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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Seeking an active healthy family holiday May half term

11 replies

BumblingAlongNow · 28/04/2019 12:21

For a family of 4, kids aged 5 and 9.

I’ve had enough of paying loads for holidays and returning home feeling exhausted and extremely unhealthy. During a normal working week I manage to fit in a fair bit of exercise but on holidays it all falls apart.
So I am looking at the likes of Neilson, Mark Warner and Club La Santa over May half term. The older one will need some persuading to join in and the younger one is up for anything.
Has anyone experience of these providers and/or specific resorts that they could comment on? Prices between resorts with the same provider seem to vary and I can’t see the driver for it on the website descriptions. Only real must-have is road biking for adults, and activities for the children so we get a chance to do some exercise ourselves.
Thanks in advance!

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sleepismysuperpower1 · 28/04/2019 13:15

what about center parcs in elveden forest, Suffolk? there is loads of space for bike riding, and there are loads of activities too in the resort. all the best x

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BumblingAlongNow · 28/04/2019 13:19

Thanks sleepis, I don’t think they cater for road biking (by which I mean long 50-60kmrides) and we’d have to bring bikes. Which is ok I guess. I checked availability over half term ages ago and it was already full up so I had disregarded them.

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reluctantbrit · 28/04/2019 13:54

Majorca? We rented a villa there twice and the first time our neighbours were cyclist, out early in the morning and back just before lunch.

The second time we rented bikes, normal, not sport bikes, and really enjoyed it. We were in Can Picafort on the north east coast and enjoyed it. Safe and comfortable cycling with a child.

We also went in walks 2-3 times with DD in the back carrier (she was 2) if that’s something you like to do as a family.

Sorry, can’t say anything about resorts though.

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BumblingAlongNow · 28/04/2019 14:03

Hi reluctant - thanks for replying.

We’ve been to Mallorca loads but the problem is one of us has to stay with the kids whilst the other cycles or whatever. I guess I’m looking for something where we can all be active at the same time but doing our own separate things. And then hang out together for the rest of the day (without wanting to kill each other) Hence why I was looking for something more structured like a Neilson or MW type set-up.

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LizzieMacQueen · 28/04/2019 14:54

Mark Warner in Greece. They had bikes that only adults could borrow but I'm not sure if there's much off road to explore.

Lemnos is quite a small resort but with excellent water sports and tennis. One outdoor pool and all the usual kids clubs. May half term might be fully booked though.

Never been to one but Neilsson do something similar.

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butterwithtoast · 28/04/2019 15:04

We've been to Vassiliki in Greece and loved it. The focus is on watersports but there was also mountain biking, yoga and kids club. The kids (and adults) can sign up for windsurfing or sailing lessons, there's also canoeing and stand up paddle boarding. We went with Ocean Elements, but Neilson have a hotel there that offers a similar package I think. Would totally recommend as a way to have an active holiday in the sun!

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TinklyLittleLaugh · 28/04/2019 15:08

Club La Santa is amazing. Our kids were slightly older though and accessed the activities pretty much independently. They do have kids clubs which looked great but I don’t have first hand experience of them.

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BumblingAlongNow · 28/04/2019 15:55

Thanks all.

Tinkly is La Santa suitable for people who are more middle aged than young ironman type triathletes? I love the look of the programmes they offer but wonder if we won’t be able to keep up!

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TinklyLittleLaugh · 28/04/2019 18:32

Bumbling. They have loads of different classes and loads of tuition to try a new sport or improve on one you already do.

I’m a disabled (and lazy) middle aged woman. I did a bit of yoga and gym and lolled around the leisure pool. DS was 9 and did running coaching, swimming coaching, windsurfing, canoeing, stand up paddling, learned to dive, some football coaching. I honestly can’t remember everything. He loved it. DH and grown up DS did lots of cycling. Older girls mainly classes and swimming. Loads for everyone really.

We had a very smart little villa and the food was really good and very healthy.

One thing I will say is that 90% of the other holiday makers are incredibly gorgeous sporty Danes, so for a pale wobbly middle aged woman like me it was a tad disheartening.

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TinklyLittleLaugh · 28/04/2019 18:34

But yeah, loads of gorgeous Danish families, not just Ironman types.

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BumblingAlongNow · 28/04/2019 22:55

Thanks Tinkly! Sounds amazing.
I would also be of the pale and wobbly variety :)