Can't drive. Won't fly. Won't camp. Where to go?

[IfYouCantSeeMyMirrors]

We're looking for a 2020 summer family holiday outside the UK, for a family including two teens. Camping and other uncomfortable accommodation is ruled out, as is any kind of expensive train travel (Eurostar). We need somewhere with good travel connections (to it and within it). In the past, when our budget was slightly higher, we did Amsterdam, the Belgian coast, Berlin, the Black Forest....Does anyone have any other good suggestions for what looks like being our last 'abroad' whole-family holiday?

So how would you get there? I’m trying to think..... taxi to a ferry would be as expensive as a train wouldn’t it? Unless you stay England/Scotland/wales boat is your only option isn’t it?

Interrailing would be epic for final family holiday memories!

What about the Dordogne in France? You can take your car on the ferry and drive, it’s a fair way but beautiful with lots of nice river beaches and scenery. We rented a little gite with a shared pool for the week and as we had the car could do lots of day trips and it was lovely.

Oh god just saw cant drive, ignore me I’m an idiot!

Totally agree with inter railing though, I’ve done it and it’s fab!

I understand the no camping thing, as I won't camp either.

If you won't fly, drive or go by train though, how are you planning to get anywhere? On foot for thousands of miles?

Coach to somewhere? I used to live by a travel agent that specialised in coach tours but I haven’t seen anything in an age. I’m sure a bit of web research would turn up something.

What about a barge boat?
We hired a pretty big narrow boat and just went up and down our local canal for a week! Great fun! No luxury, but several steps up from camping, and depending on budget you could hire a more fancy boat.

www.shearings.com/holidays/lloret-de-mar-all-inclusive?TravelBy=ExpressCoach&MinDepartureDate=2019-01-01&MaxDepartureDate=2019-12-31&MinDuration=0&MaxDuration=0&ProductCode=EXESLWV&PromoCode=none,I*&Rooms%5B0%5D%5BPax%5D=2&Rooms%5B0%5D%5BAdults%5D=2&Rooms%5B0%5D%5BChildren%5D=0&Rooms%5B0%5D%5BInfants%5D=0&SelectedDate=2019-09-28&SelectedDepartureRegion=South+West&SelectedDestination=&SelectedFlexible=&SelectedSearch=&SelectedDuration=&SelectedContinent=&Hotel=ACCSAMLL

Looks alright with the sale price. I presume you lose a significant amount of actual holiday time travelling though.

Guernsey and go there by ferry?

Aah, should have specified - won't drive ABROAD. Will drive to a ferry port! Like the inter-railing idea.

Ohhhhhh canal boat is a great idea!

Also..... scilly isles look amazing! Think you have to fly there though actually...

coach holiday , ive done a few and they can be great but hard work getting there esp if its nonstop overnight

Our budget foreign holidays are Easyjet flights and homeaway.com accommodation.

We book the day easyjet flights come out, extra legroom seats which come with reserved seat choice, priority boarding and a second hand luggage bag. Easter school holiday flights to Berlin for the DC last year excluding the seat upgrade were £6. This Easter was Dubrovnik (well it's a few miles out of town) Flights were in the high £20's. Croatia car hire was £15/ day for a brand new 4 miles on the clock Opal.

We've been to Iceland twice in the school summer hols and never paid more than £40/ flight.

My tips are look at where you can fly to from your local airport. Check out the destinations that interest you, check out accommodation options and prices. Subscribe to airline newsletters.

Find out when flights will be released. When flights are released, be ready to commit to the ones that stack up. Prices go up by as much as 50% after a week. The Iceland flights went up to about £300 at peek.

Go to Switzerland by train.

Interlaken.

Sorry, just seen the wont fly. Scrub my bargain flight ideas!

I second train -we book to avignon/marseille in early Dec to get best deals..
have stayed on fab campsites not in tents so maybe dont rule out camping!

ripple when do fligts get released.....iceland v v high on the wishlist so that sounds amazing!

Inter railing and book family rooms in youth hostel?

A narrow boat was the most stressful holiday I have ever taken.
I really thought we might kill dc doing locks.
I still shudder when I think about it.

You can take mini ferry cruises from Hull and get a coach to Amsterdam very cheaply. Our you could pre Brexit

Liking the suggestions....how much do you reckon train travel to Avignon/Marseilles costs, @averythinline? We had thought that pretty much everything past Paris would break the travel budget.

You can go by ferry to the Scilly Isles!

There is a boat that takes you to the Scilly Isles, look up Scillonian. It can be a rough crossing though. Worth it though.

What about a cruise?

Ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam? It’s not that expensive and they’ll take you in to the centre.

Trains in France are pretty cheap. Or if you look up interrailing, you can select just one country and the number of journeys you want to be able to do.