While a fully charged iPad is a lifesaver on a plane journey, once you get to your destination, you hope the children will look up from the screens and get involved – whether it’s sun, sea or visiting iconic sights and movie locations. Family holidays can make memories that last a lifetime so with some careful planning they can be unforgettable.
Sarah Slattery, of travel blog The Travel Expert, has travelled to more than 50 countries. She agrees that family holidays need to offer a bit extra in order to keep children and teenagers amused. Sometimes an entertainment programme at a hotel or resort just won’t cut it.
“When they are too cool [or at least think they are too cool] to go to the kids’ club, you need to have some activities planned,” she says. “Sometimes teenagers can be unsure of themselves and they may not want to go into a games room by themselves so it depends on the kids. Mine certainly never did despite my best efforts.”
A simple fix she suggests is choosing a hotel that has a decent pool complete with water slides. This provides hours of entertainment. “A lot of hotels are installing pretty decent splash parks on their sites now, this can be brilliant for older kids and teens because they are busy all day.” Large camping resorts such as Sanguli in Spain or Bella Italia in Italy provide a one-stop-shop with a constant programme of activities for all ages.
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Going to a place where there is an array of water sports available nearby is a clever move. Parasailing, tubing and jet skis can provide the exhilaration some teenagers require, although Slattery warns these can prove to be very expensive, especially if a repeat experience is demanded.
Before a holiday, she recommends sussing out travel review sites such as Viator or GetYourGuide which highlight the top activities to do in a resort or region. “At least if you book something you are going to do it, it could be a boat trip or a hot-air balloon trip or swimming with dolphins. And once it’s booked, you know there is something to look forward to. It also differentiates one sun holiday from the next – kids will forget which part of Portugal or Spain they were in, but they will remember a really fun boat trip or once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
When children are approaching secondary school age, city breaks really become a viable option for a family holiday or short break away. Slattery recalls a particularly memorable holiday in Rome with her children when they were aged 12 and 14. Not only were they completely enamoured of a city whose ancient history they had been learning about in school, but they still talked about a thrilling Vespa tour of the Eternal City years later.
“Berlin is also great as they will have learned about [the second] World War, for example, or the cold war, so a visit to Checkpoint Charlie really brings it all to life. Or Copenhagen has the famous Tivoli Gardens theme park, or Barcelona with the Nou Camp. Many cities now also offer tuk-tuk tours, which are more expensive but also more personalised,” she says. “They are more engaging for kids rather than a hop-on-hop-off bus tour when you are fiddling with earphones and scrolling through 10 languages.”
Looking further afield, obvious options include theme park holidays to Florida but Slattery enthuses about the US as a family holiday destination with lots of options. “The US is really good for all ages. We did a road trip in California that kept everyone fascinated, and lots of the museums in the States are free. We brought the kids to Washington DC and all the Smithsonian museums are free entry and kept us occupied for hours.”
Much of this is because children love feeling like they are on a movie set. “My kids loved New York from a very young age because they felt like they were in Home Alone 2. Then when they are teens it’s spotting locations from the Avengers or wherever. It’s a great spot to bring them when you are beginning to dabble in city breaks and it really makes those core memories.”
A sure-fire way of making children put their devices down on holidays is to make them pick up their skis. Skiing holidays are increasingly popular for families seeking a winter break with a difference. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to bond while enjoying an exciting activity with a touch of friendly competition,” says Michelle Anderson, Topflight’s marketing manager.
Anderson says that when planning a ski holiday with children, it’s important to choose a resort that suits their ages and needs, but she also points out that skiing is also an excellent option for everyone in the family, even if they don’t want to ski. “Destinations like Zell am See in Austria offer a variety of non-ski activities, while Andorra provides access to its vibrant capital, Andorra la Vella, combining city experiences with skiing,” she explains. “Many resorts also feature amenities such as sports centres, swimming pools, sledging, and ice skating, ensuring entertainment for everyone.”
A ski holiday also brings a rewarding sense of achievement, she notes. “Within just a few days, you and your children will notice significant progress, and by the end of the week – especially if you’ve attended ski school – you’ll be celebrating with ski races, medals, and certificates. It’s a truly fulfilling and unforgettable experience for everyone involved.”
A busy holiday naturally means less screen time and Slattery says there’s plenty of time to take selfies to share with friends at a later stage. “With my kids, when we would go for dinner, we would say no screens but we would have plenty to talk about from what we have been doing that day. Then they could go on them later when everyone is relaxing.” She also points out that all screen time is not equal – kids can use their devices to research where they are going and help with holiday planning.