Dad and daughter summer holiday.

As usual I’ve left it late and have no idea what to do.

I already have one week planned which is camping so will be quite hard work, so I’m looking for something where I might actually get a break (less cooking and planning something to do every day).

Tempted to just get a package holiday to a beach somewhere but concerned it will be too hot at that time of year and also too busy and too many drunken louts.

Any ideas?

When?

There are resorts that are more popular with families than lads, lads, lads.

How old is child?

2nd week in August. She is 8.

When mine were 8, somewhere with a pool with slides etc; maybe only just getting too old for mini disco. What Drac said though; might still get free child places especially if you’re not too worried where you go.

Menorca?

Canaries will be too hot, I think.

Just get a nice TUI resort somewhere… it’s what i, as a single dad, do..

easy..relaxing for me and the kids…

Enjoy daddy daughter time x

DrP

Maybe something like Haven/Butlins, with pools, entertainment, places to eat?

Probably better/cheaper versions in France

Thinking abroad. Need to get away from this weather.

Haven sites at Burnham On Sea and Weymouth (the one near middle of Chesil Beach) are decent, no idea how much or how busy they’ll be in kids school holidays.

Longleat Center Parcs is lovely, great road cycling from right outside the campus, but as per normal we’re going midweek during term time… Neither of us can afford to sell a kidney!

Albania – get there before it’s spoiled. Cheap, hot , lovely people.

There’s nowhere in the Mediterranean that’s going to be ‘too hot’ (heatwaves excluded) for you and an eight year old – we’ve been doing it since our girls were much younger. Just find shade, enjoy the pool, get her to wear a sunhat and use suncream.

If i had the cash i’d be a Neilsen beach club

Just coming to the end of a few days at haven in porthmadog with my 8yr old daughter. She loves it, loads to go at round here, still happy at most of the mini disco! £300 for Mon-fri this week, which I think is pretty reasonable, caravan is decent, august might be more expensive I guess.

Just get a nice TUI resort somewhere… it’s what i, as a single dad, do..

easy..relaxing for me and the kids…

Enjoy daddy daughter time x

DrP

This if you can afford it. Its what i’ve done the last couple of years. This year we are both off to Kos. Plus, as they get older, i recommend going all inclusive (something i used to despise) which really helps you relax and stops you “penny watching” every time they ask for an ice cream. Less conflict = happier holiday

She will meet other kids round the pool whilst you get to enjoy a nice beer / audiobook combo.

Eurocamp-style place in the Ardeche?  generally have onsite cafe/restaurant to avoid the need to cook everyday but you get your own place to do breakfast / snacks / tea. once you’ve had your fill of swimming pools, then explore the area and book a canoe trip or two, possibly with overnight stay.

e.g. https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/france/ardeche/le-pommier-campsite

(Not a personal recommendation, just a random google).

We have just stayed at a Eurocamp and a Capfun park in Holland. Would recommend looking at the sites available from Capfun, seems less well known in the UK.

Another vote for a package TUI style thing if you don’t want to do all the thinking. Although mine enjoyed a week in Cornwall on the beach just as much when they were that age.

We’re Eurocamping this summer (11 & 13yos), but it’s self catering; we’ve done the full board/half board package thing before and when our oldest was 8 they were pretty good. My top tip is to try and get somewhere that there’s a walkable town or public transport for when you’ve had enough of the pool and need a change of scene.

The best place I’ve ever taken 8 years olds to was Folly Farm near Narberth, so if you end up in Wales….

You say nowhere to hot on the Med, except in heatwaves, Johndoh. Thing is that heatwaves are becoming the norm. There were 4 in France last year:

https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/presse/2024/bilan-canicule-et-sante-un-ete-2023-marque-par-4-episodes-de-canicule-avec-un-impact-sanitaire-important

Above 35 it’s not much fun doing anything, even swimming in the local pool is unpleasant because it gets too hot as it doesn’t lose enough heat overnight, regular swimmers were giving up and getting out feeling unwell.

In Summer we avoid the Med and head for cooler areas. Anywhere above 1000m is a good bet and the Spanish North coast much more pleasant.

When junior was 8 he was really easy to please, loved camping (which I see you’ve already got covered, Mick) and simple things like exploring. It’s a bit young for Heide Park, Europa Park, Parc Asterix etc. because of the height limits.

I suggest a mobile home on a campsite on the West coast of France on a campsite with a kids’ club. Choose one with a British company with units on it and there will be other British kids around. I’m reluctant to recommend a specific site as junior is 26 now and things have no doubt changed.

Few more requirements. Neither of us are the sit round the pool type, we prefer nature and being active (well maybe I do, she won’t have a choice! ) but a beach would be good.

I’m not planning on doing my own thing while she plays with other kids. Our other holiday is with a large group so she will have mates to play with there.

France sounds good. I’m not keep on driving too much either.

I actually think all inclusive holidays work out cheaper…

Me and my two are heading to Tunisia later this summer, for a week, for about £2700…

That’s it.. That’s all I’ll have to spend.

DrP

Glentress camping pod and sign her up for MTB training & go to the pub. When she has completed training hit the trails together.

Or ski resort out of season with pool.

One week  with an 8yo, it’s not worth getting on a plane. I’d do Croyde, pool etc on site, ice cream shop in the village to die for (according to our kids), maybe the chance of a bit of bodyboarding, walk over to Putsborough, family entertainment in the bar (I’ve laughed my socks off at a hypnotist there).

I think if you’ve already booked a week of camping (which is very 1 on 1, and cooking everything), an all inclusive would be very tempting if you’ve got the £££. You don’t need to prepare anything and no matter how much they love their parents – they like to meet and play with other kids too!

Agree that there definitely is “too hot” in the Med esp with kids. Not much fun in 41 degrees…

Having been in a similar position with 2 boys 10 and 7, get a med all inclusive.  One week is enough time for a flight, and you’ll be a lot better placed to relax.

So, one week package holiday then but where won’t be too hot?

Polish or Slovakian mountains? Tatralandia? Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia? One of the Center Parcs or its imitators in Benelux or Germany?

Apologies – I missed it before when you said “I’m not planning on doing my own thing while she plays with other kids.”

Package not too hot:

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/europe/germany/berlin/holidays-berlin.html

We cycled to Berlin with junior when he was 7. Rowed a boat up the river, saw the sites, ate junk food, swam in a see, took trains, took a photo at checkpoint Charlie. He leant German, did Erasmus at the Humbolt he’d seen as a kid and spends half his life there now. See Berlin threads on STW for ideas, it’s one of the rare destinations that gets a unanimous thumbs up on here.

Other city breaks available.

AI suggests the French Basque beaches may be a sensible temperature. Anyone know anything about these?

Where are you travelling from? If within a few hours of the channel, then book a ferry & a big campsite (static caravan or tent) in France. Most of the big chains, Yelloh, Castels, etc will have water parks & kids clubs.

If further North, maybe you could do the overnight ferry from Newcastle or Hull to Holland, and visit Efteling (see Maddie Moate’s youtube videos).

IMO flying is expensive (especially taking into account car hire), and stressful.

Oooh, good shout. But TBH, Efteling (which i’ve done many times from the South coast) is dead easy to get to via the Chunnel…

It’s only a 3 hour (really nice) drive from Calais.

DrP

Staffordshire.  So this could be an option, are any of these campsites near beaches?

I live less than 100km from the Basque coast beaches but don’t go anywhere near them until the last week of August because they’re over populated. They’re 24h more or less non stop from the North of England. AI is thick unless your daughter is in to surfing. 🙂

So maybe Eurocamp:

https://www.eurocamp.co.uk/campsites/france/brittany/le-domaine-de-ker-ys-campsite

I can get the Roscoff ferry and that’s pretty close.

Looks great, it won’t always be that sunny but won’t be too hot either.

Here is a another idea. How about Austria? Package holiday with walks and easy trails?

I just saw this:

The little-known Austrian resort that’s geared for kids mountain biking