Are you a city slicker or a sun seeker? Holidays in my house with the children tend to be in sunny hotspots. The days are spent around pools and and not doing to much. Culture, architecture and history are not so important to my little gang however I do dream of weekend city breaks where I can explore and then sit quietly with a coffee. Maybe as they get older I will get those long awaited for city breaks. I guess that was the trade off for being a relatively young mum. I didn’t have dates in cities, was never whisked away for a romantic break as by the time we had jobs and money we were parents and spending our wages on the foundations of family life. I want to visit Paris, which is not so far really but at the moment I’m lucky when I escape to London with work.
Cities excite me, I love the hustle and bustle, the business that they bring and tea shops in squares. People watching is a game I like to play, where I can imagine what people are doing or talking about.
If you can’t decide whether your next break should be a city or beach break you need to check out beach vs city which will help narrow down your choices.
The handy hub has twelve popular locations for both city and beach breaks and each one gives you a brief introduction to the place and what you can do. It also included my dream destination of Mexico where it had this to say:
México is not only known for its beaches. Its vibrant culture and friendly people are often the true allure for many holiday makers. Home to highly acclaimed artists, the famous mariachi bands, beautiful crafts, enriching museums and a pulsing nightlife – México’s diversity and charm is truly captivating. Head to Guadalajara, the birthplace of Mariachi or a local nightclub to mingle with locals and visitors and experience a piece of authentic México. The country’s notorious cuisine, which consists of an abundance of fresh seafood, bold flavours and diversity, is incredibly delicious and satisfying.
New York is also on my bucket list of places. So far the nearest I have been is the airport where we had a transfer on our trip to Florida. However I would love to spend a couple of days there and again Holiday Gems have listed the most iconic things to do.
Head for the landmarks
When it comes to iconic locations, New York has a plethora of riches. Top of your list is likely to be the Statue of Liberty, a monument that was a gift from the French and unveiled in the city in 1886. The Empire State Building is also a must-see as you enjoy the breath-taking views from the 86th-floor and the deco architecture of one of the most popular attractions. Times Square is the ultimate concrete jungle, an urban maze that is a unique experience, the historic Brooklyn Bridge is worth a walk across and Central Park is a scenic spot for a picnic as you get acquainted with the city.
Therefore before you book you next break be it beach or city check out this information hub which will give you food for thought.
10 Responses
Sounds a handy resource to have – anything to make holiday planning easier is always a bonus. We haven’t made it to a beach holiday for a while but I agree the best ones are where you can sit and do nothing with beautiful scenery. I always think it’s nice to start in a city take your time with the holiday slowdown and then move onto somewhere where the pace of life really slows. Adding a city onto the end of the break isn’t quite so enjoyable pace-wise I find!
We always find it difficult to narrow down our choices for a holiday. Picking one place over another is always tough so good to have some help.
We tend to head for sandy beach type holidays in the UK as our children are still quite young these seem to be the best type of holidays for us at the moment but perhaps in the future we could try out a city break! x
It is really hard to choose between city or beach. I’ll look at that post next time we are planning to go away. You will love NYC when you get there! It’s very busy though, might be more fun when the kiddies are older. x
we tend to go beach for family holidays but i must admit i wouldnt mind a short city break with just the hubby, its too hard to do city with kids
I’m the same. A beach holiday is great, and best for N, but I do love the treat of a city break. I loved New York and Barcelona, but there’s so many places I’d still love to go.
I would definitely choose city over beach when it comes to a holiday. I am not good with heat, I just melt lol. I also would love to travel to Paris. Fingers crossed I am sure when your little girl is older, she would love to go on a girly trip to Paris with her mum 🙂
Great article Emma. 🙂 My husband and I enjoy both city breaks and beach holidays. Since we have had children we usually try to fit in a bit of both i.e our holiday to France and Italy last year included lots of beach days but also day trips to Cannes, Nice, St Tropez and Venice. Like you, I am also a lover of people watching (another term for being nosey right?!) but this is now difficult to do with two boys to run around after!
I have just checked out the website, it is really useful. I love the images, short summaries and essential information section.
We are very overdue for a holiday this year but do tend to prefer quiet breaks because of the children. I’d love a beach break
Oh I love both! New York is on my list too – my eldest visited a few years ago, and it sounds incredible. Kaz x