Page Title

DINING OUT -

It's been our experience that it depends on where you go and when you travel (summer vs
winter) but here are some rough ideas based on our experiences abroad by locations:

EUROPE - In general, dining out is wonderful! BUT, be prepared to spend at least 1 to 2 hours
or even more sometimes with the kids at the restaurant. With the exception of larger cities, in
general, there aren't fast food places (though I have visited a McDonald's in Italy and actually
had great gelato! - plus it can be fun to see what they call our versions of MBig macs!)

If you are looking for something like fast food (in and out within one hour) we've found that
corner cafes (out of major thorough fares and busy streets) are much quicker. Tea shops too
will have sandwiches, etc. and can be a lot cheaper. In Italy - trattorias will be able to serve
simple yummy pizzas and such. (SEE PARKS BELOW ALSO!)

Italians and French seem to enjoy slow meals and kids at restaurants are welcome. We even
had a fun story where one of my daughters asked for lemonade and she was told that they
didn't have that so she said she would just take water. The waiter came back moments later
with freshly made handmade lemonade - just for her! We have more than a dozen of stories
like this. I've found that if the international language of adults is love - the kid's version is
politeness! People are always impressed to hear thank you, merci, grazia, etc.

HINT - Try and remember to bring a diaper bag and pack goodies (crayons and such) for ALL
your kids. We would also play twenty questions a lot at the table. Some places have areas
where the kids can round around - and we look for these in countrysides.

HINT #2 - European restaurants also seem to have a certain time only when they are open for
business - again, depends on country, and dates traveling. Usually lunch is served around
11:30 - 2:00ish. Then, it's not unusual to find them closed for business until dinnertime.

PARKS - Don't forget that if you want a good, fast and INEXPENSIVE meal - you can always hit
a market, grocery shop or corner pizza, crepe, hotdog (NOT the same as US - with baguette -
kids thought these were hysterical!)

There are lots of parks, even in the cities and our kids LOVED doing this! It helped them burn
off energy, get some down time for the whole family and for my little one in the stroller - he got
to stretch and play! There are parks with playgrounds, statues, fountains, lakes and sailboat
races - you name it.

This is one of my favourite ways to see Europe and some of my most cherished memories
are of the kids horsing around in the parks! Bring hats and enjoy!

HAWAII/CARRIBEAN - everything here is expensive - but you already have heard that! Try
and get on a family or American plan with your hotel costs - you'll be very glad! Otherwise, ask
your concierge to direct you to kid-friendly places to eat - these restaurants will have decent
food and better prices than some other more expensive places.

EATING IN -

Hotels offer a good selection for kids in the dining area and if you are on the "family plan" or
"American plan"(call about plans prior to leaving USA for destination or they can't seem to do it
once you get there - never for us anyway!) This is the way to go as the meals are included with
the price of your hotel bill. Sometimes it's just breakfast and sometimes it also includes
dinner - check your hotel for details - worth looking into - especially if you have small kids!

If you are renting a villa - ask about when the closing times are for your local shops - we've
found that depending on location, some stores, villages are closed on Sundays and Mondays
- ALL day! When shopping, I looked at the pictures and did the best I could and generally had
a fun time! Fresh veggies and cheeses can be pointed to and hand gestures and smiles
went a long way!

Travel Abroad With Kids Books

TRAVEL ABROAD
WITH KIDS

Dining Out - Eat In