What has been your BEST family holiday?

[sezamcgregor]

I'm always arranging budget holidays in the UK and have decided since taking him to France last year to try to venture abroad more often and have started making a list of places that I'd like to go. It's just us two and so I haven't got to consider a DH's or other family member's preferences and so thought I'd ask you guys what your BEST family holiday has been (so far).

If you could give a bit of detail such as things that you did that made is special and value for money with a price guide would be super!

Thanks in advance

it has to be Toronto, Canada

We stayed for 2 weeks,the weather was great and there was so much to see and do ;
Cn tower- with glass bottom lifts!
zoo- it's huge and the dcs loved the waterplay area,
Toronto islands- beach, gardens and amusement park,
Ontario place, blue jays baseball game,
Niagara falls dcs absolutely loved the maid of the mist, Niagara on the lake, vineyard.
distillery district, casa loma, royal ontario museum, harbour plus loads more. The people were very friendly, transport system great and it felt safe too.
cost = flights, hotel with breakfast, all food, days out etc approx. £ 3800

A close second would be med cruise
rome, pisa, south of france, Sardinia, and Majorca. the food ,entertainment and kids clubs were fab.
all in cost = approx. £ 3000

Fox - how many of you are there? Both sound lovely :)

I've got three joint favourite holidays

1. Cape Town, so much to do for the whole family and the most incredible scenery. Amazing food and value for money. I have never been anywhere as beautiful.
2. Disney cruise around the Med, great fun and luxury. Loved taking the DC to Rome, Pisa, Pompeii, Barcelona and then getting back on the ship and watching a good show and eating really yummy food.
3. Atlantis the Palm in Dubai, Dubai was way nicer than I expected and the hotel was the best I have ever stayed in. We all absolutely loved the water park. I really enjoyed how the evenings were big events but alcohol was very low key.

Our South Africa trip ; Cape Town/Garden Route/ Safari Fantastic experience but a real once in a lifetime trip.

Hurghada, Egypt. We've been to the same place twice - jungle Aqua park hotel. The first time we went we did all the sightseeing stuff as well, the second time we just used it to relax.

The hotel has got an on site waterpark that is fantastic. DD was in er element, made loads of friends and DH and I were able to relax, read books and catch up whilst she was going great guns.

We'd love to go back again, but we had such a great time last year that I'd worry it wouldn't be as good.

A few come to mind ..

Marsa Alam, Egypt - fantastic weather and great snorkelling with turtles and other sea life. Would go back in a heartbeat to Egypt were it not for the issues over there at the moment

Australia tour and Singapore - taking in world famous sights, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney Opera House etc.

Florida/Orlando - visited several times - Disney is what makes it extra special but lots of other attractions too. You do need to drive over there though really

hi 2 adults and 2 ch here.
also our Florida holiday was amazing too- £4000 ish, stayed in hotel off I drive with breakfast, free transfers to the parks everyday and (most important for dcs) - a lovely pool which they swam in every night by the light of the moon!

Our best holidays have been in Turkey, we just love it there and are going back this year.

We also loved Tuscany, although it wasn't as relaxing as our Turkey holidays as we were out and about driving most days seeing all the wonderful sites.

We loved Corsica; gorgeous scenery & amazing food.
Long haul; Mauritius
In the UK, the Scillies.
I also have a soft spot for the Isle of Wight.

Camping in the Swiss Alps just outside of Zermatt. Lots of walking, fresh air, cable cars up the mountains and walking down. Marmots, etc, nice food and sunshine.

Have had a similar holiday in Pralognon in the French Alps which was also good.

Disneyworld with DS when he was 6, staying onsite, doing the full movies under the stars, hotel pool, theme park, dinner at Cinderellas castle thing.

How old is your DS?

Two best holidays. Traveled with brother and mother, 6 weeks in sth america. Bolivia and Peru, did the Inca Trail.

Mont Blanc Hike. 2 week trip. Absolutely fantastic and I would love to take my boys' to do this before I get too old.

I used GAP adventures for both trips for ease. The Mont Blanc one, you could definitely arrange yourself though. But I liked having a bed and supper waiting for me without thinking about it at the end of a long days' hike.

Driving all the way round Iceland on the ring road, but including the west fjords ( often missed- more off the beaten track).

Amazing. Would go back in the blink of an eye, infact am planning a shorter break this summer involving a bus trip across the interior :)

But, it wasn't " luxury" . Stayed in youth hostels (sometimes one room, sometimes 2 rooms, some times en suite mostly not -all different, some modern , most quirky including a turf house where we had all the 8 bedded roof dorm - where the beds were mattresses on the floor the riff was so low;) ). Self catered mostly.

But wow, just wow every day!

Weather pretty good, one Rainy day on the east side, one day so nice eldest got a bit sunburnt! But this was a very good summer.

Less mind blowing - Austria near Salzburg in the summer - lovely and so good we had a half term week in oct with both sets of grandparents the following year. Like viva - walking/ cable cars and views views views!

Conclusion we love spectacular scenery/ geology. Not so bothered about hotels - hate " entertainment" on holiday!

With DS - Disney, Florida staying on site for his 7th birthday.
As a couple - island hopping in the Caribbean - Antigua, Nevis & St Kitts.

Not quite as exciting as everyone else's: Duinrell, Holland. We went last year & liked it so much we're going again this year. I think it's the first time we've decided to return to the same place.

South Africa definitely and we are lucky to have been a number of times

Austria one summer for us. Dd absolutely loved it. Boating and swimming in the lake. Walking in the mountains. Great food

We took her to Florida the year before which she also enjoyed. But if anyone ever asks her what her best holiday was the answer is Austria.