Terrible holiday! Need advice

[Fishy54]

We are currently on a road trip which is not going well.

the plan was to drive to though France to get to Spain but the journey is taking too long and we are ending up booking into cheap affordable accommodation in awful places to break up journey and we are all stressed. No exercise. Too much time on the road and stopping in places that are making us feel depressed.

we have done this sort of journey before through Europe but for one reason or another this year we have failed.

we all got really upset last night that we have experienced nothing and we are already 4 days into journey with only 7 days left, not where we planned on being plus having to take into consideration the journey back home.

we don’t know what to do. Driven too far. We are 2 hours from Biarritz and was meant to exploring the north of Spain. My son was upset and wished we had stayed at home but being very mature and helping with ideas, my husband has come to a standstill and tired from driving, I’m stressed do to driving passed all the beautiful places to get to where we currently are.

if we carry on we feel like our time will be spent r in much the same way when we get to Spain as we have not allowed enough time to relax and and just be in between visiting places.

we have driven so far that we are at a loss as to what to do. My heart is not in the journey. I don’t think anyone’s was really . It was my husbands idea a while back and my husband and son speak Spanish.

we discussed other more restful options before we left home. I feel awful
that we didn’t pursue them. Nothing I can do about that now. But what should we do now. My husband is suggesting we just stay put. Find somewhere in France and stay here for a few days then drive back home.

we have already lost one day of accommodation as w weren’t going to make it in time for check in.

Alternative is we move on and carry with the plan. Our accommodation for first few 2 days now is quite remote. Which we wanted but now we fed up with the driving. Then we have 3 more days booked elsewhere to explore a different area. Then we have to make our way home. The only way we can get home now in good time is to take the long ferry ride home. Which will kill another two days. My husband seemed to think we first left home that we had enough time to do a loop and drive back through France visiting some lovely places. we now can’t do that.

I can’t sleep and don’t know what to do.

I feel awful for my son. He needed a good break as much as we did.

we are all wishing we had just cancelled this idea and had a single location holiday somewhere peaceful.

what should we do?

I think road trips by there nature can be exhausting. We drive several times a year to the south of France. When kids were younger we used a stop overnight in burgundy. Now we just drive for one long day… leaving London at 3am and getting to destination at 6pm. The couple of times we’ve recently broken the journey it hadn’t really been successful. We just feel like we are spending 2 long days driving and shortening holiday. For a night in an average hotel with meals that haven’t lived up to expectation…. For which we pay a total of up to 300 or 400. Last year we had a cheap overnight in a Formule 1 in a family room that was beyond hideous. No a/c or ventilation! Driving through to the destination is the best option.

Not sure what to say OP. Can you just get over the border to one place and then drive back in one day? If not, I don’t see how it’s rectifiable. I presume you are using autoroutes?

It doesn’t sound like any of you are enjoying the trip and neither of you like driving either, it’s just making you stressed. Added to that a health condition and eating condition. I’d just cut your losses and go home, and book a holiday with plane travel next time.

Are you sharing the driving or is your husband doing all of the driving?

You haven't had a great trip so far, but I'll focus on your plans ahead and how much fun you can still have.

Our accommodation for first few 2 days now is quite remote.

Where did you book? What city/town in Spain?

Then we have 3 more days booked elsewhere

The same question, what town/city do you have your booking?

If you are a couple of hours away from Biarritz, I would get snacks and drinks and drive all the way to Bilbao. It'll be a max 5 hours drive, which is easily doable.

It's early August and good, affordable accommodation is gone in Southern France. If you have booked accommodation in North Spain, aim/focus on reaching it as soon as you can.

Hope it all improves for you. Just to say my DH has a health condition and we have had to change how we holiday, and plan things around condition. I hope you are able to make the adjustments, and enjoy yourselves.

If you decide not to carry on to Spain, there are lots of places within an hour or so of where you are which are nice but not overwhelmingly big cities. Nerac, Duras, Bazas, Agen. Agen has a water park and theme park. Nerac and Duras have great castles to visit. If you want the name of a small town with a lake with lots of entertainment for teens pm me.

The only way we can get home now in good time is to take the long ferry ride home

I'd be very surprised if this route wasn't fully booked in August.

Your son wanted to go to Spain so go to Spain. Cancel any other plans, drive this morning to the closest interesting place in Spain, find a hotel/hostel/airbnb and park the car in a long stay car park. Take trains or metro wherever you want to go for a couple of days, enjoy where you got to, then plan the drive home properly without resting for days and starting late and all the other issues that have plagued you.

Cutting their losses and going home would mean a lot more driving in the opposite direction without any rest or enjoyment in between, that's literally the worst of all possible options at this point. They need to throw the plan out and make a new plan that involves a few days of fun and relaxation before driving back again.

Not quite sure why you’re all struggling so much? We used to drive down to the Alps or Nice in a day.

Two days in that non-place is a weird choice. La Rochelle and Saint Emillion are beautiful. What the problem with them?

just drive an hour to Biarritz, which is a great place, and make an actual plan.

Ate you unwell though? I can’t really understand why you and your H are struggling so much with the driving.

We are thinking of doing that now.
Looking at ferry options.

San Sebastián is brilliant and there are free parties all over the city. August is party time!

I am so sorry OP but what a bloody disaster! You have made me giggle! I know I am being unfair and unkind and I apologise but with every excuse as why you cannot make progress why ever did you think this was a good idea in the first place? In my mind I picture you and dh driving round a roundabout debating whether you are too tired,ill, depressed enough to get off it! Sorry!!!

Yes, this!

How many hours are you actually managing to drive in one stretch/one day as that might help us suggest routes?

Use a website like wanderlog or roadtrippers to help plan - put where you are now and where you’re going and it’ll suggest places to stop off or detour to.

I’m not sure why some are so keen to have a go at OP for a trip not going to plan. They are where they are and rather than berate them because they shouldn’t be, they need practical advice.

Maybe look at getting a train from where you are to San Sebastián or Bilbao, have a few days there, explore the city and local area then aim to drive back home once you’ve had a decent rest. Stop somewhere in the Loire Valley en route home perhaps? That should mean a reasonable day’s travelling, nice evening then push on to the channel.

Hope you make it and have a fab time. The theme park is definitely worth doing and it’s literally in the town a little train ride with breathtaking views up the cliff side. If you then want a little drive out in a few days time Zarutz beach is great for surfing. Let us know how you get on.

PS you can get back from there in under 2 days driving if you have stomach for it when rested…

booked two nights in Larasoana to keep it affordable.

plus 3 nights in comillas. Can change the second booking if think it’s not ideal location for us?

However you’ve got yourselves where you are, I think the problem is that you’re now in a fankle where you can’t see the wood for the trees.

Your son wanted to go to Spain. Get in the car now and you can be there by tonight. Really, just do it, get there, check into a hotel, and I’m sure you’ll wake up feeling much better tomorrow because the weight of letting him down will have lifted.

Good luck! Your son will be happy.

Can you change your plans and get a ferry home from Bilbao to Portsmouth.

(Not read full thread so apologies if not relevant)

We've done a lot of similar trips and I think the main issue we others have said, is that you need to try and have a couple of big driving days to get to your destination, or if that's not your style, extend your trip I think really you need to allow 2+ weeks for a decent trip to South of France/ Spain and beyond. Are you avoiding the autoroutes/ tolls? I am struggling a little to understand how it's taken so long to cover the distance you have, as others have said. We do a similar length drive from Leeds to the Ventoux area in the south of France every summer and can get there in two days now. Yes, it's long and can be tiring, but it maximizes the time at your main destination as nd if you stick to the autoroutes, have a car with cruise control and have a toll tag, it's a doddle.

I'll aim to get as fast as possible to Larrasoaña. It's a 5 hour drive from where you are now. Easily doable and once you get there, you can continue with your plans. Comillas in Cantabria is lovely.

Could you book a night in Biarritz/Bayonne area or even San Sebastian tonight so you can have a day near the beach with not much driving today then push on later tomorrow to your already booked destination? The beaches near there are lovely and there are plenty of places to eat and nice things which it sounds like you all need today!

not My idea. Husbands. Kept saying we need a good 2 weeks. Flight were more expensive. Didn’t fancy flying.

Anyway, it’s done now - but yes we have had words.