EthnaConnell Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 We are planning a trip to Europe for 4 weeks. Our planned route at the moment is: Calais Brussels Cologne Frankfrut Nuremberg Munich Then to Legoland Germany and then Europapark then back into France and home via Cherbourg Can anyone let me know if there is anything on the way that is a must see for kids aged 10 down to 2. We don't what to fly through Germany and then discover on our return that if we just made a slight detour we could have seen something the kids would have loved. We originally planned on going into Slovenia to Lake Bled and maybe onto Croatia for a few nights, but now I am thinking that it might just be too much with the kids. We don't want to spend the whole time travelling. We want it to be a holiday to remember. Would Slovenia and Croatia be worth it or are they more for adults. Once the kids are happy we are happy :-D Any help would be much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 top of the morning to you and welcome:-D If a choice between Germany and Croatia for a summer family break it would be Croatia for me. Nice beaches, good weather! interesting historic Venetian towns..... But seems you have your holiday worked out, maybe leave Croatia for another year. But you could be in Lake Bled in 3 days? ( 2 nights there enough) and then on to Istria. (tip: if you go to Istria go to south water much cleaner) better still head for south of Krk Island 4 weeks plenty of time for a bit of both to be honest. but I would do the main attractions on the way and spend most of the time on the beach:-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel wood Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 So much depends on what the children like but I would recommend taking them to "Mini-Europe" in Brussels. I'm sure that you'll be able to find out details on line. Not far from Munich is Chemsee where you can get a boat trip to two islands. (I may have spent Chemsee wrongly bu I'm sure you can find details. There is a good campsite by the side of the lake. It may still do special offers for motorhomes which works out a lot cheaper but you won't have a view of the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Again depends on what the children like, a deture from Minich to the castle may appeal to them. http://neuschwanstein-castle.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Well now and when I was a kid, given the choice of the places you mention or the Alps then it would be a no brainer. Give me the mountains and lakes everytime! You could still do some of the things you mention then hop down through Austria. The lakes are stunning and I as a kid would have loved them. Europes longest Alpine Coaster at Mieders near Innsbruck. Did that last year and if it doesnt put a smile on their face nothing will but probably not with a 2 year old! Slovenia is lovely although I preferred the quieter Lake Bohinj nearby but the kids will prefer Bled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Well......kids like being by the seaside and everyone likes barmy summer weather, and for that you need to head south......They could do the parks and a few days at Bled and be on some nice beaches a week later. 2 weeks on a beach or two, and a week to meander back.. We swam in lake bled and its fine but no way comparable to a beach or really suitable for a 2 year old. Once you have cycled around the lake and had a look at the town there ain't much left to do...we stayed 2 nights but the site cleared every morning as its a transit site really. Route needs tweaking as well to avoid heavy traffic . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-05-01 8:18 AM Well......kids like being by the seaside and everyone likes barmy summer weather, and for that you need to head south......They could do the parks and a few days at Bled and be on some nice beaches a week later. 2 weeks on a beach or two, and a week to meander back.. We swam in lake bled and its fine but no way comparable to a beach or really suitable for a 2 year old. Once you have cycled around the lake and had a look at the town there ain't much left to do...we stayed 2 nights but the site cleared every morning as its a transit site really. Route needs tweaking as well to avoid heavy traffic . I would tend to agree with that. I wasnt keen on the campsite but that could be me. The one about 3 miles out of Bohinj (camping Danica I think) was lovely and great rafting down the river right by the pitch). Of course its the Alps and weather can be iffy any old time. I expected Bled to be roasting in July but it wasnt that great. Could have been unlucky. Once we were in the Dolomites in Italy a few days later it was much more settled and about 28 degrees most days. Mind you the difference once you come down out of the hills is just incredible. We were staying at Barcis which is a superb Lake just a little way into the North East Italian Alps. within 10 miles you could drive down on the scooter almost to sea level. You came out of this huge tunnel and it was an easy 10 degrees warmer. In fact just before we were going to go to Venice we stopped about 40 miles north of there (August now) and it was 38-40 degrees every day. It was too much and we headed back into the mountains again where it was mid to late 20's. Perfect. Thats the good thing about that area. Elevation is key. If it gets too hot, just go up a few thousand feet and the opposite applies if its chucking it down in the mountains and freezing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 Germany weather not much different then here, no barmy summer evenings, what holidays are all about to us, enjoying a lovely warm evening, eating out, walking around ....Once you drop over the Alps the difference remarkable! Have been to Italian lakes 7 years running now ( and other places) and weather remarkable and consistent. bled could never offer a proper family holiday experience IMO, water far to cold for young children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 They are lucky kids, just to be taken on such an adventure is a privilege and the best reward they could possibly receive is the life-lesson of realising that. I personally wouldn't stress and simply fit things in for them if it was convenient. I wouldn't go out of my way to over-indulge them. However, http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Germany/germany.htm and similar are easy research portals for those of a world-view that the tail should wag the dog. Not suggesting the OP is inclined either way, am suggesting that over-indulging and over-empowering children is idiotic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthnaConnell Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 Thank you all for your replies. My head is spinning with suggestions B-) But at least I have time to plan and now a few more suggestions to check out. We are trying to do a balance of kids and adults activities with a few days of nothing also. So we will get all the suggestions together and then just reduce it down to what we really want to do. Thanks again and keep the suggestions coming :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starvin marvin Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 Same as anywhere, drag them day after day around Churches, museums, art galleries and the like, that should put them off for life, it did me. You could take them to the beach and spend hours digging holes or searching rock pools with the sun on their backs, our kids loved that. Forget themepark, buy them a comic, or lots of comics, and ice creams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 starvin marvin - 2013-05-07 11:44 AM Same as anywhere, drag them day after day around Churches, museums, art galleries and the like, that should put them off for life, it did me. You could take them to the beach and spend hours digging holes or searching rock pools with the sun on their backs, our kids loved that. Forget themepark, buy them a comic, or lots of comics, and ice creams. My feelings exactly...What is the point of bringing a two year old to a theme park.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthnaConnell Posted May 7, 2013 Author Share Posted May 7, 2013 Thanks guys, but I have no intention of dragging them around churches museums or galleries. I wouldn't have much interest in them either and I definitely know my kids woud be bored after an hour. As for bringing a 2 year old to a theme park, you have to remember I also have a 10 year old who is a speed freak and a 7 year old that isn't far behind her. The theme park is for them definitely not the 2 year old. We are more into boat trips,swimming and train rides than art galleries :-> Route may even be adjusted so as not to cover as much of Germany and head more for Croatia. Its really still up in the air as there is a lot of wonderful places out there that I would love to see B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 I have a cousin in Cork named Etna....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 EthnaConnell - 2013-05-07 12:42 PM Thanks guys, but I have no intention of dragging them around churches museums or galleries. I wouldn't have much interest in them either and I definitely know my kids woud be bored after an hour. As for bringing a 2 year old to a theme park, you have to remember I also have a 10 year old who is a speed freak and a 7 year old that isn't far behind her. The theme park is for them definitely not the 2 year old. We are more into boat trips,swimming and train rides than art galleries :-> Route may even be adjusted so as not to cover as much of Germany and head more for Croatia. Its really still up in the air as there is a lot of wonderful places out there that I would love to see B-) If your 10 year old is a speed freak & you are willing to drop south into Switzerland you could try the Pradaschier Rodelbarn near Chur:- http://lenzerheide.com/en/summer with a U-tube video here The Alps around here are a wonderful playground for kids with streams, snow, rocks to scramble on etc & Bodensee (Lake Constanz) will have lots of boat trips etc In Germany there is the Nürburgring not far from your planned route near Cologne & Frankfurt. I should be on the Rodelbarn in mid July! One day I'll grow up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EthnaConnell Posted May 9, 2013 Author Share Posted May 9, 2013 Not me, I am in Kildare :-) but not many of us around its an unusual name :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted May 9, 2013 Share Posted May 9, 2013 There are a number of rodelbahns in Germany: I been on the one in Todtnau,Southern Black Forest. The following looks exciting: http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t48124.html Even as a todler my son never really liked the beach. Hills, mountains, trains, boats, bicycles, go karts are much more of his thing. Jeremy's suggestions would keep us happy for several weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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