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.

Here! https://www.sangulisalou.com/en/

Your budget is very low. Do your DC have passports? This will cost you a lot too.
look into flying Friday before half term so they only miss one day of school. Flights are very expensive now and you need to get into gear to book soon for next year. The driving option seems challenging.

Turkey and Morocco are both good value for money. especially if you do easter holidays rather than August. its actually a more comfortable temperature, prices are lower and less tourists. I went to selimiye in Turkey in March few years ago and stayed in a boutique hotel called Swan Lake. very reasonably priced. can't remember if it was adults only but there are others in the area. if you stay away from the touristy areas you find much cheaper options (which often turn out to be better as well)

Family of 7 (kids are 16, 13, 13, 11 and 11). Last year we went to Duinrell in The Netherlands for a week in August plus flights from Stanstead for £2k. We used public transport from the airport to the campsite and then hired bikes for the week. We're looking at going again next year and 10 nights are showing at £1600 at the moment. Eurostar prices were also good value if booked far enough in advance.

This year we are going to Lake Garda with Eurocamp for a week on 16th August, flights from Stanstead and two days one night in Venice for just under £2k. We only booked the holiday about two weeks ago, but a month ago the flights were about £470 for all of us. We'll use public transport when we are there.

If your car is not reliable you’d be mad to drive abroad. Your best bet is to add another grand to your budget if you can and you could just about make it to Turkey or Cyprus which is cheaper than France, Spain, Portugal or Greece.

Start with the flights, that's what I did this summer as everything was so expensive. Went to skyscanner and put in our departure airport and starting point dates. Went through country by country. Took ages but I found return flights to Italy for 450 for 4 with Ryanair. Then looked for the rest from there. Car hire from the city centres is always cheaper than the airports in case you can find cheap flights somewhere not as attractive but could drive somewhere nicer. Look for a campsite with pool, beach etc. as you can self cater and the entertainment is provided. Many have early bird offers for next year. Or Airbnb near a beach.

Some package deals Ket 2 that might be of use

Brittany

Why don’t you have a family discussion about options. The elder two could contribute financially from work / holiday jobs, and the sixteen year old could earn some money from helping at home if they can’t get a paid holiday job. The eldest 3/2 could inter-rail down to the south of France, you, DH and the younger two could fly and meet them down there. You could hire a Pierre Vacances apartment or similar for one week towards the end of August. There will be a pool and probably some activities for the younger ones. VVF are also cheap.

Its 582 euros for 3 youths to have 4 days inter-railing in one month.

lastminute.com

https://www.lastminute.com/s/hdp/search?origin=LON&destination=A&datefrom=A&dateto=T,4,6&adults=5&ages=6,11&search_mode=DP&sort=recommended&source=csw&businessProfileId=HOLIDAYSLASTMINUTECOUK&bf_subsource=S04HPV10S10RR02&search_id=0jp78tjv148noiqign

What about interrail. Trains are free for kids under 12 and half price otherwise.
Fly one way and get the train back. Stay in hostel dorms. You can also cook and eat there too which brings down costs.

peyzac le moustier (mentioned by a pp up thread) if beautiful ! There by car?
or camping at lac de carcans or look at the Cantal region, half way down France, much shorter journey than down south

Is beautiful, not if!

Not sure of your exact requirements but there’s a couple of options here.

https://www.jet2holidays.com/search/results?airport=3_5&date=01-08-2024&duration=7&occupancy=r3c5_16&destination=39_22_9_84_1465_1773_38_37_31_916_32_8_16_7_1359_43_15_17_18_1_26_10_4_30&sortorder=1&page=1

How about a late all inclusive deal on TUI? Turkey, Bulgaria are great destinations as all will be fed in an all inclusive, hot summer, opportunities for trips. Have a look on TUI examples of late deals this August to give you an idea for 2024. I had a quick look and could find £500-600pp. Good luck x

France ? Eurotunnel, a day at Disneyland and a big house with a pool for the if the time or Portugal , big pool home , eating out is cheap , flights cheap if you book early

Putting 7 people split between 2 rooms any destination into jet2 brings up a few package deals for less that 3.5k.........

Don't discount the Netherlands! We've been a couple of times to Duinrell and last week we stayed in one of their premium duingalows. There were 8 of us all ages and it didn't cost much more than your budget (for accommodation and flights).

Look at the campsites own accomodation rather than via Eurocamp, it's often a lot cheaper to book direct. When you've found a Eurocamp site that you fancy, Google the name to see if they have their own website, and you should be able to book direct and get accomodation that's much cheaper. You don't need to go to southern France for good weather in the school summer holidays, we always go to Northern Brittany or southern Normandy, and it's usually lovely. Yes if you'd have booked this year in late July/early August, you were unlucky, but southern Europe has had the other extreme so you can't win. It's back to what I would say is "usual" weather for August now, mid 20s and sunny. If you drive and book the Eurotunnel, it's very affordable imo.

Not for £2-3k in August but your best bet is a campsite in France I reckon. Booking directly rather than via eurocamp etc. and you have the choice to fly and hire or drive.

we went to a great one one called Serignan Plage near Beziers (Yelloh village campsite) which is within easy taxi distance from Beziers airport (cheap flights available on ryanair) so you could just about avoid the car issue- you hire bikes on site and the local town is only about 2/3k away. And there are buses.

we just came back from Netherlands and it was fab but not cheap sadly.

Sorry if someone’s already said it, but if it’s the state of your car that’s stopping you doing ferry/drive to southern France/Europe, have you checked hire car costs?

Haven’t read the whole thread.
we have had lots of holidays for five for less than that.
look at flights to Geneva, they stay cheap in summer (business destination)
the area around Morzeine is lovely- lakes to swim in, mountains for hiking and biking, and it’s not high season so the chalets are usually v reasonable on Airbnb.

We’ve found last week of august tends to be considerably cheaper for accommodation. We searched for cheap flights to all the airports in south of France, found reasonable ones to Marseille. Then searched VRBO for cheap place with a pool.

We’re a bigger family and we do Airbnb or Villa hire and then do flights separately.

We tend to go to somewhere like Barcelona or Palms so that we don’t need a car - 7 seaters cost a fortune to hire and they never fit 7 people and the luggage. We book a normal taxi/transfer to get all the luggage to the accommodation and although expensive much cheaper than the hire car. Then being somewhere with good transport and loads to do means you don’t need it.

And agree it’s probably an idea to look now at what cheap flights there are next summer (only thing is I don’t think ryanair have released theirs yet) and go from there. Airports in France are usually way cheaper than Spain.

last year we got a great deal going to Portugal -£2ish k for 4 of us - but it was at whit not main summer hols. Weather was lovely.