help me find a holiday that satisfies everyone! Is it impossible?

[allaboutthatsass]

I'm having a 'mare trying to decide where to go on holiday next summer for 14 nights. Me, DH, DD17 and potentially her BF18. (she'll be moody as hell if he can't come. Nice boy, been together 2 years). But finding somewhere that suits everyone's interests is proving impossible! Budget £6000 max for 4 of us.

DH: likes photography and driving. Favourite so far places have been the likes of Iceland, Switzerland, South of France and the German Autobahn of course. He burns very easily in the sun. Skin is milkbottle white. Has some health problems that mean he's overweight so not anything sporty. Doesn't want to keep going to the same places. Fancies a villa next year or somewhere to do with lakes/mountains.We did lake garda this year = 'too hot' DD says.

Me: love beaches, love pools, favourite holidays have been Med Cruises, or anything with a theme park. Love an all inclusive. Love History. Like the heat but not too much heat. Don't want to go somewhere and be too hot to walk about. Hate sports. Don't want to go to a villa and have to cook. Want to go somewhere that is safe, eg not Tunisia due to the terrorist attacks. Hate Greece as found each Greek Island I have been to (four so far) dirty and smelly.

DD: likes places where she can meet people her own age. Loves vintage clothes and loves places with vintage clothes markets. Vinted obsessed. hates sports. Hates boats. Hates beaches. Hates theme parks. Hates water parks. 'sick of spain and turkey'. Hates to be too hot. Yes she's difficultl! She did suggest Thailand but its expensive and its monsoon season when we would be looking to go so that rules it out. She liked Greece but last time we went it was cool and next year we only have dates available in 'hot season'.

DDs BF: Loves fishing. As long as he can fish, he's happy. Scared of heights.

We've been to most countries in Europe and North America but not sure where else there is. Would consider Europe again but where?

Can anyone solve our dilemna??

Italy?

I'm thinking France, but Atlantic coast, not Med.
Plenty to photograph, both history and nature. Warm, but not too hot to walk around. Plenty of fishing for sure. And we saw many flea markets and antique shops.

I was going to suggest Greece - don’t know where you’ve been but I’ve never ever found the islands dirty and smelly!
The Peloponnesus would suit you all check out Stoupa or Finikounda.

Black Sea?

Constanța in Romania perhaps? Bulgaria may be cheaper.

For our family the key to keeping everyone happy is changing locations and as you are looking at 2 weeks it's very easy to do. Some active options and a relaxing / beach spot.

A previous poster mentioned the Atlantic coast of France and that is what we did this year.
We did 2 nights in Biarritz; hotel with lovely rooftop pool, lovely surfy beaches, great ships and restaurants. Very photographable, lots of historic interest.
Then we hired a car and drove to a villa 40 mins outside Biarritz for 4 nights. Gorgeous pool, completely relaxing. Hired an electric boat one day for a river trip and went to a water park another day.
Then we drove to San Sebastián in Spain and had an apartment in the city centre for 3 nights. Amazing food, lovely shops, great beaches, historic sites and very walkable.
With flights, car hire and accommodation it cost us around £5k; could have done it cheaper with a less fancy villa.

Temperature was high 20s most days, low- mid 30s a couple of days. I have skin like your husband and my DH gets very hot and bothered and we were fine.

Northern Spain- Galicia would also work- Santiago de Compostela, Bilbao, Santander, Vigo are now all firmly on my to do list as we all enjoyed this holiday so much.

Ummm, give the 18 year olds -adults who can travel alone - sum of money and they can book where they want and the you and your husband go where you want.
Not sure I'd have wanted to go on holiday with ,my parents and boyfriend when I was an adult.

Portugal.

A week in Lisbon area (or just outside, maybe Estoril or Cascais) or Porto, and a week inland, perhaps in a national park area. One of the weeks in a hotel, the other self-catering.

Two suggestions.

One is a cruise - destination up to you but people can have as much or as little sun as they want to, and also as many activities / ashore visits that each one of you want to do .

The second would be to book a villa or apartment in a complex with two bedrooms - tell your DD that she and her BF can come if they wish but she needs not to moan! And you (or she) can book her/their flight nearer the time so she has plenty of time to choose if she comes or not. Northern Spain sounds like a good choice. Ive not been but I understand its a lot cooler than the south (and is most definitely on my list to visit). I was thinking possibly Scandinavia but I think it becomes more expensive when you are eating out - which is what you'll want to do to avoid cooking .

I do like the sound of @MavisTheMonkey 's holiday.

Do your fussy DD and her BF really need to come on holiday with you? TBH, between you and your DH you're to struggle to find something that keeps you both happy, without all your DD's demands!

I was also going to suggest France west coast - the Bordeaux area would have lots to keep people happy? You could spend a couple of days at Arcachon too.

And Galicia is stunning, around Santiago and A Coruna - the Costa da Morte is beautiful.

www.turismo.gal/que-facer/rutas-turisticas/ruta-turistica-da-costa-da-morte?langId=en_US

A driving holiday on the coast of Sweden? www.best-served.co.uk/destinations/sweden/itineraries/gothenburg-the-west-of-sweden-137841

Do 2 smaller holidays?

Do one just you and DH, then one with DD?

I think you're running the risk of trying to please everyone while no one is trying to please you IYSWIM.

Sri Lanka. It's dry ish from July onwards, hot on the coast but the highlands require a fleece (and might rain). So much history, lots of culture, elephants and turtles (perhaps teen friendly) do a 5 star chill out on the coast for a few days and spend the rest travelling, combo of trains or get a driver (can self drive but it's a challenge!) can give more specific ideas.

Budget should be fine as long as you grab decent priced flights - oh and for the fishing, I went out with local fishermen for half a day, was an amazing experience

Port Grimaud. Easy to find little houses to stay in on a little marina or warren of canals, pretty, drive or ferry ride to St Tropez or Saint Maxime. Good for shopping and nightlife for the teenagers. Nice beach and near hills and Provence loveliness if you're prepared to drive inland an hour or two.

Slovenia?

I agree with the PPs suggesting you split and do 2 holidays. Don't understand why you are tying yourself in knots trying to please everyone. I have a 17 yr old DS and whilst I tell him what options I'm looking at, at the end of the day it's my money being spent and if he doesn't want to come he doesn't have to. My 3 DC are forever suggesting places I have no desire to go to and I just tell them once they are paying for their own holidays they can go to these places.

Algarve or south west France

but if your dd is as difficult as all that I’d just let her organise and fund her own holiday!

Somewhere in the European Alps

You can do as much or as little as you like, use the pedestrian lifts to save walking uphill.

Beautiful scenery, swimming pools and lakes, usually decent market a couple of days a week.

Nearish Spa, BE or Zandvoort NL for a race track. The Dutch are obsessed with vintage and kilo stores. In NL, a nationally valid fishing licence is €30ish which lets you fish in nearly every river, lake, pond and ditch in the country. Not too hot. Plenty of history beyond the big Amsterdam museums. Food ok outside tourist traps.

Somewhere like this might be a good half way between villa and AI. Restaurant on site but in a cottage.
www.marinaparken.nl/loosdrecht?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=2.2.%20%5BBB%5D%20%5BLS%5D%20Loosdrecht%2FLoosdrechtse%20Plassen&utm_id=20455325011&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrp-3BhDgARIsAEWJ6Sx-F8Sg3JmnS5V2Ud5DuMEBalXPtaEwXC04V-XK2W0t_h2z0KCY8j8aAkfMEALw_wcB

sri lanka sounds amazing but sadly over budget. We'd like £6000 max (we're in Scotland but could fly from Manchester)
Something similar would be great if within budget. DD did express an interest in Thailand and we'd all quite fancy that but Thailand at the time we're thinking would be Monsoon season. We can only go mid June, or late July.
A hotel or similar with things to do, rather than just a pool, would be good.

Does Majorca not offer all this? Mountains sea, quaint little places off the beaten track? Fishing well its surrounded by sea.