Mumsnetters share what makes a family holiday special with Isles of Scilly Travel

[LucyBMumsnet]

This sponsored discussion is now closed. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share.

From picking the perfect place for your family getaway to planning what to do and how to keep everyone entertained, family holidays are full of emotions and stories to tell. Whether you travel abroad to a sunny destination or stay locally and explore what the UK has to offer, Isle of Scilly Travel would like to hear the ways you make your family holiday special.

Here’s what Isles of Scilly Travel has to say:
“Discover why the Isles of Scilly, a group of sand-fringed islands found just 28 miles off the Cornish coast, is the perfect family holiday destination and enjoy a return to a gentler way of life. One visit to Scilly and you’ll understand why the islands are famous for enticing people to return year after year; families often holiday on Scilly for generations and visit the same camp sites, holiday homes or hotels every summer.

Isles of Scilly Travel makes the journey as memorable as the destination. Short Skybus flights from Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter airports reach Scilly in under an hour, or you can sail on the Scillonian III passenger ferry, which departs daily from Penzance Harbour between March and November.”

So we are asking you what part of the holiday does your family love the most? What is your preferred family holiday - active one with lots to do, or lazy one relaxing on the beach? How do you choose between staycation in the UK or overseas travel and why? What transport do you and your family use to get to the holiday? What would you change about you travelling together, if you could?

Share how you make you r family holiday special on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where 1 x MNer will win a £300 voucher for a store of their choice AND family day trip on our passenger ferry the Scillonian (2 adults 2 children) – value depending on the day chosen is between £144.00 - £171.00.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

A family holiday is a chance for you all to either sit back and relax or get involved. I like the simple things like just watching the kids play, either in the pool,playground or with the other children. This could be in this country or abroad the destination doesn't matter.

We like to get away and switch off completely. We all agree to try to leave the stresses and routines of home as we lock the door and say goodbye to the house.

This underpins our choice of holiday; for us, it is always a hotel in the sun with beach or pool. I relax by knowing that I don’t have to contemplate food shopping or cleaning for a good while. We eat out each night and have fun selecting where we’ll choose to go. My ideal is a two/three bedroom suite apartment in a hotel within walking distance to bars and restaurants

No work is taken, plenty of books, puzzles and games.

We usually fly (long haul and Europe) but I am becoming stupidly anxious about it as a form of travel and I have been contemplating ferries or trains, so I’d love to try out The Scillonian. Finding alternative forms of transport would be a blessing for me - and potentially better for the planet!

just spending time together as a family . We have had some holidays where we have been stuck inside a caravan as it was stormy out , but still had fun as we were all together and got to spend time as a family playing games and having fun

Definitely spending uninterrupted time together. School holidays are always a good chance to spend time together, but often DH is at work, and the usual to-do list is still there. When we're on holiday there are no distractions so they get our undivided attention. We always holiday in the UK so it's beach days, walks, castles, museums etc. Not having to rush meals or tell them we'll play with them "in a minute"

having the time to spend together and have a happy time without the worry of work

Holidays with extended family and all the cousins can play together

Lazy mornings and no routines are the best thing about our family holidays, also competitive board gaming in the evening with no tv on in the background.

Experiencing moments together

Together time is the most precious.

The children grow up so quickly and making the most of the time together is important.
We try to make the holidays fun and memorable, playing on the beach, rock pooling, flying kites, walking together, laughing and sharing

Having the time to be together and enjoying whatever you want

What makes a family holiday special is the fact that you're all the best version of yourselves on holiday. None of daily life's road blocks to get in the way of your mood or your time.

It's nice to be able to give true, undivided attention to your kids and see how they react to new situations. I think allows you the opportunity to get to know each other better and become closer, without the safety net of a home. The family are out in the world looking after each other and that's exciting.

Holidays have always been my thing. I would spend every penny I had on them if I could, but they are infinitely better now that we are a family of 3. Our son being with us make holidays a new level of fun. I would never go on holiday without him. Until he obviously grows up and the choice ceases to be mine sob

It’s all about the beach for us. Warm seas, nice sand, perfect. Ibiza has been a favourite holiday for all of us. What would make it easier is if holiday companies recognised that families aren’t just four people! I had no idea where the Scilly isles were it looks lovely.

Making smiles, laughter & forever memories together, life is short, so being with your loved ones is everything.

Spending time together is the best thing. Some of our best holidays have been around Anglesey. There are the beaches, castles, lighthouses and the amazing Greenwood Park which has given us some fabulous days out enjoyed by all the family. Up until recently we have taken our holidays in the UK but the last year or so we have ventured to Europe which the boys loved as different modes of transport were involved ie boats and planes

Our perfect family holiday was actually last summer...

DH loves fossils, so in order to bank some holiday 'points' I agreed to a 10 day camping holiday in Dorset by the Jurassic Coast. As it happens, we found out the kids love fossils too, so DH took both kids off fossil hunting for a fair few hours at a time, leaving me in the beach tent, with the lunch and my knitting! Honestly it was bliss. I got some much needed peace and quiet from the kids (SAHM) and DH got to fossil hunt and share his passion with the children (which he doesn't get to do often).

I thought my perfect holiday would be an all inclusive resort, in the sun, with a kids club However we're hoping to repeat last years holiday, this summer, now to find a decent camp site with an award winning shower block!

The logistics of the above have meant we travel by car as we have a large tent, but we enjoy the social aspect of chatting to others on the campsite and the kids usually find other children to play with.

We've been holidaying in the UK recently due to cost. We would like to explore France with our tent because our oldest is starting secondary school and we would like her to practise her French while on holiday. DH loves all the French castles.

I always try to spend lots of quality time with my family. I love making memories with them.its priceless and can't be bought. From movie nights to day trips we do everything together. My family are the most important thing in the world.

The extended family is quite spread out so we tend to catch up at special occasions. Someone will book an Air BnB and an assorted group will stay there often with others visiting. Or it might be a meeting at someone's house.

Just spending time together and catching up is fun, as are large family meals as they are quite rare.

My OH and I love the precious time with the kids, just as a family of four, with no work, homework, housework pressures. The feeling of getting away from it all and exploring somewhere new together, like modern day adventurers. The kids love being at the beach, swimming in the sea, walking trails, scaling hills (ice cream at the end!) We usually alternate days - a busy one exploring a castle or a days cycling, then a lazy one at the beach or walking with a picnic, to a hidden beach, walking back at sunset (Pembrokeshire was brilliant for this last year).

We also alternate UK/overseas each year - they tend to work out at similar costs (we have a caravan) as we find what we spend on the ferry and fuel we save on daily expenses as the weather is generally better abroad so we don't spend as much entertaining the children on wet days. And often food is cheaper (french stick with ham and cheese, fresh fruit is all we need). The UK has a lot to offer and we're slowly ticking each national park from our list, but the wonders of Europe are also on our doorstep, often with a bit more sunshine and warmth, and we all like to try the foods from each region/country we travel to.

We enjoy the freedom the caravan gives us to roam around and we've stayed in some beautiful places, tops of cliffs, right along the beach, centre of cities but I would like to try a holiday where I don't have to do the washing up!! And someone else deals with the pile of washing when we get home!

Family holidays begin on the journey for us! Whether it be driving to somewhere in Wales, Cornwall or Devon, or flying to Portugal! Part of the excitement is setting off together, all four of us, happy and looking forward to seeing our destination. We usually play some music, pack snacks and drinks and books - the journey is to be enjoyed. On arrival, particularly overseas, it's nice to arrive in daylight and feel a warm breeze hit you! Oh happy days

Making memories and laughing together , all having fun being a bit silly!

Gotta be checking in then the first pint after a long journey!

If money were no object, the preference would be a lazy holiday to Spain or France, all inclusive near the beach with lots of activities for the kids, however, that's way out of our budget so a static caravan in Cornwall is what we're hoping to do this year (funds depending of course!) we'll make sure it's by the sea with an indoor pool as you can't guarantee the weather! We usually spend lots of time on the beach with the body boards and visiting little harbour towns.

Its sometimes the really simple things like visiting the beach, sandcastles, paddling picnics. Though having said that my kids havent stopped talking about when we took them to a waterpark while on holiday in portugal. We all love eating pizza so finding somewhere that serves nice pizza is always a bonus on holiday! Holidays can also be a great time to visit friends and relatives you dont see very often as well as spending valuable time as a family.

My family and I love going on holiday, We mix it up yearly so one year we will enjoy somewhere hot and the following year we will enjoy a snowy holiday, We love all types of seasons!
Last year we travelled to Lapland and can honestly say it is the most magical holiday we have been on
We all loved it, my favourite part is enjoying time together by doing something we all enjoy doing. Walking is something we all enjoy doing as a family, Snowy walks was absolutely wonderful.