Half term family holidays

Take the family's great holiday offerings
Halfterms can be tricky when it comes to family breaks – one week doesn’t seem enough for a ‘proper holiday’, but it seems a shame not to take the opportunity to jet off for a spot of winter sun, especially in the half terms that fall in February and October, when we are either still ensnared in winter or facing the gloom. It’s also tempting to get away in May – the weather can be fabulous but you’ll miss the crowds and hiked-up prices of high summer.

Ideally, then, you’re looking for somewhere that you can fly to quite quickly and without suffering too much jet-lag. Note that half term is also a great time to visit places that get too hot in summer, especially if you’re traveling with young kids.

In North Africa – Tunisia and Morocco offer year-round sun but are actually better in half term, since the heat in the summer months can be uncomfortable. Flights are of a manageable length, too. The same can be said of Egypt and Jordan http://www.takethefamily.com/where/jordan.php. The same year-round sunshine and balmy weather can be expected in the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa: Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.

All of the above are great destinations for half-term adventure and activity holidays. In Gran Canaria , for instance, you might enjoy on a family walking holiday in the highlands in February or October.

South Africa is a much longer flight (11hrs), but the time difference is minimal (just 2hrs) so there’s no jet-lag. The South African summer lasts Nov–Feb but it’s not excessively hot, while the winter months are pleasant.

Some suggested links for the above destinations are:
2010 February Half Term Adventure Company availability
The Adventure Company May 2010 half term holidays
Four Seasons Resort, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Ritz Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
The Residence, Tunis, Tunisia
Travelbeam
Sovereign Premium Holidays 

In Europe, May and October are great times to visit the classic family-friendly destination of Portugal, especially the Algarve, plus Madeira and the Azores out in the Atlantic. For instance, Takethefamily offers an Exclusive 5% Off one of the finest beachfront villas in the Algarve, Simply Salema.

In May and usually in October too the weather on most Mediterranean beaches should be warmish while not hitting its peak summer temperatures – perfect if you’ve got small kids, toddlers or babies and don’t want it sizzling. The only downside is if pools aren’t heated – they may be a bit chilly for little ones. Check out our guides to Menorca, Mallorca, Sicily, Southern Italy, Malta and North Cyprus. Standout properties include the Pollentia Club Resort, Mallorca and the Insotel Club Punta Prima Prestige, Menorca .

Tuscany in Italy also gets too hot in the height of summer but is great in May and October – for example, on a 2010 Half Term Gastronomic Family Adventure in Tuscany, with new vegetarian specials available. Alternatively, you could spend anything from three days up on a family walking holiday in Slovenia.

Stradding Europe and Asia, Turkey is within easy reach (4hrs) of the UK and offers good beach weather on its Mediterranean coast in the May and October half-terms, with the benefit that there are fewer visitors than in summer and hence lower prices.

Of course, in February you can always chose to positively embrace wintry landscapes and all the fun they promise– the February half-term is still within the skiing season as well offering a range of snowy activities in, for instance, Lapland – reindeer lassoing, husky sledge rides, toboganning, snow-shoeing, snowboarding, snowmobile safaris and snow sculpture to name just a few.

Takethefamily can point you in the direction of savings of up to 30% on Club Med holidays, skiing and otherwise. We can also offer an Exclusive 5% Off Mark Warner during school holidays.

In May and perhaps also October, you might even think about camping – albeit ‘camping’ in a mobile home in a holiday park with an indoor waterpark and other rainy-day facilities. The best bets at this time of year are southern France and Spain. You can save an exclusive 5% with Canvas Holidays  by quoting 'TaketheFamily', and with Siblu holidays by quoting 'Take5%'.

You might also go to a holiday park with indoor facilities in the UK – for instance, Center Parcs, Butlins, Bluestone, Haven or  Hoseasons – or consider heading for one of the UK’s theme parks, some of which now have on-site accommodation – see our feature on themepark hotels. At the other end of the spectrum, try a luxury hotel with childcare and indoor activities and luxuries such as spa treatments – perhaps one of the small group Luxury Family Hotels.

In fact, wrap up warm and there’s nothing to stop you from spending even the February and October half-terms in good old Blighty – perhaps stunning, windswept, fresh-air-filled Suffolk or Norfolk. You might hire a cottage through our partners Cottages4you or an eco-friendly lodge such as Natural Retreats.

Lastly, half terms are a good time to take a city break, when there’ll be so much to do you won’t care too much about the weather – London, Edinburgh and Brighton are classic UK destinations, while Paris, Amsterdam and Barcelona are just some of the family-friendly, culture-packed cities within very easy reach of our shores. London has fallen in cost as a result of the recession, so this is a good time to seek out deals in the British capital.

The following features might also inspire you:
A Single-Parent Desert Adventure in Tunisia
A Five-Star Holiday on the Algarve
Florence with Young Kids
A Weekend at Wooley Grange Hotel
A Centerparcs Family Break
A Family Break at Holkham Beach, Norfolk