Travel to USA with 2 pre-school children

[Busymom]

verykiasu2010:

hi Busymom


I have done both Paris - Lyon - Annecy - Geneva - Zurich and vice versa

Chamonix is on a short detour from Annecy and is on the way from Annecy / Geneva to Italy (Milan)

If you fly in from Zurich, you can still fly out from Paris without sacrificing your Paris shopping, but minus the time-wasting back-tracking of a holiday. Open-jaw ticketing does not cost more

Open-jaw? I ithought they do cost more (on SQ at least)?

That's quite a lot of driving, right? Don't' think DH wants to spend so much time on the road. But your suggestion of not missing Paris shopping is good...

verykiasu2010:

Both Zurich and Paris are served by SQ Airbus 380 (now think twice after Qantas scare, haha, or would be much safer than before)

hmm... I may even have to take a Qantas A380 soon, if it is not grounded by that time...

verykiasu2010:

For official snow activities with the local ski schools / resorts, it only opens from 4 Dec in Swiss and from 16 Dec in France....but there are other activities with snow before 16 Dec, eg huskies ride. Chamonix is where Mont Blanc is (French) and on the Swiss side is the Zermatt...., and Les 7 Laux Prapoutel near Chambery in France is cheap and good too....short drive from Geneva or Lyon or Annecy

Yes, Mont Blanc, was planning to see that from Aiguille du Midi. Will take note of these places if we don't go this time.

verykiasu2010:

I am going Zurich - Geneva this monday. If you see the very kiasu person on flight, it is me

I'm late in wishing you this, but hope you would have a very enjoyable and safe trip! See you back in January.

[verykiasu2010]

Busymom:

I'm late in wishing you this, but hope you would have a very enjoyable and safe trip! See you back in January.

thank you. just a biz trip. will be back to pick up the bags for the holidays..

[yc_mw]

Hi All,


Wanna revive this thread a little. I'm intending to bring my DD who will be 2yo to the States for a family vacation this Oct. Am thinking to visit LA, then LV. Would like some advise on the places to visit since the little one will only be 2YO in Oct.

Thanks all in advance for inputs.
:thankyou:

[rain4rest]

yc_mw:

Hi All,


Wanna revive this thread a little. I'm intending to bring my DD who will be 2yo to the States for a family vacation this Oct. Am thinking to visit LA, then LV. Would like some advise on the places to visit since the little one will only be 2YO in Oct.

Thanks all in advance for inputs.
:thankyou:

For LA, there are Disneyland, Universal Studios which are popular for families.

For LV, at nightime, there is 'Fountains of Bellagio' at Bellagio Hotel, Fremont Street Experience, Volcano eruption at Mirage. Just check the timings, normally starts at 7pm. & it's free.

Or visit the Hotels along the Strip, either daytime or evening, as every hotel has a theme, such as Treasure Island, Venetian etc.

I saw there is a Leid Discovery Museum suitable for toddler and up, you may google for more details. Or to M&M's world, I am sure kids will be happy to see so many colourful candies chocolates.

You may check out http://www.vegas.com to get more info on LV.

Hope it helps.

[drickymummy]

yc_mw:

Hi All,


Wanna revive this thread a little. I'm intending to bring my DD who will be 2yo to the States for a family vacation this Oct. Am thinking to visit LA, then LV. Would like some advise on the places to visit since the little one will only be 2YO in Oct.

Thanks all in advance for inputs.
:thankyou:

I just brought my 10 yr old and my baby who was 7mth old then last dec to LA, LV and SF.

San Francisco - Napa Valley. Drop by at one of the wineries for a nice outdoor picnic style lunch with food from the deli mart at the winery. The habour cruise is great too.

Yosemite national park- along the way from SF to LV. Beautiful Sceneries... We stayed at a big beautiful lodge with indoor heated pool just outside the national park.

LV - cannot remember if 2 yr old can take the helicopter cos my older boy went with hubby for the ride at Grand Canyon n they loved it while I just walked around the viewing points with baby. LV is the usual stuff with the fountain shows n night view along the strip which we only managed to do a drive thru.. No time and too tired from day time activities.. Shd have stayed at least 4 nights. We did only 3 nights ..

LA- only enjoyed Disneyland the most. We loved disneyland! rides r just right for my 10 yr old to go as single rider for most and most rides allowed baby to go on them.. they have the best nursery room too! buy the 3 day pass and dun stay too far cos parking not worth it, we stayed at hotel opp the park. Most impt is the photo pass which is the most worth it thing which we discovered late only on last day there! unlike all amusement parks which sells u the photos taken by their photographers pcs by pcs. disneyland gives u a photopass which u can take as many pics thruout your stay there and purchase all soft copies in a cd for only usd 65! we bought the pass that covers Seaworld at san diego which we did not go at all and universal studio which was terribly boring Even for my 10 yr old. The place was soooo quiet unlike USS. Only good thing is no queues for ride like transformer 3d and many other rides lor. Downtown nothing much for adults and worst still for 2 yrs old except the take the pic at the boulevard lor.

If can include San Diego which my friend did for Legoland and sea world. We did not have enough time otherwise would have done that. Shd be more fun than wasting time at downtown LA and downtown San Francisco too with a young child.

Wish we can make a trip back there again soon....

[cat_tail]

Hi all,

Nice to see this topic as my family will be planning a trip to western part of US this coming Dec. Will be covering LA, LV & San Diego. Kids are young so we will be attacking children friendly parks like Disneyland, Legoland (staying min 2 nites at their newly open Legoland hotel), Seaworld & San diego Zoo. Think we will skip Universal since we had enuff of the one in Sg. Wonder izzit too much.......

Anyway we are quite keen of trying out the helicopter rides from LV to grand Canyon too. However, their prices are really exotic so would appreciate someone can share their experience. Any inputs on other destinations or activities we should consider oso welcome. :please:

[sharonkhoo]

cat_tail:

Hi all,

Nice to see this topic as my family will be planning a trip to western part of US this coming Dec. Will be covering LA, LV & San Diego. Kids are young so we will be attacking children friendly parks like Disneyland, Legoland (staying min 2 nites at their newly open Legoland hotel), Seaworld & San diego Zoo. Think we will skip Universal since we had enuff of the one in Sg. Wonder izzit too much.......

Anyway we are quite keen of trying out the helicopter rides from LV to grand Canyon too. However, their prices are really exotic so would appreciate someone can share their experience. Any inputs on other destinations or activities we should consider oso welcome. :please:

Theme parks are tiring (for adults and kids) so you may want to schedule more restful days in between. I went with my fairly big kids (10 and 12yo) in 2011. We did a 30 min helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon partly to save money and also because one daughter was a bit nervous and we thought 30 mins was all she could take! We booked a one-day coach tour from LV which brought us to the helipad, then later brought us to the Grand Canyon. It was a very long day (pickup at 6.30am and return around 10pm) so it may not be suitable for smaller kids, but it was cheaper than flying from LV.

[cat_tail]

slmkhoo:

cat_tail:

Hi all,

Nice to see this topic as my family will be planning a trip to western part of US this coming Dec. Will be covering LA, LV & San Diego. Kids are young so we will be attacking children friendly parks like Disneyland, Legoland (staying min 2 nites at their newly open Legoland hotel), Seaworld & San diego Zoo. Think we will skip Universal since we had enuff of the one in Sg. Wonder izzit too much.......

Anyway we are quite keen of trying out the helicopter rides from LV to grand Canyon too. However, their prices are really exotic so would appreciate someone can share their experience. Any inputs on other destinations or activities we should consider oso welcome. :please:

Theme parks are tiring (for adults and kids) so you may want to schedule more restful days in between. I went with my fairly big kids (10 and 12yo) in 2011. We did a 30 min helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon partly to save money and also because one daughter was a bit nervous and we thought 30 mins was all she could take! We booked a one-day coach tour from LV which brought us to the helipad, then later brought us to the Grand Canyon. It was a very long day (pickup at 6.30am and return around 10pm) so it may not be suitable for smaller kids, but it was cheaper than flying from LV.

Hi slmkhoo,
Thanks for your contributions! U r so thoughtful, must consider & plan a break in between theme park.
What a great saving to take their day tour. However I don't think we have so much time and with my super troublesome 2 young fellows, I doubt they can survive with such a long day tour. So probably looking at those heli that can setoff straight from LV which is supposedly 3 hrs or so. But most company quoted ard 400-500 pax... really must choose wisely.

[sharonkhoo]

cat_tail:

Hi slmkhoo,

Thanks for your contributions! U r so thoughtful, must consider & plan a break in between theme park.
What a great saving to take their day tour. However I don't think we have so much time and with my super troublesome 2 young fellows, I doubt they can survive with such a long day tour. So probably looking at those heli that can setoff straight from LV which is supposedly 3 hrs or so. But most company quoted ard 400-500 pax... really must choose wisely.

It's really a waste of money to go to a theme park when tired. And with young kids, once they get tired, they also get cranky! If you can, try to plan ahead what are the most crucial things to see, if there are specific times for shows etc, and prioritise! There are usually more things to see than there is time. Also explore ways to minimise queuing time - eg. Disneyland has a way to 'book' a time slot for the most popular rides etc. My husband is great for such things, so he would figure out a plan beforehand - like planning an army exercise!

[drickymummy]

Disneyland gives out fast pass for popular rides at certain timing at certain spots only once or twice a day. U missed it that’s it… Check with the counters in e morning before u go into the parks. Older kids can go in as single riders for some rides to save time …my 10 yrs old went in for some of the rides by himself cos I have to take care of baby and daddy is tired to play anymore. We just wait for him at the exit point aft we see him going in the queue.


We chose the self drive for all out holidays. Flexible that way and can cover more places like the supermarkets, mega stores like toy r us anytime we want as they are everywhere along the ways or near our hotels. I love Any local supermarkets and even my older one enjoys the supermarkets a lot whenever we travel anywhere!