to ask what the best holiday you've ever had was?

[OpenWheelRace]

I'm definitely being unreasonable because I'm blatantly on this topic for traffic. But we could all do with some holiday vibes, so I'll let myself off!

Please please share with me your best ever holidays!

Browsing exotic places online is the only thing keeping me sane (that and sewing awful clothes) at the moment so I'd love further inspiration

For me there were several, one is a road trip with my sister up the US East Coast from New York to Quebec then through Canada to Niagara Falls, down to Washington DC and back to NYC, followed by a week there. It was September and the weather was just fantastic the whole time.
All in all three weeks and driving was so relaxed. We were 27 and 24 at the time and loved that holiday.

Then there was the school trip to Lake Garda when I was 16, we went for 10 days and had the two coolest teachers in the whole school with us. As long as we stuck to some ground rules, we were, essentially, given a free reign. We were allowed to discover Verona on a day trip in small groups, I think ours was four people, and just had to be back at the meeting point by a certain time.
It was the mid 90's and I think we had a lot more freedom then than students of the same age would have today.

Ahh @OpenWheelRace when we went it was adults only. It’s only since it’s been a Hard Rock that it has allowed children. It didn’t have a water park before either!

We also went to the Hotel Xcaret Mexico and the Caracol Eco Resort. Both amazing for different reasons (and no kids then either!)

A trip to Norway ( just inside the article circle) and Sweden. It was about - 20 degrees, I didn't expect to enjoy because of the cold it but I absolutely loved it. Saw the Northern lights, stayed at the ice hotel and did loads of other outdoor activities. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Driving a snowmobile through a forest at night was magical and exhilarating.

DisneyWorld last year- me, ds 1 and 2, and one of my best friends (who is about ds1's age) 4 bed villa with pool, no car hire (we used Uber and Lyft). Totally fun, totally relaxed.

Other than that- Austria in summer- Zell am See. Prebooked a lot of excursions, stayed in a lovely hotel full board. It was great.

I came out my previous relationship with about £10,000 i blew the lot on my dream holiday, i spent 3 weeks in Botswana on safari, then i added 2 days to Zimbabwe at Victoria falls, did a helicopter ride over them, worth every penny

A road trip to Rome. Fights were too expensive so we drove. We found places to sleep on booking.com in the morning before we set off.
Everything went perfectly.
We found a charming village in Belgium on night one. Drove to Germany to visit Dachau and found the town had an amazing German beer festival that night. surreal. Visited the camp in the morning, lunch in Austrian mountains and down to Florence. Found a stunning 5* hotel at a cut price deal as we were last minute with a fabulous outdoor pool looking down over lit up Florence
Drove to Rome and stayed for a week.
Then back, via Milan to see the Last Supper through Switzerland and stayed in a glorious French village with the most outstanding restaurant and wine ever.
When the car went wrong a French garage fixed in for free, I’d dropped our passports and some lovely old couple had handed them to the police and we got a free bus into Rome because the driver liked my cute son.
Exciting, interesting and really fun.

Lovely exotic holidays, but mine was a very last minute 48 hr before break in Cornwall. We had just become grandparent carers and desperately needed a break. We were assured that the cottage was lovely but tbh we didnt care. We arrived in a thunderstorm at the "cottage" but it was a Manor in it's own grounds. It was really beautiful with flagged floors huge inglenooks and amazing kitchen. It was really homely if that is possible. Gorgeous bathrooms and beautiful gardens with ponds and even a vineyard. Such a happy time and the weather was great. I wanted it to rain to give us an excuse to stay in at the house.

It's so difficult as they've all (pretty much) been great for different reasons.
Overland from Cape Town to Victoria Falls ... totally out of my comfort zone ... think shared bathrooms, tents, dusty truck but the scenery was amazing.
Maldives... a cheapy 4 day trip with friends... (we were all in the Middle East at the time), gorgeous beach, snorkelling, relaxation, afternoon tea catching up
A detox break in Phuket... hard work at times especially but felt better for it.
Istanbul.... always....Istanbul.... my fave city after living there for 2 years. Catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, great food, fab shopping.... need to get back.... soon.

We got a last minute, many years ago, to Tobago. It was fantastic. The hotel was "only" 3* but the rooms and facilities were first class, as were the staff. Lovely, quiet beach, great food.
Then there was the island. Scenically and from a nature point of view, just stunning. We walked in rain forests, took a trip to Little Tobago for birdwatching, wandered around on our own and chatted to local people and went to Sunday School.
We also did a day trip to Trinidad with a boat trip to the mangrove swamps.
Probably the highlight for me was a catamaran trip and swimming in Nylon Pool. Mind you this was over 20 years ago, when the island was very strict on tourism and building development. I would love to go back, but am slightly concerned that things might have "progressed", if you know what I mean.

Majorca, surprisingly. Only went as I wanted a last minute holiday & only Majorca was left, so I booked for 1 week. I thought well weather will be ok but that's it. Half-board hotel right on beach front (it didn't even mention that in brochure!) Gorgeous beach, fantastic weather, quirky gift shops, family friendly so even restaurant meals with the DCs were no issue at all. I went back to Majorca the following year. I've been to Africa, Caribbean & early this year South America all of which I loved, but I still remember Majorca fondly & will go again when we're able to travel.

Best holiday pre-ds was driving around Europe for 3 weeks, stopping in random dodgy b&b‘s, and, sometimes, sleeping in the car because we didn’t pre-book anything and couldn’t always find anywhere to stay. We covered 9 countries and had an amazing time.

Ds is now 14 and likes a good road trip, so we drive to Europe most years, but tend to pre-book nowadays! Our best holidays together have been in the Netherlands and also a week doing all the landing beaches etc in Normandy. We’ve equally really enjoyed a wet October week in Wales in the caravan. I’m planning on driving over to see a friend in Spain at some point. I hate flying and hate package type holidays, and I’m not great in the hear, so UK/European holidays work well for me.

India with a city break then safari resort on the Kabini delta, then Mysore.

Sri Lanka with Kandy, Mount Lavinia and Udawalawe national park.

Touring Iceland.

We had a week in a motorhome in Scotland last May half term and although various Scottish friends scoffed at the route we chose (west from Kinross, then north to Rosemarkie via Glencoe and Loch Ness and back down via Aviemore) but it was so beautiful, and friendly. Inverness was a particular surprise. What a lovely city. It was very wet at times but it's not like that's a surprise in Scotland. Kind of glad we didn't book a repeat visit this year, though!

Loved Sri Lanka, so much to see, friendly people and fantastic food. DD's 10 and 14 always say the best holiday they've ever had was a last minute May Half term break at a Eurocamp in the Dordogne.

New Zealand. Beautiful country, we just loved it. We were blessed with the weather. It's the only holiday I've really mourned when I got home.

Australia, we went to Melbourne to see family and had a road trip along the Great Ocean road for a week I loved it. So relaxing and fun, beautiful weather. The other 2 weeks in Melbourne also nice but I didn't like the city a great deal, much better without kids probably! I'd go to Australia every year if I could.

Went to the black forest last year which was brilliant.

Before kids went to Korea and would love to go back there. Amazing food, culture, people and stuff to do an see. Prefered to Japan and would love to go again.

We did a cruise from Los Angeles to Florida through the Panama Canal. We stopped off in New York before flying to LA. It was amazing.

2 weeks in Japan last year. Toyko, Kyoto, Osaka. Fitted in Disney & Universal as well of lots more cultural days. Adored it. Would love to go back.

Corfu low season. Not the most popular post I am sure but such a beautiful island with amazingly friendly people.
They made us feel like family. Would go back again in a heartbeat. Also fabulous food because I love fresh salads, vegetables and feta.

I had wonderful foreign holidays as a child. We were very spoilt and used to take three weeks over the summer - which was pure bliss. However I have to say that the best holiday I’ve ever had was the first DH and I took with DC. DD1 was 2 and DD2 10 months. We went to St Ives, Cornwall for a week in early September and the weather was absolutely beautiful. It wasn’t too busy, we went to the beach and swam in the hotel pool every day and the whole thing was just honestly perfect.

Kenya.

I have been twice - it's breathtakingly beautiful, wonderful food. The people are the loveliest, most friendly and generous folk I have met anywhere.

Absolutely loved my trips, travelled throughout the country and enjoyed every second of it.

Venice, we have been several times but the most recent time we rented a top floor apartment a stones throw from St Marks, the weather was gorgeous so we spent the mornings sightseeing and the afternoons at the Lido and our evenings wandering around and eating in amazing restaurants.

We also love Crete, The Ile De Re, Tuscany (around Orvieto) Provence...God I can’t wait to be able to travel again!

Two trips, one to (West) Germany in 1990 after the Wall came down but before reunification. Also went to the GDR twice and it was so exciting.

And a very different trip in 2010, a week in Jersey. Peaceful, relaxing and lots to do for all the family.

We've also had a few nice trips to Scotland but they kind of fade into one and I can't really pick out one particular trip. But we've stayed at a lovely B&B on Loch Lomond and had some great trips around the Loch Lomond national park, the Trossachs and into Argyle.

We've been lucky enough to travel all over the world, but the number one holiday that we have never ever been able to top, was in Tulum in Mexico. More specifically the Be Tulum hotel. Around an hours drive from Cancun.

It's one long strip of sandy beach with hotels along one side and restaurants along the other. Every other restaurant is a little local taco bar where you can eat tacos and drink beer in the sunshine and wander along the beach. It was relatively undiscovered when we went, and every evening you walk barefoot from your hotel to whichever restaurant takes your fancy (they don't take bookings) and sit outside under the stars eating local fish (they also have no menus, it's just whatever they managed to procure that day.

The hotels are rustic, with tree house type rooms (but luxury!!!) and grounds that look like jungles, with beanbag chairs around tables for lunch and outdoor showers and baths.

It truly is the most magical and breathtaking place we have ever been. We have decided that once we can travel, we are going for a month and devouring every moment.