How to plan a family holiday that's actually enjoyable?

[holidayplanningnewbie]

I've received a small windfall and I'd like to take the DC on holiday - we've struggled financially since having the DC for one reason and another and they've never left the country or been on a proper holiday (other than visiting relatives or friends). I'd like to spend about £1k on the booking plus spending money.

Or at least, I though I did till I started actually planning it! Please help Mumsnet! How can I make it a holiday that I actually enjoy and isn't just a bunch of stress?!

I'm guessing it needs to be UK-based given our tiny budget and the covid situation. We've done A LOT of it being just the 4 of us in the house under lockdown, and the kids are sick of each other's company! They bicker loads! I can just imagine we'll book somewhere, go stay in a lovely place and the kids will spend the time bickering and it'll be stressful and feel like a waste of money.

Do we need a holiday where there's a lot to do, to take the kids attention off each other?

We're not a sporty family. We like gentle walks, history, science, nature, wildlife, fossils, the kids love the beach but I'm not that fussed, music, festivals (I wish I could take them to a festival, really!). We'd prefer to be somewhere basic with great surroundings than somewhere slick in a crap area. DP and I love a good pub. DC are 7 and 11.

I want the kids to make nice memories AND for DP and me to enjoy it. It this actually possible?!

All I keep imagining is the stress of it all and it ending up being me trying to make sure the kids have fun, while they fight and it's just stress for me (story of my life at the moment!).

I would have jumped at the chance of a holiday pre-kids!

What would you do?

Also, am I mad to consider a holiday at all at the moment, considering covid?

If it wasn't for coronavirus, I'd love to take the DC to France or another European destination to show them a bit of Europe, before we leave entirely. They've never been abroad.

But now's not really the time for foreign travel, is it? I'm worried that:
a. we'd catch or transmit covid
b. the locals wouldn't be best pleased to see us
c. the government restrictions would change before our holiday and we'd find we were unable to travel.

Am I over-worrying? I'd love to go to France!

So, looks like a UK holiday?

Have a look at bluestone in Wales , a bit like c parcs but cheaper and also on the beach !

Look at the Yelloh villages in France, and Brittany Ferries. They often have really good deals and I find your money goes further in France than here. Food is more expensive here but accommodation is cheaper.

We’re going to France shortly. All booked pre COVID except we’ve changed from flights to Eurotunnel. Self catering and the owner says they’re desperate for tourism to restart. Is that an option?

The holiday is already a stress.
In order not to waste the money and end up upset as the holiday didn't go to plan and wasn't what you really wanted I'd save that money, possibly save and add more to the budget and I'd go next year to somewhere you really want to go where ( hopefully) there won't be this huge Covid threat hanging over you and things will be more relaxed.

We're in the south of England, I'd love to go to France to give the DC a sense of the world - that France really is just over the water. And DP loves driving so Eurotunnel and Ferry + car would be grand.

DP and I speak enough basic French to manage on a holiday and DS will be learning it when he goes to secondary in the Autumn.

But I'm worried about whether now is a good time? If I had a holiday booked I'd go for it! But is it madness to book one give we all know restrictions might change - and are the French really keen on British holiday makers right now given covid and also Brexit?

I'd love to take the DC to France or another European destination to show them a bit of Europe, before we leave entirely

We’re leaving the EU, we’re not leaving Europe! It will still be there next year! Just go then.

Normandy is gorgeous and very family friendly. Would you consider camping?

@PotteringAlong

I'd love to take the DC to France or another European destination to show them a bit of Europe, before we leave entirely

We’re leaving the EU, we’re not leaving Europe! It will still be there next year! Just go then.

I know, but it's symbolic. We talk about politics a lot as a family, and DS is interested in politics generally.

I suggest European centerparcs. They're a fraction of the cost of the UK sites and are great. We've done a couple of the ones in Holland and they're fab. From the south you could do ferry or tunnel over if you're happy to drive in Europe, or eurostar if not

@autumnkate

Normandy is gorgeous and very family friendly. Would you consider camping?

Normally I'd say yes, we'd consider camping - we do sometimes go on camping weekends with friends which we all love (I don't count that as a "proper" family holiday as it's only been for a weekend).

But DP has back pain at the moment and I'm not sure it'd be a good idea to drive somewhere and then hope his back can cope with camping before having to drive home!

I don't know Normandy at all. I've been to Brittany, the Loire and the south of France before DC - and where all the caves paintings are (what's it called? I forget!) but I'm not sure I've ever spent time in Normandy.

Where do you go in Normandy?

https://www.axevale.co.uk/short-breaks/

Highly recommend this place.

It's reasonably priced but clean.

3 min walk to excellent playground

5 min walk to dinosaur centre

8 min walk to beach

Lots of nice walks in the area, can hunt for fossils, visit the donkeys at the sanctuary.

You should have lots left in your budget for takeaways and ice cream

My french colleague told me that in France COVID is barely discussed anymore. That they opened everything and people are just getting on with their lives with seemingly no repercussions.
Seems like a good time to go.

I would be nervous about booking abroad simply because if either us or them lockdown then you're stuffed.

Our most successful holidays have been when we have taken a self-catered cottage in a not very touristy place but near the sea. We've spent about half the days on the beach, and half doing something else.
Kent's quite good, and fairly cheap, and plenty to do.

@melissasummerfield

Have a look at bluestone in Wales , a bit like c parcs but cheaper and also on the beach !

Sorry if I'm being dense, but I don't really understand how these holidays work. I've never been on one!

My impression of Centre parks is it's for families who like bike rides, swimming and spa days? Is that about right?

I should have said - DP can't swim at the moment due to health reasons. (He mustn't get any water in his ear) so anything involving water means he's not involved. Which is fine if it's on the beach as he's happy watching the kids splash about from a distance - or maybe just one day doing water related stuff for the kids, but he can't get in with them, it has to be me.

My youngest isn't a good enough swimmer to go in on her own yet.

If you live in the south east, you could jump on a train to Disneyland Paris. Would only take 3-4 hours.

Possibly less, depending how far you are from Ashford.

Or drive over?

Equally as quick, and less hassle with the packing. Also would be a more socially distanced journey.

If the OP has never taken her family abroad, it's likely they don't have passports, so unless these facilitate a much cheaper or better holiday, I'm not sure I'd bother, especially if it's likely that a foreign holiday might be a one off, due to expense, at around £250.

What about London? Have you had a holiday there and seen all the big museums, London Zoo etc?

@BarbaraofSeville

If the OP has never taken her family abroad, it's likely they don't have passports, so unless these facilitate a much cheaper or better holiday, I'm not sure I'd bother, especially if it's likely that a foreign holiday might be a one off, due to expense, at around £250.

What about London? Have you had a holiday there and seen all the big museums, London Zoo etc?

Barbara that's really thoughtful of you. People do tend to forget about such hidden costs!

But, the DC do have passports, thankfully. I was hoping to take them away a couple of years ago. It didn't happen in the end, but I got passports then.

If it wasn't for Covid, it'd be my first choice. I'm just not sure...

London is my home town! The DC have been there loads to visit relatives. But I'd be up for the idea of another UK city break.

How old are your DC? Are they old enough to be involved with planning? You could perhaps explain as you did in your OP and ask them what would help them to be busy, engaged and not fall out? I've often found it useful to have conversations with my (now very grown up!) family. They enjoyed being consulted and it gave them some ownership of decisions, which helped!

@Bowednotbroken

How old are your DC? Are they old enough to be involved with planning? You could perhaps explain as you did in your OP and ask them what would help them to be busy, engaged and not fall out? I've often found it useful to have conversations with my (now very grown up!) family. They enjoyed being consulted and it gave them some ownership of decisions, which helped!

The DC are 11 and 7. I like your thinking but I've already asked them and they were bloody useless

I think once we've decided where we're going I'll give them some choice about activities.

We're going here in August. We booked it in January and are going as planned. We are driving/getting the ferry so we'll wear masks on the ferry. Other than that, the accommodation is self catered so it's reasonably easy to distance from other people there. This is our fourth visit to this parc, so we know it well.

It's about a three hour drive from Calais. There's a man made beach on site, the beavh bar terrace is literally on the beach so the DC can play/paddle/swim and you can put your feet up with a drink and enjoy watching. Fantastic pool complex (with another bar overlooking the outside pool), lots of open space on site, pedelos on the lake and you can hire bikes to explore the local area. The local town is a 1km walk away. We usually take the DCs scooters and scoot in to the bakery for pastries and baguettes every day. There's a bakery onsite but it sells out quickly and we enjoy the walk. There's a small chateau in the town, and slightly further afield is the spectacular Pierrefonds, where Merlin was filmed. Pierrefonds is a pretty little village.

www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/paris/pa012-la-croix-du-vieux-pont/ataglance.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6ar4BRDnARIsAITGzlDYCTCwQtwzpyAmkxdIwdy4zZKKCnZIVKk60ZJkwVGA1GuW4Q8ekxoaAvtjEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

They fall out over everything. DS gets into a frame of mind where he finds everything DD does irritating.

DD is desperate for her brother's attention and would rather he was annoyed at her than ignoring her.

There's a 4.5 year age gap.

They're both very sweet individually and are fond of each other underneath the bickering. We do sometime have times when they're nicer to each other! If they're kept busy, they wind each other up less e.g. we went for a lovely walk to a local landmark last week, that was nice. They love building dens in the woods, they'll actually cooperate over that (mostly) and are happy splashing in water.

They've been stuck inside together in a small house with a tiny garden over lockdown, which has made it worse.

www.chateaumonfreville.com/gypsy-vans/