Best/easiest type of holiday with a baby?

teacherandmum

My dd1 is now 4 and dd2 is now 14 months. While they were under 12 months we went on many holidays
lodge in Hampshire (4 hour drive) in november
loads of camping from may to sept in various places prob 2-3 hours drive away
b&b weekends through the year prob 2-3 hours away
camping in Northern France taking the Eurotunnel (5 hours car drive to Eurotunnel, hour or more on train, hour or 2 the other side) in July
weekends away in static caravans in the UK prob 2 hours from home
nights in travellodges and premier inns, up to 4 hours drive away
eurocamp tent in Normandy for a week in June (4 hours to ferry, 4 hours on ferry, 2 hours drive other side)
short breaks at Minehead Butlins

The worst ones were the b&b and travellodge type ones as i got very worried about the other guest being woken in the night when baby needed feeding, also the fact we were all in one room. it was very difficult to put baby down at 'normal' time and have something to do. Much better in the lodges/caravans etc, that she could have her own room and we could relax in the lounge watching tv etc without disturbing her. Much better, sort of a home from home scenario.

We also enjoyed the caravan/tent/lodge sites as we could go out and enjoy some of the entertainment until early evening, have a drink etc before taking her home for her last feed and straight into bed. (dressed her in pjs before going out!)

also i found sites with swimming pools were great too as we'd swim every morning before her 11am morning night, chilled her out really well :-)

We have never been a couple who enjoyed holidays that involved planes/sitting around pools/sun etc! so can't comment on the aeroplane scenario.

To be honest, we just do the same holidays and short breaks we've always done and baby/babies have just fitted in with that. do your normal holiday when shes a baby and then alter your holidays if needs been as she grows. For example, we now choose lodges/campsites etc with things for kids to do. We are going to a Parkdean site at Christmas becasue of the kids club and entertainment, we are going to Hampshire again next feb half term to do Peppa Pig world and visit Portsmouth Historic Dock again as our 4 year old loved it last time!!! (so did we!)

If you do choose to go to France and will be using fomula and/or disposible nappies - they are very expensive compared to here. Formula milk is £20 a tin! Not sure about other European countries

sunshinetours

I wouldn't rule out flying either. Just pick a nice 2-3 hour flight max for first trip and enjoy some sun! Its easy when they are only 6 months old and also upto 2 you don't pay for them on budget flights. Its never as bad as you think it will be

Alternatively cottages are great but obviously you may have a long car journey whoch could be more stressful tahn flying. Eurotunnel over to France is easy and very quick. We did near le Touquet as one of our first foreign trips and as was a doddle. Second one was quick flight to Majorca which was fab staying in a villa

Only thing I would never choose where possible is staying in a hotel with young kids unless you have separate bedroom/loung combination type arrangement

We do some camping now (well glamping i guess) as fun for kids and you can start as young as you like with that.

Whatever you choose just enjoy and don't stress and particularly enjoy the first 5 years when you can go away when you want not just in school holidays which really does hit your wallet!

sickparrot

I would also avoid the narrowboat unless you are planning on not moving anywhere or taking another family with you, they're hard work.

toffifee

I would wait until the baby arrives before deciding anything. They are all different and a noisy one will probably make you want to make a different choice than a placid baby would. You also don't know how you will be feeling at that point.

My first was very loud most of the time and I would not have dreamt of taking him on a plane at six months. Maybe the other passengers wouldn't have minded but I would have felt awful and very stressed. My second was much quieter and we went to France in mid September (Siblu in La Rochelle - had a wonderful time!) when she was 1 and he was 3. The plane journey (about an hour) was still quite stressful but my confidence levels as a mum were high enough by then to just get on with it.

sandsy

I generally think self-catering is easier until baby is fully weaned and eating the same food as everyone else in the household. Other than that, the sky's the limit. Don't let distance hold you back - indeed, travelling long distances with a non-mobile baby is significantly easier than with a crawler or a toddler!

superflygal

Hey folks,

I am amazed no one has suggested Centerparcs!http://www.centerparcs.co.uk/ There are 4 in the UK, and some in holland and France. The UK ones have won the 'Tommys baby friendly award' every year. They have a brilliant creche for babies in the daytime, so parents can have 'me' time-so important!! AND professional baby sitters that can be hired for £5 per hour (I think its that price) for evening. You could go and have a 2 hour spa with hubby, and just chill, go back to lodge, relieve babysitter and have a few drinks and a takeaway.:beer:

There is the subtropical swimming paradise that is open til 10pm, and is amazing at night time, swimming outside in hot water under the stars-heaven! A lovely supermarker (bit like waitrose) that does all you could possibly need including fresh pastries. There are loads of parent and baby activities, including a baby session in pool, with lots of toys. The water is like the sea with a gentle slope, so you can sit in shallow bit if baby nervous.

Also, the wild animals come up to the patio windows of the lodges and this really is delightful for little ones.

I am cabin crew and mad about travelling, and have taken our kids on a plane from 12 weeks old. It was fine, but as you say, you do have a lot of extra stuff to carry and it can be VERY stressful. I see parents boarding who are flustered and sweating and arguing with each other as they are so stressed. When we went abroad we were staying with MIL in south of france, so it was a LOT easier than it could have been. One of my good friends took her 8 month baby to Barbados, he loved flight and was fine, but accomodation was all marble, glass and steps and he was crawling, so she was constantly worrying about him hurting himself. The other thing is, unless you carry your own food/milk for the baby, he may not like foreign version.

Anyway, thats my recommendation! Keep it simple and you will have a wonderful time. Do the great wall of China in a few years!!

Good luck with the birth by the way and congratulations!

SFG x

cr1mson

We have done cottage holidays since ours were born but were never great fans of heat. My only suggestion is that breastfed unweaned babies are the easy to take wherever you go!

Not sure what the current advice is re weaning but with #2 we were advised 6 months so took her on her first hols at 5 months so much easier than taking #1 at 11 months! Also had the advantage that she wasn't moving so less need to baby proof wherever we went!

C

Becles

Just to add into the mix, it depends on how you wean your baby as to how portable they are!

I never bothered much with baby food with mine and just weaned them onto home cooked adult meals. For their first holidays, they eldest went to Majorca at 10 months, the middle one went to Menorca at 8 months and the youngest went to Turkey a couple of weeks after her 1st birthday. I took a few jars of baby food for travelling for sheer convenience, but the rest of the time, they happily ate the local food.

Went to a hotel in Majorca when the eldest two were 5 and 3. They had a "kids buffet" with chicken nuggets, fish fingers, potato faces etc. Mine turned their noses up at that and were helping themselves to the paella and other adult stuff

summerday

Wow, many thanks to all of you who have taken the time to reply- I have got far more varied answers and ideas I would never have thought of myself. I think I will wait to see what my baby is like, and if it is a placid, quiet baby perhaps I won't rule out flying after all.

I will make sure I return to this thread in the New Year when ready to book the holiday!

twil1

We have been camping quite a few times over the past few years and have children currently aged 8, 3 and 18 months so i know what you mean. Have a look at the following site as they have lots of hints and tips about travelling with kids. Some very good points mentioned on a variety of issues which we have found useful whilst booking our holiday with them this year to spain.
website is gocampspain.co.uk hope it helps