Family Holiday Ideas for Summer 2020

With the endless rain and weekly storms I'm sure I'm not the only one who is dreaming of summer. Especially a summer family holiday! Although it can sometimes feel like a lot of work to get the ball rolling on where you’re going this year, family holidays really are the best. We already have our holiday booked, but to hopefully inspire you a little, here are some destinations for family summer holidays in 2020 (which you may not have thought about before).

Ibiza

There’s a lot more to Ibiza than partying and raves. Most of the “mad” things are all confined to just two areas of the island, so avoid these and you can have a lovely Mediterranean sunny holiday. We visited a few years ago and it really is a beautiful island!

If you are a slightly bigger family like us (or travelling with extended family) I’d recommended looking at hiring a car (don’t forget baby seats are free on most flights) and then renting a villa or an Air BnB instead. The advantage of renting a villa over a hotel is having all the amenities and items you’d need at home, and you can use the car to drive to the bigger Lidls and Mercadanos that locals use to do their big shop. The pool will always have plenty of sun loungers too, so there will never be an early morning fight for one!

Holland

Holland has two things going for it when it comes to a family holiday: the coast is incredibly flat - a miracle if you’re pushing a pram about all day. And there's plenty to enjoy as a family too. A bit like Ibiza, you wouldn’t think of Holland as a standout summer destination for a family holiday, but it has a surprising amount of family-friendly attractions to visit. You’ll know The Hague because it often pops up in the news, but the city that sits between Amsterdam and Rotterdam has a lovely pier and is buzzing on summer weekends when families come to visit.

You’ll also want to check out Efteling Theme Park (Holland’s answer to Disneyland), Nemo Science & Technology Museum in Amsterdam, and if you’re travelling with little ones, AdventurePark Hellendoorn is a mini-theme park that purposely has smaller rides for kids under-12 to go on.

Foça, Turkey

I've already shared a post about planning a family holiday to Turkey (which you can read here) which focused on Izmir on the west coast of the country. It’s ideal if you want that Mediterranean style summer holiday but also want something just a pinch more different than the same old holiday to Spain.

I’d also recommend having a look at some of the family holidays Mark Warner currently have on offer, as they have a dedicated family resort in Foça with all sorts of activities and childcare options. It includes everything from yoga on the beach to kayaking to family bike roads along coastal roads. And with everything included it’s ideal when you want a holiday where mum and dad hardly have to lift a finger.

Northern Ireland

Not the most exotic destination, but the fact you can hop in the car, drive onto a boat, and arrive in a gorgeous part of the UK on the other side, makes it a fantastic no-fuss family holiday - especially if it’s all last minute. The country has become a tourist hotspot in recent years due to Game of Thrones, but there is a lot for families to see and do.

An hour’s drive north of Belfast on the ferry will take you to the Giant’s Causeway which has to be seen to be believed. There’s also the ultra-family friendly town of Portrush (apparently Barry’s amusements is where families go in the summer), the lovely coastal route to the city of Derry, and plenty of families activities around the Titanic Quarter in Belfast. In just a few hours the family can go from learning about the Titanic to playing scientist at W5, to navigating a ninja course at We Are Vertigo. It’s the kind of place you can easily tire the kids out and have a quiet evening at your hotel; absolute bliss for any parent on holiday.

If you want to read more family travel posts, why not check out all the adventures in the travel section, including recent posts on how to make travelling with children easier and oh so many posts about Disney.

This is a collaborative post.