I need holiday advice!

[Evann637]

I had made this exact same post but forgot to clarify, I’m 16! I last went abroad 6 years ago. I’ve tried convincing my mum to just book a holiday abroad but she just won’t. Money isn’t a problem, she books 3 different holidays to caravan holidays and Butlins which all 3 added up would cost more than going abroad which I don’t understand. I’m fed up of going to the same place in the same old country repeatedly and just want to travel and see new things, how do I get her to change her mind and book for a place abroad?

100% agree. I'm sure all these people telling the OP to go on holiday at the age of 16, would love their kids going abroad alone at that age. Not.

My DD is nearly 16 and hasn't even done her GCSEs yet. No fucking way would I be waving her off on a holiday abroad on her own or with another 16yo FFS. What ridiculous advice.

For whatever reason(s), your Mum prefers more frequent and local breaks.

Start saving now, and in two years you'll have your whole life ahead of you to book and choose your own holiday destinations.

You may see cheap holidays online. However, you may need to add some or all of the below onto.
These costs can add up to alot of extra money

Cost of travel to & from the airport

Travel insurance

Some airlines charge each person extra to put your bag into the aeroplane hold

Some holidays do not include the cost of transfer to & from the airport

Cost of food & drink

Cost of entertainment

If you haven't been abroad for 6 years your child passport will have expired.

No you don't.

www.opodo.co.uk/blog/which-airlines-allow-unaccompanied-minors-to-fly-alone/

Then get a youth hostel or similar ? See if there's a friend who will go with you.

Your mum obviously likes her 3 holidays. She might prefer 3 cheaper ones than one holiday abroad.

Secondly, I stopped going on holiday with my parents after I was 16.

I went to 6th form & I went on activity holidays with a group of friends, we did; rock climbing, canoeing, wind surfing, walking, camping, youth hostels, fund raising. My parents would never do this type of holiday.

Why don't you look for some local groups to join, that also go on holiday together ?

Look at doing Duke of Edinburghs Award or something similar

Some young people also do volunteering in the UK or abroad

There are hostels in Europe too

In Scotland there are bothies that you can stay for free, but they are very basic

https://www.yha.org.uk/

https://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/

The cheapest way to travel is bicycle, motorbike, bus

Or share the cost if you are in a group for car or minibus

You could get a bus or train to London and then get the Eurostar to Paris. You can book that yourself and travel with a friend, or see if your mum fancies coming.

Do you have a friend you could go abroad with on their family holiday?

There are alternatives. Both to Love Holidays and Antalya.

I took all that into account it’s still cheaper I’ve sat for hours to figure it all out

You do.

Have either of you got any medical conditions? You gout need extra insurance for them and travel insurance can be quite expensive. Maybe this is what is putting her off.

I’m sure there are but it’s just going through the fuss I need to contact the airliners to see if I can go

Most people are missing the point that at 16 very few places of accommodation that you would be happy for a 16 year old girl to check into would allow her to until she is 18.

You have a lifetime to travel. Save up your money, wait a couple of years and then go wherever you want to go.

Also, it's much better for the environment to holiday in the UK than it is getting a short-haul flight to Europe.

Op...your best time in your life is coming up ..get a job, save and then with a friend inter rail. Enjoy travelling x

You can definitely go abroad under 18! Your Mum may have to sign some documents but you 100% can.

My dd has been abroad alone at 15 - for an exchange trip but she travelled alone.

Anyway, if you keep saving now you’ll be able to afford a lovely holiday when you’re 18, which isn’t far off in the great scheme

You sound like my DD (who is a lot younger than 16 and absolutely can't go abroad on her own)!

We go away in the U.K. about 10 times a year. Generally a week in Butlins plus a lot of weekends/weeks in a touring caravan, plus a week in an AirBnB with extended family.

My DD would rather we went two weeks AI in the sun. But I am paying, and I really really enjoy our family trips away. I also enjoy AI in the sun, but I would much rather go away several times in the U.K. than just once abroad. Sadly the finances don't stretch to both sets of holidays.

When my DD is an adult, she can choose her own holidays by herself, with friends or with her own family. While she is a child, she will come on my holidays and make the most of it!

I understand you are disappointed that you are not going abroad, but while your mum is paying, she gets to choose.

Perhaps having 3 breaks away from the house is what she needs - if you had one abroad holiday then she wouldn't have those breaks. When you are at home, there is always something that needs doing to the house / garden / ferrying children around so it doesn't always feel like a proper break.

By pestering your mum to change the plans, you are making yourself sound ungrateful for the holidays you do have.

Start saving, make plans for when you are 18, and try and enjoy the UK holidays.

I am going to add, that at 16 you have not had years of working.

Your Mum may find the 3xUK holidays more relaxing than going abroad. She will be balancing her time off work & the financial budget.

There are some beautiful places in the UK

You have a whole life time to travel & pay for your own holidays when you are older