What's the best holiday you've been on with kids?

[wonderstuff]

I've got a 6 and 9 year old, until a couple of years ago we camped in the UK, last couple of years we've done a villa with friends in France. Over Easter we're doing Florida, we thought that would be a once in a lifetime, but seems our holiday budget might increase, decisions, decisions. Love planning.

Florida, hands down. No where can compare.

What made it so good?

Different holdays have been enjoyable for different reasons. When the dcs were younger, we had a couple of lovely holiday son the Isle of Wight. There was a good mixture of beaches and activities. We've been to Centre Parcs in Holland twice also. They're great for exploring the country by day, and using the facilities during the evening. Now the kids are older, we've been to Europe staying in gite, Eurocamp , etc. We done exploring, beach, activities etc.

We're not villa and beach people.

We've had loads of great ones. At that age Disneyland was a massive hit, and so was Dol de Bretagne - a Keycamp/Eurocamp place in Brittany with incredible facilities: riding school. archery, zip wire, indoor and outdoor pools, climbing wall, tree houses, lake with pedalos, pony rides (separate from riding school) as well as good beaches and places to visit nearby. They also loved Rome (stayed in a villa with a pool outside the city) loved Venice (stayed on the Lido and took a boat into the city most days.) And Iceland - amazing trip - Blue Lagoon, Northern Lights, geyser and volcano visits, starlit swims in hot springs.

A Med Cruise

The weather, the parks, the variety, the food, the atmosphere, the kids faces, the organization, the way they do things, the thought that goes into every aspect and of course it all starts with the planning!

We did 3 weeks in Florida in summer. Absolutely amazing but we did miss the beach (eurocamp)!
We spent a fortune but made memories the kids (10,8,3 ) will remember forever! We will go again, but not for a few years as want it to remain special and part of the "amazingness" was the count down, excitement and planning!

TUI Holidays at the Bonaire and Coma Gran in Majorca. Loved the activities on offer in the hotels and the lovely Reps and Kids staff. Not our thing pre kids (always travelled independently, Madagascar, Borneo, Thailand, Oz etc) but if they're happy then so are we.

Haven't done Florida but suspect it would be amazing.

Favourite for me so far has been hiring a boat and doing the Caledonian Canal from Inverness to Fort William and back. Nessie hunting, exploring castles, Laggan Avenue, loads of fresh air and the absolute best way to see Scotland. I loved it and once DS2 is a bit older and steadier on his feet we'll do it again.

Safari in South Africa...nothing can compare! My two were 6 and 9 when we first went. Totally amazing experience.

We go on lots of holidays, only short haul, and the one my DC enjoyed most was Paris. They both said it was the best holiday they'd even been on.

The Celedonian canal,sounds fab.

Enjoyed lots of lovely holidays with DC's Centreparcs, camping in Devon with two other families, Cornwall, London, Blackpool, York, Chester, Whitby, Family hols in Majorca, private holiday lets in Portugal, cottage hols in Northumberland, city breaks in Rome, Barcelona, EuroDisney etc. We have enjoyed them all for different reasons. But to be fair when asking the DC's the holiday they both like best around those ages was when we stayed in a caravan at a holiday park 20 odd miles away whilst getting some work done on the house. It's often the simple things they like and remember at that age not the most expensive, ones with the nicest view, most facilities etc etc.

Hiring a 70s VW camper van and touring round Kielder/Northumberland. I couldn't tell you why but the boys were 5 and 8 and just loved it. It was proper back to basics and walks in the woods type stuff but unusually for me and DH we didn't argue once, the kids got on with each other and we're happy just to do simple things like cooking sausages on the bbq etc.

All these sound lovely. I think we're going to do camping this summer, probably easier and more fun than getting on a plane. I'd love to do safari but dh isn't so keen. I think our biggest issue with going abroad is what to do in the evening when the kids go to bed, how to get some grown up time.

We go away about 4 times a year with ds4 but our recent cruise in Royal Caribbean was by far the best, ds didn't want to laeve. Amazing kids facilities, loads for us all,to,do, amazing service and lovely ports - already thinking if the next one to book.
Prior to that I would've said the Atlantica Caldera Creta Paradise we all loved, and Center Parcs too. We're going on a lodge break soon and the Aegean Blue in Rhodes in May which I have really high hopes for.

Flotilla sailing in the med.

When my 2 were 9 and 6 we did a road trip. Went to Alton towers for 3 nights, then Leicester for 2 nights and as the space centre was shut went to cadburys world. Then down to Slough and Leogland. Had 4 nights in Slough and did 2 days in London on the train too. The kids still talk about that holiday at nearly 17 and 14.

We've done Florida and travelled a fair bit but the two best were LA and Scotland (Nc500) for different reasons, Scotland, stunning, everyone so friendly, challenging driving and back to basics hostels loved it so much.

LA was fun, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Disneyland, Universal, the studios and boat cruise to see Whales and Dolphins who live off the coast etc

Notagiraffe- what time of year did you go to Iceland, that is one I'm currently looking at booking?

Florida, definitely. We all love the theme parks, adults as much as the kids. We usually go during the October week because it is not too hot, low queues, and less expensive.

Also, we have been on cruises where the kids clubs have been brilliant , a particularly good one is P&O. Some haven't suited our kids, RCCI for example, although it more than makes up for this by having loads of fab family-orientated activities on board. It is a safe environment, you get to visit new ports every day (you don't have to get off even, just enjoy a quiet ship), your room is cleaned twice a day, you have food on offer 24/7 if you want, basically you get spoiled rotten .

Late to this and I love Florida. But hands down best holiday was Costa Rica. It's the most brilliant place. YOur kids are the prefect age to take advantage of the amazing outdoor activities: rafting, zip lining, volcano hiking, surfing etc. I've been on safaris and this wins hands down.

Love the idea of Costa Rica..

Currently looking for a guaranteed sunny week in August for adults and 4 kids which doesn't involve driving to the south of france or more than £2K a family all in (including food and lots of a reasonable amount of wine...)

We have done loads of holidays - Greece, Spain, France, Florida, Paris, Berlin, Devon, Center Parcs.

DD's favourite holiday? A £9.50 holiday at a caravan park in Clacton