My husband and I debated about the right age to bring our boys to Europe: we didn’t want to wait too long and have crabby teenagers, or go too early and have them not appreciate the experience. The first time we took them they were 11 and 14 – it was right on time for our family. We kept the itinerary simple and visited London and Paris, taking the Chunnel between the cities. Each boy took ½ day off from touring when they had hit their limit and stayed behind in our accommodation; this felt a little odd at the time but it was what they needed to maintain their energy and positive attitudes for the rest of the trip. For the most part they were really engaged throughout the trip and it is one of our most favorite family memories.
A highlight was seeing historic landmarks like Westminster Abbey, Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Walking around a corner and seeing an iconic monument in person is so inspiring and breathtaking. And crowded. For instance, the line to take the elevators to the top of the Eiffel Tower was about two hours long. Thankfully a few months earlier we had purchased tickets for the “skip the line” tour. We met our guide and small group off-site, walked to the base of the tower with our Quietvox headphones so we could hear the guide from a distance as she gave a brief history of the Tower and Paris, and got right on the elevators. We leisurely spent time on the decks, took lots of pictures, turned in our Quietvox headphones to our guide, and walked down the stairs when we were ready to leave. We had a fantastic experience and we were ready to head to the Louvre in under the time we would have spent waiting in line (and no doubt arguing and breaking up tussles between the boys!).
Today we are bringing you your own “skip the line/ skip the trip” tour of the Eiffel Tower. We hope you enjoy it and that it reminds you that sometimes we need to get a different perspective on a situation to get a real appreciation of everything around us. And if you ever want to discuss family travel, please give us a call.
Debi Kelley 303-589-1413 debi@premieretravelplanners.com
Deb Clark 303-915-0860 deb@premieretravelplanners.com
At Premiere Travel Planners, we are travel agents who turn the discerning travelers’ vacation dreams into reality. Using our global connections and professional experience, we design your customized trip to be as unique as you. All the details will be taken care of so you can travel with confidence. We also work with groups traveling around a common interest like wine, history, cycling, destination weddings or corporate incentive travel. We are passionate about travel that inspires deeper connections with others and our world.