What are a few places to travel with two kids under 3 years old (in the fall for 2-4 weeks)? We have considered Europe, New Zealand, and the Maritimes.
Opinions? Other suggestions? Thank you!

We love New Zealand - it's their winter but it is not cold.

Are there any specific parts of NZ would you recommend? Thank you!

NZ ?

Which parts of NZ would you recommend? Is it possible to tour the whole country in a few weeks?

Europe for sure

We originally considered Italy because it is child friendly but also London, Ireland, Scotland or Iceland because of the direct flights with two little ones. Also this time of year may be too cold to do a lot of outdoor activities. I haven't been to these parts of Europe so I'm only guessing. Are these parts of Europe great for little travelers?

We flew to Amsterdam with a stopover in Rekjavik, Iceland has lot of outdoorsy activities, hiking, tours etc. wonderful place but not sure the little ones would be interested. Amsterdam is great, Germany too, no issues with little ones, we travelled down along the Mosel river and then to Brussels where we took the Eurostar to London which my wife and I really love. With little ones you may want to try Eurodisney outside of Paris and a few days in Paris and the Eurostar runs to London from there as well. We flew home from London on Icelandair.

thank you for the input!

Really long flights are tough on kids. Since they won't even remember this vacation, why not go somewhere closer like the Maritimes and save them the jetlag and really long flights. (I travel around the world a lot. Little kids are so unhappy on long flights . . . and so are the people around them.)

This is exactly why we are considering doing something closer to home. The East Coast has been on our bucket list for years so it may be the perfect time to go! ?

I live in Nova Scotia. I've had several friends bring their kids from Alberta and said it was one of the best vacations they've ever had!!

Thanks! That's great to hear! I have so many questions for a local! Are there any specific activities/towns that your friends have found to be sure fire winners with their little ones? Any specific festivals that we should try to visit and plan around? Will the weather in the fall be similar to Alberta?

It's a lot more humid than AB, but far more beautiful in the fall. Novascotia.com would be your best bet for events, etc. during your stay. When were you thinking of traveling? airbnb is a GREAT resource for places to stay that might not be affordable otherwise and there are some real gems around the maritimes! In the fall, there are tons of pumpkin patches and corn mazes for kids!

What a beautiful picture! We are flexible with our dates thankfully. Naturally with the east coast, I would love to catch some warm weather and amazing fall colours without summer crowds or prices. We have used airbnb before and have always had a great experiences

Melissa the crowds are definitely gone, though the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton is prettiest and most travelled in the fall.

Unfortunately, if you're paying out of pocket (not using points, etc) it often costs more to come to the Maritimes than it would to Ireland, etc. Ireland is so much like Nova Scotia!

Spent considerable amounts of time in all 3. Currently ending 3 weeks in Australia, the wife and I were talking about this exact topic yesterday. Maritime is easy but we ran out of stuff to do in 1 week. (Sorry east coasters...only so many lobster markets and 'amazing ocean views' I can handle) We have 1 little one and we feel it's best to hold off on Europe until they can understand/appreciate the history of such awesome places. NZ is the only place we've ever been to where you can go from fresh water lakes to volcanoes to ocean to wineries to mountains in a few hours drive. We rented a motor home and toured the country...one of our best vacations. The fall won't be their winter...middle of spring there, don't expect warmth tho!

I find that hard to believe about the Maritimes, Drew. You're best to make a list of the things you want to do before you go, though, if you'd like to do more than road travelling. With NB, PEI and NS less than a days car ride away, the possibilities within a week are endless. Melissa: www.novascotia.com is great resource that lists many attractions, accommodations, events, etc. There is the live chat option if you'd prefer to speak to someone for specifically kid-friendly tips!
NOVASCOTIA.COM
Tourism Nova Scotia

Shannon Wilson, thank you! I just replied to your above message without reading this one thoroughly! I appreciate your advice and am happy to take any more that you have ?

Drew, thank for for the insight: I hadn't even thought about renting a motor home! That sounds amazing! Who did you rent through? What are the campgrounds like?

Melissa we used a company called Britz. Campsites were your usual campgrounds, all power and water hookups. Very safe, lots of families. Some had pools and playgrounds. If I remember correctly, the most popular 'brand' of campgrounds was 'top 10 holiday parks'

Drew Eizenga, thank you for bringing this idea up. I'm so interested in camping abroad and this is now a new item on our travel bucket list!

We have travelled to Europe with 3 kids ages 5-7. Everyone loved it! NZ is amazing but with all the "adventure" activities I would wait until they were older.

Thanks! What parts of Europe have you found to be the best for super small travelers?

Our absolute favourite spot was Turkey, but I really believe that you could go anywhere with kids. We usually stay at a vrbo to give us more space and the chance to cook for ourselves a bit. We stagger "sightseeing" with kid friendly activities to keep everyone happy ?

Jennifer, Turkey would be amazing! How old were the kids when you travelled there?

South Island NZ is beautiful, wild life and nature (without the poisonous bugs), Queenstown reminded me a bit of Banff. Also, don't miss Abel Tasman. Can't comment on North island, just connected through.

Thanks! Are there any other specific places you would recommend?

Sorry I don't have kids specific activities but found NZ very kids friendly though.
We spent a few days in Abel Tasman, hikes, kayak trips, wildlife, and beautiful beaches.
If wine drinkers, Central Otago wine tour.
From Queenstown, you can do the Milford Sounds tour.
Compared to Australia, more laid back.

it sounds amazing ?

Our best trip so far with our 4 year old daughter is in Barcelona. We love the very relaxed atmosphere esp at night when everyone comes out to town for dinner, shows or just to play in the town squares feeding pigeons and running after giant bubbles. It's got everything from beaches to amazing architecture, awesome food, markets etc. We rented an apartment and went on our own itinerary everyday. Our daughter loved it and still asks to go back even after a year of being back from the trip. I don't agree with people who say kids don't remember when they travel at that age. They do when they have a great time.

Thank you for your reply. Spain sounds like a great family vacation with so many great things to do?
How long was your stay in Barcelona?

2 weeks, and we also went to neighboring cities like Montserrat and Girona.

Portugal. Rent a house off flat . Inexpensive , small and such a safe place