AIBU to ask where the hell can I take seven people on holiday without bankrupting myself?!

[Whysomany]

Not really an AiBU but posting for traffic after weeks of research and coming up blank.

Promised the kids a holiday, specifically abroad, as they've never been. August 2024. Made the mistake of promising before fully researching and quite frankly I feel a bit fucked now.

I think they'd all like to travel by plane having never done so before and probably unlikely to again but blimey, flights for seven people. I severely under estimated. Looking at driving instead. This we can do but DH doesn't want to drive too far because his car is old and crap, basically.

Originally looking at South of France, Italy, Spain, etc. They all seem out now because of flights and hire car costs. And I don't think I could persuade DH to take his car that far. I have since looked at pretty much every destination in Europe...

All I've got at this point is a week in the Netherlands but honestly at this point, that feels a little disappointing after dreaming of a hot destination and somewhere a bit further away to the UK.

Am I doing something wrong or basically I'm right and it's just not doable? We were looking at Eurocamp and the equivalents.

No set budget. Originally looking at 2.5 - 3k plus food, days out, etc. Might be able to go a bit higher.

Fly to Geneva (not really a holiday airport so can get £100 return flights in summer hols). Stay in a lovely ski chalet in Morzine like this for a week https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/45375552?source_impression_id=p3_1691509334_c8jbj1N6zkZ0CDS%2B. Summer is their off season because it is a ski place. But it's lovely in the summer: swimming, walking, cycling....And you can manage without a car once you have got to Morzine.

Or we just had a lovely holiday in south/west Germany. Not expensive. We drove but you can get cheap flights to eg Munich year round. Weather was perfect. More stable weather than alps.

The problem with driving through France is it is a bit of a trek for just a week and two weeks of accommodation is going to push you above budget I think, unless you do simple camping.

We have stayed in a villa in Crete, 8 people for around 1200 euros I think it was. It was in June though and the flights were not that cheap but I think if you book EasyJet as far in advance as you can you get better prices. I never do that though because I'm not organised enough!

oops sorry, realised that the lovely cheap place I linked to was not actually Morzine and might not have so many facilities for summer holidays. Morzine itself is a bit more expensive, but still feasible.

Have a look at EasyJet or Ryanair flights to Croatia and stay in a camp by the sea. If possible towards the end of August, it’s not as busy.

I'd add to those saying check Stansted flights, early or later ones are often not too pricey. Maybe Birmingham too. I have had Lucca recommended (although years ago so it may be much less of a bargain now) and was looking at Billund in Denmark, for Legoland and the lego-related things, which might suit several of the children. There are simple self catering places/ annexes a few miles from Legoland that look very nice and reasonable if you get in early.

Not sure why people are suggesting trains? So expensive! Sadly. We like to do some holidays by train, but it is rarely the cheap option.

Use skyscanner to look for cheap flights. Put in "Everywhere" and August. But you are really too early for August flights in most cases.

@Whysomany i think you may be able to do it.

What date are your schools back in Sept 2024?

France and Spain are much cheaper the last week of Aug/first week of Sept. I’m thinking camping here - eurocamp stylee.

You can often get quite cheap flights to Barcelona or Nice or somewhere like that if you’re quick off the mark when they release them.

Then train to the campsite. Car hire will ruin you, it’s been extortionate since covid.

For this year I just found:

Monday 28 Aug for 7 nights
3 bed mobile home in Spain - Castellated Montgri (sleeps 8, it will be a squeeze with one on the sofa bed in the lounge) - £920
Flights are coming up at £1595 stansted to Girona. Which I think is high because they are quite last minute.

If you book in advance and go later in Aug I think you’ll be fine.

I soooooo want you to find something!!!!!!

haven't read the full thread, but something like Portsmouth to Cherbourg then drive to La Rochelle?

Seville? Cheap in august because of the heat! Ryan Air & EasyJet both fly there, plus eating out is very reasonable

October half term, Centre Parcs in Holland worth a look 🤷🏻‍♀️

i haven’t read the whole thread though

If you go to Utrecht, the Clockwork Museum is my favourite museum ever.

Could you put it off until April the following year? If due to exams this April is out. My children are 13 and 17 and we went to Spain this Easter and while it wasn't cheap it was better than the summer prices and the weather was prefect.

I just did a quick search on on the beach, it’s a guesstimate as I don’t know the exact ages of the kids but this is for 4 adults (anyone over 15 is an adult) and 4 children first week of September including flights, hotel, transfers and luggage. Self catering x

Eastern Europe can be just as lovely as the popular bits of western europe and much much cheaper.

Go to vrbo.com and search on "Europe" for 7 people and an accommodation budget of up to £1000 and then tick options for things you want e.g. Beach location - there are various places in e.g. Albania, Montenegro, Croatia etc some of which are stunning, and no less sunny than Italy or Greece. Plenty of money for flights with the rest of the budget, and Cost of Living lower too so money for spends should be OK.

On Vrbo there are a lot of cottages/villas near the sea in Brittany for £1500 or there abouts in August 24 that sleep 7/8.
You can get the ferry Plymouth to Roscoff, day trips are cheaper as you can book a seat rather than a cabin. Then only an hour or two in France with your old car if that is what you end up taking! Alternatively get the train to France and hire a car somewhere, but not sure on costs. Weather in Brittany in August should be decent, albeit not completely reliable.
Might not be an AI luxury holiday but I love self catering cottages, lots of days pottering around little towns, down to the beach, lots to see in Brittany!

To add that’s from Gatwick

Corfu is cheap and cheerful and beachy with a short flight and you generally get good weather. Obv wildfires have been an issue this year :(

With anything Greek don't go earlier than June or you may get rained on.

Jet 2 Holidays have proved to be most reliable and cost effective.

I avoid Spain beachy stuff because Barca airport is hell on earth. Also the same is true for Rhodes.

I think the problem is flights haven’t all been released yet. Investigate where you can fly cheaply in aug if you book early and go from there. Using sky scanner and doing a search for everywhere might help.

Regarding eurocamp this group is good for asking questions about this type of holiday.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/eusclub/?ref=share
Normally cheaper if you book through another provider. If you go somewhere with pools and a beach or free activities you won’t need to spend a lot. I think Spain is much cheaper than France for food etc. Sun holidays also cover some of the campsites in mainland Europe.

Theres also a few house swapping sites like family home swap.

Finally - someone else that sees what I see. No need for AirBnB either - we used to stay in a beach front hotel with pool basis on a B&B basis with seaview balcony and their are plenty of SC apartments available too. Golem was the area we first dipped our toe into the Albanian Holiday concept.

@mast0650
*Trains can be extremely cheap, if you make use of all railcards, discounts etc etc and book in advance. Cheaper than the cost of driving, even in the UK. I used to have to travel regularly from Scotland to London for work. The train was the quickest, cheapest and easiest, especially if if booked in advance.
*Trains go from city centre to city centre with lots of stops at places along the way- so no expensive transfers, taxis etc, or long underground/bus journeys to and from the airport.
*They don't waste hours and hours of your time while you're waiting at the airport to check in, go through security etc.

*They are less likely than planes to be affected by bad weather.
*Luggage is far less of an issue.
*They offer a much wider and IMHO better experience of the places you are travelling to and through, and of the people who live there.
*They are greener, much greener, than flying. Seems daft to me to offer children a 'treat' holiday that will contribute to climate change and seriously muck up their future.

My clever holiday finding friemd took her family of 7 (included 3 adult dc) to Rome last October hols for £1k inc flights. That was two chalet / caravan type accommodation in a campsite and cheap easyjet flights.

I've copied same holiday for this October but prices up- I got 4 of us for £1k all in which I was delighted with.

I know you said abroad, but if all else fails, and you're an outdoorsy family, there's an apartment on a lake in the Lake District that sleeps 6 (and may possibly squeeze your little one in) with water sports literally on the doorstep, available 12-19th August for £995. It's a fab place and as good as abroad if the weather is nice.

Would you consider a house swap?
https://www.homeexchange.com/p/homeexchange-for-nea-teachers
Doing a house exchange might let you swap vehicles as well, and you could maybe go for two weeks instead of one?

Trains in the UK aren't cheap anymore even with a railcard. We had to book a trip from London to Scotland for a family party, and even seven weeks in advance it was £300 for two of us. We had to take the nightbus there and back in the end as it just wasn't justifiable and then a strike was called anyway.

I really like taking the Eurostar myself, but if money is the driving factor, it's not going to be the best option.