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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Absolute must-do holidays for kids

69 replies

MrsDePoint · 25/06/2011 17:42

DC1 is 10 now and we figure we've got five more years of holidays with him while he still wants to be with us. We're trying to figure out what holidays will have the biggest impact or will create life-long memories. I'm thinking (in no particular order):

  • Paris / Eurodisney
  • Grand Canyon / Mount Rushmore
  • Disney World / Cape Canaveral
  • Disney Land / LA
  • Australia
  • New York / Washington DC
  • Rome
  • Edinburgh / the Highlands
  • Japan / Hong Kong

Are there any holidays you had as a kid that really stand out or any other ideas?

OP posts:
belgo · 25/06/2011 17:45

Wow that's some list.

My list would be very different, I don't consider Disney holiday parks to be particularly interesting to any of us.

Places I would love to take my children:
Egypt - the Nile, pyramids
African safari
Camping/adventure holidays in Switzerland.

Geordieminx · 25/06/2011 17:48

I don't think there are many adults that have been on all of those holidays so I would hardly class them as "must-do"

Most kids are just happy with a holiday whether it be Scarbrough or San Fransisco.

cat64 · 25/06/2011 17:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Playdohinthewashingmachine · 25/06/2011 17:57

Oooh, I've been to two of those.

My favourite holiday as a child was the one where we went with another family, and we children were allowed out round the village/beach by ourselves. We had a brill time. I couldn't tell you where it was though.

My parents dragged me sightseeing a fair bit. Bor-ing. I'd love to go to all those places now, of course, but they were wasted on me then.

Canal boat holiday was good, doing all the locks and stuff, but would have more fun if Dad had let me steer (was apparently incapable cos I'm a girl Angry),

ruddynorah · 25/06/2011 18:00

Depends what you've already done with him. Have you 'done' much of the UK? Europe? As a child my best holidays were camping in France with loads of other kids about. The holidays you suggest are the type that were more suited to being older and exploring alone. Wouldn't do Disney though anyway. That's on a par with Dubai to me.

Original poster
MrsDePoint · 25/06/2011 18:03

Belgo - those are great ideas, especially Egypt. Maybe in a few years though, not sure I'd feel safe there ATM.

Geordieminx - I wasn't thinking of all of them but what would be a real stand-out memory. That would have been a better title.

cat64 - that's definitely one for the list

OP posts:
belgo · 25/06/2011 18:03

I think holidays with children should aim to be more educational/ sporty/adventurous rather then going to three Disney Worlds.

Camping through France is a good suggestion.

belgo · 25/06/2011 18:06

oh ok so you don't plan on going to all of those places?

An American/Canadian roadtrip would be interesting: Toronto, Niagara Falls down to New York and Boston.

A camping/road trip through France and Spain and then the ship from Barcelona to Majorca is also a fantastic trip.

NettoSuperstar · 25/06/2011 18:07

Edinburgh/the Highlands?
Australia?
You are taking the piss right?

I went to one of those places with my parents, and not for a holiday either, and I have great memories. My best holiday memories as a youngster didn't even involve the rest of my family.

meditrina · 25/06/2011 18:07

The Broads and traditional beach holiday in Norfolk.

Canal holiday.

rookiemater · 25/06/2011 18:13

Holidays with my parents I remember being dragged round what felt at the time to be boring houses ( national trust properties) museums and gardens. My favourite memories are the pools at the motels we stayed at in the US and was desperately jealous of my friends who went on traditional beach holidays, tbh DH went to Butlins as a kid and it sounded like I would have enjoyed it much more than being carted around tourist attractions. Obviously its different these days due to everything being child friendly, but I don't think children or teenagers such as great store as we do round particular places and I'd focus more on what you think you would all enjoy as a family.

We want to do Disneyland and also back to the canadian rockies when DS is a bit older, not particularly because we think it will give DS lasting memories but because it is one of our favourite holiday destinations and who knows what the future will bring in terms of finance and health.

NettoSuperstar · 25/06/2011 18:14

I think memories come from people and atmosphere, not places necessarily.

I lived in Australia for two years, and when I think of the best times I had there, they don't involve being on the top of the Harbour Bridge, or Ayers Rock. I could have been anywhere in the world, the people made it.

DD was talking about the most fun things we've done the other day, she mentioned the day trip to Edinburgh Dungeon, and camping in our back garden. Not a word about the trip to Switzerland or the holiday in the Highlands.

5Foot5 · 25/06/2011 18:17

When DD was about 10 we had a holiday in Western Canada and hired a motor home for most of it. That was a lovely experience as we explored the Rockies and camped in some lovely sites where we could cook over an open fire and so on. And we got to see bears!

Hopefully she enjoys all the holidays we had but I think that one in particlular will be one of the most-remembered

Original poster
MrsDePoint · 25/06/2011 18:59

NettoSuperstar - taking the piss how?

Most of what we've done so far has been camping / roadtrips in western Canada for family reasons and it was great. We've camped a little in the UK and it was pretty shit really and also done the UK beach holiday. I'm trying to think of some big bang holidays to plan over the next few years so this is a long list which will be whittled down to maybe four or five trips. Camping in western Canada is a dead cert for many years to come so we probably won't camp anywhere else.

DH went to Disney World / Cape Canaveral as a kid and said he had the time of his life. We never went on holidays, just day trips to the seaside so I don't have much frame of reference.

OP posts:
Portofino · 25/06/2011 19:26

I would do ONE Disney. Second Belgo's idea of Egypt. He's going to turn all spotty teenager soon though, so I would build in places where he can go do sporty/activity things with kids of his own age. Maybe the Alps or France. Your average Eurocamp holiday on a bsuy site is likely to appeal.

A lot of your list seems to be things that are of interest to YOU. What does HE want to do? As a teenager I would have loved to have gone places where I could meet other teenagers and "hang out" in a safe environment, without my parents watching my every move.

Portofino · 25/06/2011 19:28

Oh yes - and the canal boat holiday is a great idea. We did one through the Camargue. Lots of beach resorts and no locks. One of my favourite holidays ever.

belgo · 25/06/2011 19:33

If you had to choose ONE Disney, I would go for Florida including Cape Canaveral as you've already said, and the Everglades and diving with dugongs etc.

I'm feeling jealous of your son, so many fantastic holidays....

Original poster
MrsDePoint · 25/06/2011 19:41

Portofino - how do you get that these are interesting places to me and not him? I've been to all the places on the list that are interesting to me, except Australia. I certainly would go to Disney or Grand Canyon / Mount Rushmore. No need to judge.

OP posts:
pointydog · 25/06/2011 19:41

Ask your 10 year old. I'm sure he's got ideas.

Becaroooo · 25/06/2011 19:48

Kids generally seem to want sun, beach and pools (at least mine do)

Perhaps ask your dc and see if they have any ideas?

My 2 would be horrified if I took them to Disney...its just a themepark after all.

threefeethighandrising · 25/06/2011 19:49

As a child / teen I didn't care where we went I just wanted other kids to hang out with.

pointydog · 25/06/2011 19:50

My kids would love to go to Disney USA, it's a theme park after all.

Portofino · 25/06/2011 19:57

Apart from the Disney's I would consider them "grown up" destinations.

Portofino · 25/06/2011 19:59

Other kids to hang out with is REALLY important. Not sight-seeing.

Bartimaeus · 25/06/2011 20:01

We always had very family holidays - just the 4 of us, no effort made to meet other people/families and I have to say I have some just fantastic memories of those holidays.

A couple of memories stand out :
Being allowed to stay late on the beach to watch the tide knock down our huge sand castle
Paddling in the sea in our wellies (it was rocky, no sand) and my mum not caring that the waves were sloshing over our boots
As a teenager, visiting the chateaux at the Loire Valley, and my dad having us in fits of laughter as he "translated" the French film on the TV...
Visiting pompeii (also as a teenager, wouldn't have appreciated it earlier)

My parents weren't interested in very grand holidays, just fun family ones. Lots of walking, visiting things, playing on the beach and playing card games in the evening.