What we would skip:
the honest roundup.
Every guide we publish names what we would skip, right alongside what the kids loved. Most travel sites will not tell you that part. Here are all of them in one place, one destination, one honest note.
17 destinations, one note each.
Paris, France
The Louvre with young kids: long, crowded, and mostly lost on them. We would also skip long sit-down restaurant meals in favor of bakeries, markets and picnics, and skip climbing the Eiffel Tower itself, sticking to ground level.
Greece: Athens & the islands
Deep-summer midday heat at the Acropolis; go early and rest midday instead. We would also skip rushing between islands: one done slowly beats three in a hurry with kids.
Iceland: Reykjavik & Vik
Underestimating Ring Road drive times; keep daily distances short. We would skip getting close to Reynisfjara's waves entirely, and skip assuming groceries will be cheap.
Spain: Nerja & the Costa del Sol
Trying to "see" Madrid in two days; we would skip the ambition and pick one park and one plaza instead, and skip peak midday heat in favor of mornings and evenings.
Switzerland: Lauterbrunnen Valley
Summiting Jungfraujoch with little kids; the valley views are the real payoff. We would also skip going without layers, since the weather turns fast at altitude even in summer.
Italy: Rome, Florence & Tuscany
Long, unbroken museum days; even the Vatican Museums need a short, skip-the-line visit with little kids. We would also skip a full stroller-dependent day on Rome's cobblestones.
Portugal: Lagos & the Algarve
A tight, stiff itinerary; the Algarve rewards slowing down. We would also skip peak August entirely if the dates are flexible, since it runs crowded and pricey.
Portugal: the Azores
Packing for beach-resort weather; the Azores stay mild and changeable, so we would skip leaving the rain layers at home. We would also skip over-planning the days.
England: London & the Cotswolds
Over-scheduling London; the Tube stairs are brutal with a stroller. We would also skip pricey sit-down tourist restaurants in favor of pub gardens and markets, and skip most guided walking tours until kids are older.
Ireland
Spending much time in Dublin with young kids; we would keep it to a short stop and save the days for the coast.
Bulgaria: Sofia
Expecting Western-Europe polish everywhere; part of the appeal is that it is less touristy. We would also skip a stroller-only plan, since sidewalks can be uneven.
Indonesia: Bali
Long daily drives; Bali traffic is real, so we base smart instead. We would also skip the tap water and skip the longest, hottest lines at the most-photographed spots.
Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur & Langkawi
Midday heat and humidity with a packed schedule. We would also skip leaving food or bags in reach of the Batu Caves monkeys, and skip driving KL traffic when the trains work.
Australia: Perth & Margaret River
Packing the route too tight; the distances are genuinely big. We would also never skip sun protection: rashies, hats and shade are non-negotiable there.
Amsterdam & Bruges
Booking the Brussels-connecting train legs last-minute; they sell out by specific departure. We would also skip the Belfry climb with anyone still needing a stroller, and skip trying to cram both cities into fewer than 8 days.
Saint Lucia
Underestimating the drive between the north and south of the island. We would also skip booking the guided tour last-minute, and skip an 18-and-up all-inclusive resort for a family stay in the same area instead.
Thailand
Scheduling anything for the first day or two in Bangkok; the time-zone shift is severe. We would also skip the tap water and underestimating the heat.
What families ask us.
Why publish what you would skip instead of just what to do?
Because it is more useful, and it is the part almost nobody else publishes. Every destination guide on this site already includes a loved-it and would-skip section; this page collects the skip half of all of them in one place.
Does skip mean the destination is not worth visiting?
No, it means one specific thing within that destination did not earn its place with young kids: a museum, a pace, a mode of transport, a season. Every destination on this list is one we would return to.
Is this the same as the loved-it notes in each guide?
This page pulls only the skip half. Each destination's own guide has the fuller loved-it and would-skip section, along with the full home-base plan and costs.