Holiday suggestions pleeease, stumped, with 2 under 5

[Haypanky]

Hello! I'm after holiday suggestions. UK, ferry or short haul. Possibly thinking May, to avoid school hols. Don't really know where to start! Ideas at the mo are Lake District cottage, France or Spain Eurocamp, or Croatia hotel. Obviously these are totally different kettles of fish! We don't want it to be too difficult with little ones aged 4 and not yet 2, so travel time and ease are important. Budget wise not the thousands that the Croatia recommendation was! Things to do while we're there is an issue, Dh and i prefer nature and culture but we realise we need things to keep the kids entertained. We've never done a resort hol and would have reservations but prepared to swallow them. Thank you in advance for anything to put in the ideas pot!

We used to go here: graythwaite.com/holiday-cottages/a-holiday-at-graythwaite/ when kids were younger. Great location, lots to do, and having the pool was really useful. It depends on how important good weather is for you.

Swanage is lovely for young children. So much to do all within walking distance of each other.

A family hotel might be good for those ages. At 4 your eldest would be old enough for the kids club which would keep them entertained for a couple of hours. Have a look at Tui Family Life hotels and First Choice Holiday Villages (I like culture too but we've stayed with these brands with our dd and they've been easy holidays - I can cope for a few years with beach holidays rather than sightseeing )

Have a look at Tots to Travel website, they have hotels/villas that are all set up for under 5s - we went to one through them to Spain last year and it was amazing! So easy to have all the baby/toddler stuff there and easy access to playgrounds/pools etc

Thanks everyone, good food for thought!

when our DC were little we had lovely holidays on the south Pembrokeshire coast. Bucket and spade and cricket on the beach, jumping the waves, lots of lovely cliff walks and nice cafes and shops. Also if you like that sort of thing a theme park/farm place and the dinosaur experience! You don't say where you are but from central Engkand it's about four hours by car. I would recommend over the Lake Dustrict for tinies because of the beaches. It's also much less busy and cheaper than Cornwall. We always used to self cater for convenience - eat when and what works for you. Also you get a lot more space in case you need to hole up on a rainy day and watch DVDs.

We are Gloucestershire, so Pembrokeshire is close for us. We've been there several times pre-kids and it is lovely. Think we are still trying to reconcile ourselves with our 'new lives' as far as holidays go, as pre-kids we would always go to a different place! My travel bug is itching but just can't!

Adventure vs practicality (and finances!) 🤨

We went to menorca. Globales is the hotel. Cost effective. Fantastic for our girls who were 3. We have booked again. Reviews are mixed but honestly for your age it is perfect. In the pirate slide pool arm bands weren't needed and they had disco every night, free entertainment, kids club and the park is in sand. Beech isn't great but we coped and I didn't leave the complex in a week (highly unusual for me!)

What about Bluestone if you like Pembrokeshire? Or if you want to go abroad I second the First Choice Holiday villages, we had a fab time at the Cyprus one last October.

Our best holidays with DS have been beach holidays in North Pembrokeshire. We stay as close to the beach (normally Whitesands) as we can.

The logic is that we can't go on the long walks there that we used to but we can at least be in beautiful surroundings.

Mine are the same age.

Last year we did Eurocamp at Argeles Sur Mer (with an unplanned night in Paris on the way due to train strikes) and then a couple of days in Carcasonne. Good mix of history and wine for us, and castles and kids stuff for them!

They also like Berlin a lot, and enjoyed the Netherlands. We generally tend to do cities rather than beaches though.

Northumberland cottage check out Coastal
Retreats or Grace Darling hols.
Although to be fair with children that young they would probably enjoy Butlins or a caravan and caravan park or camping as much as anything. If it’s easy and the DC are happy it’s happy days and happy holidays all round.

Gullivers World/Kingdom or whatever its called in Matlock Bath. Nice family friendly accomodation, the rides etc are perfect for younger kids, Heights of Abraham cable car is fab and has a few good play parks at the top and lovely country walks. Bakewell is nearby for some fab real Bakewell tarts and a splodge in the river.

We had a fabulous holiday at lower mill estate in Cotswolds when ours were younger. Lots to do In the area and the estate itself has lots going on.