Choosing a destination for a holiday with kids can be a long decision process. One that we know far too well at Onlymomsknow.
Going on the holiday itself is the fun part, but actually deciding where to go can be far less than fun. It can be stressful and laborious. You can end up with more tabs open on your laptop than you ever thought was physically possible.
So, we wanted to help make things easier for you. But maybe in a slightly different way than you might think!
We didn’t just want to provide a list of top holiday destinations that you can go to with kids, in countries and cities. For two reasons, 1) there are lots of blogs out there with this information already, and 2) everyone will have very different ideas on where they want to go and how feasible it will be to get there from their current country.
We think that is more helpful to give you information on how to make the decision process of deciding where to go easier. It is easy to say go to Spain! The weather is great there! But does that really help parents weigh up their options and make an informed decision? We don’t think so, and so we have decided to go in this different direction.
We hope you enjoy this blog and if you do, why not follow us on social media so you can keep up to the date with all of our upcoming posts and blogs? We would love to have you there.
Thank you… and enjoy the blog!
1. Stick to your budget
This might seem like an obvious piece of advice but you would be surprised at how we regularly go over our budgets when we are planning a holiday with kids, and half the time we don’t realise the extent of it.
It is very easy to get carried away planning a dream holiday with kids, squeezing in every hope and desire they might have for the trip. But, this can be much more of a waste of your money than you might even think.
More expensive doesn’t mean better and spending lots more money doesn’t always guarantee that your kids will have a good time. It is a much better idea to pick things based on your specific family’s needs and wants, rather than go overboard spending on things that look good and had good advertising.
If you go over budget, you can end up stressed for the rest of the year and working to try and make up for it. Whereas if you stay within your budget, you can have a good holiday with kids and family, and not feel the same level of stress when you go home.
Look at all prices available before you book, using a comparing service online can really help with this process.
2. Pick the right hotel, not the right location
Sometimes we can get too obsessed with the right location in the right country when it comes to booking a holiday with kids. While it is great to see places we have never been before and explore the world, it is also sometimes much better to think about the actual accommodation that you will have in the said country when you are booking a holiday with kids.
Let me tell you from experience, being in an amazing country but stuck in an awful, non-kid-friendly is not a good time for anyone.
Travelling with children requires you to think a little differently. You have to think about safety and practicalities more than you would if you were simply travelling with other adults.
Picking the right place to stay on a holiday with kids is critical so make sure that you spend time looking into each of your options. Read reviews, check TripAdvisor and think about how things will really be before you get there. Better to do this planning now than to regret your decision when it is already too late.
3. Think about weather conditions
Thinking of a sunny, hot holiday might feel dreamy and idyllic. As adults, we might spend hours per year sitting at our office desks, dreaming about when we can finally set off to a sunny resort and spend our days reading in the sun.
However… When we are planning a holiday with kids, again, we need to think differently. We need to think about whether our kids will be ok with the weather of the place we are planning to go and whether this will be something they enjoy and/or physically cope with. The same goes for holidays in places that will be very cold, if you are planning a skiing holiday with kids, for example. We need to consider their age, any physical differences they have, and their overall comfort and wellbeing.
It might seem like a dampener on all the fun but it is worth thinking about, definitely. It might just determine the length of your stay or what activities you plan while you are there, it doesn’t have to change your mind on the trip entirely.
4. Consider insurance
Travel insurance is important for any holiday but is particularly important for any holiday with kids. Things, unfortunately, can easily go awry with kids and it is always a good idea to be covered for any eventuality.
Before you pick any location for your holiday, check that you can get a decent insurance package that will cover that specific location. Make sure you look around and compare all packages before you decide on one, and make sure that has exactly what you and your kids will need.
Better safe than sorry, believe me. Especially after Covid.
5. Don’t pick a long flight unless necessary
This one goes without too much explanation, I’m sure.
Any holiday with kids can be difficult, it is hard to manage any trip at the best of times, without little hands and feet making everything that bit more tricky. My advice is if you don’t have to a long flight, especially at an early age, don’t. It isn’t easy, it is stressful and you can save yourself a lot of trouble by going somewhere a little closer to home.
If you do really want that far away destination, however, your best bet is to check our list of the most family-friendly airlines. That will help.
With all this in mind, we hope you have a wonderful time with your family wherever you end up.
Safe travels!