So you’ve planned a big trip to Europe to celebrate high school graduation, and to enjoy your last big family vacation. You’ve booked your plane tickets, made an itinerary, and hopefully figured out the major lodging and transportation along the way. But you’ve also watched National Lampoon’s European Vacation, and you’re getting a little nervous.
We’ve taken our boys to Europe twice now, first with 4 boys, then again with the 3 remaining boys. We’ve learned a lot along the way, and want to share some of our lessons with you.
I confess that although I saw our trips as an opportunity to have fun, I was also thinking about the life altering effects of travel. I wanted the boys to appreciate different cultures. I wanted them to feel how hard it is to not speak the native language. I wanted them to see what planned public transportation looks like, and how it transforms everyday life. And I wanted them to learn a little history and some solid travel skills. College requires meeting new people, trying new things, and getting around on your own. I saw travel as a way to jumpstart that transition. And the trips were VERY successful, even beyond my most optimistic dreams.
- Try a “practice trip” to a big city in the USWe took a “practice trip” to New York City the year before our first trip to Europe, which let us try out our travel skills on a much shorter trip and in our home country. We learned that we are not a museum family, especially art museums. We started every day with a list of possible sites and activities, with backup plans in case of bad weather. We always had more on the list than we could possibly see, but we saw our top choices first and left planning our next trip to see the rest of our list.
- There’s more to see in Europe than museums Most guide books written for adults focus on museums, and for college students, the focus is on nightlife. We found our family prefers architecture, views from tall buildings, art displayed in castles or cathedrals, street performers, outdoor markets, and active pursuits like walking tours, hikes, climbs, and bike rides. River tour boats are great for a chance to sit down. And Switzerland is pure magic. Zipline and rope course parks are just extra icing on top.
- Public transportation is not to be missed Although the tourist attractions were great for taking pictures to show their friends, we often had the best experiences getting to and from the attractions. I highly advise using public transportation rather than a tourist bus or rented car. Public transportation is a great chance to see and interact with the locals in their everyday routines. And navigating a vast subway and bus system is an adventure in itself!
- Don’t forget the grocery store I love to cook, and food was expensive, so we always checked out the local grocery stores. We were going in for picnic lunch supplies and snacks, or sometimes to pick up dinner when we stayed at an Airbnb type of vacation rental. It was hard not to notice the different balance of food stocking the shelves. Snack food occupied much less shelf space. The cheese section in Switzerland was totally overwhelming, but milk was sold in small cartons. And in Norway, you can buy Old El Paso taco kits, just around the corner from the lefse. We wondered if the clear skin and smaller waistlines of most Europeans was due to their cleaner diet, and if the introduction of American fast food would change them.
- Have fun while you’re waiting around Sometimes you just have to wait. We learned that pictures taken in “portrait mode” on subway platforms are really dramatic. We had fun noticing the unusual cars and motor scooters, and were amazed at the crazy parking. Even more fun was watching the traffic and waiting for the wreck that seemed like it should happen any second, but never quite did. And despite the boy’s protests, they learned that I’m going to take a picture of every meal, including the people eating, and that those will be some of our favorite pictures when we get home. And inspire a week of European Vacation meals in our regular rotation.
- Souvenirs for them and you We are generally not a souvenir family, but we started a tradition of buying one small 4-5” tall figurine that represents the most famous attraction in each place we visited. For example, we have an Eiffel Tower from Paris and a red phone booth from London. Searching for the perfect souvenir gives us an excuse to check out lots of little shops and think about what makes each city most famous. Once we get them home, the souvenirs line our fireplace mantle and gives us a constant reminder of our travels. The best may be the rock and shell collection from the old family farm in Norway. I’ve just started a collection of my own – reusable grocery bags from around the world. I just started at the end of our last trip, so I have one so far. But I’m already plotting more additions!
We all had a great time and remember those trips frequently. We’ve sent the oldest two off to college with large prints of their European vacation pictures to hang on their dorm room walls. My oldest college student son has already spent a summer studying in Rome, and my #2 son is headed to France this summer. We’ve had great conversations about learning a foreign language, and an increased interest in history. We’ve enjoyed the cultural differences, and questioned the importance of accumulating “stuff” vs. experiences. And of course, we never stop dreaming of our next trip.
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