Dh and I are taking a vacation with Lo at the end of Feb/beginning of march. Anyone have any suggestions for 1) places that are good to visit at that time of year and 2)are easy to visit with a very active 17 month old?
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A good partion of Europe is enjoying unexpectedly mild weather right now, so it might open up some options for you. For how long are you planning to visit?
I always wanted to see the Keukenhof Garden in Amsterdam and I know it opens sometime in March.
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I loved Spain around that time. Climate very similar to florida. I did make it up to Germany and Austria around that time and it wasn't so much fun due to the cold and snow.
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@SugarplumsMom: probably 3-5 days? We will be in Israel before that for almost a week. We're open to traveling to two cities within a country as well, don't have to stay in one place!
Eta probably more like 5 days!
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I would go to Spain, Italy or Greece.
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@looch: we were thinking Spain or Italy...Greece i kind if want to do with dh sans kids in several years (tour the islands, etc!)!
Any suggestions for which cities in Spain Italy? I've only been to Barcelona. In Italy I would think maybe Rome an Florence? I've been to both but h hasn't.
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@T.H.O.U.: oh that's good to hear!
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@hilsy85: southern Spain is beautiful!
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I love Rome and Venice, Barcelona, Madrid, I feel like I could live in Spain!
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I heard a lot of great things about Spain this time of the year. We were very close to going there this year. Maybe soon!
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@hilsy85: Valencia has a huge park that runs throughout the entire city so there is always a place to play near by. There is also a wonderful science museum that has great kids activities and a aquarium with lots of fish and sea life. Valencia has one of the largest outdoor markets.
South of Valencia is a city called Alacante which was a very nice little beach town. Not a whole lot there but a good hike to the top of an old fort.
Way south in spain you could look at andalusia and go to Sevilla, Cordoba, and Granada. All beautiful cities but I'm not sure what all they would offer to kids.
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@T.H.O.U.: thanks that's very helpful!
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What about Paris? Lots of big open green spaces, you could do a boat tour down the Seine, taking the metro is always fun for toddlers, lots of places to walk if it's not too cold... are you looking for more city-scape or nature?
ETA If you want to do the Greek islands, wall me - we did them for our honeymoon and I spent like 6 months doing research and planning everything myself, down to the ferry schedules between islands.
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We're having 50 degree weather in England right now, but typically Jan-Feb is the coldest time of year here. London is awesome, but I don't know that I would visit this time of year (although our crazy butts are going to Edinburgh in February!).
My vote is Spain or Italy too. Id probably do Italy.
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@JoJoGirl: my concern with Paris is that it will be really damp and cold at that time...would you recommend Greece with kids?
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@hilsy85: Oh yeah, probably. We did it in February a few years ago and it was not ideal weather at all. Further south is probably a better bet.
Re: Greece, I think it depends on where and what you do. We did Santorini, Crete, and Naxos (an island near Mykonos that is much quieter). We rented scooters on Santorini and Naxos and a car on Crete. The problem I think with doing it with kids is Crete would be super easy as a beach vacation, but it'll be too cold still in March to do that. Santorini is more about seeing the scenery and might be a better bet, but you have to fly or take a ferry to get there from Athens, and in my mind more logistics = harder with kids. I guess I am thinking out loud here, but I think at that time of year southern Italy or France where you can get there faster and have things to do other than the beach might make more sense with kids!
ETA I mention the thing about the scooters because that is something I definitely would NOT want to do with kids.
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Ditto what some of the other Euro bees have said, it has been incredibly mild so far this winter. The weather could be hit or miss when you plan on coming. I would vote for Spain, Portugal or Italy.
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we went to spain in march and it was beautiful! barcelona is always great (a lot of walking), but granada was also beautiful!
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@JoJoGirl: yeah when I picture the greek islands, I picture scootering around, snorkeling, lounging on beaches...need much warmer weather and no children to do those things!
@lamariniere: ooh portugal! Didn't think of that one and really know nothing about it.
Spain seems to be a front runner; need to do some research
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Is London an option? I was there in January a couple of years ago and the weather wasn't terrible. Not sure how it is in March. I think riding a double decker bus, the London Eye would be fun with a toddler!
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@lawbee11: there is a poss ibility we may go to London later in the spring with DH for his work, so we wanted to check out other options
I think London would be so fun with a toddler, so I hope it works out!
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@hilsy85: we took DS mid-march almost 2 years ago. I blogged about it, I can wall you if you want.
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@lamariniere: oh yes please!
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I would not go to Paris at that time of year - the weather is too unpredictable. (source: I lived there for 13 years). Stick to the countries further South - Spain, Italy, Portugal or Greece for sure.
I've been to Sevilla and Lisbon and LOVED both - definitely worth a visit! -
I suggest Portugal, Minorca, Majorca, Tenerife etc.
I'm not a Spain fan though, I felt like there wasn't much to do in Valencia. If I were to go to Spain, I'd go to the south.....or Costa Del Sol, Costa Brava.@lamariniere: can you wall me your blog info too..?
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@Chastenet: Sevilla! Oh, I loved it there! I fell in love with sangria in that city! It was a quick trip and we weren't able to make t back, but that's a great idea for a trip for the future!
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@hilsy85: @wheres_c: walled you both!
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@hilsy85: London is great with a toddler! We've been several times with C, as we live not too far north.
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@hilsy85: Lucky you!! I'm jealous. I have very little suggestions because I'm scaed to travel with LO. She barely sits in a stroller for a 15 min walk. I will chime in and say that we were in Paris in Feb 2 years ago
and it was FAREEEEEZING and very damp. It was unusually cold, but I don't htink it warms up until April.
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@wheres_c: Ahhh booo... I lived in Valenica for 4 months and never got tired of the city! Lots to do! Its not the largest city (madrid/barcelona) but it has a lot of charm and tradition still in place
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Greece isn't pleasant right now, what with all they are going through. I would definetly pick Spain!
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@Chastenet: @wheres_c: thanks!
@Tidybee: oh I am terrified of the plane ride with LO and have resigned myself to the fact that it will suck. I told DH one of us gets to take some Xanax and pass out on teh way there and one of us can do it on the way home
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@birdofafeather: We spent 5 days there and I would LOVE to go back. Sevilla is just awesome
@hilsy85: Your LO may surprise you - DD was actually pretty good on our last trip to France. She only got naughty when it was time to land and she wanted the iPad but we had to turn it off.
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