Where would you go if you had 6/7 weeks?

[whompingwillo]

My husband is taking a 6/7 week sabbatical over summer. We have 2 girls who will at the time be aged 6.5 and 2.5

Where would you go?!

New Zealand

Yes I agree to that.

What bizarre and horrible replies?! We are hoping to rent out our house and we have been building savings specifically for this I’m posting in holidays to see peoples suggestions - of course I can ‘think for myself’ whether rich or not.

This is the holiday thread, surely the ideal place to ask such a question. Why the rude replies??

Maybe Australia? Having a toddler limits choices in my option, the far east would be amazing but in my mind with older children. I’d want easy access to good healthcare just in case with such young children.
May a really long cruise that takes in some lovely places but you still have stability in accommodation.

Lovely dilemma to have.

With kids those ages, definitely Australia and New Zealand. Stop in Singapore for a few days on the way over to break the flight up.

Our DCs are a similar age (5 and 2)
I personally wouldn’t want to travel really long distances and on long multiple flights when they are that young. It could get very tiring with time zones etc. but if you plan it very well, it could work.

I would spend time exploring beautiful Europe.
A couple of weeks in France, then Italy, then some wonderful Greek islands.

Ahhh, day dreaming now.

NZ

Depends if you like heat I think. I don’t,
so although I’d like a 6/7 week trip around Europe I wouldn’t do it in the summer. We have done a whistle stop tour of NZ in two weeks in the summer before and loved that, it’s their winter so can be cool and temperate but also amazing and lower season there so things are quieter and cheaper. If I wanted to stay in Europe then I’d happily go around Scandinavia as that wouldn’t be too hot for me but would obvs be pricey. Would you consider camper van and driving around?

I’m not sure summer is the best time for NZ and Australia? Has anyone been this time of year?

Cross posted yes would absolutely consider a camper van and great to know you still had a great time in NZ winter!

I did my travelling in the summer holidays of university and don’t remember a problem with New Zealand weather - just that I loved it! If you do Australia as well it is always warm in the North but then 3 weeks in each may not be enough depending how many places you want to see.

I wouldn't personally NZ or Aus in our summer. A friend did a house swap to Vancouver which sounded amazing. They also stayed on Vancouver Island. The distances are huge though, so you would need to plan carefully, but you have the time to travel to a few different places or hire a campervan.

I'd also be tempted by Europe - Greece, Croatia, Slovenia etc but you might be less keen as these are all places that are easy to go to for a week.

I went to NZ in our summer/their winter, but went skiing and did a few days in Langkowi on the way back to get some beach and sun. I'm not sure there would be much for kids in winter there. For that length of time, I'd look at travelling around central America - Costa Rica, Guatamala, Mexico. If that's too adventurous, look at Tanzania, or Vietnam and Cambodia.

I'm from New Zealand and I wouldn't be keen to visit in UK summer/NZ winter (unless massively into winter sports). The attraction of NZ is getting outdoors and it can be pretty miserable in winter, especially in the south where I'm from. Also gets dark early in winter just like the UK. Northern areas are warmer but can be wet and windy. The country seems to have had a lot of stormy wether is recent years, Australia might have more options as its huge with lots of different climates.

With the amount of time off I would be tempted to head further away though as taking short long haul trips with kids is tricky. Maybe Australia and somewhere in the Pacific. A road trip around the US could be an option but maybe not so great at the moment.

Is there a cut off point? What does your bank balance have to be in order to ask for advice on here?

Canada

We stayed in Spain for 6 weeks every summer when mine were younger.

it is an amazing chance to experience, normal life, make friends, go on day trips, experience the fiesta’s.
We also added in short breaks to bungalow parks, city breaks and stays in Portugal and France.

I’d do a multi stay trip around Europe.

France, Italy and probably somewhere like Croatia or Germany.

id do a mixture of beach, lake and city stays.

id aim for 1.5 weeks in some places and do 3/4 days of city inbetween.

it’s lovely to have so much time so I’d want to do as many different things as possible to get experiences in.

Ardeche river in France, Lake Garda in Italy.

Maybe Paris and Rome?

I would avoid somewhere that’s going to get stupidly hot! I’d like a mixture of visits to interesting places and chilling time with dc. So actually I’d stay in the uk! See beaches, castles, festivals, and generally enjoy what we have to offer.

Further afield - South Africa. Not really beach weather but everything else spot on. You can stay in lovely areas and settle in! Or Northern France and Brittany. Beaches, food and culture.

South America
Sri Lanka
Thailand

Motor home around Europe while the kids are small enough and would enjoy campsites etc.

I wouldn't go to NZ in our summer - we went and it was very rainy and quite cold.

I'd be tempted by Queensland and a few days in Sydney with a stopover in Singapore. Great wildlife. Or Canada. I love a campervan trip.

Would also like to go to either New England or California but not until 2029.

Europe inter-railing would also be fun with some stops of several days each eg Switzerland/Italy or Spain/Portugal.

How exciting!

@CutFlowers You mean when JD Vance gets in? Does that float your boat?

I think I'd do this too, a couple of weeks in the countryside of France or tuscany, a couple of weeks island hopping in Greece and playing in the sea, interspersed with a few cities
I hope you have a lovely time and please come back and tell us what you decided and how it went!