Unless you are spending your trip in Paris only, we highly recommend renting a car to explore the region, particularly if you are visiting the French Riviera or the Provence region. There is so much to do, from exploring the beaches or countryside to wine tasting to shopping and it’s helpful to have the flexibility to drive yourself around.

In Paris itself, Uber is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to get around. Similarly, the metro is fairly easy to navigate and can take you to Versailles for under $10 USD.

Food and dining in France overall is world-renowned. There is absolutely no shortage of exceptional restaurants on every corner – so much so that it's tough to go wrong. Our one recommendation is to step a bit out of the way of tourist destinations like the Louvre to find the best dining. As usual in many cities, the best restaurants are rarely located directly next to the major monuments.

Shopping is another category that France excels in. Whether you’re looking to pick up the newest Chanel bag from the original Chanel store in Paris or just looking for beautiful boutiques, France has it all. Prices are quite dependent on the currency exchange rate and how high-end the shop is. In general, shopping is on the pricier side.

While Paris gets a bad rap for being “snooty”, we’ve always found that wherever we go, we’re treated with respect and kindness if we try to speak the language and engage with people. Of course, Max is French, so we had the advantage there. However, outside of Paris in particular, you will find kind, welcoming people with laidback attitudes and lifestyles.

We flew to Paris for two nights from San Francisco in February and boy, was that a whirlwind! We were going to Paris for a close friend’s birthday and spent 60,000 Hyatt points to book two nights at the famed Park Hyatt Paris.