9/11, San Bernadino, Boston...hurricanes, earthquakes, car accidents, school shootings, crazy people; you are never assured of safety anywhere. Live your best life and assume you will be safe, but don't look for assurances. Life's a crap shoot sometimes. I would go.

It's interesting ... we are big travelers and for years there have been places my kids have wanted to go and I deemed them unsafe (eg Egypt, Morocco). Despite being well travelled, there is one spot my kids have not been to, and that is Paris. Years ago I promised my girls we would take them for their sweet sixteen, still a few years away. I never dreamed that Paris might end up on the "unsafe" list in the meantime.

I suppose, even after these attacks, the numbers suggest a tourist is still far more likely to be run over by a taxi, but, there is an emotional component just the same.

It seems to me as though you would not fully enjoy it, at least not now in the immediate aftermath. In that case I'd advise you not to go.

However, this isn't a trip you can just take later; you are giving up a very special time with family. If they are not willing to postpone, then personally i'd go rather than miss out.

My son and his family are flying to Paris in July, train up to Brussels, then train/Chunnel to London and flying home from there. I have no trouble with it. Biggest potential problem is disruption of travel, like the closure of the Brussels airport last week. We are not worried about terrorism unless the government issues travel alerts for specific places.

You do realize you and your DS are infinitely more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident on the way to the airport than you are to be a victim of a terror attack, right? Of course you do. We all know the reality, but it's only natural (and very human) to think of these terrible recent events and begin to wonder "what if." Only you can make the decision whether or not to go, but you asked what we would do, and I would not hesitate to travel to Paris right now. Your DD is right. You can't stop your life. Well, you can, but what a shame that would be.

I'd postpone til we heard in the news that they have more than leads/theories on the attacks and concrete info on how they're improving security measures. Right now the European authorities are looking like the monkey in Geico commercial. Additionally, I would be on the lookout for "deals" as tourism cancellations are probably high now and their Tourism BD /airlines might be under pressure to sweeten the pot. But advice to not stop your life for fear is the best. Postpone, or go somewhere else but GO

My husband and I are booked two weeks in London and Paris this September. We booked just a couple months after the Paris attacks. When the events occurred in Belgium, we looked at each other and asked if we were okay with going. Neither one of us batted an eye.

Going back to an recent post about risk taking, we can let fear run our life or make thoughtful decisions on our own.

Will we be mindful while we're there? Yes. Maybe even a little more than in the past. But terrorism has always been out there in one form or another.

Remember the IRA, the number of airline hijackings in the 70's, today's rash school shootings here? The practice and the participants will not go away any time soon. Where some groups may go by the wayside, surely there will be others that follow. That's because the methodology works. Acts of terror make us fearful.

Yes. DS is going with a group from his high school this summer.

Back in the late 60s, we had a certificate for a hotel stay in Montreal as an apology for a royally messed up visit to Expo 67. My parents never went because of the separatist violence at the time.

Can you put your life on hold?

We were in Paris at the beginning of this month. Traveled to/from by the Eurostar from London. We stayed near The Madeline. There were armed guards at government buildings but none visible anywhere else. We noticed smaller crowds which made getting into the Pompidou and Musee dOrsay great - no lines! I'd go back tomorrow if I could!

I'm more worried about my son going into the neighborhoods in Chicago.

I will be flying into Paris in a couple of months and then driving elsewhere in France for a three week stay. I am neither terribly worried nor completely complacent. As I always walk everywhere when in Paris, I would not need to worry about taking the metro. I would probably avoid trains, but that is about it. I love France, travel there often, and, for me, I cannot imagine not going.

It does sound as if you are concerned, though. Could you make reservations that you could cancel if you finally decide that you just can't comfortably go? It won't be fun if you can't relax. Oh, and just as an aside, the last time I was there (summer before last), there were armed soldiers patrolling the area around the Eiffel Tower and my son also flew over shortly after September 11th. Perhaps living near Washington DC and a few miles from the Pentagon has made us a little more fatalistic.

I would be apprehensive , but statistically speaking, since Paris is on high alert, the next attack (horrible to think this way) will be elsewhere.

And speaking about being nervous, my oldest DD has been in India for the past 3 months starting a small business.

We're planning another trip to Europe right now, but had to cancel our trip to France in February for other reasons. However, I understand the fear. I've been to many places deemed by others to be unsafe -- and yet I've felt equally unsafe here in the US. I'm just determined to push past it and stay smart when traveling.

That Mason Wells kid does show for every statistic, the probability is not zero (yikes!) But look at one of the heros of the French Thalys train attacks -- Spencer Stone was stabbed in the chest and almost died a few months later, after he returned home to the US.

Having driven thru Compton, lost, and at dusk, why am I even asking the question? lol And, we stopped for gas with several unsavory looking characters lingering around, and I didn't blink an eye! Hell, we just wanted to get home, and didn't realize we could have been in danger. Y'all have made valid points, and I guess it boils down to how badly I want to go....guess! ;)

My daughter and her husband are going to Paris for a few weeks in June, she's apprehensive and he's fine. They will go though. I boarded a plane for Italy five days after 9/11. I was fine with it although everyone told me not to go. Had a wonderful time and so many people offered their condolences to us.

Is DS an adult? If so, he needs to decide for himself whether he wants to go or not. I'd let him know that I would be happy to purchase his ticket if he still wants to go, and would also understand completely if he didn't. Then you'd have to decide what you want to do.

I've traveled alone all of my life. There are places I wouldn't go, but at this point Europe doesn't scare me. Travelers get in trouble when they don't pay attention to their surroundings. This would be a time to be extra aware.

Edit: I was one of those people who flew to Paris shortly after 9/11.

Sister-in-law is going to Paris and Barcelona in a couple of weeks. She will not change her trip nor will her travel buddy. They are extremely well traveled having lived overseas on two continents for years and have been everywhere. Last year, among other places, they went to the 'stan' countries and kind of iffy places in the middle east--Dubai, Emirates, etc. That's just last year. I suppose they would change if there were formal travel advisories issued.

I would go for sure...I'm far less afraid of the terror attacks though than I am of the increase in rapes, so I'd be very leery of going out alone or in the darker corners of the cities.

I'm going in May (4th trip in 3 years), but I did cancel out going this past January. I'm used to seeing armed security at NY Penn Station, doesn't bother me at all.

Plan the trip, buy cancellation insurance just in case you do decide not to go.

If you do buy the insurance, check the policy. The one we buy with Tauck only allows death or illness as a reason to cancel and get a refund...

Agreed, I always get the insurance that allows cancellation for any reason (due to elderly parent), and I have had no problems getting a refund.

For the first time, I looked into cancellation insurance for our Antarctica trip and it made no economic sense. YMMV.

Ellendi, Why are you worried about India? Risk is pretty low there given how large the country and population are. Just got back from our trip 2 days ago.

I had the same experience as Mtn when looking into insurance for our trip last year to the Cook Islands. Decided to do without. This years trip is on points and miles, so we can redeposit them if we were to change our minds.

India sounds wonderful.

I just recalled that I've been to countries where I've had armed guards accompany us -- in Guatemala, the driver had a guard with a rifle; in Israel we had an ex-Mossad agent with a gun under his jacket; in the Philippines, our hotel had machine-gun armed guards and a metal detector (the Intercontinental). There, our plant manager had full-time bodyguards for her and her children. (These extra layers of security make me more nervous, not less). Paris and the rest of Europe? no problem (though each city has some sketchy neighborhoods, just like the US).

I would go to any of the European countries that have been the site of terrorist attacks. My theory is that they (ISIS) are trying to spread fear all across Europe. I assume they will cast a wide net of violence and I would be surprised if they repeated themselves, geographically speaking. Honestly, I'd be more afraid of visiting cities like Rome, madrid, and Berlin. Fortunately, I've been to all those places, but one day I would like to return. How did it ever come to this?

jo

Sure, I'd go. I was a student in London during the IRA bombings and you know, without the constant media barrage we have today, even my parents weren't more than mildly uneasy when they happened to think about it.

Yes, I'd go and try to go without fear. For one thing, I believe that the period right after an 'incident' is likely the safest time to go due to heightened security measures in place. Another thing is that as many have said, Isis is leading the charge for spreading fear in the world. We absolutely cannot let fear take over our lives.

And if you've ever visited Israel, you've seen conscripted soldiers, age 18-19 years old, male and female, carrying semi-automatic weapons all over the place guarding facilities and probably faced multi-layer security at their airport. Didn't think of it as a big deal back when I visited, and now it seems more common-place in other countries as well.

I would and I am (planning a trip to Paris, that is.) There are all kinds of risks in the world. The risk of a terror attack happening in Paris when I'm there at a location where I happen to be at that moment is much less that so many other risks that I face on a daily basis (commuting, for example).

We are going to Paris in two weeks, a trip that was booked before the attack in Brussels. I have no reservations about going and have no fear of what might happen. Terrorism is a part of our lives now, sadly. It could happen anywhere at any time. Go, live your life. I'm more afraid of driving to Boston twice a week, no joke.

I'm going to Northern Greece, Albania and Macedonia over the summer. My flight is routed through Istanbul. Now my travel agent wants me to go on Lufthansa, through Germany. She feels Istanbul airport is very risky, although I would only be there a total of five hours coming and going. The US government has issued a travel alert for all of Europe. There is a travel warning for Turkey. However, I read that Germany is also at higher risk for terrorist attacks. Nevertheless, I am going. At my age, I only have another ten years or so to have the oomph to travel, so I will leave my fate to the universe and pack my bags! What the heck, Camden NJ is pretty scary too and I would not hesitate to drive through there (fast).

government travel warnings

One of my kids closest friends summers in Turkey. We were going to let them fly over by themselves for a visit. I don't think we will now. Especially as an unaccompanied (albeit seasoned traveller) minor. I feel really bad about that.

When my daughter graduated college, she stayed and worked in Pittsburgh for 2 years. During that time there was a major bomb threats at the University that lasted over 6 months. It only reached our news midway through.

She never told me!

I feared traveling abroad after the Paris attacks. But I'm not as seasoned a traveler as many here. We had tickets and everything lined up for my DD/SIL & GDD to fly with us to spend New Year's with my DS & his family in Denmark.

Several of my friends who travel overseas often - one had just returned from touring Egypt & Isreal - urged me to still go. My biggest concern was for my granddaughter, age 6, who would be flying for the first time. I didn't want it to be a fearful experience for her - heavily armed guards, tense atmosphere, etc.

I'm so glad we went for all the reasons given above. It was a wonderful family trip.

@dedtired --- the risk during transit is far less than exiting through the secure section of the airport. Not that you had anything to worry about in the first place, but rest assured it would be even safer. The Istanbul lounge for TurkishAir is great, btw.

We just rebooked Paris (heading Sud, just passing through) -- fares in June plummeted, so I suspect some fears are dampening travel.

I go to Paris every year, though I now travel alone since my husband died (some of his ashes went with me and stayed). I think I know Paris better than the town I'm now living in here! We made so many friends over the years, and I'm returning again this fall. I now stay in an apartment in a residential building near my friends, with the closest famous sight being the Palais Royale.

One of my friends who lives in Paris arrived in Brussels today. She didn't change her plans.

It's a good idea to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so that the US Embassy will know where you are, and when you're there. You'll get alerts, if anything is happening.

I use the métro when it's raining, but Paris is very walkable. I easily walk over 8 miles a day when I'm there, just going about my business. If you're nervous about the métro, then walk.

The terrorist attacks in Paris were in a neighborhood far from the sights most tourists see. My friends who live in Paris had been to that nightclub; a few were there the week before the attacks.

The main-attractions in Paris are heavily guarded. SWAT team guarded. The National Police wear protective SWAT gear and carry automatic weapons. They tend to be in teams of three or four together. That's normal.

BUT -- If you see buses of armed police parked along a street and/or congregating around an area, turn around and go the other way---they know something is going on!

In July 2014, I was alone and staying on THE main street in the Jewish neighborhood in the Marais. Rue des Rosiers was blockaded and guarded while I was there due to demonstrations protesting Israeli attacks in the Gaza. The demonstrations grew into vandalism, and it forced many of the shops to close.

Except for the bomb squad checking out a parked car at the entrance of my apartment building, I felt safe, coming and going, because of the heavily armed police. One night, I missed the last train from my friends' neighborhood and walked all the way from the Concorde to the Marais at two o'clock in the morning, I felt safer walking than getting in a taxi at that time of night!

There are some good tips if you're staying in a hotel (which I don't) -- ask to stay on the middle floors (not the first or second) and your room is away from the hotel restaurant.

Make sure your cell phone always charged, and it is enabled for traveling in France and that you know how to place calls. Turn DATA off, and use voice roaming only so that you don't incur enormous charges. Your phone carrier can explain this and enable your phone. I use Verizon, here and there.

Don't make yourself stick out like an American. The French will know you're not one of them, but try to blend in.

These tips apply more regarding pickpockets and scam artists, than terrorists:

Leave those white sneakers at home, unless they're Converse.

No baseball caps on men.

Don't wear t-shirts with writing on the front or back.

Don't wear shorts, and I discourage calf-length crop pants. Ankle pants/jeans are fine. Shift dresses in the summer are great if it's hot. Keep the color scheme subdued. Navy blue or grey are great for summer; black is good anytime.

Don't take backpacks around the city. With high security, you'll be searched going into museums. When you wear a backpack on the métro or crowded places, it's the first place the pickpockets will reach to steal your stuff.

Don't wear fanny packs, for the same reason as backpacks.

Carry a cross-body purse and keep it zipped, with your hand over the top of it.Don't hang it on the back of a chair anywhere. Keep it on your lap while eating.

Don't put a cell phone on a restaurant table top anywhere. BTW, some of the nice restaurants may not like it if you take photos of their food.

Keep your voice down everywhere you go. You'll really attract attention--not the good kind,.

Just go have fun, but be aware of your surroundings. Be polite...learn enough French to say hello, please, thank you and goodbye.

I figure I have a greater chance of dying from being sedentary at home than getting out and traveling.

I'd go. Bad things can happen anywhere. For any sort of reason. Just keep alert and sensible.

I'll be in Paris in 3 weeks. It will be my third trip in the past twelve months and I have absolutely no fear about being there at all.

I might be able to fit in another trip there this year but I'll definitely be there in April and October of next year (knock on wood).

Même pas peur!

I would definitely go. DH and I are going to Europe again this fall. However, I probably wouldn't go back to Turkey now. I'm glad I got to go when I did.

I'm less afraid of bombs than I am of the current level of discontent. (See Annie's post.) I just returned from Europe and there is a lot of tension in the air. In fact, I thought about posting about it here.

I would certainly go back, but not spend too much time in the big cities. Charming, cosmopolitan big towns would be my preference. I would see Paris in a day or two then head out to the countryside.

Turkey would not be a problem for me if I were met at the airport and staying in a home with people who knew the lay of the land. I doubt I'd let young children go alone though, it would have to be a family affair.

Mtn, my DD is actually living there, not on tour. She had to get the rabies vaccine as rabid dogs are very common. There has been three cobra sightings in the town where she is staying . Even the locals find it upsetting.

She has sent videos of streets filled with garbage. Many people live in tents. I don't think these are the things you see while touring.

She is using the local merchants for all aspects of her business, with fair trade and conscious design in mind. All good, but that said, I can't wait for her to come home.