October half term sunshine

[SillyBillyMother]

We've pretty much screwed up our summer holiday by camping in the Netherlands. DC (14, 16, 17) are bored & weather is crap. We didn't plan properly. It's not awful, but DH & I are pathetically desperate for all three to join us on next years holiday so we're trying to think of a really nice holiday for October half term to give them a taste for coming away with us again. I'm really rubbish at planning holidays and would appreciate any suggestions.

This is the wish list:

Sunshine (essential!)
Beach
Autonomy for the kids; able to go out without us, hang out and ideally meet some other kids their ages
Not much driving
Walkable to a nice town
Nice places to eat
Pool
Hippy market or nice shops

What sort of temperatures would you be hoping for? Warm enough for sunbathing etc.?

Also - just as an aside, my DB is a teacher at a sixth form college and they have revision/catch up sessions on during October half-term for their Y13 students, might be worth checking that’s not the case for your 17 year old.

Olympic Lagoon Resort in Paphos is great for teens and walkable to lots of shops and restaurants. The Old Town of Paphos has some lovely markets.

@cherryassam thank you! Yes, DD1 is a bit stressed about work, but there aren't any revision clubs planned. She's happy to bring work and rely on the WiFi. Not ideal but doable I think 🤞🤞🤞

I'm thinking reliable 23/24degrees is good. 26degrees would be the dream. We are a bit on the Irish side so don't want to bake but so fed up with the rain right now would rather 30 degrees than 19 iykwim

@Fivemoreminutes1 this looks really great! Have you been?

I think given how late October half term is, if you want as guaranteed sunshine / warmth as is possible short haul (I’m assuming you’re wanting to stick short haul given it’s only a week) then you’re looking at the Canary Islands really.

Morocco or Egypt might also be an option, although I’m not sure how much autonomy you would be able to give your teens (unfortunately especially if they’re girls) outside of your hotel/resort.

Paphos might be fine weather wise, I’ve never been in late October to Cyprus but have been to the Bodrum peninsula in Turkey at a similar time. The sea was warm enough but all the pools weren’t heated and they were too cold to swim in - you might want to check if there’s a heated pool.

Puerto de Mogan (Gran Canaria) might fit the bill:

• very pretty harbour town
• great restaurants
• very safe
• Walkable
• Lovely beach

Have a look at Hotel LIVVO, gorgeous pool, amazing location right on the beach and by the harbour / town centre. They’ve got an aparthotel close by too (Apartments LIVVO) if you want self catering.

If you want a resort with more things going on than just a pool, you could also look at the Radisson Blu Resort Gran Canaria and Cordial Mogan Playa - both in walking distance of the centre but up a hill away from the beach.

Oh and forgot to mention the reason I thought of Puerto de Mogan - they’ve got two markets on a week, a smaller artisans market on a Monday and a really large market on a Friday.

@cherryassam thank you so much!!!! So many great suggestions! So glad I asked here. I think Gran Canaria is a great idea, and the markets sound perfect. Off to look properly now. Thank you!!!

Yes, a friend just went to Morocco with her teen dd and I agree with your comments.

We’re off to Costa Adeje in Tenerife. Will be the third time we’ve been in October/November. Temperatures usually in the late 20s.

I’m glad Gran Canaria has sparked some ideas!

You could also look at the south-west coast of Tenerife, there are some really good things for teenagers to do (Siam Park for example) and there are likely to be a good amount of other British teens around to make friends / hang out. If you think Siam Park would be a hit (it is a truly excellent water park) then it’s worth going for one of the hotels where you get unlimited water park entry included.

A colleague swears by Spring Bitacora Hotel in Playa de Las Americas with her teens - you can get unlimited Siam Park entry included with Jet2.

Playa de Las Americas is very much a tourist resort, and isn’t particularly ‘authentic’ so is some people’s cup of tea and not others. The nightlife might be a bit too rowdy, although I do think it’s quite safe. Lovely beaches too. Some excellent restaurants to be found.

Thank you. The big resort this isn't really us, but the kids would like it. Nice restaurants sound good as were quite foody and not bothered about nightlife. The kids would definitely be up for the water park.

I think one lesson from this years summer holiday is that we need to spend a bit more 😬.

@voxnihili I'll have a look at Costa Adeje. Sounds lovely. Thank you!

If you want sun presuming you are on teh back two weeks of October Canaries, Dubai, Muscat, Abu Dhabi

From what you’ve said, I think Puerto de Mogan would suit you better.

You could also look at Maspalomas or Meloneras. They’re both closer to Playa del Ingles which is the busy, nightlife resort on Gran Canaria. Maspalomas has water park.

Taurito is a very small resort between Mogan and Puerto Rico - it has its own little water park though although your DC might be a bit old. Puerto Rico is another option, although I don’t think as pretty as Puerto de Mogan in my opinion. It’s close by enough you could easily do day trips to Mogan though.

Majorca is lovely in October! Reasonable temperatures, only 2 hour flight, still plenty to do on the island as it's not yet "off season". You've got palmanova for your all inclusives etc (a bit "brits abroad" but they've smartened it up a lot recently), portals which has a nice village and an expensive port to walk to, choice of beaches. Soller is very popular but expensive in my view.

Another Costa adeje vote including Siam park.

Valencia
Great city with fantastic gastronomy and plenty of cultural life. Young people have plenty of water sports and nightlife to enjoy. There are also a lot of kicking and cycling routes at the outskirts of the city.

Kicking?

Hiking!
my corrector was trying to be clever

Cyprus or Costa Adeje

But agree you need a heated pool ideally. However the sea in Cyprus will be warm (warmer than unheated pool!)

October is hit or miss in the med, whilst some years it's lovely still, it's far from guaranteed. For a better change of look at Crete, Rhodes, Sicily, southern Spanish mainland. More guaranteed are the canaries. We are looking at Morocco ourselves, coastal resort 4 * seems a bit cheaper than Europe so that will cover a trip or 2

I'd also consider the tui magic life resorts which have multiple restaurants included in the price and lots of different sports, the o e we stayed at was on the bus route into the next town rather than in resort but was right on the beach. Had full teen programme included (extra cost) surfing and mountain biking. As it was fully ai we didn't spend a penny there (just on a car rental for a day, booked from desk in the hotel)

i'm looking at going to marbella in October but struggling to find a hotel in the town that is affordable.
any recommendations please
Id like a pool and definitely able to walk out to restaurants etc

I'd second Costa Adeje.

We're staying in the Costa Adeje Gran this October- I've not been before but it's got its own facebook group of fans and it seems really nice. I did toy with the idea of Egypt but as we're bringing a pal for DS and both boys will be 17, the Canaries felt a safer destination.

There's loads to do - Siam Park, beach activities and walking to La Caleta for decent seafood. Wish we had gone there this summer rather than sitting shivering in our small Airbnb in Jersey right now.