Europe Spring Break 2022

Spring break has always been our family travel time. The kids get a week off from school, and with the weekend, you get a good ten days off! We usually do a long weekend or a few days on weekdays.

This year, we upped the ante and opted to cross the pond! It was my two younger kids first time in Europe, and at least twelve years for my eldest. I had taken this same trip in my 20’s BK (Before Kids) so I pretty much had an idea of what to plan.

We booked a round trip ticket to London for a 12 day trip (The 2 extra days would have to be in the world classroom) and then booked a round trip train trip on Eurostar (an international high-speed rail service connecting the United Kingdom with France, Belgium and the Netherlands) to Paris.

We spent the first five days in Canary Wharf, an area of London, located on the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The area is considered part of London’s central business district, alongside Central London.

Having said that, it is also very aesthetically appealing; whether you’re heading to the boardroom or the bar, looking for a sushi spot or a spin class, fresh art or fresh air, Canary Wharf has it all!

With an underground station, access to central London and its environs is eased up. I must admit London has one of the most reliable public transportation systems I’ve seen in all my travels. We opted for a week-long oyster pass for underground commuting.

Day 1 & 2: We booked a hop-on-hop-off bus tour of London. The buses follow a specific route with stops close to major city attractions. Board the bus from any of the designated stops, hop off at the attraction you want to visit, and simply hop back on the next bus when you want to continue. We loved this because we got to explore London at our own pace.

We visited; The London Eye, Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Square, Oxford Street and cruise River Thames; all included in the big bus ticket package.

Day 3: We met up with local friends and spent the day exploring. We started off with an english breakfast (wink wink) at Canary Wharf and then took the tube to Central London. We then walked around on Oxford street and the high end shops including the Queen’s Supermarket. At the end of the day we made our way to East London in search of some authentic African food and we found it at Exceline East African Restaurant. The buffet style was just perfect for our group and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

Day 4: Went to the London Sky Garden, www.skygarden.london, dubbed London’s highest garden, giving you a 360 bird’s eye view of the city of London. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance.

We managed to squeeze in a tour of St Paul’s Cathedral, one of the oldest and architectural landmarks in London. The cathedral is one of the most famous and most recognisable sights of London. Its dome, framed by the spires of Wren’s City churches, has dominated the skyline for over 300 years.

We then headed to Camden Market, a haven of counter culture. This is an eclectic area on the east side of London has produced the likes of Amy Winehouse. Known as an artiste’s hub, Ed Sheeran was actually scheduled to perform down the block. We enjoyed perusing through the bespoke merchandise and sampled a wide array of ethnic foods.

Day 6: We boarded the Eurostar at King’s Cross Station for a 2 ½ hr trip to the Gare Du Nord Station in Paris. To board the train we needed to go through Immigration and also show proof of vaccination for anyone aged twelve and over. The train ride was quite comfortable, and even got free WiFi albeit weak at certain instances.

Travel Tip: Book your train tickets early; we paid $100 round trip but when I looked up the same itinerary closer to our travel dates, same tickets were going for over $300!

In Paris, we were booked at the Hotel Moxy in Bastille. This is a Marriot Bonvoy property brand. I especially like these boutique style hotels because they have entertainment in the lobby. You literally check in at the bar and they give you a welcome drink upon check in. There’s also a well-known attraction right nearby. Famous personalities, such as Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf, are buried in the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, just a 10-minute walk.

Just like in London, we also booked the hop-on-hop-off bus tour. We walked to the closest stop which was Notre Dame Church, the most famous of the Gothic cathedrals of the Middle Ages and also distinguished for its size, antiquity, and architectural interest. It’s quite a site to behold; still magnificent even after the devastating April 2019. Construction was still ongoing but we caught a glimpse of the grandiosity.

Walking down the streets of Paris was so delightful and surreal. Seeing people enjoying themselves in the sidewalk cafes with wine glasses on the tables in the middle of the day; my tribe!

We got to see the famed Eiffel Tower, The Lourve Museum which houses the Mona Lisa, Champ Elysee’s shopping district – home of Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior flagship stores – where we did some shopping.

Travel Tip: If you’re planning to get any high ticket items, be sure to bring your passport so you can get the VAT refunded. We also went on a Siene River Sight Seeing Cruise that had some amazing views of all the sites.

French cuisine in Paris? What can I say, they definitely take their time with their food; even hotel breakfasts are delectable. I can still taste the fresh croissants and macaroons. If you’re a foodie, Paris should be on your bucket list!

After 3 days in Paris, it was time to head back to the UK via Eurostar. The UK had removed all covid protocols so there was no special protocol required.

Back in the UK, we were going to spend the last 2 days with my long time friend who lives in Kent, a city 45 minutes from London. This is a quaint city is also known as the Garden of England for it’s picturesque landscape and beautiful vegetation. Home of the famed North Downs (Pilgrims’ Way) trails. It is a historical route supposedly taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire. This was the perfect way to wind down our trip. We hiked, relaxed, enjoyed some authentic fish and chips from the local eateries.

It was finally time to return home to the US. We had an absolutely fantastic time on this trip and highly recommend a trip across the pond.