With school holidays covering the months of June to the end of August there are so many options for long haul family summer holidays if you’re interested in taking the kids on an adventure outside of Europe.
We can arrange your flights from 11 months before your travel date up until, so you can start planning your summer holiday break up to a year ahead. If you have less time to plan, we will always be able to build a trip to suit you, so give our consultants a call for some summer holiday ideas.
With anywhere from 2-8 weeks to spare over summer, why not head west and plan a road trip in the USA or Canada? Another favourite with reliable weather is Indonesia, with Bali in particular being a strong favourite for families. For an even further afield escape, why not consider the South Pacific islands for the ultimate beach break?
Explore Iceland’s outstanding natural wonders, beautiful wildlife and quirky towns and villages before moving on to a classic beach break on the east coast of the USA - an unusual combination of activity and relaxation.
We've packed this twin-centre family trip with incredible contrast! Begin in Reykjavik where you can take your time exploring Iceland on your road trip, looking out for gushing waterfalls and mighty geysers and stopping to pet Icelandic goats as you go. Next, you’ll fly on to Florida for some quality family time and some sand castle building on the picture-perfect white sands of St Pete’s Beach, with a city break in Miami – as Travel Nation’s Helen discovered on her first family holiday with a baby.
From moose-spotting in a national park to a cycle ride over the Golden Gate Bridge; devouring a stack of pancakes to wandering among towering Redwood trees – the USA has all the right ingredients for a memorable family holiday.
It’s easy to combine Californian cities with the scenic coastal drive between San Francisco and LA; choose a car or campervan and you can enjoy July and August’s hot summer temperatures and the lure of the beach. Venture inland to pretty Lake Tahoe, hike through Yosemite’s peaceful wilds or visit the Grand Canyon as Travel Nation’s Chris discovered with his family. You could extend your trip through northern California, along Oregon’s rocky beaches and up to Seattle or even Vancouver.
For families who enjoy the outdoors life, Canada’s laid back lifestyle, friendly cities and picture-perfect scenery combine to offer a rewarding summer holiday.
Ride bikes around Stanley Park in Vancouver or visit Granville Island’s markets, then pick up a car and take a road trip north. Plan a retreat to a wilderness lodge where kids can spot local wildlife like grizzly bears from their balcony. Drive into the spectacular Rocky Mountains where you can show the kids how to kayak on a turquoise lake, cycle through Alpine meadows or simply pack up a picnic and see where the day’s the drive takes you. If you’re in Calgary in July, you could catch the city’s 10-day annual rodeo - the Calgary Stampede.
For sun-seeking families, Bali is a brilliant choice for your summer holiday. As a destination it averages above 25 degrees year-round. It’s easy to cycle around so kids can ride through rice paddies and learn more about local life and there’s a huge variety of beaches from Lovinia’s volcanic black sands, to the white sands of Sanur. Neighbouring Nusa Lembongan has an even slower pace, or you can drift over to the scenic Gili Islands near Lombok for a few days.
We can build you a trip that introduces the kids to Balinese culture, gives them the chance to haggle at a market, have monkeys climb all over them at the Sacred Monkey Forest and spend some serious snorkel time down on the beach! UK summer is peak season for Bali, so we advise you to book well ahead, or we can find you great places to stay that are a bit more secluded than the main resorts.
It’s also worth knowing that Bali is a 2.5 hour flight from Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory, so if you have the time, we can twin both destinations.
When it comes to the South Pacific islands, Fiji really does offer something for all ages. If you’re looking for luxury, you’ll find it, and if you’re simply on the lookout for an island retreat where you can sling a hammock each – Fiji’s Yasawa Islands offer that too.
Fijians adore children and their whole culture is set up to nurture and entertain kids, from the many kids clubs, to visiting a tribal village, to learning local crafts like weaving. Whilst you’re unwinding, your kids will be in safe hands, learning crafts, sand-boarding down the dunes or kicking about a football with their new Fijian friends! June, July and August have the lowest rainfall and high temperatures, so summer holidays are a great time to visit Fiji – either as a standalone destination or twin it with a city break on the way!
A summer holiday in the far-flung Cook Islands is the retreat you need if you’re looking for a way to slow the pace, as you gradually slip into ‘island time’. To reach these South Pacific isles you can fly via LA with a few days stopover, but once you land on Rarotonga, you could be on the beach within an hour!
Here, your family can expect a real retreat; paradise beaches and picturesque lagoons, hiking trails through the jungle and bathwater-warm swims in a lagoon. We recommend you head over to Aitutaki lagoon on a breath-taking scenic flight. Kids will be intrigued to find out more about Polynesian culture by attending an ‘island night’ or a local church service to discover more about local life here.
The Cook Islands can easily be added on to your Australia or New Zealand holiday too, for a multi-centre holiday.
If you’d like to plan a trip during the summer school holidays, contact us for ideas on the best destinations, the most family-friendly ways to travel and for the best flight itineraries, all tailor-made to suit your family. Call us on on +44 1273320580 or request a quote by email.
![[Infographic] Everything you need to know about the South Pacific islands in a (coco)nut shell](https://www.travelnation.co.uk/sites/default/files/styles/780x520/public/infographic_teaser.gif "[Infographic] Everything you need to know about the South Pacific islands in a (coco)nut shell")
