Help needed! Where would you go for magical family holiday

[scratchviolet]

It's my and DH's 40th birthday this year, plus 10 year wedding anniversary. Today I found out I've rather unexpectedly got a £6000 bonus at work. We had been toying with a more extravagant holiday (we usually take the kids camping here or Europe) but couldn't really justify the expense. But now we can. But where to go? I really need some inspiration. Kids are 7 and 5. We are not lie on the beach types, don't want to stay in a resort, definitely don't want anything involving Disney. Where would you go with 2 weeks and £6000 to spend. Can go at any time of year. TIA

South Africa but I wonder if it would be over budget

My kids loved new York at that age and you could combine with somewhere else in USA

San Francisco /Vegas/grand canyon

Or Iceland. You can combine new York and Iceland easily
A cruise up the Norwegian fjords

What are your interests?

So are children home schooled?

Could you extend time frame?

Canadian Rockies and Banff then Toronto & Niagara Falls (but don't stay there go for day drive from Toronto)

Aussie and/or NZ but need more time really

You won't get a holiday to Australia for £6k for 4 people.

I would look at a company called Families Worldwide. We used them when our children were younger. You may have to find a bit extra for that special trip but you would have had to spend a bit on your normal holiday and I would add that in if you have to. Places like Sri Lanka, Safaris and South Africa should be in reach. We went to Peru with them when the children were a bit older than yours. Other families we met recommended Vietnam. Hope you find inspiration!

Thanks everyone. Kids aren't home schooled so we are tied to holidays to some extent but happy to take them out for a week or so either side of a half term or similar. We like walking, riding, exploring...

Been pre kids to New York a few times and Iceland and while I'd really happily go again we want it to be a new trip for us too. Australia is feasible as we've loads of family there but that makes it seem less of a holiday for some reason. Canada is a definite option - never been there. And someone at work suggested Vietnam too. Hadn't even considered safaris - had assumed they might be more than we've got. Will definitely take a look at that website - thanks

If you like walking riding and exploring

--- hire a motorhome and do Canada, explore Vancover, then Rockies and Banff then fly to Toronto and combine Niagara

Or you could travel by train from Vancover up to Banff thru Rockies

There is a special train service with huge Windows so you see the views of mountains

here are details of a company that do the Vancover to Banff and Calgary train

You can go right across Canada by train but not much go see in middle

We've just travelled round Cuba with DD 6 and 8. We stayed in Casa particulars (homes) and finished AI.

We self drove and it was amazing. Havana, Vinales, playa Larga, Trinidad, Varadero.
£7k via an agent, if you are prepared to do some booking yourself, you'd save quite a lot. Definitely a winner IMO

Oh I vote for the amazing Costa Rica. Specifically do this package: rafikisafari.com/wp/super-lekker/

Best holiday we have ever had and your kids are at the perfect age (mine liked it loads more than Disney….)

The cross Canada train is really expensive, particularly the Rocky Mountaineer.
Fly into Calgary, go to Banff, head across the Rockies to Vancouver (maybe via the BC wineries) then fly from Vancouver to Toronto, do Niagara etc

Singapore - very clean, lots of shopping, lots of historical and cultural things, the Jurong bird park, night safari, botanical gardens.
A swim in the highest pool in the world? Go hunting in the markets for durian fruit (you'll smell it before you find it).

I would also suggest Canada, but you really need 3wks to do Vancouver and the Rockies, with the distances involved, never mind adding on Niagara. But we found plenty of interest in Vancuver, Vanc island and Whistler, so if we go back, would do either those 3 OR the Rockies.

Look at flights with Air Transat, think they are more a charter company, but much cheaper then BA etc.

This summer is the Canada's 150th anniversary, so will be busier than normal, but you could maybe plan for next year, and allow your normal holiday allowance on top of the 6k.

India!

Fly to Bangkok and get the train all the way to Singapore and fly home from there?

California with a ranch stay, Yosemite, Highway 101

South Africa was my first thought. Beach/safari/culture. It was our 'holiday of a lifetime'. Have fun planning!

Victoria Falls. We took the kids last year at Easter for 5 nights and I wish we'd stayed longer. Apart from the Falls being amazing (the kids loved getting soaked in the spray), there were warthogs grazing at the side of the roads, we went on an elephant back safari, visited a place where a local guy was trying to get back to living in the traditional way (we were the only people visiting and got to meet all his family and join in with their day), went on a evening cruise up the Zambezi and did the zip wire across the gorge. Plus the kids loved the trillion dollar notes!

Yellowstone National Park.
You'll never see anything like it anywhere else.

Oh wow. Thanks. Ten years worth of potential holidays here! But that Costa Rica trip looks amazing. Just wondering whether the kids are still slightly too young for all the rafting etc but that looks like a real contender - if I can persuade DH to up the budget a bit!

Jamaica - may sound beachy but the first time we went we didn't sit down for a week! So much to do. Bob Marleys house, climb the waterfalls, go on the Martha Brae, go to the Blue Mountains and cycle down, rum factories, historic houses, theme park, etc etc.

Big Caribbean fan here, Barbados also incredible slightly less to do but if it doesn't make you like beaches no where will.

Or a cruise?

Some possibilities (have done all of these with my kids)
Vancouver - Vancouver Island then Whistler
Borneo - rain forest treks, national parks, orang utans. long houses and kayaking -start from Kuching or Kota Kinabalu. Combine with KL or HK or Singapore.
China and HK - Chengdu for the pandas, Shanghai, Beijing and wall, Xi'an. Easy to travel by train/plane.
Vietnam - Hanoi for water puppet theatre, museums, shopping in old town then Halong bay or go by overnight train to Sapa for trekking - not in summer months as too wet. Fly from Hanoi to Danang to go to Hoi An - beautiful Unesco heritage old town with lots of lovely restaurants. Visit me son ruins about 45 mins away and there is a beach at an bang.
Cambodia - amazing temples in Siem Reap - and easy to hire a car and driver to go to P Penh for museums, palace etc.

Some great ideas here.

I'd add:
Sri Lanka
Borneo
The US (so many options but maybe Grand Canyon or Yosemite as part of a road trip)

Word- we re looking at Jamaica. Which resort was it please?

@Ruby2202 for most of the attractions you are better in Ocho Rios as it's on the motorway and easier to get places we stayed at sandals pre kids. Have also been to Negril which is quieter and out on its own but you have the sunsets and can go see the cliff divers etc that was at the RIU. Would recommend both. It is a big island (well bigger than you think) so some things can be 2-3 hours away.