The perfect holiday with children - what is it?

[annahove]

I am trying to define the perfect holiday with children (3 years and 1 year) to my husband by creating a list of 'holiday ingredients' which we can then compare our differing holiday ideas against. We have not been away with them both yet, so this year it is important to get it right. Any thoughts for my 'ingredients list' would be most welcome.

Holidays work with mates when you do your own thing in the day, have a rota (jointly agreed) over who cooks when, so that everyone gets a break, and you all get together over the evening meal/wine to chew the fat.

Spend all day , everyday with people and you can end up falling out.

fennel - twas suzywong that mentioned it first - all right for her though, all smug and basking in Perth sunshine, harrumpf.
Jealous? Me? Nope, no way, not at all...

Just waiting for her to pipe-up 'So where the bloody hell are you'

(courtesy of Aussie Tourism Board)

Our holiday this year, hopefully.

Menorca (small, family friendly, safe, gently shelving sandy beaches), fly from local airport, own villa with pool, my parents coming as well, hiring a car, walking distance of restaurants.

For me it is tent + cold wine

I started camping with my kids at 2 and 4 and it was fine, 1 maybe a little young (although some do it) Also at that age they are pretty happy spending time with you. We did a great farm holiday IIRC with pretty cottage, feeding teh animals every morning, walks along the cliffs (we had strong baby/child carriers and the older one was v light) Cycling is good too.

I would go somewhere like Cornwall where youhave all teh above and beaches, swimming pool is noce too as kids don't always like teh sea and sand gets into nappies

Here:

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I go here in August. I've never done a link before so I expect it won't work.

Pants.

Totally agree with MB, although we do some stuff with our friends during the day. We have holidayed with the same 3 other families fo rthe last 6 years, and are planning to go again next year. THis year was the best for us so far, DC are 5 and 7, and entertained themselves with the other children, with pretty much no mediating from us. Taking it in turns to cook, and giving each other a night out is also a bonus. We usually do children's tea and then adults eat later, this year it was once the children were ready for bed, as too old to be in bed, and some of them were sleeping in the dining room!

Agree with the posts about self catering, with pool and friends/grandparents.

Last year one of our first with a child holidays was in a hotel, surroudend by lots of other Brits and with DS in our room. We did enjoy it, because we hired a car and didn't spend too long in the resort. Never going to a hotel with kids agin though, or at least not for about 10 years.

So are DH and I mad to be heading to Canada for a 3 week trip from Vancouver to Calgary (with DS who'll be 15 months then)?

A Kinderhotel (see www.kinderhotels.com)

Great thread