Single parent family holidays abroad?

Famous Blue Raincoat

This will be my first summer as a single parent (I'm a father) and I'd like to bring my kids (under 10 years of age) on a foreign holiday for a week. We've never gone on a foreign holiday before so I'd like to make it really special for them with loads of 'firsts' and a place where they could meet other kids and have company. Unfortunately my own siblings' children would be grown up, and I have no friends who are single parents. Would anybody know where I could even start with this? Thanks.

HildaOgdenx

Mod - OP, I have moved your thread to Travel where it is probably better suited.

Local charter now applied.

Hilda

Kalimah

I’d recommend any of the campsites around Europe. Plenty to do, loads of kids and a very safe environment. We went to Lake Garda with ours at that age. Went to Venice and Verona for the day. Into Milan another day to see the San Siro. There’s a great theme park locally also called Gardaland. Eurocamp are a good company. Have a look at their site. We didn’t hire a car, just took trains everywhere.

ratracer

I’d fully agree with the campsites for that age kids. When I say campsites, they are mobile homes on sites with loads of facilities.

As mentioned, Eurocamp are very good. I’ve used KelAir ( Irish company based in Ballinasloe) on many occasions. Loads of locations all around Europe.

Salou is also a great are to stay in. Good choice of flight to Barcelona and only a short bus/ train from there. Can do day trips to Barcelona, right beside Port Aventura theme park and water park.

Kalimah

Duplicate post.

Kalimah

Try Camping del Garda, Camping Fabulous in Rome, or Camping Villanova Park near Barcelona. If you can go towards the end of June you'll save a bit. We always had an amazing time in those places. I think we went to those three places about 7 or 8 times in total. The mobiles are very well equipped and the sites are very safe and family oriented.

CelticRambler

Would anybody know where I could even start with this?

It is absolutely essential that you start with the paperwork: you'll need hard-copy written authorisation from the children's mother and/or any third parties directly involved in their care (guardians, social workers, etc, depending on the circumstances) that it's okay for you to remove them from the jurisdiction. This isn't just a question of taking them away (from Ireland?) but will also crop up when you bring them back. I have seen first hand single parents miss their flight because of "paperwork" problems (e.g. an English mother not being allowed board a flight to England with her English children because she was travelling under her maiden name and they had their father's surname); and I've been personally re-routed into the "step aside for a moment" holding zone when I offered my son's nearly-but-not-quite-of-age girlfriend a lift across the Channel to spend time with him and other family members in Kent.

That aside, I'm going to go against the grain here:

We've never gone on a foreign holiday before so I'd like to make it really special for them with loads of 'firsts' and a place where they could meet other kids and have company.

If you're going to treat the children to a foreign holiday, with loads of 'firsts' do it properly! Chances are they've already met "other kids and have company" a million times over, week-in, week-out. There is nothing particularly special about spending a week on a French or a Spanish or a Bulgarian campsite no matter how good the waterslide is, or how many activities the kids' club can cram into one day.

This is time that you'll want the children to remember spending with you, not being fobbed off into glorified childcare. Do something with the children that you and they simply can't do in Ireland. Go to the Swiss Alps and climb to 3000 metres; go to the Dordogne or the Tarn and canoe along a river in the deepest gorge they'll ever see; go to Venice and criss cross the city on foot. In any of those places, your children will meet others spontaneously - that's something that never needs to be organised; so concentrate on finding the best mix of out-of-the-ordinary places and activities that'll match their ages, interests and abilities.

whippet

i'd reiterate the paperwork thing - my brother is married but often travels with the kids on his own (he is based out of ireland) and has been stopped and challenged at the airports more often than not.

As for recommendations - kids under 10 want good weather, pool / beach, icecream, fizzy drinks and space to run around. I'm sure some kids would enjoy dordogne or hiking in the swiss alps - but they are few and far between. I know from experience - we have done many holidays with our kids - US and European road trips, camping in France and spain, Italian city breaks, scandanavian tours - so far their best holidays they all ways talk about are the times in nice resorts in Lanzarote, Sardinia or Spain. They would prefer a beach holiday to disney land any day of the week ...... what makes a holiday is the time you get to spend dedicated to the children without the stresses of work, day to day life and other commitments - saying 'yes' more often than 'no'

CelticRambler

For info: if you limit yourself to France, just about every one-off event/activity is free for under-12s and if you know where you're going (specifically not going to an all-amenities campsite) chances are you'll find activities organised in July and August by the local council that are completely free to attend aswell. My département, for example, runs a multi-sport "tour" over several weeks every year (last year, 18 days from July 8 to Aug 2nd/18 locations/27 sporting disciplines last year)

Again, if you stay out of the well-known tourist hot-spots, you can find some amazing festivals that cost next-to-nothing for a young family. I'm involved in one (music and dance) that'd set you back a grand total of 37€ for four days and nights this year, including on-site camping (bring your own tent/camper/caravan). My children - as well as various nephews and nieces - from age 5 never had any trouble keeping busy and making friends for all four of the days!