4 Incredible Summer Family Holiday Ideas

Summer is just around the corner and you can feel the weather warming up already. If you’re hoping to go away for the summer break, now is the time to start planning when and where you will head off to. If you’re anything like me, chances are you will want to find somewhere that has tons of sunshine so you can make the most of the warmer months. If you are in charge of planning the family trip away this year, you’re going to want to find a destination that will suit each family member, to ensure that everyone has a memorable trip away. Here are my favourite summer holiday destinations that are sure to delight everyone, no matter their age and even the hard to please teenagers will have a blast:

1) Head to Greece:
Known for the stunning beaches, Greece has so much to offer families looking for a special summer holiday get away. The beaches around Greece are perfect for children of all ages because the waters are mostly calm during the morning, many of the resorts have fun and engaging kids’ clubs and the staff are extremely children friendly which goes a long way when you’re traveling with younger children who can be challenging on their good days. I personally love Greek food and you can indulge without worrying about your waistline because you’ll be so busy doing fun sport activities such as windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, standup paddle boarding you wont have a chance to gain a lb! Because there’s so much to do, it makes for the perfect summer holiday setting to create some special memories with your loved ones and ensures that your children wont have an opportunity to be bored. Family beach holidays in Greece are tons of fun and don’t be surprised if the kids ask if you can go back for next year’s holiday too! My favourite family holidays are beach holidays because it’s just the perfect foundation for a family holiday – there’s something so special about the sand and water that ensures a perfect trip. It also is a wonderful background for some lovely family photos so be sure to take a good camera and snap a ton of photos!

2) Visit New Zealand:
If you’re prepared to go on a long flight, there’s no where quite like Middle Earth – there’s a reason Peter Jackson decided to shoot the Lord of the Rings movies in New Zealand and it’s not just because he’s from there – it’s because it’s a really beautiful country. Because New Zealand is relatively small, it makes for a wonderful country to rent a RV or even a normal car to drive around and camp. You can see so much of the country in a 2 or 3 week trip. Just bare in mind if you visit in the Northern Hemisphere summer, you’ll be visiting in the middle of their winter time – which means you’ll be able to go skiing – perfect for all you ski bunnies. New Zealand has it all: mountains, beaches, volcanoes, they even have caves with bright, lit-up glowworms inside. If you can, take a visit to see the set of Hobbiton – it’s a lovely tour that’s worth a visit. Make sure to visit Queenstown in the South Island, which has been often regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful lakes. It’s also known as the adventure capital of New Zealand if you’re into extreme sports, you’ll be spoiled for options. You can go white water rafting, sky diving, bungy jumpy and so much more – whatever you want, you can find it here!

3) Take a Trip to Thailand
While you’ll spend a lot on flights, once you get there costs will be considerably less than in most other countries, for example an hour long massage can be as affordable as £3 – outrageous! Thai people are known for their friendly smiles and their delicious spicy food, but there’s so much to do and see in Thailand that it’s a wonderful place to explore as a family. Because it is more economical to travel around you can either use these savings in order to stay for longer, or to splash out on a little luxury while you’re there. Thailand has a lot to offer, from some of the world’s best beaches in the South, the beautiful hiking area in the North. My favourite island is Koh Phi Phi, a small, extremely beautiful island located very close to the world-famous party island of Koh Phangan which is famous for it’s full moon parties. If you visit Thailand you have to spend a few days in the crazy, bustling city of Bangkok which has some of the best street food in the entire world. Thai people are extremely proud of Chiang Mai, and so they should be, it’s so laid back and the night market is simply gorgeous! Be sure to spend a few days here, and be sure to get out of the city to do some trekking. I suggest that you avoid riding elephants because many of them are poorly treated. Thailand is a lovely destination with children because the Thai people love children and will happily help out with younger children so you enjoy enjoy a meal in peace. If you have blond children or children with red hair, just be warned they’ll get a ton of attention in Thailand and in Asia in general.

4) Check Out Jordan
It might not be at the top of your travel list, but maybe you should put it up there. Jordan has so much to offer and one of the best things about Jordan is that because it’s so compact a week is actually plenty of time to see many of the highlights and get a great feel for the country. I suggest renting a car in order to get around comfortably as some of the distances are quite large and renting a driver can be quite expensive. Head to Jericho and here you’ll see some well preserved ruins that are quite simply impressive! Afterwards drive to the Dead Sea where you can stay in a gorgeous resort for a night or two to relax and enjoy floating in the dead sea. Next make your way down to Wadi Rum, where you can camp out in the desert. Then make your way to Petra, one of the most incredible ancient ruins in the world – the buildings are literally carved into the red rocks. I suggest spending at least a day or two exploring Petra because it’s probably a lot bigger than you expect. If you can, check out Petra by night, it’s a whole different experience. There’s so much amazing history to discover in Jordan, making it an incredible experience for all family members.