How to plan a first overseas getaway
IT IS exponentially easier to plan a trip with kids to somewhere you’ve been before than it is to plot an adventure someplace new. I was forced to acknowledge this last spring as I struggled to map out my family’s itinerary for a three-week, three-country European vacation. Plan a skiing, camping and hiking trip in the American West, where I was born and now live? No problem. But picking a handful of kid-friendly stops in multiple European countries when all options were on the table? Let’s just say I had multiple deer-inthe-headlights moments.
The impetus for this grand escape was my mother-inlaw’s 70th birthday celebration. The party was slated for early July in southwestern France, so that became the foundation on which we based the trip. My husband and I also wanted quality time with our immediate family, which meant we were looking for a 12-day vacation for four. Additional criteria included being somewhere two energetic Colorado boys could run relatively free; a blend of culture, art and the outdoors; and minimal time spent in transit.
We settled on Scotland, with a three-day stopover to see friends in England before heading south to France. Though it was a relief to set the trip’s scaffolding, filling in the gaps between landing in Edinburgh and departing three weeks later from Toulouse, France, proved surprisingly challenging – not for a lack of options, but for my lack of insight. I could hardly pronounce the names of the villages, much less know which would be better: braving the gales on an abandoned, rocky beach somewhere in the outer Hebrides or a more civilised itinerary involving castle-touring.
To say I lost hours of sleep stressing about trip planning is an understatement. Part of the difficulty came from expectations; when spending thousands of dollars and tak- ing precious time off work, there’s a lot of pressure on the trip planner to pull off something sufficiently wonderful. Part of it was concern about the kids. Henry was 7 and Silas was 5, and I wanted a trip that would inspire, entertain and educate them with minimal chance for meltdowns.
Spoiler alert: Our trip was incredible because it accomplished my top goal of bringing us together in shared adventure for days on end and strengthening our family bonds. Here are my top takeaways.
. Even though the internet pulses with constantly updated information, it can overwhelm and delude people like me. After wasting hours down internet rabbit holes, I bought the Lonely Planet guides to Scotland and France, and significantly simplified my planning. I initially wanted to tour all of Scotland, explore several islands and climb a mountain over the course of seven days. The internet insisted that it was possible. The guide led me to conclude that it would be slapdash and exhausting.
I had the best intentions of steering us toward the Isle of Skye, Scotland’s famous crown jewel, but thanks to my procrastination, I had trouble finding lodging during the dates we would be there. At first, I was crestfallen. But our alternate destination, the Isle of Arran, also known as “Scotland in Miniature”, proved to be remarkably accessible and stunning. There, we discovered an island filled with cheerful locals; an impressive distillery; a brewery and charming cheese shop; a large mountain we hiked as a family; and bucolic views that still make my heart surge months later.
We couldn’t afford to fly the whole family first class, but we did splurge on a large room at the luxurious Balmoral Hotel at the intersection of Edinburgh’s new and old towns. JK Rowling wrote the seventh book in the Harry Pot- ter series here, but even more impressive was the elegant decor and Number One, the hotel restaurant where we ate the best meal of the entire trip. The kids loved the shortbread and bath toys awaiting them in our room, and the hotel’s prime location – a short walk to Edinburgh Castle and adjacent to Waverly Train Station.
- Logging onto Skype and calling both VisitScotland and the Tourist Office of Lauzerte was the most efficient way to get a list of family-friendly options. Upon learning of my kids’ proclivity for climbing things and being outside, Michael at VisitScotland directed us to Trossachs National Park and the Isle of Arran, assuring me that there would be plenty of opportunities for walking hills and exploring tide pools. Delphine in Lauzerte assured me that children would love the prehistoric cave drawings at Pech Merle and informed me about nearby Chateau Feely, a winery known for its biodynamic processes and excellent cafe that welcomes children. These bureaus are staffed with regional experts. Use them.
Like many Americans, I fetishised Europe’s interconnected public transportation system. But I quickly learned that our off-the-beaten path choices in Scotland and in southwestern France did not have regular transit service. The car was among our biggest expenditures, but the freedom it allowed was priceless.
Always. Despite the prevalence of apps with extensive restaurant reviews, our best meals always came from local suggestions. The woman from whom we rented a cottage on the Isle of Arran told me that Scottish ferries have delicious food. She was right. Her tip introduced my 5-year-old to the joys of delicious chicken curry, and I indulged in a decadent, savoury pastry dish with salmon and cheese that I would love to have again.