First timer long haul advice!!

[sweetfig]

Hi, I'm looking for suggestions and advice for our holiday next year. It's my mum's 70th and she's offered to put £10,000 towards a holiday for herself, my 3 dd's (who will be 18, 15 and 12), my dh and myself.
As a family we've virtually exhausted Europe so we'd like to try something further from home. However, we have the following constraints:

1. We will be going in August so don't want to hit any rainy or wet seasons.
2. It needs to be family friendly and have activities for our dd's.
3. My dh is concerned about lots of potential areas being sites of political unrest and not suitable for families.
4. I'm not desperately keen on flying so definitely no where as far as Australia!

Lots of thanks in advance, we really don't know where to start!!

Florida? Week at theme parks and a week on the coast is nice. It is a longish flight but not as long as Australia. Plenty to keep everyone occupied. You can hire a lovely villa all together.

Florida is fantastic for all ages. You'll have a holiday of a lifetime!!

Thanks guys, would two weeks in Florida be too long? Would it be best to do a 2 centre USA trip?

Will 70 year old mum want to go to tge theme parks?
Op you can do a two centre in florida, a week Orlando and a week at the coast. Don't miss kennedy space center.
We've also done a new York and Mexico two centre that was great

Two centres in the US is easy. We have done a week in Florida then a week in Boston/Cape Cod. But a week in Orlando and a week somewhere like Siesta Key is very easy as long as you have someone prepared to drive.

It can be very hot, wet and humid in Orlando in August so I would not go there then.

Have you considered California, however that is around 11 hours flight time from the UK.

Antigua....went 5 yrs ago ( 8hrs from Gatwick-flew Virgin Atlantic and stayed all inclusive at Grand Pineapple) with 3 dcs 12,15,17 and dh....lovely island , fantastic beaches....water was so warm!!... went snorkelling , chartered yacht for the day for sons 13th birthday and swam with turtles, helicopter trip,
Very chilled holiday....and just outside hurricane season

You could do a week in NYC then fly down to Florida or the caribbean?? Or a caribbean cruise? Loads to keep kids happy and very relaxing.

Me and DH have been lucky enough to visit Florida well over a dozen times so far and I wouldn't recommend you it in August. That's the hurricane season and will rain every day and the storms-as fabulous as they are to watch- will stop a big chunk of you doing anything in the afternoon.

Maybe go in a travel agency and ask their advice where might be best?

Florida would be horrible in August and the Caribbean is hot and steamy too.

If you are a little bit adventurous, you can have a great time in South Africa and your £ goes a long way there. Also look at East Africa. My favourite is Peru and Ecuador is lovely. Florida is very hot as is New York or most places in the USA. You could look at Canada, an Alaskan cruise or New England, Cape Cod and Boston. Brazil is good at that time too. Lots to choose from!