When it comes to planning a family holiday, there are, of course, many decisions that need to be made to ensure you and your family get the most out of your time away. Outside of where to go, one of the biggest considerations is whether to opt for a carefully planned DIY trip or go for the convenience of a package tour or holiday.
A basic package deal will consist of your flights and accommodation but there are numerous services such as transfers and additional transport, activities and the option to go half or full board that can be added to your bundle.
We take a look at some of the pros and cons of both options to help you decide which type of holiday is best suited to you and your family.
Flights and accommodation
Booking your flights and hotels as a bundle is a huge time-saver. With just a few clicks on one website, you’ll be able to see which hotels are available at the time of your flights and exactly where it is.
The problem with booking both flights and hotels together is the lack of choice. If you want to stay in a quaint, charming, off-the-beaten-track bed and breakfast, you’re unlikely to find it as part of a deal. Equally, if you don’t want to spend the entirety of your holiday in one place and plan on taking the kids on a road trip or doing a spot of city hopping, a DIY holiday is possibly the better option.
Getting around
Transfers to the hotel are often available as part of a package. If you’ve had a long flight, the convenience of having a minibus waiting for you could be just what you need.
If you need transport for the duration of your trip, then you’ll need to hire a car. Again, many package deals offer a hire car, which you can pick up at the airport. As with all components of your package, check the breakdown of costs and see how much your holiday operator is charging for your car hire and compare that to what’s available at the airport. There’s a fair bit of competition at the airports when it comes to hire cars meaning that it’s often possible to pick up a bargain. You may end up paying less for car rentals by applying discount codes or looking for special offers that wouldn’t be available if your car hire is a holiday add-on.
Food and drink
If you’re taking the kids away, the cost of food, drinks and multiple ice-creams can quickly add up. Knowing that you don’t have to shell out any more money once you’ve paid for the holiday itself can be a huge relief when you’re away.
However, eating out and trying local food is a huge part of the holiday for many of us. Stumbling across a quirky café tucked down an alleyway or discovering the world’s best chowder in a little hidden gem can be a wonderful experience and a great way to get little ones trying new things.
If you are going half board or full board, make sure there’s plenty of variety and look for reviews of the hotel food to make sure it’s the type of cuisine your family will enjoy.
Trips and excursions
Activities may be busier if you’re going through your tour operator but you’re more likely to be covered in terms of insurance. You can also be confident that the provider of the excursion or activity is reputable. There’s the obvious convenience of having someone take care of all the arrangements when it comes to booking that scuba diving trip or cruise around the islands.
If you’re travelling somewhere a bit more off the beaten track and places on excursions are limited, you’ll need to book well in advance if you’re going to do it yourself. Remember to look for free activities or places to visit with the kids too as they can be just as much fun as some of the more costly excursions.
As has probably become apparent by reading this article, there are an equal number of pros and cons to both DIY and package holidays!
To prevent you from going around in circles when trying to decide which is right for you, perhaps the best thing to do is to have a more holistic approach and break it down into some simple considerations.
If regular life is rather hectic and you want to hop on a plane and simply get away from it all then a package holiday is the way to go. If you want more autonomy and have plenty of time to plan and research the perfect tailor-made experience then DIY away! Finally, always remember, the kids will have a blast whatever type of holiday you choose.