Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Flip

Original poster

Best holidays for family of 5

14 replies

Pikehau · 10/06/2018 09:46

Currently 6yrs,3.5yrs,1yr

Looking to get ideas for lots of different holidays for the near and far future from those with 3children.

Not opposed to hotel or self cater. We have realised the kids just like a beach and or pool and or activities close by- basically to be entertained and have fun!

Consider short and long haul, uk etc don’t mind not having a kids club

Budget - currently none in that I would sacrifice a holiday / save etc if one we found an expensive one that looked amazing.

So if you have 3 and have been there done that and loved it do let me know.

Thank so much

OP posts:

RisingPheonix · 10/06/2018 09:52

I actually think holidaying in the UK is a very good option with young DC. When I moved back to the UK we did Cornwall and Devon and had a much better time than some of the flashy overseas holidays we have had in the past. Also driving is a lot less hassle than flying. This year we are going to north Norfolk and have rented a house in Brancaster. I realised a while back that young DC don't care where they are as long as they are having a good time. My DC have been all over Australia, a lot of Asia and stayed in very nice hotels as we lived overseas and knew where to go. However, according to them England is the best place in the world because it has castles and the best ice cream. Who'd have thought it?

Lifebeginner · 10/06/2018 09:57

Hawaii would be nice with kids, loads of outdoor activities. Thailand is also a good choice. I'm not really into Dubai but a lot of families love it.

Peaseblossom22 · 10/06/2018 10:00

Agree that when they are small UK holidays work best.We always tried to rent a cottage which had a pool available ; brilliant if the weathers poor, great way to tire out little people and also made it feels a bit special.A quiet swim on myy own in the evening felt like a real treat.

As they got older we moved onto villas with pools in the usual warm places,; Spain, Majorca etc. Our favourite with teens has been Corfu , Menorca was good when they were younger and we had a very good week in the Dordogne with kayaking on the river etc with a grumpy 16 year old and 13 and 9 years. We have also done short city breaks which went down well , Rome was a real hit ; lots of ice cream, pizza and Roman ruins !

Frosty66612 · 10/06/2018 10:02

Costa Adeje in Tenerife is great as there’s a huge beach, lots of nice restaurants and cafes, the resort is away from the nightlife of Playa De Las Americas. Tenerife has the largest waterpark in Europe (Siam Park) and also another smaller one. There is also the largest zoo in Europe too (Loro Parque) with all sorts of exotic animals including white tigers. We also went on a submarine into the Atlantic to see all the marine life.

As for a UK break - Dorset is great and we had lots of holidays in West Bay where Broadchurch was filmed. The beach is stunning

RisingPheonix · 10/06/2018 10:05

OP when they are older (youngest at least 7 or 8) take them to Iceland. We went last year for 9 days and had a brilliant time. Its full of history and has the most amazing nature and dramatic terrain. What's not to like about visiting glaciers and volcanoes?

Gentlygently · 10/06/2018 10:05

If you want to do a package holiday do it now - it is cheaper and easier to find a room for 5 when the little one is under 2. After that it gets much trickier.

Gobbolinothewitchscat · 10/06/2018 10:09

We have a 5 year old, 4 year old and 2 year old

For the past two years we hsve gone to a First Choice Holiday Village for 2 weeks

It takes a few days to get over the journey - hence 2 weeks. Going to Turkey this year

DH and I want a break so not interested in self catering and schlepping to the shops. Our DCs are on the go constantly so the kids clubs are very good. The holiday villages have a creche that takes 2 and unders and the staff are trained to UK nursery standards and run on UK protocols - it was the only one we could find which was. Plus there are washing machines and tumble dryers - v important to me!

It's not the type of holiday we would have considered pre-Dcs but it works because it is geared towards children and lets us have a break. The 5 and 4 year old love the holiday club and tend to sign up for one other activity each per holiday (eg football or swimming etc) so are well entertained during the day

Original poster

Pikehau · 10/06/2018 10:43

Thanks for all ideas. Had been looking at some Cornwall hotels for this or next year.

Love the Iceland idea when older - read that to dh who said “oh that will be ££” to which I said yes but what an adventure! Def on the future list.

Also thinking about a Swiss summer chalet activity holiday in a few years.

OP posts:

Original poster

Pikehau · 10/06/2018 10:44

Gobbolinothewitchscat thanks form info about wm and dryer - hadnt thought about that in a hotel!

OP posts:

helterskelter99 · 10/06/2018 10:45

We had a villa with a private pool last year and whilst pre children it wasn’t my type of holiday ours loved it and spent practically the whole 2 weeks in the pool

We went to the beach in the eve as it was too hot during the day

Original poster

Pikehau · 10/06/2018 10:53

helterskelter99 that’s a good idea about evening beach. Thats what put me off some summers but if we have a villa and pool of our own there is plenty of shade in daytime.

Any good locations for villas pools and nearby beaches? Thinking menorca?

OP posts:

Frosty66612 · 10/06/2018 10:55

Menorca is great with young kids. I had a few holidays there as a child and loved it. We stayed in the resort of Cala N Porter

SaylesAway · 15/06/2018 15:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

NotAnotherHeffalump · 15/06/2018 20:36

We are just back from Sanguli campsite in Salou with eurocamp, and I can thoroughly recommend it. My DCs are 9, 3 and 2 and everyone found lots to do. There are about a dozen different pools and it's right next to the beach. Fly into Reus airport, which is about a 15min transfer in a taxi. We had the Aspect accommodation. It was new last year (I think) and nice. It has it's own enclosed decking with sunloungers out on it, so you can relax and the little ones can potter about without disappearing. It came in at under £1k for the holiday and under £1k for the flights. For just under £2k it's the type of holiday you can do every year, and if it isn't for you you don't have to worry about spending years and years saving for something you didn't enjoy. With your one yr old in tow I wouldn't spend too much. What if they're teething/get a bug/don't sleep at night in the new environment.

We did Vendee last year, but there was a 2/3 hr transfer from the airport and we needed a hire car. It was just too much for the wee ones after a waiting around in an airport to depart, then the flight, then waiting around for the luggage.

Flip