Search Vacation Packages

Featured travel.

travelling holidays

Vacation Packages Under $400

Book your flight and hotel together, and together, we can make it happen.

travelling holidays

All-Inclusive Resorts 

Get More Bang for Less Buck.

travelling holidays

Discover airfare

 Flights under $200

Travel advice and inspiration from the experts

travelling holidays

A road trip for every season

In a country as vast and geographically diverse as the USA, it’s ALWAYS road trip season somewhere. 

travelling holidays

The best glamping in all 50 states

There’s nothing like immersing yourself in nature on a woodsy getaway where days are wiled away outside. 

travelling holidays

Let's find your ideal travel companion

Knowing up front whether or not you’re travel compatible can save a lot of heartache. 

Deals designed for you

travelling holidays

Last minute

travelling holidays

All-inclusive

travelling holidays

Pet-friendly

travelling holidays

Solo traveler

Destination ideas to plan your next trip, beach vacation destinations.

  • Bahamas Vacations
  • Bali Vacations
  • Bora Bora Vacations
  • Cabo San Lucas Vacations
  • Dominican Republic Vacations
  • Jamaica Vacations
  • Kauai Vacations
  • Key West Vacations
  • Maui Vacations
  • Montego Bay Vacations
  • Myrtle Beach Vacations
  • Playa del Carmen Vacations
  • Punta Cana Vacations

International city vacations

  • Amsterdam Vacations
  • Barcelona Vacations
  • Dublin Vacations
  • London Vacations
  • Paris Vacations
  • Rome Vacations
  • Tokyo Vacations
  • Venice Vacations

City vacation destinations

  • Denver Vacations
  • Grand Canyon Vacations
  • Lake Tahoe Vacations
  • Las Vegas Vacations
  • Miami Vacations
  • New Orleans Vacations
  • New York Vacations
  • Orlando Vacations
  • San Francisco Vacations
  • Seattle Vacations

International vacation destinations

  • Australia Vacations
  • Caribbean Vacations
  • Costa Rica Vacations
  • Dubai Vacations
  • Fiji Vacations
  • Mexico Vacations
  • Puerto Rico Vacations
  • Thailand Vacations
  • United Kingdom Vacations
  • U.S. Virgin Islands Vacations

Destination deals

  • Daily travel deals
  • Vacation package deals
  • Travel coupons and promo codes
  • Last minute travel deals
  • Best vacations by country
  • Travelocity reviews
  • USA vacation packages

Additional information about Expedia Group

  • Switzerland
  • New Zealand
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

travelling holidays

Don't just travel

Small group adventures

An adventure travel company you can trust

Unforgettable experiences.

From big wows to hidden gems, our tours leave you feeling that you've really explored.

Expert tour leaders

Chosen for their great knowledge of your destination and a passion to make your trip extraordinary.

Small groups

Average groups of 11; solos, couples and friends, united by a desire for authentic experiences.

Responsible at heart

How we operate sets us apart; our flexible booking policy, our loyalty scheme & sustainable approach.

We're B Corp certified!

travelling holidays

12 Epic Europe Trips

The best tours for foodies, culture vultures, thrillseekers and wanderlusters

travelling holidays

Feefo: We're Platinum!

We've got the Platinum Trusted Service Award for our excellent customer service.

travelling holidays

2025 dates on sale

Dates for next year now available on many tours

The adventure holiday experts

We've been taking small groups on adventure holidays for over 40 years., making unforgettable adventures.

Average customer rating:

Independent service rating based on

Some of our favourite adventure holidays

Costa rica wildlife tour.

Feefo logo

Namibia Lodge Safari

Feefo logo

Cycle Vietnam

Feefo logo

Trekking in Spain - Picos de Europa

Feefo logo

A Taste of Georgia - Tbilisi to the Caucasus Mountains

Feefo logo

Maldive Dhoni Cruise

Feefo logo

Your wellbeing comes first

Our flexible booking and safety policies mean you're protected with us.

Explore Flex

Explore has always been known for its flexible booking conditions and since the Coronavirus pandemic, we've gone even further to ensure you can continue to book your next adventure with confidence.

  • Search Please fill out this field.
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Sweepstakes

Holiday Travel

  • July 4th Travel
  • Christmas Travel
  • Memorial Day
  • New Year's Travel
  • Presidents Day
  • Thanksgiving Travel
  • Valentines Day

Advertisement

Supported by

As U.S. Reopening Approaches, Travelers Take Their Marks

The end of the U.S. ban on international visitors has kicked off a surge in travel both foreign and domestic. Here’s what to expect for the holiday season and beyond.

  • Share full article

travelling holidays

By Concepción de León

When the Biden administration announced that vaccinated foreign travelers would be allowed to enter the United States starting Nov. 8, it was as though a starting gun had been fired.

Skyscanner , a travel booking site, saw an 800 percent spike in bookings the day after the announcement. In the week after the administration confirmed the date travelers could arrive, Expedia , the online booking site, saw a 28 percent increase in searches for U.S. hotels from Britain and a 24 percent increase from France.

And not only international tourism was given a boost. Experts said that the U.S. reopening signaled to American travelers that they could leave their homes this coming holiday season , too. Searches for outbound international travel on the booking application Hopper, for instance, have increased by 24 percent since the announcement, the highest uptick since the spring.

“There’s just something about the fact that we’re lifting our borders that changes the perception of travel right now and makes people much more comfortable and confident in doing so,” said Misty Belles, a spokeswoman for Virtuoso , a network of luxury travel agencies and advisers.

Though the travel industry continues to face staffing and regulation challenges, the process of traveling is becoming smoother. Coronavirus tests are easier to book, and the process for checking documents at airports has been streamlined. But most important, travelers are becoming accustomed to the uncertainty, planning for rather than dreading it. If you’re traveling this holiday season, here’s what to expect.

Start planning now.

Traveling during the pandemic requires both long- and short-term planning to secure flights and accommodations while leaving room for last-minute changes in regulations, flight schedules or coronavirus infection rates.

Travelers are either “booking for tomorrow or they’re booking for next year,” Ms. Belles said, adding that many travelers “want to get away, but they’re kind of pushing it to the last minute just to make sure nothing changes.”

Waiting can be expensive, as prices have increased across the industry and may continue to do so as international travel rebounds, Ms. Belles said. Travel agents also say that many top resorts, such as Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico; the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Hawaii; and The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., are booked for the holiday season, and that those who wait, particularly families with children, will have a smaller selection of places to stay. The app Hopper estimated that domestic airfare over Christmas would likely match 2019 prices, while international airfare is currently cheaper but likely to increase by December.

Still, Willis Orlando, a travel expert at Scott’s Cheap Flights , a service that tracks and emails flight deals to subscribers, said that travelers have an opportunity to snag low fares now, particularly on international flights, as airlines continue to scramble to match supply with demand, which has fluctuated according to travelers’ sentiments about the virus or announcements of country reopenings.

“It’s not going to be long-lived,” Mr. Orlando said. “I think once the rest of the world opens up, those planes will get back to flying the old high-demand routes, but for now, it’s a wonderful opportunity.”

Be prepared to adapt.

Ariel Vinson, 31, a digital content manager for a consumer packaged goods company in San Diego, went to Alaska at the beginning of October. It was her second trip there this year, and she is contemplating moving there.

But her trip was extended when she got Covid-19 a week in. She ended up having to stay an additional week, before flying home on Oct. 24.

“That was a wake-up call for me,” she said. “I don’t think it’s going to stop me from traveling, but I think it’ll make me think about my behaviors during travel,” such as masking outdoors or being more cautious when interacting with strangers, which she had become more comfortable with since getting vaccinated this spring.

Sandra Torres, 32, who manages vendors at a biotech start-up in the Chicago area, said that the couple of times she had traveled by air this year, “the flights themselves were changed multiple times.” A coming November trip to Hawaii, booked in the spring, was changed a month out, with one leg ultimately canceled. She had to rebook with another airline. A planned birthday trip to Tokyo, in February 2022, was recently canceled by the airline.

“It does make it harder to plan things,” Ms. Torres said. “I’ve learned to be more flexible, to be more open. Even if you book things ahead of time, you might still have to change them.”

She added that she’s learned to “have more of a cushion, both financially and just around logistics and departure times.”

You may experience limited services.

The experience of travel continues to be affected by staffing and other challenges. Your hotel’s restaurant may be closed, for instance, and daily room cleaning is only available upon request in many places.

“That part of the business requires a lot more staffing than just the standard hotel operations,” Chip Rogers, the president of the American Hotel & Lodging Association , said of hotel restaurants. “That’s where hotels are having to cut back, because they just don’t have enough people.”

Rental cars remain in short supply, and prices are high, in some cases double or triple prepandemic rates. Many concessions and businesses in airports are still closed, and airlines have canceled hundreds of flights in the last several months, including recent cancellations by Southwest Airlines and American Airlines .

As a result, customer satisfaction has dropped in both the rental car and airport industries, according to recent studies by the data and analytics firm J.D. Power.

Martina Johnson, 35, and her husband, Leslie, 40, who work in marketing and digital advertising in the greater New York City area and document their travels on social media , are planning to spend a couple of weeks visiting family in the Midwest leading up to Thanksgiving .

But they decided to drive there rather than rent a car, because the prices were prohibitive. In the past, Ms. Johnson said, they paid $50 to $75 for a weekend car rental, while the price now would be closer to $300. For two weeks, the price would have been nearly $2,000.

“The price of rental cars is ridiculous,” she said. “We want the flexibility without worrying about the cost.”

Ski and beach vacations are most popular.

People are still gravitating to outdoor travel, with the most popular destinations being domestic beach locations or the Caribbean and Mexico.

Megan Moncrief, the chief marketing officer for Squaremouth , a travel insurance company, said that eight of the company’s 10 most popular international destinations were Caribbean countries.

“The Dominican Republic, Turks & Caicos and the U.S. Virgin Islands had never been top destinations during the holiday season, but they are this year,” she said, because those places have largely stayed open when other countries closed their borders.

Ski destinations are also seeing increased interest, said Natalia Sutin, the vice president of revenue management at Vacasa , a vacation rental management company.

“People look for a festive atmosphere, and guests are looking to make up for ski trips from last year,” Ms. Sutin said. In a recent Vacasa survey, 61 percent of respondents said they were replanning a ski trip that they had intended to take last year but canceled.

Demand for ski destinations on Vrbo , a vacation rental company, is also up more than 40 percent this winter compared to the same period in 2019 , and up 31 percent compared to 2020.

Victoria Neff, a 34-year-old assistant director at an education and technology nonprofit in Boston, is spending Christmas in Aspen, Colo. She said she booked her flight and rental car ahead of time because she “was worried about availability” and knew demand would be high.

Cities are preparing to welcome international travelers.

The resumption of international travel to the U.S. on Nov. 8 is particularly important for cities, which derive significant revenue from and are a main attraction for foreign visitors.

“It’s so desperately needed in your gateway markets like New York, San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C.,” said Mr. Rogers of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. “Those are markets that really depend on international travel, and those are also the same markets that have been hurt so bad during the pandemic.”

While only 3 percent of hotel bookings nationally come from international travelers, they account for 15 percent of hotel revenue because they stay longer and spend more money.

In Los Angeles, where international travelers were a quarter of overnight visitors and made up 50 percent of overall spending in 2019, bookings and search interest spiked after the reopening was announced, said Adam Burke, the president of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.

“We’re now seeing an acceleration of the recovery process,” he said. Tourism Economics , a global travel data company, is projecting 1 million more visitors to Los Angeles by the end of the year and an additional $1 billion in revenue from international travelers.

British Airways and its vacation-booking arm, British Airways Holidays, said that the desire to see friends and family for the holidays was driving a surge in searches for destinations in the United States, particularly in New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago. Searches for Thanksgiving were up 2,000 percent this week over the previous week, the company said in an email, and searches for the days before Christmas were up 900 percent.

For domestic travelers, visiting the country’s urban centers could be cheaper than in the past. Expedia found that accommodations in cities are 10 to 35 percent cheaper than in 2019.

Parents are becoming more comfortable traveling with children.

The survey by Vacasa, the vacation rental management company, found that parents with children under 5 were more likely to say they were planning travel than non-parents, 65 percent compared to 41 percent. And road trips continue to be popular, with 72 percent of travelers saying that they will drive to their destinations.

“We do see that family travel is the trend this year,” said Ms. Sutin of Vacasa. “Most people are traveling with their spouse, children or immediate family.”

Katie Cherico, a travel adviser for In the Know Experiences , a New York City-based agency, said that among her clients, families’ decisions around travel depend on their children’s ages. Those with children under 12, who until recently have not been eligible for vaccination, have been sticking to domestic or nearby resort destinations, like Puerto Rico, while those with vaccinated children 12 and over feel more comfortable traveling internationally. Immunization with the Pfizer vaccine was approved for children 5 to 11 by the Food and Drug Administration on Friday and, if approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, may be rolled out as early as this week. That is likely to boost traveler confidence just as the adult vaccine did in the spring.

Stephen Scott, a Chicago-based travel adviser for Protravel International , added that cruises remain difficult for families with children under 12, because many cruise lines require that passengers be vaccinated and do not make exceptions for children. But these restrictions may be eased on Jan. 15, when the industry will no longer be required to follow federal Covid-19 rules, the C.D.C. said in a statement.

Holiday travel behaviors are shifting.

Covid-19 safety concerns are still top of mind for travelers, keeping them close to home or preventing them from staying with relatives. While most people traveling for Thanksgiving, for example, are staying with family this year, the number is still lower than in 2019, dropping to 73 percent from 83 percent, according to a recent survey by the market research company Morning Consult . Only 57 percent of people stayed with family in 2020, suggesting fears surrounding Covid-19 are lessening but still present.

Lindsey Roeschke, the firm’s travel and hospitality analyst, said that more than a quarter of survey respondents intended to stay masked during Thanksgiving, and that they may be choosing not to stay with family to minimize the need for masking. She added that millennial parents, the group most likely to have young, unvaccinated children, planned to spend more on accommodation than other groups.

Vaccination rates could also be affecting people’s decisions to stay with or travel to visit family. In a survey by The Vacationer , an online resource for travelers, one in three Americans said they were unwilling to celebrate the holidays with people who had not been vaccinated.

Ms. Torres, the traveler who has had to deal with changing plans, said her family members’ vaccination status was part of the reason she decided to stay home in Chicago for the holidays. She typically would have taken a trip to Mexico or El Salvador to visit relatives over Christmas and New Year’s, but because of a lack of vaccine accessibility in those countries, several family members have not been fully vaccinated, and she decided not to risk it.

The record number of pet adoptions during the pandemic is also influencing how people are traveling. Pet-friendliness was the top search priority for travelers in a new survey of 1,000 Americans across the U.S. by the analytics company Zeta Global .

“People are more interested in pet-friendly hotels than they are in clean hotels,” said David Steinberg, the company’s chief executive. “It’s probably not even a metric that would’ve been on the radar two years ago.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places list for 2021 .

An earlier version of this article misstated the last name of a traveler spending the holidays in Aspen and the location of her employer. She is Victoria Neff, not Ness, and her company is located in Boston, not Concord, Mass. 

How we handle corrections

Concepción de León is a travel reporter based in New York. More about Concepción de León

Get the Hottest Deals First!

Now Open! Join Us in the South Pacific

Experience America

.collette-hero .card-title { font-size: 400%; margin-top: 70px; text-transform: uppercase; text-shadow: 0 0 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.4), 0 0 70px rgba(0,0,0,0.5), 0 0 180px rgba(0,0,0,0.5); font-weight:bold } .py-5.mt-5.d-none.d-md-block h3 { margin-bottom: 15px important; } .collette-hero-overlay { margin-left: 8px; margin-top: 0rem; } .hero-image { background-position-x: 55%; } @media only screen and (max-width: 766px) { .collette-hero .card-title { margin-top: 160px; line-height: 5.3rem; max-width: 330px; } .hide-on-mobile { display: none; } .hero-image { background-position-x: 65%; } .collette-hero-overlay { margin-bottom: -3rem important; } .py-5.mt-5.d-none.d-md-block { display: block important; } .py-5.mt-5.d-none.d-md-block h3 { font-size: 1.6rem important; margin: 12px 20px 0 20px important; } } learn more, special offers, the collette difference.

Collette Difference 400x400 expertlydesigned

Expertly Designed

We get it. You’re not the homebody type. We aren’t either. Your passion, needs, and desires have shaped our business. Destination experts hand-craft transformative experiences designed specifically with you – our fellow traveler – at heart. We wouldn't trust your experience with anyone else.

Collette Difference guided touring reimagined

Guided Touring Reimagined

We know you want to explore and also dive in. We’re curious travelers, just like you, so rest assured, you’ll experience must-sees and connect with the people and culture that define the destination. You’ll eat in locals’ homes, take cooking classes, travel by trains and tuk tuks, explore cities with food tours, and stay in igloos, castles, and chateaus.

Collette Difference value

Value Beyond Price

Your time is one of your most precious commodities, so you should spend more of it in the destination, not driving between places. We design tours that spend the fewest hours on the coach. One-night stays are a rarity. This is your trip, and you shouldn’t feel rushed. With choice, flexibility, and free time, take it all in – this is your tour.

Confidently Collette

Travel with trust. Because this is your trip - something you've planned for and dreamed about. You should feel confident in your journey every step of the way.

Industry-Leading Travel Protection

Cancel for any reason (bad hair day applies) up to 24 hours before your tour leaves and get a full money-back refund. Collette issued a record-breaking $185 million cash back to travelers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Experience & Expertise

We've been doing this for a long time. Since 1918, in fact. Collette is the most experienced and longest-running tour operator in North America. You choose...

Traveling Well

Our team is on the pulse of world events and protocols, so you are kept fully aware and feel well-prepared for your trip.

travelling holidays

Service Rating

Independent

Why Guided Travel

You're a traveler with places to go. We'll take care of the details. You embrace the journey.

why guided deskt v2

Social Connections

Meet a group of people who share your love of travel. Learn from locals. Forge friendships in the coolest places.

Independence

There's plenty of time built into our itineraries, plus optional tours, Choice on Tour excursions, and more. It's your trip, your way.

Expertly Planned

You know what you want to see and do - let a team of experts handle all the details from the must-sees to centrally-located accommodations and local lessons.

The Best Pacing

Don’t rush – this is your time to see the world. Get more time in the destination, and enjoy an ideal balance of included excursions and free time.

Our Best Moments

When you go, capture all those incredible moments, and use the hashtag #GoCollette so that we can share your joy!

2023 travel weekly readers choice

Featured Tours

Collette travelers choose from 160 tours across all 7 continents, as well as 5 travel styles including small group touring and destination spotlights. Check out some trending tours for inspiration on your next adventure.

Explorations

travelling holidays

A Taste of the Balkans featuring Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina & Slovenia

$3,649 pp* $3,999 pp.

travelling holidays

Majestic Cities of Central & Eastern Europe featuring Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest & Krakow

travelling holidays

Painted Canyons of the West featuring Utah’s Five National Parks

travelling holidays

Flavors of Portugal & Spain: featuring Barcelona

travelling holidays

Essence of France Paris, Provence & the French Riviera

$3,499 pp* $3,899 pp.

travelling holidays

Colors of Morocco

travelling holidays

Wilderness of Southern Africa: Safari by Land & Water

$3,299 pp* $3,399 pp.

travelling holidays

America's Music Cities featuring New Orleans, Memphis & Nashville

$3,179 pp* $3,629 pp.

travelling holidays

Discover Croatia, Slovenia and the Adriatic Coast

$3,349 pp* $3,699 pp, historical greenbrier featuring washington d.c. & williamsburg, old world sicily & malta.

travelling holidays

Spain's Costa del Sol & Madrid

Find a travel agency.

Once you've found the perfect Collette tour, your local travel agent can assist you in making reservations. To find a preferred travel agent in your area, please enter your 5-digit zip code, then click Search.

Enter a Whole or Partial Zip Code

Please tell us everything, we want it all.

We really value your feedback, please be open an honest. Tell us where we can improve, how we can get better. This feedback is anonymous, but if you would like us to get in touch with you regarding an issue provide your email address as part of your feedback and we will get right back to you.

Talk to an Expert

Please fill out the form below, and a Collette Expert will contact you shortly.

  • Yes, I'm a Travel Professional
  • Yes, I am working with a Travel Professional
  • I am traveling with 8 or more travelers

View or Download

travelling holidays

Protect Your Trip »

Everything You Need to Know About Traveling During the Holidays

Experts share their tips for dodging headaches and hassles during the busy holiday travel season.

people running on Barcelona Airport

Getty Images

Signing up for TSA PreCheck is one way to avoid airport lags during the busy holiday season.

We've all been there. Bulging bags. Flight delays . Grumpy kids. Inclement weather conditions. Unfortunately, holiday travel can make Grinches out of the best of us. But fret not: We sought guidance from travel insiders to help make holiday travel feel more bearable. Whether your idea of the perfect winter wonderland involves piña coladas and sea breezes, hot chocolate and ski slopes or a roaring fire in the family hearth, follow the advice below and plan ahead to make the best out of your time in transit this season. From last-minute deals to family travel advice to packing tips, U.S. News has you covered.

[See: 10 Things to Do Immediately After Your Flight Is Canceled or Delayed .]

Take Advantage of Holiday Trends and Deals

Lissa Poirot, editor-in-chief of the online travel magazine Family Traveller, has visited more than 33 countries. Poirot plans to travel over the holidays, and she's not alone. According to AAA, 107.3 million Americans are expected to travel this holiday season , the highest year-end volume on record, with 97.4 Americans projected to travel by car, 6.4 million by air and 3.6 million by bus, train and cruise ship. Over the years, Poirot has noticed an increase in popularity of more off-the-beaten-path destinations like Iceland, "which has been on the rise and continues to draw travelers who want to see glaciers and hot springs," she says.

Poirot has also seen an uptick in holiday travelers heading to undiscovered hot spots like Panama and Nicaragua, as well as more families diving into the Galápagos Islands and Ecuador. Poirot also notes that European destinations like Croatia are drawing travelers interested in taking the path less wandered by losing themselves, in the case of Croatia, among the legendary landscapes and filming locations from the hit HBO series "Game of Thrones."

8 Unique Winter Activities Worth Traveling the World For

Susan Portnoy Dec. 6, 2017

travelling holidays

When considering more traditional destinations like those in the Caribbean, Poirot points out that most of the islands are open for business, despite this year's damaging hurricane season. According to Poirot, travelers may be able to find deals to unscathed islands such as "Aruba, Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Nevis the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and even Turks and Caicos," which she says "have already reopened , despite receiving hurricane damage." On the other hand, she advises waiting to visit Puerto Rico, St. Marten, St. Barth’s and the Virgin Islands, "as they will be rebuilding for several months."

Keep the Kids Happy on Long Trips

With a day job as president of her own public relations firm representing clients in over 100 countries, Laura Davidson is a seasoned traveler. But she also knows a thing or two about family travel, thanks to crisscrossing the globe with her two boys.

When taking a holiday road trip, Davidson makes sure each child has their own portable phone charger to avoid arguments over the one in the car. For long airplane rides, "everyone needs their own backpack with their own distractions," she says. "Don't count on domestic flights to have movies your kids will love. Have them downloaded ahead of time on their iPads," she says. For teens and adults, Davidson recommends downloading favorite Netflix series ahead of time. "Last time my flight was delayed, I watched four episodes of 'The Crown' and didn’t mind a bit," she says. When her boys were younger, Davidson says she would carry small surprises that require assembly or imagination, like Lego kits, to keep the kids occupied in case of airport delays.

[See: Kids on a Plane: How to Entertain Children Without Losing Your Mind .]

Avoid Holiday Hassles at the Airport

Davidson stacks the deck in her family’s favor at the airport by following a few simple rules. First, she checks in online to avoid lengthy lines. Then, she arrives at the airport extra early. "Three hours prior to flight time is a safe bet," she says, adding that she keeps important documents in an easily accessible place to avoid having to dig through her bag at security.

Signing up for TSA PreCheck , the government program which allows pre-qualified U.S. citizens expedited passage through security, is worth it, Davidson says. That way, you can avoid having to take off shoes and remove computers from bags at security. If one parent has TSA PreCheck, kids age 12 and under will get it on their boarding passes, she says. Davidson also recommends downloading the airline's app ahead of time and signing up for text alerts "to stay informed about any changes to the flight."

11 Upscale Airport Hotels That Take the Stress Out of Holiday Travel

Lyn Mettler Dec. 19, 2017

Business people checking into hotel with concierge

Navigate Weather Delays and Disruptions with Ease

"Unfortunately, winter weather delays are often unavoidable," Poirot says. "Choosing drive-to locations of direct flights can help eliminate some of the stress, but if you've discovered you will be delayed, don't allow this to ruin your vacation." Instead, she suggests taking advantage of airport services like salons that offer massages or sit-down restaurants to kill time before your next flight.

If your flight is canceled, Poirot says it is much more effective to call the airline from the airport instead of waiting in-person to talk to a reservations agent. By calling, "you will get through quicker and they can help accommodate you on a new flight, and help you find seats together and confirm them." Poirot also cautions against attempting to travel on standby. "If you attempt to fly standby, you forfeit any seats you have confirmed and are subject to the availability of a flight," she says. When traveling with young children, it is best to confirm your seats to avoid being separated, she adds

Pack Strategically for the Holidays

As CEO of high-end luggage purveyor Briggs & Riley, Richard Krulik is an expert on all things packing. His top advice during the holidays is to avoid checking bags if possible. "Pick a carry-on bag that offers some extra packing room," he says. Also, familiarize yourself with TSA requirements and ensure you don't bring more than the allotted quart-size bag of liquids, gels and pastes under 3.4 ounces. "Either fill small travel bottles with your own products or buy the travel size at your local drugstore," he says.

[See: 7 Pro Carry-On Packing Hacks for Your Next Weekend Getaway .]

To ensure wrinkle-free clothes upon arrival, Krulik recommends three different packing methods. The Interweave Method is his favorite way to pack. "First, place the longest items, like dresses and pants, in the bottom of the suitcase, with the ends draping over the suitcase edges. Then, fill the suitcase with folded shirts and rolled items, before laying the draping garment edges over the top." The Rolling Method, he says, works for garments like sweaters, pajamas and jeans. "Secure the rolled items with a rubber band so they say in a roll," he says. If you want to pack by outfit, Krulik suggests bundling longer outfit items around the smaller ones.

8 Ways You're Annoying Passengers During the Holidays

8 ways you're annoying passengers during the holidays.

Health problem on an airplane

Tags: Travel , Vacations , holidays

World's Best Places To Visit

  • # 1 South Island, New Zealand
  • # 4 Bora Bora

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

You May Also Like

The best spas in las vegas.

Reannon Muth March 5, 2024

travelling holidays

The Best Sedona Jeep Tours

Holly Johnson and Marisa Méndez March 5, 2024

travelling holidays

The Best Walking Shoes for Travel

Catriona Kendall March 4, 2024

travelling holidays

The 13 Best Las Vegas Tours

John Rodwan March 4, 2024

travelling holidays

The Best Kids Luggage

Amanda Norcross March 1, 2024

travelling holidays

Best Hoover Dam Tours from Las Vegas

Holly Johnson and Ann Henson March 1, 2024

travelling holidays

Top Things to Do in Colorado

Leilani Osmundson Feb. 29, 2024

travelling holidays

The 5 Best NYC Bus Tours for 2024

Holly Johnson and Marisa Méndez Feb. 29, 2024

travelling holidays

Top Bachelor Party Destinations

Timothy J. Forster Feb. 29, 2024

travelling holidays

The 8 Best Hollywood Tours

Gwen Pratesi and Ann Henson Feb. 28, 2024

travelling holidays

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Expedia travel: search hotels, cheap flights, car rentals & vacations, search for travel.

  • Things to do

Add a flight

Save 10% or more on over 100,000 hotels with Member Prices. Also, members save up to 30% when you add a hotel to a flight

Discover your new favorite stay.

travelling holidays

Big spring savings: Save 25% or more

Explore stays in trending destinations.

Sedona showing landscape views and mountains

Palm Springs

Scottsdale showing street scenes, night scenes and tropical scenes

Santa Barbara

Playa del Carmen showing a sandy beach, landscape views and tropical scenes

Playa del Carmen

Last-minute weekend deals, image gallery for trump international hotel las vegas.

Trump International Hotel Las Vegas

Image gallery for the wayfarer san diego.

The Wayfarer San Diego

Image gallery for omni los angeles hotel at california plaza.

Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza

Los angeles, image gallery for omni san francisco hotel.

Omni San Francisco Hotel

San francisco, image gallery for the mark.

Image gallery for Prince Waikiki

Prince Waikiki

Image gallery for silver legacy resort casino at the row.

Pool

Silver Legacy Resort Casino at THE ROW

Image gallery for the upham hotel.

Terrace/patio

The Upham Hotel

Image gallery for quartz hotel & spa.

Quartz Hotel & SPA

Image gallery for hotel yllen eiffel.

View from room

Hotel Yllen Eiffel

Image gallery for chaminade resort & spa.

Chaminade Resort & Spa

Image gallery for trump international hotel & tower chicago.

Terrace/patio

Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago

Image gallery for 1 hotel nashville.

Terrace/patio

1 Hotel Nashville

Image gallery for atlanta marriott perimeter center.

Pool

Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center

Image gallery for the lancaster hotel.

The Lancaster Hotel

travelling holidays

Earn OneKeyCash on eligible flights, hotels, cars, and more

travelling holidays

See our curated list

travelling holidays

Save, collaborate, and book with Trip Planner

travelling holidays

Get planning

travelling holidays

Flight deals ready to take you to the most-loved places

  • Explore a world of travel with Expedia

Top Hotel Deals on Domestic Destinations

  • Top Hotels in Boston, MA
  • Top Hotels in Houston, TX
  • Top Hotels in Chicago, IL
  • Top Hotels in Pigeon Forge, TN
  • Top Hotels in Myrtle Beach, SC
  • Top Hotels in Los Angeles, CA
  • Top Hotels in Nashville, TN
  • Top Hotels in San Francisco, CA
  • Top Hotels in Miami, FL
  • Top Hotels in New Orleans, LA
  • Top Hotels in Atlantic City, NJ
  • Top Hotels in Orlando, FL
  • Top Hotels in Las Vegas, NV
  • Top Hotels in Anna Maria Island, FL
  • Top Hotels in New York, NY
  • Top domestic Hotels

Top Hotel Deals on International Destinations

  • Top All-inclusive Resorts in Turks and Caicos
  • Top All-inclusive Resorts in Puerto Rico
  • Top Hotels in Paris
  • Top Hotels in Puerto Rico Island
  • Top Hotels in Rome from $35
  • Top All-inclusive Resorts in Bahamas
  • Top Hotels in San Juan
  • Top Hotels in Cabo San Lucas
  • Top Hotels in Tokyo
  • Top All-inclusive Resorts in Mexico
  • Top Hotels in Cancun
  • Top All-inclusive Resorts in Cancun
  • Top Hotels in London
  • Top Hotels in Niagara Falls
  • Top Hotels in Toronto
  • Top international Hotels

Top Domestic Flights

  • Flights to Las Vegas
  • Flights to Hawaii
  • Flights to New York
  • Flights to Orlando
  • Flights to Miami
  • Flights to Los Angeles
  • Flights to Maui
  • Flights to Houston
  • Flights to Dallas
  • Flights to Denver

Top International Flights

  • Flights to Puerto Rico
  • Flights to Tokyo
  • Flights to Kannur
  • Flights to Mexico City
  • Flights to London
  • Flights to Cancun
  • Flights to Manila
  • Flights to Cabo San Lucas
  • Flights to Bali
  • Flights to Bora Bora

Save today on vacation packages

  • Las Vegas vacation packages
  • Hawaii vacation packages
  • New York vacation packages
  • Miami vacation packages
  • Disneyland vacation packages
  • Florida vacation packages
  • Orlando vacation packages
  • New Orleans vacation packages
  • Key West vacation packages
  • Maui vacation packages

Book international flights & hotels together to save

  • Cancun vacation packages
  • Punta Cana vacation packages
  • Aruba vacation packages
  • Europe vacation packages
  • Caribbean vacation packages
  • Bahamas vacation packages
  • Italy vacation packages
  • London vacation packages
  • Turks and Caicos vacation packages
  • Paris vacation packages

Top places to visit domestically

  • Visit Los Angeles
  • Visit Las Vegas
  • Visit New York
  • Visit Chicago
  • Visit Orlando
  • Visit Dallas
  • Visit Atlanta
  • Visit Phoenix
  • Visit Miami
  • Visit Houston

Visit places internationally

  • Visit the Bahamas
  • Visit Vancouver
  • Visit Mexico
  • Visit Cabo San Lucas
  • Visit Cancun
  • Visit Punta Cana
  • Visit Australia
  • Visit London
  • Visit Aruba
  • Visit Paris

Airport & car rental deals

  • Car rentals in Los Angeles
  • Car rentals in Orlando
  • Car rentals in Las Vegas
  • Car rentals in Denver
  • Car rentals in Phoenix
  • Car rentals in Chicago
  • Car rentals in Fort Lauderdale
  • Car rentals in New York
  • Car rentals in Atlanta
  • Car rentals in Houston

Find cheap car rentals at international airports

  • Car rentals in Dublin
  • Car rentals in Vancouver
  • Car rentals in Toronto
  • Car rentals in Dubai
  • Car rentals in Paris
  • Car rentals in Cancun
  • Car rentals in Puerto Rico
  • Car rentals in Rome
  • Car rentals in Calgary

Top Deals on Vacation Rental Destinations

  • Search all Vacation Rentals
  • Top Myrtle Beach Vacation Rentals
  • Top Vacation Rentals in Florida
  • Top Vacation Rentals in New Jersey
  • Top South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rentals
  • Top Galveston Vacation Rentals
  • Top Miami Vacation Rentals
  • Top Tampa Vacation Rentals
  • Top Orlando Vacation Rentals
  • Top Daytona Beach Vacation Rentals
  • Top Gulf Shores Vacation Rentals
  • Top Oahu Vacation Rentals
  • Top Geneva-on-the-Lake Vacation Rentals
  • Top Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals
  • Top Jersey Shore Vacation Rentals
  • Top South Padre Island Vacation Rentals

Popular cruise destinations

  • Cruises to Bahamas
  • Cruises to Mexico
  • Cruises to Hawaii
  • Cruises to Alaska
  • Cruises to Caribbean
  • Cruises to Europe
  • Cruises to Bermuda
  • Cruises to Africa
  • Cruises to Australia & New Zealand
  • Cruises to Canada & New England

Cruise departure ports nearby

  • Cruises from Galveston
  • Cruises from Miami
  • Cruises from New York
  • Cruises from Tampa
  • Cruises from Long Beach
  • Cruises from Boston
  • Cruises from Charleston
  • Cruises from Port Canaveral
  • Cruises from San Francisco
  • Cruises from Norfolk

Other Vacation ideas

  • Travel Trends 2024
  • Christmas Vacation Deals
  • Weekend Getaways
  • Plan your Vacation
  • Vacation Deposit and Payment Plan
  • Expedia Group wildlife guidelines
  • All Inclusive Vacations
  • Ski Vacations
  • Beach Vacations
  • Golf Vacations
  • Kid Friendly Vacations
  • Luxury Vacations
  • Romantic Vacations
  • Adventure Vacations

More destinations

  • All Destinations

Additional information about Expedia Group

Popular destinations

  • Mobile Apps
  • Stream on discovery+
  • Program Guide
  • Ghost Adventures
  • Ghost Hunters
  • Ghost Brothers
  • Conjuring Kesha
  • The Dead Files
  • Destination Fear
  • Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life
  • Expedition Bigfoot
  • Ghost Nation
  • The Holzer Files
  • Kindred Spirits
  • Mountain Monsters
  • Paranormal Caught on Camera
  • Portals to Hell
  • Amy Bruni and Adam Berry
  • Destination Fear Team
  • Don Wildman
  • Ghost Adventures Crew
  • The Holzer Files Team
  • Jack Osbourne and Katrina Weidman
  • Steve Dischiavi
  • Watch Live TV
  • Tips for Solo Travelers
  • 4 Gorgeous Waterfalls
  • 5 Extreme Swings
  • World's 10 Best Swimming Holes
  • Best BBQ in America
  • Tilt! at 360 Chicago

Digital Exclusives

  • Big City, Little Budget: New York
  • Big City, Little Budget: San Francisco
  • Bizarre Foods in the Kitchen
  • One Bag and You're Out

From Our Shows

  • Bizarre Foods
  • Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations
  • Booze Traveler
  • Expedition Unknown
  • Hotel Impossible
  • Mysteries at the Museum

Top Domestic

  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Washington, DC

Top International

  • Myrtle Beach
  • Niagara Falls
  • San Antonio

Explore By Region

  • Asia Pacific
  • Middle East & Africa
  • North America
  • South & Central America

Top Interests

  • Amusement Parks
  • Arts and Culture
  • Food and Wine
  • National Parks
  • Health and Wellness
  • Long Weekends
  • Outdoor Adventure

By Traveler

  • Family Travel
  • Girls' Getaways
  • LGBT Travel
  • Solo Travel
  • Travel Tips
  • Budget Tips
  • Gear and Gadgets
  • Hotels and Lodging
  • Plan Your Bucket List
  • Savvy Traveler
  • Travel's Best

10 Tips for Traveling During the Holidays

Keep your sanity intact during the busy holiday travel season with these simple tips.

Related To:

Shop this look.

Monitor Flight Deals

Photo By: istock / rypson

Photo By: Shutterstock

Photo By: istock/ nathan4847

Photo By: istock/ Liz Leyden

Photo By: istock / MariusLtu

Monitor Flight Deals

There’s no clear consensus among experts on the best time to book flights, with opinions ranging from summer months to a few weeks before the start of the holiday period. That said, booking early will likely net you the greatest options. An Orbitz travel expert also suggests monitoring flash sales. "Not only will that airline be offering special deals on that sale day, but it is likely that other airlines will be matching (or at least lowering) fares at the same time. These flash sales often happen at roughly the same time of the year, so search when your airline last had a flash sale, and keep your eyes open for a repeat."

Travel During Off-Peak Days + Times

Avoid (some of) the crowds and score better deals by either traveling on the holiday, or the day before and after everyone else. Kendal Perez, a savings expert with CouponSherpa.com , says, "Peak travel days for Thanksgiving are the Wednesday before and the Sunday after, with cheaper fares offered on Thanksgiving Day and the day after. In 2017, peak travel days for Christmas are the Friday before and the Monday after." In terms of times, Perez says, "The first and last flights of the day are typically the cheapest since the average traveler would rather not wake up at 3 a.m. to catch a flight, or land at their destination after a red eye. Enduring early or late hours can save you money and time, plus the airport is often less busy during these off hours."

Buy One-Way Tickets

"Before you book a roundtrip airfare for holiday travel, compare one-way ticket prices between airlines," says Perez. "In some cases, flying with one airline on the way to your destination and another airline on the way back can offer money savings and more convenient flight times." Comparing prices at alternate airports can be another money saver.

Pack Gifts Wisely

"Don’t wrap your gifts ahead of time because TSA has the right to unwrap and inspect all packages," advise The Travel Siblings . "Assuming your gifts clear security regulations, devote your carry-on bag to hold all holiday gifts so you don’t risk the airlines losing your luggage."

Shipping often makes sense for domestic travel. Orbitz recommends, "If you are buying online, have the gifts shipped directly to your destination — that saves the hassle and expense of checking them on your flight." Conversely, "When coming home, do the math. If the gift haul is big enough to require packing an extra bag, look on your airline’s website for how much that extra bag will cost, then compare that cost to shipping the gifts home."

It’s impossible to predict natural disasters, illness or terrorist attacks, but you can plan for the worst-case scenario. Buy trip insurance beforehand, such as World Nomads , which covers everything from trip cancellation to emergency evacuation. Many credit cards also provide varying levels of trip insurance. Register overseas trips with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program , a free U.S. Department of State program that informs the nearest U.S. Embassy of your whereabouts in case of an emergency. Also, check the State Department’s site for any travel warnings and advisories . And if you’re traveling to an area that requires or recommends certain vaccinations or medications, be sure to allow enough time to visit a travel clinic before leaving.

Minimize Airport Stress

Register for TSA PreCheck in order to access expedited domestic screening, as it greatly reduces the amount of time waiting in security lines, and eliminates the bother of removing your shoes, liquids, laptops and more. For foreign travel, registering for Global Entry provides expedited entry back into the U.S. Either way, research the current security rules ahead of time, and arrive at the airport at the recommended time. Apps are another useful way to minimize stress. Isar Meitis, president of Last Minute Travel , says, "Download your airline's app to avoid having to keep track of multiple paper boarding passes, while also getting updated gate information. GateGuru keeps you updated on the current security wait times, so you can make sure to allow yourself sufficient time."

Minimize Driving Stress

In between mapping out routes, performing car maintenance and prepping for weather conditions, it’s easy to forget about incorporating fun activities. "If you’re driving to grandma’s house this year, research fun stop-off points along your route," says Amanda Norcross, features editor of TripAdvisor’s Family Vacation Critic . "This will make the trip feel shorter and give the kids (and you) a chance to blow off some steam." On the more practical side, "If you're hitting the road, GasBuddy provides you with the locations of the cheapest gasoline prices and the cleanest bathrooms," says Meitis of Last Minute Travel .

Be Prepared

Depending on your trip, this includes, but isn’t limited to, the following: pack healthy snacks, bring backup chargers for electronics, download travel apps, know current TSA rules, map out routes, get a car inspection, make copies of travel documents, carry prescriptions in their original bottles, confirm reservations, gather entertainment options, set reminders and pack wisely. The more prepared you are, the better equipped you’ll be to handle unexpected surprises.

Stay Patient

Patience and flexibility are the first rules of traveling, and it’s a given that holiday travel almost never goes smoothly. Practice breathing techniques, and bring entertainment options along with a handy supply of food and other needs. And if and when plans go awry, remaining calm and polite goes a long way for everyone’s sanity.

We Recommend

Holidays in Las Vegas

Holiday Travel 3 Videos

 'ARLINGTON, VA - DECEMBER 28

Top 10 Worst-Case Travel Scenarios

biking, Minneapolis, Minnesota

10 Most Affordable Labor Day Travel Destinations 10 Photos

travelling holidays

10 Tips for Your Next Group Trip 10 Photos

travelling holidays

Russia Travel Tips

travelling holidays

Do These 10 Things Before Heading Out of Town

More from travel.

  • Sweepstakes
  • Stream Travel Channel
  • Ways to Watch Travel Channel

travelling holidays

  • Privacy Notice
  • Visitor Agreement
  • Online Closed Captioning
  • California Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility
  • Discovery, Inc.
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Food Network
  • Travel Channel
  • Cooking Channel
  • Discovery.com
  • © 2024 Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All rights reserved.

We are currently experiencing high call volumes with longer than usual wait times. Please allow up to 24 hours for a callback during regular business hours. Save time and book online! Learn More

Earn FREE Travel

with Our Group Travel Program!

NOW AVAILABLE!

Online Booking

INTRODUCING

New 2024 Tours

Explore New Tours

  • Find Your Trip
  • Local Station Keyword

‐ or ‐

Ready to Book?

Holiday Vacations guided tours include airfare from more than 100 conveniently located U.S. airports, great hotels, delightful meals and interesting sights. Our expert Tour Directors are quite simply the best in the industry. They handle all travel details to ensure that your vacation is happy and carefree.

We are proud to be one of America’s most reputable tour companies, producing unparalleled travel experiences since 1973. Discover for yourself the many benefits of traveling with Holiday Vacations!

The Holiday Advantage

Holiday Advantage

Airfare Included

Holiday Advantage

Professional Tour Directors

Holiday Advantage

Exceptional Accommodations with Baggage Handling

Holiday Advantage

Premier Attractions

Holiday Advantage

Low Deposit, Guaranteed Prices, & No Hidden Costs

Holiday Advantage

Motorcoach & Professional Driver

Your Resource for Upcoming Holiday Vacations Travel

For your convenience, we invite you to utilize our travel planning hubs for guidance during your planning and packing process.

View our Travel Planning Hubs

" London, Normandy, Paris was a fabulous trip, especially the year of the 75th anniversary of D-Day! That was our 7th trip with Holiday Vacations. Loved every one of them. The national parks are well worth seeing, as were Hawaii and Cuba. "

– Judy Kelly D. - Via Facebook

" My third trip with HV was to Austria and Germany in 2014. This included the bucket list of experiencing OKTOBERFEST. Looks like I’m doing a beer commercial with the Alps as a backdrop. Also notice my pinkie extended. This is due to 2 years of charm school (REALLY). Thank you HV for all the amazing memories. "

– Katie H. - Via Facebook

" Jackson Hole, WY while on the Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Tetons trip last year. We just completed our 6th trip with Holiday Vacations last month and are now discussing which tour we will take next. Only way we wish to travel and Holiday Vacations tours are the best! "

– Elaine G. - Via Facebook

" Athens, Greece at the Parthenon. My first trip. Everything about it was great! "

– Yvonne C. - Via Facebook

" October 2019 trip to Italy—Venice, Florence and Rome. This was taken in front of the Coliseum in Rome. Such a fantastic, memorable trip! Looking forward to our next adventure with Holiday when we go to Iceland in October. "

– Mary F. - Via Facebook

Stay Informed

Be the first to know about exclusive opportunities or departures from your area.

Stay Connected

Activity levels.

travelling holidays

Tour days tend to be shorter in length, at a relaxed pace, and include lots of unscheduled time for leisure. Expect standing and walking for extended periods of time on flat surfaces, mostly low altitudes, and consistent temperatures.

travelling holidays

Tour days usually move at a leisurely pace. Some days’ scheduled activities last longer than others. Expect standing and walking for long periods of time on occasionally uneven terrain. You may experience changes in altitude or temperature.

travelling holidays

Tour days tend to be long, move at a consistent pace, and may include long travel days. Expect standing and walking for long periods of time on uneven surfaces. Some destinations may have changes in altitude and/or temperature.

travelling holidays

Tour days tend to be long, move at a brisk pace, and may include lengthy travel days. Expect long periods of walking and standing on uneven surfaces. Scheduled activities may require physical effort or have distinct changes in altitude or temperature.

travelling holidays

Very Active

Tour days tend to be long, move at a vigorous pace, and may include lengthy travel days. Expect long periods of walking and standing on rough surfaces. Scheduled activities may require physical effort or have distinct changes in altitude or temperature.

  • KAYAK for Business NEW

Compare package deals to find the right one.

Search vacation deals by destination, find vacation packages, las vegas vacations, honolulu vacations, toronto vacations, paris vacations, new york vacations, cancún vacations, rome vacations, san juan vacations, miami beach vacations, montego bay vacations, punta cana vacations, key west vacations, orlando vacations, barcelona vacations, hawaii vacations.

Bundle your flight and hotel, and you can save an average of $294

Add specific hotel dates

Hotwire Vacation Packages Deals

Don’t let the humdrum of planning a trip suck all the fun out of your getaway. Leave the tedious work up to Hotwire so you can spend more time focusing on which restaurants you’re going to try and all the activities you want to complete during your trip. Hotwire’s philosophy is simple. Book with us so you can stop planning and start exploring!

With Hotwire, searching for and creating your own cheap vacation packages is easy. Just plug in your destination, pick any combination of flights, hotels, or car rentals and boom, you’ll have your list of cheap vacations. You can bundle flight and hotel packages for an incredibly low price.

Vacationing on a whim? Trust Hotwire to get you affordable last-minute vacation deals.

Hotwire does the planning; you do all the saving. By spending less, you’ll have more money to explore and discover. Make a reservation at that hot new restaurant. Take the helicopter tour. Buy the shoes you’ve been eyeing since you got here. That’s the point of vacation, right?

Or better yet, start planning your next trip with the money left over in your travel fund. Just got back from lounging on a beach getaway? Next, maybe it’s time to head to the mountains.

Whatever awesome adventure you can dream up, Hotwire will get you an amazing price on your vacation getaway deal. So, what are you waiting for? Get booking and start packing. Hotwire is here to help you score a cheap flight and hotel package with the least amount of effort.

*Savings based on all vacation package bookings with Flight + Hotel on Hotwire.com and its affiliated brands, as compared to price of the same components booked separately. Savings will vary based on origin/destination, length of trip, stay dates and selected travel supplier(s). Savings not available on all packages.

Explore more destinations

Top vacation package destinations.

  • Las Vegas Vacations
  • Cancun Vacations
  • Miami Vacations
  • Corona Vacations
  • Cabo San Lucas Vacations
  • Disneyland Park Vacations
  • New York Vacations
  • Honolulu Vacations
  • Los Angeles Vacations
  • Maui Vacations
  • Orlando Vacations
  • New Orleans Vacations
  • Canada Vacations
  • Tulum Vacations
  • Bali Vacations
  • Maldives Vacations
  • Clearwater Beach Vacations
  • Denver Vacations
  • South Beach Vacations
  • Key West Vacations

Popular Beach Vacation Spots

  • Cancun Beach Vacations
  • Miami Beach Vacations
  • Cabo San Lucas Beach Vacations
  • Honolulu Beach Vacations
  • Maui Beach Vacations
  • Orlando Beach Vacations
  • Bali Beach Vacations
  • Maldives Beach Vacations
  • Key West Beach Vacations
  • Myrtle Beach Vacations
  • Playa Del Carmen Beach Vacations
  • Puerto Rico Beach Vacations
  • Florida Keys Beach Vacations
  • Destin Beach Vacations
  • Puerto Vallarta Beach Vacations
  • Tampa Beach Vacations
  • Fort Lauderdale Beach Vacations
  • Aruba Beach Vacations

Popular Ski Vacation Spots

  • Vancouver Ski Vacations
  • Canada Ski Vacations
  • Denver Ski Vacations
  • Reno Ski Vacations
  • Banff Ski Vacations
  • Colorado Springs Ski Vacations
  • Montreal Ski Vacations
  • South Lake Tahoe Ski Vacations
  • Whistler Ski Vacations
  • Breckenridge Ski Vacations
  • Appalachian Mountains Ski Vacations
  • Alaksa Ski Vacations
  • Park City Ski Vacations
  • Skipper's Corner Ski Vacations
  • Collingwood Ski Vacations
  • Lincoln, NH Ski Vacations
  • Maine Ski Vacations
  • Colorado Ski Vacations
  • Lake Louise Ski Vacations
  • Aurora, CO Ski Vacations

Popular Caribbean Spots

  • Aruba Vacations
  • Punta Cana Vacations
  • San Juan Vacations
  • Montego Bay Vacations
  • Puerto Rico Island Vacations
  • Negril Vacations
  • Cozumel Vacations
  • British Virgin Islands Vacations
  • Turks And Caicos Vacations
  • Belize Vacations
  • Ocho Rios Vacations
  • Trinidad And Tobago Vacations
  • Barbados Vacations
  • Bermuda Vacations
  • Xcaret Vacations

Top European Vacation Destinations

  • London Vacations
  • Paris Vacations
  • Ibiza Island Vacations
  • Mykonos Vacations
  • Liverpool Vacations
  • St Ives Vacations
  • Windermere Vacations
  • Manchester Vacations
  • Glasgow Vacations
  • Versailles Vacations
  • Nice Vacations
  • Lyon Vacations
  • Marseille Vacations
  • Santorini Vacations
  • Berlin Vacations
  • Frankfurt Vacations
  • Munich Vacations
  • Barcelona Vacations
  • Madrid Vacations
  • Dublin Vacations

Vacation Ideas by Theme

  • All Inclusive
  • Last Minute
  • Weekend Getaway
  • Bachelorette Party
  • Bachelor Party
  • Gay-Friendly
  • Adults Only
  • Outdoor Adventure
  • Island Getaway
  • Spring Break
  • National Parks

Top South Vacation Destinations

  • Atlanta Vacations
  • San Antonio Vacations
  • Houston Vacations
  • Nashville Vacations
  • Austin Vacations
  • Galveston Vacations
  • Dallas Vacations
  • Charlotte Vacations
  • Indian Rocks Beach Vacations
  • El Paso Vacations
  • Memphis Vacations

Top North Vacation Destinations

  • Philadelphia Vacations
  • Boston Vacations
  • Pittsburgh Vacations
  • Newark Vacations
  • Cape Cod Vacations
  • Washington Vacations
  • Niagara Falls Vacations
  • Manhattan Vacations
  • Brooklyn Vacations
  • Buffalo Vacations
  • Jersey City Vacations

Top Midwest Vacation Destinations

  • Detroit Vacations
  • Columbus Vacations
  • Cincinnati Vacations
  • Minneapolis Vacations
  • Grand Rapids Vacations
  • Kansas City Vacations
  • St Louis Vacations
  • Des Moines Vacations
  • Chicago Vacations
  • Cleveland Vacations
  • Indianapolis Vacations
  • Milwaukee Vacations

Top West Coast Vacation Destinations

  • Portland Vacations
  • Seattle Vacations
  • San Francisco Vacations
  • Fresno Vacations
  • Phoenix Vacations
  • Anaheim Vacations
  • Tucson Vacations
  • Salt Lake City Vacations
  • San Jose Vacations
  • Palm Springs Vacations

The Telegraph

The 50 best family holidays to brighten up your 2024

W ith last summer holiday’s balmy, Picpoul-infused evenings officially a distant memory and half term on the horizon, now is the perfect moment to look ahead to your holiday plans for 2024 – and happily, there are more options than ever before.

Britain’s three biggest tour operators, Tui, easyJet Holidays and Jet2Holidays, recently announced they would be laying on a record number of seats for 2024. After a strong year of bookings – proving that numbers have finally returned to pre-pandemic levels – airlines and smaller operators are equally optimistic for the year ahead, with new routes and destinations added to the map.

So where to go? From Easter warmth in Mauritius to Sicily in May and Cyprus in summer to Barbados in October, we’ve rounded up 50 great deals for the year ahead. So put a log on the fire, get the family to gather around the laptop, and book that sunshine holiday for 2024.

Skip ahead:

February half-term

  • Easter break
  • May half term
  • Summer holidays
  • October half term
  • Christmas 2024

Start with a big dose of sunshine. You’ll need to travel further to compensate for the northern hemisphere’s winter chill, but the beach will feel all the sweeter.  

Go wild in Costa Rica

Hang out with sloths, spot colourful wild macaws and get up-close with howler monkeys in Costa Rica, where every day brings a new wildlife encounter. Sunvil’s 12-night itinerary (020 8758 4774; sunvil.co.uk ) includes a trip to Poás Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens alongside waterfall walks, jungle hikes, treetop walkways and croc-spotting boat trips. You’ll venture from the forest to the Caribbean coast, staying at eco lodges in spectacular locations along the way. From £4,299pp (based on four people), including a mix of B&B and full board accommodation, return flights from London and transfers.

A city beach-break in Abu Dhabi

For guaranteed February warmth, head to Abu Dhabi where temperatures average 25C – ideal for lazing at the pool and beach, and sightseeing in the city. The InterContinental Abu Dhabi features a vast swimming pool and a private beachfront, plus easy access to shops, theme parks and nightlife, and cultural hits at the Heritage Village, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – all just a few minutes’ taxi ride away. British Airways Holidays (0344 493 0787; britishairways.com ) offers three nights from £1,084pp, including return flights and B&B accommodation. 

Spot elephants in Sri Lanka

A trip to Sri Lanka caters to all interests, whether history, religion, culture, food, wildlife, hiking or simply flopping on the beach. On Audley Travel’s 10-day Sri Lanka itinerary (01993 838 335; audleytravel.com ), you’ll see this extraordinary nation from all angles: exploring the rural villages of the Tea Country, tracking leopards in Yala National Park, spotting elephants in Udawalawe National Park, watching whales and dolphins on a wildlife cruise, and much more. Temperatures are typically in the high twenties on the south coast, with an average of nine hours of sunshine per day. Priced from £4,475pp, based on four travelling – including flights, transfers, accommodation and excursions.

Group getaway to the Sunshine State

With space to accommodate 26 people, the nine-bedroom Villa Purple Gallinule (0204 580 1178; splvillas.com ) – in Champions Gate, Orlando – has everything you need for multi-gen and big-group holidays. It’s less than 10 miles from Florida’s famous theme parks, and has its own outdoor pool and jacuzzi. Kick back in the games room, the two lounge areas and modern open-plan kitchen – and you can even access the local clubhouse with its own gym, another pool (with slides) and restaurants. Seven nights’ accommodation in February from £3,267 total.

Explore the Rainbow Nation

At this time of year, South Africa is an especially sweet southern escape. On cazenove+loyd’s self-guided trip (020 7384 2332; cazloyd.com ), South Africa: Discover the Rainbow Nation’s Diversity, you’ll explore everywhere from Cape Town’s Table Mountain and the cobbled streets and colourful houses of Bo-Kaap, to coastal retreats on the Cape Peninsula reserve, with its wildlife, shipwrecks and gorgeous beaches. Join a safari in Kruger National Park, and discover the winelands on a tour and tasting day for the grown-ups. Seven nights from £3,750 per adult, excluding international flights.

Flee to Phuket, Thailand

For long sunny days and balmy evenings, Thailand is a tempting prospect in February. TUI (0203 451 2688; tui.co.uk ) offers a selection of week-long packages featuring glorious beaches, all-inclusive dining and swish resorts – such as Cape Panwa Hotel, on the island of Phuket. It’s surrounded by coconut groves and tropical gardens, with a private white sand cove reached by funicular. Seven nights priced from £1,709 per adult over February half-term, including flights and half-board accommodation.

Feel energised in Dubai

With its unstoppable energy, outlandish looks and endless sunshine (a balmy mid-twenties at this time of year), Dubai is just the ticket in February. Away Holidays (0800 408 8000; awayholidays.co.uk ) has a wide selection of UAE packages, including Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Dubai – a glitzy, low-rise hotel on the Palm, with a private beachfront. Seven nights from £966pp, including flights from London and half-board accommodation; based on two adults and two children sharing a luxury room.

Back to index

Easter sunshine

When you’re sun-seeking at Easter, you can get away with medium-haul flights – giving you maximum time on the beach. 

Gentle sunshine in Lanzarote

For young families and those keen to avoid summer’s soaring temperatures, the Canaries are perfect at Easter: Lanzarote basks in dependable warmth in the low-twenties, and the crowds are yet to arrive. In Costa Teguise, the four-star Barceló Lanzarote Active Resort is a fun, fresh all-inclusive choice: it’s recently renovated, with multiple swimming pools, tons of sports and activities, and several restaurants and bars. Thomas Cook (020 8016 3295; thomascook.com ) has a family holiday for four from £2,599 total; includes a junior suite and flights from London Gatwick.

Wellness and warmth in Mauritius

May brings perfect beach weather to Mauritius. As well as all the watersports and activities you could wish for – snorkelling, paddleboarding, canoeing, waterskiing and more. Long Beach Hotel ( longbeachmauritius.com ) offers wellness experiences for all ages. While you hit the spa, the kids can enjoy mini massages, silent meditation and a daily fitness programme that includes trampolining, tennis, swimming, climbing, boxercise and Zumba. There are also healthy kids’ menus in every restaurant to keep them nourished during their stay. Throughout May half term, a Junior Suite – sleeps three – costs from £229 per night, with flights around £800 return. 

An epic California family road trip 

Explore California’s awe-inspiring Pacific coastline on a two-week family road-trip with Bon Voyage – starting in San Francisco with a bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge and sea lions at Fisherman’s Wharf, before following the Pacific Coast Highway via pretty towns and beauty spots such as Big Sur, Carmel and Monterey, with the chance to spot sea otters and humpback whales along the way (0800 316 0194, bon-voyage.co.uk ). The journey continues to Los Angeles, home of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, while teens will also love touring Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the Sunset Strip on a Celebrity Tour – and ends in Santa Monica and in San Diego, where you can flop, tired and happy, on the beach. Priced from £2,212.50 per person, including flights, car hire and accommodation, based on a family of four. 

A beach hideaway in Grenada

The antithesis of the Caribbean’s big resorts, Mount Cinnamon is a boutique hotel with just 37 suites and villas – with buggy access to Grand Anse Beach, one of the island’s finest stretches of sand ( mountcinnamongrenadahotel.com ). Thanks to its abundant watersports, beach toys and complimentary Kids Club (open to children aged three to 12), this is a great choice for families – and Grenada is gorgeously sunny in April. Seven nights’ bed and breakfast, including flights from London, starts from £1,440 – based on two adults and two children sharing a One Bedroom Hacienda Suite. 

Explore an old pirate port in Morocco

From frenetic Marrakech to the old pirate port of Essaouira, Morocco’s cities are a kaleidoscope of colour, activity and culture – and pleasantly warm right now, with temperatures in the low twenties. On Intrepid’s Morocco Family Holiday (0808 274 5111; intrepidtravel.com ), you’ll explore these two cities alongside more rural, relaxing locales: riding camels on the coast, hiking in the Atlas Mountains and staying with a berber family in an authentic homestay. Eight days cost from £464pp, excluding flights but including accommodation, excursions and selected meals.

Mayan adventure in Mexico

Discover the Caribbean’s wild side on Original Travel’s 12-day Mexican family adventure to the Yucatan Peninsula (020 3582 4990; originaltravel.co.uk ). You’ll stay in beautiful hotels, including a waterfront casa in Akumal Bay, on the so-called Mayan Riviera – a sandy, sunkissed haven of snorkelling, kayaking, scuba diving and horse-riding on the waterfront. Enjoy a private visit to Tulum, the village of Acanceh and the city of Mayapan, and swim in Mexico’s refreshing cenotes (natural sinkholes). Prices from £3,215pp, based on a family of four including flights, transfers and 10 nights’ B&B accommodation.

Try scuba diving in Cyprus

Located on the quiet west coast of Cyprus, on the dramatic Akamas peninsula, Anassa (+357 26 888 000; anassa.com ) offers an impressive family-friendly offering – including a kids’ club divided into four age groups (four months to 12 years), and children’s introductory sessions for kayaking, swimming and scuba diving. From dining menus and entertainment designed especially for tots, to a wide choice of interconnecting rooms and suites, it takes care of all the essentials. A fun, fuss-free option for Easter sunshine. Garden View Rooms with breakfast cost from £425 per night during the Easter holidays.

Go wild in the Maldives

Nowhere says “special treat” quite like the Maldives – so if you’re in the mood to spoil your brood, book Original Travel ’s nine-day Soneva Fushi getaway (020 3582 4990). At this five-star private island resort, you’ll have white sand beaches mere steps from your bed, plus activities ranging from sea kayaking and windsurfing, to stargazing in an observatory and a private showing of your family’s favourite film under the stars. For an adventure, take a boat to Eydhafushi island to explore its mosques and craft shops, or go turtle and octopus spotting with a marine biologist. From  £3,730pp, based on a family of four sharing for seven nights. Includes return flights and transfers.

May half-term fun

Europe is hotting up – but prices will be rising too. Book soon to secure a getaway before fares creep up: tour operators can secure flights in advance while also offering flexibility, so book a package rather than going independent.

Watersports in Trentino, Italy

Thanks to its Mediterranean climate and abundant watersports, Trentino is a tempting prospect for May half term – with hundreds of beautiful lakes throughout the region, and a huge variety of active adventures to try. In the morning, the crystal-clear water is perfect for canoeing and rowing, while in the afternoon, when the wind starts to blow, it becomes the perfect spot for windsurfing and sailing. There are two paragliding sites close to the lake, for bird’s-eye views of the valleys and Lake Idro. A seven-night stay at the three-star Locanda alla Grotta is priced from £253 per person during May half term, based on two people sharing a double room, half-board ( locandaallagrotta.it ), return flights from London to Milan priced around £224 in May half term.

Active adventure in Austria

The smooth, hill-free shores of the Danube are ripe for exploring by bike – a sunny, but altogether more adventurous, option for May half term. Active on Holiday’s eight-day Danube Cycle Path for Families holiday includes a full riverside itinerary from Linz to Vienna for all ages, with bike hire, luggage transfers, accommodation and breakfast included ( activeonholiday.com ). On hot days, you can cool off in the waterparks, Aqua Parks, lakes, and public outdoor pools along the way. Ideal for those who don’t want to sit on a beach all week – with an electric bike option for those who wish they could. Priced from £978 per adult during May half term, with concessions for children; price includes a 21-speed hybrid bike; e-bike upgrades and child bikes are available on request. 

Greece in the lap of luxury

A long sandy beach, two swimming pools, tennis courts, five restaurants – it’s all on the doorstep of Eagles Place, in the northern Greece region of Halkidiki. Book now to scoop Trailfinders’ seven nights’ accommodation with return flights for £4,999 total over half term (departing May 27, 2024), based on two adults and two children travelling together – a saving of £450 (020 7368 1317, trailfinders.com ). Expect a relaxed atmosphere, with a sun-kissed central pool surrounded by palm trees; or for the more active, a wealth of activities including watersports and tennis. 

History lesson on tour in Egypt

Part sunny break, part learning adventure, Abercrombie and Kent’s new Grand Egyptian Journey puts you among the first to visit Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum – a chance to take the history lesson out of the classroom (0207 173 6440, abercrombiekent.co.uk ). As well as three nights in the capital with a private guide and museum visit, you’ll explore the Nile river on a four-night full-board cruise – immersed in ancient history at every opportunity, in the expert company of an Egyptologist. Over May half term, prices include flights, transfers, B&B accommodation in Cairo at the Four Seasons and all guiding throughout – from £6,820pp based on two sharing.

Take the family to Florida

Book now to scoop a brilliant deal to Florida for the May break. Holiday Pirates is offering £360 off its half-term twin-centre Orlando & St Pete’s Beach trip – with free tickets to a magic show, mall vouchers, a seven-day Orlando Trolley pass and tickets for The Wheel at ICON Park thrown in for good measure ( holidaypirates.com ). You’ll be staying at the family-friendly Lake Buena Vista Resort Village & Spa and Fish Beach Resort by TradeWinds – right on the white sand of St. Pete’s Beach. 14 nights start from £1,199 per person, including flights. 

Sneak off to Sicily

A cluster of pretty farmhouses and cottages, Le Case di Tindari estate in northeast Sicily will be basking in mid-twenties temperatures throughout May half term. Surrounded by 30 hectares of olive and oak trees, the complex – booked via Wish Sicily – features an 59-foot infinity pool overlooking the sea and the Sanctuary of Tindari; each accommodation sleeps two to seven guests ( wishsicily.com , 0207 193 7302). The nearest beach – and day trips to the Aeolian Islands – is a few minutes’ drive away. Accommodation for 13 guests is currently priced at £4,440 per week, with return flights from the UK to Palermo or Catania (booked separately) from around £180.

Enjoy Corfu’s wild nightlife

The inspiration behind Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals , Corfu is a wildlife haven – and May brings the chance of seeing fireflies at night, as well as enjoying its pretty beaches and villages by day. Villa Eva is located on a small headland, a short stroll from Avlaki Bay, with a shaded dining terrace overlooking its infinity pool. It sleeps up to six people, and guests can also use the facilities at the beachside Bella Mare Hotel nearby – including kayak and SUP rentals, sea-breezy dining and boat trips. Simpson Travel (0208 003 6557; simpsontravel.com ) offers seven nights from £1,507pp, based on six sharing including flights, accommodation and car hire; depart May 27.

Take a screen break in Croatia

For a beach holiday with a side of adventure, look to Croatia: Audley Travel’s 10-day family tour (01993 838 234; audleytravel.com ) encompasses time in Dubrovnik, Hvar and Split, with endless activity options for all ages. Perhaps kayak around Dubrovnik’s city walls, swim and snorkel in the Pakleni Islands, hike along Hvar’s southern coastline and zip-line over the Cetina River. Those who enjoy a slower pace can take a cable car to the top of Mount Srð for panoramic views, wander along Hvar’s waterfront promenade or simply hit the beach. The 10-day itinerary costs from £4,955pp (based on four sharing), and includes flights, transfers, accommodation and excursions.

Go all-inclusive in Turkey

Turkey is a great choice before the peak of summer, with temperatures averaging around 26C. The all-inclusive TUI Blue in Sarigerme (0203 451 2688; tui.co.uk ) is a simple, sunny crowd-pleaser: think beachfront joys, multiple swimming pools, buffet dining and entertainment for all ages – as well as local activities including river rafting, island-hopping cruises and mud baths. Seven nights cost from £1,244pp, based on two adults and two children sharing and including return flights from Gatwick, luggage and transfers.

Chill in a Majorcan villa

Just 400 metres from the sandy cove of Calo des Pou, Villa Forte 57 (0204 580 1178; splvillas.com ) is designed to sleep eight guests in comfort – with sea views from its bedrooms, secluded outdoor dining and a private swimming pool. While the barbecue’s sizzling, challenge your family to a table tennis match or catch some rays on the sunloungers. You can walk to the centre of Cala Egos in just a few minutes – your go-to spot for shops, restaurants and nightlife. Seven nights in May costs from £2,580 (accommodation only). 

Nature and tranquillity on Alonnisos, Greece

From Skiathos, board a ferry to the unspoiled island of Alonnisos, a pristine island cloaked in pine forests and sweet-scented wild herbs. It is set in Europe’s largest marine reserve, home to endangered Mediterranean monk seals, turtles and dolphins. There’s even an underwater museum, where divers can explore a shipwreck from 425 BC. On the south-west coast, Marpunta Resort feels secluded but is within easy reach of the best beaches. It’s built in the style of a traditional fisherman’s village, the white-washed buildings peeking out from clouds of bougainvillaea. Jet2 (0800 408 0778; jet2holidays.com ) offers seven nights’ half-board departing from Stansted, from £1,322pp.

A summer to remember

Keen to secure advance bookings, tour operators are currently doing everything to keep summer’s prices alluring with special offers, free upgrades and more. Secure a holiday now, then relax – perhaps a little smug.

Turkey with the teens

Family travel specialist Simpson Travel (020 8003 6557; simpsontravel.com ) is offering most of its 2024 summer holidays at this year’s prices – which, in turn, have been frozen at December 2022 rates. For those with older kids in tow, its teen-friendly Turkey villa break at Villa Azra, Kalkan (which sleeps ten), is ideal for independence-hungry youngsters – with watersports and beach clubs nearby, and the town’s nightlife a short walk away. The property features a 36ft swimming pool and Jacuzzi, plus a games room – and for even larger groups, it can be booked together with the five-bedroom Villa Maya next door. As well as all the essentials, the holiday includes a complimentary hammam treatment and day-long gulet boat trip with lunch. Priced from £1,391 per person for seven nights’ self-catering, including flights and car hire – based on 10 sharing. 

The Lion King – in real life

With the new Mufasa: The Lion King movie hitting the big screen in July, the kids will be itching to see lions, giraffes and zebras up-close – so get ahead of the trend with Families Worldwide’s Kenya itinerary, new for summer 2024 (01962 302062, familiesworldwide.co.uk ). Alongside safari drives, rock climbing and paddleboarding, it also includes cultural experiences such as a Masai Mara village visit, foraging adventures and jewellery-making workshops with local tribeswomen. Add in Kenya’s longest zipline (over a mile in length), a cycling safari in Hells Gate National Park and white-water rafting on the Sagana River’s ‘Devil’s Toilet Bowl’ rapids, and you have the makings of a really wild getaway. Priced from £3,165 per adult and £2,545 per child, including seven nights’ accommodation, most meals, transfer and return flights from the UK. Departs July 27 and August 10.

All-inclusive sun in Rhodes, Greece

Book now to secure savings on Labranda Blue Bay Resort, in Rhodes: an all-inclusive haven of blue skies, family activities and gorgeous sea views, just steps from Ialyssos Beach – available via Olympic Holidays (0208 492 6868, olympicholidays.com ). Its myriad facilities include a waterpark with slides, kids’ and teenage clubs, a games centre and dedicated children’s playground – plus nightly entertainment, and an activities programme that includes archery, mountain biking, tennis, volleyball and more. Fly and flop, or get the whole family active? You decide. Seven nights with flights and all-inclusive package priced from £974 per person, travelling on August 5 – a saving of £75 per person. 

Multi-gen getaway to Menorca

Be the first to stay at CV Villas’ Finca Bonita in Menorca – a new addition to its 2024 portfolio, within easy reach of Mahon Harbour and Sa Mesquida Beach (020 7261 5400, cvvillas.com ). It’s ideal for big multi-generational trips, with six spacious bedrooms sleeping up to 12 guests, and a whopping 30 hectares of lush gardens with a private pool and several outdoor dining areas. Make yourself at home in the large rustic kitchen, sun-drenched terrace and stylish living area – though be warned, everyone will want to bag the gorgeous master bedroom on the top floor. Finca Bonita is priced from £18,178 per week during summer; flight inclusive packages start from £1,672 per person, flying from London Gatwick.

Beaches and biking in the Algarve

On the eastern tip of Portugal’s Algarve coast, hotel Martinhal Sagres is a sure-fire hit for families – featuring an award-winning kids club, two pools, multiple restaurants and a huge variety of activities ranging from mountain biking to surfing. Choose from individual houses and villas, some even with private gardens and swimming pools – all just a few steps from a 700-metre beach. British Airways Holidays (0344 493 0787; britishairways.com )  offers a flights and hotel package with breakfast from £1,369 per adult for seven nights, throughout August, based on departing from London Heathrow ( ba.com ).

Chase the sun to Sardinia

With its pristine white-sand beach and extensive activities offering, southern Sardinia’s Forte Village is pure summer joy – set in 50 hectares of lush subtropical gardens ( fortevillageresort.com ). It’s a “sports resort”, with a seemingly endless array of workshops and tournaments: think football, rugby, rowing, fencing, boxing, hockey and more, alongside courses in DJing, art and magic. Double bungalows priced from €540 (£470) per room per night, based on two adults sharing a on a half board basis, excluding drinks. Return flights from London currently priced at around £170, based on travel in August. 

Hit the beach in Cyprus

Right on Blue Flag-rated sands, with a vast lagoon-style swimming pool and kids’ club bursting with activities, the Mediterranean Beach Hotel in Cyprus’s Agios Thychonas is ideal for a simple family break – and Kuoni is currently offering up to 15 per cent off July 2024 departures (0800 294 9705, kuoni.co.uk ). A seven-night stay with breakfast and return flights from Gatwick is priced from £4,999 for a family of four, based on two adults and two children under 12. 

Blaze a trail in the Cyclades

Raise a few eyebrows next summer by visiting Sifnos, Folegandros and Milos – trailblazing in the Cyclades, on a far-flung island hopping adventure. These lesser-known islands offer golden beaches and quiet coves, and are dotted with tiny white-washed towns – where the seafood is fresh, the weather is glorious and the accommodation is excellent value. Sunvil’s seven-night Island-hopping in the Cyclades trip costs from £1,866 per person, based on two sharing, including return flights from Gatwick, accommodation with breakfast, and all transfers (020 8758 4758, sunvil.co.uk ). 

Get active in Lesvos, Greece

On the gloriously sandy Eressos beach on the south-west coast of Lesvos, Aeolian Village Beach Resort is Mark Warner Holidays’ newest hotel (0845 322 5037; markwarner.co.uk ). Active guests can choose between sports on land or on the water, with conditions ideal for sailing, windsurfing and rowing. The island’s quiet roads are ideal for cycling, too. There are six age-appropriate clubs for kids aged four months to 17 years. Seven nights costs from £1,542pp, based on a family of four staying in a Village Maisonette Suite, including flights from Gatwick, half-board accommodation, transfers and various activities, tuition and fitness classes; departs Aug 21.

Run with the cowboys, Canada

From zip-lines to bear-spotting and cowboy encounters, the wonders of western Canada await on Trailfinders’ bespoke family adventure (020 7368 1317; trailfinders.com ). This holiday works well in summer when the weather is warm, the wildlife is plentiful and the national parks are easy for the whole family to explore. Visit Whistler, Revelstoke and Banff in a hire car and stay in three to five-star hotels throughout. A stay of 13 nights cost from £2,879pp, based on two adults and two children travelling together. Includes flights, 11 days’ car hire, accommodation, Vancouver Hop-on Hop-off city tour, Whistler zip-line and bear tour, Ultimate Rockies Explorer tickets and cowboy cookout lunch.

Rock out in Tenerife

Time to shake up the fly-and-flop? With an extraordinary line-up of events, concerts and parties throughout summer, Hard Rock Tenerife is a treat for music lovers of all ages. Alongside its three swimming pools, music-inspired spa and kids’ clubs (including a teen hangout with DJ lessons), there’s an incredible amount of music history and memorabilia on show: from Elton John’s Rocketman costume to Slash’s original setlists. Seven nights with British Airways Holidays (0344 493 0787; britishairways.com ) costs from £785pp in July, based on two adults sharing. Includes return flights and accommodation.

Peruse Provence with your pals

Ideal for big groups of friends or family, The Olive Mas is a contemporary villa in rural Provence with a 20-metre long swimming pool, four en-suite bedrooms (sleeping eight) and oodles of outside space. The villages of Paradou and Maussane are a brief walk away, so the car can stay put for those evening rosé-hazy saunters and dinners out. Easy local jaunts include Les Baux de Provence, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Arles, Avignon and the beaches of the Camargue at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer – famous for their wild horses. One week in August with Vintage Travel (01954 261431; vintagetravel.co.uk ) costs from £6,791; villa only.

Botswana bush safari

A week of pure adventure, Families Worldwide’s Botswana Bush Safari (01962 302062; familiesworldwide.co.uk ) includes five nights in a mobile camp, sleeping under the stars in comfort. You’ll enjoy extraordinary scenery and wildlife encounters every day. Explore the Okavango Delta on private game drives and in traditional dug-out canoes, with the chance to see elephants, buffaloes, lions and leopards in the wild. Summer departures allow for the best weather, with the dry season offering less rain and cooler nights – plus plenty of sunshine. From £2,795 per adult and £2,695 per child, excluding flights.

Kick back in Crete

Retreat to a hilltop eyrie overlooking a private sandy bay: Daios Cove, on Crete’s north-east coast. Blending a wild location with swish, secluded accommodation, this ritzy resort features one, two and three-bedroom villas set across two levels, each with a heated saltwater pool and private terrace – as well as the main infinity and children’s pools. The kids’ club will keep the tots busy with treasure hunts, beach games and craft workshops while you hit the spa, beach or tennis courts. Scott Dunn (020 8682 5080; scottdunn.com ) offers seven nights’ all-inclusive accommodation from £6,000, based on a family of three. Includes private transfers, one kids’ club place and return flights.

Plan ahead for October

Don’t rely on Europe for autumn sunshine: the Caribbean and UAE offer far balmier climes ideal for a sunny half-term sojourn. 

Sun-kissed fun in Abu Dhabi

With temperatures in the high twenties, the UAE is a glorious prospect for October half term – and Scott Dunn’s Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas holiday will tempt even the most screen-obsessed little’un into the real world. Its newly renovated state-of-the-art Explorers Kids Club is a huge, air-conditioned space divided into two separate areas – one for under 5s and another for over 5s, equipped with sensory games, a dedicated Sleep Room, shaded outdoor play area, a splash pool and separate pool with waterslide and winding lazy river for older children. Scott Dunn offers seven nights from £6,000 for a family of four: half board, with return flights from London, private transfers and two Explorers places (020 8682 5075; scottdunn.com )

Cruise the Caribbean

Set sail across the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, from Fort Lauderdale to the Cayman Islands’ George Town – where children can run free on its seven-mile beach – before sailing to Cozumel, Mexico. Travelling on its Celebrity Beyond ship, Celebrity Cruises’ six-night Western Caribbean and Perfect Day cruise includes two stop-offs in the Bahamas too, with one day at Perfect Day at CocoCay water park – home to North America’s tallest waterslide (0800 240 4286, celebritycruises.co.uk ). Priced from £2,080 per person, based on two adults and two children travelling on October 27 and sharing a room with a balcony – including return flights from London Heathrow, one-night pre-cruise hotel stay and transfers.

Outdoor adventures in Barbados

Forget fly-and-flop: Barbados is a family travel paradise, balancing activities for the kids and rejuvenation for the adults – with reliable sunshine throughout October half term. Original Travel’s Barbados Getaway is an exploration of the island from top to bottom, including a quest to find shipwrecks, scuba diving on breathtaking coral reefs, and bike rides on the east coast – plus plenty of beach time on the island’s superlative sands (020 3582 4990, originaltravel.co.uk ). Priced from £1,335pp based on a family of four, for a nine-day trip including all flights, private drivers, car rental, transfers and seven nights’ accommodation. 

Follow Paddington’s paw-steps, Peru

The new Paddington movie is set to be released next month, so pack your marmalade sandwiches for an adventure to Peru. He’ll be venturing to his home nation, and you should too: Original Travel’s nine-day family holiday (020 3582 4990; originaltravel.co.uk ) includes cycling in the Sacred Valley, a pottery masterclass in Cusco, paddle boarding on Lake Piuray, touring an Inca fortress in Sacsayhuaman, visiting Machu Picchu, and even meeting Paddington’s relatives at a spectacled bear sanctuary. From £4,325pp, based on four sharing; includes flights, transfers, transport and accommodation.

Sneak off to Dubai

Spend your half-term basking in the reliable warm weather, white sand beaches and extraordinary theme parks of Dubai, staying at the Atlantis The Palm hotel. Inspiring Travel (01244 729748; inspiringtravel.co.uk ) is currently offering seven nights from £7,965 per family in October on a bed-and-breakfast basis (based on two adults and a child sharing). Includes an Ocean Room King, flights, transfers and luggage; travel between Oct 25 and Nov 3.

Yes, it’s almost a whole year away – but imagine how good it will feel to watch everyone else scrabbling for sunshine next winter while you’ve got your getaway sorted. 

Football fever in Brazil

Embark on an exhilarating family adventure to Brazil, commencing your journey in the heart of Rio with views of Sugarloaf Mountain. Visit artists’ workshops on a studio tour, explore the city by bike and play football on an Ipanema beach with a local coach. Next up is the famous Iguazu Falls and the charming arty settlement of Búzios, staying in a beautiful white house a stone’s throw from the Church of Sant’Ana and the beach. This 10-night trip with Original Travel (020 3582 4990,  originaltravel.co.uk ) costs from £2,855pp based on a family of four; includes flights, transfers and B&B accommodation.

A Caribbean festive fancy

Give yourself – and your family – the gift of white sand beaches, endless sunshine and luxurious accommodation in St Vincent & The Grenadines. Bequia Beach Hotel (+1784 458 1600; bequiabeachhotel.com ) is the stuff of December dreams: think punchy rum cocktails served poolside, long walks on the sand between swaying palm trees and a handful of chic rooms and suites. There’s a daily shuttle to Princess Margaret Beach, and toes-in-the-sand dining at Jack’s Beach Bar. From £453 per night; return flights with Virgin Atlantic ( virginatlantic.com ) cost from £518pp.

Christmas in the US sun

Next December, you could be basking in the mid-twenties heat of the US east coast on a family adventure in Florida. Think lazy days at the beach, sea kayaking, fishing trips – and perhaps even a day at Disney World, to celebrate with Mickey and friends. On the Punta Gorda Isles, a relaxed, waterfront community just south of Tampa, Villa Navarre (0204 580 1178; splvillas.com ) is a great option for families, sleeping up to six people across three spacious bedrooms. Throw in a private pool and lush garden, and you’ve got an extra-special Christmas. From £5,609 total; villa only.

Go wild in Argentina

Spring is turning to summer in Argentina, with long balmy days (in the low twenties), wild flowers and flourishing wildlife. Designed especially with families in mind, Stubborn Mule’s 16-day northern Argentina trip (01728 752751; stubbornmuletravel.com ) will whisk you from Buenos Aires to Cafayate via canoeing in the Parana Delta, horse riding through vineyards, walking with llamas in the mountains and meeting caimans and capybara in the Ibera Wetlands. This is an action-packed adventure that’s perfect for older kids. From £3,750pp, excluding flights.

Bargain beach fun in RAK

While it’s part of the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah isn’t as glitzy as its neighbouring emirates: it specialises in adventure, tranquillity and great-value accommodation instead. On The Beach (0871 474 3000; onthebeach.co.uk ) offers seven nights at DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island – a family favourite featuring seven swimming pools, 13 restaurants, a cabana-lined beach and mini-waterpark. It’s an hour’s transfer from Dubai, enabling flights from an impressive array of UK airports. From £1,639pp including flights and B&B accommodation.

Prices were correct when last checked on January 4, 2024.  

Discover Telegraph Wine Cellar’s new wine club. Enjoy expertly chosen bottles at exclusive member prices. Plus, free delivery on every order.

Now is a perfect moment to look ahead to your holiday plans for 2024 - Getty/E+

Traveling and Holidays - Destinations, vacation destinations, hotspots and much more around travel

Traveling and Holidays Destinations, vacation destinations, hotspots and much more around travel

Discover great destinations and vacation destinations with us and let us inspire you. get to know new places and sights..

Destination Adriatic Sea - Standing promenade

Fethiye Vacation like in a picture book!

Destination Bogotá - Plaza de Bolívar

Bogotá A flourishing Latin American metropolis

Destination Adriatic Sea - Standing promenade

Especially popular articles

Destination Baltic Sea - Beach chairs

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is one of the most popular German travel destinations

Destination North Sea - Wadden Sea

North Sea The North Sea is one of the most popular travel

Destination Sunny beach - view to the sea

Newest articles

Apulia - Fantastic view of the island

Dream beaches and culture in the south of Italy Puglia is located in the southeast of Italy on the Adriatic and Ionian Sea....

Bodrum - View of the landscape

The St. Tropez of Turkey Der malerische Urlaubsort Bodrum ist im südwestlichen Zipfel an der Türkischen Ägäis zu finden....

Palagruza - View of the landscape

Adventure vacation on the Croatian island of Palagruza The Croatian island of Palagruza belongs to a small uninhabited archipelago in the middle...

Tokyo - View of the skyline at night

Futuristic architecture and traditional temples A discovery tour through Tokyo fascinates culture lovers, high-tech fans, Zen enthusiasts, trendsetters and...

Milan - View of the city

In the shadows of Rome, Florence and Venice, Milan is often a little forgotten....

Antalya - View of the temple of Apollo

Pearl of the Turkish Riviera Antalya lies in the south of Turkey. The bay of the same name stretches...

Galesnjak - island in heart shape

Romantic atmosphere makes for special vacations Those who would like to spend the most beautiful days of the year far...

Dalyan - Giant turtles

Popular holiday region on the Turkish Aegean Dalyan is a well-known holiday resort in the southwest of Turkey, located in the...

Prague - View of the Old Town Hall at night

The Golden City of a hundred towers Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic. It is located in the west...

Rab - View of the island from above

The happy island The island of Rab is a jewel in the Kvarner bay. It is one...

Calabria - View of the beach of Scilla and the Castello Ruffo

The mysterious and wild landscape of Calabria Italy's southernmost region inspires with natural beauty and dream beaches The mysterious and wild...

Sofia - View of the National Theater Ivan Wasow

The capital of the Republic of Bulgaria Sofia will inspire you! Sofia is the capital of the Republic of Bulgaria and...

Zagreb - Museum of Broken Hearts

The largest city in Croatia Romantic days in historic Zagreb - In Zagreb, the largest city in Croatia, which...

Amsterdam - View of the Oude Kerk

One of the largest cities Netherlands Between Prinsengracht and Museumplein With 750,000 inhabitants, Amsterdam, the largest city in the Netherlands,...

Shenzhen - City Skyline of Shenzhen

Booming megacity in southern China Shenzhen is located at the gates of Hong Kong. Anyone wishing to travel to...

Athens - View of the amphitheater of the city

City with history Surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges, the capital of Greece lies in the...

Bruges - Grote Marktplatz of Bruges

One of the top travel destinations in Belgium Bruges, the capital of West Flanders - is one of the top travel destinations...

Stuttgart - Opera of Stuttgart

State capital of Baden-Wuerttemberg Lovable metropolis of Baden-Württemberg - Stuttgart The state capital of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart (625,000 inhabitants),...

Hamburg - Moated castle in the Speicherstadt in the evening light

The city on the Elbe The charm of Hamburg enchants with countless attractions - Hamburg is more popular than...

La Paz - Lake Titicaca

City of contrasts and records City of contrasts and records La Paz, the capital of Bolivia high up in...

Acapulco - View from the hotel to the beach

Fascinating city with a glamorous past Frank Sinatra, Liz Taylor, Brigitte Bardot - the Who's Who of the American jet...

Cologne - Christmas market in Cologne

With more than one million inhabitants, the city of Cologne is one of the...

Oslo - The harbour of Oslo in the evening light

An aspiring and dynamic metropolis Dynamic capitals on the way to modernity Oslo is the largest city in Norway...

Antwerp - The station concourse of Antwerp

The third largest port city The port and diamond city Antwerp invites you to stay in Flanders in the...

Saint Tropez - Beach with hotels

One of the most famous places at the Côte d'Azur Saint Tropez is, with barely four and a half thousand inhabitants, by far not...

Moscow - Cathedral Christ the Savior

The largest city in Europe Moscow, the largest city in Europe, offers many historical sights, interesting restaurants and a...

Krakau - Juliusz-Slowacki-Theater

Metropolis with much charm, culture and history The Vistula city of Crakow (Kraków) has an above-average young population of approximately three-quarters...

Faro - cabo vilán

A picturesque town with a beautiful old town Faro is located in the south of Portugal, in the Algarve. A picturesque town...

Chicago - Vista della città e del fiume Chicago di notte

The great city on Lake Michigan With 2.8 million inhabitants, Chicago is the third largest metropolis in the USA, located...

Stockholm - the Kalmar Sea Fortress

Stockholm is perhaps the most beautiful city in Scandinavia The destination Stockholm offers Scandinavian enjoyment and variety all year round Stockholm is perhaps...

Cancun - Picture from the beach at the Riviera Maya

Caribbean picture book landscape, sun and culture of the Mayas One of the most popular travel destinations in Mexico is Cancun with its picturesque...

York - the evening streets of Yorkshire

England's Eternal City Anyone travelling to York should think about comfortable shoes. Because the northern English city...

Bath - medieval thermal baths

The ancient bathing facilities are among the cultural treasures of Europe Discover Britain's natural treasure and world heritage with its magnificent buildings and spacious squares,...

Ankara - Ankara Castle

Attractive capital of the Turkish Republic Though many non - Turks don't know it: It is not Istanbul, but Ankara...

St. Petersburg - St. Isaac Cathedral

The northernmost metropolis of the world Saint Petersburg is a destination of superlatives! The fourth largest city in Europe is...

Seoul - Gyeongbokgung Palace in the evening

South Korea's capital never seems to sleep If you like it colourful and lively, you have made the right choice when...

Alaska - The Anchorage Skyline

One of the last adventures on earth Alaska is the destination of choice for adventurous travelers who want to experience the...

Marrakesh - Insight into the fantastic markets

Discover the magic metropolis In southern Morocco at the foot of the Atlas Mountains is surrounded by a...

California - A star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood

Travel to the Golden State This state of the USA is not only the third largest, but a world...

Marseille - View of the sea

The dreamlike city in the south of France Marseille is located in the south of France on the Mediterranean Sea and is...

  • International edition
  • Australia edition
  • Europe edition

(Clockwise from top left) Deborah Ives diving in Thailand and at the Taj Mahal, Agra, northern India; Kay Johnson on Heissa Island, Aswan, Egypt; Joanna Moorhead in Venice; Kay Johnson in Petra, Jordan; Alison Henri and Monet’s Waterlilies at l’Orangerie, Paris

Long lunches, casual friendships, no one to worry about: solo holidays are brilliant for older women like me

I’ve been travelling alone for 15 years – and loving it. Now that others are catching up, here’s how to make the most of all that me time

I t’s a midweek morning and I’ve just woken up in a hotel room in Madrid on the first day of a minibreak. The day stretches deliciously ahead: shall I go first to the Prado, or the Reina Sofía museum? Shall I have brunch and a late-afternoon main meal, or tapas here and there? The Gran Via is just up the street; I fancy a wander around the shops, but I’ll probably leave that till later in the day.

The fact is, I can do exactly what I want, when I want, because I’m holidaying alone. Like an increasing number of older women in the UK and across the world (I’m 61), I’ve discovered the huge benefits solo travel has to offer. It helps me to recharge my batteries, it’s empowering and it doesn’t have to be horribly expensive (I generally travel off-season and midweek). It takes me out of my comfort zone in just the right way, allowing me to have the experiences, the food and the fun that I want.

Like many women who travel alone, I have a partner, but his life is a lot less flexible than mine and he doesn’t always want the kinds of breaks I do. Phocuswright, a US market research firm, reports that there was a 46% increase last year in people over 55 travelling without their significant other – and most were women. In the UK, the Association of Travel Agents says solo travel is up from 6% of trips in 2011 to 16% in 2023.

Deborah Ives, who works in international marketing, is not surprised. Fourteen years ago, shortly before her 50th birthday, Ives split from her partner and decided to go on her own to Borneo, a trip they had booked together. “I’d loved planning it and thought: sod this, I’m not going to let it stop me going,” she says. “I remember feeling absolutely petrified as I was about to board my flight at Heathrow. But I had the most amazing time. It gave me a real sense of adventure and freedom. I remember days when I thought: no one knows where I am right now. It felt exhilarating.”

Kay Johnson watching the sunset on Mount Sinai after an overnight hike in 2020.

Back home, telling her friends about the trip, she sensed some were keen to try solo travel, but had worries and wanted advice. In response, she set up a Facebook group called Solo in Style. “For a long time, it was me, my sister and a few friends and we’d post something occasionally,” she says. She half expected the group to fold during the pandemic, but they kept it going with virtual journeys. Then, as the world started to reopen, the group’s membership shot up. “We’ve now got 485,000 members, with about 15,000 joining a month,” she says. “About 60% are from North America; most of the rest are from the UK, Australia and New Zealand. There are women in their 50s into their 80s in the group.”

One is Kay Johnson, 58, a nutritionist, who has enjoyed solo travel since she hitchhiked around the UK in her teens. When we speak, she is enjoying the sunshine in a park in Málaga. She got back into solo travel after her dog died in 2020. “I was devastated – it was the end of November and I thought: I need a break,” she says. “I booked to go to Egypt and, from the moment I got off the plane, I found this incredible energy. There’s a kind of excitement you lose as an adult that I’ve regained – I go somewhere and think to myself: I’m on my own and this is a big adventure.”

Alison Henri, 57, lives in Surrey and works in IT. She finds travelling alone easier than with friends. “Go in a group and you’ll always be waiting around for someone, or people can’t decide on what they all want to do. It’s much easier to go alone – I can spend as much time as I want in a museum.”

For me, as for others who do it, solo travel is partly about balance. I have four (now adult) children and a lot of my life revolves around them and their partners: it’s hectic and sometimes a bit chaotic. There are times in Spain or Italy when I’m in a restaurant and I look across and see a parent, or parents, juggling two, three or four young children, waiting for that moment of calm when they can eat their pasta or have their glass of wine. Twenty years ago, that was me; the fact that I can now sit and sip my Campari spritz unencumbered by anyone else feels like a reimbursement. It’s a freedom I didn’t imagine I would ever taste again, which makes it all the more precious.

Deborah Ives in Copacabana, Brazil, in 2016.

Netta Weinstein, a professor of psychology and clinical language sciences at the University of Reading, is researching the benefits of solitude, which she believes have been occluded by understandable worries about the dangers of loneliness . In a recent study, she found that there is a big difference between solitude that is imposed and solitude that is chosen. “Having space gives us time to connect with ourselves, and connecting with ourselves benefits our wellbeing,” she says. “But it’s an area we know very little about – most psychological research has looked at how we relate to others.”

The more she examined it, the more Weinstein discovered the rich benefits of time spent alone by choice. “There are patterns in time alone that researchers are only beginning to tap into,” she says. One of the main points seems to be the sense of autonomy that solitude can bring – and solo travel gives plenty of scope for that. “What we found was that, on any given day when people felt autonomous and competent in solitude, they feel better on that day.”

For aficionados like me, Ives, Johnson and Henri, it’s clear that the good aspects of solo travel outweigh the difficulties, but for many who have yet to try it, doubts simmer. One of the things I’m most often asked is how I cope with eating alone. “That can be difficult,” says Ives. “Then you look around the restaurant and see couples who aren’t talking to one another – what’s the difference? And there are good ways of coping: I’d choose a long, lazy lunch over dinner on my own – lunch is definitely easier.”

I concur, although I prefer lunches on holiday anyway, whether alone or with others, because it feels so decadent to linger over a midday meal and that is what holidays are all about. I’m also picky about where I sit. I wouldn’t, for example, take a table on my own in the middle of a crowded restaurant, especially if the other diners were all in couples or groups. I tend to go for a table at the edge of the room; if there isn’t one I like the look of, I move on. When I want a real treat, I go to a restaurant with live music: I’ve had some of my best solo evenings in jazz bars. In Madrid, I headed for a restaurant with live flamenco – it was magical.

Joanna Moorhead in Lisbon, in 2022.

For me, eating alone hasn’t been much of an issue in the 15 or so years I’ve been travelling solo, which I put down to my grandmother, who I now realise was my No 1 role model. Widowed in her 50s, Granny sold the family home and was fortunate enough to make enough money that she could move into a hotel. She lived there, and in other hotels, for the next two decades. I spent a lot of my childhood and adolescence with her; it was the 70s and she was stunning in her geometric outfits, high boots and ponchos. The idea that there was anything sad, second best or strange about being like her had no traction in my world: she was the coolest person in the restaurant every time, self‑contained and happy to be in her own space.

A question Ives says often comes up on her Facebook posts is: which places are easiest for solo travel? “Language probably comes into it. I think a lot of people start with a solo holiday in the UK and move on to a trip abroad,” she says. “Sri Lanka is one of my all-time favourite places and Portugal is big now.”

But the No 1 destination, she says, is the country I think I visit alone more than any other: Italy. Florence is probably the easiest city I’ve spent time in alone: it’s made for wandering and people-watching from cafes. Plus, in the busy art galleries, the Uffizi and the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze, being alone is a distinct advantage – there is no one to get separated from amid the crowds.

Alison Henri on the Costa del Sol, Spain, in 2022.

Italian cities are also easy places to strike up a conversation with the people at the next table, who are often British or American, so language isn’t a barrier. I’ve had lovely evenings with people I only met because they were sitting nearby. Never worry about initiating a chat, because it’s always clear whether others want to talk or not. And, of course, starting out alone doesn’t mean you will end up alone: like my daughter, who is now backpacking around South America, I meet people all the time on my travels. Sometimes, my husband joins me for a few days if he can get the time off.

So, what has changed to make solo travel so attractive to women? For many of us, including Henri, it grew from a realisation that we enjoyed travelling alone for work. “I work in IT and was doing a lot of business travel – Paris and US cities – and that gave me a real flavour for it,” she says. “I started tacking holidays on to the beginning and end of work trips and I loved that time.” That is my story, too. Journalism took me to cities in Europe and other parts of the world; I added a few days to explore and realised I enjoyed these holidays as much as any others.

It’s also, I think and hope, about older women now having more autonomy and financial independence than our mothers did. If we have a partner who can’t or won’t come along, we’ll just do it anyway. “I meet far more older women than older men going it alone when I’m on my travels,” says Johnson. Ives agrees: “These days, older women tend to have a bigger disposable income than they had in the past and I think the growth in solo travel is partly because of lockdown. Now that we can do it again, we’re thinking: if not now, when?”

Tips for solo journeys

If you don’t want to arrive at an airport without being met, book a taxi, so that someone is waiting with your name when you get off the plane.

In restaurants, befriend the waiting staff. It’s fun to have someone to chat to, plus they will make sure you are not ignored and give you advice on what to try from the menu.

Accommodation can be expensive if you are alone in a double room, so look for single rooms, which even in more expensive hotels can be good value. Or try a hostel – many have single rooms.

In Italy, especially, try staying in a convent – I’ve stayed in lots in Rome, Florence and Venice. They tend to be central and have plenty of single rooms. If they have a curfew, it’s usually not before 11pm.

Smaller, family-run hotels can be easier than anonymous, corporate places – you are more likely to make friendly connections with the owners and staff.

Have a project, so your trip has a focus: it could be some art you want to see, an ancestor’s grave you want to find, or a trip to a vineyard to try wine you have always enjoyed.

Keep a diary – make voice notes if you don’t like writing – so you can remember what you did and how you felt once you are home.

  • Health & wellbeing

Comments (…)

Most viewed.

10 of the best mother-daughter holidays to take in 2024

Travel with your favourite person on a mother-daughter trip to remember

mother daughter holidays

However you like to spend time with your mum or daughter, you’re sure to have a fantastic time with our pick of the best trips, from a wine-themed cruise along Portugal's beautiful Douro river to a wildlife-spotting trip to the serene Isles of Scilly. with a wildlife expert.

Whether you choose a spa break in the rolling UK countryside or a female-led adventure in Jordan, the best mother-daughter holidays allow plenty of time for bonding, taking in beautiful destinations and trying new experiences.

Browse our pick of the best mother-daughter trips to book now.

Green-fingered girls’ time in Madeira

mother daughter holidays

Love gardening together? Chatting flowers and houseplants? Why not take to the island of Madeira for a mother-daughter holiday, where you'll visit the lush gardens of this Portuguese beauty spot? From the Quinta do Arco Rose Garden to the Funchal Botanical Gardens, the flora here is truly exceptional thanks to its fertile, volcanic soil.

You can explore this Atlantic isle on a garden-themed getaway with Good Housekeeping and spend a day celebrating Madeira's renowned Flower Festival, too. You'll spend time in Funchal, visit the Monte Palace Gardens and explore the dramatic Ribeiro Frio National Park.

Mother-daughter pampering in Leicestershire

mother daughter holiday

Whether you mum deserves to put her feet up or you're in need of some one-on-one relaxation time with your busy daughter, we've got the spa treat for you: Ragdale Hall in the leafy Leicestershire countryside offers the perfect environment for some mother-daughter R&R.

On an exclusive two-night spa break , you’ll get full use of the spa facilities, which include a dreamy rooftop infinity pool, plus spa treatments and a Clarins gift.

All your meals are included, so you can both enjoy long breakfasts and three-course meals. Plus, you can spend all weekend in matching robes!

FIND OUT MORE

Sail Bordeaux and the Medoc

vineyards of saint emilion, bordeaux vineyards in france in a sunny day

For mothers and daughters who love to cook together and who also enjoy a glass of good wine, a cruise to one of France's best gourmet regions with top chef Monica Galetti is bound to tick all your boxes.

You'll taste your way around the beautiful Bordeaux region, sailing along the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde rivers, with several trips to historic vineyards, elegant chateaux and local farmers markets where you can taste fresh, local produce.

As you sail along Bordeaux's lovely rivers, former MasterChef judge Monica will impress you with her skills in an exclusive cooking demonstration on board your ship, SS Bon Voyage.

A short break in leafy Richmond

mother daughter holidays

If you're based in or around London and looking for a short break close to home, consider a peaceful weekend at the Richmond Hill Hotel .

This attractive townhouse is on one of London's most iconic hills, right by London's largest Royal Park, where it's easy to feel like you're in the middle of the countryside. From the hotel, you'll enjoy sweeping vistas over Petersham Meadows. It's a view that has inspired musicians, writers, and artists, including JMW Turner.

With our offer, you'll stay in a Georgian Deluxe room with breakfast both mornings, afternoon tea with Champagne, and a dinner allocation of £35 per person on one night.

Taste your way around Bologna and Modena

bologna, italy skyline of medieval two towers due torri, asinelli and garisenda

Another perfect trip for foodie mother-daughter pairs, this time to the wonderful Emilia-Romagna of northern Italy. Here you'll find a city so packed full of culinary delights its earned the affectionate nickname La Grassa - 'The Fat One'.

Several of Italy's best-loved foods originate in Bologna and the wider Emiglia-Romagna region, like mortadella, balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, parma ham, and tortellini. The city is packed with mouthwatering eateries, from local hideaways down quiet side streets to Michelin-starred restaurants.

Join Good Housekeeping on a gourmet tour of Bologna and you'll visit several local producers to taste fabulously fresh food. You'll also visit nearby Modena, home of balsamic vinegar, and enjoy a hands-on cooking lesson.

A picturesque wine-themed cruise in Portugal

mother daughter holidays

If you're a wine-loving family, there are few regions in Europe as tempting as Portugal's Douro Valley for a wine-themed cruise.

This exquisite region is dotted with quiet villages, rolling hills, and terraced vineyards producing a bounty of exemplary wine. Join us on an eight-day discovery of the Douro's food, culture, wine, and history aboard a luxury river cruise ship.

You'll also have the chance to explore Porto where the cruise begins and ends. Soak up the charms of Portugal’s enchanting second city, stroll through the alleyways and admire the local architecture. FIND OUT MORE

A female-only Jordanian adventure

mother daughter holidays

Another option for mothers and daughters who want to travel further afield is this culture-packed trip to Jordan. This beautiful country is home to one of the world's most fascinating archaeological sites, the ancient Nabataean city of Petra.

You'll get to explore Petra on this eight-day trip, along with the otherworldly terrains of the Wadi Rum desert, whose cinematic landscapes have been used as the setting for many blockbuster films .

But there's time for relaxation as well, with two nights in a resort on the Dead Sea, where you can float on the salty and buoyant lake, find shade around the pool, or kick back in the spa.

Sail the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia

getting to angkor wat in the early morning, its amazing to see the beautiful light shining on to the temple

Another brilliant long-haul option for adventurous mothers and daughters is this cruise along the Mekong, Southeast Asia's most important river. It winds through lush green paddy fields and tiny fishermen's villages in Vietnam and along to Cambodia's ornate temples and through its fascinating capital, Phnom Penh.

Sailing along the Mekong on a cruise is a great way to see the best of Vietnam and Cambodia in a convenient and comfortable way.

Join Good Housekeeping's excellent 17-day tour of the two countries and you'll spend seven nights in a Luxury Balcony suite aboard the Mekong Jewel, which will take you to incredible sights like the world-famous temple complex of Angkor Wat.

Wildlife spotting on the Isles of Scilly

mother daughter holidays

The Isles of Scilly are just a boat ride from the coast of Cornwall and make a great choice if you're looking for icing sugar beaches and cobalt blue waters without travelling quite as far as the Indian Ocean or the Caribbean.

While sunny weather isn't always guaranteed, this stunning archipelago does boast some of the warmest temperatures in the UK.

On Good Housekeeping's exclusive trip you'll get to explore the isles and see some of their lovely native wildlife. The head of the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, Julian Branscombe, will give a talk so you can learn more about the special species to be found here.

Glide through the Swiss Alps on the Glacier Express

glacier express opweg naar sankt moritz passeert het beroemde landwasser viaduct dit viaduct is een onderdeel van de albulabahn deze spoorlijn behoort tot het unesco wereld erfgoed

For a mother-daughter mountain holiday to remember, take a trip to Switzerland, where a magical adventure awaits in the form of iconic red train, the Glacier Express.

Dubbed 'the slowest express train in the world' this famous railway ride will take you past snow-capped peaks, dramatic ravines and pretty villages at a leisurely pace of 24mph, giving you plenty of time to take in the ever-changing scenery, including the magnificent Landwasser Viaduct, through the train's large windows. Good Housekeeping is offering a five-day trip to the Swiss Alps during which you'll ride the Glacier Express from Chur to Brig and visit Bern, Lucerne and Interlaken.

preview for Celebrity interviews

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Family

best headphones for kids

14 cleaning jobs your kids could be doing

best laptops for kids

Best laptops for kids in 2024

italy family holidays

The best Italian family holidays

best christmas toys

The bestselling toys for Christmas 2023

giving kids money from junior isas to savings accounts

How to gift money to kids

diligent little siblings sitting on the floor under a decorated christmas tree, holding wrapped presents

Fun Christmas Eve box ideas for 2023

christmas gift ideas for boys

Christmas gift ideas for boys

christmas gifts for girls

All the best Christmas gift ideas for girls

bonding holidays

The ultimate bonding holidays for families

kids' fitness trackers

Best fitness trackers for kids in 2024

a woman with long hair

I never rebelled as a teen - but did in adulthood

IMAGES

  1. 10 Smart Tips for a Better Beach Vacation

    travelling holidays

  2. Family Vacation Tips: How to Have Better Trip

    travelling holidays

  3. The 34 Different Types of Holidays

    travelling holidays

  4. Tips for Holiday Family Travel

    travelling holidays

  5. Holiday Travel Tips

    travelling holidays

  6. The 9 best adventure holidays for solo travellers

    travelling holidays

COMMENTS

  1. Trailfinders

    Discover the world with Trailfinders, the Travel Experts. Luxury hotels, honeymoons, family trips, private tours, last minute holidays and much more, all tailormade for you.

  2. Vacation Packages: Best Deals on Cheap Vacations & Travel

    Travelocity has some of the best deals on vacation packages. Bundle your flight and hotel together to save on your next vacation!

  3. 50 World's Best Places to Travel in 2022

    Here are the best places to travel right now and in 2022 for summer, spring, winter, or fall vacations. Our list of best vacation spots includes destinations in Hawaii, California, Italy, the UK ...

  4. Vacation Packages

    The exact cost of a vacation package varies based on various factors such as destination, accommodation quality, flight class, and even the time of year you visit. The type of vacation you embark on can also affect cost with options like family packages and all-inclusive packages. You can search for your specific price range, too, with plenty ...

  5. Adventure Holidays & Tours From The Adventure Travel Experts

    Since launching in 1981, Explore has grown to become one of the UK's best adventure travel companies, offering over 350 tours in around 100 countries. So whether you're looking for classic ' Discovery ' group tours, incredible scenery on walking holidays, cycling trips or solo holidays, or an unforgettable family tour, let us find the ...

  6. Your 2023 guide to holiday travel, with tips from our experts

    This article was updated with new holiday travel tips on Dec. 11, 2023. This article was originally published on Oct. 20, 2023. We all know how stressful travel can be. Even on a good day when ...

  7. Adventure Holidays

    Join us, and let Exodus be 'Your Guide to Adventure'. The best guides in the business. Awarded GOLD by Wanderlust. Nat Geo Traveller Best Operator & Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice 2022. 100 square meters of land Rewilded for every guest that travels. Our People, Places & Planet plan is working to improve life through travel.

  8. Adventure Holidays

    Join us, and let Exodus be 'Your Guide to Adventure'. The best guides in the business. Awarded GOLD by Wanderlust. Nat Geo Traveller Best Operator & British Travel Awards Best Operator for 2022. 100 square meters of land Rewilded for every guest that travels. The Exodus Travels Foundation supports hard-to-reach local communities.

  9. Holiday Travel + Vacations

    We can even help you nail down the perfect reservation for Valentine's Day or discover the best place in the nation to grill on the Fourth of July. July 4th Travel. Christmas Travel. Halloween ...

  10. USA Holidays 2024/2025

    USA holidays offer an incredible variety of attractions with awe-inspiring landscapes, exciting cities, thrilling theme parks and sensational beaches. Boasting 62 national parks, the scale and variety of the USA's natural wonders is astounding. Bucket list national parks include the soaring peaks of Yosemite, the magnificent Grand Canyon and Yellowstone's geothermal wonderland.

  11. Holiday Travel and Covid: Here's What to Expect

    Holiday travel behaviors are shifting. Covid-19 safety concerns are still top of mind for travelers, keeping them close to home or preventing them from staying with relatives.

  12. Vacations, US Tour Companies, and Guided Travel

    Featured Tours. Collette travelers choose from 160 tours across all 7 continents, as well as 5 travel styles including small group touring and destination spotlights. Check out some trending tours for inspiration on your next adventure.

  13. Everything You Need to Know About Traveling During the Holidays

    According to AAA, 107.3 million Americans are expected to travel this holiday season, the highest year-end volume on record, with 97.4 Americans projected to travel by car, 6.4 million by air and ...

  14. Visit The USA: Guide To USA Holidays & Travel Around America

    Quiet Adventuring Across the USA. 5 Cities to Visit for an Active Vacation. Design Your Perfect Getaway. VisitTheUSA is the USA official guide for traveling the United States of America. Discover here all the information you need for your American holidays.

  15. Expedia Travel: Vacation Homes, Hotels, Car Rentals, Flights & More

    Your one-stop travel site for your dream vacation. Bundle your stay with a car rental or flight and you can save more. Search our flexible options to match your needs. ... Take a trip over the school holidays. Enjoy 25% off with One Key Member Prices on select hotels. Book by March 25. Book spring deals. Explore stays in trending destinations.

  16. Travel

    Plan your trip with Google. Find flights, hotels, vacation rentals, things to do, and more.

  17. 10 Tips for Traveling During the Holidays

    Monitor Flight Deals. There's no clear consensus among experts on the best time to book flights, with opinions ranging from summer months to a few weeks before the start of the holiday period. That said, booking early will likely net you the greatest options. An Orbitz travel expert also suggests monitoring flash sales. "Not only will that ...

  18. Holiday Vacations

    Welcome to Holiday Vacations! Holiday Vacations guided tours include airfare from more than 100 conveniently located U.S. airports, great hotels, delightful meals and interesting sights. Our expert Tour Directors are quite simply the best in the industry. They handle all travel details to ensure that your vacation is happy and carefree.

  19. Search Vacation Packages on KAYAK

    We find flights, accommodations, and rental cars from hundreds of sites. Get more options, insights, and deals for your next trip.

  20. Cheap Last Minute Vacation Package Deals

    Book with us so you can stop planning and start exploring! With Hotwire, searching for and creating your own cheap vacation packages is easy. Just plug in your destination, pick any combination of flights, hotels, or car rentals and boom, you'll have your list of cheap vacations. You can bundle flight and hotel packages for an incredibly low ...

  21. The 50 best family holidays to brighten up your 2024

    Family travel specialist Simpson Travel (020 8003 6557; simpsontravel.com) is offering most of its 2024 summer holidays at this year's prices - which, in turn, have been frozen at December ...

  22. TUI.co.uk

    TUI.co.uk is your one-stop shop for holidays, flights and cruises in 2024 and 2025. Whether you're looking for a relaxing beach break, a family-friendly adventure, or a cultural city escape, you'll find it here. Plus, save up to £250* with code SALE and enjoy low deposits, ATOL protection and free kids' places. Book now and live happy with TUI.co.uk.

  23. Cheap Holidays and Package Deals in 2024

    Expert travel advice. Get the latest holiday tips and inspiration. We compare millions of holidays from the UK's leading travel companies. Top holidays From £232 pp. All-Inclusive Discover now. From £209 pp. Last-Minute Discover now. From £555 pp. Couples Discover now. From £131 pp. Family Discover now. From £250 pp. City Breaks

  24. The Rise of the Do-Nothing Vacation

    More travelers say they want to make relaxation their top priority while on holiday.

  25. Traveling and Holidays

    Morocco. Seychelles. Tanzania. Tunisia. Suche. Traveling and Holidays. Destinations, vacation destinations, hotspots and much more around travel. Discover great destinations and vacation destinations with us and let us inspire you. Get to know new places and sights.

  26. Long lunches, casual friendships, no one to worry about: solo holidays

    In the UK, the Association of Travel Agents says solo travel is up from 6% of trips in 2011 to 16% in 2023. Deborah Ives, who works in international marketing, is not surprised.

  27. Best mother-daughter holidays to take in 2024

    Whether you choose a spa break in the rolling UK countryside or a female-led adventure in Jordan, the best mother-daughter holidays allow plenty of time for bonding, taking in beautiful ...

  28. Brussels Holiday Fair 2024 Sparks Renewed Hope for Global Tourism Recovery

    The Brussels Holiday Fair 2024 has been inaugurated, signaling a fresh wave of optimism across the global tourism sector, eager to rebound from the severe disruptions caused by the health pandemic. The event, spanning four days at the Brussels Expo, showcases 250 stalls from various countries and is anticipated to draw over 50,000 visitors by its conclusion on Sunday.

  29. India arrests three men for alleged gang-rape of foreign tourist

    Police in eastern India have arrested three men for the alleged gang rape of a foreign tourist and assault of her husband, as they hunt for four more suspects in a case that highlights the country ...