Tag: international

3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our 2 This post covers our 3 days in London. For more on our United Kingdom, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Arrival in London from Railway Station We began our journey aboard a train from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross, a scenic route that takes around 4.5 hours. We should have purchased tickets ahead of time to save money but weren’t sure if we were going to need a late departure or not. We purchased tickets the evening before for 300 pounds for the family to go from Edinburgh to London. Still a very reasonable price and cheaper and more eco-friendly than a plane ride. The train ride was lovely and offered a comfortable and picturesque experience, with views of rolling countryside, coastal cliffs, and charming villages along the way. The highlight? Glimpses of the North Sea coastline just south of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Transportation in London In London, we took the underground everywhere. Kids are free and entre through the wheelchair gates. We took one long train ride to the Warner Bros studio and these tickets were a little pricey ($30 for all round-trip) but overall bus and subway travel went really smoothly excited!) Hotel In London, we stayed at the Hyatt Place London East near the Tower of London area. It was a little bit of a trip to the main parts of the city near Westminster (15 minute subway) but it was very affordable and its pretty rare for hotels to have spots for 4 people. We paid 150 per night for 3 nights and had a pull-out sofa in a family suite. We have status with Hyatt and received a free breakfast and some gifted chocolates along with some drinks from the bar. I know many families prefer AirBnBs or house stays but we’ve always generally leaned towards hotel stays and we generally use the room and hotel just for sleeping so we don’t need the kitchen or space to spread out that younger families may need. Our 3 day itinerary in London Day 1: Train to London, View Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Evening Boat Tour, Hyde Park Winter Festival After our afternoon arrival, we checked into the hotel and found a restaurant nearby to eat lunch. When we arrived at King’s Cross, I suggested we eat there with the large number of restaurants but we had our suitcases and were ready to unload everything. We were able to find a little fast casual noodle chain to give us energy for a busy evening. Subway to Tower of London and Tower Bridge From our hotel, we hopped onto the London Underground one stop to the Tower Hill area. Navigating the Tube was easy and efficient, and also part of the fun part of being in a new city. We walked right past the large Tower of London on our walk to the river. We didn’t take a a tour on this trip but the outside was really cool to look at and we told the kids a little bit of why it was important. In the area, there was a small Christmas village that we meant to return to and never did. We walked across the Tower Bridge and Ellie immediately asked why we couldn’t go to the top. (Because we adults did it on our last trip without kids and we didn’t feel like it was a worthwhile cost when the cool part of the bridge is looking at it, not looking out from it.) The design on the bridge is really intricate and beautiful and definitely feels like one of the iconic picture spots in the area. River Tour Next, we took a boat tour heading west along the River Thames. We left right after sunset and were able to see a lot of the cool buildings lit up. This was also an easy way to get some guide context to all the landmarks around the city. We passed famous landmarks like The Shard, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and The London Eye. The narrative on board was a little dry and the kids didn’t care much but I enjoyed it and it was a cool way to get our first glimpse of Big Ben and the Elizabeth Tower. Seeing these iconic structures from the water was definitely a wow moment. Hyde Park Wonderland We still had some energy in us and hopped on a double-decker red bus to the Hyde Park area. Instagram had been advertising the Winter Wonderland festival and it looked like a really fun Christmas market/amusement park vibe. We were there on a Thursday night (Thanksgiving) and it was popping. The park was frenetic and there were people everywhere. In retrospect, I wanted to go for the lights and food but the kids were immediately disappointed that we weren’t doing carnival games and rides. Something to keep in mind. We explored the Beer hall area and had some churros and food stand dinners. It was a really magical time and area and would have been fun to explore if it wasn’t so crowded and we had been prepared to spend money for activities. After the park, we took a subway back to our hotel and crashed for the night Day 2: St James Park, Buckingham Palace, View Big Ben, Harry Potter Studio Tour St James Park and Buckingham Palace We got a late start to our morning and

Our Family’s 3 day Tour of the Scottish Highlands

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our experience with Hairy Coo’s 3-day Isle of Skye, Inverness and Highlands Tour For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Benefits of a Bus Tour We did not feel comfortable driving in the Scottish Highlands, but knew we wanted to visit the area. A bus tour of the Scottish Highlands offers numerous benefits, making it an excellent option for travelers. We chose to take a multi-day tour so we could see as much as possible without backtracking. Our bus was a 16 passenger bus and filled with several other couples and solo travelers. Here are some benefits of a bus tour through the highlands: No Driving Required: Navigating the narrow, winding roads of the Highlands can be challenging, especially for those unfamiliar with driving on the left. Knowledgeable tour guide Our guide shared great context and history of the area we were exploring. Reasonable prices: When adding in the cost of the car rental, and insurance, it was reasonable. And there’s also the benefit of having a pre-determined itinerary of highlights Reduced Carbon Footprint: Shared transportation is more eco-friendly compared to individual car travel. Uninterrupted Views: Without the stress of trying to direct us, we could enjoy the views and point things out as we were driving. Hotel in Inverness Our tour required us to make our own accommodations in Inverness. We found a cheap family suite apartment above a bar and it was perfect for our needs as it had a separate kids room with bunk beds! We actually didn’t spend a lot of time in Inverness but the main city area was very small and all very walkable. Our 3 day itinerary in the Highlands Day 1: Kelpies, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Inverness Of course, because we were on a guided tour, we didn’t get a say in our stops but I believe we hit a lot of great highlights in a quick trip. Many other tours make very similar stops along the way. We always saw other small busses at the parking lots where we stopped. Our tour met in Edinburgh at 8am and we drove in hour to 2 hour blocks over the next 3 days to see lots of great sights. Our first stop was in Falkirk, where we visited a giant art horse sculpture. The Kelpies are 30-meter-tall steel sculptures of two horse heads. They are the largest equine sculptures in the world and are named after “kelpies,” shape-shifting water spirits from Scottish folklore. Carter actually had encountered them in several YA fantasy books including The Menagerie. The visitor center also had some cute Highlands items and a little cafe. We always took advantage of every potty break. Our youngest was 7 and we were a little worried about being on a group tour with her little bladder but we ran into no issues as stops were never more than 2 hours apart. We continued our drive and stopped for a quick lunch in the town of Callendar. This was a very little (20 shops) main street that I’m sure is busier in the high season. We also had the chance to take some pics with some cutie Hairy Coos. (A hairy coo is a nickname for the Highland cow.) Our next section was a lot of driving, but with some beautiful scenery and our guide sharing some history of the Clan history of the areas We were also excited that the tour included a stop to see the Glenfinnan Viaduct area. This area is in the Harry Potter 2 movie and I’ve read that sometimes tours can actually see the train go across! The views were a little foggy but still really gorgeous! There was a also a cafe and informational visitor center here. After this stop we did one more potty break at a little souvenir shop area before arriving in Inverness. We actually didn’t get to spend much time in the city during daylight hours. We found a pizza and brewery spot to enjoy dinner and then went to bed early. Day 2: Isle of Skye Tour: Portee, Kilt Rock, Quiraing Isle of Skye It was important that we visit the Isle of Skye on our Highlands tour, even though we only hit some of the highlights. This area would be great to explore in warmer months with tons of amazing dramatic landscapes and scenic hikes. This was definitely a highlight of our trip We made several short picture stops along the way including of Eilean Donan Castle, and gorgeous lakes and mountain landscapes. We stopped for a grocery/bathroom break right before the Isle of Skye bridge and found some of our favorite snacks, millionaire shortbread (caramel chocolate sweetness), and 60 pence pancakes! Portee and the Trotternish Peninsula We had lunch in the cute seaside town of Portree. As we visited in November, many of the spots were closed. There were ads for boat tours and nature adventures. I definitely think if we visited in the warmer months, it would be great to base ourselves in Portree for a longer stay. There was so much beauty to see in the area with gorgeous backgrounds and amazing views of cliffs, waterfalls, and rivers. The tour made sure to make several stops at picture perfect spots along the way, The Quiraing stop was definitely my favorite. We stayed here for a longer period of time and

2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids

Background For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. This post covers our 2 days in Edinburgh For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Arrival in Edinburgh We flew from Nashville to London connecting to Edinburgh on British Airways. We were team carry-on for this trip as carrying suitcases up and down subway stairs can sometimes be difficult. Our usual routine is to take an uber from the airport to our hotel on the first day and get the hang of public transport and other options throughout the trip. However, on this trip we found it very straightforward way to take a 30 minute tram with a 10 minute walk to our hotel. The cost of taking the tram from the Edinburgh Airport to the city center for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) was less than 20 pounds. Tickets can be purchased at the tram stop ticket machines before boarding. For more details, you can visit Edinburgh Trams. Transportation in Edinburgh In Edinburgh, we walked to most destinations and took a few buses that were easy to tap pay at the front. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. Hotel In Edinburgh, we stayed at the Hilton Double Tree City Centre . The hotel is located a 5 minute walk of the castle, and very convenient to the rest of the city. Views were absolutely gorgeous and the hotel was fantastic with a great breakfast and bar and super kind staff. We used points to stay for free and were even gifted some drinks and small chocolates for our status. For breakfast, there was a buffet along with the ability to order pancakes, omelets, and other small add-ons. If you’re interested in an AMEX Hilton card, the sign-up bonus points are usually pretty high. We were in a small 2 double bed room which was a little snuggly but we didn’t spend a lot of time in the room (except for sleeping and minecraft world building) Our 2 day itinerary in Edingburgh: Day 1: Late Arrival, National Museum of Scotland, Christmas Festival After our afternoon arrival, we checked into the hotel and then walked towards the main area of town. It was a little snowy but the city was so cute with all the lovely buildings and cobbled streets. Our first stop was Greyfriars Kirkyard with is a historic cemetery famous for inspiring many names in Harry Potter. Tom Riddle, Crookshanks, McGonagall. If you’re interested, search online for a map. We wandered a little bit, saw Tom Riddle’s grave and then moved on. Our next stop was right next door at the Museum of Scotland. The only thing I knew going in was that Dolly the cloned sheep was housed here! We spent about 2 hours at the museum. It was great! There was a technology area that the kids loved. It was very hands-on like a science museum. We also took an elevator to the roof and caught a brief cloudy view of the city from the rooftop. If we had more time, I definitely would have loved to come back and seen more of the history or art sections of the museum as well. After our visit to the museum, we walked to the city’s winter festival. We stopped here on several nights, it was so cute. The old monuments and shiny bright carnival lights made for a really fun backdrop to our exploring. There were also several bagpipers playing Christmas music. So fun! Last year, we did Christmas markets in Germany and Austria and it felt like a mini-version of some of those markets. We had some yummy food and explored. We didn’t do any rides much to the dismay of the kids. In this area near West Princes street, there are a few standard favorite shopping spots like H&M and Uniqlo. We also had to grab a power converter that we forgot to pack at a shop near the railway station. Everyone did a great job fighting off jetlag and we went to bed at a totally reasonable 8p. Day 2: City walks, Harry Potter-themed tea and escape room, Royal mile, Christmas Festival Magic Mile We had a little bit of a late start. After a quick hotel breakfast, we headed out for our day. The sun was shining and it was a lot less gloomy than the evening before. We walked past the gorgeous large castle, and for a little bit of the main High street. I read a little bit of context from Rick Steve’s tour book but we were mostly interested in just soaking in the vibes <3 We decided on this trip to skip some of the castle and palace tours because the middle part of the trip would be very history heavy. I think the kids would have enjoyed it but we’ll just have to come back again another time. Department of Magic I highly recommend making time in your Edinburgh trip to visit Department of Magic. This cute cafe/experience is so great if you have kids into Harry Potter (or if you are a fan). We did an escape room with different puzzles to solve and prophecies to find. Everything was cutely themed and the kids were really into it. We tried our best to let them take the lead

England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics

Trip motivation For Thanksgiving break 2024, our family visited England and Scotland! Last Christmas, we visited Germany and Austria and loved the long train rides through the countryside. We decided that the Scottish Highlands would be the perfect adventure for our next trip to Europe. We spent a few days in Edinburgh, took a bus tour to the Highlands, and wrapped up our trip in busy and historic London. European travel is quickly becoming one of my favorite things with family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our flights, itinerary, planning process, and international logistics such as using the subway, getting a phone card, and finding budget restaurants. For more on our United Kingdom trip, see our posts here England and Scotland with Kids Winter 2024: Flights and Logistics 2 Days in Edinburgh, Scotland: Itinerary with Kids Our Family’s 3-Day Tour of the Scottish Highlands 3 days in London, England: A Family Itinerary Planning our Itinerary I love planning trips, especially through well-traveled places where there’s a ton of information to read through and make plans for. Many online blogs were really helpful! We were in each home-base for around 4 days and read numerous blogs and books (Rick Steves is always a must-read for Europe trips). One tip for traveling with kids is take a 3-day best of guide and cut out half of it to make it actually realistic to manage in those same 3 days. Mix in some kid-focused/less touristy options like malls, playgrounds, hotel pool. We did a lot of bus and train travel on this trip and our kids loved reading their new kindles on the trains and this was a great time for just chatting and reconnecting with gorgeous views. Several months before, I sketched out our plan in excel and on google maps with a balance of activities, rest time, food, rest, and fun. We made sure to research how far areas were and tried to schedule several anchor points with a few optional activities so we didn’t overstuff our schedule. Overview Day 1: Late Arrival, National Museum of Scotland, Christmas Festival Day 2: City walks, Harry Potter-themed tea and escape room, Royal mile, Christmas Festival Day 3: Highlands Tour: Kelpies, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Inverness Day 4: Isle of Skye Tour: Portee, Kilt Rock, Quiraing Day 5: Loch Ness Boat Tour, Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield, Pitlochry Day 6: Train to London, View Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Evening Boat Tour, Hyde Park Winter Festival Day 7: St James Park, Buckingham Palace, View Big Ben, Harry Potter Studio Tour Day 8: British Museum, Kensington Park, Science Museum, West End Matilda Show Day 9: Fly Home! Flying to Scotland and London We used the Chase Portal and Chase Points to fly to Edinburgh (stop in London) and non-stop from London on the way back Chase Sapphire Preferred Apply Here Chase Sapphire Reserve Apply Here Chase Hyatt Apply Here Tips for Long Plane Rides Sleeping on planes West to East: Plan to sleep! For the overnight red-eye flight to Europe, we emphasized that after dinner service, everyone was going to try and get some sleep. I gave each kid a dose of melatonin and they passed out pretty immediately. We packed these cheap pillows from Amazon (They came with eye masks!). On arrival, get outside and try to limit naps so you can readjust. Activities for long flights East to West On the long flight, the kids were happy playing with the personal screen and alternating between coloring, reading, tv, games, and snacks. Ellie has been loving the Magic Treehouse books and when they were little, they used to love activities in the Magic Ink and small play pack coloring books (Amazon links). We have one Nintendo Switch that the kids love. For more on our favorite activities and tips for flying, see our post here. Transportation in Europe Train travel and public transportation is one of our favorite things about Europe. Everything is pretty straightforward and inexpensive. In Edinburgh, we walked to most destinations and took a few buses that were easy to tap pay at the front. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. We took the LNER train from Scotland to London. We should have purchased tickets ahead of time as prices went up closer to departure. For our family of 4, it was still very cheap and only $300 for everyone. In London, we took the underground subway and double decker buses everywhere. Kids are free and enter through the wheelchair gates. We took one long train ride to the Warner Bros studio and these tickets were a little pricey ($30 for all round-trip) but overall bus and subway travel went really smoothly excited!) I love how easy train travel is in Europe. We mapped destinations using google maps and compared the time/cost/effort to use a taxi, train, bus, or walk. We used uber or the train depending on where/how far we were going. If you have little ones, it might be harder to use a taxi due to the car seat. If you plan on using a stroller on the subway, many have elevators, but be prepared to fold it and carry up stairs. Eating in Scotland and London Several of our hotels came with free breakfast, and we also stopped by grocery stores for easy cheap meals to start our day and snacks for the hotel room. Tesco pancakes for 60 pence was our favorite snack. During the day, we tried to balance quick meals with sit-down meals. We did do a few fancy meals like a Sunday Roast in Edinburgh and a Brazillian steakhouse. And a lot of fish and chips. In London, we did a few market type set-ups

Favorite Things to do In Merida, Mexico with Kids

In summer 2024, our family spent two weeks in Merida, Mexico, exploring its vibrant neighborhoods, cultural events, and nearby beaches and cenotes with our kids (ages 6 and 9). We combined remote work and kids’ Spanish camp with visits to local attractions like Plaza Grande, Paseo de Montejo, and Parque de La Plancha. We found Merida a safe, family-friendly city brimming with culture and welcoming locals.

Family trip to Merida, Mexico: Logistics for a 2 week Visit with Kids

Our family visited Merida, Mexico, in summer 2024 for a two-week trip, combining remote work with a half-day Spanish camp for our kids, and city exploration with a nearby family. To balance the kids’ activities, we incorporated a realistic itinerary with half-day excursions to cenotes, beaches, and playgrounds while exploring Merida’s cultural sites and neighborhoods. This visit was enriched by the welcoming locals, affordable dining, and the ease of local transport, creating a relaxed and immersive travel experience.

Day trips from Merida, Mexico: Ruins, Cenotes, Beaches, and more fun!

In summer 2024, our family returned to Mérida, Mexico for a two-week adventure, balancing remote work with our kids’ Spanish camp and exciting day trips. Highlights included exploring the ruins of Uxmal, swimming in Cenote Mucuyche, and relaxing at beach clubs like Silcer Club De Playa, all of which made for an unforgettable family trip filled with fun and cultural immersion

3 days in Innsbruck, Austria with Kids

Background For Winter Break 2023-2024, our family visited Germany and Austria! This has been at the top of our family wish list for a few years. Planning this big multi-city trip was so fun. We saw Christmas markets, snowy villages, ice-skated in 3 cities, and loved loved loved train rides with gorgeous scenery. European travel is quickly becoming one of my favorite things with family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our 3 full days in Innsbruck, Austria. The small towns of the region were so cute and different and had such a wonderful vibe. Read all of our European Christmas Market posts at the following links: Our 2023 Germany and Austria Trip: Flights and Logistics 2 days in Munich, Germany with Kids Day Trips from Munich with Kids: Nuremberg & Neuschwanstein Castle 3 days in Salzburg, Austria with Kids 3 days in Innsbruck, Austria with Kids Getting around Salzburg From Salzburg’s main station, it was an easy 2 hour trip to the main Innsbruck station. On our trips between cities, we generally booked tickets the night before and were able to get really inexpensive tickets. The price for all 4 of us was 44 euro and it was a double-deck train (Ellie was so excited!) I love how easy train travel is in Europe. We used the website seat 61 to get some guidance but it was really straightforward. In Innsbruck, we had the Innsbruck card for bus travel around the city. Where we stayed: We booked a 2-bedroom apartment on booking.com right in the middle of the city. Primarily because we thought we would walk home after NYE celebrations. However, we didn’t stay awake till midnight anyway. Either way, this was an awesome location and made it very easy to adventure out and about in the city. We used the Innsbruck card for 3 days (more below) which came with public transport which made it really easy to get around daily. We stopped at grocery stores for breakfast and evening snacks and had a wonderful stay. Innsbruck Card Tips When exploring highlights of cities, we often like to look at cards that include multiple museums and attractions. The Innsbruck Card was a great deal and included many of the attractions we were most interested in seeing. I included in our itinerary below if it was part of the card. We purchased a 72 hr 3 day card to give us more flexibility but could have been more efficient/squeezed it in 2 days. Definitely make a plan to do non-included things outside of the window if you’re there for a little longer. Our 3.5 day itinerary in Innsbruck Day 0: Transit to Innsbruck, Ambras Castle, Evening Light Show We arrived in Innsbruck in the early afternoon after arriving by train from Salzburg. After settling into our hotel, we wasted no time in grabbing an Innsbruck Card. We went to the information center near our hotel to get the physical passes because the online options weren’t working. With our sightseeing pass secured, we hopped on a bus and made our way to the majestic Ambras Castle. This castle sits high on a hilltop overlooking Innsbruck and has some fun things to see such as armor, weird wacky collections, and fun art. We also explored the outdoor garden areas a little and found a fun bridge to a cave. Off the beaten path! We spent around 2 hours at the castle and then headed back to our apartment. From our spot near the golden roof, we heard a fun little concert at sunset. I looked it up online and found that there is usually a band that plays throughout November and December on the roof. It was a lovely surprise! The Golden Roof is one of Innsbruck’s most popular tourist attraction. The small roof sticks out from a building and is covered with 2,657 fire-gilded copper tiles. We didn’t explore the attached museum or do a lot of history things in the area but the location was really convenient. As part of our innsbruck card, admission to a light show at a nearby park was included. Lumagica was a fun walk-through light sculpture show that was really well done. Lots of different themes and fun areas to see. To complete our evening, we had dinner at Stiftskeller. This was our favorite spot, maybe of the whole trip. We had schnitzel, stew, fish sticks and returned here multiple times throughout the week! Day 1: Top of Innsbruck cable cars, Zoo, Sound Museum Top of Innsbruck Our first full day in Innsbruck began with a fun ride on the Nordkette cable car, which whisked us up the mountainside in style. The rides were all included as part of our Innsbruck card. We walked from our hotel to the nearby park and started our journey at the Congress station. Congress – Hungerburg This is the first leg of the ride, from the Congress Station in Innsbruck city center to Hungerburg, a stop where you can find the Alpenzoo and stunning mountain views. The ride on the Hungerburg Funicular takes about 8 minutes. It was a little squished but super awesome to see the city shrink beneath us. Alpenzoo We stopped at the Alpenzoo, Europe’s highest zoo. Our favorite animal was the ibex, a majestic mountain goat with impressive horns. We spent about an hour and a half at the zoo, following the path and pointing out birds we recognized from wingspan, our favorite board game lol. Hungerburg – Seegrube The second stage involves a cable car ride from Hungerburg to Seegrube, a scenic plateau at an altitude of 1,905 meters. This leg offers panoramic views of Innsbruck and the Inn Valley. The ride takes approximately 6 minutes. At this spot, we were excited to see all the skiers! We oohed and

Day Trips from Munich with Kids: Nuremberg & Neuschwanstein Castle

Background For Winter Break 2023-2024, our family visited Germany and Austria! This has been at the top of our family wish list for a few years. Planning this big multi-city trip was so fun. We saw Christmas markets, snowy villages, ice-skated in 3 cities, and loved loved loved train rides with gorgeous scenery. European travel is quickly becoming one of my favorite things with family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our 2 day-trips from Munich to Nuremberg and Nueschwanstein. Read all of our European Christmas Market posts at the following links: Our 2023 Germany and Austria Trip: Flights and Logistics 2 days in Munich, Germany with Kids Day Trips from Munich with Kids: Nuremberg & Neuschwanstein Castle 3 days in Salzburg, Austria with Kids 3 days in Innsbruck, Austria with Kids Easy Day Trips from Munich by Train Munich is a great spot to day-trip from. The main Munich train station, Hauptbahnhof, was well-labeled and easy to navigate. From our hotel, it was a quick trip to the main station and there were numerous options to various sites all around Germany and beyond. We generally booked tickets the night before and were able to get really inexpensive tickets. On the train, operators stopped by to scan our qr-codes and give us a receipt. We used the website Seat 61 to get some guidance but it was really straightforward. The Bayern ticket is a family ticket that is a great deal for unlimited travel in Bavaria (Munich and surrounding areas) on regional trains. Day trip #1: Nuremberg On one of our days in Munich, we took an all-day trip to Nuremberg. This city regularly makes lists of top Christmas markets in Europe and it lived up to the hype! The city transforms into a winter wonderland with its renowned Christkindlesmarkt, festive atmosphere, and gorgeous historical churches and buildings. Getting to Nuremberg Just an hour away by train from Munich, Nuremberg is the perfect day trip. It was really easy to find directions on google and buy a train ticket! Easy trip! The kids loved their kindle time and it was a beautiful trip. Sightseeing in Nuremberg From the train station, we walked towards the main Christmas market areas and oohed and ahhed at all the cute buildings and cobble streets. We passed by Frauentorturm, the old tower at the corner of the city walls and stopped briefly at St. Lorenz Church (Lorenzkirche) which is a gorgeous Gothic church from the 15th century. We then headed to the central market square, Hauptmarkt. The Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) is one of the most impressive churches in Nuremberg. At noon every day, the Männleinlaufen glockenspiel (a mechanical clock) puts on a display. Mechanized figures come out from just below the church clock, with princes dancing around the Holy Roman Emperor. The main square is also where the Christmas market is located. After watching the glockenspiel, we back-tracked towards the Children’s market Christmas Markets! Our next stop was back to the main Christkindlesmarkt. The main attraction is the Christkindlesmarkt, one of the oldest and most famous Christmas markets in the world. It dates back to the 16th century and boasts over 180 stalls selling traditional Christmas decorations, handcrafted gifts, and delicious treats like gingerbread, roasted chestnuts, and Nuremberg sausages. In the middle of the square is the Gothic Schoner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), a replica of a fountain from the 14th century. I read a story that spinning the rings in the fence of the fountain three times brings good luck! Our next stop was the Nuremberg Toy Museum or Spielzeugmuseum . The adults were interested in some of the nostalgic toys and displays. The kids were more interested in playing! On the top floor, there were several puzzles, wooden games, and fun play areas. On the walk back towards the train station, we stopped for some yummy schnitzel at tucher mautkeller. On the train ride back, the kiddos read a little but also just rested after a big day. This was a really fun and full day trip. I’m so glad we were able to make the small side trip to experience the Christmas festivities. If you visit at non-Christmas times, be sure to look up other things to do as well such as the Nuremberg Castle, the DB train museum, dungeon tours and other historical sites like the Nazi grounds or trial areas. Day Trip #2: Neuschwanstein Castle If you’re interested in another fun day trip from Muncih, Neuschwanstein Castle is gorgeous! Getting to the Castle There are several bus tours that run with stops at multiple castles but we decided to take public transport. The kids love riding trains and reading books and we were able to follow google maps along the route and transfers. It did take about 3 hours from Munich Central station to get to where we were going so plan for a full day of adventure. Castle Views! Built in the 19th century by Ludwig II, King of Bavaria, Neuschwanstein is the most iconic castle in Europe. With its fairytale appearance, it served as an inspiration for Walt Disney’s logo. If you’ve ever done the Soarin ride at Disney, it flies over the castle! We took several trains and a bus to the cute little town and were immediately greeted by gorgeous views and cute shops. We didn’t visit the inside of the castle but we did do an hour hike to the Neuschwanstein Castle bridge. We bought some hiking snacks and made our way to the bridge, also known as Marienbrücke. The hike took about an hour to the bridge and back. There is also an option for a horse-drawn carriage. The bridge is a must-see for any visitor to the iconic Bavarian castle. Situated directly behind Neuschwanstein Castle, offering breathtaking

Two Days in Munich, Germany with Kids

Background For Winter Break 2023-2024, our family visited Germany and Austria! This has been at the top of our family wish list for a few years. Planning this big multi-city trip was so fun. We saw Christmas markets, snowy villages, ice-skated in 3 cities, and loved loved loved train rides with gorgeous scenery. European travel is quickly becoming one of my favorite things with family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip! This post covers our 2 days in Munich. Read all of our European Christmas Market posts at the following links: Our 2023 Germany and Austria Trip: Flights and Logistics (this post) 2 days in Munich, Germany with Kids Day Trips from Munich with Kids: Nuremberg & Neuschwanstein Castle 3 days in Salzburg, Austria with Kids 3 days in Innsbruck, Austria with Kids Arrival in Munich Munich International airport has great options for flights from the US. See this post here for more details on how we used points and miles from credit cards for our flight. At the time of our visit, the luggage was sooooo slow to arrive at the carousel. More reason to be team carry-on. Our usual routine is to take an uber from the airport to our hotel on the first day and get the hang of public transport and other options throughout the trip. A great option in Munich is the Lufthansa Express Bus. It takes you to the central train station where you would need to then transfer to your final destination. For a family ticket of 28 euro, you can get into the city (compared to $50-$80 for ubers/taxis) Transportation in Munich We love train-travel in Europe. We used the MVGO app and bought daily unlimited family passes. It was super easy to buy tickets for our day trips and train to Salzburg, Austria at the end of our stay. We used this website for tips and recommendations. We also just used google maps frequently which was synced to the schedules. One top tip for international travel is to download the city map to google so that it doesn’t continue to use data every time you load. Hotel In Munich, we stayed at the Andaz Munich. The hotel is located in the Schwabing district. Views were absolutely gorgeous and the hotel was fantastic with a lovely spa/pool area, great breakfast and bar and super kind staff. We were able to get upgraded to a suite which let the kids be on a pull-out and us be in a separate room. Plus 2 bathrooms! The hotel was a short walk and quick 15 minute bus/train combo to the city. We thought about trying to stay closer but wanted our free breakfast <3. A block away, there was a really cute playground! Our 2 day itinerary in Munich: Day 1: Arrival, Christmas Markets, Hoffbraus After our afternoon arrival, we checked into the hotel (yay for free welcome drinks) and then headed out to Old Town and the main city area. The Marienplatz area was easy to get to and full and bustling with Christmas cheer. The New Town Hall (Neue Rathaus) building is a beautiful landmark and a great backdrop to our first day of adventures. One of the main reasons we visited Germany and Austria was for the Christmas markets and this area had a giant one with hundreds of little kiosks. Marienplatz Christkindlmarkt: No trip to Munich’s Christmas markets is complete without a visit to the Marienplatz Christkindlmarkt. This iconic market, nestled in the heart of the city’s main square, is the oldest and largest in Munich. With over 100 stalls selling traditional Bavarian crafts, ornaments, and delicious treats, it’s a sensory overload in the best possible way. Be sure to soak up the festive atmosphere, with the twinkling lights and the sound of Christmas carols filling the air and try a mug of steaming Glühwein (mulled wine). At the market, you pay a pfand (deposit) of 3-4 euro and pay 4-5 euro for the actual drink. The deposit is the cost for that adorable mug. If you don’t return it, then you forfeit the deposit. However, if you return it, you get the deposit back. This is environmentally friendly and a nice way to use lots of cute little mugs. They had kid non-alcoholic punch but the kids were not huge fans. We also stopped by a cute cheese shop and sampled some fun snacks. So great! Hofbraeuhas: For dinner, we walked a few blocks to Hofbraeuhas. This is one of the most famous breweries in the world. If you’ve ever been to a US german-themed beer hall, it is probably modeled in part on this brewery. It was founded in the 1500s and lived up to its hype. It is so touristy but that’s part of the joy. There was live tuba music, large liters of beer, pretzels and schnitzels and large tables full of tourists from all over. We chatted with another family who adventured from Australia and were on a full monthly adventure. I wish! Day 2: Munich: Glockenspiel, Residence Palace, Viktualienmarkt, City Walking, Ice Skating, More Christmas Markets Glockenspiel Glockenspiel: This was our main full day in Munich so we had to make it count! After a late start and hotel breakfast (Yay for nutella croissants!), we headed to see the glockenspiel at 11a. Back at the Marienplatz main square, the large clock tower has a show at 11a, 12p and sometimes at 5p. The short 15 minute show has characters dance around and recounts a royal wedding, jousting tournament and ritualistic dance. It was a little rainy and it didn’t hold our kid’s attention span the whole time but it was fun (Get a cookie snack as a distraction/peace offering) Munich Residence Munich Residence: After watching the show, we walked 10 minutes to the Munich residence.

Traveling Little Morsels

Sharing memories and tips for enjoying travels with littles. Always looking forward to our next adventure!

❤ Jenn Morse ❤

TRAVELING LITTLE MORSELS