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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Holland or Majorca with 5 and nearly 3 year old?

44 replies

Jet888 · 13/04/2022 19:46

Next Easter, we're planning a holiday with my two boys who then will be 5 and 2.5 ish. Never taken them abroad before. Places I keep hearing recommended are Holland and Majorca. I don't want an all inclusive, we're after self catering and stuff to do/see in the day, not sit by a pool. Where would you go and would really appreciate specifics on where you stayed exactly. Other ideas welcome! My brain is feeling fried and I need help! I can't make a decision

OP posts:
NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 13/04/2022 19:51

Well if you are happy to drive (it’s a very easy drive) I’d do Holland as you can chuck everything in the car and go. Highly recommend Efteling for young ones but all of Holland (inc centre parcs) are great and much cheaper than uk.
Majorca is also great with young ones. Very family friendly too but you’d fly which is a bit more of a hastle. Want guaranteed sun or not so worried?

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 13/04/2022 19:52

Both are good choices with little ones, you’ve just got to decide what’s more important

TheBigDilemma · 13/04/2022 19:55

Yo be honest, if you are going to sit in a family resort either way… I would go for Majorca for the simple reason it rains less.and because the mosquitos in Holland are VILE in the summer

Skelligsfeathers · 13/04/2022 20:01

If i tell you that a holiday to holland is the only one we have ever abandoned a week early because it had rained for three days straight and everything we owned was wet.....

Majorca every single time. Absolutely perfect with little ones , gorgeous weather, lovely beaches etc

Original poster
Jet888 · 13/04/2022 20:09

Thanks for all replies no far. Not sun worshippers but obviously not keen for a week of rain which I'm aware is much higher chance in Holland! De efteling I've heard is great but not sure where to stay which doesn't feel too 'theme park resort'. I'm not a huge theme park fan and kids obviously still little so if we went there, it would be for the magical fairtytale element.
Majorca does sound lovely too but not sure if I'm bit spoilt because have family who live at lovely uk seaside location so day at the beach is good but we'd be looking for other things to do/see too. Does Majorca have alot to entertain little ones, in your experience?

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TheBigDilemma · 13/04/2022 20:14

Majorca is child friendly but not child oriented, people will make a fuss of your kids and make them feel welcome but you are not going to find climbing frames all around the place in urban areas.

There is plenty to do in Majorca depending on where are you staying and in whether you are renting a car. There are water parks, zoos, boat trips, some very nice short train journeys in vintage train/pram that are lovely. Some of the beaches are literally like jumping in a pool and I can assure you, the water is much much warmer than in the UK.

TheBigDilemma · 13/04/2022 20:14

Not pram… tram!

tearinghairout · 13/04/2022 20:20

We took my twins to Majorca when they were three, their first holiday abroad. I have a pic of them running down the slope into the pool on the first day - they were in heaven! TBH all they wanted to do was play on the beach all day. We went to an apartotel in Albufeira, and it was great. Spent a lot of time hiking up hills to see monasteries :)

Original poster
Jet888 · 13/04/2022 20:32

I love a good monastry/cathedral! I think it's the peace and quiet....

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Skelligsfeathers · 13/04/2022 20:43

Lots of monasteries! Cathedral in Palma- lots of cobbled streets and squares.
Boat trips etc

What sorts of things are you hoping for?

TheBigDilemma · 13/04/2022 20:44

If you have a car you can go around the mountain villages and stop at Lluc, if you are on the other side of the island you can try Cura. Whatever you do, go to Valdemossa.

MavisMonkey · 13/04/2022 20:47

When our kids were these sort of ages we went to a resort in Majorca called Soller precisely as we wanted somewhere that we could chill out but have some child friendly activities.

It's a port town so we would watch the boats, play on the beach, did a boat trip and played in the pool and then there was a tram that went from the port to the old town that had some nice shops, a cathedral and orange / lemon groves which did tours. The beach is shingles but other than that we found it perfect.

Original poster
Jet888 · 13/04/2022 20:50

In terms of sorts of things we like things the kids have loved recently include mini steam train, swimming with a water slide, throwing rocks in the sea, local science museum, etc. I'm not great at lounging, more of a 'this morning we're going to visit xx then this afternoon we'll wander round the town and get an ice cream' sort of person.

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weebarra · 13/04/2022 20:50

Love both! Loads to do in the Netherlands but as previously mentioned, weather can be dodgy.
Our first trip to Mallorca was when DS1 was 6 months old - he's 14 now. Very child friendly. We always stay in Pollensa. Not masses to do, but beach in Puerto Pollensa is great and Lluc monastery and Alfabia gardens are worth a visit.

CorsicaDreaming · 13/04/2022 20:50

Holland can still be really cold at Easter.
Majorca will generally be warm and sunny - not hot, still need jackets in evening, etc and may potentially get the odd rainy/cloudy day.
But Holland can be really inclement!

I would absolutely go for Majorca with small children. We went there with DS at 7 yrs old and had a really lovely week at Easter time a few years back. The aquarium was a particularly great day with children.

I think of Holland as more of a city break that would be better with older children/ teens.

Morechocmorechoc · 13/04/2022 20:54

We took two young ones and also all they wanted was the beach. It's warm and magical to them! It's nit like sitting there relaxing with an ice cream as they're small and you're in there with them! Would be a shame to go there and not do a beach holiday with kids that age who really don't want to see a monastery! Depends if holiday is for you or kids I guess.

Oblomov22 · 13/04/2022 20:58

Just got back from Majorca. Best time ever. Temperatures of 21-24 degrees, sunny and warm. Was very very quiet, the season has nowhere near started and lots of maintenance and building work being done, pre season starting. Water parks don't open till May.

Dairymilk50 · 13/04/2022 20:59

I stayed in Palma Nova in Majorca when DS was around 3. We both loved it there's lots of little parks around the beach area you can walk to. There was a local beach near the hotel we stayed and we walked to one a bit further out also.

Unless your kids are into site seeing I would be stopping in a hotel that is child friend with a pool and a kids club so they have things to do.

ovenchips · 14/04/2022 00:23

@Jet888 I can't recommend Efteling highly enough to go at some point for a few days (I don't like the sound of the Easter weather though). It is a gorgeous, magical place - and I don't like theme parks. You can stay in its Bosrijk accommodation which has beautiful woodland lodges and is as far away as you can get from the full-on theme park setting that you seem to be imagining. Your children would adore it. Have a search of threads about Efteling.

2catsand2kids · 14/04/2022 06:26

We went to the Netherlands at Easter 3 years ago and I think we were really lucky because the weather was glorious. We stayed for four nights at Beekse Bergen and two nights at Efteling and we all absolutely loved it, so much so we are going back again at the end of August. Our children were 6 and 8 at the time.

Original poster
Jet888 · 14/04/2022 06:44

Thankyou all. Been looking up lots last night and think efteling might win this time. But thinking might do May half term or perhaps summer holidays for chance of slightly better weather?

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Trolltrotters · 14/04/2022 07:05

I've just returned from Netherlands last night )duinrell) we had a brilliant time with loads to do, however it snowed on the first day we were there but was nearly 20c by the end of the week. Very, very changeable.

My kids are older than yours so I'd say Majorca for consistency at Easter, especially as it falls earlier/later some years

Have also been to Netherlands in may half term. It was very warm and very waspy and with loads of midges (it the low lands after all!) -not a deal breaker but if you're bothered by this, it's something g to consider

Caspianberg · 14/04/2022 07:17

I think Holland will be lovely, but May half term would definitely win over Easter in terms of better chance of weather.

It’s a great place to cycle, so easy if your driving and loading own bikes from home.

Dontforgetyourbrolly · 14/04/2022 07:21

In April you'll get identical weather to the UK in the Netherlands so for me that rules it out. With kids that small they don't need much entertainment but it would be challenging and expensive to find things to do in bad weather.
Majorca for sure.
Walks along the seafront with the buggy , bus rides / tourist train , playing on the beach , outdoor playgrounds etc all cheap and entertaining

Timperleybell · 14/04/2022 08:01

I spent a couple of days in Utrecht at the beginning of the month. It was mainly bright but cold though there had been heavy snow the day before I went and some was still lying.
If you did Centreparcs or similar with indoor activities I think the weather would be less important. Though for consistency of weather I would favour Majorca.