We recently visited Copenhagen and found that it is a really kid-friendly city. It’s also one of the cleanest cities I’ve been to. As it is just a 1.5 hour flight away from London, I’m not really sure why I haven’t been before. It’s a small enough city to explore on foot or on a cycle, if you want to do it the Danish way. We chose to walk as you always get a great feel of a city when you do this. We didn’t stick to doing just kids things but mixed it up and decided to do kiddy things as well as things we would enjoy but with kids in tow, if that makes sense. Here’s what we loved and would recommend if you visit Copenhagen with kids:
Entries Tagged as 'family travel'
Copenhagen with kids
May 9, 2016
Friday chat: A family trip and a resolution
November 30, 2014
It’s that time of year when many of us start thinking of new year resolutions. I never make formal lists or even scribble down my resolutions but I do think of a few things in my head. Recently I’ve been thinking that I’m not having enough family time even at the weekends as we are crazy busy with a house move, work and everything else. So one of my top priorities for next year is more quality family time.
One way to ensure that we switch off and really have quality time together is to go away somewhere for the weekend which I want to do a lot more of next year. But in the past whenever I’ve thought of getting away, I always think of going abroad. It never occurs to me to get away within the UK which is so much more do-able even at short notice. A little while ago we wanted to get away and of course I started thinking Berlin, Paris or Venice. But as we had only a couple of free days and couldn’t manage a trip to the continent I almost gave up on the idea of going anywhere when I remembered reading about some wonderful UK breaks over at my my friend Honest Mum’s blog. That inspired me to think closer to home and after a quick search I thought about visiting Woburn. It’s not too far from London, has a lovely safari park which I knew Anya would love and some great places to eat which Richard and I would love.
We only managed an overnight stay in the end but that was fine. We got there and had a quick but delicious lunch at The Black Horse. We would have preferred a slightly more relaxed lunch but someone was desperate to get to the safari park! So off to the park we went. And it was fun; really fun for all three of us. The park has a mixture of animals most of whom roam freely within very large enclosures that you drive through. You have to stay in your car for obvious safety reasons but it was still so fun to see animals like tigers, bears and lions up close. No photo’s of these as of course we couldn’t put our car windows down to snap any. The highlight for me was definitely seeing the big cats which I love. But for Anya it was the drive around the monkey area. The monkeys jump on your car and sit there for ages which was really exciting for her.
The next morning we headed to Woburn Abbey and the surrounding gardens which are stunning. We walked around the place enjoying the gardens and the beautiful architecture. Anya got to run around, climb on rocks and just enjoy being outdoors as kids do.
After visiting Woburn I knew that next year I would make a conscious effort to get away within the UK more often. Just quick weekend trips that really allow you to spend quality family time together away from the stresses of everyday life and you get to enjoy the wonderful sites that England has to offer. With inexpensive hotels like Travelodge dotted around the country and so many wonderful places to see, eat at and relax, there really is no excuse not to. This short trip really opened my eyes to getting away within the UK and having a burst of pure family time without any distractions. I can’t wait to get away again and would love some recommendations on where to go as a family? Where have you been that you think is a must go to within the UK?
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Family holidays made beautifully easy
July 24, 2014
We love to travel in this house. If we ever win the lottery, I know we would spend the rest of our days exploring the world. Since having Anya, we haven’t given up on travel and neither have we let distance bother us. We’ve taken her to far flung places like Uruguay, Argentina and San Francisco, all 12 hour flights or longer. The one thing we have changed is where we stay. Before it was always about finding a cool boutique hotel but now it’s always apartments.
With a child, I’ve discovered that the convenience of a holiday apartment is unbeatable. It means plenty of space for everyone, it also means you don’t have to rush out for every meal and often means clothes washing is possible – so handy with a child and you can travel with fewer clothes (in theory at least!). Richard and I turn in to night birds on holiday and often stay up late in to the night chatting while Anya sleeps in the next room without being disturbed. Since I’ve started booking holiday apartments, I’ve never looked back.
A while ago I discovered a beautifully curated holiday home rental site which I have been meaning to share with you ever since. All the homes on this site are real family homes that are rented out while the families are holidaying elsewhere. The added bonus of renting a home where someone lives means that you have all the stuff you could possibly need. There are kids rooms with toys, living rooms full of books and kitchens with all the equipment to cook up anything you want. All the homes are full of charm and character and look so welcoming.
Kid & Coe have so many beautiful homes on offer that include city residences, country cottages as well as beach retreats and mountain chalets. Their list of holiday properties is always growing but even now there is a very good choice. I’m hoping to get away to the Continent this Summer and if I do I would love to stay at one of these holiday homes because the idea of staying in a real home really appeals to me. What do you prefer? Holiday apartment or hotel?
