Here's a challenge

[emsiewill]

So, my dad is 60 next year and he's said that rather than a big party, he'd rather go away with his children and grandchildren. There's dad, step-mum, me, dh, dd1, dd2, my sister, her dd, my brother, SIL and their dd. Children are (or will be by then) 7, 4, 4 and 4. We've already discounted Florida/Disney (just too expensive) and Centreparcs (not as expensive, but apparently you spend as much while you're there as you have done on the holiday). We did Disneyland Paris this year, and I'm not that keen on France, so would prefer not to go there. We want to spend at the most £800 - £1000 (for 4 of us, so would be proportional for the rest). I'm quite keen on Lake Garda, but not sure what the weather's like at that time of the year (1st week in April). We need plenty to keep the children entertained, and good food and drink for the adults.
So, anyone got any ideas?

For entertaining the children, Thompson Superfamily Holidays are excellent. None in Italy but many other destinations, we paid just over £1000 for 2 weeks self catering in Lanzarote in June with plenty for the three year old to do and lots of extras for our nine month old baby e.g. mothercare cot, highchair, baby food pack, nappys and wipes, bottle warmer, steam steriliser. This is the third one we've been on and they make life alot easier.

Oh, just had another idea, what about a private villa or apartment, there's lots on the net, if you choose somewhere like spain, there are lots of bargin flights and car hire would be quite cheap. Good luck finding something.

Yep, definitely look into villas, if there are a lot of you going it can work out really well, and booking flights in advance can work out really cheap.
I went to a villa in spain this year and it was really easy with the baby.

hi emsiewill,have a look at www.spainalive.com
barcelona is a good place for both adults and children,the festival in seville is in april but probably starts the second week,elche also has the moors and christians festival,anywhere with a festival will have plenty to entertain children and adults,good luck

Just bringing this to the top again. Anyone else got any ideas?

emsiewill, we went to Costa del Sol mid-late April this year and the weather was mostly wonderful. (Also it was the Easter hols so we caught some of the Holy Week parades but I think that would appeal more to adults than children. When is Easter next year?) But very little was open eg theme parks, water parks - they seemed to be due to open late May. The beaches were lovely though and at Marbella we could hire double-decker pedalos with a slide (and the sand was so hot it burned your feet without sandals). Restaurants are mostly good and can be very cheap.

Like ks I think the weather at Garda could be quite dodgy that early (mountains/lake - chilly!) - I seem to remember from the Eurocamp brochure that campsite facilities there don't get going until mid-late May either.

What about the Canaries? They are more geared to out of season hols I think - Joley mentioned Lanzarote - maybe they would have more activities open? Or North Africa? (Dunno if they have much in the way of kids' activites there though.)

Oh dear - I just googled Lake Garda-April and this popped up:

Springtime on Lake Garda

sounds like an exceptionally bad Spring but as she says, she's not trying to put you off going in Spring - but if you get a villa, make sure it has heat just in case!