where to take teenagers for a w/end break we can all enjoy?

[triplets]

Had an awful year and dreading Christmas. Would like to get away between Christmas and New Year. Prob in UK has dh has cancer. Not CP, something abit different..................any ideas please?

Hi, we did Go Ape in Sherwood Forest in Aug, they didn`t really enjoy it andit was mega expensive! Also NF is lovely but it makes me sad as we used to go there every Oct half term wih my son Matthew who died:(

What sort of things do you all like to do?

London? Museums and art galleries, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square all free, Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, Ice skating at Somerset House, HMS Belfast, theatres etc

York, dungeons, vikings, buses, trains, shopping, castles, eating :)

A city break eg London, Edinburgh, Liverpool (some brill galleries and other stuff there since it became European City of Culture a few years back), or Bath.

Hoeseasons do some lovely city apartments, sure they have one in York. They also have log cabins, cottages etc done with hot tubs. Sounds like you all need a break

No idea why I mentioned York specifically!

Thanks everyone. What do we like doing? Well we all love animals, they are never happier if they can find a pet to play with! We love forests and have stayed in log cabins wiht hot tubs which is bliss for me and dh but now "boring" for them. My dh gets tired very quickly so 2/3 days in a city would be too much for him. We dream of one day going back to our dream destination, America. Our last proper holiday, the last time we flew was Aug 2007. We took off to California and toured for a month! We all had such a fab time....................then he became ill. So need something where the kids are occupied and we can relax.

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Would dh be able to cope with a cruise?

yes we have thought of that, would love to try one. He used to be an engineer on P&O so we get sent cruise offers but they are usually too expensive for 5 of us. The trio would be a good age now to send them off on their own on a ship!!

would it be worth contacting P&O to see if they could do you a special price, under the circs, as he used to work for them?

Sporty

Brighton?

Do they like horses?

www.northfieldfarm.co.uk/

Thank you all for your suggestions, we are not really into horses I`m afraid. My head is buzzing with a lot of stress atm, would just love to be somewhere warm and relaxing............a hard brief with the 15yr olds and not much cash!

We had a weekend in Bristol recently and it is amazing. The zoo is great, there is an amazing interactive museum called @Bristol which would be fun for everyone, an aquarium, the SS great britain, the theatre and lots of parks. cafes, shops. I have been on a lot of short breaks and I would recommend Bristol to any family. I hope you find somewhere.

It isn't warm though I have to admit that. I hope things improve for your DH.

Sorry about your dh being ill. I agree that Bath and Brighton are both great ideas; Brighton probably has more free stuff going on for teens than Bath.

(Don't want to hijack, but mind if I just ask Achillea if Northfield Farm is a personal recommendation? Looks great for horse lovers?)

Are you a Simon and Garfunkel fan..I adore that song :)

Yes! I so loved that song all my life! And all the others as well.

What about a cottage or house somewhere lovely which had a pool and a games room for the teenagers? I have seen them when I've been doing holiday searches - most companies let you specify if eg you want a pool. They aren't necessarily cheap but probably work out at a similar price as a city break for all of you by the time you factor in visits to various places. Take a slow cooker to make some easy one pot meals?

Would a cheap package deal for 5/6 days work?eg Tenerife?

I suggested the horses thing (not a personal recommendation, poorboy) because you mentioned that they like animals. How about talking to your family, writing a list of priorities and a budget and then we can see how to help?

I don't know about you but organising holidays takes me hours and hours, quite an exhausting process in itself, especially when you have to consider everyone's needs and it's all your fault if it's not right. If you get the others involved they can take some responsibility?

cece's sporty link looks ideal - a cheap version of centreparks, but it all depends on what you call cheap!