Ideas please - 4 weeks in the summer..

[sandybeaches74]

I have 4 months parental leave from work over the summer which is a complete one off. I'm so excited and thinking about lots of things to do. I'm a single Mum with 2 DC, DS12 and DD5. I am thinking of taking either one long or a number of short trips for 4 weeks at the end of July/start of summer holidays. I don't mind travelling alone with them but would like to do something really different so it's something they remember forever. I've been saving for this for a while now so whilst not unlimited budget, it doesn't have to be on a shoestring. I've thought about loads of ideas, including a Disney cruise to Iceland/Norway, a trip round Europe in a camper, something further afield, even maybe as far as oz but it's obviously winter there. Any ideas would be really well received, I've looked at so many things now that I'm utterly confused

I'd do campervan around Europe staying for a decent amount of time in each place.

I think it really depends on your budget. If it's under 10k I would probably do Europe and travel about or possibly even stick just to 2 countries. We have done a few month long trips:

• 1 week in the alps, a week Dordogne, 2 weeks french coast (Hossiger area)
• 1 week french alps, 1 week Italy, 2 weeks in Greece
• 1 month in Oz (went to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Byron, Cairns amongst others) - you are right about the weather but Northern Oz would be OK.

All were fab holidays but Oz cost us 10k and that was 6 years ago...and we stayed with friends for approx 10 days of it. I am sure now it would cost us more like 15k

There's also Bali as an option or the US? This summer we are looking at Canada for 3 / 4 weeks but I think it will be at least 10-15k. It's the flights that are putting the prices up to very high levels so if you can drive that helps.

Personally I wouldn't do several short trips because of the washing / organisation required it would take away the enjoyment for me!

Do your kids like moving about?
mine don’t so when we did this a few years ago we rented a place in the alps for a month.

airbnb so got a discount for the long booking. Stopped a few days on the way there. Went all the way to the south for the beach on the way back.

we had fabulous views and we did a big day out exploring / walking/ swimming/ going on cable cars every other day. The off days we stayed around the chalet, gazed at the amazing views, played games, did craft.

it was wonderful and less stressful than lots of moving and constant unknowns.

once we got settled the kids were v happy.

I'm going to Vietnam with my daughter this summer for three weeks - flights were booked a few months back and accommodation looks to be good value for money. Very much looking forwards to the trip!

How adventurous? We’ve done some pretty big trip with our kids, but self drive or wild camping in Africa isn’t for everyone.

Id look at lots of organised trips for ideas. Stubborn Mule, families worldwide, GE adventures. FB Groups such as Adventurous Travel with Kids.

We are going to travel round Indonesia this summer.

We did travel to Australia in their summer and had an amazing holiday, but check weather conditions, it was a great time for Great Barrier Reef, we flew to Cairns, seeing tree kangaroos, platypus, pademelon, cassowary etc in wild in Daintree, and whale and dolphin watching and crocodiles. Prices have risen though, ours cost 11k for 4 of us with BA flights to Sydney and then flights on and back to Cairns and we stayed in places costing between 100 pounds and 200 pounds a night but did not spend much on food. Flights have gone up quite a bit. I think our flights were 4k total. We did all excursions we wanted in that and car hire in Cairns area. Sydney just did key sites as weather isn't great then and whale watching at Port Stephens and Blue Mountains. I would recommend if you have budget but needs some research.

The 12 year old will likely remember, mine at 16 and 17 only have basic memories of trips at 5. And you get questions like was it Austria we went to or Australia when we went to Austria. 😂

We have done great campervan trips in Northern Australia and US National Parks (California/Arizona/Utah/Rockies) in August but we like wilderness and wildlife. If more interested in history/architecture I would do a month in Spain (also great wilderness!)

I would look at somewhere like Peru and add on the Amazon. This could be three weeks. Your 5 year old won’t remember it though. My youngest was about 9 when we did this and does remember what we saw.

You might like Namibia. Great for scenery and wildlife.

I find the Med too hot in August. Cooped up in an airless camper van would not suit us.

I would never do a Disney cruise. However look at Alaska snd add on Vancouver island. If you are looking for this summer it’s late though for Vancouver IsLand.

Ha just been scanning the Stubborn Mule site for more trips and saw they'd spotted my recommendation. Very tempted with the Belize & Guatemala trip!

Budget?

This is a Zombie... sorry shouldn't have revived