Where would you go for the entire six week summer hols with a 3-yr-old and a 6-yr-old?

[Stuckinarut12]

I’m a teacher, DH self-employed. Each year, I have time off (obviously!) over the summer holidays but they really do drag

This year, we’ve decided we’ll all go away together. DH is going to work for an hour or two each day, remotely.

But we have no idea where to go!

Our budget is around £6,000 for the whole six weeks, but not including flights (budget from letting out our house - while we’re gone - short term, after tax and insurance etc. We live in London, in zone 2 very close to a tube, it’s a great house and we know we’ll get it.)

Considering caravaning around Europe or caravaning around Canada. Would love Australia but it won’t have the weather.

Any advice?? Any recommendations? We’re so excited about the idea of an adventure! But no idea where to start.

I’m clueless! Have never done a long family trip.

Anyone else done this? Where did you go? How did you find it?

A friend got train from home (up north) to London last summer did Eurostar to Paris, visited a couple of places in Italy and finished in France.
Personally I would fly or Eurostar to Europe and do a combination of train travel, camper van, car hire. Don’t fit too much in relax and enjoy. When kids are small it’s often the same thing in different places. Very envious of your travels.

Could you invest the money you have set aside for flights in buying a camper van and set off across Europe to the bits you have not visited before (I might do Sardinia and Sicily, Corsica, for example, or that fascinating bit that sticks out at the top of Germany, and Denmark, or Eastern Europe, or a mountain range). And then sell the van again when you get home?

As much as I love camping and camper vans trailing around Europe with a 3 and a 6 year old would be difficult as so hot. My ideal would be to hire a villa near a beach and absorb myself in life (think the Durrells). Or camper van around Iceland. Or the entire UK - Scotland, Devon, Cornwall.

We have taken motorhomes in Canada twice, once starting in Vancouver and driving to the Rockies and once starting in Calgary.

Both brilliant. There are private campsites with hook-ups and facilities. There are also ones run by the National Parks which we preferred as they are much more natural and usually have places to light a fire.

Mind you it's not cheap. We never did more than 10 days. Don't know if £6k will be enough for the summer.

Oh one other thing, in summer many popular sites get booked up so booking in advance is recommended

Two slightly different suggestions:
Northern California - loads to do and see, won't be too hot.
East Africa - you can rent a beach house for most of the time and then go on safari. Really cheap (except maybe the safari), everyone loves kids, and it's cooler and dry then.

New England, USA. Then option to do Canada or New York. Not jealous at all

I was going to suggest a house swap (or a series of swaps) too! Then you're only paying for travel and food, rather than travel, food, and 6 weeks of accommodation.

My friends have just spent 3 weeks in Cambodia with a 4 yo,
An 8yo and a 10yo. They're very well travelled. They said it was the best place they've ever been and wished they had twice the time there. The other hoots and the stories are brilliant.

other hoots is photos!

My sister went away for a month last summer with 3 dcs aged 7-6 months. They caught the ferry to Spain and took their own car. They then drove to various places in Spain and then end up in Majorca. They did a series of airbnbs, all inclusive and villas to break the holiday up. She said it was amazing. She raved about it so much we've booked Majorca for two weeks for our summer holiday. Unfortunately can't stretch to a month.