Beat the rush for West Coast Irish breaks this Half Term, Christmas and New Year

Date: 2010.10.01 | Category: Cottages, Places to go | Response: 0

Now is the perfect time to book an Irish Autumn Half Term, Christmas or New Year break. There is always a big rush for West Coast breaks around this time of the year with a particular focus on areas near Shannon and Galway. With this in mind here are links to those areas and other West Coast properties in Ireland.

• Shannon: – Prices from £216 per week. Find out more>
• Galway- Prices from £218 per week. Find out more>
• County Mayo and County Sligo

If you are looking for a self catering holiday in Ireland have a look at Find Family Holidays Ireland listings where you will find a great selection of cottages and apartments.  Whether you are looking for a short break or a longer holiday you are sure to havea great time in the listed  self catering accommodation in Ireland.  Take a look by Irish region:

• Ireland (north) – Antrim to Fermanagh
• Ireland (south) – Cork and Kerry to Wexford
• Ireland (east) – Dublin to Wicklow
• Ireland (west) – Galway to Roscommon

Get ready for your family Halloween night

Date: 2010.09.30 | Category: Special offers - time limited, Your Travel Essentials | Response: 0

Yes, its nearly that time of year again… Halloween is fast approaching and whether you are away on a school half term or staying at home then now is the perfect time to be preparing for your family Halloween party.

We usually find ourselves in a caravan over the Autumn half term and over the years we have had some great family fun at Halloween with carving pumpkins to put on display, dressing up as the traditional witch, ghost or other scary character and going to the holiday parks Halloween disco.  Below we have included some the things to make a great Halloween night.

Halloween Face painting Kit

Putting on your scariest face is easy with this face painting kit containing 8 different coloured non-toxic, water-based face paints, plus a brush and sponge to apply them. You can mix the colours to create new ones, and take inspiration from the instruction booklet provided.
Our Price £10.99

To find out more>

Halloween Candle Lanterns

These Halloween lanterns will cast an eerie, golden glow over your celebrations. Just pop a tealight into the bottom of each of the re-useable, non-flammable paper lanterns for a truly magical effect.
Pack of 10 £11.99

Find out more>

Halloween Foam Mask Crafts Kit

Halloween party, trick or treating or just for fun – children can be a pumpkin, a black cat or a witch with these fantastic masks! Pre-cut elasticated foam mask kits in 3 assorted designs. Easy to make – just glue on the pieces and wear over and over again.
Pack of 6 £4.99

Find out more>

Halloween Witches Costume

Who says witches have to wear all-black? This cute costume is accented with purple or orange! Includes velvet trimmed dress and hat. Available in age 5-7 and age 8-10.
Age 8-10 Orange £12.99
Age 5-7 Purple £12.99

Find out more>

Halloween Ghost Costume

It’s the stuff nightmares are made of! Put on this outfit and give your friends the heebie-jeebies! Includes moulded mask, hooded robe and gloves. Available in age 5-7 and age 8-10.
Age 8-10 £12.99
Age 5-7 £12.99

Find out more>

Halloween Cookie Cutter

Skulls, pumpkins, bats, cats and ghosts – this plastic Halloween cookie cutter set has all the shapes you need for a batch of the creepiest cookies imaginable! Age 3+.
Set of 5 £3.99

Find out more>

Light Up Ghost and Pumpkin Set

You’ve heard of night lights, but what about fright lights? Switch on these spooky ghost and pumpkin lights and they flash in different colours while emitting a truly terrifying noise – just what you need for the scariest night of the year. The lights come with a neckstrap for hands-free operation! Batteries included. Age 5+.

Set of 2 £4.99

Find out more>

More Halloween essentials

If you are looking for more Halloween inspiration check out Help Me Shop Halloween>

Beautiful Boscastle and Harbour, Cornwall, South West England

Date: 2010.09.28 | Category: Been there, Places to go, Review 4 star | Response: 0

When travelling around Cornwall you can become slightly accustomed to the spectacular views and pretty villages but one place well worth a visit is Boscastle. Situated a few miles from popular tourist attraction, Tintagel, Boscombe lies with in a narrow ravine that has been created by the rivers Jordan and Valency.

You can drive to Boscastle, reaching the bottom of the ravine via some windy roads.  Conveniently a the bottom is a large car park which has public toilets. From the car park you can walk through the village and alongside the river towards the harbour entrance.  There are paths streching either side of the water that give you some spectacular views and a very pleasant circular walk.

Not only is Boscastle pretty, it is also has some modern history that makes it a fascinatingplace to visit.  In 2004 Boscastle was devastated by a flash flood which destroyed many of the buildings along the riverside.  If you head in to the cafe on the riverside which has since been rebuilt you can see pictures of the devastation and the rebuilding – which included building the roof at an angle to keep with the original look!  Incidentally, the cafe also does a great cream team which was quite simply delicious while eating near the river.

When you had back to the car park it is also worth checking out the Tourist Information board that provides lots of information on all the work being done to prevent another flash flood.

Of course this is Thomas Hardy country and if you are interested in finding out more head to the Old Rectory on the road to St Juliot where you can stay in the authors bedroom and roam its extensive grounds.

Where to stay?

* Self catering and cottages in Boscastle, Cornwall, South West England
* Holiday parks in Cornwall, South West England
* Lodges in Tintagel, Cornwall, South West England
* B&B’s in Padstow, Cornwall, South West England
* Hotels in Padstow, Cornwall, South West England

Summary

Boscastle was an enjoyable afternoon, even the children enjoyed the time exploring the harbour area!

• Suitable for Family: 4 stars
• Public facilities (toilets): 3 stars
• Cafe/food: 4 stars
• OVERALL: 4 STARS

Over 2,000 holiday cottages, villas and apartments in France

Date: 2010.09.26 | Category: Cottages, France, Villas | Response: 0

If you are planning a late holiday, short break or booking early for next year for your trip to France we are pleased to say that there are now over 2,000 new self catering cottages, gites, chalets, apartments and villas listed on the Find Family Holiday website. The self catering accommodation ranges from small 1 bed room apartments to large villas with pools and so whether it is a small family party of a big group you are sure to find self catering accommodation that will be ideal for you.  There is also a great choice of features ranging from swimming pools and saunas to air conditioning and Internet WiFi. And, of course, if your family includes a dog then there are many self catering options that allow pets.

Take a look at a selection of self catering by region in France:

Alsace – Aquitane – Ardeche – Auvergne – Brittany – Burgundy – Centre – Champagne-Ardenne – Corsica – Franche-Comte – Ile de France – Languedoc-Roussillon – Limousin – Lorraine – Lower Normandy – Midi-Pyrenees – Nord-Pas-de-Calais – Normandy – Pays de la Loire – Picardy – Poitou-Charentes – Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur – Rhone-Alpes – Upper Normandy – Vosges -

Autumn ferry offers to France and Spain from £99 return

Date: 2010.09.25 | Category: Ferries, Special offers - time limited | Response: 0

If next year’s holiday still seems too far off then why not takean autumn break in France or Spain.  With Brittany Ferries making daily sailings from Portsmouth throughout the autumn and from Poole until the end of October, it couldn’t be easier to plan an escape to France or Spain. What’s more they have some great value offers that make getting away even more affordable.

48 hour special – from just £99 return

Take advantage of a special 48 hour fare on the majority of Brittany Ferry services to France for travel throughout October, November and into December. Prices start from just £99 return for a car and two passengers.

Experience Spain this autumn – from just £249 return

Cruise from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander and stay for any length of time, as long as you depart after 1st November and return by 15th December.
This special fare is for a standard car and two passengers and also includes a cabin each way – saving you a minimum of £170.

Find out more about these offers>. See website for full terms and conditions.

You can also find some great accommodation in France and Spain with cottages, villas, gites, chalets and more available this autumn.

• Self catering apartments, cottages and villas in France
• Self catering apartments, cottages and villas in Spain

Great Holiday Reads – The Final Reckoning by Sam Bourne

Date: 2010.09.23 | Category: Book reviews, Holiday reading | Response: 0

Described by the Daily Express as ‘compulsive reading’ and as ‘gripping’ by the Guardian, this Sam Bourne novel had a lot to live up to before I had even started reading.  However it doesn’t fail to deliver in another fast paced book full of intrigue, twists and turns, mixing real events in to a great story line.

Set in the modern day Tome Byrne, a former idealist United Nations lawyer, is asked to help out the UN in placating the family of a harmless old man accidentally shot by security staff. However, there is more to this old man than you would expect including membership of a secret brotherhood responsible for unexplained deaths across the World.  As Tom tries to get to unlock the secrets he is pursued by those prepared to kill to keep the secrets safe.

This was an enjoyable read mixed with sadness over the real World War II events that underpinned the story.

• Find a copy of The Final Reckoning
• Find more by Sam Bourne

October half term cottages still available in the Lake District, Yorkshire, Scotland and Wales

Date: 2010.09.22 | Category: Cottages | Response: 0

The October half term may be fast approaching but there are still some great family self catering cottages availabile in some of the most beautiful parts of the UK including the Lake District, Yorkshire, Scotland and Wales.

With the colder weather on its way a cottage break is the perfect choice to get away this half term but still be in some lovely cosy accommodation in great locations.  Not only can you find accommodation at great locations, you can also choose from a great range of cottage features that include everything from open wood fires and hot tubs to swimming pools and Internet access – there really is something for everyone.

Take a look at some of the lovely cottages available via Cumbrian Cottages and others  in the Lake District, Yorkshire, Northumberland, Derbyshire, Scotland and Wales.

Euro holiday park deals for summer 2011 from Thomson Al Fresco

Date: 2010.09.21 | Category: Special offers - time limited | Response: 0

It’s never too early to start planning for your 2011 summer holiday, especially as every year the best parks get booked up earlier and earlier.  In fact we have already found that some of the parks we would want to visit in 2011 are already booking up over the popular school holiday periods.

Another good reason for booking your family holiday early is that there are some good deals with most of the operators for booking early.  Thomson Al Fresco have some good offers available for holidays booked by the 1st November 2010 including:

• 2 mobile homes for the price of 1.  This offer is perfect for families and friends wanting to holiday together.
• Save up to 40%. At selected parks you can save up to 40% in April, May, June, September and October – with great savings at Easter and Half Term.
• Save up to 10%.  If its full-on summer holidays that you’re after, you can still save up to 10% at selected parcs in July and August.

Find out more about these offers> Please note that these offers will be limited so check the website for more information.

Search for great holidays in France, Spain, and Italy with operators including Hoseasons, Eurocamp, Keycamp, Thomson Al Fresco, Canvas Holidays and more.

Kids clubs make a family holiday! Make sure your park has everything you need to keep the children entertained

Date: 2010.09.18 | Category: Features, Holiday Parks | Response: 0

If you are planning your family holiday then high on  the requirement list is a place that will entertain the children.  As, whether they are 5 or 15 every parent knows that a relaxing family holiday will turn in to a stressful headache if your children are ‘bored’!

Help is at hand for many parents at some of the family holiday parks in the UK, France and the rest of Europe with organised children’s clubs and activities.  So what can you expect from a holiday park kids club and are they worth seeking out on your holiday.

Eurocamp and Keycamp have well established childrens clubs at a number of sites in France and Europe.  The clubs have been developed over the years to bring together kids of similar ages, likes and abilities. And as result, they have built a number of different clubs ranging from Base, to keep the teenagers entertained, to Tumble Tots and free swimming lessons for toddlers! Importantly the clubs are run by the Eurocamp and Keycamp couriers who have all been police checked and trained to look after and entertain your children in a safe environment.  Here is a run down of the Eurocamp and Keycamp clubs:

• Fun Station 4 All (ages 4-12).  There are plenty of activities available to keep everyone entertained and a great way to make lots of new friends. Where numbers allow, kids will be split into two age groups. 4 to 9 year olds in one group and 10 to 12 year olds in another group. This will allow 4 to 9 year olds to focus on Fun Station activities more appropriate to their age group whilst older kids will do an Energy session.
• Leo’s Fun Station (ages 4-6). Leo’s Fun Station is so much fun it’s not long before everybody’s taking part and enjoying all the fun activities including face painting, dressing up, playing pirates or setting off on Leo’s nature trail. And dont forget to keep a look out for Leo the Lion as he may pop in to join in all the fun!
• 7+ Funstation (ages 7-9). At this age kids love joining in and are more confident about making new friends without mum and dad around. There’s a real mix of activities on offer from arts and crafts to sports plus discos, talent shows and so much more. 7+Fun Station for kids aged 7 to 9 years is perfect for making lots of new friends and having tonnes of fun
• Energy (ages 10-12). With cool activities and a constant change of pace Energy is just the thing for kids aged 10-12 years old. This free club will keep them happy, active and entertained at all times whilst making lots of new friends at the same time.
• Base (ages 13-17). Base is a chance for teenagers to meet new friends and hang out with in a relaxed environment. There is no fixed structure to Base stucture to Base sessions as teenagers have a choice of which activities they would like to do, which guarantees a good time even if they just want to sit back and chat. Base couriers help to host activities as well as get-together like pizza evenings and beach parties.
• Mini Fun Station (ages 6 months-5years). Mini Fun Station is especially designed for pre-school children aged 6 months to 5 years old. It offers free supervised fun in a relaxed and sociable environment. There are indoor and outdoor activities all run by our fully trained couriers who ensure our tiniest tots are well taken care of. All children must be accompanied by their parent/guardian, which is a perfect opportunity for you to meet other parents or just sit back and watch whilst your little one has loads of fun and makes new friends.
• Soccer Station (ages 5-16). Soccer Station is especially for football mad boys and girls aged 5-16 years who want to learn new soccer skills, kick a ball around and make loads of new friends. The coaches are FA qualified and trained and selected by partners King’s Camps. Each session is split in to 3 age groups with a maximum number of players in each to ensure everyone is involved and picks up new football skills. Soccer Station is pre-bookable so make sure you book your place early to avoid being shown a red card!
• Tumble Tots (ages crawling-5). With Tumble Tots, Britain’s top provider of active physical play for young children, they offer you the chance to enjoy the Tumble Tots experience free on holiday. There are 4 groups catering for specific age ranges, ensuring all children are taking part in activities suitable to their age group, including Gymbabes sessions for babies from 6 months. All sessions use brightly coloured equipment designed to develop skills in balance, agility, climbing and co-ordination, and include fun rhymes and action songs which ensures everyone is taking part in all the fun!

We have had children attend many years of Leo’s, 7+ Funstation and Energy and can say that they have been brilliant and the children have seen it as one of the most important part of their holiday…. in fact keeping them out of the clubs so we could actually see them turned out to be the real challenge!

The clubs generally run morning and afternoon for 2-3 hours.  You simply arrive before the beginning of the club to sign your child in and then leave it all to the courier…. within minutes your children are playing and having fun.  And, for you, its a few hours to chill out, relax, unwind etc… you have to stay on the park but a few hours freedom to do your own thing means that you to can enjoy your holiday.  The value of this free time is not to be underestimated and for both children and parents some time apart makes the time together even more fun.

Clubs are also organised by other Euro holiday park operators including Canvas Holidays and Siblu.

Canvas Holidays runs FamilyExtra, an exclusive family activity programme as well as:

• Hoopi’s (ages 4-11). Hoopi’s children’s club is available on selected campsites for children aged between 4 and 11. Hoopi Club meets 6 days a week at Hoopi’s own tent – once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Club activities are designed to suit both younger and older children, ranging from sports and games for the boisterous to more sedate activities for when all their energy is used up.
• Activities for 12-18 years. FamilyExtra offers a great place for teenagers to hang out and try something new. Our FamilyExtra staff organise a weekly programme of sporting and social events for teenagers aged between 12 and 18. They can take part in exciting pool based activities such as canoeing and snorkelling, and even learn to walk on water without getting wet with WaterWalkerz. Back on dry land, teenagers can try out action-packed sessions like Circus Skills, Disc Golf, Movie Maker and Aeroball.

Siblu offers four clubs, ranging from 1 year olds up to 14 year olds.  These clubs are great for providing the space for children to meet up, do some fun activities and make some new friends of varying different nationalities.

Click on the links below for more information about the different children’s clubs.

• 1-4 year olds (bubbles). If you’re 1-4 years old Bubbles is the place for you. With non-stop play and fun, Bubbles the baby whale knows you’ll just love it. Enjoy toys, games, waterplay and sandpits, all with new friends.
• 5-9 year olds (pirate club). Ooh ar me hearties! Leave your parents at home and come and join the fun with Max, Patch and Lili from Crystal Island. From art attacks and treasure hunts to water fights and sports competitions, the fun never stops! But don’t forget that Pirate Pong might be just around the corner.. Are you ready for the adventure to begin?
• 5-12 years olds (club max). Live life to the max at our siblu selection parcs with Max the Mouse’s very own club. Maximum fun guaranteed, from art attacks and treasure hunts to water fights and sports competitions. So what are you waiting for.. let the adventures begin!
• 10-14 year olds (barracudas). Calling all teens! Chill out, relax and get ready to take a bite of the action. Meet new mates and then join them for team tasks, sports, competitions and more, or be a star yourself at a Barracudas talent show.

So where do you find kids clubs?

Family holidays in France with Kids Clubs and/or toddler friendly: Alps, Brittany, Burgundy, Cote d’Azur, Dordogne, Gascony, Jura, Languedoc, Loire Valley, Normandy, Paris, Picardy, Riviera, Rouissillon, Royan, Vendee

Family holidays in Spain with Kids Clubs and/or toddler friendly: Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Costa Dorada, Costa Verde

Family holidays in Italy with Kids Clubs and/or toddler friendly: Adriatic Coast, Corsica, Italian Lakes, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany

Using Broadband Internet on your holidays in Europe – your options

Date: 2010.09.15 | Category: Features | Response: 0

If you are travelling abroad for your holidays then I am sure that you have heard all the horror stories about using UK internet devices in Europe. If you haven’t then beware of turning on your iphone or mobile device without researching exactly what your charges are… even downloading your e-mails could leave you with a big bill.  This year the EU forced operators to be more open and honest to prevent you returning to big bills but it still pays to be cautious.

If you are planning to stay at a holiday park in Europe, here are some WiFi options other than using your current mobile device:

• Many parks now have free Internet access on site.  However, our experience has been that these free services tend to be little domestic services made available to all via a public bar… often the quality of the service leaves a lot to be desired and is not greatly secure for your private data.

• In the last year or so there is an increasing number of holiday parks offering paid for Internet services via a third party supplier.  We used such a service at Bonne Anse Plage and found the service – once connected very good.  On the system we used we were presented with various payment options from 1 hour, 3 hours, 3 days, 7 days etc… it wasn’t cheap but at least you had the choice completely up front.

• T-Mobile have recently announced that the use of their Broadband phone and laptop broadband ‘dongle’ can be used in Europe via a Euro Internet Booster that you purchase when you log on in Europe (you don’t go live until you buy so no rip off up front costs). The costs stack up ok with the Euro parks typical costs at £1 for15 mins, £5 for 2 hours, £10 a day, £40 a month.  Find out more>

So far we have tried out the first 2 options with varying success.  More reliable was the paid for service but it is limited to the park you are staying at – if you want to use the Internet away from the park or are staying at different parks – then the T-Mobile service sounds well worth a go, if you do not trust your current network.

If you do use this service or others, then let us know how you got on.

Find holiday parks with Internet Access

If you are looking for a holiday or caravan park with Internet WiFi in France: Alps – Ardeche – Brittany – Burgundy – Cote d’Azur – Dordogne – Gascony – Jura – Languedoc – Loire Valley – Normandy – Paris – Picardy – Riviera – Rouissillon – Royan – Vendee -

If you are looking for a holiday or caravan park with Internet WiFi in Italy: Adriatic Coast – Corsica – Italian Lakes – Sardinia – Sicily – Tuscany -

If you are looking for a holiday or caravan park with Internet WiFi in Spain: Costa Brava – Costa del Sol – Costa Dorada – Costa Verde -

If you are looking for a holiday or caravan park with Internet WiFi in Portugal: Algarve – San-Pedro-de-Moel -

Netherlands parks with Internet – Austrian parks with Internet – Croatia parks with Internet – Denmark holiday parks with Internet – Germany parks with Internet – Luxembourg parks with Internet – Slovenia parks with Internet – Switzerland parks with Internet -