Where to Go During Each of the School Holidays This Year

Spring Half-Term

First suggestion: family holiday to Iceland

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Reykjavik takes 3h30m.

Is it family-friendly? Iceland has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and the air, even in the urban centre of Reykjavik, is remarkably pure and unpolluted. All in all, it’s an incredibly healthy environment for your kids to explore and play in.

If you’re going to have to trudge through the last month of deep winter, why not do it somewhere with with vast starry skies and the chance to see the Northern Lights? EasyJet and Iceland Air run affordable flights between London and Reykjavik that'll take you there in a little over three hours, and with the Northern Lights season running until April, Iceland makes for the perfect choice for a long weekend over the Spring half term.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Iceland to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Second suggestion: family holiday to Cuba

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Havana takes 10h10m.

Is it family-friendly? Cuba is a wonderful spot for a family holiday because it offers something for everyone, from beautiful tropical beaches to well-run resorts for families with young children. For teenagers and parents, it’s the chance of a lifetime to experience a culture and society that are completely unique in the modern day.

Decades of being relatively isolated from the rest of the world means there is a strong sense of community among Cubans. In the back of a vintage Cadillac, explore the streets of Havana, or stroll along the colourful, colonial spectacle of Trinidad on foot. In Cayo Santa Maria, you and your kids can enjoy the perfect Caribbean beach-side day. To conclude, we recommend that you visit Cuba with your family before it completely transforms again, wiping out traces of its recent history.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Cuba to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Easter Holidays

First suggestion: family holiday to Argentina

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Buenos Aires takes 14 hours.

The national parks of Argentina, like Iguazú and Península Valdés, offer something for everyone in the family. For instance, kids will love the easy hikes and horse riding tracks and the diversity of wildlife: seals, penguins, whales and more.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Argentina to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Second suggestion: family holiday to Vietnam

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Hanoi takes 11h20m.

Is it family-friendly? For kids, Vietnam can be a fascinating window into a world completely unlike their own. It boasts both ancient and modern history, while its landscapes include karse mountains, rivers and valleys. As a result, a family holiday in Vietnam can prove a great learning experience for children while also being a fun adventure!

Two favourites for families visiting Vietnam are Sapa and Hue. In Sapa, you can stay with a local family and spend a few days taking in the cool, green environs of then northern mountains, and maybe going on a trek or two. Hue is an ornate imperial city that sits on the lazily flowing Perfume River. Here you can spend a day exploring the citadel walls or take a dragon boat down the river. In short, your family is bound to love Vietnam.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Vietnam to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Summer Half-Term

First suggestion: family holiday to Morocco

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Marrakech takes 3h30m.

Is it family-friendly? The expanse of the Sahara Desert and the snowy peaks of the Atlas Mountains are sure to hold an irresistible allure for your children. Moroccans are extremely family-oriented people and will be extra nice to families with young kids. The weather in May ranges from a low of 15 °C to highs of 29 °C, which mean you don’t have to bother with carrying multiple layers.

If you’re a family that’s up for some adventure, Morocco offers up a plethora of possibilities like camel rides, quad-biking, and camping under the stars in the Sahara. Surfing and other beach sports are available in Essaouira. And of course, in cities like Marrakesh and Fez you'll find endless hidden squares and alleys for exploration.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Morocco to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Second suggestion: family holiday to Croatia

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Dubrovnik takes 2h 50m.

Is it family-friendly? Croatia is a Mediterranean paradise for families with children of any age. Plus, the shoulder season of May offers the entire range of summer activities, without the typical summer tourist hordes.

Young kids will love splashing about in the idyllic beaches of Dubrovnik, Vis, or the Dalmatian Coast. Older teens would be thrilled to know that Dubrovnik is one of the major shooting locations for Game of Thrones. There are also any number of adventure activities your family can try, from hiking in Plitvice to snorkelling and sea kayaking off the Paklinski Islands. Finally, for those interested in history and architecture, Dubrovnik is an intriguing fusion of multiple cultures and a great place for a walking tour.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Croatia to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Summer Holidays

First suggestion: family holiday to Japan

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Tokyo takes 12h40m.

Is it family-friendly? Japan, especially for families with young children, is aland straight out of a fairy tale. While everyday life here is drastically different from the Western everyday, it is also as clean and safe as any developed European country, if not more so.

If the biggest challenge of travelling with young children is fighting boredom, then consider your problem solved! Your kids will be too busy gaping at all the incredible sights and revelling in all the new experiences. Tokyo is a playground for all ages; from gawking at the street fashion of Harajuku, to interacting with the exhibits at the Studio Ghibli museum, to picnicking in scenic gardens like Kiyosumi garden. Then, take a Shinkansen (a high-speed bullet train) out to any of Japan’s diverse regions, like Hokkaido in the north, with its cooler climate and countryside festivals, or all the way south to the sub-tropical Okinawa.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Japan to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Second suggestion: family holiday to Colombia

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Bogota takes 11h10m.

Is it family-friendly? Colombia is a land reformed. While some social issues still persist, Colombia is safe for family travel and in fact, has seen a year-on-year rise in families visiting from the U.K.

Cartagena is undoubtedly the jewel of the Caribbean, with rich history, beautiful colonial architecture and tropical beaches. In Bogota, you can explore its artistic and hip streets and check out any of its insightful museums. Be careful though, you might experience altitude sickness in Bogota and need to let your body acclimatise gradually. Tayrona National Park is a paradise of jungles and beaches. Stay in an eco-lodge for a more sustainable, authentic way to experience the scenery and wildlife.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Colombia to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Autumn Half-Term

First suggestion: family holiday to Thailand

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Bangkok takes 11h30m.

Is it family-friendly? Thailand is the perfect budget-friendly tropical island destination for a young family. Accommodation is great value for money so that means you can spend more on fun activities and experiences.

The end of October signals the beginning of the cool season in Thailand. This means you can do a lot of outdoor activities without contending with the scorching heat of the summers. Thailand offers an array of seaside activities, from snorkelling and canoeing tours in Phuket to a pretty spectacular aquarium in Bangkok. If your family wants to learn more about Thailand’s culture and history, there are a lot of impressive sites to see. Chiang Mai is a favourite, with over three hundred temples built in the Lan Na architectural style.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Thailand to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Second suggestion: family holiday to South Africa

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Cape Town takes 12 hours.

Is it family-friendly? When guided by a local expert, a family holiday in South Africa is perfectly safe and friendly for children of all ages.

If wildlife is the priority when looking for travel destinations, visiting South Africa will be like your kids seeing their story books come to life. There's the hugely-popular Kruger National Park, where if you're lucky, you'll get to see the world-famous 'Big Five' (lions, leopards, buffalo, elephants, and rhinos), but beyond that, you'll also fall in love with Boulder’s Beach, where African penguins roam freely across the sand, or the gentle giants of Addo Elephant National Park.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in South Africa to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Christmas Holidays

First suggestion: family holiday to Sri Lanka

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Colombo in 10h30m.

Is it family-friendly? Sri Lanka is an incredibly safe destination that's well adapted to families, with a warm, welcoming culture and endless outdoor activities for active kids.

Sri Lanka is also the ideal location to catch some winter sun, since it's the Dry Season for most of the island during this period. Wildlife enthusiasts will be at home here; Yala National Park has the world’s largest population of leopards, for example and Mirissa or Kalpitiya are the ideal spots for a whale-watching tour. Alternatively, if you want to dig into its culture and history, Sri Lanka has tea plantations, colonial cities, archaeological ruins, Buddhist temples, stupas, and more!

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Sri Lanka to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Second suggestion: family holiday to Russia

Flight time: Direct flight from London to Moscow in 3h40m.

Is it family-friendly? If your family has a spirit for adventure, Russia offers the perfect winter wonderland to explore.

Being the largest country in the world, Russia's natural splendours are vast and varied. Boasting a rich culture and architecture, shifting political traditions, and one of the most distinguished literary traditions in the world, Russia will be an educational journey for your children. Whether you want to take the Trans-Siberian Railway across the breadth of Russia or spend your time exploring the heritage of the cities on the Golden Circle (which starts in Moscow and ends in St. Petersburg), it'll be a trip you'll never forget.

Need help planning your trip? Ask one of our hand-picked local agencies in Russia to create your tailor-made itinerary!

Looking for more inspiration?

Still haven't found what you're looking for? Head to our dedicated Family Travel Page to browse the best child-friendly destinations, tours, and experiences curated by our carefully-selected local agencies around the world.