Denmark or Cornwall for a holiday with kids?

[Holidaytime8]

Random choices I know! But we have a week holiday to book and are trying to decide which to go to at the end of August. I’ve always wanted to go to Denmark, which is why that’s there; Cornwall is an obvious choice because we live in southern England.

I don’t like mega-mega hot, so not considering France, Italy, the usual suspects.

In fact, my dream would be Iceland but the flights are just really eye watering.

Which would you pick? And recommendations for Denmark if it’s there?

Copenhagen is a really lovely city but it is expensive for accomodation, really really expensive.

Tivoli Gardens is a gorgeous theme park and great for kids. We also enjoy swimming in the harbour pools, renting boats and going to the zoo and the aquarium. There’s some good children’s musuems too - the science one is supposed to be really good.

Odense is also a lovely place to visit - can be a day trip from Copenhagen if preferred. Another fab zoo, but also all the Hans Christian Andersen stuff is interesting.

Roskilde has all the Viking stuff with is fascinating. The ship museum is truly brilliant. Also possible to do as a day trip.

Billund is Lego heaven according to my DH. Legoland is definitely worth a visit. We’ve also done a factory tour which was the closest I’ve seen to DH having a religious experience.

We absolutely loved island hopping in the South Fyn Archipelago. Skaro has some of the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten. Lots of good cycling, so many gorgeous beaches. Just a lovely laid back and relaxed atmosphere.

Denmark is very expensive. Over £100 for a taxi from the airport to hotel (25-30 mins) About £9 for a pint £40 for a main course, plus non sterling bank transaction fees.

When I look at the bank transactions, my eyes water!

We’re going to Denmark this august. The danes go back to school around the middle or the month so late august is cheaper and quieter (I’ve been reliably informed). We’re just going to Billund but there is plenty else to see. Not been before.

I love Cornwall but it’s so so busy at peak times. Just getting in and getting out is enough to put me off.

Yep am prepared for this but the transaction fees can be avoided with certain credit cards (Halifax) and now hsbc debit cards are free abroad too.

ryanair flights to and from Denmark were cheap at least.

Denmark/Copenhagen The train from the airport to Copenhagen is really easy to use. Lovely and clean, safe and masses to do. The aquarium (on the train line) is the best I've ever been to. I didn't find it any more expensive than visiting London.

Hmm I’m wondering Denmark might be a little too pricey overall in that case?

What would someone suggest for an outdoorsy family? Iceland, like I said, is the dream but the flights are a little too much! (Coming in at about £200pp, and there are four of us, so a bit steep maybe. Still considering it though!)

If you want to stay in the UK what about Wales or the Isle of Wight rather than Cornwall? We had a good family hol in the Netherlands last year.

We always stayed at the airport hotel for Copenhagen as the trains were cheap and fast.

How about somewhere in the alps? My friend has paid £25 pp for flights to Geneva, rented apartment for 300 euros for a week.

Scottish schools are back mid August so it can be more affordable second half of August. If you stick to the east coast the midges usually aren’t too bad

We also found Denmark more affordable outside of Copenhagen (although still more expensive than where we are in the N of England), and there were more cost effective ways of doing things. Self-catering is better value than eating out obviously, and we found attractions / things to do were generally in line with the UK. It was the accomodation and eating out which felt particularly expensive.

Public transport in Denmark is excellent and inexpensive - from the airport to central Copenhagen costs less than 20 Kr (less than £2.50) per person.

If you are set on Denmark then skip Copenhagen/Legoland etc and head for the coast or the islands. Rømø has beach as far as the eye can see, Fano also lovely or get the ferry out to Bornholm.

Denmark has a big beach house culture so look at renting a beach house self-catering for a week, being outdoorsy by the sea and maybe some trips to attractions on the mainland.

I visited Denmark every other year until I was 18 and we only went to Copenhagen once, there is loads of other stuff to do.

We have been to Denmark a few times, albeit not recently. I'd agree with going from after about the 10th August, Danish schools are back and things are quieter but still open.

We camped and pretty much self catered, so was able to get accommodation as cheap as possible. If you didn't want to camp, on many campsites they have little lodges and huts to hire which may make it more affordable with a bit of comfort. Campsites are of a good standard, and many of them have free kitchens to use, play parks and pools. This of course, means perhaps taking your own car, or hiring one. Self catering means it's cheaper too.

Denmark is great for history, cycling, beaches and the outdoors. We loved Copenhagen, and used the Copenhagen card. We used a 3 day one over 4, activating it on day 1 afternoon and being then able to get into a day attraction on the morning of day 4. There are also many free parts to visit all over, the lonely planet guide will help with this.

Our favourite parts- Skagen, Aarhus, Ebeltoft, Copenhagen, Aero, Faaborg, Ribe, Mons Klint, Bornholm. Honestly, if your kids like history, as well as the outdoors, it really is brilliant.

Corwall is ££££££s too in peak season

This. We decided against a holiday in Sweden having seen it was ££££

Planned out a UK holiday instead and Sweden worked out cheaper.

I live 20 minutes from Legoland, Lego House, Wow park and Lalandia. That's 4 days of entertainment right there. I've never paid 40 for a main course - buffet including drinks at the Lego castle hotel, yes. There's a free shuttle bus from Billund Airport to the hotels. The west coast is beautiful so second the recommendation for Rømø. We went beach surfing last time we were there which was great.

As there are numerous flights from the UK to Billund, here are some ideas for Billund/Jutland.

Staying in Billund (Lego Hotel, Lalandia, Zleep Hotel etc.) obviously gives easy access to Legoland and the Lego House. Both are great days out - older kids and adults will probably get most out of Lego House, but it's good for younger children as well.

Less than an hour by car gets you to Silkeborg (Aqua, Danish lake district, Tollund Man in the museum), to Vejle (Økolariet) and on to Kolding (Koldinghus Castle, Kolding Storcenter for shopping), or to Aarhus (AROS, Tivoli Friheden park, Mosegaard, The Old Town museum etc.)

90 minutes driving west gets you to the Jutland west coast (Henne Strand, Esbjerg, Blaavand etc) - or east to Randers (Rainforest domes) and Djursland (Ebeltoft, Djurs Sommerland amusement park) Eco homes and a Michelin green star: sustainable living on Denmark’s Djursland peninsula | Denmark holidays | The Guardian Further east is the island of Fyn and Odense (Hans Christian Andersen, Railway museum, Zoo and more).

For quieter places with lots of outdoor activities and cycling, as others have mentioned there are the small islands - Fanø, Rømø off the west coast, or Bornholm way over in the Baltic in the east (fly to Copenhagen, then a train/bus across a bit of Sweden and a ferry to Rønne).

The second half of August is late season (as the Danish kids will be back in school) so accommodation should be reasonable - with the exception of Copenhagen, which is always more expensive than elsewhere. Look at summerhouses as well as hotels, or try a kro (inn) or any of the excellent family hostels.

What @Havanananana said. Billund airport is within walking distance of Legoland/Lalandia etc so no worries about taxis that cost ££££s.

You can probably get a coach/train to other parts of Denmark too if you want to see the coast and/or Copenhagen.

The west coast of Jutland is absolutely stunning and no more expensive than the UK, but you would very much need a car to get around if you had a beach house in a small village. A day trip to Aarhus is about 2 hours away, but you could also combine it with a visit to Billund.

I would suggest flying to Billund and spending a couple of days based there - and I forgot to include the WOW park that @StrictlyAFemaleFemale mentioned.

Then I'd hire a car (not needed for the days in Billund) and do a mini road trip - either west to a summerhouse on the west coast or one of the islands, or east to Silkeborg, Aarhus, Vejle, Kolding, maybe Odense/Fyn. Alternatively head north-east and see Silkeborg, Aarhus, Randers, Ebeltoft - or even further north to Aalborg, Løkken, Hirtshals, Skagen. Don't rule out staying in family hostels - these are clean, well-equipped and very popular with families, or even camp sites where you can usually rent log cabins for a night or two. A couple of days in each destination would easily fill a week to ten days (as well as 3-4 days in Billund).

We usually go to Denmark as it's nice and cheap in August and it's so beautiful. We self cater so costs of eating out aren't an issue. Food in the supermarkets can be expensive but it's all really good quality so worth it and they have amazing special offers! And supermarket own brand beer is tasty and cheap, about 30-40p a bottle.

Thy National Park is lovely and very quiet in August, but all of Denmark is worth visiting!

If coming to Cornwall I'd say don't come further than carland Cross on the A30. Its a mess right now and causing crazy tailbacks! You could still go to newquay or bude or Looe tho. I live in west cornwall.

I was looking at duinrell the other day, its in holland and has a water park and theme park onsite then you can walk or cycle to a beach. Good luck in deciding

A chase card is ideal for spending abroad, no fees and cashback!

What's Amsterdam like? Lots of biking and loads of places you can do day trips to.