FAMILY TRAVEL IDEAS BY SCHOOL HOLIDAY

stuck for ideas? family travel options by school holiday

If you’re anything like us, the hardest part of planning a family trip isn’t the booking — it’s the inspiration. Working out what’s realistic for each break, what will actually work with kids, and where you’ll get the best weather (without overcomplicating it).

We’re a family of three and our content is written for travel with school‑aged children. We’ve been doing these more “do it yourself” adventures since our son was 6 — he’s 9 now — so everything here is shaped around that sweet spot where kids are curious, capable, and still need a trip that’s paced properly.

That’s why this page is organised our recommendations for school holiday type (not just by destination). You’ll find real itineraries and exactly how we put them together — including booking internal flights, trains and tours, what we spent, the best season to go, and the weather we actually encountered, so you can plan with confidence rather than guesswork.

We’re also honest about our travel style: we’re not a hardcore outdoorsy family — we like a comfortable base. Our trips aren’t always the cheapest, but they’re chosen for the best overall value: the right location, family space, breakfast, parking when it matters, and the small details that make travel easier. Every itinerary is researched to within an inch of its life — and shared here to make family travel feel more achievable.

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the Summer Holidays

The summer holidays are when bigger trips really come into their own — whether that’s long‑haul travel, road trips or multi‑stop itineraries. With more time available, families can slow the pace, build in rest days, and enjoy deeper experiences that work brilliantly with school‑aged kids.

TURKEY

Rich history, unique experiences, and beach time — all without ultra‑long flights.

COSTA RICA

Explore jungles, beaches, and hot spring hotels whilst balancing adventure with rest.

THAILAND

Combine jungle, beaches and unique cultural destinations, whilst balancing adventure with rest.

ORLANDO & SOUTH FLORIDA

A Florida road trip itinerary blends theme parks, wildlife, beaches, and island‑hopping into one easy, family‑friendly adventure.

COLORADO & SOUTH DAKOTA

Experience epic road trips, wide‑open landscapes, and national monuments.

NEW YORK CITY

The perfect add on to a wider US itinerary - explore sky scrapers, interactive museums and the best of US food.

THE Easter Holidays

Easter is one of the best times to visit certain destinations, especially where spring temperatures make sightseeing comfortable and avoid the intense summer heat that can be tough for kids. It’s ideal for medium‑haul trips and can lend itself to long haul, when you want to explore more without the exhaustion that peak summer conditions can bring.

TENERIFE

Kayaking, Siam Park, cave exploration, and warm May or October sunshine make Tenerife a fab half term choice

JORDAN

This incredible road trip World Wonder Petra, float dead sea, desserts nights of wadi rum and beaches of aqaba

TURKEY

Rich history, unique experiences, and beach time — all without ultra‑long flights.

ORLANDO & SOUTH FLORIDA

A Florida road trip itinerary blends theme parks, wildlife, beaches, and island‑hopping into one easy, family‑friendly adventure.

INDIA

Experience the magic of the Taj Mahal, wonder of India's forts and culture, plus some unique family hotels

NEW YORK CITY

The perfect add on to a wider US itinerary - explore sky scrapers, interactive museums and the best of US food.

half term inpiration

Half term is ideal for short‑haul or UK breaks that offer culture, warmth or outdoor space without long travel days. These trips work particularly well for school‑aged kids who want variety and adventure, but still need a relaxed, manageable pace. Many half‑term destinations can also be extended to make great Easter or summer holidays, giving families flexibility as children get older.

GIBRALTER

Search out the apes on the Rock of Gibraltar, experiencing the history and mystery of the St Michaels Cave

ITALY

Ancient ruins, pizza‑making, and gelato breaks make Rome and its surroundings an ideal half‑term escape..

MAINLAND SPAIN

From segwaying around the city to meeting the monkeys of Gibraltar and walking the stunning Caminito del Rey.

winter holidays

Christmas and February half term are ideal for skiing and winter‑focused breaks, where destinations are set up for families and everything runs smoothly around the season. These trips work brilliantly for school‑aged kids, offering a mix of on‑snow activity, seasonal experiences and cosy downtime, without the need for long or complex itineraries.

RUKA, FINLAND

Close to Lapland, Ruka offers the full winter‑wonderland experience — reindeer rides, snowmobiling, meeting Santa — while being an excellent beginner‑friendly ski resort.

PASSO TONALE, ITALY

A compact, family‑friendly resort, set high in the mountains and known for its easy beginner slopes and convenient catered accommodation.

LA THUILE, ITALY

A fantastic choice for first‑time skiers looking for a quiet, practical resort right by the slopes — we’ve loved it so much we’ve been back multiple times.

pLANNING TIPS

When to Book

We usually aim to book our trips around a year in advance, as soon as flights are released. This gives the best choice on flight times and routes, and often better value on family‑friendly hotels. In general, the earlier you can book long‑haul summer travel, the more options you’ll have — especially for school holiday dates.

Booking Tools

Start with comparison websites like Trip.com to review the latest flight, hotel, and route options. For long‑haul travel, it’s worth considering a short connection, which can significantly reduce costs. If your itinerary allows, a multi‑city flight can also make sense — for example, flying into one city and out of another, as we did in the USA (into Denver and out of New York), then booking internal flights to travel between destinations.

Trip.com is also a useful place to look for car rentals, hotels, and pre‑booked airport transfers in one place. That said, for accommodation we personally tend to favour Hotels.com and Expedia, mainly because their loyalty schemes have consistently worked well for us on longer trips.

Finding Thing to Do

Start with our country‑specific blog posts, where we share activities we recommend based on our own research and personal experience travelling as a family. We focus on things that genuinely work well with kids, not just the headline attractions.

You can also browse platforms like Get Your Guide and Viator to explore tours and activities — they’re a great way to see what’s available, compare options, and build an itinerary that suits your family’s interests and pace.

Setting a Budget

We always start with a realistic budget for each destination and build the trip from there. For every major trip on the site, you’ll find a full budget breakdown showing exactly what we spent and where — flights, accommodation, activities, transport, and extras — to help families plan future trips with fewer surprises. Find them on the destination pages.

What to pack?

Over the years, we’ve learned a lot about what’s worth packing — and what never leaves the suitcase. That’s why for every big trip we share a practical, family‑tested packing list, designed to help you pack smarter, lighter, and with confidence for the destination you’re heading to. Find them on the destination pages.

A quick note on links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you choose to book through them, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you.

We only ever share places, tours, and experiences we’ve personally used and genuinely enjoyed. If you’re planning your own family summer trip, feel free to use these links as a starting point — they’re the same ones that helped us plan efficiently, avoid unnecessary expense, and cut down hours of searching.