Where to take 3 year old first holiday

[lancslass17]

Before my son starts school next September (2022) I want us to go on a family holiday abroad.

Please can I have recommendations for
Not too long a flight
Warm in may/June but not too hot
Has enough going on to keep a young boy entertained but isn't in your face.

[Fivemoreminutes1]

Are you thinking of a hotel? What kind of budget?

[UpsyDaisysarmpit]

Possibly look at the Netherlands...Duinrell, Beekse Bergen or Efteling. Brilliant fun for children, well equipped, sunny and not too hot. Ferry from Hull that runs overnight.

If you're looking at a sun holiday on a plane, normally I would suggest all inclusive in somewhere like Portugal.
Another great option is Eurocamp. At that age we went to Yelloh! Village le Ranolien in Brittany. It was beautifully sunny, lots of things to do but relaxing, best pool complex I had ever seen. We booked accommodation with decking and requested a gate so it was enclosed. Really fab holiday.

[lancslass17]

I don't really know have only been abroad a handful of times myself. Somewhere that has self catering facilities prob best but enough eating places. Budget around £1500.

[Bul21ia]

Some where like Spain. That was where I took DS at around that age.

Tips! Look for a hotel with slides and a kids club. I recommend TUI family life hotels the entertainment is good for the kids!

[Fivemoreminutes1]

Union Lido in Italy. It’s a 5 star ‘campsite’, but it has holiday houses and apartments as well as statics and safari tents.
It’s great for small children - it has a crèche, splash park, lazy river, three playgrounds, and direct beach access.
It also has a spa!
If you booked through Eurocamp, they can also sort your transfers.

[Ilovemaisie]

He is 3. He will want a beach, swimming pool, play area and somewhere to eat a bowl of chips.
Take him to Weymouth. It's lovely.

[Eminybob]

We took ds1 to Menorca at a similar age, the May before he started school.
He still talks about that holiday now at nearly 7 and he’s been on several since!
It was fab. Hold on and I’ll dig out a link to the hotel.

[Eminybob]

www.jet2holidays.com/balearics/menorca/calan-forcat/globales-binimar

Here.

[hellcatspangle]

We went to menorca when ours were little. Cala galdana is lovely, it's a very sheltered bay with shallow calm waters. Oh boy, I want to go on holiday so bad 🤦‍♀️

[hellcatspangle]

@Eminybob do they still have the water park at cala'n forcat?

[lancslass17]

@Ilovemaisie

I do love Weymouth myself 🤔

[Eminybob]

Not sure tbh, we didn’t go when we went.

We stayed mostly on site at the hotel as we went AI and the pools were great.

[MaryShelley1818]

Ooh glad to see recommendations for Cala En Forcat here as we've booked to go in September with DS (3) and DD (7mths).

OP - We took DS to Majorca for his first holiday (9mths) and it was absolutely gorgeous, would definitely recommend. He's also been to Disneyland Paris twice (18mths and age 2) and obviously loved this but it is a theme park break- no beaches.
If CV hadn't happened we had trips booked to Efteling in Holland, Portugal and Barcelona for 2020 but unfortunately all of them were cancelled.
We've rebooked Barcelona for next August when DS will be 4 and DD will be 1.
It's a short flight, access to lovely beaches, not far from theme parks, zoos, parks, aquarium. Sounds perfect for young children.

[BitchIAmFromChicago]

Cala d’or...we stayed at the Cala d’or playa apartments when DS was about 3.5. Immaculate apartments, splash park for the kids and within easy walking distance to loads of bars and restaurants.

[lancslass17]

@BitchIAmFromChicago where is cala d'or please

[BitchIAmFromChicago]

@lancslass17 Mallorca. I won’t go to a hotel without a splash park now. I can just perch on a sun bed and watch DS play, rather than having to supervise in a kids pool.

[eatsleepread]

I've heard great things about Puerto Pollensa in Spain.

[Notavegan]

Cala d'or is nice, but the beaches are rammed as very tiny.

We love the Algarve with kids. Look up zoo marine, it's a brilliant zoo and water splash park with small rides. Dolphin shows. Brilliant for that age range.

The canaries are great too, but probably not worth the trip in early summer as Europe will be perfect weather.