Let's create an Alphamummy database of best ever holidays.

Over the last few years, it's occurred to me that the best way to choose a holiday isn't to look through brochures and, to all intents and purposes, guess if you'd like it or not. Instead, you should steal holidays off your dear friends! It's a wholly non-abusive situation, as, if you've had a good holiday, you'll doubtless feel a wholly irrational pride that you've winkled out some superlative week somewhere slightly unexpected, and will quack on about it endlessly after a few glasses of wine. I recall once spending an hour describing one, single b-road in the Highlands of Scotland (""Have you read C.S Lewis's Voyage of The Dawn Treader? Where they sail across a freshwater sea, through lillies, until they find the Lamb of God on a tussock? I SAW THAT THERE!"), only to feel oddly rejected when my friend booked herself a mini-break to Barcelona, instead.
So let's do a SwapShop of Child-Friendly Holidays!

1) Paris for the day. Paris Plage, in the summer, makes three hours on Eurostar wholly worthwhile. Take a taxi from Garde de Nord to the South Bank, near Garde de Austerlitz, wander around the little park there, then spend a whole day strolling along the Seine, where the Paris Plage sees tonnes of imported sand, boules, ice-cream stalls and impromptu dance-sessions make the day pass like a breeze. You never have that "What shall we do next - I'M BORED" whining, because Paris is simply chucking new and diverting things in front of you every 200 yards. The view is never less than spectacular - Notre Dame, the Isle de la Cite and the Eiffell Tower - and you'll pass a dynamite second-hand stall selling books, vinyl and magazines, so bring a shopping trolley, as those 1950's Vogues are very heavy and will put your back out.

2) The Luxury Family Hotel chain. Woolley Manor, Moonfleet Manor, Ickworth, Fowey Hall and the new guy, The Elms. All have inclusive, day-long Ofsted creches, spa-treatments and dynamite food. I'm slowly playing Luxury Family Hotel bingo, and of the ones I've been too, can tell you that The Elms has the best food (truly some of the best meals I've ever eaten) and creche for older children, but little for them to do within the hotel; Moonfleet is the shabbiest, but the best grounds, and Fowey is the leaders of the pack - stunning Cornish setting - but noticeably more eye-wateringly expensive than the other, already painfully spendy, branches. All pretty much guarantee a cossetting break, though, and plenty of celeb-spotting. At our last stay at Moonfleet, there was both John Simm (The Master in Doctor Who) and Mackenzie Crook (the pirate who looks like he has rickets in Pirates of the Caribbean.) The kids all thought they'd been laid on as part of the entertainment, and were most disappointed when they both signally failed to kill anyone, conquer the world or scuttle a frigate, but just eat scones and get aromatherapy reflexology, instead.

3) Aberystwyth. God, it's an under-rated town, but if you've got a thing for rainy Welsh seaside towns, which we have, it's very addictive - especially since they opened somewhere half-decent to eat, the Ultracomida Spanish restaurant and deli, selling drool-inducing cheeses, sherries, breads and oils. We always stay in the Belle Vue Royal - a rambling old Victorian hotel which is in no way has the "modern sophistication" the website claims, but is right on the seafront, with huge picture windows full of grey Welsh sea and sky. You can spend a morning collecting interesting pebbles on Aber beach - the odd tides mean you get a truly exceptional range of colours and textures: I personally have a collection of grey slate pebbles with white lines of quartz running through them dating back to the mid-eighties. Eat a picnic lunch from Ultracomida on the pier, then drive to the nearby Ynyslas beach - a gigantic, flat estuary and beach - for the afternoon. Follow the tide out as it leaves behind sand-pools full of fish, crabs, sea potatoes and urchins, and then, when the tide turns, build a huge seacastle etc etc the usual beach stuff. Back into Aber for dinner at Ultracomida (believe me, there isn't anywhere else), and bed by 9pm, because you can't get Channel 4 in Wales, and there's invariably and perversly nothing on BBC when you're there. Also good: Galloway's n bookshop on Pier Street, next to Ultracomida (you can always fanny an hour away in a bookshop with kids on a rainy day), the Camera Obscura on top of the hill, the playground by the ruined castle with views out to sea.

3) Centre Parcs. Once you've finally reconciled yourself to the fact IT'S NOT IN A GIANT DOME, Centre Parcs makes for a very easy holiday with active children (no point in going if you've just got babies and toddlers; you might as well just go to a luxury hotel next to a small children's playground, instead.) Just make sure you TAKE ALL YOUR OWN FOOD (the restaurants there are appalling - truly Albanian) and your own bikes, as well - the amount they charge to hire them on-site will make you slightly ill. Yes, that means you'll have to fit the bike-rack onto the car. Sigh. Mummy bonus: the Centre Parc at Elveden Forest has a spa that makes The Sanctuary in London look like the tatty, over-priced, eighties throwback it is.

Comments

[Fiona]

Four Seasons Jimbaran Bali. Fantsatic kids club with nannies that have been working there for 10 years plus... the same ladies who will come and babysit in your villa for free from 7pm to midnight. Everyone is happy.

[sarah (auntie, not mummy)]

re New York, there's the children's museum, http://www.cmom.org/

never been there but it looks like its more for young kids.

[sarah (auntie, not mummy)]

Great stuff! Thanks for that Jane! Pontins haven't done a day pass for a while. But i hadn't thought on about Butlins. Think i'll almost certainly be taking the kids to the nearest Butlins for a day now.

[Jane]

I can't speak for Pontins, or for staying at Butlins, but I can definitely say that a day pass to Butlins is great! They do a fantastic indoor swimming pool area, bigger than centerparcs, and they also have an outdoor fair ground, plus indoors children's shows, trampolines, minigolf, laser shooting that sort of thing. It's not an 'alpha mummy' place (!!) but when you've got little ones who are not fussed by class obsessions, who cares....

(My only advice is take your own picnic - it's only fast food and DIRE DIRE DIRE)(I mean dire for fast food!!!)(Worse than Disney and that's saying something!)

[sarah]

how about pontins or butlins

[India]

The man who started CenterParcs has a new project called Featherdown Farm Days - basically very posh camping in a fixed tent (with beds and a wooden floor, though no hot water or electricity) on child-friendly farms all over the UK. Wood-burning oven included (really), also chickens. Very weather dependent, but bliss on a hot summer's week. Website here: http://www.featherdown.co.uk/ and sorry if someone's mentioned already.

[Ad-Mum]

I'm with Jane on the joy of tidal beaches. I spent all my childhood holidays, and now holidays with my children, in Cornwall. It's like having a giant sandpit (beach), wave pool (sea), playcentre (rocks and caves) and aquarium (rock pools) all in one place. And without the danger of sunstroke! I can particularly recommend Chapel Porth Beach near St Agnes which is owned by the National Trust as completely unspoilt. But don't tell too many people....

[Jane]

On Paris - the Batou Mouche was very popular (and a nice rest for the old feet!). One thing I missed out on was the roof of Notre Dame, which I've done myself without children, but we couldn't quite fit it in. I would say it's a real whizz for kids though, winding up through tiny little spiral staircases etc, and seeing all the gargoyles and 'the bells, the bells'.

[Jane]

Ingrid - can you say more about NY for kids? All I can think of would be the Statue of Liberty (and I don't think you can go up it now because of security, can you?) and central park. I suppose that funny art gallery where you wind up the spiral might be vaguely amusing. And the Empire States. And I guess I would take children to see Ground Zero, as it is a 'historic' thing for them to tell their grandchildren, plus I think it would be the 'decent thing to do'. But what else is there for children, especially older ones? Any information gratefully received! (Are the subways safe?!)(I have horrid memories of coming out of Saks or somewhere at basement level, straighyt into the subway system, years ago, and going from 'luxe' to 'lowlife' within two yards - rather scary I felt....!)

[Dirty Mummy 2]

Only just catching up with Alphamummy after a month's absence, so probably too late with this, but Kim, don't write off the Musee d'Orsay - it was one of the highlights of my girls' weekend with my seven-year-old last year. We just did the top floor - most obvious Impressionists - fairly rapidly - little one took photos of her favourites - had a quick waltz over the miniaturised model of Paris - raced each other through the great hall - emerged to find hundreds of rollerbladers scything along the Seine. In fact, the whole weekend was fantastic - Paris is great for kids.

[Ingrid]

The best family holiday we ever had was at Villa Pia on the Tuscany/Umbria border. www.villapia.com. It is run by a profession couple who moved out to Italy in order to spend more time with their young children. It is just like visiting friends who live abroad, but they have invited a load of other friends too - all with children! There are probably about a dozen families there at any one time. The food is locally grown, prepared by local people and outstanding. The company is amazing and the kids have the run of the place! Perfect for families with kids under 10.

We recently took our 2 boys, aged 10 and 13 to New York and we had a fantastic time. They were swept away by the buzz of the city, there is SO much to do, culturally and socially. In fact, a week wasn't enough and we have plans to return.

[Em]

Center Parcs is a great place to go with kids, and while I agree the restaurants are pretty dire on the whole, the Indian takeaway at the Elveden Forest one is delicious. we go with another family, I make tea when we arrive on the Friday, we have Indian takeaway on Saturday night, then my friend cooks a roast on the Sunday and we have a pizza on the Monday before we come back. Our kids all love the swimming, but i think their favourite bit is spotting the wildlife outside and making up names for the animals. I wouldn't dream of taking a playstation, and although we took our portable DVD player last time (just in case) they never even took it out of the bag, they were having too much fun playing with their friends. They are aged between 8 and 11 and my two say its the best holiday ever!

[jane]

There are clearly highly differing views on 'electronic nannies' and neither side is going to convert the other! Best to agree to differ on this one.

[E]

Well, you can always teach them about time, and the appropriate times to be in bed or to get up - you can even get a special alarm clock for tinies that illustrates "time to get up" by popping a bunny's ears up, which makes them feel very grown-up and clever.

As for meal preparation times: conversation, helping with cooking or table-setting, singing, card games, word or I-Spy games, spotting and identifying the wildlife outside the patio doors...

[jane]

I'm astonished by Jane's advice to "take a PS/Xbox/DVDs etc" to Center Parcs.
I have four children and four grandchildren,

***

They must be the rare type that doesn't want to get up before you do, then!!! The whole point of the electronic nannies is to do just that, let them get up early, while the grown ups sleep to a civilised our (let's be generous and say 7.30 am!), plus gives the kiddies something to do without adult involvement while the adults cook tea/supper (since we are talking about doing CP on the cheap, which means self-catering).

[AW]

We, both adults and children, were made to feel very welcome almost everywhere we went. Probably the most hospitable countries we were in were Sudan and South Africa. People were so friendly and helpful, inviting us to eat with them or stay with them or just wanting to welcome us and chat to us about their country and our’s.
Kids always break down barriers between people and we found that we had conversations with people that we wouldn’t otherwise have had. One of my daughters is blonde and this was particularly fascinating for people.
I think the most overwhelmingly child-friendly culture we came across was probably Turkey. In the park or the street it was common for people to come up to us, scoop up the kids and hug them. It was strange at first, but actually very warm and lovely.
A few tips that I would make about holidays with kids (admittedly my experience is limited to pre-schoolers) ….
1. Feed their imaginations. You don’t have to take loads of toys. Kids can have lots of fun with sand, stones, sticks, beetles… whatever!
2. Encourage them to socialise. The best toys kids can have are other kids to play with. They don’t have to speak the same language to have fun together.
3. Stay outdoors as much as possible. I agree with earlier posts saying that camping holidays are a good option for families. In a campsite, kids can run around for hours and then collapse, exhausted and rosy-cheeked into a sleeping-bag at the end of the day. (cue: glass of red wine under the stars!)
4. Yes, you can do a city break with kids! I was amazed how much our children enjoyed Rome. Time spent seeing the sights was balanced by time spent chasing pigeons. Tiber Campsite in Rome is a great place – easy access to the city combined with outdoor space for the children.
5. No, it doesn’t need to be boring. Generally people like children and generally children are adaptable – it is possible to go to adventurous places and do adventurous things with kids.

[MamaHen]

Well, I think I must be really boring. Going to Center Parcs sounds hellish - crowded, compulsary fun, expensive. Shudder.

Out of necessity (lots of children, one income) our hols are under canvas but we love it (mostly). Lots of fresh air and freedom for the children and no ps2/tvs etc. Bliss.

Our favourite campsite is Grange Farm, IOW, which is high on a cliff so a little windy, but with its own path down to a patch of beach. Lots of driftwood so perfect for beach bonfires. Nice shop, clean loos etc, animals to look at, good playground. No children's clubs, bar or takeaway food in sight.

One of the most relaxing holidays was to Southern Ireland. Oh, and going to the Big Green Gathering. That was a total chillout.

[Maddilion]

Can I echo a couple of comments? Debbie's bang on with Brisbane, Noosa Heads etc. We stayed in an apartment in Mooloolaba, which was 2 mins walk from the beach, beach-club. It was about an hour from Brisbane, you drive past all the theme parks on your way into the city. We went to the Zoo, on one of the days that Bindi was on with the Crocmen before they went to the USA in Jan last year. The crocoseum was full of families, and I have never seen so many children singing and dancing in perfect unison alng with Bindi - it was truly jaw-dropping. It is expensive, but when you look at the breeding programmes, acreage they own so it doesn't get built on etc it is worth it. I would suggest you take a picnic though.
As for Centre Parcs, if you go without children to get away from it all, and enjoy the peace and quiet as they are plugging in their latest advert, bear in mind that it has been shot to hide the houses that are cheek by jowl to each other, yes they all back on to the forest - but they're still laid out like a housing estate. We had children coming into the house through the front and back doors on a broiling hot day, looking lost and upset when we weren't their parents. The shop is hideously expensive, the restaurants aren't great and if you don't book any activities when you book your accomodation, forget it. They do no appointments on the day in the spa, had limited availability (1 slot on outdoor activities; we couldn't even get bikes to tootle around on.
My childhood holidays were spent under canvas all over England, some of the best times of my life as my parents spent ages choosing an area of the country, then dividing the days up so we could choose what/where we wanted to go, all without a PS2 in sight, we were entertained all day, because we had conversation! and books! and used to sit out under the stars looking and learning them all at night.

[Laura]

Have perfect divorce. Park the children with the ex-husband and his new family - guilt free.

Go on holiday with new husband. Moan twice a day that you miss the children. Take a sip of a lovely cocktail and realise you don't mean it.

And yes we have lovely family holidays as well but they are fun because we know we can have adult holidays as well.

[Gipsy]

Marazion, in Cornwall. It is a fabulous village, with at couple of great, inexpensive restaurants and a wonderful pasty shop. It has a wonderful beach - lots of sand, especially when the tide is out, and a huge rock pool area when the tide is out. The fun part, especially for the kids, is the causeway to St Michaels Mount. You're an easy bus ride or car ride from Penzance, which has a lovely shopping street, a sweet little cinema, and an outdoor salt water swimming pool. Between the two are a couple of really good sized supermarkets, including a 24 hour Tesco (very handy for familes).

Like Sweetpea, we had a fantastic RV holiday, in British Columbia Canada. We had three kids - two teenage boys and a three month old baby. It was the ideal set up for everyone. I was breast feeding, and every day I had an amazing view while baby had lunch. There are stacks of adventure stuff for the teens to do. We could park up by a beach or lake and the boys could take off on the water, while baby played in the shade. We went white water rafting, jet boating on a lake, took another jet boat up rapids to see hundreds of bald eagles feeding. We saw bears, munching on blackberries just yards from where we were walking, and we walked across the longest cable suspension bridge (those are my two scariest memories!). It was fantastic. And when we got back and the two 16 year olds were asked what their favourite part of the trip was? It was living in the RV - driving around in their own house, and getting to do things like lying in bed while I and my hubs went shopping in the supermarket!

[E]

I'm astonished by Jane's advice to "take a PS/Xbox/DVDs etc" to Center Parcs.
I have four children and four grandchildren, and I don't think we've ever felt the need to take any electronic entertainment anywhere on holiday, despite being the kind of family where 1 year olds learn to use a mouse.
To take such things to a forest containing all manner of healthy amusements seems quite bizarre.
Wear the children out in the playgrounds, on walks and bike rides, in the swimming-pool, etc, then read a book or two and show them that there's REAL life beyond "PS/Xbox/DVDs etc"!

[Rachel]

I don't have children but the best holidays I ever went on as a child were camping and sailing and surfing trips to the Marloes peninsular, Pembrokeshire. The campsite was literally a field on a cliff top and we had to bring our own loo but I have such fond memories of those holidays (we went every year for about 10 years).

Another holiday tip is that beaches can be great fun even in the rain - just put all your children in wetsuits and they'll be fine. Mum might need a raincoat though. Dad always used to wear swimming trunks and a raincoat whilst we made endless channels and seawalls.

[mumoftwo]

AW, I've just peeked at your website, what an amazing trip. I am resolutely unadventurous with my two girls, a once a year trip to Eastern Europe with 12 hours travelling is about my lot. I feel so staid and boring by comparison. I just don't have that adventurer's soul- you clearly do! Out of interest, which are the most child-friendly cultures you encountered?

[AW]

Last year we (me, hubby & 2 girls aged 2 and 4) took 7 months off and drove from Scotland to Cape Town. We had an absolutely wonderful holiday/adventure which we'll probably never be able to beat. (Have a look at www.2c2k.net if you want to see more!)
However, as a smaller-scale adventure we would highly recommend Jordan for a shorter family holiday. It's a compact country with culture, dramatic desert scenery, history, the Dead Sea .... It was an unexpected gem in our big trip. (One of many other gems of-course, but I could go on and on and on.....)

[Jane]

Any beach with a tide. You've got to have a tide, or you can't build sea walls, and without building sea walls it gets pretty boring. The fun is keeping the tide out as long as possible. Since it can take HOURS for the tide to come in, building a large succession of sea walls keeps children very happy for a long, long time (while mum sunbathes/shelters from rain - delete as appropriate)

I'd agree on Centreparks, but the way to do them cheaply (as well as taking own bikes/food)(though the supermarkets there are good - great fresh bread daily!)(and take a PS/Xbox/DVDs etc), is never to hand the children over to an adult - it's those activities that cost a fortune, as you are paying for staff time, whereas other things are loads cheaper, like pedalos, mini golf, badmington, snooker, etc. The Spa at Longleat is good too, I have on authority (but not mine!) from a mum who is seriously into grooming. The Spa is also a real 'mind break' from all the kiddie-stuff.

[kk]

Lighthouse cottages owned by Trinity House through Rural Retreats. Obviously stunning locations, but lovely inside, hotel quality, lots of Oka furntiure etc. All the fun of foghorns, deserted beaches, fossils, being windswept... been to lots loved them all. Quite pricey, but isn't everywhere with children?
Also the Tresanton in St Mawes, great service, v child friendly, fantastic food.
Will be taking some tips from other posts..

[VIKTOIR]

Our best family holidays so far were when the kids were pre-school and we could head to the Med off- peak when it was quiet, warm and cheap. We had some wonderful holidays in luxurious villas with pools in the countryside which the kids loved and were really relaxing for us too. Sadly now that we are restricted to school holidays, the same holiday costs three times more in August. My top tip - if you have pre-school children, really take advantage of it now!

[London gal]

Denmark and Southern Sweden. Yes really. Copenhagen has boat trips, the Tivoli gardens (the most tasteful funfair ever)...the children's wing of the national museum...the little mermaid...and 20 mins away on the train is the Louisiana modern art gallery set on the coast which has a 3 story children's wing where generations of happy Danes spend quality family time making miniature models (mostly chairs - it's a Danish thing)...creating a lego wall mural,painting and sculpting- all free! Then there's Roskilde with the Viking museum where kids can make shields, coins, necklaces swords etc etc and then go out on the fjord on a reconstructed viking boat. For the morbid there's the cathedral where almost every scandinavian monarch since dot is buried in an assortment of weird gothic raised tombs....then take the very very long bridge over the sea to Sweden for fantastic empty beaches, more castles than you can shake a stick at....and if you live in London it really ISN'T expensive despite what everyone says.

[Debbie]

Well, for anyone headed down under, we had a great family holiday last year in Brisbane. We stayed at the Brisbane Holiday Village which is a camping ground and cabins very close to the center of Brisbane. The 2 bed "cabins" were fantastic, very modern and upmarket and beautifully equipped with everything you could want including DVD players, and a Playstation. A huge swimming pool, mini golf and adventure playground completed it for the kids and for those on us on a budget, we only paid $75 per night in the off season.

We were only 10 mins from the center of Brisbane by car, a 10 minute walk from a great shopping center with everything you could want, and on the motorway to go north or south in a couple of minutes. Brilliant. Within 1/2 to 1 hour drive is Australia Zoo, all the theme parks on the Gold Coast, Underwater world, beautiful countryside, koala sanctuary and much much more. You could also combine it with some time at Noosa or Marochydore, which are both lovely and very family oriented. Oh and as for some Mummy and Daddy time, a friend babysat and we had the best meal at a restaurant on the river that I have had since I lived in Australia and that includes all the vastly expensive well known places in Sydney and Melbourne.

We had the best time. One word of warning. Australia Zoo (owned by the late great Steve Irwin crocodile hunter) is fantastic but sooooooo expensive (by Australian Standards) with a family of 4 you could easily spend $300-$400 Aus dollars in a day just to get in, buy food and little odds and ends for the kids. That doesn't even start on all the photo opportunities, special tours, extras and million and one other things to spend your money on. Definitely worth going to, a great legacy from a great Australia, with Tigers, Elephants you can feed, big crocodiles, big snakes and hand feeding Koalas and Kangaroos, a must see in Australia with a family but make sure you budget for it.

But that is just the start, now I could really get going on wonderful places for a family holiday down under. Just watch the seasons, don't assume that because it Australia it's always going to be hot (it isn't) and make sure you go to the right areas at the right time of year. I'm happy to elaborate on that if anyone is interested.

[Baggofbones]

Another suggestion (if money is no object - which it is, unfortunately...): Bruern Holiday Cottages in the Cotswolds is superb in every possible respect. This is self-catering with a difference: you can even have meals, newspapers etc delivered to your freezer/door. The decor is stunning; the cottages are fabulous; the grounds are wonderful; and there's a fab children's play area with two-storey Wendy house, climbing frames and so on (all very tasteful). Our children most enjoyed playing croquet on the lawn and walking to look at the weir. It really is a magical place (I gather it has gained an indoor swimming pool/spa since we went, which would make it even better, if that's possible). It is deadly expensive, though - we had a special deal (can't say why to preserve anonymity), but couldn't remotely afford the real price. If you can, though, it's worth it ten times over for a relaxing holiday with the children (I didn't believe you could put 'relaxing' and 'children' in the same sentence until I went to Bruern!!)

[beta mum]

Bedruthan Steps hotel in Cornwall - great facilities. Food's not as good as Moonfleet, Fowey Hall etc, but the kids loved it, they actually wanted to go to the kids' clubs (sometimes) and the scenery is fantastic. Coastal path, beaches, caves, horse-riding nearby.
If only we could afford to stay for more than a couple of days at a time.

[Sweetpea]

Best holiday we ever had was in a hired RV across the USA (four weeks, three kids under 10). Even though my husband gave up smoking the day we left. No packing and unpacking, no problem getting away in the morning (you don't even have to get the kids up or have breakfast before you head off to find bears or whatever), and unlike sordid five-in-a-room economy hotels you can put the kids to bed in the RV and sit outside peacefully swilling wine with your spouse by lamplight. You'd think being crammed in a metal box with your family would be horribly claustrophobic but somehow the constant travel and accumulation of shared adventures bonded the family like no other holiday we've had, it's amazing how much the kids actually remember and with fondness. We're planning another next year, in case teenagers turn out to hate RVs (who knows, they may not).

[Eluned]

I recommend the Isles of Scilly and Sweden. Fantastic places.

[J]

top centre parks tip, if you are going to the one in Cumbria, the last service station before you get there has a M&S food hall :) also for heavens' sake take your own wine.

[supermother]

Our girls did a riding holiday once - without parents. That's another option and would still be child friendly -sending the children away on holiday without you.

[asilon]

Lol, SM, if Caitlin wants "Child-Friendly Holidays", I guess we have to take the kids ;-)

[Baggofbones]

Top holiday? Undoubtedly Towan Beach on Cornwall's Roseland peninsula. We stayed in a marvellous chalet (imaginatively named Towan Beach Chalet) - much more salubrious than it sounds; all mod cons, and beautifully well thought out, situated in a huge grassy field a very short walk from the beach. We spent the whole week walking along the coastal path to the nearby village, and poking around in rock pools - but there are tons of things to do in Cornwall if you want 'real' activity. Not one for those who think that putting their children in childcare constitutes a holiday - this is old-fashioned family fun. The children thought it was blissful, too!

[supermother]

I suppose the first question is can these be without children...... or am I not supposed to admit that? Do alpha mothers ever go on holiday without children?

If one has the pleasure of their company then the question is what are their ages? We enjoyed holidays with Sunsail in part because of the childcare in the day and lots to do. Also skiing holidays with the family have been some of our best. But so was a more interesting trip in Central America.

Main thins are to have something active, something everyone likes, if possible some time when you aren't together 24/7 squashed up in a tent or caravan with driving rain....

[Kim]

Asilon - we love Pembrokeshire too. Two years ago we had a wonderful holiday in Solva, just down the road from Newgale. We were staying on a farm, not at the campsite, but had a great time, with glorious weather. The surfing at Newgale is fantastic, and of course the little one really enjoyed being on a farm. If you get good weather, Pembrokeshire is one of the nicest places you can possibly be.

[asilon]

We did 3 nights in Paris last summer with our 4, and that was excellent. Nice to have kids old enough (youngest was nearly 5) to appreciate city breaks, and we put a park on the itinerary!

A holiday that we all look back on fondly was camping in the Dordogne for a couple of weeks, when the youngest was about 9 months. The campsite - Port de Limeuil - was right on the confluence of the Vézère and the Dordogne, and (the kids being a bit young for us to bother canoeing) we spent, like many others, ages each day on inflatables, going down the river 100 yards, walking back along the beach and repeating. Also lots of caveman stuff around.

Also, more Wales - we love Pembrokeshire. There's a campsite at Newgale beach that has no mod cons (apart from toilets and showers) but all you have to do is cross the road and you're on the huge and beautiful beach. Fantastic for swimming, bodyboarding, surfing, sandcastles, rockpooling, etc. Loads of cottages to rent in the area if you're not a camper.

I really like the Eurotunnel - cheap if you go for the day or just overnight, and ridiculously easy to use. Nausicaa aquarium in Boulogne is excellent. You can keep it *really* cheap by using the Formula 1 hotels! Means more money to spend on stuff to bring home ;-)

[Rosie]

I agree - Center Parcs is excellent if you have children. We go every year and take advantage of the Time Out Clubs ( similar to a creche/nursery) where children can go for 3 hours a day and do a range of activities with qualified staff who have been Ofsted inspected.
The restaurants(at Sherwood Forest at least) aren't quite as bad as you say and each have a children's play area which is great for the kids to play before and after the meal. The supermarket (Parc Market) is extremely expensive so as you say - bring your own food and also a barbecue! Also be aware that Center Parcs will be packed during school holidays and double the price. Pre-book activities on line as places are limited.

[Kim]

Oh, Caitlin, having spent three (mostly miserable) years at university in Aberystwyth, I never thought I'd see anyone recommending it as a place for a holiday. I love the idea you can rave about a place that only has one decent place to eat (not even that when I was there) and where you have to be in bed by 9. Still, once you've got kids, your expectations are lowered, aren't they?

I must try out your Paris Plage idea - I've been longing to take the little one on the Eurostar for ages but wasn't quite sure what to do with her when we got to the other end, as she's not really one for being patient while we traipse round the Musee D'Orsay.

We've had lots of nice family holidays, but my personal recommendation would be Menorca, which we did four years ago - in September, though, when it was nice and quiet and before we were restricted by school holidays.