[Tazzzie]

Got a small brucie bonus over the crimbo and we're contemplating a wee holiday (its been a couple of years since the last one so we're overdue)

Any tips on websites / airlines etc to look at ?

We usually go for Spain / Tenerife, or as a lot of folks have been saying to me that camping in France is great. I don't think a drive / sail / chunnel is an option tho.
Anyway, I'd love to hear your ideas.

Thanks
Tazzzie

[scotty]

Have you kids ? If so what age ? When do you want to travel ?

[The Greek AKA The cat]

Camp in Ireland!We've done the last 3 years and had great craic!Killarney is brilliant!
Even with the sh1te weather!
What you save on travel you spend on family!

[Kreator]

The Greek AKA The cat, on 26 January 2012 - 11:20 PM, said:

Camp in Ireland!We've done the last 3 years and had great craic!Killarney is brilliant!
Even with the sh1te weather!
What you save on travel you spend on alcohol family!

+1 .
If you have young kiddies maybe Trabolgan might be an idea. Used to go there when I was a kid and thought it was great fun.

[Ozzy]

bettystown have caravans you could rent and if the weather is like the good irish weather check out fatherTed where they ended up in a caravan

[Pacman]

Think about an all inclusive. Kids can eat and drink pop all day. Save you a fortune. And the adults can drink as much as they like of anything!!
Dud it a couple of times. Can be a bit restricting to stay on compound but if you don't mind lying on a beach all day it's great

If youre flexible look for late deals on most holiday sites. or lastminute.com.

Kayak and skyscanner are good for flights.

Sign up for groupon/living social. Cheap hols come up there sometimes.

Look into house swapping for a week or 2. Heard good reports about it. Free accommodation and some let use their car (and they use yours...or bike possible in your case!!!!)

[steophilis]

hey tazzz,

we did a week in sardinia last august with three of the kids and it was a great holiday, the place itself is gorgeous, and even in august it wasn't that dear,we used ryanair and the airport is only a few minutes from the town,

steve

[bronson]

My boss brought his missus and kids skiing in Bulgaria. Said he couldn't spend his money cept up on the mountain where prices increased dramatically.

[Pacman]

im going skiing later on today in italy...not cheap though. but been planned since september so tucked a bit away every week

22 of us going....predicting carnage (possible on and off piste/pishted)

[Blade RR]

i reckon you will get more bangfor your buck abroad in the sun, dunno how we can't compete successfully here.

Average tea / coffee 3 euro. Half ars*ed sandwich / roll is prob 6 / 8 euro in a cafe / bar.

Overpriced, still not learning here at home are they.

[Jem]

LOL Sorry Blade. Taz - have you tried the usual websites?

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Flights
http://www.lastminute.ie/

I always found cheap holidays on them - or by choosing a destination and booking flights and accom myself over the net....

[Blade RR]

Jem, on 27 January 2012 - 12:09 PM, said:

LOL Sorry Blade. Taz - have you tried the usual websites?

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Flights
http://www.lastminute.ie/

I always found cheap holidays on them - or by choosing a destination and booking flights and accom myself over the net....

[Kelpie]

I'd take the camping option. I didn't go abroad on holiday til 2010!

To make things cheaper you'll need to cook for youself. It's more hard work but saves a bomb and the kids love it. Kitting yourself out for decent camping isn't cheap but you'll have the stuff there year after year.

Alternatively, borrow stuff. We have a 4 man tent with oodles of living area in case of rain that you can borrow + sleeping bags, air beds, deck chairs, small table, ancient but functional camping stove etc etc.


Not ours, but my son's identical tent that he (completely coincidentally) bought around the same time.

[jamesobrady]

Taz I've another 4-6 person tent you can borrow(never used),a 4 person tent(never used) and a cooking stove. Actually there's loads of camping stuff here at the moment.

From what I've seen on some campsites, separate tents for adults/kids is a must. As are inflatable mattresses if it's going to be more than a couple of nights. Have a double one here if ya want it.

There's a place in the middle of france somewhere, a theme park, that has major reinactments of medievel battles etc...a work colleague was at it last year with his kids(4-10) and said they were all blown away by it. Iirc it was 100quid per adult for the wend, and kids free. Will text him and try get the name of it.

Kelpie, on 27 January 2012 - 01:19 PM, said:

I'd take the camping option. I didn't go abroad on holiday til 2010!

To make things cheaper you'll need to cook for youself.

To some the idea of a holiday is escaping the cooking

There's a fantastic campsite on the Isle de Re on the west coast of france, off La Rochelle.... it has a swimming pool, cheap food, cheap bar, good facilities. Its a nice little island actually. Again, will try get more details for you. Theres more than one campsite there...... some better than others.

This post has been edited by jamesobrady: 27 January 2012 - 04:17 PM

[The Greek AKA The cat]

I wouldn't do the main meals but frying up a few sausages in the morning is great crack!

[gttc16]

jamesobrady, on 27 January 2012 - 04:15 PM, said:

There's a place in the middle of france somewhere, a theme park, that has major reinactments of medievel battles etc...a work colleague was at it last year with his kids(4-10) and said they were all blown away by it. Iirc it was 100quid per adult for the wend, and kids free. Will text him and try get the name of it.

Puy du Fou is that place. Supposed to be brilliant. Never got to go when we were over.

Heading to Wales this year myself. Boat is 400 as opposed to minimum of 900 to France for us with the car.

[jamesobrady]

The Greek AKA The cat, on 27 January 2012 - 04:35 PM, said:

I wouldn't do the main meals but frying up a few sausages in the morning is great crack!

Also if ya like coffee get a little bialetti maker and enjoy daycent coffee all day.

[spikeo]

Most camp sites have cooking facilities bar and shop
Most supermarkets have a large buffet come carvery
Where you can fill your self & family for a set price and fill the large square ballygowan water bottle full of local wine from a tap on the wall
Buy your wine in the caves there everywhere and dead cheap
What I found, on a two week camping trip on the west coast ,the further south the better the weather but the price goes up .Around rochdale and the. Sir le mer salt beds they are extremely kids orientated and the fun parks are cheap if not free for kids. And you would knock a long day out of them and still not see it all
Roslare to roscoff is 22 hrs on a ferry cabin good idea.
Your well able to motor in a day and make it as far south on the west coast as you can. Pitch your tent and you'll have loads to see and do
Best holiday we ever had little one still talks about her small house in France
4 years later

[hawkeye]

gttc16, on 27 January 2012 - 05:35 PM, said:

Puy du Fou is that place. Supposed to be brilliant. Never got to go when we were over.

We went there a few years ago, kids loved it- absolutely brilliant. Get there early in the day, cos you will need the time to see everything.

[Empty One]

How long are going for? Wee = week? If thats the case then taking a car ferry is a waste of 2 days. Ryanair to Nantes or La Rochelle (or Cork-Bordeaux), rent a car, pre-book a mobile or tent in one of the multitude of campsites all along the Atlantic coast.