Help! First time taking kids on holiday

[ToBoldlySplit]

Hello everyone,

Due to a variety of reasons (covid, house move, setting up new business) we haven't been in a position to have a family holiday with our kids (they'll be 4 and 1.5 when we plan to go away). So we're pretty much complete noobs when it comes to going away as a family. We're now in a place where we can plan going somewhere in early May '25. So I was after advice and recommendations.

We'd like:

• Pretty much guarenteed warm weather
• Self catering if possible, but very happy to look at quiet hotels, or villas within resorts
• Lots of activities near by to keep a 4 year old happy
• 2 weeks' holiday
• Shorter flight preferred, but will fly up to four hours if the destination is right.

Our budget is 5-7k.

Thank you so much!

Cruise, many cater well for kids, Not P&O its like Butlins at sea, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America all cater very well for childeren

Early May is too early for guaranteed warm weather in Europe, apart from Canaries or maybe Turkey.

The very south of Portugal should have warm weather. Be great if could do last two weeks in May as that would definitely be lovely .

Candia Park Village Apartments in Crete would meet your criteria.

For guaranteed warm probably Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Cape Verde, Canaries.

Morocco or Canaries would be the shortest flight.

Can't help with apartments/villas as we use hotels.

There's a lot of Bungalow complexes in Lanzarote which might suit. Your budget should get you something nice and central, with on site facilities (look for a heated pool, play area, splash park etc) and near a supermarket and restaurants.

Playa Blanca is probably the nicest of the main resort areas with the best protection from any changeable weather as it's at the very south of the island.

We holiday a lot in May and while good weather should be guaranteed, it can be variable. We've been to inland Andalucia twice in early May, one year it was over 40 C, earlier this year it was cold and rainy most of the week and one day it snowed!

We had lovely holidays in the Balearics at that time of year when our DC were your children’s ages - perfect for paddling in flat Med waters. Mallorca and Menorca have lovely family focused destinations. You might get the odd overcast hour but with tiny tots that’s fine and there’s a good aquarium in Palma. Better than in August when it’s too hot to move beyond the pool! If you can go towards late May/ early June it should be even better. Flights only 2hours or so which is a bonus in keeping travel time down.

Greek islands would also work - Kos and Rhodes likely to be the warmest for guaranteed sun. Greeks love little children and a lot of the tavernas in resorts have play areas with trampolines etc. Again the sea would be great for paddling.

Algarve is gorgeous and the weather should be ideal but the sea is colder and crashing waves so more suitable with older children.

I found aparthotels wotked well so you could have light meals/snacks at home but go out for a nice meal once a day. You then get the hotel facilities (playgrounds/ splash pools / mini disco etc to keep the small people happy & the ability to buy cocktails for you!)

Have a lovely holiday. I remember worrying quite a lot when we first travelled abroad with our DC but you can buy anything out there so long as you have passports then all will be fine. Just get a cheap fold up buggy and you can usually take that to the airport gate for the little one & it will travel with you ready to collect on landing.