Please help me find a half term holiday break

[twosoups1972]

We'd like to go away for 3 or 4 days in Feb half term. We live in London. We can't go until the latter part of the week because we are going to a show on Tuesday night. Dd3's 12th birthday is on Thursday and she would love to be away on holiday for it but doesn't want to travel on her birthday. The other complication is that dd1 has a university interview in Manchester on Wed afternoon. The options are:

1. We all drive up to Manchester and hang about while dd has her interview and then either drive on somewhere from there, or fly from Manchester airport somewhere.

1. One parent and remaining 2 dc leave for holiday on Wed morning and dd1 plus other parent joins them after the interview.

As it's dd's birthday I'd like to find somewhere she would really enjoy. She's quite young for her age and doesn't really enjoy cities generally unless there's fun stuff to do.

We thought about driving on from Manchester to the Lake District but not sure what it'll be like in Feb. Dh suggested flying to Dublin. I thought half the family could get the Eurostar somewhere and the rest fly on from Manchester.

Any ideas please?

Center Parcs Sherwood?

What about taking a one-way flight from Manchester on the Wednesday from Manchester airport to Amsterdam? There are single tickets for about £35 at about 6pm. Then stay at Efteling or Duinrell - been to both and they are wonderful (and universally loved by Mumsnetters - do a search!). Could be perfect for a 12 year old who's a bit young for her age. And v enjoyable for everyone else.

Then take a flight back into London on the Sunday afternoon/ evening to wherever is cheapest or most convenient to you. Single tickets are around £50-60. Really doable with timings and travelling and a really enjoyable holiday. And a very birthdayish treat!

I just looked up Efteling, looks fab! Which do you prefer out of there or Duinrell oven?

Can I just warn you of something if you are flying Ryanair - we were hit with this at Easter as DD1 turned 12 while we were away. Ryanair classes 11 year olds as children but 12 year olds as teens, (why?) which is a different category. When it came to online check-in, I could check DD1 in to go, but not to come back as she had 'changed category'. This was not at all clear when I booked. Ryanair told me I could check her in at the airport for a fee of £75 (our 3 return flights only cost slightly more than that!). In the end I managed to get them to waive the fee, but she had to check in for the return flight at the airport before we boarded our outward plane. No idea if other airlines do this or if it's just a Ryanair thing!

@twosoups1972 I meant to say or you could get the Eurostar back from Amsterdam or Rotterdam on the Saturday or Sunday.

I preferred Efteling (but not much in it) and would choose it over Duinrell at that time of year I think. I think you need to rely on decent weather more at Duinrell for some of their outdoor attractions. Duinrell does have a completely indoors water park though - if that would be a big draw. I think Efteling are building something similar but don't know what stage it's at yet.

Efteling has its own accommodation including Bosrijk (lovely wooden houses set in a forest but about 3 mins walk from park). They would be so cosy in Feb I think.