Holiday suggestions please -baby & toddler!

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

We have a DS currently aged 2.3 & a DD aged 3 months.
Not looking to go away just yet but hopefully later this year - either late June or September (will avoid school holidays).

We're on quite a tight budget, would like a week away but don't might where - UK or abroad.

It will be our first holiday as a family of 4 and with a baby & toddler we need it to be (obviously) child-friendly and made as easy as possible!!

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Sorry to be negative but I didn't find it remotely relaxing to go away with children of this age. Same stuff just somewhere else.

If you can go away before the 6 month mark your DC2 will still be on milk so you won't be trying to make purees in a holiday cottage. if you go somewhere hot they will be too young to wear sunscreen so I stressed about that [in the Canaries in a heat wave in October with a 4 month old. Not a good plan in hindsight though I hired a buggy out there and just travelled with a sling which was handy]

I'd recommend Sept/even October so they are onto chopped up adult food but hopefully not mobile enough to head straight for the pool edge at every opportunity :)

We saved our cash and had a staycation this year, much more relaxing as I had a freezer full of food for the kids. We all went out for nice lunches and day trips and got our babysitter in so we could go out in the evenings.

However, if you have willing grandparents it can be a really good time to holiday with family so there are a few extra pairs of hands.

Thanks for your reply, I hear what you're saying!!
When DS was about 6 months we went to Center Parcs and soon realised it wasn't going to be relaxing and as you say, was just like it was at home just in a different setting!
We went again about 3 months later but took my parents which made a big difference (positive one!).
Then when DS was 18 months old we went to Menorca - I thought it was going to be a nightmare but actually it was brilliant & I loved it!

Maybe I need to wait until DD is about 18 months old too then so skip a holiday this year but save up for a good one next year...??
Or rope the parents into Center Parcs again!!

We did a holiday with friends last year with similar aged dc - is that an option? It meant a bit of adult company and the toddler boys played together. But as we were all in the same boat nobody felt awkward sloping off to bed at 8! It was in the UK.

I have to say I completely disagree with Tread.

We've had our most wonderful holidays since having the children. Nothing flash, just a little cottage (usually within 40 min drive from home!!). Yes, there's the usual toddler/baby stuff to deal with, but it's just nice to all be together, relaxing, away from the laundry basket, the paperwork, the gardening etc etc. And my kids absolutely love exploring a new house.

When my eldest was 2yr and 3mth, and the youngest was 3mths old we had a lovely week in Cley on the North Norfolk coast. We stayed here -

Well Cottage

We didn't do much at all. But it was really lovely. DH took DD (eldest) on his bike down to the pebble beach most mornings, through the pretty little back lanes, past the windmill and the bird reserve. They'd pop in to the Deli on the way back for something nice for lunch. By which point me and DS were up, bf a few times, napped, washed and dressed. In the afternoon we all played (well, not DS obviously!) jigsaws, hideandseek in the garden, baking. And we'd bought DD one of those little toddler trampolines which was a big hit. It was really, really wonderful.

I LOVE holidays with my little ones!!!

babyboltholes and Mumsnet review pages are stashed with families who have had fabulous relaxing memorable holidays with tinies, do not be put off, its so magic to explore new places with your little ones in tow and doesnt have to be hard at all..