So indecisive. Need help!

[SausageFairy]

My husband and I both have a big birthday this summer. We've just come into a bit of money and want to go on a 'special' holiday with our two kids 13 & 14.
We have not travelled abroad much before. We had a lovely holiday in Greece a couple of years ago, but mostly just go camping in the UK.
We can't decide where to go. The thought of it needing to be extra-special is giving us too much pressure.
The details:
Going to be 10 days in the beginning of August.
We are not a sporty family but like walks and swimming (and eating).
We're going to want some beach time - hopefully on a nice sandy beach, with calm water.
Would like the holiday to include some cultural activities or excursions that are not too boring for the kids.
Have about 10k (a lot for us) to spend - if it cost less that would be even better.
At least 50% of us are at least a bit autistic and get a rather anxious about lots of things... like crowds and perhaps travelling😅

We considered Caribbean islands - dismissed because its hurricane season.
I don't want to go to Trumps America.
Saw a good deal for Mauritius, but not sure it's a family destination - think we would get bored by 10 days.
Thailand = monsoon season
Sri Lanka?
Then we thought maybe these places are too far for a 10 day break?

We've always wanted to go to Italy. We reined it in a bit, re-considered Europe and got quite excited about Italy - beaches, pizza and culture. But now thinking in August it's just going to be awfully crowded and too 'people-y' for us.

We thought about Croatia - but it looks like the beaches are not very nice.
I like Greece but we did that and fancy something different.

Some friends recommended San Sebastián, but I haven't worked out how we'd get there - or even if there's enough there for 10 days.

Anybody out there any good at this? Where would you go in August, that's lovely, but not too busy and feels safe for wallies not used to travelling?

@SausageFairyMany interrailers just take a back pack or small case. You lug it around! So travelling very light is what you have to do. Why not look at Switzerland then? You can stay at somewhere like Interlaken with amazing access to the mountain rail network. Plus fantastic scenery - but it comes at a price.

Lake Garda is fabulous,close to the Dolomites and Venice. We did that holiday and it was fabulous.
Also Vancouver and Vancouver Island…best holiday ever.So much to explore and see.
San Sebastián is a long weekend type of destination.

we are going to Madeira this August, its a beautiful island and the people are so friendly

Austria zell am see close to salzburg trains good . Lake is cold but has beaches

Flights to Vancouver will be sky high for this summer now and VI accommodation gets very booked up. I’d plan that for the future and agree it’s great.

Most train stations have left luggage for you to store your luggage for a price

i would suggest though 4 small rucksacks for travelling, 5 T-shirts, 5 pants, 5 socks, 2 pairs shirts, 1 pair of jeans, 1 swimsuit and mini toiletries, 2 pairs of shoes and gay and glasses

everyone is responsible for their own luggage packing

Agree about the Dolomites and Italian lakes. Loads of places to visit by train and easy to fly to Verona or Milan or Bergamo from the UK. Pretty sure there are campsites at Lake Garda as well if that's what you're used to. It definitely has beaches.

I went to Thailand in August. The weather was great. Don’t let it put you off. We are hoping to go again in July

@DJStevesThailand for 10 days? Surely not worth it? The op says 10 days and not too busy. Thailand is very busy!

Flying into Phuket would be the better . I just wanted to reassure the OP that the weather will be grand in August. I did 10 days for a wedding in Bali so perfectly doable if you time the flights right.

A villa with pool on one of the windier Greek islands maybe Mykonos. No need to be near the tiny party central part. Beautiful walks and scenery and boats and crystal clear blue water. Relaxing and lovely local tavernas to eat.

Dr Mosley died on Symi in 40 degree heat in June. Temperatures are way higher than the expected ones these days. Windy islands are not always windy!

It was hot but pleasant in August on Naxos last year. For the OP though I would suggest Lake Garda

I’ve just googled where will be 24 degrees in August and Tanzania comes up if you fancy going in Safari?

With that budget, IKOS

The flights to Tanzania will be mega money now and you won’t get a safari for 4 in Tanzania for £2,500 each. It might be worth looking at Families Worldwide to see what might be possible in August.

Ok, fair enough. My mistake

I’d save up and do it though!! It’s a great holiday!

What about the Italian lakes?

There's a train from Paris to Milan and then it's a direct train to Lecco if you wanted to stay there, or there are other places you could get the train to. I guess ideally you might hire a car but driving in Italy stresses me out.

Where I went didn't have sandy beaches on the lake but it was up there with the most beautiful places I have ever been.

A Quick Look shows flights with emirates for £900pp, other airlines slightly less. Accommodation is cheap as chips if you want it to be but there is a good selection on hotels dot com for around £1300 for 2 weeks. Safari can be anything you like OP but just to experience one of the parks for 2 nights would be fabulous even on a budget. You can do that for 2k for the four of you easily with a private guide.

That’s not a safari holiday! That’s staying in a hotel with a side journey to a park! It really is not the same. It’s chalk and cheese.

Emirates is a 14 hour journey. Not very attractive.

Yeah, when you’ve got the money. But with the OP in mind and the 10k being a once in a lifetime opportunity, then it’s a good option. Shouldn’t be dismissed just because others can afford longer or “better” safari experiences.

The flights are also fine, as is summer in the Mediterranean! Different strokes and all that

Hi, I am a Londoner but a Frenchie exported me to the Biarritz region in SW France. It is very easy to get to, direct flights from Stansted and Gatwick and you have beaches that go on for days. The ocean is a little wild at times though so you have to select the swimming beaches but you find little inlets all along the coast. San Sebastian is 30 mins by car but I prefer the smaller towns like Hondarribia. You still get the delicious food and Basque architecture but it's less stressful with visitors. From there if you want to visit the mountains you could find yourself a quiet air bnb in nature close to places like Argeles Gazost which is a buzzing mountain town. I like this hotel which has been run by the same family for two generations. The garden is wonderful and the views of the valley at dinner are just dreamy. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Auberge+Le+Cabaliros/@42.989162,-0.1130624,15z/data=!4m12!1m2!2m1!1sHotels!3m8!1s0xd57d09d84c6bb8d:0xbdce7617b05c34bd!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d42.9881762!4d-0.1047817!16s%2Fg%2F1tkc7_xr?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxMi4wIKXMDSoJLDEwMjExNDUzSAFQAw%3D%3D
Nearby is a brilliant outdoor municiapl swimming pool with slides or a little further is a town called Loudenvielle with a fabulous (and affordable) spa called Balneo spa www.balnea.fr/?utm_source=gmb with stunning views of the mountains. Kids can also go. Or forget the mountains and just enjoy your time by the sea.

I went to Croatia last year with my partner and 3 year old son and that was also great. However I noted some massive improvements in connectivity to all of the islands and the catamaran routes and timetables are so impressive. You don't need a car at all. We hired a car which got very expensive and a bit of a headache to plan in advance because only the main ferry routes take cars. If I were to do it again I wouldn't hire a car and just take the catamarans to the isalnds. It's so much easier and cheaper. Who wants to do all that driving anyway and then the parking is another story. Again though you will struggle to find sandy beaches.

I also worked a summer in northern Italy around lake Garda which some others have suggested. It is stunning but again, I don't see the appeal for a beachy style holiday becuase there is hardly anywhere to enjoy the water. It is lovely taking the boat around the lake to different towns and soaking in the summer atmosphere but I wouldn't say it would tick the beach holiday vibes. Verona you can see in half a day and the Dolomites are wonderful but a challenge if you say you aren't sporty.

I also lived in Vancouver which is in the Provence of BC which stands for Bring Cash. The jet lag itself will take 5 days to get over, it's so expensive once there and to be honest the only beach that was nice was wreck beach out by the university about 45 minutes by bus from downstown. Of course in the city itself you have a variety of some wonderful very rustic scenery with logs on the beach and it's more relaxed around Kitsilano but the water is not all that clean because of the large shipping vessels that moor in the water waiting to dock spewing out oil all day every day. You do of course have wonderful camping especially in provinical campsites that would have you think there was no one else in the world becuase they organise them so well but you would need a car and travel a far way to get to them. The most remote unspoilt camping is on Vancouver Island near Toffino but once there be prepared for nothingness. That's why you go camping in Canada, for the nothingness which is wonderful if you are into making your own fun or just sleeping when it gets dark.

With ten days personally I would stick to Europe.

Another option is the Portugese coast. I heard Porto is a bit nicer than Lisbon these days but you could do either and then afterwards hit the coast.

If you want a safari ok it's not Tanzania but you could do a lot worse than this place in Spain which has cable cars to help see and get around https://parquedecabarceno.com/