Cheap holiday packages

We usually decide a place, pick a hotel and then google the hotel to see what ABTA covered packages/ travel companies come up. Within the options are different flight options and times.

Sometimes they are considerably cheaper than the traditional TUI/ Kuomintang/ Thomas Cook offerings.

Kuoni *

The problem with flying instead of driving is paying for 5 seats and any transfers, there is going to be a big difference in the holiday season and once they get to the campsite or resort can they manage without a car.

To answer the question:

Austria is very child-friendly.

But there are so many different things they could do:

Book flights with a cheap airline,hire a family-sized car (don't forget seats for the kids will cost extra as it will if both parents will be driving), book cheap accommodation (airbnb is NOT always the cheapest option). They can do all this themselves online but it requires a lot of homework. And then they have to find out for themselves what sort of activities are available once they get there, which means even more homework and preparation.

That would be the cheapest option.

At the other end of the scale, they could find a "family hotel" which offers full board and all-day entertainment for the children.

Depending on how old the children are, I would not recommend going too far. Travel with small children is not worth the hassle if you're just going on holiday. However, if they are all over, say, 8 years, they will learn a lot from the experience of flying and travel abroad and the journey itself can be made fun.

With our 3 we just did what we had always done as a couple: chuck tent and sleeping bags in the car and drive to France. But they stopped coming on holiday with us from about the age of 12. So your daughter should treasure the time with the children!

Lundylinda
It's a bit difficult to advise on 'cheap' holiday packages.
We have one family holiday a year with the grandchildren.
This is always with eurocamp. Either Spain, Italy or Croatia.
We choose these because this is the children's holiday. We, and their parents have other adult holidays.
These sites are wonderful. Direct beach access, evening entertainment for the children, lovely pool complexes.
But obviously this all depends on the budget.

Tui isn't especially cheap but it's not hugely expensive either. It's the company we usually use.

I would look at somewhere like Croatia.

I would suggest an all inclusive package then they won’t be spending a lot of money on ice creams and drinks for the children.but I do realise that everything is more expensive in the school holidays. Our children were teenagers before we could afford to take them abroad and even then it was to a bite in France.

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I would suggest you to read about the holiday packages of Florida packages. It is a place which is safe for everyone to travel for children too. Look for The Addison at theaddisonofbocaraton.com famous for giving hospitality and accomodation services in Florida. Hope this will help you.

Self catering always cheaper than hotel option. Driving also cheaper ( think 5 full price flights even if it is easyJet etc).
However if they want a change from the euro camp type of holiday choose a resort and look at what’s available to rent. In France we check chez nous fir accommodation.
If you can drive then do, otherwise the earlier flights are booked the cheaper the tickets. It takes a lot of research.

At the moment companies like TUI are offering free child places for next year . If they would be happy with a kids club plus a good swimming pool Majorca could be good especially Alcudia . Someone mentioned Austria but it is expensive to stay there far more than a sunny holiday though there are lots of things to do . We have just been in Zell Am Zee and got a card which gave us free bus travel free museums and all the cable cars were free. Big BUT regarding Austria is the fact that you cannot be sure the weather will be OK . When it rains it can go on for days .

Do remember that if you book the components of a holiday yourself you may not be covered by ABTA.

When our DC were younger, we discovered a holiday park in the Netherlands called Duinrell. www.duinrell.com. It was a bit of an upgrade from camping as you stay in chalets (which were very clean). You have free access throughout the holiday to an enormous waterpark and a small amusement park. It's a short drive from Rotterdam and the other ports. I guess it's a cheaper, smaller kind of Center Parcs. Our kids loved it.