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Original poster

What holidays did you go on as a child?

233 replies

Holidaydream · 17/03/2022 15:55

Just curious really. We never went to France or Spain etc or further afield when I was little, we would go and stay with relatives in fun cities or lovely parts of the countryside which I adored, and have wonderful memories. But at the same time I remember poring over travel brochures wishing we could go abroad as well!

Where did your family go on holidays when you were young? Did it instil a sense of adventure? Do you take your own kids back to some of your favourite places now?

OP posts:
Mellowyellow222 · 17/03/2022 17:31

We regularly did eurocamping in France which was great fun.

Some Spanish holidays and twice to America.

My parents weren’t wealthy and looking back they must have saved hard to afford it

LemonsLimes · 17/03/2022 17:32

N Wales, mid Wales, South Wales, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Norfolk, Cotswolds, Warwickshire. Spain x 1, France x 1

whichiswitch · 17/03/2022 17:32

Every other year we had a week in Somerset staying with an aunt and a week in Cornwall stating with an uncle. We I was a teenager we went on holidays abroad twice to Spain, once to Portugal and once to Italy.

Strawberry0909 · 17/03/2022 17:35

Couple caravan holidays to cornwall/Dawlish, Florida when I was 7 and not abroad again until 14 then we were lucky have a nice villa holiday in Europe each year,

ghostyslovesheets · 17/03/2022 17:35

really cheap crazy ones!

well aged 2 we went on a package holiday to Spain (1972) but then my parents split and we where skint so:

Lots of camping
Lots of visiting friends - including my godmother who moved to the countryside - lots of walking, riding and shooting!
Friends my mum made who lived abroad - we went to France (2 places) then Holland (friends family) then Germany (uncle in the Raf + my dad) - all via bus and train (the Magic Bus went to Paris for £10) and hitching!
B=B's all over the place with walking and buses in between and family all over the UK
and Butlins once because I begged - it was shit but I loved it!

OldTinHat · 17/03/2022 17:35

Weymouth or Weston super Mare in a guest house. Happy days!

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 17/03/2022 17:38

We went abroad a lot when I was growing up - we had family in Australia so went there every couple of years, but on top of that we went to Canada, Italy, France, Austria, Switzerland and Norway - normally we had 5-6 holidays a year.

I was incredibly lucky. As an adult I've been abroad once in six years Grin

eachtigertires · 17/03/2022 17:39

Tent camping somewhere freezing cold and raining.

RaininSummer · 17/03/2022 17:40

2 weeks camping every August. Usually Cornwall but some years Scotland or north Wales. Lovely memories apart from the soooo long journey to get there. We used to leave around 11 pm arriving for breakfast time after Dad, as driver, stopped for a nap around 4am.

Mommabear20 · 17/03/2022 17:42

Camping in England, Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney World, Egypt, Cyprus, France, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Canada & New York

Chely · 17/03/2022 17:43

Scotland water-skiing with grandads boat, tents or static caravans with other family and friends. A few holidays abroad (spain/greece/france), often with extended family. Abroad we did a mix of driving/ferry and plane, usually one holiday a year.
We've never taken our kids abroad. Been on a few caravan holidays with older ones but youngest 3 have not had a holiday (6 & 7mth). Not easy to plan things due to dh's job so we tend to do day trips instead. Once he retires and gets a more flexible job I will plan a family holiday.

Mommabear20 · 17/03/2022 17:44

DH and I aren't as well off as my parents so we won't be able to do the more expensive holidays but I want to give them the same sense of adventure and chance to learn about the world that I had

feellikeanalien · 17/03/2022 17:48

Usually somewhere on the Clyde coast. Mum and Dad used to rent a house or an apartment and sometimes one or more of the grandparents would come for part of it.

Sometimes we went to Skye or the west highlands. Always had great fun. I remember lots of sitting on the beach and even managed to get sunstroke in Ayr!! I also remember coming out the water and shivering with cold. We also played lots of tennis on the public courts, some of which had very dodgy surfaces.

I took DD for a Clyde coast holiday last summer. We had a lovely time but some of the towns were so run down compared to when we were kids.

Campervangirl · 17/03/2022 17:49

Holiday camps, staying in chalets, clubhouse on site with entertainment supplied by the Red Coats or Blue Coats depending on which company you booked with.
Fab holidays but this was in the 70s, no one went to Spain or flew anywhere.
We didn't have a holiday every year as my dps couldn't afford it.
The other years we were shipped off to the dgps who luckily lived in the countryside, just us kids though, dps would borrow a car and drop us off then collect us at the end of the 6 week holidays.

MistletoeMeadow · 17/03/2022 17:51

Interesting thread. I had a privileged upbringing in many ways. We went on expensive holidays to the Caribbean, Thailand, Hawaii, California, Alaska and several cruises. Did I appreciate it? No. Do I want my DC to have the same opportunities? Not really. It’s about the family you’re with and shared experiences. I don’t think it matters how far flung and exotic the location is.

Interestingly I don’t really value travel as an adult and am happiest going on holiday to Cornwall.

Girlmumdogmumboymum · 17/03/2022 17:55

Caravan at Scratby, last 3 days of the season, October if I remember correctly.
My mum would always buy shorts and tops in the sale in September or so, and we would have to wear them. It was always freezing cold

It always made me want warm holidays

DelilahBucket · 17/03/2022 17:56

A couple of b&b stays in Scarborough with my mum and Grandma, camping in France with my dad, stepmum and brother a couple of times, a couple of UK camping trips with my aunty. From the age of 11+ I just had one holiday with my dad in Greece when I was 13. My dad went on holiday abroad every year but I didn't get to go. Once my younger brother was born when I was 9, I was pushed out of that family. My mum didn't work due to her mental health and as result, money was too tight for holidays. My mum only got her first passport 12 years ago and she's 70. We did lots of days out though, usually involving a long walk and picnic from cool boxes.
I can't say I have any fond memories from any holidays to pass on to my son.

Badbadbunny · 17/03/2022 17:57

We only had 2 holidays whilst I was a child, once to Bournemouth and once to a camp site at Dawlish (Devon). Other than that it was just random days out to places like Blackpool or Llandudno.

I didn't go abroad until I met my (now) OH, at the age of 25, but we made up for it as we'd go abroad three times per year for the next 20 years to places all over the World (Egpyt, Canada, USA, Israel, Turkey, Kenya, Gambia, China, etc). I was definitely making up for lost time.

My parents simply didn't have the money for holidays and when I was about 10 or 11, they bought a corner shop which was open 364 days per year (only Xmas day off), so we could never holiday as a family as we couldn't just close the shop for a week.

speakout · 17/03/2022 17:57

MistletoeMeadow
It’s about the family you’re with and shared experiences.
Yes you sound very priviledged.

You have no place lecturing to people who grew up in a situation where food was scarce, a trip into town- on a bus- a big annual event.

You have not a clue.

Neurodiversitydoctor · 17/03/2022 17:59

As a child Wales a lot as DM is Welsh DU had a holiday home in the Mumbles. France Normandy and later the Perigord.

My DCs have been to Wales and to France loads, but also Morroco (yes in a Camper Van), Spain, Canada, New York, Greek Islands, Italy and Croatia. DS has also been to Germany with the school.

FilthyforFirth · 17/03/2022 18:01

I was very lucky as a child, first went to DLP when I was 8 and then WDW in Florida from 9 every 2/3 years. We didnt tend to go to far afield during the 'fallow' years. I have family in Scotland so we went there. I only have 1 memory of a beach type holiday. Tenerife once my fathers affair was exposed and my parents were getting divorced. Inexplicably they both still took us as a family on that holiday. It was aa awful as you are imagining!

FilthyforFirth · 17/03/2022 18:05

Oh and yes I am trying to do the same with my kids. Pandemic has messed things up for my eldest but they are getting their first long haul holiday this summer. We are aiming for WDW every 3 years but doong exploring/city break type holidays in the 'off' years.

Funkyslippers · 17/03/2022 18:05

UK caravan holidays as a family, and after my parents split, Butlins with my dad. He also took me on my first holiday abroad to Majorca, aged 14. I loved every minute except having to share a room with him and his snoring! That was my only holiday abroad as a kid. My kids are pretty well travelled, we've gone abroad most years since DD1 was born (she's now 18) but had some great holidays on the UK over the past 3 years too

Cognoscenti · 17/03/2022 18:08

Usually hiking or something my parents enjoyed, I really didn't like it. There are numerous photos of me as a toddler looking miserable as I'm hiking up yet another hill. 😂

AHungryCaterpillar · 17/03/2022 18:09

Never went on holiday my mum was a single parent to 6. First holiday abroad I was 17