Would you spend $$ for a weekend in Paris?

[NinaBella]

I may have posted before, that I was considering a weekend in Paris. I just hate to spend the money.

So my hubby has a business trip (to Germany) and most of the wives are flying in at the end and staying a few days over for a personal vacation. I am on the fence. Cheapest flight is $1200 and not the best flight. So the better flights are around $1500. Then if I went, we would take the train to Paris for the weekend, so additional cost of hotel.

I am just on the fence. I have never been, but my husband has before. He says if I don't come he will just stay at his work location and not do anything else to save money.

FYI- My current vacation savings I am saving for a family trip (taking my two teenagers) to Ireland. So this would eat into that vacation savings. Other thought was stopping over in Paris before/after Ireland on the same vacation. Of course when I mention dad going to Germany and me possibly going for the weekend, the kids are "take us too!" LOL. Three tickets and larger hotel room are not in my plan at all.

So, would you just keep saving the money for the family vacation or splurge on a weekend in Paris. Also, travel would be in two months (April) so still not the most ideal weather. Our Ireland trip is planned for June or July 2018.

 

[eliza61]

Nope. for a weekend? why only a weekend? first the flight itself is going to be 8-9 hours (from the East coast). You say it's not the best flight so I'm going to assume that you have stops and layovers.

LOL, I wouldn't spend 12 hours each way to go to disney for only a weekend.

I love Paris, try to go every 2 or 3 years so for me to turn down an opportunity is rare but I'd pass.

 

[teller80]

No, I wouldn't do it just for a weekend at that cost. And if the rest of the coworkers are going to Paris, I would encourage my husband to go with them, from Germany to Paris shouldn't be too expensive.

 

[Marionnette]

I may have posted before, that I was considering a weekend in Paris. I just hate to spend the money.

So my hubby has a business trip (to Germany) and most of the wives are flying in at the end and staying a few days over for a personal vacation. I am on the fence. Cheapest flight is $1200 and not the best flight. So the better flights are around $1500. Then if I went, we would take the train to Paris for the weekend, so additional cost of hotel.

I am just on the fence. I have never been, but my husband has before. He says if I don't come he will just stay at his work location and not do anything else to save money.

FYI- My current vacation savings I am saving for a family trip (taking my two teenagers) to Ireland. So this would eat into that vacation savings. Other thought was stopping over in Paris before/after Ireland on the same vacation. Of course when I mention dad going to Germany and me possibly going for the weekend, the kids are "take us too!" LOL. Three tickets and larger hotel room are not in my plan at all.

So, would you just keep saving the money for the family vacation or splurge on a weekend in Paris. Also, travel would be in two months (April) so still not the most ideal weather. Our Ireland trip is planned for June or July 2018.

Nope. As @eliza61 pointed out, the amount of time that you will spend in flight to/from Europe (and then a train ride too!) would result in very little time for actually enjoying the city. Add jet lag into the mix and IMO, you would spend a lot of money for very little return.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I agree that it's a long way and a lot of money for a short amount of time.

However, if I felt it was a now or never (or now or maybe 10 years down the road), if I had the money, you bet I would.

But I love to travel and too many people plan for their perfect trip, or the trip at the right time and never seem to get there. I rarely turn down a trip anywhere that's on my want to go or go back to list.

 

[lovemygoofy]

I think I've read that you all are or were a military family. If you have time and flexibility have you looked into Space A flights?

If you're flying into Germany first, you can call/email the MWR and see if there are any MWR trips coming up around the time you are going to be there?
They negotiate a lower rate pretty often or have combination you can purchase reasonably. Germany is beautiful in the spring as well unless you're just focused on going to Paris.

Yes, I have done the trip for a short amount of time but it was different circumstances and I hadn't seen my husband in months. It was money very well spent. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

No, too much $ for too little time. And even if I would consider it, I would spend the weekend in Germany or fly direct to Paris to meet my spouse there.

 

[Crystal824]

Not for a weekend....for a week...maybe. It is just too far and transportation too expensive to spend so little time.

 

[MomToOne]

I LOVE Paris (to the point of wanting to live there for a few years after retirement), so I personally would do it. I admit it's not the best financial decision, so if money is tight, that's a no-brainer, you shouldn't go. But if it is a situation where you really have the money, you just hate taking anything out of savings or spending on something that's not officially "in the budget", then I'd say to heck with it and go!

And in the interest of full disclosure - I have gone to Paris before for just a weekend, and from the West Coast none the less! Yes, it's exhausting but the experience and memories are worth it!

 

[pryncess527]

For me it's not the cost, but the amount of time flying is too great for only 48 hours of fun. But I'd consider spending more and making it a whole week. I think a week in Paris is well worth 2k+

 

[MomToOne]

Also, travel would be in two months (April) so still not the most ideal weather.

Actually, I think April would be a fabulous time to go - springtime in Paris and all! I've gone many times off-season and loved it. (Paris is beautiful in the snow! LOL) Then the last time we went was in July - my first time going during the height of tourist season - that was awful, it was hot, there were LONG lines for everything, etc. Don't get me wrong, I was still happy to be there, but next time, I will go off-season again!

 

[canadiandisneynut]

Paris is always a good idea. I would look into the price of flight straight to Paris to save yourself the train travel.

 

[kathy884]

I'd skip it. Paris is nice, but not that nice. I'd just save for that longer trip to Ireland. // Everyone is different. For me that would be too far for a short time and too expensive for a short time.

Those airfares to Europe are just so much money. For a short trip, a little get-a-way in the good ole USA just is so much more budget friendly and more fun, as you don't have that jet lag.

We were looking at a week long trip to Paris (me, DH, and DS), and I didn't even want to spend the money for one week. But then I was an exchange student in Paris at age 16 and everything was a been there / done that and travel how long and pay that much.

I did, though, send just DS to a study abroad program in Italy through a university program last summer -- six weeks (five for the program and some fun in London after). The educational experience / European experience for DS was easy for me to justify and monies were in my college savings budget too. // And the other big trip to Europe that I am able to justify is for July of 2017 -- DS was adopted from Russia and we are going to do a group trip with other international adoptees and their families to Moscow and St. Peterburg where DS was born. This I just think would be really cool for DS to see, etc and despite the long distance, reasonably short time, and expense, I feel compelled to do this. The time just feels right. Again, I already have the money saved up too -- but it is really a lot to spend for a trip.

 

[Tinkermommy]

We are going to London for 8 days with friends. They really want to go to Paris so we are taking the chunnel and going for the day. It's not that expensive and I think it will be a fun day.

But I wouldn't fly there for the weekend especially since it would take funds away from another European trip. I like Paris but it's not my favorite European city.

 

[Hisgirl]

Nope. We live in an air line city. Most all of our friends fly free and Europe is an often discussed adventure. When I ask what was the one place you were disappointed in...without fail, 100% of the time people say Paris. Save your money and do a better trip somewhere else for more time. Just my two cents.

 

[NinaBella]

No, I am not interested in Space-A travel and I would be taking time off work and do not have that many days to burn. I dislike MWR trips. I did a few in the past and prefer to be on my on schedule and not in a tour group.

My husband's co-workers are not "traveling or touring together" they are doing their own thing with their off time and if their wives come in they are doing their own thing with their wives.

It would only be a weekend because of several reasons, time off from our jobs, we don't want to leave the kids home (alone) for very long. My adult son lives at home and the younger ones are teenagers, but they still have activities and competitions we have to make it to.

I am leaning towards not going. Although my husband is going to ask what airlines the other ladies are flying on as it seems they got a good deal. The whole "jet-lag" thing doesn't bother me. I lived in Korea (by myself) and flew home to see the hubby and kids every 5-6 months only staying two weeks at a time. I am very use to traveling on 14+ hour international flights. Plus, I would prefer to see Paris at night if we went.