Exciting suggestions please!

skylight

I did post this earlier today on another board and got nowhere! Thought I would re-post here with the bright sparks and families!!!

We want to take the kids away (not all of them, only the eldest 2 , 11 and 14) and we want to go somewhere exciting, adventurous and amazing.

Ice Hotel is out, wont go to USA and far east/Australia is too far - these are all too pricey as well!

After a really bad year, we are going to treat them, but it can't be too expensive - I've come up with a stay in a castle in scotland with medieval banquets, or boating!

Cant ask them, its a surprise.

It doesn't have to be out of the UK either, but it does need to be very different and something that they are not likely to do again for a long time.

Any suggestions???

elona

How about Camelot theme park where they have jousts as well as theme park rides?

Visit to Leeds Armourery and other attractions while staying in the general area?

Bossyboots

Its difficult not knowing the children. Would they really be interested in a castle or boating? If so, then either sounds good.

What about an adventure holiday in Scotland. I had some details about a centre that did white water rafting and some sort of jeep driving amongst others and will see if I can find them. We were planning that for later in the year so we must still have the bumph somewhere. Let me know if you would be interested.

Would they perhaps prefer a beach holiday or maybe a holiday camp aimed at their age group? This would give them things to do during the day, giving you some time to yourselves and entertainment in the evening for everyone. That may be something that you would usually do but if you are going without younger siblings it would be more special anyway.

skylight

Ta all - Bossy that info for scotland would be greaf you can find it!

And we do beach holidays and camping/ holiday camps already so wanted to do something completly different to that.

auntywalker2

What about outdoor pursuits in the Lake District? They did some on holiday showdown last night, canoeing, abseiling, rockclimbing, there are loads of specialist companies in that area, you could search the web. Centreparcs also offer a big choice of pursuits, have been to Longleat and Oasis (Penrith) ones, but prefer to relax there myself(!).

Disneyland Paris? canal boating is good too, but more relaxing than exciting, perhaps.

London, unless of course you live there, or checkout cheap flights to Venice or another city break type of destination? (Prague, Dublin, Madrid...)

Good Luck, have you tried the travel board?
HTH

skylight

Tried the travel board aunty - no-one replied!

Done Disneyland and sadly city breaks are not their cup of tea ("but its just made of brick" scenario)

Will search out the holiday showdown site though

Edinburghlass_2

You will get plenty of help on the Travel Board if you give them a few more details like a budget or even a country!

If you are thinking about Scotland you will find lots of information about eating and what to do in Edinburgh on the Scotland Board and I am sure people from other areas will give you info once you have narrowed down what you are looking for.

angelavdavis

How about trying somewhere like Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt?!

Its really inexpensive - both to get there and once you are there, the prices for meals out are reasonable. You will find familiar named burger places as well as more traditional restaurants and for the older kids - how about a fantastic beach with sports like beach volley ball organised or learning to snorkel or scuba dive in one of the safest bays in the world?

At Sharm you learn to scuba dive in the bay itself too, so they won't be stuck in a pool for their lessons.

Hotels like the Naama Bay also have children's clubs, plus two pools (one has a swim up bar which serves lunch snacks!) and is only a short walk to the beach!

I can recommend Explorers - they do special offers which are great! Check out https://www.explorers.co.uk. Special offer prices currently start £199 ea for flight, bed and breakfast! Even brochure prices are well priced. They are doing buy on get one free deals on brochure prices to 7th July.

Oh, by the way, its also only 4 hours flight away from Gatwick! They also fly from Manchester.

I am off there on Saturday!

Good luck!

jellyhead

that sounds fab!!

my own boring suggestion would be the alton towers hotel (although i prefer disneyland lol!). kids of ten and above are allowed into the waterpark without adults, they just show their wristband for constant access. the new ride rita looks amazing, i'm told it is, everyone else has been on it apart from me (pregnant) and spud (he's very short for an 8 year old!). the water roller coaster's good (in the pool). there's a spa, although i haven't used it - you could get pampered while the children swim.

kgpuk

Not sure of your budget but this hotel/break in Scotland looks fairly adventurous. I personally haven't been just did a google search.

Savvy_Sue

Our last 'family' holiday was a week at Manor Adventure and we all enjoyed it in our different ways ... We went to Shropshire but they also have a centre in France.

What was good for us was that the kids were in groups by age, so we saw them at meal times and had a chance to laugh at them when we saw them doing their different activities, and to pinch their ideas. (The adults were canoeing while my eldest was building a raft: it was a jolly good design so when we built rafts I followed it and the ladies beat the men hands down! I was able to watch because I chickened out of half the canoeing because I knew if they got me into the thing it would require surgical removal to get me out by the time I'd frozen half to death!)

I think in France they keep you in your families, so that might be more fun for most families.

I know kids quite often get to do outdoor pursuits with school etc, but it's good for them to see us having a go too (and laughing at us as Mum declines to go any higher on the climbing wall!)

I don't know if that's within your budget?