Where would you go for first holiday with baby?

[EmeraldIsle81]

Hi Mumsnet
Want to book a week's holiday for myself, DP and DS (who will be just under a year old) in late spring/early summer. Where would you recommend we go? Home or abroad? I'm really nervous about anywhere the water isn't safe or I can't easily get baby suitable food.
Ideas welcome please!
Thanks all!

I preferred UK breaks with my dc until we were past the nappy/buggy age, but I'm sure there will be plenty of MNers along to recommend some great abroad holidays.

Personally I loved just flinging all our stuff in the car, driving for a few hours to the coast and staying in a cottage. I liked still being able to put the baby to bed and sit and have dinner by the fire.

Oooooh that does sound good - means I can bring my microwave steriliser and perfect prep machine - yes, I'm overthinking this aren't I? Ha!

The Canaries. No time difference, easy flight, welcoming culture for babies, lovely weather.

We went to center parcs a lot when DS was little. We could walk for hours with the buggy while he napped, nipped to Starbucks for coffee en route, took him in the toddler soft plays, visited the playgrounds, could do a mixture of self catering and eating out, and loved putting him to bed and getting a take away and chilling in an evening. The log fires were lovely in winter.

GC1 is 6 months old & DD2 has taken her on 3 short holidays so far, all in UK. I think it’s def most reassuring to stick near home to begin with!

Center Parcs

Forgot to add, the swimming pools are brilliant as well, and each one has a separate baby/toddler pool and you can hire cabanas as well if needed.

Our first holiday was Center Parcs when DS was 7m old and I remember taking the perfect prep!

Benalmadena was a big success for us, very short transfer from Malaga Airport, and you could walk along the promenade for hours very easily with a pushchair. All the restaurants were very child friendly and lots of English speaking healthcare in the area.

Oooooh that does sound good - means I can bring my microwave steriliser and perfect prep machine - yes, I'm overthinking this aren't I? Ha!
Not at all! If we go away in the winter the slow cooker is the first thing we packed.

Center parcs here as well. Going next week again.

They just make everything so easy. Soft play in every eating place and bar. Free Ella kitchen pouches and warming areas.

Plus other tips mentioned already. Dd just loved being in pushchair and I walked miles, proper relaxing we found.

Just remember you have the same care needs, just in a different environment.
Anything that throws off routine is a nightmare so stay in same time zone. Anywhere within driving distance is good so you can pack what you need.

We went to Malta when DD was 6 months & Croatia when she was 1yr.
Main issue was car seats but we managed to sort that both times. Got an easily collapsible pushchair she could also sleep in, took cold water steriliser so could fill it with empty bottles, took some ready prepped milk and just fed her what we had anyway.

Portugal. Same time zone, very family friendly, short flight, weather will be lovely. Villanoura is lovely. Much better than centre parcs imo. Centre parcs is better for groups or older children. Whereas abroad you can take baby out in the evenings in the nice weather.

We went to Cyprus with DD in Oct when she was 6 months and had a brilliant first family holiday. I took Ella pouches plus she ate bits of what we were having and milton tablets for sterilizing. It really wasn't any harder than being at home and not much more hassle to travel as a 3 than a 2.

Ooooh the food pouches sound like a good idea. I would be worried about hotel food for DS things that look ok but actually aren't eg veg that has been very heavily salted

We went to Scarborough when DS1 was nine months (we live near Glasgow). Been several times before so knew our way around, filled the car with his toys and off we went. Decent beach, not too hot(!) and no worries about finding bottled water to make milk with. Booked the same place for this summer when number two will be toddling.

We went to the holiday village in Majorca when my daughter was 10 months. It was absolutely fab, we went in June so the weather wasn't too hot. Very child friendly. Highly recommend. Short flight too.

We loved Parkdean holidays when ours were that age. We loved Cornwall, particularly Mullion. That said, we started doing Eurocamp when DS2 was 3 and they are fantastic for young families. Croix de vu Pont is incredible for young families, is just outside Paris and a 3 hour drive from Calais, so you can chuck all your paraphernalia in the car. That said, we stopped using a microwave steriliser on holiday and just took sterilising tablets instead.

We’ve been to Turkey, Gozo and Center Parcs since DS2 was born almost a year ago. Similar age with DS1 we did Gozo twice, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Center Parcs and Egyo

We went for a week sailing around the Greek islands when DD was 11 months lol. Probably wouldn't recommend that!

It's fine to take them abroad though, or stay at home if you prefer.

In the UK, not a fan of centre parcs myself. I'd go for some kind of cottage or even a lodge/static but with some onsite facilities, pool etc.

Abroad, you could do a eurocamp type thing in France, or a villa, or an apart hotel? Most things are perfectly doable with a baby. We quite like Costa Adeje on Tenerife, v. Family friendly and lots of different types of hotel to suit a budget.

@Epmama I just googled that resort, looks lovely- which room type do you recommend? I take it no kitchen facilities eg microwave or kettle in the room for baby food prep and steriliser?

I shall look up the Euro camps too!

We've always used tui family life hotels. They're fab when you have babies /young children.

Why will you need a steriliser OP ?

UK coast, it's much easier than flying anywhere with a small one, you can go at your own pace. Also found cottage/ self catering holidays the easiest with babies.