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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

Post GCSE holiday, July 2017. Where to take a 16yo for a fab holiday?

34 replies

PikachuSayBoo · 14/08/2016 16:08

That's it really. Me and dd. I guess it will be a great opportunity for a cheaper term time holiday. Would like to make it a good one as I guess it may well be our last holiday? By the time she's done a-levels she may well want to holiday with friends.

Must be warm/hot, but have more than just a beach. So whether that's national parks, water park, animal stuff, castles, cathedrals, historical stuff to explore.

I had really wanted to go to Costa Rica but july is rainy season so not ideal.

I had thought about Tenerife after a nice holiday there a few years ago which was cut short and we never got to do stuff like see Mt Teide which I wanted to. But when I mentioned it to dd she rolled her eyes and said she's been to Tenerife.

She would quite like Venice or Tokyo but neither appeal to me and I think Tokyo is too far and expensive anyway.

We've been to barcelona and Paris. She's been to Naples, Pompeii.

So places I was vaguely considering.......Majorca, Greece, Spain, Portugal. Any recommendations for any specific towns would be great.

Or totally different I had thought Sweden/Finland....but no idea where to start. Have googled and couldn't really find much specific info. But the thought of forests, lakes, bears sounded nice. Just unsure if a 16yo would be bored to tears.

OP posts:
Lilaclily · 14/08/2016 16:10

What about Ibiza ? If you go away from the obvious places it's got some lovely beaches

Lilaclily · 14/08/2016 16:13

If it was me though id take her to New York for a long weekend

Also be careful thinking it'll be the last holiday , my brothers dcs are at uni now & get the hump if they're not invited !

Dogolphin · 14/08/2016 16:26

I think an exciting city break followed by a week relaxing on the beach perhaps with some sport thrown in.

ivykaty44 · 14/08/2016 16:31

I would do NYC for the weekend but make sure DD has her own spending money!

ihatethecold · 14/08/2016 16:39

New York will be very hot but amazing

Original poster
PikachuSayBoo · 14/08/2016 16:44

If we went to NY for five days could we then tie it in with a beach holiday and if so where?

I don't think Florida would be good as neither of us like theme parks.

OP posts:
Original poster
PikachuSayBoo · 14/08/2016 16:46

Actually that's not true we do like theme parks, just not big roller coasters.

So we went to DLP and I like the runaway mine train and the Peter pan ride, etc. But we would never go on stuff like space mountain or Indiana Jones.

OP posts:
maddiesparks · 14/08/2016 16:48

I've been to Florida and loved it, didn't do any theme parks. Started in Miami, stayed on South Beach for a few days. Did a boat trip out to a little island off Fort Lauderdale and saw some amazing pink flamingos. Then we hired a car and drove down the Key West stopping off at the Everglades park and one of the other Florida Keys. That was the best holiday ever and I would do it again in a heart beat. Can highly recommend.

GoneClubbing · 14/08/2016 16:48

California has everything you could wish for.

ivykaty44 · 14/08/2016 17:15

Could you fly to St Lucia or Barbados for a few days on the beach?

Original poster
PikachuSayBoo · 14/08/2016 18:22

Florida keys sounds nice. Maybe just do Florida rather than NY.

I don't think Barbados, etc would be a goer from NY. I would rather not have to take another flight to be honest as Id find it all a bit stressful.

Id be happy to go to NY and then drive or even catch a train somewhere else. But realistically if I had another flight to go Id be stressing about it.

goneclubbing. Whereabouts in California? LA?

OP posts:
ihatethecold · 14/08/2016 18:25

What do you both want from the holiday?
Shopping?
Beaches?
Culture?
Wildlife?

PenelopePitstops · 14/08/2016 18:25

Your ideas look fabulous but please please check she will have finished her exams before booking! As a teacher, parents do this more often than you realise. I'm sure you will be careful though!

Original poster
PikachuSayBoo · 14/08/2016 19:40

I think beaches, culture, shopping in that order.

Dd would like shopping, beaches, culture in that order.

Yes, I must scrutinise gcse exam dates. Any idea when the dates are published? Thanks for that reminder. I was thinking I would be safe by early July?

OP posts:
ihatethecold · 14/08/2016 19:42

I think they are all done by the last week of June.
Does she have a prom date yet. The exams will be done by that date.
My ds's this year were done by the 25th.

ihatethecold · 14/08/2016 19:43

Barcelona has all those options.

Original poster
PikachuSayBoo · 14/08/2016 20:07

I would love to go back to Barcelona but dd reckons she's going on a scjool trip in feb half term.

I need to talk to school about whether a trip in feb is too close to gcses?

OP posts:
Original poster
PikachuSayBoo · 14/08/2016 20:09

Staying in Europe would also mean I could save money for a big Costa Rica trio incase she does still want to come away with me when she's at uni and if she has the time to come.

If we go to Florida/NY that's the holiday budget blown for a few years.

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 14/08/2016 20:14

Dd and I had a fab post a level break in Rome. You could train to a beach as well as the city break.

ihatethecold · 14/08/2016 21:28

The beaches near Rome are not great.
Lots of hawkers pester the hell out of you and lots of it is owned by the hotels so you can't sit anywhere.

Original poster
PikachuSayBoo · 14/08/2016 21:43

Oh don't like the sound of the beaches at Rome.

Palma in Majorca sounds nice, just reading it's like a mini Barcelona.

Off to google about Ibiza now as well.

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 14/08/2016 21:48

I think you need to pick your beach. Some in the guide book sounded nice but we didn't have time when we were there.

Northernlurker · 14/08/2016 21:49

I think you need to pick your beach. Some in the guide book sounded nice but we didn't have time when we were there.

AtAmber · 14/08/2016 22:05

We went to Boston and New York last year after ds' GCSEs. In the second week we went on a cruise from Boston to Bermuda with NCL. They also do
the same cruise departing from New York on a different ship. It was the best holiday we've had. Ds3 who was 8 still talks about it every day. It took 2 days sailing to Bermuda, 3days there and 2 days back.

BlackDoglet · 14/08/2016 22:12

Ooh - I'm thinking about doing exactly the same.
Just need to get dates between end of GCSEs and Prom night!