Inspiration

mrs_T

This should be a nice dilemma to have but I can see us not having a holiday. We have always said we would have a "big" holiday this year as it's our silver wedding and dd is 18 at the same time in October. Now it looks like she is only going to have 1 weeks holiday in October after starting college in August so we are going to have to go in the summer - Scottish school hol's from 1st July to 17th August. We had thought of USA (not disney and not new england as we've been and dh doesn't want to go back) but since niether of us want to drive and dh's dream holiday is visiting civil war battlefields whereas I'd rather see some natural wonders like grand canyon or the rockies we don't seem to agree. OH also mentioned Australia as an alternative as he says at his age he might not do another big holiday, he is 52:). We will be travelling with 2 of our children aged 12 and 17 and will have 2- 3 weeks. I don't want to specify a budget but it will be more than the £3k we normally spend going to Spain.

Mardrew

Well as it's also our silver wedding anniversary this year we, too, decided to do a 'big' holiday and have booked to go to Australia in the summer. A friend went last year with her two teenage children and they had such a good time it made us want to go. Going on the prices I have had you will, however, need substantially more than you would spend in Spain.

I was also going to mention that another friend with teenage children did the west coast of America and also had a great time but I've just reread that you don't want to drive so that knocks that out.

My husband is also 52 and, in my mind, now the children are now working, we are just starting our 'big' travelling years!

ailuro2

I loved Whistler in Canada.... up from Vancouver.

We started in Vancouver for a whale watching trip,

drove up to Whistler and did bear watching, quad biking, zip lining, horse riding, lake kayaking.

Then we drove across to the Banff area of the Rockies from Whistler, saw more bears, went horse riding again ( this time wading through rivers which was exciting for me) lots of visits to beautiful lakes - valley of the ten peaks, canoeing on Emerald Lake, trip up sulphur mountain, went up Peyto peak to see the beautiful lake below -over 7000feet, literally took my breath away.:D

then we drove on to Drumheller to the Royal Tyrell Museum - out of this world, display after display of full dinosaurs, and a supersaurus too. Flew home from Calgary, a slightly shorter flight.

All our driving was in a Ford Explorer ( 4x4) and we stayed in Apartments within hotels to get two bedrooms with all the hotel amenities.

Yes, it cost more than a fortnight in Magaluf would, but then you won't see a 350lb bear or a fully built Albertosaurus in Magaluf.;)