Family holiday ideas

Looking for family holiday ideas? Our editors - The Sunday Times travel writers, Mark Hodson and David Wickers - have picked some of the best family holidays for summer 2010 and 2011.

You’ll find dozen of summer holiday ideas for kids on this page. Or to see our suggestions in full, go to our homepage for 101 holiday ideas and select “family” from the list of “experiences”. All the holiday companies featured here are personally recommended by Mark and David.

UK family holidays

1. Take a cottage holiday in Devon and explore some of the UK’s most beautiful coastline. It’s great value and the beaches are ideal for children of all ages.

2. Rent a cruiser and go boating on the Norfolk Broads. The children will love the adventure of being on the water, while you all enjoy the freedom to explore one of the UK’s most charming backwaters. Check out the special offers.

3. You may have been to the Isle of Wight many years ago, perhaps on a school trip. If so, you’ll be pleased to know that it hasn’t changed a lot, and is still one of the best family holidays in the UK.

4. Rent a cottage in Cornwall to explore surf beaches, rock pools and family-friendly attractions, whether you opt for a stylish seafront apartment or a rustic fishermen’s cottage. There are some great special offers.

5. Hop across to the Scilly Isles where you’ll find awesome beaches, unspoilt countryside and an abundance of marine life. Some of the hotels we recommend are ideal for a family with young children.

6. The Cotswolds are not just postcard-pretty. This is a great part of the country to explore as a family, and you’ll find a superb choice of historic cottages to rent, and late deals.

Best family beach holidays

1. The Atlantic Coast of France is frequently overlooked, but it has miles of spectacular beaches complete with sand dunes and crashing surf. We recommend family-friendly self-catering.

2. Croatia has one of Europe’s most beautiful coastlines with great opportunities for boat trips to idyllic islands. Choose from a handpicked selection of  hotels, guesthouses, cruises and apartments and check out the latest special offers.

3. Head to the Baltic and discover one of Europe’s secret gems. If you’re looking for gorgeous beaches on a budget, we reckon that Lithuania’s Curonian Spit is just about perfect.

4. For value, it’s hard to beat a holiday parc in Brittany. You’ll find everything on site to entertain children of all ages and you can pick up some great special offers. If you want a bit of luxury with gourmet meals laid on, consider a hotel in Normandy.

5. We rate Corsica as one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean, yet few Brits know it well. The beaches are superb, and ideal for young children.

6. Sardinia is a great family holiday destination. The island boasts some of the finest, unspoilt beaches in Europe, plus it has great child-friendly hotels, gorgeous villas and low-cost flights. Check out the latest special offers.

7. Off the French Atlantic coast, the Ile de Re is a superb place to take kids: rent bikes or take your own and you can explore the island’s beaches, markets and pine forests on endless cycle paths. Again, self-catering is the way to go.

8. On the beach in Sicily, Sir Rocco Forte’s seriously stylish Verdura Golf & Spa Resort has a free children’s club for ages 3-12 and an activities programme for teenagers.

9. Crete is the largest and one of the most interesting of the Greek islands. Stay away from the tacky resorts and stay at one of these boutique hotels or stylish houses for rent.

Best family activity holidays

1. Head to a Mediterranean beach club to try out a variety of watersports. This holiday - with childcare provided - works well for kids of all ages, from babies to teens. Or learn to sail in Greece with the option of a flotilla sailing holiday.

2. If you’re happy on two wheels, you can enjoy a family cycling tour, gently meandering from town to town while your luggage is transported between hotels. See here for prices.

3. Discover the joys of scuba on a family diving holiday. Kids as young as eight can take an introductory course while teenagers can become fully-qualified divers.

4. Try a family cruise - there’s somewhere new and exciting to see each day and, if you pick the right ship, loads of activities to keep the children busy when you’re back at sea.

5. Get away from it all on a gulet holiday along the magnificent coastline of Turkey in your own private crewed sailing boat - a great choice for two or more families travelling together.

6. You can introduce your children to skiing - and the beauty of the mountains in winter - from about the age of four. You’ll get a good deal if you choose the right resort, and find a special discount.

7. Enjoy summer in the French Alps. Drink in the fresh mountain air and work up an appetite with summer skiing on the glacier, mountain biking, white-water rafting, hiking and countless other outdoor pursuits.

8. Give the kids something to look forward to when winter comes by booking a trip to visit Santa in Lapland. It’s not just for tiny tots - there are loads of outdoors activities to keep older children and teenagers happy, too.

Best family villa holidays

1. There’s a lot more to Mallorca than tacky overcrowded resorts. Get out into the countryside and you’ll find some superb villas to rent, ideal for families who want some privacy.

2. On the south-west tip of Spain, the Costa de la Luz is an unspoilt strip of white sand beaches, pine forests and fishing villages. This is another area where we recommend renting a villa.

3. Ibiza is not all about teenage clubbers on benders. The countryside is delightful and there are many undiscovered coves to explore. We recommend renting a luxury villa away from the main resorts.

4. The Costa Brava has a poor reputation, but there are superb parts. Let’s call it Catalonia. Rent a villa and explore the delightfully rugged coastline.

5. Gozo is of the hidden gems of the Mediterranean. We recommend some great villas on the island.

5. Experience the rustic beauty of the Italian countryside by renting a villa in Umbria or the lesser-known region of Le Marche.

6. The tiny Greek island of Paxos, too small for an airport, is a lovely place to laze around your private pool and rent a boat to explore the coastline. One of our favourite summer holiday ideas.

Best family hotels in the Med

1. Turkey is set to be one of this year’s most popular family destinations, not least because it’s outside the Eurozone. In our view, the Aegean Coast ranks among the most beautiful spots in southern Europe. Escape the hoards in the bigger resorts and check out some of the area’s family-friendly boutique hotels.

2. Puglia in the south of Italy is one of the most under-rated regions of the Med. We recommend you stay in a luxury trullo with pool, or a magnificent five-star masseria.

3. Two of the best family hotels in the Med are Forte Village Resort in Sardinia, and Sani Beach Resort in mainland Greece. Forte Village has a 5-star tennis school, a Chelsea Football Academy, a go-karting track and mini club. Sani has a tennis club, cinema, private beaches and endless facilities for youngsters.

Family adventure holiday ideas

1. South Africa is one of the must-see destinations of 2010. It’s great value right now, and a 14-night self-drive holiday can take in Cape Town, the Garden Route, a night beside Addo Elephant Park, and two nights inside a “Big Five” game reserve.  

2. Play cowboys on a dude ranch holiday in America where you not only ride but also you can also visit a rodeo and try whitewater rafting, fishing, skeet shooting, line dancing, cattle driving and camping out in the wilderness.

3. Take a family safari in Kenya where you can stay in a lodge in the Masai Mara and at Treetops, a “tree hotel” on the slopes of Mount Kenya. At the top end of the market, try a luxury safari in Botswana.

More long haul family holiday ideas

1. The Caribbean is ideal for families. We particularly recommend the Cayman Islands, Tobago and Barbados.

2. In Bali the resorts of Sanur and Nusa Dua are ideal for families, with safe swimming all year round, lively bars and restaurants and an excellent range of 3- and 4-star hotels. Bali can easily be combined with a trip to Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong.

3. The Maldives are not just for honeymooners. Kids are well catered for at One&Only Reethi Rah which has its own KidsOnly club. Check out the special offers.

4. Mauritius is a great beach destination with superb luxury hotels and no jet lag, which makes it ideal for young children. The Dinarobin Hotel Golf & Spa has a free Bob Marlin Children’s Club for ages 3 - 12.

5. And, of course, there is Walt Disney World in Orlando. We recommend staying in a rental home with private pool.