Have you booked your mid-term break yet? With a lot of people putting their holiday off until later in the year the October break has once again become a popular time to travel.  The good news is that there are plenty of places that you can go, the bad news is that usually you do pay a bit more for travelling while the schools are off.    As with any holidays during school holidays the earlier you book the better.   

The Canary Islands, Mainland Spain and Portugal are popular in October. If you are not fussy about which area you visit it is possible to get better value in one of the less popular resorts, or better still go off the beaten track for a more authentic and better value experience.   If you don’t mind driving while you are away, hire a car to really get a real feel for local life while still being able to take day trips to the usual tourist attractions should you want to!   With so many flight options now you can lessen your time away, this can cut down on your accommodation costs, sometimes flying midweek can be better value.  Take only hand luggage if you are booking a flight, hand luggage with most airlines is very generous.    All-inclusive or Half Board can cut down on spending money while you are away.   

Take a short break. Go explore a city that you have never been to.  Research all of the free things to do in the city with kids, make it fun for them.  Why not plan a treasure hunt or build excitement by visiting a place that has been in one of their favourite stories or movies.   If they are old enough, encourage your children to document their trip, take photos or make their own mini movie about the destination   A bit of advance planning can turn your city break, or any holiday, in to an epic adventure in your child’s eyes.   It is still possible to have a holiday that incorporates a beach or theme park by getting a little creative and staying someone with great roads or public transport allowing for an easy beach or theme park day trip.    

Try a cruise holiday – with so many on the market now you can get one to suit all ages.  Some of the larger cruise lines have thought of everything.  With facilities for babies right up to teenagers there are interesting, safe and free options to ensure that all of the family has a holiday to remember.  Some of the youngers babies’ facilities carry a charge or need the parents to stay with the baby, make sure to double check if the cruise has the right facilities to suit your family.  Cruises are fantastic value, you can visit a number of places on one trip, eat as much as you like and avail of a very full entertainment programme.  Family time is important too with family friendly shows, movies and dining to make sure that you get the time together that you need while also keeping your children safe during the time that you are apart.   Family and interconnecting cabins can be booked giving you the peace of mind knowing your kids will not escape out to all of their new friends once your back is turned!

If you don’t want to fly that’s no problem - take the car and head off to one of the many campsites in the UK or France.  With lots of choice of sites for a few or as many days as you want it allows for complete flexibility for your holiday.  Bringing your car has the added advantage that you can pack what you like without having to worry about suitcase sizes or weights.  Rest stops and over nights along the way are possible without too much hassle meaning you can do a two or three centre or visit some of the tourist attractions along the way – It also takes the pressure off travelling with a fussy or child that gets travel sick as it allows you to stop as often as you need to.   

By Hazel Fogarty, Travel Expert at Family Friendly HQ