How to Embrace Spontaneity in Travel: Lessons Learned on Champs-Élysées and the River Seine

Family travel is often a delicate balance between careful planning and leaving room for the unexpected. Before becoming parents, my wife and I spent lots of time traveling in the US and abroad. One of our most memorable days was a free afternoon in Paris—a day filled with unplanned wandering, incredible sights, and spontaneous decisions.

Why this matters to nerdy families: Spontaneity isn’t the opposite of planning—it’s what allows curiosity to lead the way. The unplanned choices we made walking the Champs-Élysées and riding the Seine didn’t just shape how we travel in Europe; they’re the same values that now guide our Disney trips, convention weekends, and everyday nerdy adventures as a family.

Now, as parents and with me managing a chronic illness, I’ve come to realize how important it is to embrace spontaneity in travel. In fact, having a child almost forces you to have more days like this: flexible, unstructured, and open to whatever the day brings.

Below, I revisit that incredible day in Paris verbatim (with some grammar improvements because, cringe), reflecting on how it would look different today, the lessons we’ve learned, and how families can make the most of spontaneous moments while traveling.

This post is part of our ongoing reflection on how our travel style has evolved over 15 years, starting with London Tourist Attractions for Nerds: Then vs. Now.

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Free Men in Paris: Unfettered and Alive (Original Blog Post)

We exited the Louvre with no plans. Our last afternoon in Paris and we didn’t have anything to do. Now, this was probably the best planning we had done. Paris wants you to walk aimlessly around.

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But first, we had to eat. We were famished. We stopped at an outdoor café in the Jardin des Tuileries. We ordered steaks. They were very good. Looking back on this meal, I realize that I do have one regret about our Europe trip. While the restaurant was very good, we really didn’t research restaurants. We basically ate when we were hungry at the nearest restaurant to us. This often turned out to make for very good and in some cases, though not this one, adventurous eating. I feel we did miss out on something. Maybe on our next trip we will do more restaurant research.

Now, what to do? We had plenty of time on our hands and lots of Paris to explore. We started walking away from the Louvre and the answer was stretched out right in front of us: the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

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We just walked. Stroll might even be a better word. We sat on park benches and people-watched. We visited some of the shops. We bought tickets to Disneyland Paris. We admired the architecture while refraining from entering the Louis Vuitton store. We had an Extreme Shake at Quick, the biggest European fast-food chain. We took pictures of multinational companies and street names.

We took our time until we got to our next adventure: the Arc de Triomphe.

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The Arc de Triomphe was included on our museum pass, but I almost chickened out. Why? I hate heights. I know I’m clumsy enough to fall over a fence that is taller than me. Also, 284 steps in a spiral seem quite miserable just thinking about it. However, I knew the views would be worth it. We walked then kind of rambled up the steps. I had to sit when I got to the top due to the dizziness. Once I could see straight, we went through the brief museum before climbing the six extra steps to the roof. While I was still scared, it was worth getting to the top.

When we returned to ground level, we happened upon a ceremony at the French Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Old men were dressed up with their medals and saluted while school children in their uniforms sang La Marseillaise. Not a moment you can plan for, but a lifetime memory nonetheless.

After visiting the Arc de Triomphe, we wondered what to do next. We both wanted to do something relaxing. The most relaxing thing we could think of was a river cruise down the Seine.

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After the river cruise, we were spent. We were heading out to Disneyland Paris the next day to meet our goal of visiting every Disney park before we die. Yes, we are big Disney nerds. However, Disneyland Paris almost cured us of this…almost.

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Lessons Learned: How Spontaneity Became Part of Our Nerdy Travel Style

1. The Value of Unplanned Wandering

In 2010, we had the luxury of wandering. As parents, however, unplanned days often happen out of necessity rather than choice. Children don’t always adhere to schedules, and you need to be adaptable.

The lesson here is to embrace the unexpected. Some of the best moments—like watching the ceremony at the French Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which we didn’t know was in the Arc de Triomphe—can’t be planned.

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Today, we’d structure our day to allow for flexibility, ensuring that we include breaks for rest and time for spontaneous discoveries.

This balance between structure and freedom is the same tension we now manage in museums, theme parks, and even convention schedules.

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2. Creating Magical Moments Through Flexibility

That day in Paris taught us that magic happens when you leave room for it. Whether it’s an unplanned café visit or a river cruise to relax, these moments become the memories you cherish.

With a child, we’d plan just one or two big activities, like only visiting the Louvre, and leave the rest of the day open. This gives us the freedom to follow our child’s interests (or meltdowns) and still discover something magical.

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3. Seeing Paris Through a Child’s Eyes

As parents, we now see travel differently. A simple walk along the Champs-Élysées would become an adventure full of stops for ice cream, playgrounds, or spotting colorful window displays.

Our child might find joy in things we overlooked as adults, such as watching street performers or riding a carousel. Embracing their pace allows us to rediscover places like Paris in a way we never expected.

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Why This Still Matters to Our Nerdy Life

The ability to embrace spontaneity has become essential to how we travel now, especially as parents. Whether we’re navigating a Disney park, pacing ourselves through a fan convention, or exploring a new city with our daughter, leaving room for unplanned moments keeps travel joyful instead of exhausting.

What we learned in Paris wasn’t about doing less—it was about noticing more. That mindset continues to shape how we experience places, fandoms, and family adventures today. It even shapes how we do Disney now at a much slower pace.

How to Embrace Spontaneity in Family Travel

Here are a few tips inspired by our Paris day:

• Plan for downtime: Leave gaps in your schedule for rest or unexpected adventures.
• Listen to Your Body: Don’t push your body past its limits, a lesson we learned on our first day in Paris. You might make today great, but you will ruin tomorrow.
• Prioritize flexible activities: Choose experiences that don’t require strict timing, like park visits or river cruises.
• Follow your child’s lead: Let their curiosity guide the day—it can lead to unexpected joys.
• Be ready to pivot: Accept that plans may change, but the memories will be worth it.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Spontaneous Family Travel

Final Thoughts

Traveling with a family and chronic illness may seem daunting, but it also opens the door to new ways of exploring. That unplanned day in Paris in 2010 taught us the beauty of spontaneity—something we now embrace more than ever.

Whether you’re wandering through Paris or crafting a flexible family itinerary, remember: the best moments are often the ones you don’t plan for.

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