Adventurous summer holiday dc7 and dc15

[MadeAMistakeOops]

Can anyone recommend a more adventurous summer destination or specific holiday they’ve done with kids with an age-gap? Think culture, natural wonders, activities rather than museums and cities.

Budget is not really limited so that’s helpful!

Past holidays: enjoyed the Peak District, touring trips in Europe taking in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, east of France. Also liked European Centerparcs when the kids were young and lazier holidays in Portugal and Tenerife (beautiful landscapes).

Went to Florida last year - fun but not really my kind of place. I cannot function in high temperatures and humidity unless lots of water is involved so the theme parks were a slog for me.

Two problems: dh is a bit nervous about adventuring and little dc is only 7 so some things are ruled out (but he is super fit and active and up for anything - doesn’t whinge and easy to feed so I think he’s a born traveler!)

Happy to do an organised tour or package holiday but also happy to organise it myself.

I have never visited Asia - would love to do Japan or Thailand or Vietnam or even Singapore but I’m so unfamiliar it’s a bit scary. Is it already too late to consider for this summer? And will it be too hot?

Costa Rica also on my bucket list but I think dc7 needs to be a few years older.

My shortlist currently contains Austrian Alps which dd will consider tame, or Iceland but worried the latter is going to bore a 7 year old.

Help!

One of my best family holidays was to the Massif Central in France near Issoire.
Almost Mediterranean climate, very 'local France' so we heard very few UK voices in a fortnight.
We canoed a few rivers (already paddling family, took our own boats, but there are loads of organised day trips to join). The rivers were tepid warm, 25*c air, gorgeous canyons, exciting rapids and flumes, ice cream shops in villages. Heaven.
We walked a few hills - about the same size as scottish mountains, but with a couple of uplift/cable cars to help small legs.
The same Super Besse area had mountain biking, uplifted from the cable car, as well as huge zip wire, hire of off road buggys and more.
And finally we did a good few road / quiet lane cycles. Really lovely, some chunky hills in the heat, a good few evenings.
Lots of things to do like vineyards, visit old churches covered in lizards, great food, and a real feeling of being in France not a UK holiday park.

@outdooryone that sounds heavenly and I speak a bit of French. Not too bad we could drive there if I could persuade dd15 that France is “cool”

I came on to suggest Mexico. The Riviera Maya is fine and there is a huge variety of things to do.

I am intrigued. I haven’t ever considered going to Mexico, have always felt it’s not a place I’d enjoy but everyone always says such nice things about it.

My children were 12&17 when we went. We went to Chichen Itza, did quad biking, zip lines, caves, cenotes with great beach days. There are the parks of Xel-Ha and Xcaret too.

Slovenia has all these things. We went there with kids 6, 9 and 13. Was perfect. Easy to drive around and loads to see, stunning scenery and varied. Llubjana is beautiful (castle,illusion museum, lido, park), then to a place with caves (postojna?), a medieval town on the coast, Julian alps (whitewater rafting/ climbing) and lake bled/ lake bohinj on an eco treehouse resort in bled, boating on lake, swimming). I have probably not spelt much of this right but it was a fantastic holiday.

We loved Chamonix

My DC were 7 and 9 when we went to Costa Rica and were able to do plenty, so I would rule that out as a destination. We went zip lining, hiking, did a day as volunteers at an animal sanctuary. It was a really incredible holiday!

Please can you share some more details on your Costa Rica trip. Looking to do this with my 9 year old