KBadd Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 As a company 5 year anniversary gift, my husband gets 2 plane tickets and $1500 to spend on a trip to visit (quick stop-by) one of his company's offices, either in LA (Ventura County) or London. We have 4 kids - 7, 6, 3, and a 1 year old. The older 3 can come with us to CA or stay with my parents. The 1 year old will need to come with us. We moved to NC 4 years ago from CA. My husband works from home but frequently travels to the CA office, so it wouldn't really feel like a vacation to him if we spent too long in that area. So we would probably see a few family members, visit the office, and then head to Orange County or San Diego with the kids and enjoy the beach, zoo, maybe Disneyland, etc. Hubby has taken a quick work trip to London, but other than that we've never been to Europe. So... Do we go for a European vacation with a 1 year-old? Is that doable and worth it? Any tips for how to do that? What parts of Europe would you travel to? I've even considered a cruise, but I can't decide if that would make it easier with our baby girl or not. Or, do we go for a family California trip? Where would you go, what would you do? Feel free to link to other relevant threads. I couldn't pull up much in my search. Thanks for your input! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CT Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 We took my eldest (at the time only) to the UK for a wedding when she was 11 months. We had a great time. Remember when you only had one, and it was easy-peasy to just go about your business with baby in tow? What's the big deal? I had her in the backpack as we did museums and touristy stuff, and at night we just wheeled the stroller into pubs and restaurants, and she went right to sleep after a bit of fish & chips, plonk in the middle of all the pandemonium. But a family vacation in San Diego would also be fab, if it could feel like a break to your husband. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadenceSophia Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 The big thing is how you feel about making it a whole family trip vs. You, DH and baby. Everyone feels really differently about this. I'd say I wanted to go to London with DH, only to have an anxiety attack about the other three kids :) But London does seem like more of a vacation and all adult conversations can still take place around a 1 year old so it might be really nice for your marriage to have a little time alone, or almost alone. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBadd Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 True, I think it would be great to have a nice get-away with my husband. It's been a long time since we've gone somewhere kid-free. What other place would you see besides London - maybe Paris? Any other ideas? Hubby is not too enthused about Paris. Can anyone change his mind? 😉 Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 London. LA is okay but spread out and bland. I wouldn't try to visit any other countries, necessarily. There is plenty to do and see in England. Lots in London, the the countryside, castles...I'd get some travelogues and guides and plan an amazing visit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBadd Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 London. LA is okay but spread out and bland. I wouldn't try to visit any other countries, necessarily. There is plenty to do and see in England. Lots in London, the the countryside, castles...I'd get some travelogues and guides and plan an amazing visit.Thank you, I agree about CA. We're leaning toward Europe. I appreciate your advice about staying in England also. That is a great option. It seems less stressful, too, which we value at this stage of our lives. 😉 Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Brooks Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 London is city adventure, navigation, and history--very fun. Ventura is beachy, fun and can be laid back California style. It depends on what you want. Santa Barbara is just north of Ventura. LA is too busy and south. Either choice sounds great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 London is fun and easy with kids as long as you take a mellow attitude and don't try to rush about. The worst bit is travelling between things but you have options like taking taxis instead of trying to use the underground. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 London for sure. what an amazing benefit! How lucky you guys are. Does he get anything for 10 years? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentuckymom Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I would definitely do London, and stay in England or even stay in London. If you have a good carrier for the 1 year old it shouldn't be much of a hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBadd Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 London for sure. what an amazing benefit! How lucky you guys are. Does he get anything for 10 years? Another trip!! 😊 Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Another trip!! 😊 Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk How sweet Does he work in the travel industry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBadd Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 How sweet Does he work in the travel industry? No, he's in the textbook publishing industry - which isn't doing well, so we're not sure if we'll make it to 10 years. Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigomama Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 London a million times, but I live in CA :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 The airline tickets to London would (probably) cost the company more. CA is not cheap, but the USD$1500 will go a lot farther in CA than in the UK. With the ages of your DC, I think they would be happier, going to the San Diego Zoo, seeing the Navy ships in San Diego, and doing many other things in San Diego. I was born and raised in So CA and was in San Diego many times. You can also go across the border to Tijuana, BC, Mexico. If you do that, take copies of your birth certificates. Enjoy your trip! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in CA Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 (edited) We just spent a week in one neighborhood of London, and still feel like we barely scratched the surface. :) I'd be more than happy to elaborate, if you ever want details. :) Last summer we spent two weeks in England, with a week in Berkshire, a long weekend in Cornwall (stunning), and a quick trip to Lincolnshire to see an old friend. Beside the usual touristy stuff, we chatted with the change-ringers at an ancient church; the lady of the manor at a stately home (said to have been a model for Toad Hall) showed us around (!!!); and the verger at a Lincolnshire church showed me fragments of a 10th-century Anglo-Saxon cross he'd found half-buried in the church garden (he pulled them out of a closet in the vestry to show me :wub: ). And, the exchange rate is very favorable right now. Unbelievably so. We've been in the UK when it was 1.95$/£; during our last visit the rate hovered between 1.2 and 1.3. Plus, there is lots of free stuff in London – free lunch-hour concerts at many churches; free admission to many world-class museums; etc. Obviously, being in CA (and since you've lived in CA), I vote for Europe! :001_tt1: ETA: Strictly in terms of physical beauty, the California coast is similar to Cornwall's. BUT Cornwall has a coastal path, layers of history (from prehistoric standing stones you can walk right up to and around, to smugglers' hideouts, medieval churches in some coves, lifeboat stations you can tour, little museums like the one about Marconi, an island similar to Mont-St-Michel, old tin mines, etc.), and heaps of tiny villages, all of which seem to have a welcoming, historic pub, a tea shop where you can get cream tea, Cornish ice cream, etc. Yum!! Oh, and it's green. :) Edited January 26, 2017 by Laura in CA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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