Holiday ideas for an active, outdoorsy family

[CoveredInCobwebs]

Kids will be 4, 7 and 9 next summer. We all LOVE our annual ski holiday but I feel like we never have a summer holiday that is quite as good (we usually go somewhere like Aviemore/the Alps, self-cater and organise all activities ourselves) so hunting around for something similar but different.

Criteria would include

• Outdoor activities on tap - hiking/biking/kayaking/paddleboarding/climbing
• Somewhere to swim
• Good food options - I don't mind doing s/c but somewhere that cooked for me would be even better
• Somewhere the kids can meet and play with other kids but NOT somewhere where the kids and adults' activities are segregated - we tried Mark Warner when the older two were very small and hated it because it felt like the whole thing was set up for adults and kids to be separate

I realise this basically sounds like what we've already done. I think I'm dreaming of an American style summer camp for kids but for all of us!
Has anyone done anything vaguely similar that they would really recommend?

Personally

od save this kind of holiday until youngest at least 6. At least.

I am dojng a fabulous one In Croatia next year with my two that I’ve wanted to do for years! But I wanted to wait until youngest 9. So very confident swimmer, strong cyclist and able to handle long very active days

Outdoor activities on tap - hiking/biking/kayaking/paddleboarding/climbing

very limited with what you can do with a 4 year old in terms of these activities

We have only been for a long weekend (it's near us) but Lake Erie has really great kayaking from 2 years old (in a tandem) on the shallow sargasso swamps inside the little island (at eyrie town).

Plenty of other outdoorsy activities too.

Not sure on the general food options but we stayed at the Sheraton which has a great restaurant with a lake front terrace.

Sorry Erie town, can't spell!

I was just going to suggest Explore. We had a brilliant holiday with them this summer. Loads of activities, great sociable group, some food was included and where it wasn't, we ate out.
The only thing is that it seems aimed at slightly older children. My DS was 14 this stummer and at the upper end of the age range - most of the kids on our trip were around 11. I think it'd be perfect for your older two but the 4 year old might struggle. However, the Explore customer service team are fab so if you phone and explain what you're after they might be able to suggest something suitable.

Our summer holiday this year with 8&12 yr olds was to the French Alps with mountain bikes. Very similar set up to skiing… uplifts and graded trails.

My dc are very proficient mnt bikes though.

We drove out, stayed in an air bnb and was close to outdoor pool and lake.

We took climbing equipment and did some via ferrata too… we did this independently but you can usually book a guide for the day when you’re there

Best holiday ever!

I used to work for Camp America and the good news is that summer camps for families do exist!!!! If you Google “YMCA family camp USA” you’ll get some locations. Here’s one close to the camp I used to work at but there are loads more:

www.deervalleyymca.org

Don’t be put off by the YMCA thing. No religion and definitely no policemen / red indians / cowboys but there will be cheesy music.

I respectfully have to disagree, we do all these activities regularly at home in Scotland and he doesn't limit us a huge amount more than the older two do.

This is amazing news!

I have done HF holidays in the past. Very good food. I know that they do family holidays. There are quite a few centres mainly in walking areas. There is one on the Isle of Wight that tends to be for younger families. They have an out door swimming pool.

@Havanananana Have you stayed at any of the kinderhotels? I showed these suggestions to DH and he really likes this idea.

Explore looks like a brilliant company but definitely for a few years' time, the minimum age I'm seeing for most of the trips that appeal is 7.

Yes but you’re not talking about a day trip.

this would be a holiday. A 4 year old paddle boarding and kayaking, then potentially long journey back, up early next day for a bike ride and river swim etc

i suppose it depends what you envisage doing and the degree of activity

There is a reason most family organised activity companies and yours have a minimum age of 7 or 10

Tours

i am not trying to put you off! It’s a brill idea but I would urge you wait for the 4 year old to really be able to do a long cycle involving hills or a river swim and be able to scramble up rocks etc

I know, these are the sorts of holidays we have done with all our kids! Day after day of outdoor activity. It's just in the past we've always organised everything ourselves and stayed in a S/C place and we were thinking that what would be really lovely would be something more akin to skiing holidays where we have the activities that we love but with the benefit of a swimming pool, perhaps catering, lots of kids around for our kids to play with. Activity wise we have done it all before, I have zero worries about his age impacting us.

Don't worry, I know you're not trying to put me off and I hope my reply doesn't seem unkind :) I think because DH and I have always prioritised this sort of thing for our kids, and because we live somewhere where we have very ready access to these sorts of activities, the kids are pretty robust.

Have a look at Simply Morzine. We haven’t been but considering for next summer. Basically an Alpine activity holiday like you’ve done but a bit more “organised”. You stay in one of their linked chalets or hotels (so will be full of other simply morzine families - way for your kids to meet others). And then they have various group activities laid on which you can sign up for. They are intended for the whole family, not a kids club. Some accommodation options are catered, some not.

No idea what their min age is though… guess it varies by activity

Realistically the 4 yr old is going to limit you, not because of their own abilities but because of activity providers’ rules and insurance.

PGL family breaks

The best trip like that was Peru:, paddle boards, cycling, rafting, trekking, jungle walks, kayaking, boat trips. It’s got it all, plus Inca ruins.

we also did that sort of thing with glaciers chucked in in Iceland

canada is def of that bent. We managed a bobsleigh run there, but not the kids.

Costa Rica is next Xmas and active.

I’m keen to go to the Azores as this looks pretty cool and in the same

I think you can find all of that stuff in most places if you look beyond ‘beach’ providers.

we always do multi centre trips and add activities.

We use Families worldwide or Steppes Travel post covid

Have a look at KE Adventure Travel, based in Lake District but organise holidays all over, they have a section for adventures with kids

Or Wilderness Scotland (but not quite so sunny as Neilsons!)

My friend did a trip to Sweden with them. She raved about it.