City breaks-can they really be family friendly
While travelling with children in cities can bring its own challenges, it has huge advantages for a family friendly holiday. You do not have to go far to find something to do and cities are full of museums, playgrounds, parks, shops, restaurants, theatres and other child orientated attractions. You will be amazed at the memories that your children take home. Children are fascinated by differences from life at home including what people eat, how they dress and how they travel. Cities provide massive opportunities for family friendly travel and experiences.
Think of the fascination which children will have with the mime artist on the street, the toy shops of New York, the pigeons in Trafalgar Square or St Marks Square, the seals at Fisherman's wharf in San Francisco, the ruins in Rome and the architecture in Paris. Some cities such as Barcelona have beaches in the city for the perfect combination of beach and sightseeing.
If you would like some further information about city breaks, city accommodation and travelling to cities you can look at our city break section for some inspiration which we are constantly adding to. You can have a look at child friendly boutique hotels (yes they do exist) you can book stylish AND child-friendly hotels at Mr & Mrs Smith
Aparthotels and self catering is always a great bet so do look into this as an alternative to a hotel.The Apartment Service has a great range of properties all over the world which are great for families as does booking.com.
Check out or guide to choosing family friendly self catering accommodation also and our family friendly destination guides for selected cities.
Top tips for a family friendly city break
The key to a successful city break with children is to change your priorities and balance your needs with theirs. You need to think about what your children are likely to enjoy and keep any heavy stuff bite sized and for short periods. Do not forget about yourself though.
Parks, boat rides, over the top toy shops, hands on exhibitions, zoos, aquariums and in some cases galleries can provide you with endless things to see and do with your children. Most of these have interactive exhibits, craft areas and spot sheets which kids just love to fill in. Even if at first an attraction does not appear to be family friendly but is on your adult hit list always ask if they have any activities for children.
Holidaying in a city is tempting so try to pack in as much as possible. The trick is not to schedule your time too tightly. Always have a good balance between things that the adults must see and activities that your children will enjoy. Also remember that you need to balance active sightseeing with lots of ice cream and coffee breaks.
Be prepared to use public transport. Travelling with kids in a city centre can be difficult and car seats are unavailable in taxis and the last thing you want to do is get stuck in traffic jams on unfamiliar streets and in difficult driving conditions.
If you are taking a driving or bus tour around a city get the children to mark the sights off as they see them. Looking for inspiration for the perfect family escape? Browse 1000s of family tours and activities and book online with Isango! This will help you plan ahead and book at a low price with reliable local operators.
Try to engage your children in the history of the city by telling them stories that they can relate. For example Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mary Poppins, Finding Nemo and Peter Pan are all partly set in capital cities and are fuel for the imagination of children.
If your children are old enough let them participate in the decision making process as to the day’s activities. Involving children of all ages will engage them in the travel process and make them feel they are special.
Cities have a huge range of family friendly accommodation options ranging from self catering to five star hotels. Chose the one that suits you and the needs of your family best.
You will find lots of family friendly travel tips and advice in our research and advice section to help you book the right family holiday. Check out also the experiences of other parents and travellers in our parents forum and add your own experiences as we are a great believer in real parent's experiences as the best measure of whether somewhere will suit you for your family holiday.
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