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Holidays

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

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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:

Yika · 14/04/2022 08:17

I'm a big fan of the Netherlands as it has something for everyone - you can rent bikes and be outside a lot, it has outdoor museums, working windmills and other folkloric attractions, indoor museums, tons of history, very safe and orderly, lots of child-friendly things to see. The only thing I don't like much is the food, and if you go by car, don't use it to visit cities as it's very expensive and difficult to find parking.

If you go to Efteling you can stay in the nearby town - Kaatsheuvel - and walk in, although the onsite accommodation is nice. My choice would be to stay at a nearby Center Parcs (there are several within striking distance) and visit from there while also enjoying the Center Parcs facilities. CP are cheaper in the NL than in the UK.

What part of the UK would you be travelling from? The overnight ferry is absolutely brilliant for young children - a real adventure for them and relaxing for the parents.

I also think Easter is probably too early to get the full benefit of a Mediterranean holiday as it's too cold for the sea. If you were going for sunshine I'd head for the Canaries. That said, Mallorca is very beautiful.

springsmiles · 14/04/2022 08:21

I wouldn't go to Majorca over Easter, with children and I love Majorca. The weather may not be great. Our best friends went in may one year and it pretty much rained every day and everything near by was shut until summer season

Yika · 14/04/2022 08:25

Had another idea - what about a farm stay in the Netherlands. Brilliant for that age. Featherdown Farms have places in the Netherlands.

mongoosebaby · 14/04/2022 09:27

The aquarium in Majorca is amazing, much better than the ones here! Also the old train from port de soller was a big hit with our toddler. Our 2 are water babies so we would probably choose Majorca for swimming reasons. We hire a car and there were loads of places to visit depending on where you stay.

CorsicaDreaming · 14/04/2022 13:21

@springsmiles

We went to Majorca at Easter in 2017 and the aquarium was open ( and i agree with PP, it was really brilliant, but I like fish-watching almost as much as my DS!) - but that was pre pandemic, so not sure about the situation now. Just pottering around La Palmas capital city was lovely and quite chilled as not too busy. We hired a car.

We stayed in Cala Bona, which had bike hire and hire of four person cycle cart things. Both fun. Quiet at Easter and v chilled and pleasant. But I'd imagine it would be rammed full of tourists in the summer and wouldn't be my thing at all. I guess different people would enjoy it at different times...

The weather was mainly warm and sunny in the day (t shirt level) but sea was too cold to swim at Easter and pool not heated so also cold. But OP says not that worried re swimming anyway.
Definitely chilly in evenings.

Another year we went to Sicily in May expecting it to be lovely and hot, and it really was not. Ok but not summer Med weather at all... plus rain
But I'd rather that than scorching summer in Med of last year.

Gran Canaria could be another one to consider. My brother is out there at the moment and it's sunny and about 25C which sounds ideal to me. And I think there's a lot of natural beauty in the centre of GC. Although have not yet been there myself

CorsicaDreaming · 14/04/2022 13:27

WoW Efteling does look fab!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efteling

Original poster

Jet888 · 16/04/2022 06:33

Sorry not replied for last few days! So much really useful info, thankyou!
I feel silly finding it stressful choosing a holiday but I think a combination of not having been abroad for years and living costs etc means you really want to try and get the right place!

OP posts:

FindingMeno · 16/04/2022 06:35

The Netherlands.
But not Amsterdam.

MollyRover · 16/04/2022 06:59

Zeeland on the coast is stunning, lots to see and do and plenty of holiday parks. Try Roompot, there are lots of self catering options. I like the Schouwen Duiveland island the most.

Notagardener · 16/04/2022 07:07

Bulb fields in the Netherlands in spring stunning

ecnatsid · 16/04/2022 08:06

Hi, sorry to jump on... is De Efteling theme park appropriate for a 3 year old and 1 year old?

Duracellbunnywannabe · 16/04/2022 08:12

[quote ovenchips]@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.[/quote]
Just to jump on the band wagon. What age would you recommend for efteling? Next summer by kids will be 4 and 7 - is that an ideal age or should I wait?

tryingtosettle · 16/04/2022 08:21

@tearinghairout

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 :)

Isn't Albufeira in Portugal?

tigerbear · 16/04/2022 08:25

I just got back from Mallorca last week, stayed in Alcudia. Was absolutely perfect - beautiful sandy beach, water park at the end of the street, nice restaurants, beautiful old town, petting farm and horse riding for children.
BUT I’d recommend going in May half term rather than Easter, as quite a few things still weren’t open yet (such as the water park, which opens in May)
The pool and sea were still cold, and we had hailstones on the first day, then rain and same temp as UK for several days, with only the last 3 days being warm.

duvetdrama · 16/04/2022 08:27

Mallorca is great for little ones...lovely clean beaches etc but you won't get the weather for that in Easter or even May potentially. The swimming pools are still cold until the Summer sun so that time is probably a better bet.

Parker231 · 16/04/2022 08:33

Netherlands is brilliant for holidays with children - easy to get to and so much to see and do. If you need more information please me know - am from next door in Belgium

kiwi17 · 16/04/2022 08:36

We came back from Netherlands last week and to be honest it was lovely but absolutely freezing! We flew to Amsterdam but stayed in Noordwijk on the coast and did tulips at Keukenhof, a day in the Hague at Madurodam, a day cycling around windmills at Kinderdijk and a day in Amsterdam including Van Gogh museum. We have a 4 year old and she really enjoyed it. I was a bit disappointed by the weather but where we stayed was in the bulb fields area so despite them not all being out in bloom because of it being earlier season it was very pretty and v quiet because the Dutch weren't on their school holidays!

Busy77 · 16/04/2022 12:49

At Efteling how many rides are just 2 people, thinking of taking my 6 and 8 year old but they would both want to sit next to me and obv can't wait at the side by themselves if they don't want to do it.

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 24/04/2022 20:08

Just writing some bits down for the Efteling questions. I'd be happy to take any age to Efteling- baby to teenager (and have done). The accommodation is great and close (recommend the houses - I'd live in one!) , the prices are reasonable and it's busy but not crazy busy. The rides are for all ages too. The question about the group of three, there are definitely rides for three that I can think off the top of my head. Would they go on some together with you in the next seat along?
It's like an uncommercial Disney theme park- so cute.

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