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Share your fun family holiday stories with TUI - chance to win a £300 voucher

(125 Posts)
LucyBGransnet (GNHQ) Wed 18-Dec-19 09:50:50

Most people spend their time counting down the days until their family holiday as soon as the flights and accommodation are booked. Family holidays give us a chance to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but most importantly allow us to let loose and have fun. Maybe you’re an adrenaline junkie who heads for the biggest slide at the waterpark or perhaps your idea of fun is basking in the sun at the poolside with a good book in hand. With this in mind, TUI wants to hear about your most fun family holiday.

Here’s what TUI have to say: “At TUI, we know that your family holiday is a time to reconnect and have fun. That’s why we’ve designed hotels especially for families to make it the best week, or two, of the year. From allowing you to take your car seat or pushchair with you free of charge, to offering baby changing facilities, kids’ clubs and children’s buffets in resort, we’ve thought of every little detail to give you a hassle free and family-friendly holiday. We’d love to hear from Gransnetters about their favourite holiday moments with their family.”

If you were asked to name one family holiday that is most memorable to you as being “fun”, what would you say and why? What type of holiday do you feel you can get the most fun out of? Would you rather spend your time in good company, basking in the good weather or eating good food? What kind of activities do you do to make memories with your children on holiday? Perhaps you all jump into the pool the second you arrive at the resort? Or maybe you’d rather go on a family excursion to see the local sights and scenery?

Tell us about your most fun family holiday on the thread below and you will be entered into a prize draw where 1 GNer will win a £300 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
GNHQ

Insight T&Cs apply

NotSpaghetti Sun 29-Dec-19 14:32:05

Most memorable holidays are inevitably those when the children were small.. making sandcastles on the beach and looking for crabs in rock pools, but for me, one other holiday sticks out as it was the first time we could afford to take the family abroad.
Until that one holiday we had always stayed with family or camped.

We flew, took a small boat and a helicopter and then a mini-van to a large villa with a pool in a little hamlet.
It felt like the most magical place on earth as we arrived quite late and the pool and gardens were so beautifully lit - it was simply stunning. I’ll never forget the children’s faces as we arrived in our holiday “paradise”.
I felt, and still feel, so lucky to have had that moment.

Jacks10 Sun 29-Dec-19 14:45:12

Over the last few years we have chosen to celebrate special occasions with our whole close family paying for them to be included. On our 40th wedding anniversary we all went on a Caribbean Cruise from Miami. This involved 6 adults and 5 grandchildren aged from 8 months to 10 years. We had the most wonderful time - a cruise is a great way for all ages to have their needs catered to! On my husband's 70th we did another cruise from Abu Dhabi and around India. Children much older but we had a ball!!! They also got to see places they might never have visited. We are now coming up to our 50th wedding anniversary and we are taking them to snowy climes! Not quite sure where yet but the grandchildren all live in Africa and have yet to see snow! Much better to spend our money with them than just leave it to them when we make our final trips!

graninthemist Sun 29-Dec-19 15:03:31

Without a doubt our most enjoyable family holiday was a Christmas trip to Lapland. We'd arranged to go with our daughter, son-in-law and four year-old granddaughter, but days before we were due to set off, I was admitted to hospital with dreadful heach blood loss. Very reluctantly, my husband and I were forced to cancel our trip, and the rest of our party flew off to spend the night in an hotel in Manchester before travelling to Lapland while I was in the operating theatre. Fortunately I had only an exploratory procedure, and was duly informed that I would be able to travel the following day, upon which my husband and the travel agent did their utmost to reinstate the holiday. My daughter and family were amazed to see us at the airport, and there followed a magical few days in the snow, riding on sleighs pulled by reindeer and searching for Father Christmas, all of us transformed into children again. That trip sustained me through what turned out to be a very difficult year of surgery. We were still singing the Elf Song that we'd learned during our trip for several Christmases afterwards, and we all agree that it was the best holiday ever.

Ziggy1914 Sun 29-Dec-19 15:48:51

Our most memorable holiday was when we went on our first cruise to the Mediterranean me and my husband we went with his mum and dad we had a really good holiday some funny moments and very good memories which will never be forgotten as not long after my father inlaw became ill with cancer and sadly passed away memories and time with your family is what's important. It's also made us realise take every opportunity to do trips together before it's too late.

Harris27 Sun 29-Dec-19 16:36:30

Our most memorable was in a caravan in sea houses. Heavily pregnant didn’t want to go abroad so near my time and we had games nights strolls along the beach fish and chips the lot! Been abroad and all over the world nothing compares to this cheap and cheerful one many years ago- the son is 33 now and we talk about this every now and again.

Jacquilk Sun 29-Dec-19 19:43:44

We had an amazing trip to Walt Disney World in Florida in 2015 with my parents. Watching the kids faces as they experienced all those magical sights and sounds was perfect.
My dad was ill last year, and is now in remission and wanted to go away with the whole family, so we have booked a whole family trip to go back again with all the new additions to the family. Can’t wait.

monk08 Mon 30-Dec-19 07:40:31

Menorca 40 years ago on holiday with our friends we met a group of people from down south. Since then we've had children grandchildren more holidays together and the friendship has continued we try to meet up once a year not always possible. Never been back to Menorca but remembered fondly because of our friendship.

NiCH Mon 30-Dec-19 07:42:33

My family and my sister’s family all spent a few nights in a beautiful villa in Dorset. My nieces and nephews came along too. We played games, had good chats and needless to say lovely food that my sister and I shared cooking. It was a most memorable holiday I had in recent years.

WoodLane7 Mon 30-Dec-19 09:18:20

Went to Norway and had a fabulous time on the fjords with pedalos and rowing boats; the hotel had 2 swimmig pools (indoor/outdoor, both heated) and a jacuzzi too

GrannyBear Mon 30-Dec-19 10:31:50

My daughter, husband, kids aged 4 and 3, my husband and I had a great holiday in France in October 2015. We were staying next to a huge vineyard at harvest time and spent a whole afternoon watching machinery harvesting grapes. Of course many grapes landed on the ground rather than in the designated trailers! Once the workers had left the vineyard, my daughter and I took off our shoes and jumped up and down in the pile of grapes left behind! The kids thought we were mad!

Smhumm Mon 30-Dec-19 11:01:45

Doing what the locals do - restaurants, attractions, hotels - that's my favourite

shellyg Mon 30-Dec-19 11:44:56

The most fun we had was in Florida many years ago in Universal Studios. My dad had the idea of changing our names to nancy, petra and ned for the ET ride. ET would say goodbye to each person by name at the end of the ride. Well, he started to say Ned and got stuck so all we could hear was 'goodbye Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee'. ET got stuck. Dad broke ET. we still laugh about breaking ET to this day.

BusterTank Mon 30-Dec-19 13:07:21

The best family holiday we had was when the children was younger and we drove to Andorra . Despite all the mishaps the camper van breaking down , tripping up on guy roles to the awning and my daughter knocking herself out . It was really great holiday , very layed back and sort of stress free . My youngest daughter is 25 and she would love to do it again . There were some lovely memories made .

Hanfx Mon 30-Dec-19 20:09:26

My most fun family holiday was aged 9 - when I went to Florida with my Nan and Grandad to see my cousin who was working in Disneyworld. She was working in the Epcot Centre so we were lucky enough to get free passes to the park. It was the first time Id ever experienced scary rides and rollercoasters and my cousin was teasing me that the rollercoasters were arriving to us in the queue, empty - as people had fallen off during the ride! I believed her!
My Grandad also found it very funny when we were on the 'Runaway Train,' and halfway through the ride I suddenly yelled, 'Wheres the *king driver?!'
The train had no driver ( clearly! ) I thought I was going to get told off for swearing, but they found it very funny. Even up until his passing just a few years ago; we still laughed about it.
Was a very special, magical holiday.

freesia Mon 30-Dec-19 22:28:48

When my four children were young, 30 odd years ago, I used to take them camping on the North Norfolk coast. They still talk about memories of the wonderful beaches, seeing the seals and going crabbing. Last year we returned with grandchildren in tow for a big family holiday....and it was still a magical place!

Sawsage2 Tue 31-Dec-19 00:07:13

My best fun holiday was a Thompson Mediterranean cruise with the family. It had everything that everyone wanted. Great food, lots of great entertainment for young and not so young with brilliant interesting places to visit. Would definitely book again.

Jadeseeee Tue 31-Dec-19 00:57:45

With my granddaughter, daughter and husband on a Christmas cruise it was so much fun and we made some wonderful memories together

makemineajammiedodger Tue 31-Dec-19 10:45:29

We had a wonderful short holiday last year in our VW camper van - we took GS (age 7) to his first festival - a folk festival in Barnsley, with an on-site family circus, ukulele classes, dry-stone walling, storytelling etc etc. All this AND great music! It was also his first holiday without mum & dad. We all had a fabulous time, and came home with an amazing array of new skills!

gillyknits Tue 31-Dec-19 14:37:48

The best holiday I remember was to Florida with teenage son and daughter. We, my DH and I , really embarrassed our children by wearing Mickey ears and skipping along the yellow brick road. They disowned us for the day!

annie55w Tue 31-Dec-19 15:23:55

Had a wonderful holiday to Portugal a few years ago with my partner,daughter,son in law and 2 grandsons.I had bought a few snacks at a nearby supermarket as we were in self catering appartments.One morning I gave the boys some lemonade and a portugese tart.One of the boys said Nanny they make funny tarts here...there was something crunchy in it.Turns out one of his teeth had fallen out and he had swallowed it.He burst into tears saying the tooth fairy would never know as he couldn't put it under his pillow.A little later while out for lunch he told our lovely waiter all about it.That lovely man man wrote a note to the tooth fairy for him in Portugese.So he happilly went to bed that night with his note under his pillow.My grandson is 22 now but often remembers that lovely holiday.

IvvieN Tue 31-Dec-19 18:53:01

Most memorable recent family holiday was when DD and SIL and grandkids stayed in their caravan 2 pitches away from us, in Devon. Kids had total freedom, running in and out of both awnings, and we all spent long lazy days on the beach or the moor, or just playing rounders and chilling out. We had picnics or barbecues, and everyone just relaxed and enjoyed the moment, with no pressure to go or do anything. Still get a glow, thinking about it!

villagefox Tue 31-Dec-19 18:54:46

My most memorable and fun family holiday was a few years ago to Cyprus. It was the first time I had been on an all inclusive holiday and the food was amazing as was the entertainment and facilities at the hotel. I'm not one for organised trips but we went on an excursion around the area and they managed to cater for all ages on the trip. Certainly a holiday to remember!

bobble5366 Wed 01-Jan-20 13:32:42

My most memorable family holiday was camping with my cousins (Who lived in London and I rarely saw). It was in the summer of 1977 (the hot one!). We seemed to spend hours in and out of the river, barely stopping to eat, being wet, laughing sleeping deeply and creating such memories.

Silvergran59 Wed 01-Jan-20 13:37:04

My most memorable family holiday was a Butlins holiday in the late 1970's, me and my sister felt so 'grown-up' being let out on our own (we would have been about 7 and 11) playing bingo (for great prizes - we came home with casserole sets and several sets of glasses) - I don't remember any sunshine, and looking back at the photos we had our coats on (IN JULY) Our little family spent time together, no distractions, being together being loved and seeing my mum and dad looking relaxed was lovely.

DorisDay99 Wed 01-Jan-20 13:41:20

In the early 1980's I was lucky enough to be one of the few people in my class to go abroad, (my mum inherited some money - otherwise we could not afford) We went to Malta, and I think the airline was Laker airlines (remember Freddie Laker ?) We had never seen anything like it, blue skies, hot sun, blue seas - but I vividly remember getting terrible sunburn (we did not use the correct sun cream - factor 4 and not waterproof if I remember correctly), We tasted new foods, saw new culture, architecture and festivals, I loved loved loved it.