Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Absolutely best, most fun & exciting holidays for kids? Age 5 & 9

36 replies

sameday2021 · 03/01/2021 09:49

I need to plan for a life after Covid. Very conscious that the kids are growing up so quickly and want to pack in some great holidays that the kids will enjoy now and remember fondly as adults. I would love to hear your suggestions!

An amazing hotel somewhere with water slides on site?

Disneyworld?

Italy? France? Spain?

Florida?

OP posts:
RiverMeadow · 03/01/2021 09:51

Honestly Florida for children of that age is amazing.

If you can afford to I would stay recommend staying in a Disney hotel. It's magical!

Deinonychus · 03/01/2021 09:52

Fodele beach in Crete and Villages Nature in Paris are the holidays that mine enjoyed the most at similar ages. Great water parks in both.

sameday2021 · 03/01/2021 09:54

@RiverMeadow

Honestly Florida for children of that age is amazing.

If you can afford to I would stay recommend staying in a Disney hotel. It's magical!

Thanks for replying. DH is very keen on Florida as he went several times as a child. I never went! I think we'll make Florida a priority.
OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

SweepTheHalls · 03/01/2021 09:55

Skiing!

sameday2021 · 03/01/2021 09:55

@Deinonychus

Fodele beach in Crete and Villages Nature in Paris are the holidays that mine enjoyed the most at similar ages. Great water parks in both.
Ah thank you for the suggestions! I'll look at these. We love the Greek islands and France also so these are great ideas Smile
OP posts:
sameday2021 · 03/01/2021 09:56

@SweepTheHalls

Skiing!
DH goes skiing a lot, pre Covid anyhow! He is keen but I'm not sure! I'd be willing to try if it was just 4 days, maybe not a full week in case the kids don't love it.
OP posts:
Panickingpavlova · 03/01/2021 09:58

Apparently Tokyo Disney is better than florida, and also has studio ghibli theme park.

There are other wonderful theme parks out there I guess it depends on your budget but I'd say efteling in the Netherlands is the Perfect ages for your children, you could combine it with durinell which is a theme and water park a few hours away.

Standrewsschool · 03/01/2021 09:59

Disneyworld, definantly. We did a weekend in Paris (in January) which the kids remember (similar ages to your).

Regarding the other countries, I often think it’s not where you take them, but what you do they remember. Also, consider what sort of holidays you like to take? Are you a beach villa family, site-seeing, sporty?

Family holidays could include Cornwall beach holidays, winter ski holidays, site-seeing in France, Duinrell in Holland (theme park, beaches, site-seeing). Maybe do a variety of all the different types of holidays.

Standrewsschool · 03/01/2021 10:00

@Panickingpavlova -great minds -Duinrell. Mn should be on commission for promoting it!

Panickingpavlova · 03/01/2021 10:10

Durinell but only in conjunction with efteling.

backinthebox · 03/01/2021 10:11

Tbh with kids that age you can’t really go wrong anywhere - the exact holiday and where it is should be more planned with the adults in mind and what they would find fun. If parents are finding it fun, their children should too. My kids are a little older now, but not much. Between the ages your kids are and now, we’ve had trips to places including the following:
France, Dordogne region. Swimming and fishing in lakes, kayaking on the rivers, real caveman caves, castles with trebuchets and catapults, gardens with treehouses and mazes, tree climbing (like Go Ape.)
Mexico, Yucatan. Snorkelling, boat rides to see turtles and dolphins, zipwires, more caves, jungles, white beaches.
Turkey, Turquoise Coast. Living on a boat for a week, more snorkelling, hiking up waterfalls, kayaking, more white beaches.
St Lucia. Living on a chocolate plantation and making chocolate from scratch, more beaches, more snorkelling, jungle trekking, more waterfalls.
Skiing - can never get enough skiing! With husky sled rides, reindeer adventures, zipwiring, alpine roller coasters, ice skating, moonlit tobogganing, stays in igloos.
Been to lots of other places, but these are the stand out holidays in my kids’ heads. I offered them Florida the other year and they turned it down in favour of more jungle, snorkelling and waterfalls, but I am sure we will get there one day and they will love it too! If theme parks really float your boat, I’d say go for Florida, but don’t underestimate the ability of children to see the wonder in absolutely everything, and don’t underestimate the joy family time can bring them. We get our kids new playing cards every year for Christmas these days because they love nothing more than sitting in a tropical beachfront bar/mountain hut/skyscraper restaurant/hotel lobby playing cards with us and having a drink or ice cream sundae.

I can’t wait to be able to go on holiday with mine again!

DelurkingAJ · 03/01/2021 10:11

DSs are particularly keen on villa holidays with both sets of grandparents. My DM comes most years and DPIL can usually be persuaded for a week. We usually go to France so everyone can get there easily under their own steam.

Kittykatmacbill · 03/01/2021 10:14

We have had glorious times in some of the kinderhotel holidays. Water slides and lots of cycling / hiking / running etc, but we are a fairly sporty family.

Sleepplease2021 · 03/01/2021 10:21

We did an American road trip which my children absolutely loved. They still talk about the people we met in some of the smaller towns, and little things like the milkshakes and pizza! We will definitely go back at some point.

SummerHouse · 03/01/2021 10:30

We love Norfolk, centre parcs and Whitby.

WanderingHopefully · 03/01/2021 10:39

Think our children would say Switzerland in summer over any of the beach holidays we had. Staying in a beautiful village, outdoor pools, indoor ice rink, taking the cable car and ski lifts to go all over the mountains, eating outdoors with amazing scenery, going on a helicopter ride, swimming in the lakes, splashing around in glacial rivers, mountain biking, eating fondue, tandem paragliding, Go Ape type places in the forests, summer tobogganing, I could go on and on Grin

Skylor · 03/01/2021 10:48

Skiing or sailing (greece)
It's enjoyable if you enjoy those as well though, as the parent.

I've been on beach resort and French villa summer holidays and kids dont mind but I find it so dull.

At this age they will like it no matter where or what as long they are with you, so choose something YOU enjoy.

Enidblyton1 · 03/01/2021 10:56

I would keep Florida until your younger child is 8. They won’t be able to go on all the rides at 5. We went when my nephews were 8 and 11 - the perfect age IMO to enjoy every rollercoaster

We’ve also skied with the children since they were babies. Definitely recommend, though again it was a real faff until our youngest was able to put on her own ski clothes and carry skis etc. Our 10 year old is a dream compared with 6 year old who still needs quite a bit of help.

Lesson I learned - don’t rush holidays before kids are the perfect age to enjoy them.

Wannabewriter · 03/01/2021 10:59

Cruises are amazing for kids. There are ships with huge water slides on them now. If you’re the type to enjoy an AI (I am) and don’t hate being on the sea you’ll like a cruise.

Enidblyton1 · 03/01/2021 10:59

I agree with pp.
Summer mountain holidays are so much easier than winter ones when children are younger. Mountain lakes offer swimming, water sports etc. Summer slides down the mountain, horse rides and goats! Our children absolutely love summer holidays in the mountains.

WhatAreWordsWorth · 03/01/2021 11:00

Lapland?

MrsMoggy · 03/01/2021 11:00

We’ve been to Disneyworld and Disneyland Paris and my 8 year old much prefers Paris as finds the Florida one too big and hot. We are hoping to go to California at some point.

Although his favourite destination since about 4 years old has been Benidorm of all places. He absolutely loves the beach, all inclusive food so he can pick what he wants and eat lots of ice cream, and loves the pool, the animal park and all the entertainment.

In this country he really enjoy butlins where there is lots to do, or anywhere there is a crazy golf course!

VenusClapTrap · 03/01/2021 11:02

We’ve taken our kids on some amazing holidays, but the one they always rave about if asked which was their favourite ever holiday was staying in a National Trust holiday home with a bunch of our friends in Derbyshire, of all places.

FAQs · 03/01/2021 11:03

We found Disney in LA more fun and of course you also have Hollywood (some dodgy parts but enjoyed it) the studio tours and the beaches including Santa Monica where you’ll recognise the pier from so many films and TV shows.

Happyrascalsmummy · 03/01/2021 11:04

Lapland. Just being able to play in such deep snow and travel everywhere by sledge is amazing for kids. Plus you can take them to meet Santa, ski, go on sleigh rides and snow mobiles it's awesome.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.