To ask how your holiday was this year ?

[Glamorousglitter]

Just that really!
We had a super time in the Cotswolds (exhausting year, small children, couldn't face flights and high temps... this was perfect - house on lake with lots of super amenities - water activities for the older kids and beautiful walks locally, country pubs , quaint villages and relaxing.

For the PP who mentioned pebbly beaches in Nerja , we have stayed very close to Burrianna beach which is lovely and sandy.

Ours was magical! We hired a big static caravan near Dartmoor and managed to get all 3 of my DC together for a whole week. They are 23, 18 x 20 but took a week out to do the stuff DH and I like to do: long dog walks, exploring, hiking, picnics in rucksacks... We all mucked in to cook amazing food in the evenings, we BBQ'D on the beach late at night, we took afternoon naps, played board games, talked and laughed until the early hours, ate cold pizza and curry for breakfast.

The weather was absolutely crap and there was no wifi or 4g but we honestly barely noticed.

Not a cross word from anyone!

I was so bloody content all week!

We had 4 nights in Hastings (well DS and I did; DH joined us for 2 of them) and it was lovely. Nice weather, plenty to do. Stayed in an airbnb on the seafront.

We've never had a week's holiday so that's my aim for next year if we can afford it (hopefully I will be on mat leave).

I love hearing about other peoples' holidays. Our cats are old, doddery and overly-bonded - they freak out if we go to Lidl never mind 2 weeks away. As a result of this we only got 4 nights in the Lakes - used Snaptrip to get a lovely cottage. Because it was such a short stay, we treated ourselves to posh Michelin star restaurants for three evenings: L'Enclume, The Samling and Holbeck Ghyll - they were fab. On the fourth night we went to a little tapas bar called El Porton in Windemere - it was amazing and really knocked spots off the other three. The sun shone constantly and the cats were only mildly hysterical when we got back. Had another 3 nighter at my sister's mega-mansion in Northumberland - God how the other half live.

YABU. We bought a tent and were hoping to go camping, but the builders have taken much longer than planned so we've been more or less tied to home this summer so I'm feeling grumpy as hell about the subject of holidays.

We had a thomson all inclusive in the canaries - the kids much preferred the camping weekend in suffolk, so we'll just do that next year. Cheaper and less stressful, even if I'm less keen on sleeping in a tent than they are!

We had two weeks in Ile de Re. We camped, did lots of cycling (kids finally at the age to manage longer rides), spent a lot of time at the beach and ate lots of amazing ice cream. Both kids are desperate to learn to surf now, so going to look into that for next year. All the shopping, cooking and washing up wore a bit thin. That was the only down side really. We all came back a lot fitter, healthier and happier.

Not had a holiday away but next year we are renting a cottage on the Norfolk coast for a week .

Did look at Center Parcs but out of my budget especially in high season

I like hearing of others holidays though .

We had a night in Manchester with friends doing the ifly wind tunnel experience. Kids loved it. I didn't.

Then we took dd to Copenhagen, what a lovely clean chilled city. Dd loved the harbour swimming.

Then with only oh
, we did NYC, Miami, Vegas. Amazing but absolutely shattered now.

Mine was lovely on paper but not in reality.
Let's just say that the smile and nod threshold was reached very early on .

We also went to the Cotswolds and loved it so will be returning next year. Looking online at booking a very nice hotel.
Also had a few mini breaks in our holiday cottage.
We're looking at buying a campervan now that DC no longer holidaying with us.
DC prefers holidays with friends and going to festivals nowadays.
It's a funny in-between time for us we're happy to do a few UK short breaks but DC not quite at the age that we can sod off abroad for a week or two yet.

Croatia. First "hot" holiday in fifteen years.

It was very hot. Found the whole process of flying quite stressful and faffy.

Other than that it was lovely and very very beautiful.

Iceland next year!

We drove to northern Norway via Sweden. Drove up through Umeå, Luleå, then over to Jokkmokk, Kiruna and into Norway to Kautokeino. From Kautokeino we drove all around Finnmark. I think the highlight was going to Grense Jakobselv on the Russian border. It was a beautiful summer day, the landscape is stunning and the border is right there - just meters away but you absolutely must not cross it. It´s a fascinating place. After driving all over Finnmark (Kautokeino-Karasjok-Kirkenes-Vardø-Lakselv-Hammerfest-Alta), we got the coastal ferry down through Lofoten and drove home from north of Trondheim.

It took a month, was a fascinating trip but a lot of driving. Really, a massive amount. We enjoyed it and it was well-worth doing, but it isn´t a trip we´d do twice.

No school age children in my household so no holidays in August. A week in Cannes for the film festival in May was lovely.

We went to Albania! It was great: delicious food, friendly people, great beaches, hot weather, and very cheap! We would certainly recommend.

sonjadog that sounds really interesting. We are thinking of heading to northern Norway next year. Did you have kids with you? Was it extortionately expensive?

Currently in the New Forest since Friday.....the pool has been used a lot.

Spent the day at the coast today and I have a very brown face...one of the reasons we haven't been abroad recently is I we dont like the heat. The temp the last few days though has been just right.

We're already looking at booking the same place for next year

Jennifer when did you go to Albania?

I'm on holiday in Malta now - arrived yesterday and having a lovely time.

Im on 'holiday' now, this sums it up

Fabulous. We're having our usual week in Ceredigion, West Wales. Beautiful beaches, rock pools, crabbing, sand castles. Happy DC and happy DH and me.

Feels ages ago - been back 4 weeks, it was the first two weeks of the summer break.

We (me, dh and 15y dd) went to Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls) and Florida (Tampa/Busch Gardens and Fort Myers beach.) We had a great time. Loved exploring the cities in Canada, and the falls at Niagara were stunning. I could have sat at my hotel room window forever! Busch Gardens was fun, and then FMB was a lovely relaxing 5 days. Just a fabulous 14 days!

Since then we've had a pretty quiet, relaxing summer holiday, with a couple of day trips with family/friends. Then this week we have our nieces visiting, so me and dd are having fun entertaining them.

Back to school next week, and then the countdown to a holiday in Spain at October half term with friends. 8.5 weeks and counting!

Jennifer, we didn't have kids with us. Yes, it is extremely expensive. I live in southern Norway, so I'm used to the prices, but holidaying in Norway is not cheap, even for Norwegians.

It really is a lot of driving and many hours of forest between places. Also, in July the mosquitoes are out and they make it really difficult to be outdoors in many places. Plan carefully where you want to go, and consider self-catering or have plans for doing that. Eating out gets extremely expensive fast.

If you are planning to go

Went to Dubai with DH & teenage DDS the first 2 weeks of the summer holidays.

Hotel was lovely, we were very spoilt & as expected it was very, very hot!

We did what we'd hoped to do...relaxed, swam, shopped, boat trip & a visit to a water park.

love the variety of holidays. I m a little in awe of those that travel long haul with small kids, mine have trouble with 1.5 hours in the car to see grandparents! Trips to Gana, Kenya sounds amazing kazzyhoward - did you bring the dc and what ages if you did?
I think I d like to try neraja next year, or maybe southern Italy as have done northern a lot, or Greece. Must get researching.

Subnbitten - Barcelona is one of my favourite cities , so sad what happened there, I hope to do a mini break with dh there before Christmas.

I ve heard such good things about Norway, Sweden it sounds fascinating, though with small children i imagine it s v expensive, well sounds expensive regardless,

Brunhilda sorry about your dh, your holiday sounds healing and unifying, it s nice you enjoyed it sorrow dead by family.
Liz70 your Dd s sounds like me and my siblings at that age, can't live with... can't live without !

Ilzzylou dunreil was on our list to try sometime, how did you find it! ?

Great - how shitty a time for you and family hope you get a nice break at 1/2 term now,

When we weren't able to holiday, I did struggle to hear about all the lovely holidays, and even now sometimes with friends that have lots of different incomes and disposables, I sometimes feel totally inadequate as their holidays are salubrious and fabulous, or then feel like we re splashing the cash rubbing other friends noses in it who can't go on holidays. So I guess I try enjoy holidays for what they are, slow the pace of life and recharge a little, spend time with the kids (most of it through gritted teeth.

For the poster who asked what water sports we did in the Cotswolds- paddle boarding, kayaking, boating, swimming, on the lakes.

Surrounded by not sorrow dead -apologies,