Kids have never been abroad, where can we go?

[LiveInSunshine]

My youngest 3 (6,10,12) have never been abroad. I’ve love to take them. It’s more the principal of leaving the country and a new experience than anything. Autumn is great, but they can wait.

Can anyone recommend an affordable solution? Plane is great, but I’m up for the Ferry too. Just, abroad really! As affordably as possible…

As children we always did France and Canvas holidays in a tent. Always worked well and affordable. Then every few years or so we had a more fancy holiday in a villa in Spain/Portugal etc.

@DawkinsOldSpot my parents used to load us in a car, tents etc, and drive round Europe for weeks. Across the Alps, into Spain, Croatia, Italy, Germany. Huge travels in a battered old car. With the older two I’ve driven right across into Moldova. But then life caught up and we’ve not done anything with the younger ones at all.
I feel too old now for the crazy driving and too scared for mad plans. I want a normal British person kind of trip 😁

There's a eurocamp site at Guînes fairly near Calais. It's not far from the Agincourt museum at Azincourt, with an English guide by Robert Hardy. Thé site also has a logis de France hôtel, so there's a choice of restaurant or snack bar.
You also have all the gorgeous côte d'Opale beaches, and not too far from Nausicaa on the northern side of Boulogne sur Mer.

Eurocamp, Canvas all good fun when you have young kids, and not too far to drive when in France if you chose Brittany \ Normandy.

We did ferry to Santander from Plymouth one time - longer ferry but you get to see Northern Spain which is quieter and family friendly as PP has said.

but the perfect family place for us was is Majorca, Porto Pollensa. One you are there you don’t need a car really.

Menorca or Ibiza
2 hour flight and both small islands so short transfer times
Choose a family resort and all inclusive for less hassle once u are there

Malta. Affordable. Warm. Everyone speaks english. Nice weather still in october

OP, check the prices first of ferry/Eurostar etc, they have sky rocketed.
Flying in the no-frills is much cheaper but not for me.
Possibly drive to Portugal and do stop-overs interesting for all?

Affordable is too vague a term

I think what she meant was don't forget how pricey passports can be.

Depending on your childrens ages, Menorca is a fantastic holiday to start with.

What language is your eldest learning at school? Go somewhere where they can practice it.

We also did Florence with the kids when they were a similar age to yours. Went in October half term so it was cooler and quieter. Airbnb in a lovely apartment in a very old building in the centre of town, did the art galleries (Our youngest is obsessed with the greek and roman myths so loved the art), had a day in Lucca which they loved, and did a lot of walking around enjoying the architecture.

Oh, the Scavenger Hunt Adventures are excellent for city breaks with kids. Highly recommend them. In Florence we had great fun looking out for the road signs that had been modified.

That's really expensive though!

The Netherlands are great, I live there. Easy access from Harwich and Dover by ferry (Dover via Belgium, but it's only a couple of hours drive away). If you come here outside of a Dutch school holiday you can get accommodation for pretty cheap. Someone suggested Landal, but they are hit and miss and can be really old. There are some good AirBnB options as well.

I reckon with a bit of careful planning you could do flights and accommodation for around £1650 for 2 adults and three kids in May or October half term. Sitges is great - short flight to Barcelona (I use google flights to get the best deal) and an hour on the train to sitges - great seaside town, fun, lovely beaches and easy to cost out independently- May half term would be a good option if you can wait tjat long? We stayed on a converted boat when there but I've just looked at booking.com and something like this might work? https://www.booking.com/hotel/es/matilda-home-on-the-beach.en-gb.html?aid=373411&label=city-sitges-ASMds1lAcPBMpp0egPZM4wSM388503880033%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-3257993574%3Alp1007259%3Ali%3Adem%3Adm%3Appccp%3DUmFuZG9tSVYkc2RlIyh9Ybz4KBg0DTFCTn0pIbYiAXw&sid=a9c32cebbd6c84dc7c0d486afdb6f791&age=12;age=5;age=8;allsrrblocks=26480770133558828774000;checkin=2023-05-29;checkout=2023-06-05;destid=-403043;destttype=city;dist=0;groupadults=2;grouppchildren=3;hapos=3;highlightedblocks=26480770113355882874400;hpos=3;matchinggblockid=26480770113355882874400;noorooms=1;reqadults=2;reqqage=12;reqage=5;reqqage=8;reqchildren=3;room1=A%2CA%2C12%2C8%2C5;sbbpricetype=total;srrorder=price;srpriiblocks=26480770133558828774000__86496;srepoch=1664095831;srpvid=2c843e21676700cc;type=total;ucfs=1&

A big thank you for posting that search- I’m looking

I second the recommendation of Skyscanner. As well as being able to search ‘Everywhere’, you can also search across an entire month, so you can tailor your dates to the flights rather than the other way around if need be.

I would definitely consider looking at flights to Malaga and Almeria - the weather will still be good in Southern Spain at this time of year. I see you’re considering Portugal, which is another good option, and surprisingly affordable.

Accomodation wise, we are a family of 5. We often stay in youth hostels, family rooms which sleep 5 or 6. Generator (Berlin and other cities) and yha ones in England are good.

We loved Germany, stayed in eurocamp Gitzenweiler Hof site and drove hire car to Legoland for a day, also to Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, went to a thermal pool in the mountains.

For hotel/ relaxing/ sun holidays check trip advisor reviews and bear in mind what's important to you. For example if it gets low stars because there's a long walk or a steep hill that's fine for us, but a great review because they had pizza and chips every day isn't going to tempt us.

I often find it cheaper to book a package in a travel agent. Where I live, Eurotunnel and Dover/ South coast ferries aren't doable so we always fly.

if you are wanting to go in October then there are some really good all-inclusive things to Morocco and Turkey. Weather is warmish but not hot. Sadly one of mine cannot cope with a flight that long but I foiund some nice 7 days 4 and 5 star hotels for around £1800 for a family of 4. Google package tours October half term and there are alot of options.

A few years back we went on an October cruise for 3 nights. It was okay but again quite cold but nice to do the city tours (Bruges).

This year we are doing a week in Paris staying in an aparthotel. It is £1500 but there are loads of added extras I have not yet locked in (like luggage!!).

Also somne good deals for Disneyland paris I think- I was tempted but onloy I and DS2 would enjoy it (DH won't and DS1 hates crowds and noise) so that was out.

I hope you find something amazing!!

You can drive to France or the Netherlands via ferry or tunnel very easily and have a weekend eg northern France, visit the WW1 cemeteries, little towns and villages and stay in bargain basement logos de France or chain hotels with no real difficulties. Taking the car means you have all your stuff eg bikes if you want and by immersing yourself you get a lot of experience for a short break and can do it in cheaper months eg half term in October or February.
Your other alternative is to look for really cheap flights somewhere and build a holiday from that eg DS and his DO are just back from Sicily, they stayed in an air bnb and found eating and drinking out very cheap .They used public transport for sight seeing.The only thing to watch for if you go to obviously touristy areas at the seaside , particularly in Italy, it can be very quiet out of season with many restaurants closed.

Oh yes and I echo eurostar prices have skyrocketed. We wanted the Eurostar to paris and it ended up being just over half the cost to go by plane. So we are going by plane!

If you want to go for affordability, go on sky scanner and in the destination type 'everywhere' after adding the airports you'd be happy to travel to. It will then list the destinations in price order and you can play around with the details after. You can then book direct with the airline if you prefer.

For accommodation we often use booking.com

If you are flexible re days/times then you might get a decent priced package with TUI, Jet2, EasyJet, etc,

To be fair, most destinations can be child friendly. It just depends on what your children want.

I seem to have hit a driving problem- the car is too old for breakdown cover it seems. Unless I find one

Sounds like you want an easy holiday as opposed to trekking across Europe or spending a fortune to stay at de Efteling.

Go to the canaries in winter. It will be hot enough for the kids to play in the pool most of the day and cheap enough.

Jet2 are brilliant. It's so easy. No worrying about baggage allowance or transfers. You just go. The kids will love flying, sack off the ferry.

I've had a look from Bristol at February half term. I'm assuming 2 parents and 3 kids. It'll be cheaper if it's only one parent. I've also selected all inclusive as self catering will cost you around 1k in food and drinks anyway and it's great to be able to say YES when the kids ask for a slush, ice cream, snack, pizza etc.

These 3 are all coming in at 2,500/2,600 for 5 people. One includes waterpark tickets so that's a trip out. Another has a waterpark on site. The Eden apartments are the cheapest and have entertainment for the kids and it's a lovely safe beach there as well as being handy for the Angry Birds play park or a trip to Sioux City which is fantastic.

Some packages can include car hire as an add in, some regions are cheaper than other for car hire too.

But also, some destinations will be fine without, just using public transport. For example Malaga is very doable without a car. We just used the train. Valencia too iirr.

"I seem to have hit a driving problem- the car is too old for breakdown cover it seems. Unless I find one"

Flying is a doddle and fun for the kids. Driving is a faff and no fun for the kids.

No idea why you'd put yourself through that for your first holiday abroad in over 12 years.