Week+ holidays.. We don't get it.

time2deal

I find I'm rushing about manically getting ready for a relaxing holiday, then I get there and I can't relax as I need to be doing something! So then we rush through busy days of sightseeing for a bit. But if I manage to get two weeks away the second week is normally better. I can only then properly relax and actually spend a day reading a book or chilling on the beach.

So for us we find somewhere with a bit of both. Enough activities to so things about half the time, and then somewhere to relax when the mood takes.

Actually I loved the one Club Med style place we went. Did lots of silly activities, hanging out with my nephews, good food etc. One of the best holidays we had, although it was the least 'cultural' place I've even been to as you stay in the compound.

DKLS

Varies so much I tend to do 2 types of holiday the Stomp and the Flop and drop.
The first is usually an intense travelling experience trying to absorb as much of the culture as possible places such as New York, Thailand and Vietnam, the latter is more fully loaded kindle, lots of loafing by the pool and interspersed with lots of cocktails, nice food, horizontal tango and scuba diving.

I refuse to stay at any hotel that does all inclusive.

You just need to find your niche op, I have tried both Australia and vegas and whilst many rave about both places I couldn't abide either and left vegas for northern cali after 3 days and left Australia after a couple of weeks when I had planned to be there for a year.

Even to this day I avoid work trips to Australia, luckily there is always a colleague happy to take my place.

mgdavid

PuzzledDave wrote: »

........ Exactly what do you do all that time on holiday ? .......

Our hols fall into two types; the 1 week break either November or February, purely for R&R and to soak up enough hot sun to last until springtime. Egypt or one of the Canaries, usually AI. (these will drop away now as I'm retired and don't feel the need for R&R like before).

Then the others, longer and further away where we can indulge our curiosity and explore a country's geography, culture, history, people, food, transport etc etc. so much world to see and so little time to do it. With young children we used to drive to Cornwall or France, rent somewhere away from the resorts, which gets you out and about into villages and the local way of life. Now just two of us we go further afield - South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. No travel agent, always DIY; planning it is half the fun. If I run out of things to do I seek out the nearest port, I can happily sit on a quayside watching a working harbour for hours, maybe with a crabline or rod in hand. Always something happening, fish being landed or nets being mended. Or smaller towns with little local museums to explore, or proper produce markets, its endless really, you just need to keep your eyes open. I could ramble on for hours - sorry for long post!

PenguinJim

I agree that four days in a place is more than enough.

We have month-long holidays and always have our own car. For example, in Australia we flew from our starting point of Perth to enjoy three days in Cairns/Port Douglas, enjoying the wildlife sanctuary and a secluded lake and a couple of beaches, then drove down to Magnetic Island via Townsville (two nights on the former, one in the latter), then popped down and spent three nights on a boat sailing around the Whitsundays before coming back to land and heading inland to the Eungella rainforest to sleep in a log cabin overlooking a river filled with platypi, then drove back to the coast and kept driving down for a couple of days in Brisbane, kept driving (!) to Sydney (best "big" city) where we stayed for a few nights, looking around the Olympic Park and Sydney Opera House, visiting the Blue Mountains by steam train and enjoying some city life back in the... well, city, before flying on to Melbourne (another couple of nights) and taking a bus tour along the coast to have some guides show us the sights until we reached Adelaide (best "quiet" city), where we enjoyed a relaxing couple of days in the city and then a couple of peaceful days in a quiet rural area nearby to recharge, before flying down to Tasmania, which was small enough to drive all around over a couple of days from our Hobart base camp, finally returning to Perth. Phew! But still need to pop back and do Uluru.

Having a car adds so much flexibility to a holiday, IMO - so easy to go and drive up a tempting mountain or get a closer look at that giant banana. But your mileage may vary! (sorry)

stir_crazy

We tend to go on holidays where there are lots to see and do. DH and I have never been beach and poolside people, so we much prefer to go out all day, see the local sights and tour our surroundings and try the local food - can never understand those people who go halfway round the world for an english breakfast or a bacon butty!

peachyprice

lostinrates wrote: »

as a child and an adult my holidays normally consisted of exploring local areas, historical sites, regionally special things, museums, walks, eating food particular to the region, trying the language of whichever country we were in, and learning about things particular to the country or region.

^^^^^ This a thousand times!

This is the kind of holiday we have. We go to interesting places and find interesting things to do. We do our research beforehand and choose places that are interesting enough to keep us occupied with sights/places of interest/activities that would be impossible at home.

We're not sitting on the beach/by the pool type people and usually only to the odd morning/afternoon doing nothing throughout the holidays, the rest of the time is spent exploring. I don't think we've ever come home from a holiday feeling we've 'done' somewhere, there's always been more to see and quite often we've been back to the same area to see more.

Examples of the sorts of places we've been recently as a family:

Italy, Lake Como. So many beautiful towns, gardens and villas, fantastic restaurants tucked up in the hills, boat hire,

Italy, Neapolitan/Amalfi coast, again many beatiful towns, Pomeii, Ercolano, Napoli (not for the feint hearted), boat trips, the people, the food.

Greece, Athens. A lifetime of history and archaeology, more than anyone could ever see in one holiday.Great food, great city.

Crete. Again so many archaeological/mythological sites, banana plantation, water parks, beautiful towns, great food. We've been twice ans have still only done one end of the island.

France, Normandy. So many museums, castles, towns, food, stayed on a stud farm last time which was a great experience in it's self.

France, Bordeaux. Again so many castles, museums, towns, food, people.

Switzerland. Goodness, so, so, much to see, mountains, lakes, scenery, a truly breathtaking country.

Anyway, you get the picture. My idea of holiday hell is a all inclusive package holiday never leaving the resort. Why bother to go to another country if you're not going to explore it, you may as well go to Centre Parks!

If you're running out of interesting things to do I would say you're either choosing the wrong places, not doing your homework, or have no sense of adventure!

peachyprice

kingfisherblue wrote: »

A couple of years ago, we went to the Ashbury Hotel in Devon. This, and it's sister hotel, offer a wide range of activities. They also have numerous crafts (something else that my kids enjoy). We couldn't afford a holiday last year, but they have asked if we can go back this year. You can stay for shorter periods, but you probably won't have enough time to do everything hat you want to do. While we were there, we did archery, swimming, ten pin bowling, pottery making and painting, silk painting, relaxation class, woodwork, jewellery making, patchwork class, mini golf, porcelain transfers, glass etching, and good ness knows what else. I've lost count of everything we did. Everything was free apart from the actual materials used, but they weren't expensive. I also paid extra for a massage. Prices include full board accommodation, and although the rooms aren't all brilliant, you spend so little time in there it doesn't matter. We stayed in a room suitable for disabled people (my son is disabled), and it was fine. My daughter and her partner stayed in a room a bit further along the corridor, and although it was adequate, it was small and needed a lick of paint. Everywhere was clean though, and the food was plentiful and delicious (and I'm fussy!).


It was definitely our best holiday, there was so much to do. Most times, we have been like the OP, finding that a week is too long and we just want to go home. On this holiday, though, we started with the activities more or less as soon as we arrived, and carried on with them after booking out (you can use the facilities all day on arrival and departure days, regardless of booking in/out times).


It worked out about £50 a head per night (more than that for adults, but generous discounts for kids, so I just worked out an average cost per person, out of interest). Well worth it!

Oh yes, my daughter and I have done this too, but only for 2/3 days so far. We're going this year for a week and taking my husband so he can play golf.

A fantastic place, worth every penny and slap bang in the middle of Devon so you can have some great days out if you're all crafted/golfed out.

Kim_kim

ecgirl07 wrote: »

Two weeks 5 star all inclusive, loaded kindle sunshine

Day1 sit by pool read kindle, occassional wander for food, occassional swim
Repeat until home time

Bliss

Ditto, kinda.
I pack a lot more in!
I usually do something every third day,
So day 3, 6, 9 & 12 might be visiting local market or sightseeing or something.
It takes me the best part of the first week to really relax & get the stresses & strains of life out.

newgirly

I think I'm like you op I love planning and going away, but a few days is enough and then I get a bit restless for home again.:o

So we go away for shorter lengths of time but more often, we don't have a big budget anyway and so a fortnight in Florida is out of our budget (we are a family of five). Last year we went to butlins for a weekend just before xmas, a short caravan break in summer , a weekend away in Norfolk and a mini cruise without the kids for three nights.

This year we are doing a midweek break in centerparcs with the grandparents and probably a xmas market weekend away. Just do what you enjoy

tea_lover

You got bored in San Francisco??