Rick Steves Explains The Most Affordable Way To Take On A Lengthy European Vacation With Children

When you have kids, it can be hard enough to get out of the grocery store with your sanity and wallet intact. But an overseas trip from the United States to Europe? Packing and planning, heading to the airport, enduring the flight, sleeping in a strange hotel room, and dealing with picky food preferences while trying to stick to an itinerary might strike some as absolute madness. This is especially true on an expensive vacation that nobody wants to squander. But take heart, because travel guru Rick Steves (who is himself a parent) has a solution parents may like hearing: Leave the kids at home — at least, half the time.

This is how Steves affordably solves the European vacation conundrum, as he explains on his blog. Out of all the ways to prioritize your vacation choices to accommodate kids, Steves' most direct answer is to split things down the middle. Use half of your vacation time for an adult holiday for you and your partner, and leave the kids in the hands of daycare or a generous relative. Then, use your remaining vacation time to do something as a family back home, whether that's camping, hiking, or other family-friendly fun. 

The two caveats are obvious. The first is that this plan only makes sense if you've got enough vacation time for a long trip, usually two weeks minimum. The second is that it's not going to be cheap, no matter what. But it might be cheaper to pay for daycare and a European couple's retreat than to bring the whole family to Europe in one go. 

Even if you don't try Rick Steves' half-and-half holiday solution, he mentions other ways to save money on a European trip with the whole family. In general, you may want to admire vaulted cathedrals and richly decorative architecture, browse priceless works of art, and sip coffee or cocktails at al fresco dining tables. All this, however, is expensive. Kids want to race around and eat ice cream, and are frequently entirely unconcerned with seeing museums or well-known sites. 

Generally speaking, their wants and needs are just cheaper. In other words, kids incentivize you to lean toward inexpensive family activities, like playing in parks or pools. And because these activities are things that locals with kids do, you might end up having a more authentic European experience.

If you do go on a couples-only trip, you still have wallet-friendly options. There will always be free things to do in Rome and even novel ways to approach them, like joining a local running group. A lot of countries tend to get overlooked in lieu of overtouristed locations like Spain or Greece, but these might provide much more affordable vacations. Criminally underrated Eastern European countries like Slovenia (which Steves recommends) are excellent choices for a romantic getaway or a family adventure. And Portugal, one of Western Europe's best countries to retire in, is a surefire win for travelers of any age. So hop on it. Parents already know how to prioritize and compromise. It's best to put that knowledge to use and make an affordable trip work for the whole family.