Favourite holiday with young teenagers 12 and 13

[Brighteyes27]

Looking for suggestions for a family holiday in August for 12 and 13 year old (boy and girl).
What worked for you with kids of around these ages please?
Would like somewhere that feels safe and relaxing. Thanks

Centreparks would be perfect for these ages!

Neilson if you can afford it

What are their likes and dislikes? And yours? And uk or abroad? Hot or not? Long haul or short haul?

Dd lives cities and moving around, and 'doing stuff' much more than a beach holiday.

It's hard to recommend without knowing a little more.

For my DCs at that age the best holidays were on campsites in France and Spain. Plenty of freedom but within a safe environment. Mobile homes meant they could stay in proper bedrooms and plus our own outside space.

Dubai, New York

Not long haul probably Europe and can’t afford Neilson.
We all appreciate nice scenery and three of us like good food.
Not opposed to a city sightseeing break have enjoyed Rome and Barcelona with DC in past. But would also like some relaxation time in the two week period so maybe camping any sites/areas worked better than others not keen on a lot of driving in Europe as DH covers a lot of mileage in a car driving to and from work. So a two Centre holiday might work. I have fancied Croatia for awhile, we usually holiday in Algarve Self catering and eating out so maybe a hotel with some activities or facilities for older kids would work as a base where the kids could meet and mix and enjoy spending time with other young people.
Kids enjoy pool, spending time on beach scenery and spending time having fun with us and also with other kids of similar age.

Last summer DC were 13 and 11 and we stayed in a villa in Majorca. Was v good. Going again next summer

Pierre et Vacances have resorts with activities , bike hire, self catering , pools , restaurants mainly in France but some in Spain , Italy and so on. Same company own European Centerparcs and Adagio Aparthotels (often in cities so you could combine).

KnomeDePlume -which sites worked better and was there much driving? Fancy a site as a base to see some areas or towns and close to local shops to buy bread etc so not confined to a big site miles from anywhere. LIZS - have you tried any of these holidays and if so was their opportunities to easily meet other English speaking children. My DC get on up to a point but after that they fight like cat and dog. Last year in Algarve DD made lots of friends by the pool DS didn’t we all boys very young or 17/18 year olds but both had fun enjoying various low key advice activities by or near the pool such as water volley ball, archery, water aerobics, football and both even tried yoga.

My DC are a similar age to yours...

They loved going to a hotel with splashworld. It had all the flumes.

www.firstchoice.co.uk/holiday/product/SplashWorld-FSP

Last year we did Centre Parcs. They found it okay, but a bit boring because only the swimming pool is free. And all the extras are so bloody expensive. I paid for DDs to have a spa (eldest), cup cake decorating, do Segways and the adrenaline wire (so over £150 of extras) but that still left most of the days with not loads to do - they've outgrown the play parks, and they're not into riding bikes or playing tennis. They got a bit bored there tbh, and they said they're not keen on returning just yet.

Whereas they loved Butlins. Eldest DD (then 13) said she thought Butlins was made for teenagers. She spent the whole weekend going on the fairground rides, swimming pool etc. Boring as hell for us - but they really enjoyed it.

They have also outgrown Haven Et al, and most caravan parks. So they're going back to Butlins with my parents next year. Only one they still like.

We've done a couple, and most other families were European, mainly French, but if you can avoid their peak holiday weeks the mix will change. Ours tend to be more self reliant though and don't mind mixing up languages.

Duinrell in Holland. Right in the middle of an amusement park, has what was the biggest indoor water park in Europe probably been superseded now though a beautiful beach nearby , 5 minutes walk into the village for supermarkets/restaurants, close to loads of places to visit If you can drag the kids away from the site

Use the overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland then a 3/4 hour drive.

Absolutely fabulous place for kids.

You can book their own accommodation or you can book mobile homes through canvas etc.

I have heard a lot about Duinrell on here (but thought they might be too old for this) is it like a Centre Parcs with a theme park or something? DC go to different schools DS the elder is learning German at school and DD the younger one French but she hates it.
I wondered whether CentreParcs and places such as Duinrell might be quite Cliquey with maybe People traveling with multiple family Groups extended family?

And that's three quarters of an hour drive, not three to four hours.

There are a lot of kids around wanting to make friends. It's a perfect age as they can wander off and do the rides/go swimming on their own, whenever they want. Loads of the kids hang out on bikes/go karts which can be taken with you or hired.

Siam Water Park, Tenerife

For my two.

Favourite is villa / gite for two weeks with a pool have a day in and then Day out - done this in France and Sweden

Also done two centre holidays with Center Parcs in Belgium and the Netherlands followed by city breaks.

Also enjoyed a villa in Lanazrotte

Also enjoyed city break in Italy

They loved the states and Canada.

Worst holiday was Spain too hot.

About to go to the Caribbean for two weeks with a villa and pool.

It's a cross between Gullivers and Alton towers. Some scary rides but also some for small kids. There is entertainment but not that impressive tbh. The accommodation is all around the amusement park but feels very safe.
There are tennis courts, go ape type things and great cycle paths outside the site. Amsterdam isn't very far away. Loads of good day trips if you can manage to drag the kids away.

Thanks the kids would love that maybe try a week or long weekend. I hate them parks though so wouldn’t fancy it for my main holiday but I am sure the kids would love it.

Friends have had short breaks with teens at Europapark from where you could head into Germany, Switzerland or Austria or French Alps for an activity holiday.

I wouldn't do less than a week in Duinrell purely because it is a long way to go unless you perhaps combine it with somewhere else. I am one of those people who never like going back to the same place twice because there are so many amazing places in the world but we've been to Duinrell three times as it's ideal for kids of all ages and they absolutely loved it when they were young and as teenagers. The only down side is the weather is about the same as the UK.

I've been to a Centre Parcs in Germany and they are more like the British Centre Parcs would have been like in the 1950's (if they had existed then). Far more relaxed and low key than in the UK and cheaper You could perhaps use that as a base to explore?

Few days in a city then a week in a villa with pool and or sea. We particularly enjoyed Denmark, Costa Brava and Sweden for this type of holiday... everyone's interests were met.

I go to majorca and this year southern Spain.

Flight and fairly short transfers. Pool and beach and nice resorts to walk around.

Recommend santa ponsa and Torreblanca/benalmadena and fuengirola.
Great thing about Fuengirola is the train that goes along the coast so can explore. There's zoos, boat rides, parks, water parks and shopping centres as well as water sports and ds favourite - the inflatable in the sea!

French campsite with Disney Paris on the way back? Or a villa with a pool & days out?