How much do you do on holiday

[gollygosshhh]

Bit of a row between dh and I on holiday today - in Balearics and have spent most of the week in the resort. It’s a good family friendly place, loads of activities for kids and a beach and water park nearby which we’ve visited. But when abroad I like to see a bit more of the area and suggested a boat trip to a different part of the island tomorrow. Dh basically shot the idea down saying it’s too hot and it’ll be a nightmare with the youngest (3) who to be fair is probably happiest playing in the pool and attending the hotel activities. Older ds (12) may benefit from seeing a bit but isn’t really fussed either. But I get bored and just feel like it’s a waste to come this far and basically stay in the hotel all week.

I don’t disagree with Dh per se but feel a bit deflated and I guess guilty for not making the most of our time away. I’m not talking exclusions everyday but if it were up to Dh we literally wouldn’t go anywhere. Is it worth pushing this or do we just stick to norm.

We tend to do a trip out each day and some relaxing at beach/pool unless it is a long day trip.

But we discuss this before we even book the holiday, not when we get there.

Same.

Been on a beach holiday for 10 days and did 1 excursion. It’s too hot in August in Southern Europe to drag young kids around. Enjoy your time by the pool or go alone.

There's nothing you "should" do on holiday.

I often have a little to town alone or whatever if no one else wants to come if I fancy a leg stretch.

I must say I do think it's pretty unreasonable to drag your family away to do something you already know they won't enjoy as much as they're already doing, because you think you should.

I dunno. The novelty for me is equal parts pool and thrashing a rented Seat Ibiza around the island.

We dont do beach holidays so like an itinery. But we are retired so enjoy it!

Depends what sort of holiday we go on really, some are more active, some sightseeing, some relaxing.
We often split up though, so I’ll take the older ones snorkelling for example while DH will do something more suited to the little one, or vice versa.

We normally do a bit of both and alternate beach days with sight seeing. I would get bored laying around a pool for the whole week. Boat trips are quite a nice thing to do when it’s hot as you get a breeze when out at sea. However if you’re not comfortable to go off without DH, I don’t think you should make him go if he doesn’t want to

I'm a doer. I always do some sort of activity every day, whether it's visiting a local attraction, going on a hike, theme park, all sorts really. I tend to do multi-stop/touring holidays, rather than staying in one place unless it's a long weekend.

I can't remember the last time I sat around a pool all day. It would be a waste of money in my opinion, especially in this heatwave as I can just go to the gym and lay on a lounger by the pool all day, it's only a short drive away and I have already paid for my gym membership.

But I am aware that some people would find my style of travel exhausting, and it's not for everyone, and that's ok. That being said, I always do plan on some down time with nothing much happening, but it wouldn't be for a whole day. I kind of like doing something in the morning and hanging by the beach (preferably) or pool later in the day.

Depends how hot it is. If it's very hot, as I imagine Balaerics wil be this time of year, then as little as possible. Don't have the energy to do much and I need the pool to cool down. A boat trip is always a must for me, so in your case I'd go on the trip on my own.
If it's a bit cooler then a couple of eccursions and a boat trip.
You shouldn't feel guilty about not going anywhere and just relaxing by the pool with family. Sometimes you need that time to just chill out and recharge.

I would struggle too. I like to be out and about exploring. To me it feels like you could be anywhere if you stay on the resort all the time. I like to see a country and experience as much of it as I can. Even when the kids were small we kind of did one day on resort and one day out and about. It feels like that is fair as that way everyone gets something out of the holiday.

I'm easily pleased. I can lounge round the pool or I can be out all day doing stuff.

The one thing I hate though is bloody excursions. Unless it's an activity where you actually do something, I find all the boat ride type ones unbearably boring.

What do YOU want to do? Surely you can go off and do something fun alone for a few hours/half a day?

Can't you take your older child if you both want to go on an excursion, and the others do what they want?

Go on the boat trip yourself? On a beach/pool type holiday we usually do one excursion per week.
This holiday was lakes and mountains so it’s one walk locally per day and one trip further afield per week.
But there’s no right/wrong answer, just need to agree what works and split up for the afternoon / day if need be.

I like visiting galleries, museums, palaces, landmarks and parks pretty much everyday. I have been on one very expensive all inclusive and it was amazing especially the food but I was bored by day 3. I hear you!

We like 2-stage holidays. So the first bit will be 3-5 days doing something busy (a city or an activity of some kind) followed by a week doing nothing at a beach / pool destination. That works for us!

But I'm a bit unusual probably as don't really like outdoor pools prefer a spa style affair and inside pool.

I would definitely go on my own for a few hours and enjoy it, child free, and offer your dh a break of similar length to sit by the pool. I have always gone off and done things, my dh loves to relax whilst away. For me it is relaxing seeing new things, and having adventures.

Why do you feel you should experience some culture? How often do you/your kids get to spend almost unlimited time by the pool with food on tap? That is a glorious experience in itself. Your 3yo won’t care, so does your dh and I’m certain your ds won’t be bothered too if half of you don’t want to go. If you really feel you need to tick that box, I’m sure the resort can arrange something or have a tour arranged?

Take the older ds. Bribe him with ice cream, treats, something nice for himself. This works on my teens. We’re currently in France and have had days at the beach, visited a city, markets, villages, shopping. Dh can have the younger one and they can do their own thing.

I have no interest at all in exploring. I go on holiday for lovely weather, a great pool and good food, preferably AI. Ideally I read a lot, suoervise the DC in the pool and don’t leave the hotel.

It depends on the holiday.
Earlier this year we went to a European City we'd not been to before and are unlikely to again, and spent the whole time visiting all the famous sites.

Last Autumn, we chose to go to an 'all inclusive in the sun' and loved the fact we didn't have to know what day it was let alone what time of day it was, and had no timetable to follow and didn't need to be anywhere to catch a boat or a bus. It was SO relaxing.

Quite often when we go away, dh will go off and do something whilst I relax by the pool, as he doesn't enjoy it as much - that is fine too. Although it seems you don't want to do a trip so much as having a feeling you 'ought to'.

In your circumstances, where it is really hot and no-one is particularly bothered about the boat trip it seems daft to make everyone go off site just because you have a vague feeling that you 'ought to'.

Sometimes 'making the most' of the holiday is relaxing (as far as relaxing is possible with a three year old!) I love city breaks and seeing new places and experiencing new things but I also value the restorative nature of swimming, reading and switching off from real life for a week. With a toddler in hot weather I would question what memories will be made by dragging them away from the pool in hot weather just because you're there. I wouldn't do it just because you feel you should, only if you actually want to.

Normally we like to explore and check out the area however, we have just come back from Europe and stayed on site the whole time. It was 40+ degrees and with a poorly little one, the eldest was happiest spending 6 hours a day in the pool!
If we dragged them round to churches and local sites we would of had to grumpy hot kids and it would have just ruined the day so we just followed their lead

We usually split the time up. If a fortnight, first few days decompression (I hate the beach/ pool but realise I need to do nothing), then a day wandering around a local town, then a trip somewhere, then a boat day, then another chill out day... etc. But it's usually made up as we go along. The first days of nothing I tend to look into what we can do. Last day is usually another boat day - it means you're doing something, but not, so you're not too tired for the trip home.