Recommend me a trip: family of 5

[plasticbucket]

I am not an experienced traveller and my children have never been out of the UK. I have just won a some money (£3500ish) and want to take my family abroad in August.

I don't want a kids club/cocktails/cinema type of all inclusive.
We do like cycling, swimming and action.
We normally camp in the UK so have no experience of anything else.

We are a lower income family so this is likely going to be a one-off chance to get away, which is why I want to do something more unusual.

Please help! Thank you.

Neilsons are amazing but might be out of budget in the summer hols Beachclub Holidays 2022 - Summer Holidays | Neilson

Thank you Emma. This looks both great, and sadly way over budget!

If you are willing to drive, go to a French campsite (they have mobile homes and lodges) I recommend the Vendee, take bikes, there will be a pool, book a beach side site. You should get change from about £2000, last time I went I paid £900 plus ferry and petrol, no tolls if you go through britanny

Neilson and Mark Warner are going to be completely out of budget, but you might find an AI hotel for a week with TUI, for instance, that would come in under £3500 in August. Many of them have water sports, bikes for rent, tennis, football, etc as well as pools with slides. Tui Family Life and Magic Life resorts are worth a look. I'd also take a look at Eurocamp, many locations in Europe and lots of outdoor activities on site that might suit your family.

Have a look at Centre Parcs in Europe as their schools usually go back before England so the prices can be a lot cheaper, even with airfare or ferry factored in.

Legoland in Denmark if your DCs are primary age. Open countryside around the chalets, lots swimming in the aquadome, bus ride to a really good zoo, Lego house and land are fab, the area is compact but spacious and not overcrowded, lots of opportunities to hire bikes and explore. Amazingly it’s only 10mins from the airport too

The problem you are going to get is all the 'standard' packages or rooms etc will be for a family of 4! We have found the best way is to book apartments/mobile homes etc
It depends on the ages of your kids and how much faff you are willing to do.
unfortunately august is very pricey

The year before covid we did a eurocamp near venice. we got the eurotunnel and drove (stopping in a couple of motels overnight there and back). We stayed here: www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/venetian-riviera/ia012-pra-delle-torri/ataglance.html in a mobile home. there was lots to do on site but could self cater if we didnt want to eat out etc. pool was great and there was direct access to the beach. We did a boat trip into venice and also went to the local waterpark.
a couple of years before that we stayed in a eurocamp in the south of france. We flew to paris and spent a couple of nights there then got the sleeper train to Nice where we rented a car. We then flew home from Nice.
We have just come back from crete. We rented a villa - was pricey bit there were 17 of us so wasnt too bad split between us.

Will the £3500 need to include spending money etc? the italy holiday above was about £2.5-3k including all spends and was the last week of august (which tends to be a bit cheaper in europe as they are generally not on holidays then. I did also get a good discount code for eurocamp)

You will probablybeable to find something that fits your bill with a Eurocamp/Canvas Hllidays type set up. There's a wide variety of sites and there will be one that ticks the tight activity/level of business boxes for most tastes.

www.duinrell.com/ What about Duinrell in Netherlands? Nearby fantastic sandy beach. Onsite fun fair and pool complex. Great place for cycling and you'd be able to hire bikes. Day trip to Amsterdam. Relatively easy to drive to. Last week in August tends to be cheaper.

The funfair and pool complex are free if you stay in their accommodation. Though might be worth comparing prices with Eurocamp/Canvas.

I'm so grateful for all these replies! Starting to feel excited that it might be possible!