With breath-taking beaches and surrounded by the beautiful Indian Ocean, the tropical island of Mauritius is a wonderful place for a family holiday. Of course, spending time on the picturesque…
Can’t wait to get away with the family this year? Family holidays offer the chance to make amazing memories together, as well as having a much-needed break from work, school and everyday life.
However, planning the perfect break can sometimes be tricky. You need to meet everyone’s needs, which can be difficult when there are multiple age groups and different tastes to accommodate.
A good place to start can be choosing the right type of holiday, and then you can think about destinations, accommodation and activities. Check out our handy guide to the different types of family holidays.
What are the different types of family holidays?
As with other kinds of trips, there are a few different types of family holidays to choose from. There are relaxing beach breaks, exciting adventure holidays, adventurous road trips, culture-rich city breaks and thrill-seeking theme park holidays, to name just a few. We’ll look at each trip type in more detail next.
Picking the right one all depends on what you like to do as a family. Alternatively, you could have a family conference and all agree to try something different this year.
Family beach holidays
Beach holidays are one of the most popular options for families, and for good reason. They give stressed-out parents a chance to relax, sunbathe and swim in a sun-soaked destination, with lots of lovely bars and restaurants nearby.
But there’s also plenty for the kids to do, especially little ones. The sea and sand can be an adventure playground of sports and sandcastle-building. For older kids, there may even be the chance to try out activities such as snorkelling, diving and water-activities.
Families on beach breaks can go on boat trips, or hire a car to explore other beaches throughout the destination. Or you can simply stay in the resort and relax.
As for where is the best place for a family beach holiday, the world is your oyster. If you have young children and want a shorter flight, destinations such as Spain, Greece, Turkey and Portugal will be ideal.
But if you want an adventure, along with truly amazing surroundings (think the most perfect beaches you’ve ever seen) – you might want to try further afield. Destinations in the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean or the likes of Thailand, Bali, the Seychelles or Mauritius could be just what you’re looking for.
Family adventure holidays
For a livelier break and a chance to step outside of your comfort zone, you might want to focus your search on an adventure holiday.
This kind of trip can be eye-opening for the whole family. For both children and adults alike, it’s an opportunity to steer clear of ‘organised’ fun in a resort and embark on a real adventure. You also get to see a whole different side of a destination.
All kinds of activities are on the table on an adventure holiday. You can go kayaking, caving, jungle trekking, diving, ziplining, mountain biking, quad biking and so much more. You might also want to explore up-close wildlife experiences such as safari tours – just make sure that any trip involving animal experiences is ethical.
When planning this sort of trip, the number one rule is to only book with an experienced, licensed and recommended operator. They will be able to keep everyone safe and make sure you get the most from the experience. You’ll also want to make sure activities are age-appropriate for your children.
You can have family adventure holidays anywhere in the world, but some of the most popular destinations include South Africa, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka and even Lapland.
Family road trip holidays
Taking a road trip as a family is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it also has its challenges. It may not be suitable for families with young children. However, get it right and you could have an unforgettable free-range adventure, exploring many destinations in one trip – all at your own pace.
Some of the most popular road trip destinations are in the USA (such as Route 66). But you can also travel across Europe, Australia or any other country with a decent road network.
Family theme park holidays
Love the thrills and spills of a theme park? If all of the family is on board, you could book a stay in a theme park resort like Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida or Universal Studios in Singapore. In fact, there are fabulous theme parks all over the world, including IMG Worlds of Adventure in the UAE or PortAventura Park in Spain.
Theme park holidays don’t usually come cheap, but they do offer peace of mind that everything you need is in the resort.
Family city breaks
If you’re looking for a shorter getaway or want to soak up some culture, a city break could be a good pick. Popular spots include European cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Venice, Berlin or Vienna, all of which are easy to reach from the UK. New York is another fantastic destination for a family city break, but you’ll probably find you need to stay longer due to the journey time.
Just bear in mind that city breaks aren’t suitable for children of all ages, as there’s a lot of walking involved and it can be pretty tiring for little ones.
