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Holidays

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

Original poster

Amazing holiday ideas

26 replies

Blankiefan · 19/04/2023 22:57

We usually have pretty inexpensive holidays - maybe a week self catering at a eurocamp or similar. Often uk hols. We want to do a big holiday in 2026 and are looking for ideas

Me, DH and 11yo DD in summer 2026. Probably USA but open to other ideas (probably not Disney/florida theme parks). 3 weeks. £20-25k budget.

This is a massive amount for me to spend on a holiday so I want it to be amazing. Any ideas?

OP posts:
mnahmnah · 19/04/2023 23:00

California! San Francisco. Monterey and Carmel on the pacific highway. LA. Napa Valley. Big Basin national park. All amazing.

almostwarm · 19/04/2023 23:04

I think Costa Rica is pretty amazing if you like wildlife.
Or a safari.

I enjoy traveling in the USA, we live here but it wouldn't be my number one travel destination I don't think.

What appeals about the USA? To help narrow down what you are looking for.

PotKettel · 19/04/2023 23:10

I’d go to Canada maybe; Vancouver Island and the Rockies, maybe time it to see the Calgary Stampede.

And I probably wouldn’t do Costa Rica in summer (rainy season).

Id probably split the money though, and do some ski trips and one less expensive summer vacation. Can’t imagine spending £25k on one holiday!

Original poster
Blankiefan · 19/04/2023 23:11

@almostwarm we're not hugely adventurous. North America feels familiar and manageable. Dh and I have travelled their before we were together a few times (Ontario, NYC, Texas, Vegas) and came on honeymoon (Boston, Cape Cod). We'd like DD to experience it. We'd originally planned a big California trip but it seems like there are wildfires there every summer now which puts us off.

OP posts:
almostwarm · 19/04/2023 23:19

I hadn't paid enough attention to summer timing.

I would definitely avoid anywhere too humid in the summer, so Florida etc.

Canada is a good shout.

There is another thread about traveling through California currently I think.

TizerorFizz · 19/04/2023 23:50

@Blankiefan
We do spend quite a lot on holidays. Memorable ones with DC when they were around that age and a bit older have been Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands (to include Ecuadorian Rainforest too!), Kenya safari using family friendly lodges, South Africa - just about anywhere! We hired a crewed yacht in the British Virgin Islands, and rented a villa on Virgin Gorda. We went to New York and Washington. Also went to Alaska. Peru is fantastic. Very memorable. We saw lots of famous sights snd visited cities as well as rainforest. We also went to India. Saw the amazing cities in northern India and went to tiger reserves. Not a summer destination but we loved it.

We never did theme parks. Our DDs like wildlife and somewhere different. We also find USA quite expensive now. We do love Canada. Lots to see and do on the West Coast/Rockies. I would look a bit further to see what you could do that’s utterly memorable and special.

BritWifeInUSA · 20/04/2023 05:20

The whole western side of the country (California, Oregon, Washington) and western Canada has wildfires every year. September is usually the worst month for them. I live on the west coast.

With that money I’d go to Hawaii.

mnahmnah · 20/04/2023 06:57

Australia? Wine regions, sail round the whitsundays, rainforest, pacific coast highway

EllenLRipley · 20/04/2023 20:37

We did LA-Hawaii-NYC
3 weeks
Best holiday ever

HermioneWeasley · 20/04/2023 20:38

Alaska

Original poster
Blankiefan · 20/04/2023 20:56

@EllenLRipley sounds interesting. Can you tell me more about your itinerary?

OP posts:
NotPennysBoat · 20/04/2023 21:20

Hawaii - do 3 or 4 islands as they're all so different! My pick would be Oahu (Waikiki, Pearl Harbour, beaches, shopping & surfing), Big Island (dolphin boat trip, volcano, stunning & unique volcanic scenery) and Kauaii (lush and green, gorgeous waterfalls, horseriding, swimming).

tarmum · 20/04/2023 21:30

Sri Lanka? Did a summer trip with family and it was amazing. You can do it all with a private driver at a very reasonable cost and splash out on some amazing places to stay. But also our teenagers loved our US road trip.

crumpet · 20/04/2023 21:32

Watch the current race across the world for a view on Canada

wistfullyfocused · 20/04/2023 22:04

We’ve taken a few big trips with our kids and Summer hols does give some great USA options - we did a bid east coast trip NY, Boston, into Canada and Toronto, Niagara, Montreal, and had a great time.

Something different might be a safari. Tanzania is fantastic, Kenya, Namibia. All great at that time.

Another fantastic summer location is Iceland. Totally different than Winter and an amazing place.

Peru was brilliant and Central America is good at that time too, maybe wetter, but tropical.

Indonesia also great and can be so varied.

If I could do just one, Tanzania.

NCTDN · 20/04/2023 22:10

If I get that budget I'd be going on safari.

EarlofShrewsbury · 20/04/2023 22:18

Trans -Canada railway and Alaskan cruise.

wistfullyfocused · 20/04/2023 22:23

Would the train journey entertain the kids enough?

slimdown · 21/04/2023 21:36

I'd split that into 2 holidays personally. But one of the ones on my bucket list is to spend a few days in either Seattle or Vancouver then do a Disney Alaskan cruise.

Cantstandbullshitanymore · 22/04/2023 02:38

slimdown · 21/04/2023 21:36

I'd split that into 2 holidays personally. But one of the ones on my bucket list is to spend a few days in either Seattle or Vancouver then do a Disney Alaskan cruise.

Oooh a Disney Alaskan cruise sounds amazing.

Booked our first Disney Western Caribbean cruise for next year but Woolf love to try a Alaskan cruise sometime.

Incognitopah · 22/04/2023 03:01

That sounds an insane amount to spend on a USA holiday!
Costa Rica pretty good plan….very Americanised - small enough that you can travel pretty much the whole country in 3 weeks with a rental car.
road trip America? San Fran, LA, Nevada, New Orleans, Florida
canada? East coast?

EllenLRipley · 22/04/2023 08:00

Blankiefan · 20/04/2023 20:56

@EllenLRipley sounds interesting. Can you tell me more about your itinerary?

Yes, it was amazing and DC say it was their best ever experience. We flew Manchester - LA, stayed in a cheap airport hotel first night, then picked up a car and checked in to the Beverly Garland. Had 5 days in LA, went to Universal Studios, Malibu. Hollywood, saw a movie at an amazing open air cinema etc. Then flew to the Big Island, stayed 2 days in a 5* hotel on the beach saw turtles within 2 mins of being in the water! Then stayed 2 nights in the volcano national park - lots of hiking, onto a Sheraton resort where we could see Manta Rays at night from our balcony!
Next we went to Maui and stayed at a big luxe resort on the beach - the kids were in heaven - 4 days there. Then Kawaii - lots and lots of snorkelling, dolphin watching, amazing - my fav island. 5 days there.
Finally NYC - I got a 2 room apartment so we could chill in the day as it was very hot! Saw all the sights, shopping. It was just such a varied amazing holiday - we talk about it all the time :)

bumblebeessarecool · 22/04/2023 08:03

Yosemite. Fabulous and spectacular

Original poster
Blankiefan · 22/04/2023 17:37

Thank you for all the responses. Much thinking and googling to do.

OP posts:
LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 22/04/2023 19:42

I went to Costa rica in august time and it was amazing, highly recommend. Don’t let the rainy season put you off.