What type of summer would you like to have in 2019? Would you like to go to the beach? Or, escape the heat by going north? Would you like to head for the mountains? Or go far away? Get inspired by our suggestions and start dreaming of Summer 2019!
Go to the Beach:
Are you dreaming of lazy summer days, but would you still like to explore some nice areas during your holiday? Would you like your summer to be warm and the food to be good? Popular family summer destinations in Europe are Corsica, Sicily, Croatia, Mallorca or the Cote d’Azur in France.
We have been to Mallorca twice with our children, and highly recommend it with little ones as there is so much to do and almost all hotels cater for little ones! Most hotels have pools with slides, there are cute towns to visit, beautiful cliffs and coves to see, and a big aquarium with play area, just to name some of the possibilities!
We know the Cote d’Azur region very well. Make sure you don’t get stuck going to too crowded beaches and check out our list of favorite beaches on the famous Route de la Corniche d’Or! The region is really beautiful and we specifically like the red rock mountains ‘Massif de l’Estérel’. If you would not like to spend every day on the beach, there is a lot of sightseeing to do from here. We particularly liked our daytrip to the Gorges du Verdon a bit inland.
Escape the Heat:
Did you not like how hot it was last summer? If you want to escape the heat, you’re better off going to northern Europe. Even though in the summer of 2018 it got really hot there as well, but that was hopefully an exception. We really like escaping the heat sometimes. I am originally from the Netherlands and a lot of our summer moments have been spent there. Imagine cycling with a cool cargo bike on the safe cycle paths, visiting windmills, and going to one of Europe’s hidden gems by visiting one of the islands in the north! We went to Texel, the largest of the islands. Wide beaches, seal observation and loads of things to do with kids! The Netherlands beaches have a great vibe in summer anyway with all the nice beach bars and restaurants.
Head for the Mountains:
Active family holidays in the mountains are some of the best holidays ever! Go hiking, climbing, visit natural sites and tuck in early as the kids will be tired and zen of all the fresh mountain air. We have been lucky to head for the mountains in the hiking season quite often last year. Here are two beautiful places in Switzerland!
First we visited the cute town of Blatten, Belalp, from which you will be able to see the famous Aletsch Glacier. Blatten is a very family friendly mountain village with a playground and walks all in the theme of witches. It is one of those places where you would like to sit and daydream! With bigger kids you can decide to go back down on a Trotti-bike scooter, which they will surely love!
Then we visited the Kandersteg area which was also stunning. Especially if you take the cable car up to Oeschinensee and hike around there. The dreamy fairytale lake of Blausee is also close by, as well as a cool suspension bridge.
Go far away:
Would you like to go further away? So far, we have done Thailand and New York with our kids, but we are definitely dreaming of other far away destinations. Sometimes it seems a pity to go in summer since we have a beautiful season in Europe then as well, but when you have kids that go to school, these holidays of course give you the most time to explore a far away destination. Thailand is the far away trip we liked most, and which is totally accessible for families with children. In New York we liked the museums, skyscrapers, and the streetart scene!
And you? What has been your favorite trip with kids? And where are you off to in 2019?