We originally planned to spend Spring Break in Jamaica—but after a hurricane forced our resort to cancel just two months before our trip, we suddenly found ourselves starting from scratch.
At that point, most Caribbean destinations were either fully booked or had doubled in price. So we pivoted.
After going back to the drawing board, we landed on an entirely different kind of adventure: Paris and London, built around visits to Disneyland Paris and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.
And surprisingly? We were able to book the entire trip for about the same cost as the Caribbean.
Flights & Travel Logistics
We chose to start in Paris and end in London, though this itinerary could easily work in reverse.
- Flight to Paris: American Airlines via Philadelphia
- Flight home: British Airways direct from London to Phoenix
The flight to Paris was smooth and manageable. The return flight, while convenient as a nonstop, was very long.
We had no issues navigating either airport, though Heathrow Airport was a bit chaotic. We had to take a shuttle bus from the terminal to the plane, which added about 15 minutes of travel time—and our flight ended up departing nearly an hour late because of it.
Tip: You’ll often hear to arrive 3 hours early for Heathrow. While that can be necessary, in our case it was overkill and led to a lot of waiting around. It really seems to vary.
Fun find: There’s a Jellycat store in the airport with an exclusive item—definitely worth checking out if your kids love them!
Paris: Our First Stop
We departed Phoenix on a Monday and arrived in Paris Tuesday morning around 8:00 AM.
Getting to Our Hotel
We took a taxi to Marriott’s Village d’Île-de-France for about €191. In hindsight, I wish I had checked Uber first—we later realized we likely overpaid and used Uber for the rest of the trip.
Because I had contacted the hotel in advance, they had a room ready for us upon arrival, which was a lifesaver after an overnight flight.
We stayed here for two nights while visiting Disney. You can read more about our Disneyland Paris experience here.
Moving Into the City
After Disney, we Ubered into the city (€120) and checked into Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile.
We booked a family setup with connecting rooms (1 king + 2 queens), which gave us two bathrooms—huge win when traveling with kids.
The highlight? An incredible Eiffel Tower view from our room. And seeing it sparkle on the hour was truly amazing!
The location worked great, with plenty of excellent restaurants within walking distance.
Getting Around Paris
We relied mostly on Uber rather than taxis or public transportation. It made things easier since:
- We knew the cost upfront
- No language barriers
- Door-to-door convenience
We would have walked more, but the rainy weather made that difficult.
Paris Day 1: Versailles & Arc de Triomphe
We started with a visit to the Palace of Versailles.
It was rainy and the line to get in was long, but we still made the most of it. We rented a golf cart to explore the gardens—which I highly recommend regardless of weather because they are massive.
That evening, we visited the Arc de Triomphe, followed by dinner at Le Drugstore.
Honest take: I’d skip going to the top of the Arc.
- It’s a long, narrow spiral staircase
- Not ideal if you’re out of shape or afraid of heights
- The viewing area is heavily fenced, making photos difficult
Also—use the underground tunnel to get there. Don’t try to cross traffic (it’s not well marked!).
Paris Day 2: Louvre, Notre Dame & A Seine River Cruise
We started the day at the Louvre Museum followed by lunch at a nearby café. If you’d like to read more on our experience with the Louvre and the kid friendly tour we put together you can find it here.
Next, we headed to Notre-Dame Cathedral. While you can book free entry tickets a few days in advance, I missed that window. The standby line was extremely long, so we chose to admire it from the outside instead.
We then did a Seine River cruise—which, unfortunately, didn’t go as planned.
- It was still light out, so we missed the Eiffel Tower sparkle
- We sat outside for photos… and got soaked from water splashing over the boat
By the end, we were freezing and had to return to the hotel to change before dinner at François Félix—which ended up being quite late.
Travel Day: Paris to London
On our final morning in Paris, we took the Eurostar to London.
This was an incredibly easy experience. The Channel Tunnel portion only lasts about 20 minutes, and the entire journey is smooth and efficient.
Once in London, we took a taxi to Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London.
Our room was a suite which had a huge balcony with direct views of Big Ben and the London Eye—easily one of the best views of the trip.
London Day 1: Exploring & Shopping
Our first day was more relaxed. We explored the city and stopped by Selfridges to check out their massive Jellycat selection (including a café!).
We also visited Marble Arch—beautiful, though not quite as impressive as the Arc de Triomphe.
Dinner that night was at The Ivy, which we really enjoyed.
London Day 2: Tower of London & Tower Bridge
We started near London Bridge and walked to Tower Bridge before our afternoon visit to the Tower of London.
The experience really depends on your interests:
- Our 15-year-old (history lover) was fascinated
- Our 11-year-old? Not so much
There are lots of stairs and tight spaces, so keep that in mind for accessibility.
Dinner was at the famous Coppa Club Tower Bridge igloos—an amazing experience with incredible views. Reservations well in advance are a must.
We ended the night walking across Tower Bridge, which is absolutely beautiful when lit up.
London Day 3: Borough Market & Harry Potter
We started the day at Borough Market (note: closed on Mondays).
We tried the viral chocolate-covered strawberries and crème brûlée donuts—both lived up to the hype!
From there, we headed to the Harry Potter Studio Tour (full guide found here), which was a highlight of the trip.
Heading Home
Our flight wasn’t until 2:25 PM, but we left early to be safe.
We originally planned to take the Heathrow Express from Paddington Station, but our taxi driver offered to take us directly to the airport—and we’re glad we said yes.
- Travel time: ~55 minutes
- Cost: £120
- Much easier with luggage
Final Thoughts
This trip completely exceeded our expectations.
We could have easily spent a full week in each city and still not seen everything.
My family says they preferred London—but I’m honestly torn. There’s just something about Paris… especially the desserts. I’m still dreaming about those crepes!
