Can somebody please explain how to *do* holidays?

[TreacherousPissFlap]

I've managed to become a fully fledged adult and don't seem to have mastered this most crucial of skills.

When DS was younger we always did EuroCamp type places, a combination of flying or driving depending on location. These inevitably ended up as somewhat like being at home, just with better weather and more water slides.

Now DS is 15 and our priorities seem to have changed, yet I have no idea how to adapt

In a fit of uncharacteristic organisation I've managed to book leave for all of October half term so have triumphantly announced we are "going away". The thing is, how does one go away with a 15 year old and a DH who is definitely enjoying a slower pace of life? We've never done AI or indeed even a hotel and I wouldn't know where to begin!

The Gambia? Kayaking, watersports, wildlife and a different culture?

Oh, and only 4 hour flight!

Why not go to your local bookshop or library and have a look through some of the travel guides for inspiration, before taking one or two home with you? Lonely Planet and Rough Guides are both very good.

Then you can get an idea of what to do in that destination, and it provides helpful info on things like public transport or where to hire a car. They also include things like hotel recommendations.

Would recommend Budapest by the way - great value for money, thermal spas with optional massage and other treatments, escape rooms are a speciality which DS will enjoy, river cruises, lots of history (everything from tours of Parliament to the House of Terror), beautiful architecture (eg Fisherman's Bastion), and the famous ruin pubs.

One of my favourite cities in Europe.

So I had to find a holiday for a group of people from Pool Slug to Adventure Grandmother. First you work out everyone's absolute NO list. Things up with which they will not put. Then their YES list, things they have to have. Then Nice to Have.

So we had to rule out AI (me), self catering (DH), far too hot (me and DGM), dangerous or scary (SIL and BIL).

Needed to have; restaurants (DGF), scuba (me and DGM), pool (DD and SIL).

Nice to have; culture (all of us bar DD), good food (DD and me).

And so on. Once you've done that and have your budget, then you look at places.

Some great ideas, thanks all!
I'm fascinated by the suggestion of The Gambia, however DS is off to Kenya over the summer so it may be a bit too much!

Would you or DH be prepared to drive? If so it can be as simple as booking some hotels and a ferry separately online, and driving. Or book a package holiday, and a hire car. Maybe book AI this time and resolve to get out and about a bit, and figure out what you like. Most places, even the most touristy will have a few sights you can do as a day trip. Majorca has caves, Lanzarote has the volcanic national park, Menorca has Ciutadella and Mahon, everywhere will have boat rides, water sports etc and beaches you can drive to.

More expensive to get to, but the USA is very easy to holiday in. It's all set up for road trips, easy to navigate because of the language, and IMO makes for really enjoyable holidays.

What are you hoping for?
Try to think of what kind of holiday you’d all enjoy.
Do you want action and adventure, rock climbing abseiling etc or relaxing by a pool with a book? Do you want sunshine or just to enjoy new scenery.
What’s your budget? What’s your time frame? Monday to Friday? Longer? Shorter?
Have a family pow-wow, find out what everyone wants and start looking.
It’s no use booking a Friday to Monday at centre parcs for cycling and swimming if 10 days at sea chasing the northern lights, being lazy and eating yourself silly on a cruise is more your ideal.

Riviera Maya Mexico, flat, but tonnes of wildlife, some great snorkelling plus parks like Xcaret/Xsenses/Xplore that your son and husband? might love.
We're just back with our toddler and while we couldn't do most parks we did Xcaret every day as our hotel was next door, great snorkel inlet, under ground river system to swim, HUGE aviary!
Day boat trips plus can visit cenotes/chichen itza/coba/tulum for history and architecture

I'd be looking at somewhere Greek. Always something interesting to look at, lovely beaches, great food.

Portugal, one of the resorts outside of Lisbon. Plenty to see, some nature reserves, sea, surfing if your DS fancies that, good food, friendly people.

I would recommend Neilson holidays, beach clubs have plenty of activities to keep you, DH and your son busy, sailing, kayaking and cycling. Superb tuition and you can even come home with activity qualifications (RYA), (BCU).
Mixed groups of people, families with young and older children, singles, older people. Clubs for the children, including teen activities and tuition aimed at the age group.
Some destinations have other activities such as tennis, good restaurants nearby and very social.
We, Me DH and 2 teens have been 3 times and loved it every time.

Also if you just want to lie by the pool or go birdwatching you can do that too!

How about taking a friend as well so DS can wander off and do his own thing with his friend?

floribunda never again

We did this before and it was awful. DS is an only and is used to his own space. He has lots of friends who he sees a lot, but is equally happy to decline an invite if he feels like time alone.

Suggestions to pair him up (even with his best friend) for a prolonged period are met with horror. We almost had bloodshed the last time

Second vote for the Riviera Maya Mexico - there's loads to do, and lots of AI resorts. Worth renting a car IMO.

Costa Rica is also amazing.

We always book a really nice apartment, or possibly villa, using owners direct or the one that's on trip adviser. We book flights and car hire separately.

We book the apartment so we have plenty of room but only self cater in terms of breakfast and bread/cheese/olives/fruit - for the meal we haven't eaten out at but mostly we eat at restaurants.

We tend to have a day where we will drive out and explore alternated with a day where we walk along sea front or mooch around the shops. The 'exploring ' may be a city, amusement park or just little villages depending on where we are staying.

We also have one DS and amazingly he never complains - although we always have pool to swim , wifi , DVDs, games, hand held computer game when he was younger.

I've holidayed mostly in "typical" Brit tourist places due to budgetary restraints and still not been restricted to pool in the day/clubs and bars at night activities.

Everywhere I've been had some interesting history & nature to explore and activities to do from churches and ruins to museums, art galleries, nature reserves, scheduled activities (quizzes and competitions).

Days stuck by a pool/on a beach wouldn't be for me but even though ice been on what appears to be that type of holiday a little research meant I found there was more to see and do - and that was before the Internet too!

Consider your families likes and dislikes of course (inc climate and dietary) but don't assume that the popular destinations aren't for you based on stereotyped reputations.

Sorrento and the Amalfi coast are lovely with amazing food and Pompeii/ Herculaneum/ Mt Vesuvius to visit nearby. Not sure about bird spotting for your DH though...

Iceland?

If you want proper sunshine you might struggle.

Mexico might be decent.

I would recommend Cascais on the coast near Lisbon. You have loads to see and do in Lisbon plus Cascais itself has a few little galleries and museums and Sintra is near by. You’re on the coast so your DH could birdwatch plus there are plenty of water sports such as paddle boarding that your DS might like. We took our DC when they were about that age and they really liked it.

Or if you have a bigger budget, Western Canada, the Rockies and Vancouver Island is amazing. Bears, whales, glaciers, museums, White water rafting etc

But not in October, it’ll be snowing.

Marrakesh. Lots to see, museums and amazing scenery and walking in the Atlas Mountains, warm in October. Cheap. Short flight and 1hr time difference.

Barcelona? I think it would still be warm in October.
Or Grenada and surrounding area?