Fantasy European Vacation Destination (with babies) -- Opinions, Please!

[IdaBriggs]

My husband was supposed to take me to Italy for our 10th Wedding Anniversary back in October of 2006. Instead, he ended up taking me to the hospital for the first of our many visits due to my then ongoing high risk twin pregnancy. The babies are doing great (they turn one this Sunday!!!), but our family wasn't up to traveling with them being so small last year. Since they are doing so great, and I'm living a rich, vivid fantasy life (plus we are getting a *huge* tax refund -- woo hoo!) I am entertaining a fantasy about our 12th Wedding Anniversary being spent in Europe with two beautiful babies -- who, as I mentioned, turn one this weekend, which will put them at about 18 months if we go late this summer.

My question for the forum: if you could travel to Europe with a fabulous husband and two toddlers, where would you go? Money is an issue because we forgot to be born rich, and I'm doing the "stay at home" thing right now. I need a country that is Family/Baby friendly, tolerant of Americans, and that will be entertaining to two geeky adults who love history.

The reality is that this is probably just a fantasy right now (that tax refund has already been spent seven times in my head! LOL!), but if you can't dream, what's the point? I just need some "practical dream advice" and I want to have some fun with this -- we've been to Paris (business) and I've been to Germany (business), and we've been to Egypt (vacation with my mother, paid for by my deceased father). I like traveling, and I love Europe. I've seen airfare as low as two or three hundred dollars round trip -- the question is, where should my fantasies take me?

Oh, and I've already been warned by my sister-in-law/brother that traveling with children who can't carry their own car seats is a disaster! LOL!

Opinions? :)

[malta blue]

1. The United Kingdom....

I took Little MB to England, Ireland and Scotland just after her first birthday. We found it to be a great vacation, because while travelling with a toddler, the last thing you want to do is throw language barrier in the mix :)

We found it very kid friendly, visited many castles and satisfied my history/archaeology geekiness. In England we went to Avebury as opposed to Stonehenge because you can actually get close to the stones, and Little MB toddled her way through the site.

The car seat thing will prove difficult, but you are two, one for each. Also, do not try to navigate any airports without a stroller. You will be happy you brought it with you when you want to continue sightseeing and the littles are tired.

Enjoy :hi:

[PassingFair]

2. I've been to Paris & London with toddlers in tow. Very do-able.

But I've seen "travel channel" shows about Scandinavian
countries that look enticing.

Those countries KNOW how to accommodate FAMILIES!!!

[EstimatedProphet]

3. Amsterdam

[fight4my3sons]

4. I don't have any real suggestions on where to go, but

I think you should do it! My twins are turning 4 in June and sometimes I think it is harder to get around now with them running in two different directions and telling us what they want to do or don't want to do :). Maybe you can find a place that rents the things that you will need when you get to your destination. I have seen a lot of these types of places in the states. Then you won't have to worry about lugging a ton of stuff with you. I know that clothes alone for the boys is a nightmare for us to pack. Have a great vacation! and happy 1st birthday to your babies :party:

[pitohui]

5. you really want my opinion?

i don't care where you go but for the love of pete, leave the toddlers at home, they won't remember it, they'll be miserable, and in later years, they'll be resentful when you say "i took you to X when you were a baby, don't say i never took you anywhere"

i had a friend who was taken to the mountains when he was a baby, well, of course to his mind he had never seen the mountains, and one day his mom and he were actually fighting about it when he was in his late 20s! he was sick of hearing how he'd seen the mountains when of course memories don't form well at that age, so he HADN'T really seen the mountains

wait until the kids are old enough to get something out of the trip, and preferably when they're not an a "nap" age, otherwise you're wasting valuable and expensive once in a lifetime vacation time on NAPS, traveling with a friend and baby was an especially miserable experience for that reason and tho i was invited to do so again i won't, the woman spends all of her time taking the kid out of the car seat or backpack or feeding the kid or napping the kid...there is never any time to actually see the things you came to see

worst of all if the kid is a picky eater as many are at that age, you spend all your time at burger king and macdonalds, honest! they were in these stores all the time, we simply had to put our foot down and not eat w. them because we didn't cross an ocean to eat fast food!

let the grandparents have a week or two enjoying the twins, and okay, as long as you did ask, my vote is portugal, it's wonderful -- but please just the two of you, thank you