Dealing with weather disappointment

[TootyPahooty]

First holiday in 4 years, we've come to Rhodes in October as all my research suggested this was our best bet for weather. Thunderstorms all week. I'm gutted.

Trying to make the most of it and we are lucky to have our own villa with pool so the kids were able to swim late last night when it stopped raining. It just means one of us has to stand by the pool supervising as the furniture is all soaking wet.

Also irritatingly we booked an indoor cinema experience today thinking it would be a good rainy activity but we were turned away as their show wasnt operating as normal 'because of the rain'. Ended up in Starbucks instead...

Pleeeeease tell me all the reasons why it's still a great week.

I don't know where you looked but Greece is a summer destination. It starts to get risky for rain in September.
I'm sorry it's spoiled your holiday though. I do think people aren't honest about holiday weather and perpetuate myths about how good it was.
If I was going late October early November and wanted warm sunshine I would be heading further south, canaries probably.
Hope it gets better.

I went to the driest place on earth (the atacama desert in Chile) in their summer and it rained, causing flash floods and causing the stuff we had gone to see to be shut. I was so pissed off as it’s not exactly near.

Greece is always dodgy in October. We chanced our luck last oct half term and it was lovely but speaking to workers at the hotel it is very rare to be as nice as it was last year. Much safer bet to go to the canaries this time of year.

Also in Rhodes, in an All Inclusive that seemed to deal well with rain. We realised weather might not be great and considered Canaries but wanted the history to get another holiday with teen DS. Morning seem better weather wise so this morning went to Rhodes town a d tomorrow morning are booked on a trip to Lindos.

You're on dodgy ground to go this late in the season as you've found out. We went in early September last year and the weather was lovely. Have you been to Rhodes old town?

Do you have a car? It's quite an easy island to drive around.

I’m so sorry, that must be gutting for all of you. But it looks like it’s not cold so perhaps you could still do some sightseeing?

We went in October 2023 half term and it was glorious … just unfortunate I guess.

I totally feel you. I booked a week in north Wales end of August! We had such a gorgeous summer till literally the day before we left for wales. It rained more or less the whole week! I know 'you can't depend on the weather', 'it is what it is', 'make the best of it'..... but I was still sooooo disappointed.

This.

Hiring a car is so cheap and it means you can tour around and return to places you like best when the sun is shining.

Falaraki is the tackiest place on the island but it may be worth going as the typical daytime beer drinking tourists in the sun type stuff will probably still be open.

Go to Rhodes Old Town. Being there in the rain shouldn't be too bad. Personally I'd leave Lindos until the weather brightens up as it is so pretty.

Whoever told you it was good to go to Greece now for weather was lying.
From September onwards Greece is showery at best. Yes you can go and still have glorious weather but it is alotnless predictable and rainy season starts September.
Also, this is the very last week of the season for most resorts (some will have already closed). The reason some stuff isn't open is probably because they are winding down for the end of the season not entirely due to the rain. There is a reason why it was so affordable.
What probably is alot nicer than August will be the lack of crowds.
Im really sorry you were sold your holiday based on someone stretching the truth
Out of all the Greek Islands the Dodecanese are the most likely to fare better weather wise but its still a gamble especially right at the very end of the season.
Id be gutted after 4 years of saving.

Did you ask where was best in Greece in October or where is still good/safe weather wise? Because I cant believe someone suggested Greece over the Canary Islands for weather in late October.
On the plus side, you're all together. It cant be as abhorrent as the UK this week.
I hope you can enjoy the rest of your holiday.

As already said, you were absolutely playing Russian roulette with the weather (so im not sure where you have got your weather info from). Guaranteed sun at this time (or a very good chance of sun), and not too many hours from the UK, would be Canaries, Egypt, Cape Verde or going further to Dubai. You are pretty much the last week of the season and I know you can’t fly to Rhodes from our local airport after October half term until again next Easter.

It is a beautiful island so i’d go to Rhodes town and Lindos. Acropolis is amazing there and so many little shops to look in. The benefit of going now is that you wont be melting walking round it like we were! Lots of lovely restaurants too.

I know the cost is huge in the Summer but for me its worth the extra to have the guaranteed sun. Greece for me is June - early September. Other than that, i’d rather not take a chance on the weather if your after a proper sun holiday.

I remember as a child a week's holiday in the rain in a caravan in bournemouth. Trust me Rhodes in a villa is better....we were supposed to stay two weeks but gave up 7 days in....

We went in boiling hot June and the pools were still cold in a very nice AI hotel (fine for us but lots of others found them too cold even with it 35 degrees every day). I cannot imagine getting in those pools in anything less than 30 to be honest. Wetsuits would be needed 😆 Greece is very much geared up for hot Summer weather.

Staff at our hotel told us the guests were not happy in May half term when the weather was dodgy and it was a full on heatwave back in the UK.

But agree that it is best to make the most of it and its a proper break from work and everything else to do back home.

Not sure why so many posters are blaming you for your choice of holiday destination when you were asking for support making the best of what it is and getting over the disappointment. It’s too late to change where you are!

Anyway, any chance of buying some ponchos/raincoats and just getting out there anyway? Buying some board games? I’m so disappointed for you that your long awaited break has come with terrible weather, but you’re right to want to get over that and enjoy yourselves anyway.

We’re having a wet and windy UK break away right now, and honestly, the kids are having a brilliant time and so I am too. We’re wrapped up in waterproofs, going to the beach (plenty of swimmers and windsurfers out today!) and the kids have surprised me and really got into monopoly, dominoes and various card games.

Enjoy the food and the time together. You’ll laugh about it in years to come.

I'm so sorry OP - we were just recently in a similar situation. It’s so disappointing when you’ve saved so hard and really looked forward to a certain type of holiday, and you can’t do everything as you hoped such as lying by the pool in the sun, or even just getting about enjoying the sights and staying warm and dry!
As others have said, Rhodes is really beautiful and both the old town and Lindos are definitely worth a visit. I hope you manage to have a fantastic time despite the weather.

Sorry the weather is ruining your holiday OP! I'm not sure why Rhodes came up in your research as a good option for October half term though. Next time try Cyprus, Canaries or Turkey.

Try and enjoy both been at work, nice food, relaxing, indoor games and museums etc

I’d give Turkey a miss too in late October if you’re after a swimming type holiday.

Climate change.

It is real.

Sorry about the holiday Op. It's awful when you have saved up all year.

I feel you OP. We took a weeks break in the UK last week and were rained out five days of seven, and had the two named storms in the middle. Thankfully I had over found things we could do locally so we dropped the more outdoor ones and did the museums/ caves/ soft play etc. instead. We did movie nights snuggled in the hotel bed with hot chocolates, swam lots in the pool, read books and mealtimes became a big thing. It's still nice not to have been working. I'd get researching wet weather options- being rained out has sometimes led to finding some obscure things we have really quite enjoyed!

That’s so tough, OP. We were in Majorca a couple of years ago in August and our week there was completely messed up by a storm for most of it. Bad weather at home is annoying but, when you’re supposed to be doing something different and enjoying yourself, it’s impossible not to be gloomy.
Lindos is spectacular but, when we were there recently, I did keep thinking that I wouldn’t like to go there in the rain as the rock at the acropolis and then a lot of the pebbles which form the streets would be incredibly slippery. It would be fine to go there on a grey day (although disappointing as the views are spectacular) but I wouldn’t want to go when it’s wet underfoot. Sorry to just limit your options even more!

Rhodes old town, lots of shops to mooch around and the Palace Of Grand Maser in all inside the walk between sections is covered. Kids under 18 are free. It surrounds old town and the parking next to the harbour is free, across the road from the harbour it’s a few €.

If you get a dry few hours Valley of the butterflies in amazing and €3 kids €5 adults, when you get to the top you can go out through a turn style and visit the neighbouring zoo for €8 and €12 the animals roam free my kids absolutely loved both. You then enter butterfly valley through the turn style walk back down and to the car. There is a nice reasonably priced restaurant at the entrance to eat and get drinks.

Lots of museums in that area also on the main highway road, our villa was down the other end of the island 30 minutes further from the airport than Lindos and both were worth the hours drive to visit.

Hire a car and explore the island. Rhodes town is lovely. There are some great shops and there is a castle.

In my experience late September and October is when the weather gets unpredictable, still warm but windy and heavy showers. Unfortunately this year is even worse than usually, possibly due to the extreme heat and lack of rain this summer

I was in Kos May half term. Thunderstorms on the first day there but back in the uk it was over 30!