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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask families with older teens where you're going on holidays

84 replies

ACandleOnAGinBottle · 10/04/2022 18:08

in August? DC will be 15 and 18. After 2 years of no holidays, I don't even know where to start looking. Would love some inspiration from others.

OP posts:
MegBusset · 10/04/2022 21:54

This year, week in the Lake District with lots of walking, eating and access to a swanky swimming pool.

Next year, looking at an Iceland road trip.

We don't do heat Grin

MissAmbrosia · 10/04/2022 21:58

Mine (18) doesn't want to come this year. Last successful trip was interrailing round eastern-ish Europe.

ENoeuf · 10/04/2022 21:58

Lake Garda. They can stay on site in the apartment, we can all walk to the village or the lake, and there’s a theme park near by.

JaceLancs · 10/04/2022 22:22

Anywhere spacious with pool would have worked for mine at that age
We generally did villa or large apartments Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal or canaries

whatnumber · 10/04/2022 22:35

@Frenchfancy were your flights to Crete expensive? I have been looking today but they seem to be £800 per person

hopperrock · 10/04/2022 22:37

I think spacious is key - we have had so many holidays sharing a tent, or in a hotel family room, or with four of us in a 1 bed apartment plus a sofa bed in the living area. This year as both DC have exams, one is hopefully off to uni and we haven't had a holiday since 2019, we have pushed the boat out and rented a four bedroom gite so that we all have our own space.

Whyisitsodifficult · 10/04/2022 22:39

@Panicmode1

We usually do a villa in the south of France with a pool. This year we are going to northern Spain to a villa with a pool! It's close to various activities (canyoning, potholing, paddle boarding, sailing, cycling and riding) so hopefully there will be a good mixture of culture, activity and chilling by the pool.

(We looked at Turkey, Italy, Mexico, Namibia,Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Thailand...but there are 6 of us, with our youngest only 11 and poss not vacced ×2 due to just having had Covid, we wanted to keep it fairly easy!).

Can you travel to France unvaccinated? I have three DC and none of them are vaccinated.
Whyisitsodifficult · 10/04/2022 22:40

Sorry I meant Spain!

Muchtoomuchtodo · 10/04/2022 22:40

Some of these sound amazing.

My problem isn’t keeping the teens happy, but having enough space to not have to share a bedroom with ‘D’H (his snoring is breaking our marriage apart) and still keeping to our budget. Extra bedrooms = extra £s

MsTSwift · 10/04/2022 22:42

Unvaccinated over 12s need to do authorised tests to get into France. Why on earth are they not vaccinated? Teens here all had their second jab now.

PinkiOcelot · 10/04/2022 22:44

I’m going to Corfu in July with just DD2. We’re having a chilled girly holiday. She’s nearly 18. In September I’m going to Croatia with DD1. She’ll be 21 then.

Pbjontoast · 10/04/2022 22:53

@MegBusset

This year, week in the Lake District with lots of walking, eating and access to a swanky swimming pool.

Next year, looking at an Iceland road trip.

We don't do heat Grin

Same here! A DS who has a major dislike to excess heat and both DCs would be bored stiff by a pool.

We did a road trip (hired a motor home) around Iceland a few years ago. Definitely one of the best holidays we've done. Hope you enjoy it Smile

Ljmumun · 10/04/2022 22:57

2 weeks in the Balearic's.. same place we've been every year since the 19yr old was baby. House shared pool in the private complex. Missed it the last 2 years. 19 yr old was ask if he still.wanted to come .. he said I was mad to even ask no chance.he wasn't and could we have paella for.Sunday lunch in th Harbour. 15 DD also happy even to share a room. With her brother!

budgiegirl · 10/04/2022 23:03

We're taking our DD17 (and her friend) to Barcelona for three nights and then down to Cambrils, where we can chill and the girls can go to a theme parks.

Then at October half term, we are taking all three of our kids (21, 20 and 17) to New York for 5 nights, because we have flight vouchers we need to use up! I expect this will be the last family holiday we will have, as the elder ones don't generally want to come away with us any more.

justjuggling · 10/04/2022 23:17

Lake Garda. Bit of sightseeing, some sunbathing and swimming, lovely restaurants and a day in Milan on the way home. 🙂

Original poster
ACandleOnAGinBottle · 11/04/2022 07:44

@Panicmode1

We usually do a villa in the south of France with a pool. This year we are going to northern Spain to a villa with a pool! It's close to various activities (canyoning, potholing, paddle boarding, sailing, cycling and riding) so hopefully there will be a good mixture of culture, activity and chilling by the pool.

(We looked at Turkey, Italy, Mexico, Namibia,Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Thailand...but there are 6 of us, with our youngest only 11 and poss not vacced ×2 due to just having had Covid, we wanted to keep it fairly easy!).

Ouch!! 6!! I am finding prices eye wateringly expensive with just the 4 of us. Where in northern Spain? I have been told the weather can be a bit like Wales. Whilst I am not too keen on the heat, I also don't want a rainy holiday!
OP posts:
NoDramas · 11/04/2022 09:15

Not the answer you are looking for but anywhere WITHOUT them.

They have never really appreciated any holidays we have taken them on during the teen years and all they are really interested in is what is going on on their phones (very sad I know but there you have it).

AuntieUrsula · 11/04/2022 09:28

Yorkshire Dales. Mine will be 18 and 16 but still willing to come hiking with us! They're also doing a festival with their mates.

Fireintheloft · 11/04/2022 10:10

Egypt in October as prices for a European summer holidays were just so expensive. It's new for us, but sun, watersports and maybe a splash of culture should keep teens happy.

ENoeuf · 11/04/2022 10:13

They have never really appreciated any holidays we have taken them on during the teen years and all they are really interested in is what is going on on their phones (very sad I know but there you have it).

Oh I remember this in Barcelona. Refused to come see Sagrada Familia because they didn’t want to leave the hotel WiFi. Grudgingly came to the beach.

Hersetta427 · 11/04/2022 10:19

Turkey.

Better weather than Mexico and no risk of a hurricane !

BiggerBoat1 · 11/04/2022 10:23

Villa with a pool. All mine want is sun, WIFI and swimming.

OfstedOffred · 11/04/2022 10:24

Blimey people are amazingly accommodating of their teens wishes.

When I was late teens the standard for my family (and those of friends) was that our parents chose what they wanted, because they were paying, and if you were too ungrateful to appreciate it you were welcome to stay home!

Most 16+ I knew wanted to go away with their friends, even if that meant a basic caravan in Newquay etc.

As an 18 year old we all had weekend or evening jobs (this was 2003) and paid for our own holidays to things like the Greek or Spanish islands.

Lovinglife45 · 11/04/2022 10:34

Your holidays sound great!

No holidays for us this year.

Out of interest, did you find cheaper deals by booking hotel and flight separately or did you book package deals?

purplepaintedpineapple · 11/04/2022 10:35

We have done Cuba, Mexico and Cyprus and just made sure the hotels are near a good water sports place and that there's plenty of activities like volleyball and water polo in the hotel, and a couple of external trips. Xcaret in Mexico is very good for a day out.