If you magically had £9-12k to spend on a holiday this end July/August

[regularbutpanickingabit]

And you were a family of 5 with 2 late teens and an under 10.

Where would you go????

A bit of a pipe dream but there’s something that might come off that could mean that this money is suddenly an option and we’ve decided that the last few years of complete shite would be best remedied by a blow out holiday abroad before the older kids disappear to their own lives.

We’ve never spent more than £3.5k on a holiday and that was a long time ago, so no clue where to start. We are usually camping in the U.K./weekends in Airbnb city breaks/villa types with a holiday abroad every couple of years.

It needs to be hot and include a beach for at least a week of it. The budget is for everything so flights, food, accomodation, car (if needed) etc.

We would want at least 2 weeks but can add on a couple of travel days if we go further afield.

Happy to try something different.

I know this would be an extremely lucky position to be in if it comes off which is why we want to spend it wisely.

Any suggestions, wise mumsnetters?

Royal Caribbean cruise. You children will love it, loads to do for teens and younger child.
Get to see lots of places, great food without having to shop or cook it. Lots of entertainment all throughout the day.
Despite what people have said in a previous cruise thread there are loads of quiet spots if you want to get away from other people.

I’d probably head to the US. Hawaii for a beach week and then the second week do the West Coast of the US, San Francisco, Orange County for example. That way you get the best of both worlds.
If you are inclined to do Florida, please don’t spend the full 2 weeks in Orlando. It’s full on! You could do a week down south in Sarasota/Bradenton/Siesta Key area and then if you want, you could do a week in Orlando doing the parks.
Maldives would be lovely and relaxing but I think it’s prone to a lot of rainfall in July. Mauritius is also quite cool at that time of year, but depends on how hot you want it.

My dream holidays would be Canadian Rockies, a safari or somewhere like Maldives, Seychelles, smaller Caribbean Island. DH would want to do a cruise probably around Norway.

What would be your dream holiday? I'd look into what you'd like to do first, then see what there is for the younger ones. If you've got two older teens they'll probably know they're very lucky to have a chance of a nice holiday somewhere different. Some of the time they'll probably be happy to potter around on their own, so don't feel it's got to be action packed for them.

I would do a safari in Africa and them on to a beach location. I did this when i was teenager with my family and we all loved it

Florida

West Coast USA / the rockies at that time of year . Florida is appallingly hot / humid

Australia

Twin centre, week on a cruise and week at a beach resort always worked well with my teens.
We did Florida and Caribbean cruise, LA and Mexican Riveria, Turkey and a cruise to Istanbul, Bulgaria and Romania, Adriatic cruise and a week in Corfu, Disney cruise around the med and a few days in Spain before, a different med cruise with a few days in Rome. All these were fabulous.
Another option is Mexico, lovely beaches and lots of good days out . Or Costa Rica with a mini trip to the Cloud Forest. I haven’t been but fancy it.
I think some of the suggestions here are too expensive for five people.

Safari in Tanzania (Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Serengeti) followed by a week on Zanzibar.

A safari in Africa - combine it with a week on the beach afterwards

Look up group holidays with someone like Intrepid or Exodus - they do some amazing family tours.

Safari in Kenya/Tanzania at the end of August to see the Great Migration. Truly breathtaking. And then a beach holiday afterwards. We did this as a last family holiday before everything went tits up, and I'm so glad we did. The DC were 9 & 6 at the time (now 28 & 25) and the memories from that holiday still outweigh the shit that followed. It was a trip of a lifetime.

Otherwise, suggestions of Australia or Japan are good ones - been to both, loved them and would go back in a heartbeat.

New Zealand - all that glorious scenery.

Corsica and Sardinia?

Safari

One of the Ikos resorts. They are the most incredible 5* ultra all inclusives. Everything is included including over 400 wines, all drinks, michelin starred food, a free mini for the day to explore the area, room service, all the restaurants. For a relaxing holiday it's pure indulgence and you can easily not spend another penny if you don't want to

A week in New York and then a Caribbean cruise?

I would definitely not do Florida at that time of year. It will be really hot, humid and the mosquitos will eat you alive.

Since it would probably be one of the last holidays for the teens with you, I would probably focus a bit more on them and do something that they think is fun too. I obviously don't know what that is, but it probably won't be the Maldives (too quiet) or Disney (too many little kids). I think if i's two weeks it would be nice to do some city stuff and some more beachy/watersport stuff. If I think of my teens, they would like 3 days in NYC, then maybe 5 days somewhere like the Hamptons or Nantucket and then a couple of days again in NY before flying back home. Or somewhere like Costa Rica, Bali or similar where there is more to do than just relax on the beach.

Please watch the weather in some of these suggestions. Thailand is rainy and Caribbean can have storms. What a nice thing to plan. Florida is hot, hot, hot at that time of year.

I couldn't spend that much on a holiday so if spend max 5k going somewhere nice and put the rest in savings, especially with the financial climate as it is.

Costa Rica tour and stay. New York and mexico twin centre. Maldives and Sri Lanka twin centre with Dubai on the way out or back.
Something where you're getting a mix of adventure/sightseeing/busy and then relaxing aswell.

Cornwall?

www.sykescottages.co.uk/cottage/Cornwall-Grade/Louvain-1056040.html?_hsearch=2203316245d04a34dc1&_price=11943&_display=1#duration=14&start=2022-08-06&changeover=6

Only worth going if you do not need a guarantee of at least one dry and warm day.

I'd love doing something like this

www.exodus.co.uk/costa-rica-holidays/family/costa-rica-adventure-family-holiday/fnr

Or this

www.exodus.co.uk/vietnam-holidays/family/chopsticks-coconuts-family-holiday/fiv

As it stands, I can only dream of it!

@ShanghaiDiva had to double check this wasn’t a zombie and a username I’d forgotten. Do you want to go on holiday with me? Last time I was in Dalat it rained non stop and I’d add Cat Ba for beaches.

Florida/ Parks then drive to Keys and then a few days in the Bahamas to rest!