Best Family Holiday Destinations in 2026

Family · 8 min read · Published 2026-02-14

The best destinations for family holidays from the UK — sorted by age group, with budgets, school-holiday tips and the ten places that consistently work for kids and parents.

Family holidays come down to three things: keeping kids genuinely entertained, keeping parents not-exhausted, and not blowing the budget on the school-holiday surcharge. These ten destinations consistently deliver all three.

Best for under-5s ### Costa de la Luz, Spain The southern Atlantic coast — Conil, Vejer, El Palmar. Wide, gently sloping beaches without the strong currents of the Atlantic further north, and very few crowds.

### Algarve (western), Portugal Lagos, Sagres and Alvor have shallow swimming bays and small-town centres that don't overwhelm tiny travellers.

### Mallorca (north coast) Pollença and Alcúdia have sandy, shallow bays and short flights from the UK. Easier than the Balearics' more famous south.

Best for 5–10s ### Center Parcs Europe (Netherlands, Germany, France) Often cheaper than UK Center Parcs once you factor flights. Ferry from Hull or short flights to Eindhoven open up several locations.

### Lake Garda, Italy Gardaland theme park, family-friendly hotels with pools, paddleboarding, pizza everywhere. Easy 90-minute transfer from Verona airport.

### Crete, Greece Sandy beaches, Venetian harbours, ancient sites that genuinely interest kids (Knossos), and reliably warm weather May–October.

Best for tweens & teens ### Iceland Ring Road Glaciers, geysers, black-sand beaches, hot springs, whale watching. Teens often rate this as the best family holiday they've had.

### Croatia (Split + Brač) Game of Thrones tours, ferry rides between islands, sea kayaking. Teens love it.

### Costa Rica Sloths, ziplining, volcanoes, beaches. The single most parent-and-teen-pleasing long-haul option.

Best all-rounder ### Florida (Orlando + Gulf Coast) Combine theme parks with a week on Sanibel or Anna Maria Island and it's the most balanced family long-haul out there.

How to handle the school-holiday premium Half-term and summer holiday flights can cost 2–3x the off-peak price. Three things help: 1. **Book the moment dates are announced.** Six months out is usually fine; nine months is better for August. 2. **Drive or take the ferry.** Northern France, Belgium, Netherlands and even northern Spain (via Bilbao or Santander) become realistic when flights spike. 3. **Pick term-time-friendly destinations for the shoulder weeks.** The first week of September and the last week of June are still warm in the Mediterranean and 30–50% cheaper.

Family travel basics - **Pack one "boredom bag" per child** — colouring book, small Lego set, snacks, headphones. Pull out only at airports and restaurants. - **Book restaurants for 6pm.** European kitchens often don't open till 7:30 and tired children at 8pm is no one's idea of fun. - **One activity per day, max.** The temptation to "do everything" wrecks more family trips than any other single decision. - **Dedicated pool day every third day.** Even if you're not a beach family. - **Keep one parent on "logistics duty" per day** so the other can switch off entirely.

Budgeting realistically For a family of four, a week's all-inclusive holiday in the Mediterranean in school holidays in 2026 typically runs £3,500–£6,000 once flights, transfers, food and excursions are included. Self-catering in a villa often comes in 20–30% lower if you can drive or fly to a nearby airport (Faro, Alicante, Pisa, Split).

Insurance is non-negotiable For families, comprehensive insurance with medical cover, repatriation and trip cancellation is essential. £80–£120 for a year of family worldwide cover is one of the best decisions you'll make.

For destination-by-destination guides — including child-friendly hotels, transfer times and budgets — browse our [Europe destinations](/destinations/europe) and [North America](/destinations/north-america) sections. Or [spin the wheel](/) and filter by "family" to let one of the 250+ destinations on the site pick for you.