FIER ESCAPE

As with many of our trips, this getaway to the Irish Isles was conceived out of a good flight deal. We were able to score Virgin Air flights nonstop from JFK to LHR for 30K points round trip, which at the time of booking and during peak summer season was a great deal. Since then, however, VA has improved their rewards flight prices. I’ve seen fantastic deals as low as 6k each way, so if this inspires you, go seek out an amazing ticket! 

Ireland seems small, but there is so much to see!   Our time was limited so we chose to stick to the southwest corner and try to get a good taste of the Wild Atlantic Way.  Early summer in Ireland was a perfect time to visit.  The island was green, the climate mild, and we were a couple weeks ahead of most of the tourist rush.

Itinerary

Here’s the condensed version, see below for full details!

Day One:
Arrive at Shannon Airport
Drive to Killarney
Stop at Durty Nelly’s Pub
Check into Mountain Lodge

Day Two:
Muckross House and Farm
Torq Waterfall
Downtown Killarney: Cronin’s, Murphy’s Ice Cream, Luna Coffee + Wine

Day Three:
Ross Castle
Kissane Sheep Farm
Stop at Ladies’ View viewpoint with lunch at Ladies’ View cafe
Dinner at Kate Kearney Cottage

Day Four:
Dingle Food Tour
Dingle Sleigh Head Tour
Dinner at Fish Box

Day Five:
Drive to Galway
Lunch at Sonny Molloys/Front Door
Enjoyed downtown Galway sights and shopping
Dinner at Freddy’s

Day Six:
Day trip to Aran Island and Cliffs of Moher Tour
Dinner at Aniar

Day 1: Shannon Airport, Durty Nellys and Mountain Lodge
For this family adventure we caught a short flight from London Heathrow into Shannon Airport and rented a car.  When considering rental agencies, be sure to check if you can get a car with an automatic transmission.   Our travel buddies got a stick-shift, and the kids were endlessly entertained all week by the attempts at uphill starts.  The roads can be narrow and farm animal encounters are not out of the question, but never fear, after a few miles you’ll get the hang of the driving in Ireland.   It really seems to be the best way to get around.  

For our flight from Shannon back to London we discovered that we could get business class tickets for roughly the same price as standard fare plus the cost of carrying baggage on Aer Lingus (they charge for all luggage even carry-on in basic fare).  In addition to our lie flat seats for the one hour flight, we got complimentary lounge access. When pricing out flights on Aer Lingus consider basic fare plus the price of luggage verses a higher class seat that includes the luggage. For us business class was nearly the same cost will all the thrills of business class!

Shannon airport is located halfway between Killarney and Galway.  The airport in Dublin was also an option but it would have added a significant amount of driving to our already compressed itinerary.   Even though the allure of visiting Dublin, Ireland since we live in Dublin, Ohio was strong, we had to forego it this time.

Our first destination was Killarney, a delightfully small big town in southwestern Ireland. It’s famous for its beautiful lakes, rich history and Ireland’s tallest mountain, Carrauntoohil.

 Leaving Shannon, while getting our feet wet driving on the left side and remembering to look the correct way for oncoming traffic when entering the roundabouts, we were greeted with wide open spacious highways and easy to navigate signs. 

On the way to Killarney from Shannon, a must-do easy stop is the  famous Durty Nelly’s Pub nestled in the shadow of Bunratty castle. It was a nice way to have some authentic Irish food and stretch our legs.  It also afforded Hunter the chance to show off his parallel parking skills.  

Killarney Lodging: The Mountain Lodge Airbnb As with most of our multifamily travels (or even just our family of 5 as we don’t fit in traditional hotel rooms) we stayed in an Airbnb which affords us more space to spread out, washers and dryers to help us pack lighter, and common spaces to hang together. We stumbled upon The Mountain Lodge in a random search and were intrigued by the pictures; especially of a gorgeous sunroom overlooking the hills of Killarney. There was a mention in the listing of this being the home of an adventurer but we came to find that was an understatement! This home belongs to a world famous mountaineer and polar explorer, Pat Falvey.  He happened to be in town, politely asked to come say hi, and it was a real treat to hear some of his stories of adventure. He and his team were very accommodating and we couldn’t recommend this spot enough!

Day Two: Muckross House and Farm

This was easily the kids’ favorite stop in Killarney. There was a beautiful 19th century manor house for touring but also a walking loop of the historic farm grounds. Pigs, horses, goats, and a petting zoo thrilled all the kids. Whatever the reason, these Irish countryside farmlands felt more special than the pastures of the Midwest where we’re from. Historical barns and outbuildings furnished with authentic pieces from the heyday of Muckross took us back in time.

Walk the downtown streets of Killarney and enjoy lunch or dinner at Cronin’s. Follow that up with some delicious Murphy’s Ice Cream for the kids and a coffee for the adults at Luna coffee + wine. We grabbed a couple of bottles of wine for the Airbnb here and then grabbed some food for later at Lidl Supermarket. For those unfamiliar to Lidl, its a German company that looks EXACTLY like an Aldi on the inside and although we’d swear it was the same company it turns out they’re competitors with a very similar vibe. They had great prices and we picked up tons of local foods and snacks to keep the crew satisfied. 

Torq Waterfall: If you’re feeling energized and ready for a mild hike, the Torq falls are a quick drive outside of Killarney and boast some gorgeous views. You can quickly walk to the falls from one of the entrances or continue up some elevation for a real workout. Longer routes exist based on your desire to get some steps in.

Day 3: Ross Castle: a restored stone keep set on the lake shore with extensive walking trails as well as guided castle tours.  Behind the Ross Castle we boarded our Loch Lein boat tour, known as the Lily of Killarney, around the lake. It was a guided tour where we were able to purchase tickets right before boarding online.  The boat we took was a large sheltered boat since the weather was a little wet, but small open boats are also available for guided tours.

Kissane Sheep Farm: Ireland conjures up images of sheep grazing on misty hillsides with weathered shepherds and wily border collies keeping watch.  And while that life is slowly fading from the island, we still managed to catch a taste of it.  A short drive out of Killarney on picturesque windy mountain roads (with little to no curbs) we took a morning trip to the Kissane Sheep Farm. This felt like stepping on to the set of the movie Babe for me. While we didn’t see any pigs herding sheep, we got to meet all the working herding dogs of the farm and watch a demonstration of their skill. We learned a ton about the wool industry in Ireland today and watched a sheep being sheered. 

Ladies’ View and Ladies’ View Cafe and Altitude rooftop: A no-brainer stop along a gorgeous ravine, this cafe had coffee and delish sandwiches and snacks with a breathtaking view from the roof.

Kate Kearney Cottage:  This traditional Irish pub in the Gap of Dunloe was recommended by all the locals.  The secret is to head to the back where the locals drink and live music happens.   Just a heads up, it all happens earlier in the afternoon/evening than you would expect.  With the long summer daylight hours this far north, it’s easy to miss it.

Day Four: Dingle Despite its silly name, Dingle is a must-see corner of coastal Ireland. With breathtaking cliff-side and beachy vistas we had a wonderful day exploring this area.

Dingle Food Tour: You know we love a food tour, but in a town the size of Dingle, it was probably unnecessary.  A guided pub crawl with some history on the side would have probably been more instructive but you know, kids…  We did enjoy some Irish stew, fish and chips and locally made ice cream. 

Dingle Slea Head Tours: Rory picked us up and showed us the breathtaking coastline of the Dingle peninsula. It’s the sort of place where the landscape is timeless and most everyone has known each other for generations. Where else can you explore thousand year-old beehive huts, cuddle baby lambs, splash in the sea, and check out Star Wars filming locations in the same few hours?  You could drive it yourself but you won’t get the same sense of the area’s past and present. (Also don’t forget that the local convention is to drive the very narrow route clockwise. We ran into a couple cars trying to do it the other way around and it really caused havoc.)   

The Fish Box: back in town, we were hangry and we stumbled into this tourist favorite.  It looks real kitschy from the street but I promise the seafood was very good and there were some locals there. 

Day Five: Galway is a port town and college town all rolled into one.  It had a much more artsy vibe than our other stops and there seemed to be live music everywhere.   It’s an easy place to stay as a jumping off point for the islands.

Aniar: a Michelin restaurant has all of the creativity and deliciousness without any of the pretension that often comes with a Michelin star experience.   This dark, emerald jewel box of a restaurant in Galway welcomes you in  and the staff folds you into the family.  The name means “from the west” in Gaelic, and emphasizes dishes inspired by and sourced from the surrounding Irish land and seascape.   (Side note, we’d like to apologize now for accidentally teaching them the OH-IO thing…our bad.)

Freddy’s: Our first night in Galway turned drizzly and the kids turned hangry so we ducked into an Italian place of all things and it turned out that the pastas and pizzas were all delicious.   Who would have guessed? 

Day 6: Aran Island and Cliffs of Moher:  Galway is about an hour from the Cliffs of Moher and the ferry to the Aran islands.  The regular ferry takes you straight to Inisheer but does a slow sightseeing cruise of the cliffs surrounded by tons of seabirds on the way back.  The island is primarily an isolated traditional fishing community where you can bike or take a horse-drawn tour.  We had time to check out the shipwreck and castle ruins and still have a pint or two before catching the boat back.  After returning to land, we caught the bus up to the top of the Cliffs for a little different view. 

Day Seven: Reverse commute to Shannon Airport

We had a fantastic time on the Wild Atlantic Way! Feel free to message us on IG @fierescape with any questions or comments! Slainte!

The links for excursions are all from Viator. We regularly book our experiences through this app as they are reliable, vetted, and rated. Without fail, each experience has been great. Sometimes they are slightly more pricey than booking directly through the experience’s website, but not only are these pre-curated for you, they also have a simple and easy cancellation policy which we appreciate. Viator also has a relationship with Rakuten so you can get cash back (or points if you have your account linked to an American Express member’s reward account) which more than makes up for the price difference. By booking through our links we earn a small commission. As always, thanks for supporting us!

The idea of skiing in Europe captured our imagination a while ago.  Who wouldn’t dream of apres ski champagne in the alps…but with kids?!  Well, we finally did it, and we found ourselves enjoying incredible high alpine scenery, a totally different ski culture, and shockingly reasonable prices. 

It all started with a great deal on flights with points to Geneva.  Tickets in hand, we went searching for family-friendly resorts and found Val Thorens which boasted plenty of gentle blues and great ski schools. Val Thorens is a delightful town in the French Alps and part of the chain of interconnected resorts making up the largest ski area in the world, Les 3 Vallées. The (very affordable by US standards) ski pass gives you access to Val Thorens, Orelle, Courchevel, Maribel, Les Menuires, Saint Martin de Belleville and Brides les Bains. 

Lift Tickets and Rentals: 

Resigned to the steep U.S. lift ticket prices, we were delighted to find the ski passes were only 320 euro per person for my family of 5 as a Family Pass for 6 days. This is compared to $726 per person for an Epic pass in the US for 6 days.  Ski rentals for the week were about 150 euros each and while there were a number of options, we chose to go with the shop conveniently located in our building at Les Chalet des Neiges Hermine. 

Lodging: 

Les Chalet des Neiges Hermine was a quintessential alpine chalet apartment complex perched at the top of the village and included an indoor communal pool, hot tub, sauna and steam room. It was even Ski-in and a short walk to ski out.  A 6 bedroom unit for our two family crew slept 12 easily at about $7000 for the week (we split over two families for $3500 each, but comes out to an even more reasonable $84 a day a person for a group of adults). The real perk however was the morning bread delivery with fresh croissants, baguettes, and pain au chocolat. They also offered free use of their fondue pots and raclette sets. We picked up some delicious local cheeses at the street market in the center of the village and felt like true French folks with our evening dinner of raclette and local wine.

FYI, while this chalet is ski-in, it can be a little technically difficult to do if conditions are icy though the kids ripped through like it was nothing while the adults minded their ACL’s more carefully.   It’s not quite a ski-out chalet; you have to walk about 150m to the closest run, some of which is slightly uphill. This small inconvenience was worth it to us considering the price, convenience of ski rentals, and amenities.  Understandably, it might be a deal breaker to others. There are a ton of other lodgings in Val Thoren near Place de Caron which is in the center of the ski lift areas and close to all the ski schools. Le Val Thorens Hôtel, L’Eskival, or Hotel Bel Horizon would provide very quick access to the slopes just to name a few.

Transport:

We considered renting cars since the drive would only be about 2.5 hours from the airport.  The route passes through several cute little French towns including Annecy where we thought we might stop for coffee and croissants, but we quickly became disenchanted with the idea after several warnings of potentially dangerous conditions and prolonged drives in formidable weather. Once told we were required to rent snow chains for the tires and apply for an international driver’s license we were officially over that plan. Instead, we booked transfers from GVA airport to Val Thorens. We used Cool Runnings who provided a spacious 7 person van to comfortably get us to our destination with snacks, water in tow. We had just landed from our overnight flight and were able to nap as we climbed the twisting and turning route. (It is worth noting that we arrived on a Sunday morning. The typical French vacation rental week is Saturday to Saturday, and our driver told us that the drive into the mountains on Saturdays in February can often take many hours longer due to a number of British and French families taking a few weeks of vacation in the month.)  In the end, it cost the same as a car rental without the stress and snow chains! 

The Skiing:

Val Thorens had plenty of easy terrain for beginners including a lot of smooth rolling blues if that’s your vibe plus a huge range of harder red and black runs in addition to off-piste adventures. (FYI as we had to learn this ourselves: In Europe green is green, blue is blue, red is black and black is double black). It’s mostly above the treeline, and the never ending vistas give it a really different feel than Colorado or Utah. 

Les 3 Vallées is aptly named as the ski area covers three huge valleys that are connected by lifts.  We did ski over to Meribel one day. The path from the top was harder than expected but we found similarly easier terrain near the villages. We found Les Menuires (pronounced like Lemon Yay!) was much easier to ski to because it is lower than Val Thorens in the same valley. We found the kids’ favorite runs of the week there, and it had an adorable village to grab lunch and shop before heading back home. Skiers with more stamina than ourselves can ski the entirety of the terrain all the way to Courchevel and back in a day. Our crew wasn’t quite up to it this trip, but perhaps we’ll add it to our goals for next time.   (As an aside, while Les Menuires is just a short bus ride back up to Val Thorens if you miss the last lift, we’re told it takes hours by taxi and a whole lot of euros to get back from Meribel or Courchevel.  Plan your apres accordingly!)

Food and Drinks:

If you’re into Apres Ski, La Folie Douce, a famous mountainside bar/dance party is on the path down to the ski-in for our chalet. It’s a live DJ dance party with smoke, spraying champagne and Aprerol Spritzes on tap. It’s definitely an experience. 

As with all our family trips, we make a lot of grocery stops both for the cultural experience and the cost savings. We loaded up on fruit, local breads, snacks, desserts and wine. There were also magical snowy street markets where we picked up local cheese, meats and more wines.  We ate a lot more carb-heavy than we do at home, but when in France…

There are a ton of restaurants and bars in town including some with Michelin stars to choose from. We could go on, but we’ll just highlight a couple.  Scandinavian Brasserie was not only absolutely delicious, it was also just a super fun experience.  The owner, Kevin, squeezed us in without a reservation and treated us to local drinks while chatting about his home in Sweden and journey to this gem of a restaurant in the French Alps.  Winter Cafe was a quick and easy, kid-friendly place with great pizzas, burgers and fries done with local cheeses to make it feel extra special.   

Are you sensing that cheese is a theme of this vacation?  A must-do experience is the Village Igloo fondue dinner. This artfully sculpted igloo has a warren of rooms with private tables where you sit on fur lined stumps while steaming hot fondue cheese is served.   Fair warning, it’s a bit of a hike with a guide across the dark slopes.

A week in the alps just left us wanting to never leave. Everyone is already talking about the next trip to ski Europe…maybe the Dolomites!   Au revoir!

Lounge access is no longer a super exclusive experience made only for first class flyers. The credit card game has changed everything!   Even the everyday family traveler can enjoy lounge life.   We’ve come to LOVE these spots for their relaxing spaces, plenty of charging outlets, and completely free food and beverages (including adult bevs too!)

Three of the personal cards (i.e. non-business cards) give you open access to Priority Pass, a membership company that allows entrance to hundreds of lounges across the world. Unlike airline-specific cards which may give you access once you’ve accrued enough miles, these three cards give you automatic access right away.

Capital One Venture X (Our Favorite!)

This card allows the card holder and two guests access to Priority Pass affiliated as well as Capital One Lounges located in DEN, DFW, IAD, JFK, DCA, LGA, and LAS. It also allows additional  Authorized Users to get a card themselves for free.  With an authorized user card, they too can bring two more guests.  In our family Emily is the primary card holder and Hunter is an authorized user.  Between the two of us we have access for 6 total people.  Since we’re a family of 5 that’s perfect!

The Venture X does have a $395 Annual Fee but also a $300 travel credit which effectively brings the fee down to $95 when used once for travel. We get significantly more value than that $95 with a trip or two to the lounge, and we avoid steep airport food prices.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

This card allows access to  Priority Pass lounges as well as Chase Sapphire Lounges currently in BOS, LGA, and JFK (with LAS and PHL coming soon). This one also allows you to bring two guests, but an authorized user card is an additional $75 a year. The fee on this one is $550 a year with a similar $300 travel credit bringing its effective expense to $250 a year, $325 if you add an authorized user.

The current sign on bonus for this card (as of 10/22/24) is 60,000 points plus $300 back for travel

American Express Platinum

Here’s another one that gives Priority Pass Lounge access in addition to Amex Centurion Lounges. Also included are the Delta Sky Club Lounges when flying Delta, Select Virgin Clubhouses, Plaza Premium Lounges, and Escape Lounges. This card allows two additional guests into the Priority Pass Lounges but charges each non-cardholder guest $50 per visit (in some locations this fee is higher based on demand.)  We’ve also heard rumors that access to additional guests may not be available if the lounge is at capacity, but we’ve never encountered that problem.   The annual fee is $695 and Authorized Users for this card are charged $195 each year.  On the plus side, this card is like a “coupon book” with lots of ways to earn the annual fee back, but it takes some effort.  Presently sign on bonuses are as high as 175,000 points which is GREAT. Try the link above while in Chrome Incognito mode for the best chance of a high sign on bonus.

All of the links above benefit both the user and FierEscape. We appreciate your support!

Airbnb with a view

The Schedule

Taking the kids to Paris sounds daunting but can be the adventure of their young lives with a little planning. To give you a starting point, here is the itinerary we followed and some things we learned along the way.
When planning your itinerary , there are several things to keep in mind, but maybe the place to start is knowing the days tha major attractions are open so you can build the initial framework of your trip. Each of the major museums takes a day off each week, and, while a lot of establishments may close on Sunday, many also (or alternately) close on Monday or Tuesday.  If you’re lucky enough to be there on the first Sunday of the month, many are FREE!

Closed Monday: Musée D’Orsay, Versailles, Musée Rodin, Musée Carnavalet, Catacombs of Paris
Closed Tuesday: Louvre, Musée de l’Orangerie, Pompidou Centre

This is how we did it:
Day One
– arrived and checked into our Airbnb
– walked to and climbed the Arc De Triomphe
– a walk along the Champs Élysée and a sweet snack at La Durée
-Paris Saint-Germain FC soccer game
-dinner at a café near the Airbnb

Day Two
-Louvre (tickets need to be scheduled ahead of time)
– a walk through the Jardin des Tuileries
– quick stop for the best Madeilines in town at the nearby: Mado a Paris
– wandered and shopped through the 7th arrondissement
-sunset at the Galleries Lafayette for the rooftop views
– dinner nearby (see a theme? There are cafés EVERYWHERE! Just wander in.)

Day Three
-Musée D’Orsay
-Reserved lunch at Madame Brasserie in Eiffel (more on tickets to the Eiffel Tower below)
-Photoshoot at Avenue de Camoens and alone the Seine with a local photographer
– wandered through the 6th arrondissment and stopped for a café dinner
-Luxembourg Gardens (the kids loved the carousel, playground and the Statue of Liberty scavenger hunt)

Day Four
-Versailles guided tour (half day) with Pablo
-walk around Île de la Cité
–Sainte-Chapelle
-Notre Dame (has a construction museum about the restoration as it wasn’t finished yet)
-walked around Latin District (including Shakespeare and Co) and the 4th arrondissement

UPDATE: We recently returned as part of Spring Break 2024 before headed to Rome. Two added days included:

Day Five
– Lunch at Le Train Bleu at Gare de Lyon train station
– take the Metro to the Jardin des Tuileries and do a quick carousel ride
– Musee de l’Orangerie
– Return visit for Madelines and tea at Mado a Paris
– walk back home to our Airbnb in le Marais
– Supermarket local grabs for a picnic dinner at home (see our post about fun grocery finds to try)

Day Six
– pastries in the Square du Temple Elie Wiesel
– The Catacombs (more on this below)
-Île Saint-Louis (the island adjacent to the Île de la Cité where Notre Dame and Sainte-Chappelle reside) for shopping with ice cream and fries stop at La Chaumiere
-Pablo Picasso Museum Musée National Picasso-Paris (delightfully empty during March)
– Dinner in le Marais in the oldest food market in Paris at Marche de Rouge Enfants


The Eiffel Tower
Tickets to go to the summit open at midnight (Paris time) 90 days in advance and are often hard to get. We weren’t lucky enough to score them, and, not wanting to pay an arm and leg for another service that also gets you to the top, we took an alternate approach and booked lunch in the Brasserie on the 1st floor. Lunch at Madame Brasserie gains you entrance to the first floor via lift, along with a delicious three-course lunch INSIDE the tower and access to climb up or down from there.

If you’re sans kids,  Le Jules Verne, a Michelin-starred restaurant on the second floor of Eiffel Tower, is another option with exquisite food and wine and amazing views of the city. To be fair we did see some kids here, you just won’t find mine here.

The Catacombs / Les Catacombes des Paris
My kids were very excited to see this. We missed our chance the first time so when we returned a second time it was a must. Firstly, I don’t recommend this is you’re at all claustrophobic. The kids became quickly anxious once we entered not because of any skeletons, as you don’t find them til much later, but because of the dark, long, low ceilinged tunnel many levels underground below Paris you have to have traverse before even getting to the crypts. Once in the crypts the ceilings open up quite a bit and everyone was actually fine then, ironically in the rooms with walls of human bones. Hundreds of years of Parisian remains were indeed intriguing to see all in all. Tickets for this open 1 week in advance and are recommended as these book up quickly as well. You can book these through an outside service but the prices are usually much higher.

Versailles
You can take a train or taxi or book a private transfer and tour, which is what we ultimately did. With concern over public transport shutdowns because of the strikes, we were happy we did. We booked a tour with a guide via Airbnb Experiences with Pablo who picked us up in Mercedes vans at the Place de la Concorde, drove us to Versailles, obtained our tickets, and toured the grounds with us. He was amazing with the kids, helping them understand the history. Each kid was assigned a role in the history, and they loved hearing who killed whom and who was later beheaded.

French Food
We were pretty stressed out the first time around thinking we needed reservations for all of our meals. We didn’t want to miss the major tourist dining spots. When traveling with kids, we find a more “go with flow” attitude makes for a less stressful trip. We’re not rushing off to make a certain reservation at a certain time. There is amazing food EVERYWHERE. See a cafe that looks nice? Just walk in. We’ve both gone to nicer restaurants to try something new and then we’ve also let the kids just have their 8th croissant of the trip for that meal. It’s about everyone enjoying themselves and for this time I quit worrying about veggie intake and everyone indulging in what they love about French fare.

There are treats on every block so we used these as motivation for get from here to there or another 10 minutes in a museum we’re enjoying. We’re not above a little bribery so every wins. Pain au chocolat, macaron, hot chocolate, oh my!

Grocery store dinner night is a fun experience at a low cost and easy when energy levels are low, such as the first day of arrival. Walk into any nearby market such as a Franprix and everyone picks out things we can’t get at home. We enjoyed new pastries, yogurts, odd chip flavors, new candies but also snuck in some fresh produce and very affordable, but amazing bottles of wine for the parents to enjoy after the kids crashed.

Supermarché grabs

Other highly recommended experienced that were done without the kids previously but could certainly be kid friendly:
–CV2 Citroen tour around the city and to Sacré Couer/ Montmartre whilst sipping champagne (larger car available for bigger parties)
–Paris By Mouth tour and bar hopping in Marais or Latin District

The Housing

Hotels big enough for families are expensive and rare. Most standard rooms will fit 2-3 and, unlike the US, you can’t just sneak another kid in. They are much more strict on that. So this led us to our tried and true Airbnb. I always look for hosts labeled as “Superhosts” with tons of positive reviews for peace of mind. Reading the reviews allows you to learn so much about each host and pick one that suits you best. Not only were these much more affordable than a hotel, but they can be multi-roomed, including kitchens and, our personal biggest demand, a washer and dryer.

For our first trip with the kids, we wanted to stay as centrally-located as possible.  Paris is broken up into districts or arrondissements, and most of the main touristy sites are around the 7th and 8th arrondissements. We found a two-bedroom unit with all our usual demands in the 8th arrondissement, half a block off the Champs Élysées, which allowed a view of the Eiffel, a short jaunt to the Arc de Triomphe, all the shopping of the Champs Élysées, and was less than a mile from the Louvre and Musée D’Orsay. We ended up walking to most of the destinations. Although the Metropolitan system was spotty that week due to national strikes, it didn’t impact us much because we were in the middle of it all.

We stayed here. (not an ad)


For trip two we elected to stay in the foodie region of Le Marais. We enjoyed this part of town thoroughly during the prior visit and wanted to explore it further. It’s home to the Marche des Rouge Enfants (literally the Market of the kids in red named in 1615 under the reign of Louis the XIII after a nearby orphanage where the children wore red coats) an open air market with fresh produce, meat and cheese. There’s tons of shops and restaurants here in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. It’s coated with cobblestone roads and old world architecture to die for. Major attractions include: The Centre Pompidou, Musee Picasso, Hotel de Sens, Place de Vosges, Hotel de Ville.

We stayed here. (not an ad)

The Transportation

We flew a nonstop, overnight flight from Detroit to Paris on points via AirFrance and landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport at 10:55 am. (To learn how we got these tickets for only the cost of tax go here!). We were greeted at the gate by our concierge… Yes, our concierge <pinkies up>. We had taken an adult trip previously and learned the joys of the airport concierge and used them for ease of mobility through the airport. This arrangement the airport has with several companies allows their agents to meet the traveler at the gate and assist them through customs in a fast-track fashion. We figured traveling overnight with possibly unslept kids, in a place where the main dialect was not our own, while navigating one of the world’s biggest airports would not be our idea of a good time. Instead, we opted to pay a concierge about 150 euro to collect us and any luggage we had checked , and take us to the front of the line for customs and right out the other door and into an Uber faster than you can blink an eye. Is this necessary? No way. This is paying for increased convenience. We used this only when coming into CDG. As we didn’t have to navigate customs on our way home, we did it on our own like the normal travelers we usually are. And we did just fine.

Red Eye Flight on AirFrance and Métropolitain

Ubers and G7 (their version of ride-sharing) are all easily available with an app from the airport. Flat-rate taxis and trains to the city exist as well but we like the ease of using the app and getting a quick transfer to our lodging while we have all our bags in tow.

The Métropolitain is efficient and easiest to via using google maps with step by step instructions on where to enter, exit and traverse while inside the underground system.

A family adventure that’s not beachside.

The Canadian Rockies are something to behold. There is mind-blowing beauty everywhere you turn. Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, Athabasca Glacier, and Columbia Ice Fields will all take your breath away. While our kids were 5, 8, and 11 at the time, there’s fun for all. Sure, if you’re willing to limit your level of trek to what the kids (or you) can manage, there’s hiking, but,  aside from trails, there is more–so much more.  

The Three Sisters Mountain

We started our trip in Calgary, the closest airport to Banff. From the Midwest, it was a four-hour, non-stop flight from Detroit (with similar flights available from Chicago). We got a great deal on WestJet, a Delta affiliate, for about $300 a person round trip. Set a Google Flights alert, and see what deals you can find! 

The drive from Calgary to Banff/Canmore is about 1 hour and 15 minutes of beauty. As you leave Calgary, the scenery lends a similar vibe to when you’re leaving Denver–leaving a city and heading out to the mountains–but even more majestic. We often travel with several other families but break off for what suits each family best, and there are several worthy stops along the way for adventuring and hiking.  One family went to the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary. We skipped this due to age restrictions on our youngest (minimum age is 6) but substituted it for some extra time in our Calgary hotel pool and barrel sauna before heading out.

Marriott Residence Inn Calgary Airport

We made our first hiking stop in Kananaskis, a skiing area in the winter with loads of hiking in the summer. We parked in the Village and had a quick lunch at the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge before heading out on a hike. (Aside: in this area there was the most amazing looking Nordic Spa that had we found a place to store the kids for a few hours I’d definitely be partaking in. Going without kids or traveling with a sitter? Check it out!)

We stretched our legs on a short hike here to Troll Falls (2.8km loop). It worth the stop and time to let the kids run.

Troll Fall Trail

Canmore

For cheaper lodging and equal charm, consider staying in Canmore. It’s about twenty minutes from downtown Canmore to Downtown Banff, and there are  tons of Airbnbs and VRBOs for larger groups as well as chain hotels. We loved this area because it had tons to do–scenic trails and rivers on the walk to a quaint old-west vibe downtown where there were tons of adorable shops and cafes. There are breweries, local coffee bars, and frequent farmers markets. There’s an amazing library/rec center with climbing walls and a waterpark-style pool if you find yourself in the rain one day.

Endorsable Eats:
Rocky Mountain Bagel, Blondies Café, Canary Coffee, Eclipse coffee, Grizzly Paw Brewery

Banff

We went into the glorious town on Banff several times to explore and eat. The city is very walkable, with a gorgeous park and riverside walk. We explored the Bow River on a giant canoe via the Banff Canoe Club. We chose the evening Nature Watch, which leaves at 6pm, but there are trips at all hours of the day.

Canadian Pacific views from Bow River in Banff

Eat here: 3 Bears Brewery, Bluebird (great food and cocktails- cool vibes + patio),  Park Distillery (good food and cocktails – cute national park themed liquor bottles, Banff Poutine, Beavertails

Lake Louise/ Moraine

Lake Louise and the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

Be aware! There’s some planning required to get here. Unless you’re staying at the hotels at these lakes (Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise or Moraine Lake Lodge) you can no longer just drive there and park. It’s required to park off-site and bus in. This requires tickets and reservations made well in advance. Be sure to grab these early. Visit parks.canada.ca for more info. Reservations for 2024 open in late January.

Shuttle bus from parking at Lake Louise Ski base to Lake Louise and Moraine

A popular hike at Lake Louise is to the Agnes Tea House. It wasn’t for the faint of heart, but we managed to get all five adults and five kids (one being sherpa’d by her parents in a carrier) up the 4.5 miles (7km), which includes a 1300  ft gain at an altitude of 7000 ft. We felt it. It was tough, but we made it to the top and had tea as our reward, which wasn’t the drink of choice for our worn-out, sweaty selves. There’s two outhouses for your use and snacks and water are pricey as they have to helicopter supplies in and waste out.  The views, however, were spectacular, and so was the muscle soreness the next morning. 

After Lake Louise and the Agnes hike, we were pretty excited to take it easy at Lake Moraine. Alongside the hotel is a nice cafe/shop where we got snacks and relaxed with lake views. Be advised, however, you cannot enter the Fairmont Chateau or use their restaurants without having a reservation there. Both lakes feature the same beautiful blue-green waters seen in much of this area. There are canoes available for rent much of the season as well. 

Moraine Lake

Johnston Canyon

If you’re seeking a scenic but more manageable hike, head to Johnston Canyon. Go early, as it gets busy on the trail, and the walkways are narrow. The upper waterfall trail is worth the hike. 

Johnston Canyon official site

Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefields

Glacier walking is a must-do experience while you’re here. The Columbia Icefield is located at the continental divide in Banff and Jasper National Parks. This glacier is the most visited in North America. It’s actively receding and is expected to disappear between 2040 and 2100. It’s VERY important to secure your tickets ahead of time and ALSO book a time to ride the glacier bus. We discovered quite late into the process our tickets purchased on Viator still needed us to call the Glacier center to book a time slot. We saw many people make the same mistake and some had to return another day.

Enjoy a nice walk on the glacier, a facial dip in the glacier water “a glacial facial” and drive in and out on a monster ice explorer.

Canada Day in Canmore

We were lucky to round out our trip with a Canada Day Parade (July 1st) on our last day in Canmore. If you can be there during this time be sure to find a parade and bring your water guns and raincoats as its tradition for those in the parade to soak the observers. Between the Mounties and the firefighters prepare to get wet! There are dry zones if that better suits you. Our kids declined, of course.

Reach out to us on Instagram with any questions you have!
All photograhy by Hunter Fiers. More at ShotsFiered