nice, and they have nice hotels up in the ski resorts which are good for children.

Why be so nasty? Are you jealous?

I would hire a camper and travel around UK and maybe Europe too.

Canada starting in Prince Edward Island and making your way across either by flying to different places along the way or hiring aone way camper van or the train (I've done the train from Toronto to Vancouver). It was fantastic.
Prince Edward Island is absolutely beautiful and lovely for children with all the beaches. Niagara Falls. The dinosaur museum in Drumheller Alberta was the highlight for me. Rockies spectacular but overrun with tourists so look for alternatives outside the Banff Jasper area (there are plenty).
Vancouver Island fantastic.

We're doing a month career break next year. We were going to do the US West Coast starting in Seattle and ending probably in LA, but have canned that idea because of All That. We considered Japan but have decided on Italy. Can't wait! But I have to say this is just us, no kids any more, and it's going to be a history/art fest so not too kid-friendly. If we were taking children I would look very seriously at France or Germany.

@pinapinacolada A tour of all those countries in 6 weeks with dc? Are you joking? Just South Africa would be amazing - no need to go anywhere else! I’m feeling sorry for dc who are dragged around like this! Going across Canada is vast. I’ve been to PEI. Just getting there takes time! You don’t fly in from the uk. You could certainly take 6 weeks and drive around Eastern Canada after flying into Halifax. We did over 3000 km in 3 weeks and with 6 it’s a chance to spend more time in each place. We missed out great places in 3 weeks. 6 would be relaxed and a great experience.

I think I’d head to Germany and Netherlands (i.e Northern Europe as hopefully slightly less hot in the summer) and stay in one place for a week and explore it and then move on. But tbh mostly now I’m just day dreaming about the idea and wondering if we could get away with doing this next year if we started saving now - so thanks for the inspiration!

I wouldn’t fly to Australia/nz with kids that young. Thats just me.

I’d get an airbnb on a nice Greek island personally.

What a strange reply.

Why be so vile ?

The most remote Pacific islands, possibly via Japan as the stop off on the way

I’d do europe - and include a stay at playmobil world in German. Your girls would be brilliant ages for it!

@curious79 With very young dc? Why?

Definitely not NZ or oz at that time of year, NZ in particular is cold (though if you like uk winters then nz is a good idea, personally I dont). I think Europe in a camper van, or even interailing, would be great with kids

I’d travel around China and Asia.