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Planning a family friendly holiday

Blog· Travel Tips

11 Dec

It has to be that time of year when the cold evenings set in, and the need for planning a family friendly holiday takes over. We have spent the majority of this year travelling around the UK in our campervan. For us it is a real sense of adventure and we get to travel, frequently visit new and beautiful places, and spend quality family time together in the fresh air. As nights draw in and the camping season has come to end, I can’t help but crave that sense of adventure. I miss the weekends of packing everything into the van and heading off … sometimes with little plans and no destination in mind. I miss those balmy evenings watching the kids play without a care in the world. I miss the sand in between my toes and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. Most of all I miss the break from routine, the late evenings and the later mornings without an alarm clock or school run dash in sight. So with this in mind, I have started looking to the new year and thinking about booking a family holiday. It will be our first holiday abroad with our youngest (who will be a fully fledged toddler by the time we set off). It will also be our first flight as a family of five. So when Tots to Travel asked what factors we consider to be important when planning a family friendly holiday…it got me thinking. Where do we go and why choose that destination? Do we choose sunshine or snow? A beach or city break ? Do we choose long haul or a short flight? Do we return to a destination that we know well, or do we travel somewhere new and fresh?

The saying goes ‘the world is your oyster’ and with so many destinations to choose from with diverse breaks, and a wide range of accommodation and resorts, it can be hard to know where to start. Tots to Travel are a family holiday specialist that safeguard your family holiday through handpicking the best family friendly villas, cottages around the world to craft the perfect family holiday. Tots to Travel take the stress out of planning a family friendly holiday by creating a time-saving holiday search, ensure a smooth booking process and, offering safe environments where families can enjoy their holiday.

So what do you consider an important factor when planning a family friendly holiday?

I have turned to my friends and trusty travel bloggers to find out what factors influence their decisions when choosing a family friendly break.

Location, location, location

Whenever we are thinking about a family holiday, we spend hours on the internet, researching family friendly destinations and looking into the location of particular resorts. Once we have a shortlist, we then spend a few more hours reading reviews, thoughts and opinions. One thing is certain –  We always try to choose a destination that will be suitable for all of the family and suitable for the length of the holiday. We try to avoid long haul if we only have a full week away, as the week can be taken up battling jet lag.

Carrie who writes over at Flying with a Baby says “We like to try to go somewhere we haven’t been before – but as I’m ex cabin crew that is often hard! Price is always a factor – but if we can find somewhere that provides good value, a bit of luxury, separate room for us and the kids we are happy. Flight time is not an issue as we have flown ultra long haul as a family several times – but long flight connections are something we try to avoid. I also like to know what is happening politically in a country before we travel and always check the gov.uk travel advice – which may affect insurance. Lastly, a destination needs to have something that the whole family will enjoy”

Karen over at Monkey-feet adds “I don’t care so much about flight times or durations but hate a long transfer and prefer a private or dedicated transfer service. I like somewhere within walking distance to local eateries and shops so I can meet the locals, lots to do and see.”

Samantha who writes at North East Family Fun says that “Short transfers are an important factor when choosing a family holiday.  – I like stepping off a plane and starting my holiday asap. A long transfer just wastes valuable hours of your holiday and isn’t always the best with kids.”

Accommodation

Accommodation is always a concern when on holiday and I believe safety is paramount. We always look for reputable travel companies where safety is guaranteed. Tots to Travel ensure all villas and cottages are inspected to ensure your child’s safety. They also ensure essential baby/toddler equipment is available including high chairs, cots, booster seats, a steriliser etc to provide peace of mind and to enable families to travel light. Having spent many of our holidays ‘pre kids’ in hotels, we now opt for our campervan, or self-catering holidays. it allows us to cook at our chosen mealtimes, they are often well equipped, and we also have space to relax when the little ones are in bed.

Lisa who writes at travel loving family adds that “nearby activities/attractions is the biggest draw for us to a destination. We love destinations that offer natural attractions as well as water sports and the odd theme park. When picking accommodation space is the priority. When my boys were younger we struggled in a hotel room as it’s no fun tip toeing around in the dark when they are asleep. As they’ve got older we’ve found they like to spread out and play so villas, self catering apartments, even mobile homes tend to work better for us than a hotel room.”

 Family friendly activities 

Whenever we plan for a holiday, we always look at the location, and the resort, and what there is to offer for the kids. If it is a beach holiday, are there beaches, playgrounds and amenities for the little ones, or activities on offer for all of the family to enjoy?

Jo who writes over at Kiddieholidays adds “I spend a lot of time finding somewhere to go where there is plenty to do in the local area for the kids. If my children are happy on holiday, then so am I! My boys love parks, playgrounds, farms, beaches, castles, museums so it is important, to have plenty of options to keep them entertained whilst we are on holiday.” 

Gretta from mums do travel “We try to plan trips where there’s something which each member of the family will enjoy – and I’ve found that this gets harder as they get older! My kids are now 19 and 14 years old.”

Leona who writes at Wandermust family adds “We like to make sure there are a mix of indoor and outdoor activities, so we are not at the mercy of the weather”

Daisy over at Dais like these  says “If it is our summer holiday then we definitely have to have easy access to either a pool, a beach or a lake/river. Swimming, splashing and playing makes the holiday for us”.

Variety
When planning a holiday it is a great idea to plan a combination of sunny holidays and active holidays.

Nell from Pigeon Pair and Me says “We try to have a balance of ‘active’ and ‘passive’ holidays throughout the year. Some with tons of sightseeing or activities – and others where we just flop around, by the pool or on a beach. It’s a balance that keeps everyone happy”.

We also love to plan a variety of trips including city breaks, camping and glamping, road trips where we move to the next destination every couple of days, and sunny holidays where the beach and pool are pretty much the base for the entire holiday.  It is important to think about the weather, whilst on holiday. If you have young children you may want to avoid destinations where it is too hot or too cold. When planning a holiday try to involve all of the family to ensure everyone’s requirements are taken in to consideration. It is hard to accommodate individual requirements, but it can be possible with careful planning and lots of preparation.

planning a family friendly holiday

So what will be your destination of choice for 2018, and what do you consider important factors when planning a family friendly holiday?

I love to hear what you think of my blog, do leave a comment. You can find us over on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

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planning a family friendly holiday

16 Comments

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nell (Pigeon Pair and Me) says

    December 15, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    I’m desperate to visit tons of places in 2018. Finland, Canada, Morocco…. and more! We’ll see where we end up. Thanks for including my tips in this fab round-up.

    Reply
  2. Starlight and Stories says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:22 am

    Such great tips for travelling as a family here, I totally agree that nearby activities are essential.

    Reply
  3. Jon says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:25 am

    Some really great advice here. I agree with you that accommodation is very important. If you get that wrong it can really put a downer on your holiday as a family!

    Reply
  4. Leona says

    December 18, 2017 at 12:00 pm

    Awesome post – thanks for letting us take part some really great advice here

    Reply
  5. Talya says

    December 18, 2017 at 1:50 pm

    I am with Samantha – short transfer times are a must there is nothing worse than travelling and then having to travel more on a family holiday!

    Reply
  6. Helen says

    December 18, 2017 at 1:51 pm

    Fantastic tips – we are currently looking at booking another holiday, so this is really helpful 🙂

    Reply
  7. five little doves says

    December 18, 2017 at 5:36 pm

    Great advice here. We have stuck the uK after having our 5th baby but I think next year we will venture abroad!

    Reply
  8. Claire says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:23 pm

    Great tips here. I really need to get away somewhere nice and warm, I hate being cold.I would love to go abroad again next year.

    Reply
  9. Sarah | Digital Motherhood says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:35 pm

    Good advice. We always go for somewhere that’s a fairly short flight away, great weather and plenty to do. I would love to be heading off on holiday right now!

    Reply
  10. Ana De- Jesus says

    December 18, 2017 at 11:34 pm

    I can imagine that location and accommodation are definitely key when you have kids in tow! I am hoping that I will be able to travel next year!

    Reply
  11. Nadia says

    December 19, 2017 at 9:16 am

    We have Italy and Iceland planned for the next couple of months. I definitely think short transfer times are key in the early days of family travel.

    Reply
  12. Cathy (MummyTravels) says

    December 19, 2017 at 3:08 pm

    Some great tips – I have the usual ludicrously long wishlist for next year, although I agree a balance of active and chilling out (and a pool!) makes a big difference with kids. A useful reminder about transfers, I often forget to factor those in and that’s no fun after a long flight.

    Reply
  13. Kara says

    December 19, 2017 at 4:04 pm

    We travel with tots and teens so having something for both to enjoy is vital for us when choosing a holiday

    Reply
  14. Claire at Tin Box Traveller says

    December 19, 2017 at 9:38 pm

    Great tips. We enjoy a variety of holidays where there’s a good balance of sightseeing and relaxing. This seems to work well with our young girls too. Over-tried is never a good look on your hols. Have a great time planning for that girl trip in 2018!

    Reply
  15. MELANIE EDJOURIAN says

    December 19, 2017 at 9:46 pm

    These are all great points. I always do plenty of research before we go away as I have little ones and it’s important that there are things for them to do. I always select child friendly holidays.

    Reply
  16. Emma Raphael says

    December 22, 2017 at 5:36 pm

    How exciting! Have you decided where to go yet? We never really took distance in to consideration when my older two were tiny, we just decided on a place and went for it. Our third baby however, doesn’t really do sitting still, so the furthest we have flown with him has so far been around the 3/4 hour mark! That will gradually get longer the older he gets! 😀 Great tips! Have fun deciding!

    Reply

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Vanlife • Camper Family • VWT5


Ad/ Oh the places we will go .......

I’m reall
Ad/ Oh the places we will go .......
 
I’m really hoping better days are coming for us all 🌈
 
Tonight I wanted to tell you about a wonderful campaign by @whsmithofficial and I’m honoured to have been asked to be a part of it. 

Their aim is to encourage people to try something new throughout 2021. @whsmithofficial have some wonderful products to help you plan your trips (products linked in stories).
 
I would really love you to join me on Friday at 6pm over on the @whsmithofficial account, chatting about why we love vanlife, our favourite road trips, and what vanlife means for us. Believe it or not before we purchased our camper, we had never camped before! 
 
If you have any questions for me, I would love you to send them my way via my stories and I will do my best to answer them on Friday. 
 
Look forward to seeing you over on the @whsmithofficial Instagram on Friday at 6pm! 

#bringiton2021 #vanlife #vanlifewithkids #vwt5


Just popping on to check in on everyone, how are y
Just popping on to check in on everyone, how are you all doing? How are you feeling about the announcements tomorrow?

I know so many are finding it all a bit ‘meh’ at the moment.

So this is a little Sunday reminder to keep doing what makes your soul a
smile, check in on each other often and look after yourselves..... and know that better days are coming 🌈🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 

(My usual Sunday campsite share will be a little late - I’ll post it tomorrow I promise - I’ve been painting the girls bedroom all weekend😆 )

🌈 💕

Last week I chatted to the lovely Jenny @travelynn
Last week I chatted to the lovely Jenny @travelynnfamily as part of her bongo convo series.

Did you catch it?

I think it is the first time I’ve ever chatted on a live, or chatted in front of a camera even 😆

Anyway I just wanted to say thank you  so much for all the messages and lovely comments after the live. I’ve had a few vanlife questions too so I will pop them in my stories for you.

Thank you  Jenny for inviting me to take part in your new live travel chat. Chatting about Van life and road trips .... It definitely made my soul smile :)

🏕Sunday share is back 🏕

My next campsite to
🏕Sunday share is back 🏕

My next campsite to share is a really lovely campsite in Llangollen. We were introduced to this lovely site by my beautiful friend @a_girl_on_the_crescent 

Abbey Farm Campsite

@abbeyfarmllangollen is a working farm set just outside the beautiful town of Llangollen in North Wales.

Suitable  for camping, touring caravans and motor homes and camping pods available.  There are three self-catering cottages to rent and also a static caravan site.

The camping fields are set next to the ruins of Valle Crusis Abbey, and what we loved the most - there is a small brook that runs across the bottom of the field that the kids absolutely loved.

Facilities

Hot showers/ toilets
Laundry room
Bistro/bar
Shop
Electric Hook Up
Dogs Welcome 

What we loved 💕

⭐️Family campsite 
⭐️The brook provided hours of fun
⭐️Picturesque Llangollen a walk away 
⭐️Beautiful location with lots of space and walks
⭐️An ideal base to explore North Wales 

Definitely one to bookmark 

🏡For now the message is to stay at home, but my Sunday share is to inspire and introduce you to new campsites for when the time is right xx


Camping with kids 🏕

I was going to share my ne
Camping with kids 🏕

I was going to share my next favourite campsite but thought I would mix it up a bit with a new topic. Campervan storage. So tell me... What is your favourite storage hack? 

As our Campervan conversion  isn’t quite fully finished we have had to be clever with storage. As a family of five in a T5 space is super tight! 

Our favourite hacks so far....

➡️ Using cushion covers / pillow cases to store items 

➡️ storage hooks on the back of the seats (I think I learned about this one from @daisy_thefamilycamper ) 

➡️ Using a pop up tent to store the large bulky items such as car seats and strollers etc 

➡️ Packing pods to organise the clothes!!! My absolutely favourite thing ever we have used them for years.

➡️ plastic storage bucket for the outside toys that we take to the beach (and can even double up as a baby/toddler bath 

 
 ➡️ Foldable items, folding table, folding scooters, folding chairs, the list goes on but helps with space 

➡️hamman towels. Absolutely wonderful. We were sent some towels to review a few years back and they are incredible. We haven’t looked back and we are fully converted. They don’t take up much space, dry really quickly, have multiple uses  and basically we just love them! 

🌈 I have linked my post in my stories - but would love to hear if you have any campervan storage ideas to share or add? 

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend whatever you have been up to ?


Vanlife with kids - sharing our fave campsites for
Vanlife with kids - sharing our fave campsites for the time when it is safe to travel again 😍🚐

 Sunnyside Croft Touring Site 

This is my next campsite to share... the beautiful Sunnyside Croft Touring Site - an award winning site located between the villages of Arisaig and Mallaig on the West Coast of the Scottish Highlands 

⭐️What we loved 🌈

Direct access to the most beautiful beach 
Family friendly, clean  and quiet 
Dogs allowed 
Eco friendly
Lovely touches - outside shower for wetsuits, infant and toddler washroom with a bath 
Pets allowed 

We loved staying here for two nights as part of our Scotland road trip with our beautiful friends. Mallaig is the nearest village  and we loved visiting Skye and Glenfinnan too. The campsite has direct access to the most spectacular beach - just a walk away along a dedicated path.  Definitely one to bookmark and a campsite we would definitely return to.

📸 Our first view of the beach from the campsite 
 
➡️ swipe for more photos of Arisaig and Mallaig

🌈 #stayathome and keep hoping for sunnier days☀️

#dreamingofvanlife #keepondreaming #arisaigbeach #scotlandphotography


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Ad/ Oh the places we will go ....... I’m reall Ad/ Oh the places we will go .......
 
I’m really hoping better days are coming for us all 🌈
 
Tonight I wanted to tell you about a wonderful campaign by @whsmithofficial and I’m honoured to have been asked to be a part of it. 

Their aim is to encourage people to try something new throughout 2021. @whsmithofficial have some wonderful products to help you plan your trips (products linked in stories).
 
I would really love you to join me on Friday at 6pm over on the @whsmithofficial account, chatting about why we love vanlife, our favourite road trips, and what vanlife means for us. Believe it or not before we purchased our camper, we had never camped before! 
 
If you have any questions for me, I would love you to send them my way via my stories and I will do my best to answer them on Friday. 
 
Look forward to seeing you over on the @whsmithofficial Instagram on Friday at 6pm! 

#bringiton2021 #vanlife #vanlifewithkids #vwt5
Just popping on to check in on everyone, how are y Just popping on to check in on everyone, how are you all doing? How are you feeling about the announcements tomorrow?

I know so many are finding it all a bit ‘meh’ at the moment.

So this is a little Sunday reminder to keep doing what makes your soul a
smile, check in on each other often and look after yourselves..... and know that better days are coming 🌈🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 

(My usual Sunday campsite share will be a little late - I’ll post it tomorrow I promise - I’ve been painting the girls bedroom all weekend😆 )

🌈 💕
Last week I chatted to the lovely Jenny @travelynn Last week I chatted to the lovely Jenny @travelynnfamily as part of her bongo convo series.

Did you catch it?

I think it is the first time I’ve ever chatted on a live, or chatted in front of a camera even 😆

Anyway I just wanted to say thank you  so much for all the messages and lovely comments after the live. I’ve had a few vanlife questions too so I will pop them in my stories for you.

Thank you  Jenny for inviting me to take part in your new live travel chat. Chatting about Van life and road trips .... It definitely made my soul smile :)
🏕Sunday share is back 🏕 My next campsite to 🏕Sunday share is back 🏕

My next campsite to share is a really lovely campsite in Llangollen. We were introduced to this lovely site by my beautiful friend @a_girl_on_the_crescent 

Abbey Farm Campsite

@abbeyfarmllangollen is a working farm set just outside the beautiful town of Llangollen in North Wales.

Suitable  for camping, touring caravans and motor homes and camping pods available.  There are three self-catering cottages to rent and also a static caravan site.

The camping fields are set next to the ruins of Valle Crusis Abbey, and what we loved the most - there is a small brook that runs across the bottom of the field that the kids absolutely loved.

Facilities

Hot showers/ toilets
Laundry room
Bistro/bar
Shop
Electric Hook Up
Dogs Welcome 

What we loved 💕

⭐️Family campsite 
⭐️The brook provided hours of fun
⭐️Picturesque Llangollen a walk away 
⭐️Beautiful location with lots of space and walks
⭐️An ideal base to explore North Wales 

Definitely one to bookmark 

🏡For now the message is to stay at home, but my Sunday share is to inspire and introduce you to new campsites for when the time is right xx
Camping with kids 🏕 I was going to share my ne Camping with kids 🏕

I was going to share my next favourite campsite but thought I would mix it up a bit with a new topic. Campervan storage. So tell me... What is your favourite storage hack? 

As our Campervan conversion  isn’t quite fully finished we have had to be clever with storage. As a family of five in a T5 space is super tight! 

Our favourite hacks so far....

➡️ Using cushion covers / pillow cases to store items 

➡️ storage hooks on the back of the seats (I think I learned about this one from @daisy_thefamilycamper ) 

➡️ Using a pop up tent to store the large bulky items such as car seats and strollers etc 

➡️ Packing pods to organise the clothes!!! My absolutely favourite thing ever we have used them for years.

➡️ plastic storage bucket for the outside toys that we take to the beach (and can even double up as a baby/toddler bath 

 
 ➡️ Foldable items, folding table, folding scooters, folding chairs, the list goes on but helps with space 

➡️hamman towels. Absolutely wonderful. We were sent some towels to review a few years back and they are incredible. We haven’t looked back and we are fully converted. They don’t take up much space, dry really quickly, have multiple uses  and basically we just love them! 

🌈 I have linked my post in my stories - but would love to hear if you have any campervan storage ideas to share or add? 

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend whatever you have been up to ?
Vanlife with kids - sharing our fave campsites for Vanlife with kids - sharing our fave campsites for the time when it is safe to travel again 😍🚐

 Sunnyside Croft Touring Site 

This is my next campsite to share... the beautiful Sunnyside Croft Touring Site - an award winning site located between the villages of Arisaig and Mallaig on the West Coast of the Scottish Highlands 

⭐️What we loved 🌈

Direct access to the most beautiful beach 
Family friendly, clean  and quiet 
Dogs allowed 
Eco friendly
Lovely touches - outside shower for wetsuits, infant and toddler washroom with a bath 
Pets allowed 

We loved staying here for two nights as part of our Scotland road trip with our beautiful friends. Mallaig is the nearest village  and we loved visiting Skye and Glenfinnan too. The campsite has direct access to the most spectacular beach - just a walk away along a dedicated path.  Definitely one to bookmark and a campsite we would definitely return to.

📸 Our first view of the beach from the campsite 
 
➡️ swipe for more photos of Arisaig and Mallaig

🌈 #stayathome and keep hoping for sunnier days☀️

#dreamingofvanlife #keepondreaming #arisaigbeach #scotlandphotography
Happy Sunday!!! So I have decided on a Sunday fo Happy Sunday!!! 

So I have decided on a Sunday for the next few weeks I am going to do a little campsite share. Sharing our favourite campsites that we have stayed in our #t5camper over the last two or three years. I wanted to (hopefully) give you some inspiration for all those dreaming and planning for when we are able to hit the road in the future. 

My first campsite is @love2stay in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK. Set in 22 acres of grounds with touring and Glamping on-site. 

Love2stay is a beautiful resort and an absolute gem of a site. We have booked again for this year and have stayed more than once over the last two years.

Facilities

Love 2 Stay  has serviced pitches and a  glamping village. The toilet block is modern and clean.  There is so much to do on site you won’t want to venture far. 

➡️ swipe for pictures 

There is a natural swimming pool, restaurant and pizzeria, fitness suite and thermal bath, assault course, children’s adventure play zone, barefoot trails, mini and junior craft activities, cinedrome for movie nights, yoga and Pilates classes, paddle boarding and kayaking....... the list goes on 

What we loved 

⭐️So many activities on site for everyone 
⭐️restaurant/pizzeria on site 
⭐️Swimming pool 
⭐️Spa/gym on site 
⭐️Dogs allowed (with separate dog walking area and dog agility course )
⭐️Brilliant size serviced pitches
⭐️Glamping available 
⭐️Usually Open all year round (covid restriction dependent) 

Things to consider 
 
⭐️it gets booked up so book in advance 
⭐️No tents allowed 
⭐️No on-site grocery shop
⭐️it is the most expensive campsite we have ever stayed when you factor in all the additional activities that do -but it’s a wonderful experience and we absolutely love it here and it is a place that we will keep on returning to. 

Please do ask if you have any questions or if you have stayed here too? 

I’ll be back next Sunday with another gem !
Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟 Fairy lights dotted around a Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟

Fairy lights  dotted around a climbing frame
 
= A few more extra hours outside over the winter months 

Add in a flurry of snow ....

#1000hoursoutside 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #lockdown3

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