Hi i'm after some good idea's please. Dont like flying have wife and 3 kids (one of which is a teenager) done all the usual caravan and disney hol's any one got any other idea's???

 

Drive anywhere in Western Europe, you can get a nice villa in Italy, France, even Spain/Portugal is not out of reach as you could use the Ferry Plymouth to Santander.

Germany is lovely in the summer, plenty of stuff to see and do as well. Closer to home, there are many holiday places in Scotland/Wales/Cornwall and over in Ireland. or how about a cruise down the canal on a narrowboat?

Have a look at the JamesVillas website.

 

Can never understand people who don't fly. You are missing out on a fascinating world, also feel sorry for your mrs & kids, missing things because you don't like flying.

Why not try the ferry that goes to Santander in Spain, goes from plymouth & portsmouth. Overnight service and you will get to see something different.

Chop

 

What matt said italy

 

I may have mentioned this before, but have you considered a cruise?

We are about to go on our 4th with another booked in January.

18 nights, 5 star luxury around the Western Med, all the food you can eat, great entertainment, balcony cabin, £1300 including all taxes.

9 ports of call including Italy, Spain, Sardinia, Portugal and Gibralter, and the kids are well catered for with all the entertainment and clubs etc.

We are on Independence of the Seas sailing out of Southampton, although we have done the Carribean as well.

Total relax and chill, comfort and luxury far exceeds any hotel, food quality is out of this world, live shows are brilliant, alcohol is below duty free prices although most non alcoholic is free, and there is no flying involved, you see different countries without having to pack.

You can get a cruise for as little as £500 per person, and as a family you can get family cabins for a good price with a variety of locations to sail to, and you don't get bored on sea days, unless you wan't to as there is so much to do.

In November we did 11 nights down to the Canaries, took my 18 year old daughter and 13 year old niece and neither of them wanted to get off when we got home.

Good thing about something like Independence, it has the Flowrider surf simulator (free) Ice skating (free) Rock climbing (free) Crazy golf (free), live shows (free) Live football (if like me you are a footy fan and also free) Cinema (free) plus all the other entertainment which does not cost a penny.

Even when you go ashore, most of the shuttle buses are free, you only pay for organised excursions and they are not obligatory.

I am looking at a cruise for my daughter and her boyfriend, and there are a few leaving Southampton in October onwards, 7 nights for under £700

 

Thanks for all your suggestions will look into other euro countries forgot to say the wife doesnt like ferries so maybe short ferry trip and a long drive, who knows may get to see the wrc in portugal??

 

Chunnel then!

 

Try Austria.

 

Unfortunately I have to go to Vienna 3 or 4 times a year to visit family, and I have to say that whilst very pretty, it has become one of the rudest and most expensive countries in Europe.

On the subject of ferries, my wifer hates ferries as well, she gets ill big time crossing the channel, but has no problem with the big cruise ships. Sorry should have mentioned that earlier.

Apparently an apple cures motion/sea sickness and it certainly worked for her indoors and a few other people I have mentioned it to.

 

Austria isn't expensive in my experience. Compared to Switzerland and France it's pretty cheap.

I spent around 10 days near Mayerhofen a few years ago and food and drink was pretty inexpensive. 3 (2 adults and 1 kid) of us could have food and beer for less than 50 euros.

 

I couldn't think of anything worse than being stuck on a floating hotel with live sky sports and kids clubs.

 

My brother in law has been living in Austria for over 10 years, his wife is Austrian and work at the UN.

They get a cheap flight £50 return and come over just to shop as they have said that with the current exchange rate, the UK is about 40% cheaper than in Austria on a lot of things, and generally around 20% cheaper overall.

When we were there a couple of weeks ago, 50 Euros got us two beers, two cokes and an orange juice.

 

You were getting ripped off.

20 Months ago I was paying 3 euros for 500ml of beer.

Unless Vienna is not typical compared to the reat of Austria.