Guerney or Jersey for short break with a 5 year old?

[Ben10isthespawnofthedevil]

I have some Airmiles that I want to use up. I can use them to take us to Jersey or Guernsey in the Summer Holidays or half term.

I understand that Jersey is the bigger island but Guernsey (from the tourist board website) seems to have more to do?! We are not a museum visiting family but like beaches, activities and generally keeping busy. However I wouldn't want to hire a car as would want to keep costs down.

Can you advise which island would be best for us with our 5 year old? If so, which town would you stay in?

There's loads to do in Jersey! Try the aMaizin Maze - not just the mazes but also play activities; very suitable for a 5 year old.

You can cycle (bikes, tandems, side-by-side family carriers) on a cycle path from St Helier to St Aubin (or get the Little Train). And there's the incomparable Durrell Zoo. There's the Jersey pottery (with paint-your-own room) if you want to be indoors. And there's loads of activities at the Lion Park (not the animals, endowed by the club).

You could stay more or less anywhere - the island is tiny and easy to get around.

Jersey looks great thanks!

I hadn't realised quite how small Jersey is so that definitely is a bonus if we can get to all of the attractions easily.

If you want to avoid hiring a car, then being in/near St Helier might be a good plan, as all the bus routes fan out from there. All the major attractions are on regular or tourist bus routes, and you could get taxis if you wanted an unusual route. And as the speed limit is really low, you could try hiring bikes for everything.

Don't rule out museums and historical sites totally - the Maritime museum is wonderful (lots hands on), and so is Mont Orgueil Castle - look out for the regular activity days.

We went with a 2 and 6 yr old and had a fab ol time - weather was lush which helped massively as we spent most time on st brelades beach.

I'm from Guernsey originally although I now live 'on the mainland' as we islanders say!

I visit the island from time to time with my DC (age 6 and 3). When the weather is good then we go to the beach every day and have a fab time. But it's a bit challenging in the rain- there only seem to be a few indoor attractions and they are on a very small scale compared with things we have visited in the UK. Also, the bus service is pretty poor because everyone has a car, so you I wouldn't advise choosing accommodation outside the town (St Peter Port)

I probably wouldn't choose to visit the islands on a family holiday if it wasn't for my family there. I'd spend the airmiles on a trip to Edinburgh instead.

Haha Pendulum!!

My DH has put the kibosh on the Channel Islands anyway. I won a prize from work for a hotel and city tour in Dublin so we can use the Airmiles for that. I was going to do cheap Ryanair flights but he wants to go bmi instead

Thanks for your advice ladies. Maybe I will make it to St Helier

......some day

Sorry small boy pressed button too soon!