Family holidays with teenage boys...

[Bonsoir]

Help!

I always found travelling with young children totally straightforward; DD (5) is still very portable; providing we take along plenty of drawing things she is happy to join in almost anything.

The DSSs (12 and nearly 15) are, however, much harder to please. DSS1's idea of heaven on earth is Club Med, which is just about my idea of hell.

What do others do? Inspiration needed...

Could they go on a residential to do what they like while you go where you want to?

kreecher - they are both going away for long stay trips this summer - DSS2 is going to England for five weeks and DSS1 to Australia for seven weeks. I'm looking for ideas for a family destination in the second half of April, and another idea for a family destination without DSS1 in August.

Pony trekking? Camping? Hiking? Biking?
How far do you intend to travel? Weather in the second half of April could be dodgy in most of Europe except the far south. How about a city for April (thinking New York here, which has something for just about everyone) and something more outdoorsy for August? How long will the holidays be?

We have ten days max in April and a fortnight in August.

I don't think we want to go to a city - we live in a city all year round and DSS1 is going to spend 7 weeks in Sydney this summer.

We went to Morocco last year and the previous year in April and the weather was perfect. DD was of course younger then too, wwhich meant that we didn't want to travel too far.

I quite fancy riding across the Pampas... but it would need to be nearer to home as too far and wrong season! Definitely not camping or too much walking (DD can't walk more than a few kms a day).

Eurocamp would be good for the kids as sites have good facilities for children of all ages, this site in the Dordogne has PGL activities:

www.eurocamp.co.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=Campsites.ResortOverView&ver=1&Mastercode=30

I was going to suggest skiing as most teenage boys like it but prob not in April/August.

There are some suggestions here:

www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/familyholidays/2080122/10-top-holidays-with-teenagers.html

HTH!

Sunsail ? My colleague who has a 15 yr old, 9 yr old and a 3 year old has been twice, and they all had a great time

No sailing. Thanks anyway!

Where have you been with Club Med and what didn't you like about it?

I don't any all inclusive/resort holidays - no Club Med, Sunsail, Eurocamp. Too many people, too anonymous.

Go Back Packing. Pick a country. I've done Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzland, Denmark, Holland, Belgum, Ireland,Spain, and just go and explore.

I book first and last night in a hostel and then after that go where the mood takes us.
I do a bit of research on the country eg find out where the white water rafting is, look for rockclimbing and any other stuff they may be interested in. Have a look where I might want to go and get an idea of what we want to achieve. Then go and have fun!

I often go for odd number of days because the flights can work out cheaper especially with EasyJet. EG go on a Thursday come back a week Monday.

When getting a hostel I book the whole room eg If it's five beds take all four beds even though there are only three of us.

Don't be afraid of moving around from city to cityortown to town. Have soem downtime and lazy days just relaxing and seeing what the day brings.

My lads have been doing this since they were 6.

Also have a look on the DO it 4 real website for teen age holidays. PGL are also good and so are Outward Bound Trust.

Forgot to mention. Have a look at HostelWorld for Hostels. They have all sorts from villages, beaches,cities, way out places, eco friendly ones. I've never had any problems booking in advance. I've even emailed the hostel and asked for ideas of what to do when I get there and what is there that my boys would find interesting.
We've had loads of nice times and good fun

upahill - DD is 5 and DP is 44 and exhausted by the time holidays come around!

The problem is finding something that suits everyone - the DSSs would happily do sports all day every day, and DD is pretty good at joining in but obviously cannot ski/swim/bungee jump at quite their level yet

DP and I are generally shattered by the time holidays come round and want to sit in a shady spot reading a book and being served food (even reading the menu gets too much for us) with the odd dip in the pool and short cultural excursion

Bonsor, I know what you mean!! I get like that myself.

I know what I suggested wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea but I find I can completely relax doing this without being bored to tears in a resort.

Last year I sent the kids Ice Climbing and White water rafting while I had a day to myself. (Which was rather nice!)

Yes, days to oneself are absolutely crucial on holiday!

Hmm. I'm wondering whether I am trying to reconcile the impossible. DD is happy with swimming pool and pizza, and DSS2 can cope with that too, though DSS1 needs more exciting sports. None of them need a lot of culture, though they can all cope with ruins (not museums, unless very small).

(Anna - what happened with the school and interview in the end?)

Will think of holiday ideas.

(Hully - Many, many conversations with the school later, DP and I are seeing the school next Tuesday. DP and exW have an interview together with the DSSs in about a month's time - exW not available until then. In the meantime, DSS1 had an interview with a back-up option school, exW went along (this school has no bilingual content so nothing to do with me) and fortunately realised that she was not up to scratch and is going to have intensive coaching with DP after DP and I have been to interview next week and before she and DP and boys go to interview further down the line. It is all mightily time consuming! Thanks for asking!)

Bon chance! You'll certainly need that holiday..

Have you considered Thailand. It seems that money isn't a problem for you (apologies if I misread it). Everyone's a winner. There's sun, smiley people and adventure. Alternatively Hanoi is very nice and there is loads of stuff to do there too.

Have you considered Disneyland (joke, Anna).

How about somewhere where your elsest can go scuba diving/snorkelling but everyone else can veg out by the pool. Say Egypt, you don't have to go to an all inclusive place, you can hire a villa or something.

kreecher - Thailand sounds like a good idea. Any particular hotel recommendations? I like small hotels!

The DSSs went to Egypt recently with their mother (this is another complicating factor - they travel a lot with her so we cannot endlessly duplicate destinations). Maybe next year!

Réunion.
Exciting sports aplenty for DSS1, beaches and pools, amazing walks (many can be done with a 5yr old and you'll still get breathtaking views), day trips, volcano, etc.. You can fly via Mauritius and do a proper beach holiday there.

I am loling at the thought of Anna backpacking!

I think tbh that the time is near when your dss1 won't want to go on family holidays - I didn't after the age of 15.

In the meantime I do think a Eurocamp type place is the best when trying to accomodate all age ranges but can't quite imagine you even in a mobile home let alone a tent! There is one which might work but is probably booked up for this year - the MN favourite, La Garangeoire, has a couple of gite-type properties tucked away from the main campsite. You would have more privacy and hopefully more luxury in terms of accommodation but the dss's would have all the activities on hand.

Wrong and wrong, DecorHate! I've been all over the globe on a shoestring (unlike my DP); and DSS1, however hard we try, still thinks that holidays where his parents (even his stepmother) are there to take him around and pay for everything are the best. We don't nickname him Princesse DSS1 for nothing!

Def no camping or any sort of large resort.