Paris is a place of romance, history, world-class art and arguably the best pastries you will ever taste in your life. Whether you’re planning your very first trip to the City of Light or you’re a seasoned Euro traveler looking to rediscover its charm, Paris always has a way of surprising you.
But let’s be honest for a second: Paris can also be incredibly overwhelming. With 20 different neighborhoods and thousands of years of history, where do you even start? I’ve been to Paris several times. I even lived there for six weeks over Christmas and New Year’s, performing in West Side Story on a European tour. On my most recent trip, my best friend Kelly and I took the kids, started at Disneyland Paris and then tried to do all of Paris in three nights. Here’s everything I’d tell you before you go, including what I’d do differently.
Yes, You Still Have to See the Icons
I know I always tell you to go find the hidden gems. But if this is your first time in Paris, you’re going to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame no matter what, because you should, and also because people are going to say to you, “You didn’t go?” You don’t want to answer, “No, Samantha told me to go to all these hidden gems.”
The Eiffel Tower
Don’t waste three hours of your precious vacation standing in the ticket line. Book skip-the-line summit tickets online. They open up months in advance, and you can book them directly or through a site like Viator. (Kelly’s Viator tickets turned out to be a small guided tour: a guide walked them from the agency to the tower and told them all about the paint job done for the Olympics.)
The lights don’t come on right at dusk. I thought they did, and they don’t. When we were there in March, the tower lit up around 7:00.
It doesn’t sparkle all the time. It sparkles for about five minutes at the top of each hour. At 7:00 it just lit up; at 8:00 came the sparkles. I fell asleep watching it sparkle from our room, which was the coolest thing ever.
Walk down. On the way down, the elevator stops at the second floor and then the first floor, so it’s already half full by the time it reaches you, and that line can be enormous. Walking down the stairs is long, but it isn’t bad, and it’s the best way to do it.
Look down. There are glass floors on the first floor so you can look all the way to the bottom.
Have the champagne. There’s a champagne bar up top, and the macarons come in a little tin you get to keep.
If you want to see the Eiffel Tower from a really cool angle, go to the Trocadéro just before sunset. It’s not a hidden gem (there are a ton of people), but most people stand in the garden right outside the tower to take their pictures. Head up to the Trocadéro instead, and you’re going to be very, very happy with that spot.
Don’t Miss Carette
Right there at the Trocadéro is Carette (C-A-R-E-T-T-E), and the hot chocolate is to die for, served with Chantilly cream instead of plain whipped cream. Kelly and I had the salted caramel crêpe, and we all shoveled in everything you could possibly imagine. Go early: the night we went, our waiter laughed and told us the chocolate cake had sold out a long time ago, and the croissants too. It’s a small chain, so there are other locations, but the one at the Trocadéro comes with that view. Our guide recommended it, and TikTok has made it famous, so expect a line.
The Louvre
The Louvre is the largest museum in the world, and you are not seeing everything in it. Most people go to see the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory. How do you tackle it?
Buy timed tickets ahead of time so you don’t stand in that very long line.
Take your picture with the pyramid, finger on the top like everybody does.
Here’s my hot tip: you don’t have to go in through the main entrance under the big pyramid. Look for the other entrances, and pick the wing you most want to see.
Have a backup plan. On our day, the Louvre was closed because of a strike, so we pivoted and went to Notre-Dame first.
I have seen the Mona Lisa four or five times, and every visit has been different. The first time, back in the ’90s with a film camera, she was out in the big hallway with everyone pushing and shoving. Another time she had her own room with a queue you wandered through, and I thought, this is actually civilized. Then this spring it was back to mass chaos, a cone of people shoving their way to the railing. Part of my group said, “I’m out, I’ve seen it from far, I’m good.” But I don’t like to lose, so I took one for the team and helped my friend’s son push to the front for his close-up selfie. Go see her. Just know what you’re walking into.
Get your pyramid photo, then skip the main entrance: the Louvre has other ways in.
Good to know (checked October 2026): after the October 2025 jewel theft, the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery reopened in July 2026, but the crown jewels are no longer on display there. Source: Louvre press office.
If Big Museums Give You Anxiety: The Musée d’Orsay
Swap the Louvre for the Musée d’Orsay. It’s in a stunning converted Beaux-Arts railway station and houses the world’s largest collection of Impressionist masterpieces. Walking among Monets, Renoirs and Van Goghs under that massive glass roof is unforgettable. If museums are your thing, don’t miss it.
Notre-Dame
I watched Notre-Dame burn, and I was in tears, because I had been there several times before. Going back and hearing the stories of how it was rebuilt was so cool. Our guide told us there were even polls about what to do with the roof, including a rooftop bar and a pool. I’m very particular about that stuff: stick with history the way it’s supposed to be.
If you want to see the Crown of Thorns, plan for it, because it is locked away except at specific times on Fridays. We went on a day it wasn’t out.
Good to know (checked October 2026): entry to the cathedral is free, and you can reserve a free time slot online to skip the line. The Crown of Thorns is displayed on the first Friday of each month (3 to 5 p.m.) and on alternating Fridays (3 to 6:30 p.m.). Check the schedule on the cathedral’s website before you go. Source: Notre-Dame de Paris.
The Paris Opera
I had never been inside the Paris Opera until this trip, and it was so freaking cool. Our guide told us that back in the day, the ladies went to show off. People would talk through the whole opera while someone was performing on stage. It reminded me so much of the Vienna Opera House.
Versailles: Take the Day Trip
On the way from Disneyland Paris into the city, a private driver picked us up and our guide met us at Versailles. I had been a couple of times in my late teens, but you appreciate things so much more as an adult. Our guide was full of knowledge and kept going with the stories: this king and that queen, who was with whom, who was beheaded where. It was like listening to Bridgerton, Downton Abbey and Game of Thrones all at once.
The royal bedtime was a spectator sport. People would come to watch the king get undressed, use his chamber pot and get into bed. Can you imagine someone watching your nighttime routine?
The queen’s bed was bigger than the king’s. We stared at a faded bedspread that Marie Antoinette actually lay on, which is freaking crazy town.
Don’t rush the gardens. We ate in a darling garden restaurant on the grounds, then walked through to a park with a lake, rowboats for rent, swans and people picnicking on blankets. The grounds are so big that you can rent a golf cart, and you can take it out to the Trianon, the “summer houses” on the same property.
Why a Private Driver and Guide Is Worth It
For our big sightseeing day, I hired a van with a driver and a guide. They dropped us off right at the front of each stop: no buses, no metro, no parking, no finding it. The guide took us through Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Paris Opera, and she even took us to the food spots I wanted to try. It was eight hours, and it was not cheap, but if you can do it, that is the ultimate way to see Paris. If you need the company we used, I’m happy to tell you.
One lesson we learned the hard way: I bought our Louvre tickets myself, and the day before, we found out a guide can’t lead you through on regular individual tickets. She needs guided tickets. Nobody had told me. It all worked out, but if you hire a guide, ask them up front which tickets they need to buy for you.
Get Lost in the Neighborhoods
As much as I love monuments, the real heart of Paris isn’t found in the museum queue. It’s found when you intentionally get lost in its neighborhoods. What you’ll find, in the people and in the food, is just unreal.
Around the Eiffel Tower
Most people who go to the Eiffel Tower never enjoy the neighborhoods that surround it. Our little area was full of cafés and restaurants, with even more great restaurants just across the way. On our very last day, I discovered a bakery, a pastry shop, a pizza place and a little market on the main street right behind our building. We had no time to go exploring, so we didn’t even know it was there. Find your neighborhood market on day one and stock the kitchen.
Le Marais
Spanning the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, this is Paris at its trendiest: historic 17th-century mansions turned into boutique hotels, incredible art galleries and some of the best shopping in the city. Foodie alert: walk down Rue des Rosiers and grab a falafel wrap from L’As du Fallafel. There will be a line, but it moves fast, and it’s worth every single bite. Eat it nearby in the peaceful courtyard of the Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris.
Montmartre
From Le Marais, head up the hill to Montmartre, the historic artists’ area once home to Picasso. Yes, it’s steep, and yes, the area around Sacré-Cœur gets crowded. (I really wanted to see the basilica on this trip, and we just didn’t have time.) Venture a few blocks behind the church and down the cobblestone Rue de l’Abreuvoir, and the crowds melt away. You’ll find ivy-draped houses, the famous pink café La Maison Rose and even a tiny working vineyard.
Walk a few blocks behind Sacré-Cœur and the crowds melt away: La Maison Rose in Montmartre.
Rue Cler
Rue Cler is one of Paris’s best little food streets, a local market street full of bakeries, cheese shops and wine shops. It’s great for lunch, a late glass of wine, people watching and traditional French plates.
Eat Like You Mean It
Café Culture: Learn to Chill
In France, dining isn’t just fuel. It’s a cultural ritual. The chairs on café terraces face the street, because Parisians are professionals at people watching. A waiter is never going to rush you, and they’re never going to bring you the bill until you ask for it. You can order a café au lait or a glass of rosé and sit there for three hours reading a book, and no one is running you off. We’re Americans. We don’t know how to chill. Learn to chill, and remember to ask for the check.
Order a café au lait, face the street and stay as long as you like. Nobody brings the check until you ask.
The Jambon-Beurre
When I performed in Paris, I lived on baguettes with ham and cheese. I’d stop at the bakery right before I went to the theater. The classic jambon-beurre is literally a baguette with butter and ham, and you can add cheese. It’s the most popular sandwich in France and my favorite sandwich on the planet. The ham isn’t like the ham we get at home; it’s real ham, almost like prosciutto. I would never put butter on a sandwich at home, but there, I don’t care what you put on it, as long as it’s butter, ham and fromage. On this trip, we sat at the counter of a sandwich spot and watched them make it.
The Fries (Yes, in France)
I know you’re going to laugh, because France was never known for French fries. But I found the place. Look for Patate (P-A-T-A-T-E). You watch them take your potato, push it through the press and fry it right there, so nothing is sitting in a bin under a heat lamp. You get a cone and pick your sauces. I got fresh cheddar grated straight off the block, and I was salivating. There’s no place to sit, so it’s walk up, grab your fries and go (and don’t stand in front of the residents’ doorways; there are signs). I used to say London had my favorite fries. Sorry, London. France wins.
The Louis Vuitton Café
I’m a huge Louis Vuitton fan, and even if you’re not, go to the Louis Vuitton café. The attention to detail is unreal: the croque monsieur came stamped like a medallion with the monogram, the amuse-bouche had a different monogram on each topping, the radishes and cucumbers were cut into the little flower logo, and the desserts and chocolates were shaped like the logos. I wanted to steal the plate so bad. (I didn’t.) The food was actually phenomenal, and from where we sat, we could see the Eiffel Tower. The menu is limited, and you can choose tea service or a meal.
Two things to know. Make a reservation, and know that the café is not attached to the big flagship store on the Champs-Élysées. We went there first, assuming the café was in the same building, and then had to drive all the way back over toward the Louvre. The flagship can also have a line, so make an appointment if you’re going to shop.
Good to know (checked October 2026): the café is Café Maxime Frédéric at Louis Vuitton, on the first floor of the LV Dream space at 2 bis Rue du Pont-Neuf, overlooking the Seine. Reservations are taken online when available or by phone. Source: Louis Vuitton.
Traveling With Kids? You’ll Eat Italian
Funny story: we ate more Italian food in Paris than anything else, because we had the children with us. If it had been just Kelly and me, we would have eaten all the French food there ever was. With kids, sometimes you just keep them happy. The good news: our first-night Italian spot, which I found by searching for the best Italian restaurant nearby, had handmade pasta and gnocchi and pizza like none other. We also tried for steak frites at a famous no-reservations place a friend recommended, but the line went down the street and around the corner, the kids were getting antsy, and the fancier French spots nearby were too bougie for our jeans and sneakers.
Where to Stay: My Pick for the View
We stayed at the Résidence Charles Floquet, and I would stay there for a week in a heartbeat. If you’re on the upper floors, the view of the Eiffel Tower is the most magnificent you have ever seen. I could see it from my bedroom window, and from the bathroom window too. We even got upgraded to the penthouse, which still had the view, because honestly, that was all I cared about.
Know what you’re booking, though. It has “hotel” in the name, but there’s no concierge, no bellman, no restaurant and no bar. It’s more like an apartment, with a kitchen, a washer and dryer, plenty of towels and the basics provided. And like a lot of Paris buildings, the elevator is tiny: it literally fit me and one suitcase, so I sent bags up a few at a time, and we walked the winding stairs more than once. It can also be loud, because you’re right by the Eiffel Tower. For that view, it’s nothing. If you need to be pampered, look elsewhere. If you want the view, this is the one.
Wherever you stay, know that many Paris hotels are boutique buildings with small elevators and lots of stairs. Pack accordingly.
The Moulin Rouge
It’s very touristy, and we did it anyway, and it was a great experience. Here’s what to know before you book:
Dress the part. You cannot show up in jeans and sneakers.
Know what the tickets include. You can do dinner and the show, or the show with a drink package, or just the show. We bought plain show tickets because the drink package would have meant very expensive sodas for the kids.
Dinner comes before the show, with a live band and a pre-show, not during it.
Eat before you go. The show is long, and when we walked out, everything nearby was closed. We ended up with midnight pizza.
It’s Paris. There’s topless dancing, so warn the kids before you walk out the door.
The costumes alone are worth it: headdresses, beads and feathers flying everywhere, like old-school Vegas. A pool even came up out of the stage. And yes, we splurged on a bottle of Cristal, our first ever. Feathers were landing on our table, and I was catching them so they wouldn’t end up in my Cristal.
Good to know (checked October 2026): the Moulin Rouge admits children six and older with an adult. Shows run nightly at 9 and 11 p.m. and last about an hour and 40 minutes, and the dress code is elegant attire (no shorts, flip-flops, sneakers or sportswear). Source: Moulin Rouge FAQ.
Getting Around and Staying Safe
Groups of five, use Uber. We couldn’t fit five people in a regular taxi, so we ordered Ubers every time, and they were always quick.
Check your Uber charges. One driver scammed me, so keep an eye on your receipts.
Pickpockets are real. We didn’t have any issues, but our guide warned us more than once: keep your bag in the front.
Are Parisians Rude? Not in My Experience
Parisians get a bad rap for being mean if you don’t speak French. We did not run into that once. Twenty years ago, when I lived there, it was different. This time, everyone was so nice: the waiters, the drivers, the people at the Moulin Rouge, even the waiter at Carette, who joked right back with us. Try your best with a “bonjour” and a “merci,” because they do like that you try. The minute they heard us try, they switched to English, and they were never mean about it. Don’t let anyone on TikTok scare you.
My Biggest Paris Tip: Slow Down
Kelly and I don’t lounge. We get the spreadsheet out and we do it all. We had dreamed of buying a baguette and Brie, bringing it back and sitting there staring at the Eiffel Tower. That never happened. We spent more of the trip at Disneyland Paris than in the city, so the kids would love it, and then we ran through Paris. I need to go back and really enjoy it: eat all the baguettes with ham and cheese, have all the hot chocolate and sit at a café for three hours like a Parisian.
So learn from me. See the icons, book your tickets ahead, then leave room in your days to get lost. If you need help planning a Paris vacation, my team at Fabulous Adventures Travel would love to help. I know a lot about Paris, I absolutely love it, and I can’t wait to go back.
