What are your favourite family holiday destinations?

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Just that really. I'm looking for family holiday inspiration for any of the UK half terms and holidays (except Christmas). 2 adults, 2 kids, 11 & 12 (but will store ideas for future years).

Where do you go that keeps everyone happy?

Between us, we like beaches (especially fossily or shell-covered ones), theme parks, zip lining, well-preserved Roman ruins, walking/cycling (not too strenuous), castles, nature/wildlife... Bit of everything really, but not too much lounging...

I've been to lots of places myself, but not sure the kids would appreciate the Alhambra for example. Likewise, 2 weeks of all inclusive would not be my preferred choice...

Also, where do you tend to go during Easter hols? It's not quite warm enough for much of Europe or UK but seems a shame to waste a 2 weeker. I wish the May half term was 2 weeks instead.

All suggestions gratefully received

We’ve had a few Easters camping at Llyn Gwynant (link), which is great for outdoorsy types. There’s kayaking, climbing and orienteering on-site and Snowdon is walkable from there so no worries about parking. Plenty of castles and rock pools nearby!

I’m a big fan of Centerparcs Europe for the summer half term: it’s not a school holiday on the continent so it’s cheaper and there’s lots to do in and around the village.

I did an Intrepid activity holiday in the Pyrenees one summer half term and am just waiting for the kids to be old enough to take them on the family version (link. It was based in Andorra so I flew into Toulouse and everything was included from there. Fab trip.

Easter’s a really good time to explore parts of Europe that are op hot to enjoy in the summer. Rome was interesting, warm but not ridiculously hot when I went this Easter. Florence is the same.

Ooh! That Pyrenees one is perfect 👌 and has gone straight on the list

We love Finland for Feb half term, not for skiing necessarily but snowmobiling, snowshoe walking, horseback riding etc. Absolutely stunning , it’s our favourite holiday.

Pyrenees or alps during summer, loads of opportunities for hiking, biking, white water rafting, swimming etc and as you're in the mountains it's not stupidly hot.

Algarve for half terms or Easter, gorgeous beaches, water parks, relatively unspoiled. I would avoid the more touristy bits like albufueira though. We liked sagres and carvoeiro.

City breaks- New York was a massive hit with my 11 year old and did not cost as much as I feared! He's also enjoyed Paris, Lisbon and Munich.

@Nearlyadoctor I love Finland! May I ask who you book with for feb term? I don't really want to book a skiing holiday, more just snow walking and playing in the snow ⛄️

@obviouslymarvellous - we have always gone with Inghams and stayed in Levi ( although we quite fancy Yllas for 2021). Transfer time is only 15 minutes from Kittila airport. We book all our trips with them as well, we have price checked against DIY but there has always been very little in it or they’ve been cheaper.
As well as booking excursions there’s also sledging, walking, ice skating, fabulous pool at LeviSpa hotel.
We’re tied to school holidays at the moment and it’s much cheaper than Europe etc if you want to ski as well. There’s both downhill and cross country.

We went to British Columbia last year. Vancouver is coastal/mountainous. We then went to Whistler which is set up for mountain biking in the summer and also Vancouver Island, ideal for fishing, whale and bear watching and surfing.

We also did some zip wiring, quad biking.

@Nearlyadoctor thanks we have been to Levi and loved it and also Saariselka - will have a look at Inghams thanks 🙏

We had a wonderful time in the Netherlands - stayed in the woodland cottages at Efteling and did bike trips round Amsterdam and the countryside. Was gorgeous

Austrian Alps in summer. Simply stunning and so much to do. Pertisau on Lake Achensee is our favourite.

Fowey, Cornwall
Cley, Norfolk
Cote Vermeille (nr the Pyrenees)
All fab

Liz, on the Algarve. Fabulous place, really friendly and wonderful beaches

Luz!!

Absolute favourite places to go as a family so far are Venice, the Il de re, the Dordogne, North Berwick (small town outside of Edinburgh), Lyme Regis.