Trip Report | London & Paris — plan it petersons

Overview

This summer, we took the plunge and brought our crew to London and Paris. It was our first time taking them to Europe. Was it magical? Absolutely. Was it a lot with three kids in tow? 100%. But surprisingly, it was easier than I expected! Now that we’ve done it, we’re already dreaming of where we’ll go next!

Here’s a day-by-day look at how we made it work, what we loved, and little tips we learned along the way. We will also provide a points and miles breakdown to show how we saved nearly $15,000 on our flights and hotels! We hope to inspire you to explore the bucket list destinations on your list too!

Our Itinerary

Day 1: We kept things light, hit some big sights outdoors, and were flexible with jet lag.

We flew direct from Pittsburgh to London on British Airways and landed at Heathrow at 10:00 a.m. local time. We dropped our bags at the Hyatt Place London City East and grabbed lunch at a nearby pub.

After a short walk, we arrived at the Tower of London. We skipped going inside this time and just enjoyed the views and surroundings because we figured the kids wouldn’t be up for any tours on day 1. It was the right call!

A surprise highlight was stumbling upon a Sol de Janeiro pop-up shop giving away free travel-sized body sprays. Elise was thrilled!

From there, we strolled over to Tower Bridge Quay for the Terrible Thames River Tour. I had read about this and decided to book it based on reviews that it was funny, short, and perfect for the kids. It lived up to that, and I thought it was a great introduction to the city and a fun way to see the sights. It managed to keep the kids’ attention, so we called it a win.

We grabbed dinner at the hotel lobby restaurant for ease and convenience, followed by early showers for everyone and lights out around 9:00 p.m.

Keeping awake the first day is a must to combat jetlag, and we succeeded! We struck a balance between staying busy enough to not take a nap, while keeping things light and flexible enough to avoid meltdowns. I would definitely recommend this approach!

Surprisingly, the kids ended up sleeping 12 straight hours our first night, and they were fully adjusted to the time change by the next morning. Maybe we got lucky, but this aspect of the trip was much easier than I anticipated.

View of the London Eye from our river cruise

Day 2: A slower-paced day to appease the kids, mixed with some must-do’s on the adults’ list.

We started with coffee and pastries near the hotel, then hopped on the Tube to Selfridge’s for their special Jellycat department - Elise was in heaven. Louie set his sights on a new pair of shoes (the exact pair of light-up Sketchers he already owns but in a different color - whatever!). Henry is not one for material things, but he managed to find some souvenirs elsewhere throughout our trip.

Later, we headed to lunch at the Ampersand Hotel for a whimsical Science Afternoon Tea. This was pricey, but so much fun. I wanted us to have a true afternoon tea experience in London, and this one fit the bill. It provided the traditional tea for Mark and me, plus a fun kids’ version that included crafting their own lemonade, creating their own hot chocolate with mix-ins, and even included some dry ice for a fun foggy effect. The kids didn’t love all the food, but they at least tried everything!

Afterward, we explored Kensington Gardens, stopping at the Diana Memorial Playground which was a huge hit with the kids. It has a massive wooden pirate ship to climb on, a sandy area to run around in, slides and a water feature - all the components of an awesome playground. The kids really enjoyed our time here and it was the perfect place for them to let out some energy. After the playground, we strolled past the Sunken Garden and got a look at the Princess Diana statue. Such a beautiful and peaceful area.

Next, we took the Tube to Abbey Road for the iconic crosswalk photo. Mark and I wanted to do this and the kids obliged. Honestly, it was more comedy than glamour thanks to honking drivers and photo-swapping tourists, but we managed to get a few pictures (and laughs) out of it!

What’s London without a stop by Buckingham Palace? Of course that was on our list, so we ventured there on the Tube next and also took a stroll through St. James’ Park.

Dinner was at The Minories near the hotel, which we had passed multiple times and decided we wanted to try. It was a traditional pub that had a large outdoor area with TVs and twinkly lights that looked very inviting. We walked into a massive women’s soccer match crowd - unbeknownst to us, it was the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 Final with England taking on Spain. We saw England win in a nail-biting penalty shootout, and the crowd went absolutely wild. Such a fun experience for us and the kids to witness!

Outside the Ampersand Hotel (Elise with her new Jellycat)

Pirate ship at Diana Memorial Playground

Day 3: Our last full day in London, heavier on sightseeing.

For our big sightseeing day in London, we pre-booked the Tower Bridge Experience where the kids got to walk along the glass-bottom floor (a big draw). We had lunch nearby at The Vault 1894 after discovering that Borough Market is closed on Mondays (oops). The Vault was great, though, and the views were outstanding! After lunch, we stopped by a nearby playground for the ever-popular kids’ energy release.

We also pre-booked tickets for the London Eye which allowed us to skip the line. I was on the fence about booking the fast-track option, but I’m so glad I did because it saved us from waiting in a pretty lengthy line. The kids enjoyed seeing the sights from so high up. To me, this is a “one and done” sight and while it was enjoyable, we likely wouldn’t do it again next time.

Afterwards, we stopped by a stand to get some viral strawberries with milk chocolate - they did not disappoint! Louie opted for plain strawberries since they’re one of his favorite foods and he was missing them bigtime. Haha!

After a busy day of walking and sightseeing, we headed back to the hotel and visited the rooftop bar/restaurant for some dinner. It was more tapas and cocktails, but we managed to get the kids a margarita flatbread and some pasta with butter and parmesan cheese (definitely one of their staples in London and Paris).

During this trip, we found that allowing the kids some iPad time at the end of the day was really beneficial for everyone. The kids did a great job walking, sightseeing, and going with the flow during the day, so we “rewarded” them (and ourselves) with iPad time either during dinner or when we got back to the rooms. It was a win/win.

Henry’s feet at the Tower Bridge Experience

Day 4: Travel day to Paris

In the morning, we checked out of our London hotel around 9:00, took the Tube to St. Pancras International train station, and prepared to board our Eurostar train to Paris. We were scheduled to depart at 11:30, but were actually delayed until closer to 12:30. This wasn’t a big deal for us because I only scheduled one thing in the evening once we got to Paris. After the quick and easy ~2.5 hour trip (and 1-hour time change), we arrived in Paris at 4:00 p.m. local time.

We took a taxi to our Paris hotel, the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile - a gorgeous hotel with incredible staff and a club lounge that kept us fed and happy. With stunning views of the Eiffel Tower, I genuinely looked forward to eating breakfast here every morning!

That evening, we cruised the Seine with the Vedettes du Pont Neuf and ended the night wandering the streets in Paris and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle (which was magical, of course). The Seine river cruise was fine - I personally very much enjoyed seeing all the sites from the boat - but our kids were a little bored. Unlike the river cruise in London, there was no entertainment for the kids. There was one woman leading the tour who spoke in English and French, but the mic system was a little faulty and we couldn’t hear a whole lot. Plus, this cruise was a full hour (a bit long for the kids). Next time, I would probably skip this and opt for a smaller boat tour with a more individualized experience.

Boys on the train (why are kids not grossed out by tray tables?)

Passing the Eiffel Tower on the Seine River Cruise

Dinner at a nearby spot (the kids got a real kick out of the water carafes and using real glasses)

Day 5: Magic in Montmartre

I booked a walking tour of Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur via Zoe at The Petit Guide, who assigned us a wonderful guide named Mandie - an American who has lived in Paris for 10+ years, a former teacher, whose home neighborhood is Montmartre so she knows it like the back of her hand. She was also incredibly sweet and patient with our kids! We walked all throughout this classically Parisian neighborhood, learning about the history and witnessing the charm first-hand. Highly recommend.

We saw the apartment where Van Gogh lived for two years with his brother, Theo, and painted some of his most famous works of art. We walked through Place du Tertre, the infamous square where local artists make a living selling their paintings and sketches. Mandie told us these artists have government-mandated licenses to sell here, along with assigned stalls, so they are the real deal. Being able to sell art here is highly coveted!

Mandie also introduced us to Flash Invaders, a fun game that our kids loved. A street artist in Paris puts mosaics in inconspicuous places all over the city, and when you find one, you scan it with an app. It tells you the name of the mosaic and gives you points, which vary based on how hidden the mosaic is. It was a fun way to keep the kids engaged during our walks around the city.

While on our tour with Mandie, we took plenty of photos, shopped for souvenirs, and ducked into a restaurant for a late lunch when an unexpected rainstorm hit. The joys of wandering around Paris with no real plans!

The kids with Mandie, our wonderful tour guide

Blowing bubbles in a square where Picasso used to sit and paint

Day 6: Disneyland Paris

Who knew that traveling to Disneyland Paris is so easy? It’s right outside the city limits and a simple 40-minute train ride away, so we thought we’d tack this onto our trip because why not?

Disneyland Paris reminded us somewhat of Disneyland in California (see that trip report here!), in that it is much tamer than Disney World in Florida. There are two parks - Disneyland Park (which is similar to Magic Kingdom) and Walt Disney Studios Park (which is sort of a mix between Epcot and Hollywood Studios).

One-day tickets for the five of us were about $500 total, which we thought was worth the splurge. We did not, however, opt for the Premiere Passes that allow you to skip the lines because that would have upped the cost to $2,000! Instead, we got the standard tickets allowing us to hop between the two parks all day, and wait in lines as needed. We figured it builds character. 😊

I love that we were able to visit the parks and experience the Disney magic in Paris. It was, however, another day with lots of walking and the kids probably needed a break at this point in our trip. In hindsight, it would have been better to have a “chill day” here, and then a Disney day after that, but alas I scheduled it the other way around.

While in Disneyland Paris, we prioritized rides that we don’t have in Disney World in Florida. Louie hit Cars Land pretty hard (no surprise), while the other two loved the intense roller coaster called Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain (which they rode with Mark). We also visited Cafe Hyperion for lunch and caught a show where singers sang Disney classics in both English and French. Too cute. We couldn’t leave without visiting the World of Disney aka the huge souvenir shop between the two parks. We made sure to grab some Mickey ears and t-shirts that were Paris-themed.

Personally, I enjoyed just walking around the parks and seeing what was familiar and what was different. We would definitely recommend a day trip here if you are Disney people who find yourselves in Paris!

Mark outside “Phantom Manor” aka Haunted Mansion

Per the kids, Mickey ice cream bars are just as good in Paris!

Having dinner like true Europeans, at 10pm after a long day in the parks

Day 7: More glorious sightseeing & Tuk Tuk Tour

We visited the exterior of the breathtaking Notre Dame (the church is open for inside visitors, but the line was long) and lunched at a great brasserie that we stumbled upon nearby. That’s part of the beauty of Paris - there are so many restaurants and they are all fabulous! You can’t go wrong, really. We looked up how many restaurants are in Paris and apparently it’s 38,000! Literally multiple places to eat on every city block, and most of them have menus posted outside so you can take a quick glance before deciding whether or not to go in.

After lunch, we swung by the stunning Luxembourg Gardens and visited the cute playground on the grounds called Jardin Ludo. It cost a couple euro per person to enter - new concept to me, but not a big deal. The kids had a blast here playing in the sand pit and burning some energy on the obstacle course. Highly recommend building in this down time for the kids!

Then, we hit a few Emily in Paris filming locations which was high on my list! The kids have no clue about Emily in Paris, but they humored me for a quick metro ride to Place de l’Estrepade to see the outside of Emily’s apartment, the charming fountain in the square, and Gabriel’s restaurant (called Terra Nera in real life, but l’Esprit de Gigi on the show). We even got to see some crew workers setting up to shoot Season 5, although sadly no sightings of Emily herself or any other characters. Maybe next time. 😊

The last event of the day was so great - a private 2-hour tuk-tuk tour around the City of Light. I reserved it through Tuk Tuk Ride and our driver, Rafael, was fantastic. He’s a Parisian local who told so many fun stories about the history of the city. He also stopped and pulled over to take many photos of our family, which I so appreciated. He was so patient with the kids and we really enjoyed our time with him. I would highly recommend booking this tuk-tuk tour, as we seemed to get a lot more out of it compared to the Seine River cruise earlier in the week.

L’Esprit de Gigi (Gabriel’s restaurant in the show)

Place de l’Estrapade, which also appears in the show

Day 8: Louvre and Eiffel Tower

We spent our last full day in Paris checking off a couple very iconic sites! I pre-booked tickets at the Louvre, primarily so the kids could see the Mona Lisa. Also, kids are free to enter the Louvre, so I figured it was a great low-cost option as well. Our kids are at the ages where they don’t enjoy meandering around a museum all day, but they did great for the ~1 hour we were there. We snapped a few photos, peeped the Mona Lisa, and went on our way.

Next, we wandered through the Tuileries Gardens, headed to the fanciest Starbucks ever and made a skincare run at a Parisian pharmacy. I had intended for dinner that night to be all about the Eiffel Tower view at Frame Brasserie - but sadly, the terrace was closed. Still, our dinner was good and we ended the night watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle from our hotel lounge. Truly priceless!

Fancy Starbucks on Boulevard des Capucines

Day 9: Au revoir, Paris

Our last morning was slow - we let the kids sleep in while Mark and I packed the suitcases. We had one last breakfast in the hotel lounge, enjoyed some final views of the Eiffel Tower, and rode off in a taxi to Charles de Gaulle for our flight.

One last breakfast at the club lounge - still dreaming of the flaky croissants and salty butter

Ready to head home after an incredible trip

Points & Miles Breakdown

Accommodations:

Hyatt Place London City East: Booked 2 rooms for 3 nights using 72,000 Hyatt points (12,000 points per room/night). Cash price would have been $2,600.
Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile: Booked 2 rooms for 5 nights using 240,000 Hyatt points (24,000 points per room/night). Cash price would have been $3,600. Side note: This place was a steal on points!

Flights:

British Airways: Paid 150,000 Avios for five nonstop tickets from Pittsburgh to London. Total taxes and fees were $411.50 ($82.30/person). The cash price would have been $3,443 ($688.60/person).
British Airways: I booked our return trip separately since we were coming from Paris. We paid 198,750 Avios for five return tickets from Paris to Pittsburgh with a layover in London. Total taxes and fees for this leg were $505, ($101/person). The cash price for this leg would have been $5,819 ($1,163.80/person).

Total Savings:

By using points and miles, we saved a total of $14,545.50!

Accommodation Savings: $2,600 (Hyatt Place in London) + $3,600 (Hyatt Regency in Paris) = $6,200
Flight Savings: $8,345 (we would have paid the $916.50 in taxes either way)

Earning Points

We accumulate Hyatt points mainly by transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards to Hyatt. British Airways is a transfer partner of all four major banks, so points can be racked up relatively easily and then transferred over to BA.

If you are interested in learning more about racking up points and miles to take a dream trip, let me know! I’d love to help strategize credit card welcome bonuses with you and I’m happy to answer any questions.

Trip Report | London & Paris

Overview

Our Itinerary

Points & Miles Breakdown

Earning Points

❤️ Liz

Trip Report | Hilton Head 2025