Have you ever had a holiday with small children that was actually worth it?

[superorganisms]

...in terms of money and stress? And if so, what/where was it?

I have two under three. One 9 week old. Thinking of holiday next year but the thought of travel, the expense, the stress...would it actually ever be worth it? Thinking maybe not abroad, or at least not long haul, and possibly asking another family along. Don't care about hot weather, just not crap enough to allow us to get some fresh air every day.

Have you ever actually had a good, vaguely relaxing time, and if so, where did you go? Where did you stay? Any top tips?

Forgot to say we've always made travel time a big factor in choosing destinations, so the holiday doesn't start to grumpy with young childre, baring in mind that expected travel time can easily double with plane delays or bad traffic. If going abroad, Balearic Islands absolutely ideal, or in UK obviously friends where you live but take that into account - we live in South Wales so live being able to get to Pembrokeshire in under 2 hours!

Also, places like center parcs and bluestone fab for families as well planned around them, but can be v. Expensive.

And yes holidaying with wider family or good friends means there are more adults around to help, but you need to weigh this up against potential disadvantages - will they actually be helpful, is having to include someone else in all the decision making and planning likely to be annoying, are you an introvert who wants your own space / just to relax with immediate family? I find I enjoy weekends with others, but get really tetchy about it after that (same for Christmas visitors!). So that will depend on you and also how relaxed you are with the people you would invite.

Yes, loads! For instance, Puerto Pollensa in Majorca has a lovely beach with shallow warm water and lots of families with young kids go there (we went 3 times). Also had great times in Lanzarote and France. Self cater for maximum freedom and space and hire a car.

I love our UK caravan holidays with our 2 (6 and 8). We swim, play on the beach, go to playgrounds, sightseeing, nature, funfairs and one or two big days out. We take a dvd plater and watch box sets in the evening.

We go for 2 weeks and grandparents visit for 2 days to lighten the load.

Hell would freeze over before I took them on an aeroplane again though! Maybe when they're teenagers...

When DSs were 11 months and 3.5 we did Florida in October and I have the most joyful memories of that trip! Air bnb in siesta key, trip to tampa museum the kids knew from a Blippi video, 2 days at Disney (sweltering and a hurricane thrown in 😄). Sarasota children’s garden and Sarasota jungle garden. Just lush!!

We did Sani when DS was 2 and not worth it IMO. Just a bit bored. We did Dominican Republic when DS was 18 months, that was good, v chilled. Greece this year with 7, 4 and 4 month old - fine, bit boring just in the hotel. Don’t know what makes some hols amazing and some blah!

It doesn't need to be difficult with more than one child. I never found it that way .

The tipping point for me was when they loved water and could spend ages in a pool and be happy. This was 21/2 for my eldest and around 3 for my youngest. Did one holiday when my first was 11m and it was rubbish tbh. I am looking forward to another year when my youngest can go to a kids club and then hoping I can do a holiday where I get a few hours of peace every day.

Yes, but it was local. We live south east Germany so aren't far from the Alps. We drove 90 minutes down the road and stayed in a very small town in the Alps, spent time hiking and eating out, walking around a monestry. Our DS was 20 months at the time and had a great time. It was very simple and didn't require lots of travel. At 23 months old we flew back to the UK then went on holiday with my family. Never again. Even with DH and my family, it was damn hard and not worth it. The flight times were awful, DS was so unsettled for the first few days and only wanted me so even though everyone tried to help, it was pointless. It wasn't relaxing either when he did settle as he had to always be doing something and watched constantly cause of the pool. So yeah, that holiday made us realise we won't be having a holiday like that for the next 5ish years (I'm expecting our second in a few weeks). We'll just visit family in the UK, and go on local weekends away to spend time outside in the Alps. We had to change our holiday expectations and we've taken the stress off for now and enjoying a different kind of holiday (DH and I are used to long haul city holidays with lots of sightseeing or 2 weeks lying in the sun).

Holidays with small children - 5 & under - are not holidays. It’s the same shit, different location which = extra stress & more work for you. They do enjoy themselves so that’s why you do it; because you get enjoyment from seeing them trying new things/seeing a new corner of the world.

But I honestly don’t think it’s worth spending £££‘s on expensive holidays with little ones - they’re just as happy with a beach on the Isle of Wight & a swimming pool on site. “Bigger” holidays only become worth it for you as an adult when they hit about 8

We always took ours abroad on A/I when they were kids, they do the same with their kids.
For them to stay up later in the evenings, we always used to make them have a couple of hours nap in the mid afternoon, then have a shower and get ready for the evening.

Forgot to add, it was worth every minute. We always enjoyed it, specially the kids with their unlimited ice cream and drinks.

The Isle of Wight is great with little ones, we stayed in a self catering cottage there when we had a 7 month old and a 3 Yr old. Also look at the Little Clogs website. A guide to super family friendly and easy to reach resorts in Belgium and Holland. And some they mention as being particularly great for really little ones.

Took my just turned (the day before) 3 yr old all inclusive in Portugal. Was fantastic!prior to that self catering cottages in Dorset and Yorkshire. Holidays with small children are what you make them. Holidays in the UK took a lot of planning and organisation beforehand to have trips and days out lined up but they were great. Abroad is more work getting there but when all inclusive everything is there and you don't have to go anywhere or do anything.

Holidays with small children - 5 & under - are not holidays. It’s the same shit, different location
This has never been my experience. It's trotted out time and time again on here but I've never heard anyone in my real life say that or feel like a holiday was too hard work or not worth it or not enjoyable.

I never fancied an all inclusive, but goodness, they do work with young ones. Preferably not in the school holidays, though. We did one in October which was memorably good, and one late July , which was horrible, and full of families slapping their kids.