Break with bored 16 DS, help!

[Escapetosomewhere]

I feel like I should take DS 16 somewhere at half term as he seems bored and has found school miserable. trouble is, I’ve totally lost confidence! We can afford a cheaply to Copenhagen possibly. I’m not sure he’ll want to traipse around a rainy city with his mum. He’s not sure what he’s interested in. Well he likes space and science not art galleries.
DH says he’ll be fine at home. He’s got new electronic gizmos to invent stuff with.
DH also can’t go, work, and doesn’t want to go away with just the three of us in the uk as it will remind him of DD who has gone no contact. Also he says even a cheaply trip will end up being a grand.
I just find it so hard to arrange a break. What do I do?
DS did say can we go away, but I don’t know where. It all looks so bleak or expensive and I’ve just lost confidence. Don’t want to drag DS to airport etc etc if it’s going to be wet and cold and miserable few days. Also planning stuff to do when we get there is terrifying - I’m bound to miss the cool stuff.
help!

What’s your budget?

Cheap! I can see loads of interesting holidays if we had 3k say, but we are more cheapy chaps.

Whereabouts are you roughly located Op? Would something like a couple of days in London or going to a theme park be suitable?

Would he not tolerate a few nights abroad if you found a cheap last minute deal?

How about 4 or 5 nights at Lalandia in Billund, with a trip to the Lego House?

Not sure what your opinion on drugs is (just for the record, I'm against drugs, but feel that the current legislation just doesn't work) and my teenagers were very interested in Christiania where there is open cannabis trade.
I've been there first many many years ago, when it seemed much more an idealistic commune where people just tried to live differently.
When we went with our teenagers a few years ago it didn't feel like this rosy neighbourly area anymore, but nevertheless still really interesting.
It might appeal to a 16 year old and could spark interesting conversations.

Gosh thanks everyone. I’ve found hotel and flights on last minute that looks a bit more reassuring than discountholidaysdirect.
lillund does sound good, he loves Lego still.
Christiana sounds v interesting too, he doesn’t drink tea even yet, so think he’s not into cannabis, I may be wrong! It would be good conversations but shame the feeling has changed.
yes, London is probably a good idea. I have some mates there, if I can get the courage to call and impose!
thanks, I don’t know why I’ve got so nervous. I think DH says go, but am getting vibes that he’s a bit miffed if we do. Also lots of stress lately. Could really do with old confidence me back!

Seems we could get to Barcelona, Portugal Berlin and Iceland direct. Suspect Iceland will be £££.

The hols are about 700 each inc. flights for a week. So we will be into quite a lot of dosh!

I did budapest on my own with two teenagers last feb half term and it was brilliant. Loads to do and see. Quite cheap trams, food etc too. Stayed in a hostel and cooked some food a couple of nights. The kitchen had other young travellers in it (18plus) and my kids were fascinated in them and had good chats.
i have done loads of city breaks but this was up there with the best. 4/5 nights is perfect.

Carcassonne - Mon to sat Ryanair from Manchester is £210 total and there are loads of apartments on hotels dot com for around the £200-250 mark. Pick one near the walled city like this.

There's an aqua park and you could get the train into Toulouse for more sightseeing/city day

Why Copenhagen?

What about a UK break ? - Leicester for the National Space Centre - maybe less pressure if a bit cheaper?

Oh thank you! once and shre I need step by step instructions!
copenhagen because the flights were cheap but I think it’s dear when you get there.
i didn’t know there was a national space center! Looking it up! Thank you so much, it’s crazy how not knowing what to do = not knowing budget (dh thinks everything expensive unless it’s a new phone!) = feeling like a failure = spiraling downwards. I hope I’m not the only person to get this!

I don't think Carcassonne will be warm enough for an aqua park at Feb half term: there's not much there once you've seen the citadel which, though lovely, is very touristy! You'd need a car to venture a bit further afield and make the most of the area - better in nice weather

Sounds like staying closer to home would be better for your confidence OP: maybe venture to London for a few days - there's so much to do - and build it up from there, rather than feel obliged to do something abroad?

@stringbean the weather is looking ok really, much better than here and you definitely don't need a car! You can be in Perpignan or Toulouse for around a tenner return on the train in an hour or so!

Have a look at Malta, south of Spain, Morocco

Berlin would be great. Accommodation isn't too expensive there.

Why not give your DS the budget and set him the challenge of finding somewhere to go - finding out the details of flights, accommodation/what there is to do etc?

At 16 no doubt he will soon be wanting to go on holiday with friends without you so it would be good practice for him - and getting him involved in the planning should mean he will enjoy it more.

I wouldn't take a 16-year-old to Carcassonne for a week in winter - there really isn't much to do and a water park would be freezing and probably not open until at least Easter.

I agree London is a good shout - maybe you could do the National Space Centre in Leicester on the way, depending on where you're coming from. I don't recommend spending much time in Leicester!

Otherwise, I think Paris is fabulous for children of any age, so much to see and do and lots of accommodation to suit all budgets. You can go on the Eurostar and four nights would be enough to get a taste.

Space and Science in Copenhagen? Head to Experimentarium in Hellerup, just outside Copenhagen.

Christiania has been a victim of its own success (or its own reputation) and has nothing much to commend it any more. It used to be somewhere where people lived an "alternative" lifestyle, but now it has become a tourist attraction where people go to gawp at "the natives" and wherever there are many tourists (in any city) you're sure to find the usual dross of vendors of over-priced tat, rip-off food and drink prices and a host of "unsavoury" characters.

Billund is OK for a couple of days, but other than Lego House, which is far better than Legoland (which might actually be closed until the Spring) and Lalandia, there's not much else there for a 16 year old. WOW Park is great for smaller kids (5-14) but is also only a summer attraction.

Granada in Spain should be sunny and has a nice science museum. Good food and maybe a visit to the Alhambra Palace? Or Malaga or Seville would be fun too.

National space museum Leicester for a road trip

Head to Toulouse … this place is amazing and perfect for a space mad teen https://en.cite-espace.com/

I think letting DS plan it all is a great idea

There’s an amazing science museum in Barcelona and lots of other good things to see and do.