If you have fair/red headed children...

[ProcrastinationIsMySuperPower]

...where would you go on holiday early August?

DH and I both shift work and always struggle to get the same time off but by some miracle we both have 2 weeks in August. We want to go abroad, somewhere warm and with plenty to do for the kids (11&17). Our budget is on the modest side, about £3k for accommodation, flights and car. We really don't want to all be in one room and prefer self catering.

Only expect to get a week, obviously.

Where can we go that fits the bill, but where we won't have to hide away from the sun so our ginger kids don't fry?

Sunscreen?

Scotland?

My kids are fair and my husband is ginger.
We manage fine in Spain.
Sun cream on before pool in the morning and and rash vests, inside for lunch and for a couple of hours, sun cream again before beach
Shower and out in evening-I don’t put cream on them after 5 pm ish and they are fine.
I miss holidays!

Husband tends to stay under parasol for most of the time until about 4pm then emerges!

@Dinosaurwoman

Scotland?

I did say warm

Denmark or Sweden.
Brittany

@Profilejacket

My kids are fair and my husband is ginger. We manage fine in Spain. Sun cream on before pool in the morning and and rash vests, inside for lunch and for a couple of hours, sun cream again before beach Shower and out in evening-I don’t put cream on them after 5 pm ish and they are fine. I miss holidays!

We don't really go abroad much. My oldest is so fair, burns quickly and also suffers very bad heat rash, which makes sun cream difficult as it makes it worse. We also probably won't be by the pool that much, we're very active and would rather go do stuff.

How about Holland?

If he can’t wear suncream just go for long sleeved cotton and hat then. Much easier if you’re not swimming.
What sort of things do you want to do?

Am redhead and went all over Europe in August as a teen. Just had long lunch/siesta over hot period. Museums are open later, evening markets, evening beach. By preference I'd now go at the end of August.

Ultra sun. Brilliant stuff. I have red hair, go to Florida in August most years and never burn with that.

My youngest on ginger and put factor 40 on her, she’s not pale skinned though kid of honey coloured skin so she tans. Put a hat on them, t shirt over swimming suit. Suncream.

I have a classically Scottish red headed wee boy, pale as pale can be, loads of freckles.

We've holidayed everywhere from Mexico and Florida to Northern Ireland and Orkney.

You don't need to hide from the sun. You just need to be sensible. Factor 30 sunscreen reapplied regularly. Aldi is good. UV rash vests / all in one suits depending on age.

I have a re head, my dh is one too.

They don't do well in the heat, seem to wilt faster than the rest of us, so that means that in a hot place they don;t want to be out and where it is hot.

ds used to wear a good hat with brim, or cap with flaps at the back
rash vest in the water.
Baggy T shirts and shorts for he was very covered.

He was fine.
We did spend a lot of time in the water at the pool, very energetic.

We usually went places where the buildings were cool for good sleep (stone farmhouse, or somewhere with air con)
and where it was cooler in the evening.

France was good.

I'm incredibly fair and have never factored this into travel plans.

My dad & 3 of his red head siblings grew up in Southern California. You know redheads in sunny places just get on with life, right? Play golf, play basketball outside, play tennis, play softball. Go canoeing.

My dad has always been one to cover up & lather on sun cream thick. Wears an enormous hat at the beach & long sleeves. Immediately finds the shade at any patio restaurant. It's very manageable.

Took my fair kids to south of France in August. We never have anything other than face, lower legs and lower arms exposed and avoid midday sun completely. We slather on the 50 sunscreen and it worked fine. Neither has ever been burned.

Hats, rash vests, always sit in shade, if on beach either under parasol or completely in the water. Reapply sun screen often

Never been a problem for us. I am very fair and Ds2 is ginger.

If you want warm but not hot in August then the middle section of France is a good option. We go regularly to an area fairly near La Rochelle, it is generally a few degrees warmer than UK so not baking (unless the UK is also baking at the same time).

Also you can drive there in a day which makes life easier I find.

I have red headed kids who don’t burn that easily BUT I had a friend growing up who burned as soon as she looked at the sun so I understand your concern.

The Loire Valley is also a nice temperature, and has things to do/see.

Agree France is a good option, what about eurocamp style holiday. Mid way down west coast would be a nice warm temperature (although we got a few days of 40 degrees a few years back). The heat doesn't stay though in the same way as it does further south.

I have a strawberry blond DS and it works for him.

@minipie

If you want warm but not hot in August then the middle section of France is a good option. We go regularly to an area fairly near La Rochelle, it is generally a few degrees warmer than UK so not baking (unless the UK is also baking at the same time).

Also you can drive there in a day which makes life easier I find.

I have red headed kids who don’t burn that easily BUT I had a friend growing up who burned as soon as she looked at the sun so I understand your concern.

Thank you. I know it might seem over the top to be worried about it, some of the responses confirm that, but this is only our 3rd foreign holiday in 15 years, we've saved for it for ages, and don't want it spoiled by sunburn or my oldest being so hot and itchy she doesn't want to do anything.

I burn very easily and have a husband who doesn't enjoy getting hot. Either mountains such as the Alps (higher altitude means it cools down at night) or islands (sea means it doesn't usually get as hot) are good. Iceland was amazing, but it is very expensive.

Anywhere round the Baltic coast will be very scenic and usually not too hot.

Lots to see and we, we happily played on the beach near Travemunde or Timmendorfer Strand

https://en.m.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Travemünde

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timmendorfer_Strand

The German islands in the Baltic are more get away from it all, also enjoyable.