Time to start planning your summer holiday
I know, I know, you’ve only just put the Christmas decorations away but now is the time to start planning your summer holiday people! January is renowned for being a bit miserable and glum – you’ve got a big credit card bill looming and you’re probably on some kind of dull detox – so let’s cheer you up and start planning that glorious summer getaway.
Villa holidays are perfect for families
When you have children, you realise the importance of space when you’re on holiday. All of you sharing a cosy hotel room – especially if you have little’uns that need to be asleep earlier – just isn’t going to be that much fun.
This is when villa holidays really come into their own. They’re family friendly, offer plenty of space, and you can choose a villa that suits your specific requirements.
Clickstay is a holiday home rental website offering thousands of luxury villas, ski chalets, chic city apartments and countryside chateaus worldwide. I’m really pleased to collaborate with them on this post, as I can share some of their best family-friendly summer holiday destinations with you, and show you some of their fabulous properties.
So are you ready to start dreaming of sipping cocktails in the sunshine? Then let’s start planning.
Five family-friendly summer holiday destinations
Lanzarote
We absolutely love Lanzarote and have been there several times – a few times as a couple, and most recently with our son, Ethan. The flight takes around four hours – we were lucky and Ethan slept for about half of the journey.
Lanzarote is one of the smaller Canary Islands and because it’s located off the coast of West Africa, you are pretty much guaranteed glorious weather. It can be breezy but believe me, it’s a welcome break from the strong African sun! The volcanic landscape of Lanzarote is really striking – it feels a little bit like you’ve arrived on the moon.
Our favourite resort is Playa Blanca, which is perfect for families. It’s quiet, unspoilt and has a great choice of restaurants, as well as a beautiful marina.
Portugal
My childhood holidays were mostly spent in The Algarve in Portugal. You get beautiful weather, and there is over 100 miles of coastline, so you have plenty of golden, sandy beaches to choose from.
If you’re a sporty family, there are plenty of things to do here. Leisure activities, water sports and, of course, world-class golf courses. If we ever go on a family holiday to Portugal, it will be near impossible to get my hubby or son away from the golf course – it’s their favourite pastime.
This is a beautiful luxury villa in Vilamoura – isn’t it stunning? I could definitely make myself at home here for a couple of weeks. Plus it’s near a golf course so the boys would be happy!
Spain
If you’re after a bit more culture, check out mainland Spain. We absolutely adored Barcelona and when Ethan is a bit older, I’d love to explore Madrid and Seville.
The flight only takes a couple of hours, so Spain is a great option if you’re anxious about taking children on the plane.
We love going to Spain, it feels very comfortable, familiar and friendly. Hubby enjoys using his extensive Spanish vocabulary (“Cerveza, por favor!”), and even Ethan can count to 100 and ask for the bill! Very handy. I mean, it’s like we’re locals.
Cyprus
We haven’t visited Cyprus but it is a really popular destination for families. It’s an island in the Eastern Mediterranean and while it is famed for beautiful Green Flag beaches, Cyprus also has a fascinating culture and history.
If you’re after a cultural hit, you could visit ancient Paphos. However if your children are too young to appreciate sightseeing, you could just kick back and enjoy the sunshine in a beautiful beachfront villa, with the only decision of the day being which picturesque taverna to eat in!
Florida, USA
Aah, Florida. Could this be the ultimate family-friendly summer holiday destination? Gorgeous sunshine, beautiful beaches and, of course, home to Walt Disney World in Orlando. Disney World is definitely on our to-do list once Ethan is a bit older – hubby wants to make sure he’s tall enough to go on all the rides together.
Aside from Disney World, you could do Miami, Palm Beach, Key West or Tampa Bay – there is so much for the whole family to enjoy in Florida.
Yes it’s a longer flight – just over nine hours – but if you can make your peace with that, it will be so worth it. Ethan is desperate to go the States and a trip to Florida really would be the holiday of a lifetime. One for the bucket list!
Where will you choose?
So those are our five suggestions for family-friendly summer holiday destinations for you to consider. Whether you’re after sandy beaches, activities, culture or theme parks, hopefully you can find something that suits.
If none of these float your boat, there are 70 different countries on the Clickstay website with luxury villas to rent, so I’m sure you’ll find the perfect place for your next summer holiday.
For more information on Clickstay villas, please visit the Clickstay website.
Share your thoughts
Where is your favourite place to go on holiday with your family? Please share in the comments below.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Clickstay. This post also contains affiliate links, which means that if you book a villa with Clickstay using one of the links above, Mums Off Duty will earn a very small commission which goes towards the costs of running this blog. Thank you for your support x
