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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Family summer holiday with a budget of around 18k

515 replies

Linens · 04/01/2025 17:28

Thinking ahead to 2026 summer.
DH and I, DS who will be 14.5 and DS who will be 10
I would like 2 weeks away somewhere. Looked at Mauritius/Maldives/Sri Lanka/Seychelles but seems it’s the wet season and maybe not ideal time to go?
I love European villa holidays but it’s just so so hot now and all the risk of wildfires….
Was thinking safari but I have been before and it’s not hugely relaxing, which we desperately need on our holidays.
We are doing Disney this year in October so probably won’t want to go again so soon. Going away in Easter is probably out as well as we will not be long back from Dis and October 2026 youngest will be sitting 11+ so it will be summer to go away.
I love going away in the UK and we will have a week away in UK at some point but the weather is unreliable for main summer holiday.
I did see a suggestion on another thread for Parnu in Estonia which I really fancied?
Anyone any bright ideas? I LOVE
holidays and booking them and planning and I’ve always got the next destination in mind but nothing is massively exciting me. I know 2026 is a long way off but I like to start thinking about things!

OP posts:
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ChristmasGrinch24 · 04/01/2025 18:00

18k for a two week holiday? Wtf.

choccytime · 04/01/2025 18:02

Speechless ! 🙄

ToastyCat · 04/01/2025 18:02

Ah, fair enough.

Also, some people have more money than others, it's not that shocking.

MissAmbrosia · 04/01/2025 18:04

18k? I'd probably do something like the Hamptons or Cape Cod if you want to chill. Do a weekend in NY/

toooldtobeamum · 04/01/2025 18:04

Aruba is out of the hurricane belt so always a good option.

CordeliaNaismithVorkosigan · 04/01/2025 18:06

We’re doing Canada - fly to Montreal and have a couple of days there, then go on to Toronto and get the sleeper train all the way across (which is expensive but I hope will be restful), then having a week in Vancouver and Victoria and flying home from Vancouver. Our budget is high but not as high as yours- the most expensive bit is the train.

creamsnugjumper · 04/01/2025 18:07

I'd go to Asia, fly into Singapore for a few nights, then head to a beautiful resort in southern Thailand, so many to choose from but maybe one of the islands.

If you what adventure maybe pop up north to the elephant sanctuary, spend a few days in Chang mi and then back home via Bangkok.

That way you get to see Singapore, Bangkok, elephants and luxury relaxing.

Alternatively Sri Lanka.

Original poster
Linens · 04/01/2025 18:08

@MissAmbrosia that sounds interesting - do you have any specific recommendations for that area?

I love Thailand - not been since backpacking days. Will look into that but again we were there in the wet season - super fun when you’re 19 and drunk and just play cards all day but wouldn’t want to be in the wet with the kids.

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Flossflower · 04/01/2025 18:08

I would second Canada. We did it when our children were early teens. We flew to Calgary and picked up a hire car. We drove through the Rockies to Vancouver, including Vancouver Island. The mileage might seem a lot but some of it is very easy driving.

Doseofreality · 04/01/2025 18:08

Hire a yacht and do a week sailing around some of the smaller Greek Islands, finish with a week in Parga.

mitogoshigg · 04/01/2025 18:09

Mid July onwards should be ok in Sri Lanka, dh goes then (work) and it seems dry

Fizbosshoes · 04/01/2025 18:11

With that kind of budget (but quite particular) could you get a travel consultant to plan some options for you?
I can't compute that kind of disposable income but I know people who do and they have people to plan things for them

Original poster
Linens · 04/01/2025 18:13

I did have a guy who sorted Disney for us. But I think he’d need a bit of a steer

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CatherinedeBourgh · 04/01/2025 18:13

I went to the Seychelles and Zanzibar for beach holidays in the summer and it was a really good time to do it. Rainy season in the Seychelles is winter for us.

I never went to the Maldives though because I heard summer was the wrong time to go.

Overthemoun · 04/01/2025 18:13

Thailand around Koh samui is dry in our summer. It’s the wet season around Krabi.

A Northern California or Boston/vermont/massachussetts/maine road trip would be my bet for those ages.

thegrumpusch · 04/01/2025 18:14

£18k?!

LittleRedRidingHoody · 04/01/2025 18:17

Overthemoun · 04/01/2025 18:13

Thailand around Koh samui is dry in our summer. It’s the wet season around Krabi.

A Northern California or Boston/vermont/massachussetts/maine road trip would be my bet for those ages.

Oh I second Boston/New England actually. Absolutely gorgeous and probably good for that age (not for DS, which is why I've dismissed it from my radar for now 😂)

3WildOnes · 04/01/2025 18:18

It's a lot cooler in the mountains so you could stay in the Alps or Dolomites in August and not be too hot.

Original poster
Linens · 04/01/2025 18:19

I need help on the Boston/New England/cape cod/Maine suggestions. Where do I start looking? What’s there to do? Is it beaches? Is it towns? Am I staying in a hotel or an air bnb? Where can I start the research?
All said with gratitude obvs

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Elphamouche · 04/01/2025 18:19

This is my job haha.

I would do Maldives, you’d get the odd short sharp showers more than likely and right now is the best time to be out there, but it’s raining in some parts so global warming has a lot to answer for!

Mauritius will be cooler than the Maldives and you want the West Coast if that’s where you decide because the trade winds will come from the East/South East.

Sri-Lanka would be a no from me if it’s a relaxing holiday, the beaches are okay and the East Coast are the better ones for that time of year, however it’s kind of more like a tagging on a beach to a more in depth itinerary, rather than somewhere recommended for a beach holiday.

Seychelles would be great that time of year.

Whattodointherain · 04/01/2025 18:20

US road trip, we love them. Go to the western national parks e.g. Zion, Yosemite (great but books up months ahead), Grand canyon. Plan carefully as there are not that many roads in. Depending on which parts, start in Las Vegas ( chill round a nice hotel pool, see a show e.g. Cirque du Soleil, enjoy the fab food and amazing other hotels) or fly to San Francisco. Don't try to do to much (look at online fly drives and go twice as slow, else you drive hundreds of miles each day, no time to properly see anywhere).

alexaisthedevil · 04/01/2025 18:23

We've done 2 and a half weeks in Canada- loop from Vancouver. Was great- rockies, Vancouver island etc, Whistler. In hindsight would probably have been better to fly into Calgary and out of Vancouver (or the reverse) rather than in and out of Vancouver but we had a great time.

alexaisthedevil · 04/01/2025 18:25

We also did a great summer holiday in Mexico a couple of years ago- beach and road trip in the Yucatan- Very hot though....

MavisTheMonkey · 04/01/2025 18:27

We did Seattle, Vancouver Island and Vancouver a couple of years ago with DCs 7 and 10. I would skip Seattle and just do Canada- Vancouver Island was amazing everyone loved it. We went whale watching, river tubing, SUPing on lakes, waterfall hikes, a beach day and sea kayaking. Weather was mid 20s.
Vancouver is a nice city so and as some others have mentioned you can do Whistler or Calgary.
We found it a perfect mix of on the go and relaxation.

We enjoyed it so much we are doing a similar trip this year with Toronto, Niagara, 1000 Lakes national park and then Montreal.