Travelling in school holidays - how do you manage?

[Sprogstersmum]

This is our first year where dd1 is at school and so we are going on holiday during school holidays - want to go for a week's self catering in the UK in the summer but it costs a fortune - even in a caravan! How does eveyone manage?? What are your tips for school age holidaying?

book early or really late

or take child out of school

We used to go away for a week at easter rather than summer.

And do your research. SOme firms are a lot cheaper than others.

You just have to swallow it. We have no choice at all, DH is a teacher. I think if you are really struggling you could lower your expectations. Have you thought about camping or is that as expensive?

When DDs were younger, we had a few sneaky days in term-time, tacked on to the May half-term etc, bit naughty but hasn't done them any harm.
Now, we shop around, mainly on the internet and always book early. Have found that prices seem to drop in the last week of August, if you're happy going on holiday just before going back to school.

Less of a prob for us as in Scotland schools (this year) finish 25th June, but still more expensive than the rest of the year.

It just goes with the territory. We have also lowered our expectations, we camp or s/c and don't go for expensive places - its still good fun!

it is galling isnt it - I try not to even compare the prices for the week before the kids break up. I teach and so haven't even got the choice of taking dd out of school in term time Haven keep sending me vouchers though we went last year in august for about £700 a week brilliant holiday if you are looking for UK. Still expensive compared to a couple of weeks before though

I havent been abroad in years since I started teaching - one day I will lay on a beach in Greece again LOL.

We sometimes to try to go for a fortnight at Easter as it is the only other long holiday that my dc have.

We are going to Center Parcs in Holland at Easter this year, which is cheaper than the UK parks. We are going from Harwich to the Hook of Holland and used Tesco clubcard vouchers for part of the ferry cost.

OMG we paid £730 for a week at CP Holland and its double for the same week at CP Elveden!!

that sounds lovely, part of the appeal of center parcs to me is that it is only 2 hours drive though LOL, sooooo wish it wasn't so expensive

wow, tht is a saving! How much is all the travel and insurance etc costing you

The ferry cost £234 but £170 of that I paid through Tesco Clubcard, then there is petrol. Haven't done insurance yet (dh works for a company though so will get staff discount etc).

The villa we are having is a VIP one and overlooks a lake.

We are 1/2hr away from Elveden, dh says it is not going on holiday if you are only going 1/2hr away!

oooh it is tempting

G'wan you know you want to. Have a look at the prices, they are doing discounts a the moment, depending on which site you go to.

Consider when schools go back in Europe, for example CP prices in Holland drop in mid-August as that is when a lot of the Dutch kids go back to school (and tehy are always cheaper than Eleveden!).

Book with ownersdirect - if you hunt around enough then you can find cheap places. Or find the flights first and then hunt for the accommodation.

Some flights dont go up that much in school hols - for example a couple of years ago we flew to Rome with BA in August (150 each) and then drove an hour to an amazing villa with own pool in umbria for a week at 800euros...the car hire was 150 and we took a SIL with us to cut the price/spend more time with.

I know this is expensive but really good value when compared to holiday with Thomas Cook ro First Choice.

We've done several eurocamp-style trips. Get all the brochures and check the dates that the rates drop, around mid-August. Because pricing is base on your first might on site, it is possible to save ££ by being flexible with dates, travel mid-week etc.

Similar applies to French-owned holiday properties - prices often drop substantially from the last week of August.

had a look at the french center parcs but sadly they are only about 300 a week cheaper (school hols in england £1400 a week, france £1100 ish) so once we added on the eurotunnel and petrol its out of our reach

I have found Park holidays to be cheaper than Haven. Going for a week at Easter and it is under £300 for me plus 4 dc. (Would have been just over £300 but had a £40 off early booking code)

We go camping in Cornwall for a fortnight in the summer holidays, it's about £300.

Last year at Whitsun we used our Tesco vouchers to go to the South of France. We did a eurotunnel booking and a Siblu touring pitch.

We've had a couple of weeks in France on with Matthews Holidays in a caravan. They were around £700.

where do you want to go and for how many people?

There's 5 of us - me, dp, dd1 who will be 5, dd2 who will be 20 months and MIL - due to age of MIL and DD2 camping in a tent is out although happy to go in a caravan - just want self catering but am flexible on where and when in the holidays.

We take our main family holiday at Whitsun mainly because it's cheaper/less crowds than in August. We normally do luxury shorthaul for this option. Then, in August, we gamble and take pot luck and do a late deal for the last week of the school holidays. Obviously, we can't be that picky for last minute availability so we're flexible as to what we can get.

whta the hell did thomas say ???