Holiday for 9 year old boy - beach resort or other ideas?

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Any suggestions on where to take a 9 year old boy on holiday? Ideally somewhere with lots of activities or kids pool that aren't just in a kids club or a city break that's worked well. Happy to go Long Haul. Basically any holidays that have really worked with other children.

We’ve been to a few of the bigger all inclusive resorts in Turkey (Antalya area) and always pick a resort with plenty of water slides - the kids love it. There’s loads of choice look at hotels in Lara beach or Belek. Side is also good but the transfer is longer.

We always loved Eurocamp.

Eurocamp is great! We have just got back from a cruise which I'd never considered before but was great for the kids. So much to do, swimming, quizzes, sports, climbing, surfing (all on the ship!)

Florida! Or a cruise.

Salou also good - has port aventura and a water park, nice beaches, and easy to go to Barcelona for day trips

What's the best way to choose a EuroCamp? There seem to be so many options.

My DS’s favourite holiday was Lalandia Billund with a trip to Legoland and the Lego House. Lalandia has a massive indoor swimming complex (similar to Centre Parcs), indoor ski slope with lessons, rock climbing, high ropes, crazy golf, roller rink….

My boys fav holiday was holiday village Ibiza - loads of kids to play with on the football pitches/ on site water park .. for adults I wasn't so keen but they go on about it still!

Lykia in Turkey. Kid's paradise literally. My ds loved it there. They made so many friends there.

Lykia

Budapest was great for my then 8 year old. We spent nearly whole days in the Palatinus baths

When I was a kid, we did caravan holidays - lots of places but mostly Southern France. My parents have their own van but the sites we stayed on had eurocamp mobile homes/tents.

We always loved it - good pool complexes/entertainment plus able to get out an explore the local area - I used to love going on the markets over there.

Due to covid and family stuff, this year will be my 9 year old son's first trip abroad. We are going to zell am see in Austria - from the looks of it, loads to do in the area, plus hotel has a pool/trampoline/table tennis/eve entertainment such as theme nights. Obviously can't say how it's gone yet but I think he will enjoy.

In this country, we have enjoyed things like Cornwall near a beach but again, able to explore. Plus the lakes is an absolute favourite (hence Austria lakes and mountains region this summer!).

I suppose maybe finding somewhere with things similar to what he enjoys at home so, pools if he likes swimming, local area to explore if he is happy to, varied/new foods if he is a fairly adventurous eater.

I hope you find somewhere and have a fab time when it comes round!

Mark Warner or Neilson - loads of activities, teach the kids to sail/paddleboard/windsurf and other water and land based activities.

Surely what suits a 9 yo will depend on the 9yo and their family. I wouldn't enjoy going to a foreign resort with lots of 'activities' so we've never done that. My 10yo and his older siblings have only ever done holidays where we do a lot of culture and so that's what they expect from a holiday. Do what you want to do and the 10yo will fit in.

Zell am See/Kaprun/Saalbach/Hinterglemm (and many other "Lakes and Mountains" areas in Austria and northern Italy) has:

• Lake swimming and outdoor pool swimming (with lakeside beaches)
• Paddleboards and pedalos
• Mountains to hike on
• Mountain biking (incl. kids' clubs for all levels)
• High ropes
• Tree Top walks
• Summer tobogganing
• Jump Parks/Trampoline Parks
• Pony trekking
• White water rafting
• Caves, salt mines or silver mines

Pick the right hotel and there will a pool, play area, football/basketball area, table tennis, climbing wall etc. "Kinderhotels" often have a farm attached, with large animals but also a small "Children's Farm" (goats, rabbits, ponies, sheep, mini-pigs etc).

If these are the sorts of things that appeal to your 9-year-old then Austria or Northern Italy are perfect.

Another vote for Neilsons, unless you want a true “family holiday” as we barely saw the kids because they had such a great time with their peers at the kids clubs! We literally had breakfast with the younger one, saw him late afternoon / early evening for a shower and change and then he went back for dinner and games / movie with his pals before we extracted him out to go to bed each evening! The older one had dinner and spent the evening with us and came to us for lunch some days but they had an absolute blast while the adults enjoyed a mix of activities and relaxing by the pool.

I have just got back from Hof van Saksen in the Netherlands. It's like a very nice version of centerparcs. The restaurants are lovely for adults but very family friendly. The cottages are also kitted out to self cater but we ate out all the time instead. My kids played with German and Dutch kids. In the restaurants there are lego walls or soft play where my 9yo and 12yo played with other kids and we enjoyed a drink overlooking the lake.

There's very good water slides, free activities like canoeing, paddle boarding, raft building, outdoor climbing and archery and a trampoline park. Paid for activities not expensive (clip and climband laser tag a hit). There's bowling (which my 9yo didn't enjoy because he's very competitive!), brilliant massive indoor and outdoor play areas.

We flew to Amsterdam and hired a car for a 2 hour drive. Next time we will taketh non stop 2 hr train journey to Assen instead and cab it from there.

For the adults there is a spa and art everywhere.

One of our best days was hiring bikes as the Dutch are very cycle friendly.

We didn't get to do the hiring of go karts other adventure golf or 'foot golf'.. we also didn't make it to the football basketball tennis etc which is all free.

My kidsloved the little play areas right near our cottage, dotted everywhere.

I also recommend GF victoria in tenerife. Has a water park and every activity going. Very classy, not AI. My kids both made tonnes of British friends and insisted on meeting up with them to do activities or play in the family pool. I mainly chilled out by the adults pool. There's a sky bar with pool for adults. It's a pretty perfect something for everyone location.

My 9yo loved learning to surf. He also loved the "teen club" in the evening (no good for teens and better for younger dc). I avoided the entertainment and the hotel wasn't too loud with it like some places.

We did b&b and went out every night to eat.

Oh I should mention we teamed hof van saksen with a short city break to Amsterdam. Stay in the 9 streets district on a houseboat and get a boat trip round the canals.

I agree with the pp above. We just plan nice holidays with culture, landscapes and other interesting things and our child just fits in. We don’t really do hotel/ pool based holidays. Of course, that might be your preference, which is fine. If so, Hotel Costa Calero in Lanzarote is nice.

Florida + Royal Caribbean cruise. Can do the Disney parks for a few days then do a 4 night cruise around Bahamas, includes 'perfect day at coco cay' which is basically a huge water park!