There’s a weird tradition that takes place every year on Christmas Day that goes unnoticed by many unless you spend a lot of time in front of the TV. If you live in the kind of house that will have it on while opening presents or after dinner, in between the Boxing Day sale announcements, you’ll start seeing advertisements for next year’s Summer holidays. It can feel like you’ve no time to breathe after the rush to get everything for Christmas sorted, but that doesn’t mean you’ll miss the chance on staying ahead of the curve. You can get incredibly savvy and start looking up ideas for 2020 family holiday right now, and no that doesn’t mean seeing what hotels in Spain are cheap right now.
Family holidays should be about adventure and seeing new things together. To help spark some inspiration, here are some uncommon holiday destinations you might want to start reading up on, and it all starts with a quick jaunt across the Irish Sea.
Where: Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland
What it’s like for families:
A mixture of amazing natural sites, seaside favourites and the greenest of green. The road from Belfast, all the way round to Derry, is seen as one of the most majestic coastal routes in Europe. There are some convenient spots for families to visit along the way. The Dark Hedges is a must for anyone in the family who is a Game of Thrones fan, families can get an amazing lunch experience at Ursa Minor bakery in Ballycastle (has excellent baby facilities), while Barry’s amusements in Portrush is a Northern Irish institution.
When to go:
May and August are good times of year to visit, especially if you get the good weather. Right in the middle of July is when locals descend upon the north coast as many folks will get out of Belfast and Derry while the Orangemen parades are on, so it can be jam-packed in towns like Portrush.
Who to book with:
Airbnbs are surprisingly cheap on the Northern Irish coast. There was a big jump in the number of homes available last year when The Open golf championship was taking place there, and many people have kept holiday homes and such on the market this year. As for getting there, Stena Line and P&O both have direct routes from England to Belfast and Larne just a few miles up the coast. They always have deals on the go for families who book their car in for the ferry.
Where: Paleros in Greece
What it’s like for families:
A slice of the Mediterranean with all the amenities of home, some resorts cater incredibly well to families. Try to find somewhere that offers kids clubs all day long, as well as activities for parents and evening childcare so parents can get some well-deserved alone time. Paleros, in particular, is great because resorts there are a little more high-end so you won’t be met with a stuffy room on check-in.
Because it’s on the coast, it’s also the perfect chance for everyone to try out different watersports, so families with teenagers can let them loose to go sailing, scuba diving and paddleboarding.
When to go:
Anytime in the summer, although August is when temperatures get in the high 30s and can become a problem for little ones.
Who to book with:
Mark Warner already have deals on the go for 2020 family summer holidays.
Where: Holland (no, really)
What it’s like for families:
Somewhere I think most families would never even consider for a holiday, Holland is a dark horse of a destination. It’s got good roads, excellent transport and is incredibly flat (magic for pushing prams all day long). While most people would think of Amsterdam and Rotterdam as the places to go, if you venture towards the coast you can get quite lucky with specific destinations.
Many people will know The Hague as a very political place, but it’s got great beaches and is the home to Legoland Holland, as well as theme parks like Madurodam and Duinrell.
When to go:
Springtime in Holland is great, especially around the Easter break if the whole family is off for a week.
Who to book with:
Ouddorp in the south of the country is a peninsula area (yes Holland has peninsulas) has a fantastic Center Parcs that isn’t too far from the Hull to Holland ferry line. They usually have deals in euros, which can sometimes work out at a better rate than Center Parcs close to home.
Are you looking for more family-friendly travel ideas? Keep up to date with all the latest travel pieces from the blog right here, where we cover everything from road tripping with little ones to ideas for family-friendly days out around the country.
Booking your holiday soon? Check out our list of things you must take!
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