Europe doesn’t have to be a long trip. If life is busy, time off is limited or kids are in school, a long weekend in Paris is totally doable!!!
Here’s what we did on our latest 4-day trip…warning, you will be moving FAST but you can rest on the long plane ride back home 😉
DEPARTURE
Usually we take a direct flight at night out of Miami to Europe, that way Sofia can still go to school for most of the day and we can get work in but this time we had an afternoon flight that connected in JFK then onward to Paris.
Sofia and I both bring a carry-on a suitcase on long-haul flights
In hers we pack:
- her pillow – she sleeps really well with it on the plane so it’s worth packing!
- blanket – her fave comfy blanket to put over top of her while she sleeps, she also uses allll the free blankets the airline provides and puts them under her to create a bed
- 3 toys
- coloring supplies
- pj’s – she’ll change into pj’s just before we board the night flight
- change of clothes – she’s spilled so many drinks on herself over the years, we always travel with a backup outfit
- flip flops + cozy socks – once we board she takes her shoes off, puts on comfy socks and if she needs to use the restroom, she quickly slips on flipflops instead of messing with shoes! Big timesaver!
- ipad, headphones + chargers
- snacks
- target bag – we actually bring a few bags for trash, it’s wild how much crap accumulates in such a small area!
Flights:
- Departed MIA 12:19pm – Landed JFK 3:10pm
- Departed JFK 5:40pm – Landed CDG 6:55am
Meals
American served a snack, dinner meal service then breakfast an hour before landing
*tip* when traveling with kids, call the airline after booking and request a kids meal. They are usually really good and the kids get served first – they called Sofia’s name over the loudspeaker to find where she was sitting then everyone clapped for her, she obviously enjoyed every second of that! 😉
DAY 1
AM: we landed early and had a car service waiting. We used Elegant Transfers (150 Euro roundtrip) – I highly recommend them! We went right at the hotel, thank goodness our room was ready!!! This trip we didn’t sleep too well on the flight over so we were all incredibly jetlagged. We went to the room, put our bags up, unpacked a little then went down to the breakfast bar. After we ate, we headed back to the room for a 3 hour nap. We ALWAYS nap on early arrivals but I’m super strict about setting an alarm, so it’s just enough rest to get us through the day but not too much to where we can’t fall asleep that night.
Afternoon: we showered, headed out for a late lunch, took the metro to the Eiffel tower, grabbed crepes and walked around then strolled over to Galeries Lafayette to watch the sunset from the rooftop!
PM: A quick metro ride back to the hotel, pj’s + uber eats (local pizza for us + McDonalds for Sofia) and we were out for the night!!! HA! I know, it’s terrible right!? To Uber Eats when in Paris. We try to eat good for lunch then lay low for dinner since we’re always beyond exhausted at the end of the day.
DAY 2
AM: we slept in, had breakfast at the buffet then Sofia and I ran to the supermarket a few blocks away and picked up snacks for the room, bottled water (we go through water like crazy!) + fresh fruit
Afternoon: we had a guided walking tour with my friend Rachelle – she organized it so we hit all of the girly Paris spots for Sofia’s birthday and grabbed macaroons along the way! After that we had a quick break for an outdoor cappuccino then took an uber to Pink Mama for lunch. This is an absolute must when in Paris!!! The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is so fun and the food is unreal. Be sure to make reservations in advance or else good luck getting in!
PM: after our late lunch we walked around Montmartre with hot mulled wine. Hiked up to the Sacre-Coeur. Did some shopping, I picked up a new lavender body lotion + an oversized sweatshirt for Sofia. Then we took the metro back, had happy hour at the hotel + went to a late dinner across the street.
DAY 3
AM: we had an early morning and rushed out the door to the train station. We missed out train to Chantilly – it was quite the adventure trying to navigate the station. Tempers were high 😉 Luckily we were able to get on the next train an hour later, so we grabbed breakfast then hopped right on. It was a quick train ride then a beautiful walk through the forest to Chateau Chantilly.
Afternoon: we spent the entire afternoon at Chateau Chantilly. We walked around the castle then the grounds. We lucked out with a gorgeous day! On the grounds, there is a hamlet with a little outdoor restaurant along a stream with swans + ducks. 100% what fairytales are made of. We had wine, croque monsieurs + strawberries with fresh chantilly cream. Sofia was able to frolic around while we ate, it was one of the best days of my life. I’ll never forget those memories. If you find yourself in Paris with kids this is a MUST do!
PM: we got back to Paris early evening then went right to happy hour at the hotel. Sofia always gets a fancy mocktail + I do champagne! We were all tired and opted for uber eats to the room again 😉
DAY 4
AM: another early morning! We had time to just quickly grab a chocolate croissant to-go from the buffet and then headed out the door to meet our tuk-tuk driver. We did the 1-hour tour but wished we had done the 2 or 4 instead. Our driver was so knowledgeable, funny + really knew how to explain everything. I learned a ton! Plus is was fun riding through the streets of Paris!!!
Afternoon: our driver dropped us off at a local part of town and recommended an authentic French place for lunch. We sat outside under the heat lamps, had champagne, roasted chicken, ratatouille + mashed potatoes w/ gravy. We explored a nearby church, grabbed a cappuccino + treats and walked around the neighborhood before taking the metro back to our hotel.
PM: after relaxing a few hours and packing up for our flight home, we did a happy hour in the room with loads of French snacks that we grabbed at the supermarket on the way back from the tuk tuk tour. We had a late dinner at our favorite place (we go here on arrival day and right before heading back home, I’m obsessed with the croque monsieur’s here!) then Sofia had the idea for a SUPER late visit to the Eiffel Tower. I’m glad we decided to go, it’s not every day that we’re in Paris! We made it just in time for the twinkle lights – it was one of those pinch me moments.
RETURN FLIGHT
by this point of every trip we are done, wiped out, ready to get home to Vinny! We used the same car service back to the airport. Every trip, Sofia and I stop in Laduree at CDG to grab macarons before boarding (be sure to have your passport handy when paying, they need it to check you out!). We had a quick flight to LHR with a short layover then we were on our way back to Miami. We flew British Airways back, the food was SO good (plenty of snacks, big lunch + big snack before landing). It was a quiet flight, probably because it was a Wednesday, so Mike was able to sit across the aisle that way Sofia could lay flat with me. 9 hours later we landed. Sofia slept the entire car ride home then we all went to bed early!
Flights
- Departed CDG 8:55am – Landed LHR 9:15am
- Departed LHR 10:40am – Landed MIA 3:00pm
*When traveling with Sofia we try to structure our days as follows: breakfast, activity/tour, walking around exploring and grabbing snacks, rest in the room for a few, happy hour/appertivo, dinner, chill time (aka netflix) before bed.
*Souvenirs – we tend to stay away from anything too touristy and opt for purchasing things we need, that we’ll use often at home + that will remind us of our visit! So this trip for example I grabbed a chapstick from a French beauty brand, lavender body lotion, makeup restock from Sephora, French pasta, loads of French snacks + a candle. Every time I use these items at home I’m instantly reminded of our Paris memories + Sofia especially loves grazing on the snacks!
I warned you, it’s a lot packed into a short amount of time but you can rest on the plane! I hope you’re inspired to book your next trip now!!! xx