This article was fully written by me (not AI), based on my personal and professional expertise.
don't commute: stay centrally
It might be tempting to look at more affordable accommodation outside of the centre of the city. However, public transport commute can end up eating a lot of time of your day. It is important to find that balance between staying in an expensive fancy hotel and a lovely large apartment in the suburbs.
When visiting a city, chances are you will spend very little time at home. You might be leaving in the morning after breakfast, or even grab breakfast out. To only come back after a show or dinner in the city.
Look for a small house stay, a central B&B or a serviced apartment kind.
be mindful: plan one big activity per day
Ok, maybe two. Importantly do all the big things that require attention early on in the day. I always like to plan very popular museums at the opening. You will avoid the big crowds and enjoy the relative peace to admire the art.
Don’t forget to leave time to simply walk around and soak up the atmosphere of the city.
Following this, you can plan another activity, hopefully of a different kind.
So for example: museum + walking tour / workshop + expo / cycling tour + sit down performance.
don't get hungry: plan your restaurants
Since you will have a clear walking map, plan in advance a couple of nice restaurants you might want to visit. No one wants to walk around with hungry / hangry kids. If food is a central part of your trip, then plan a nice street food tour for lunch or reserve a table at a restaurant you really want tot visit.
Food courts are also a great idea to get a sample of the local food scene and get everyone happy with a wide range of options.
go green: allow time outdoors
Don’t forget to allow time in parks and green areas. Kids, no matter their age will enjoy the slight freedom of running around. And you will enjoy being less vigilant to traffic and direction.
If the weather allows, I always enjoy planning a picnic in a one of the city parcs to soak up local life and take a peaceful break.
take a break: take public transport
No better way to see the city than with public transport, meaning buses or trams. You will enjoy a nice break and you will get to see the city and its landmarks.
avoid queues: pre-book everything
Don’t waste anytime queuing. Or worse, be disappointed because tickets are sold out. Pre-book all you museum tickets so you skip the queue. Do the same for any show or performance you would like to attend. It is likely everything will be sold out by the time you visit. If you are visiting a theme park or a very popular activity in the city, have a look if you can arrange skip the line options.
I love visiting cities with my children. The quality of museums and opportunity for unique activities is great. But I always plan city visits meticulously to ensure we all have fun!
I hope this helps you for your next city trip. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you want inspiration of help!
