Best family-friendly summer holiday destinations for 2025

Family summer holidays in 2025

Holiday planning really does become an entirely different experience once you have kids. There are so many additional factors to consider: school holidays, school inset days, budgeting for an entire family, finding accommodation that offers amenities for children, the age of your children and what might appeal to them, and then finding a holiday destination that has activities and attractions for the entire family.

As a mum of two, I could go on and on - but I won't. Because, in truth, you could easily turn a lot of those factors above into positives and the reality is that there are all sorts of deals and discounts that can help offset the higher costs associated with big family holidays.

Here are some tips to help you start planning your summer family holiday:

• Find out about your region's school holiday dates and your school's inset days (staff training days when no children are present) as early as possible. While school summer holidays tend to happen in July and August, it'll be handy to know exact dates so that you can be ready to book when the right deal comes along. And an inset day might give you an extra day of holiday.

• Take advantage of family deals and discounts, like free kids' places. This is when tour operators offer a free child spot when two adults book a holiday. Check out our guide to free kids' places.

• Check out what your accommodation offers, both in terms of activities for children, like kids' and baby clubs, but also for budgeting. Compare prices for half- or full-board, as well as all-inclusive, as this may be cheaper than having to eat out every night during your holiday.

• Consider the age of your children and flight times. If you haven't travelled with your children before and they're babies or toddlers, you may want to choose a holiday destination that's closer to home. For well-travelled families and those with older kids, you could opt for somewhere further away.

• If you know your school holiday and inset day dates, you could start looking out for early bird deals to help you save money.

With all this in mind, we've rounded up some of our favourite family summer holiday destinations for 2025, which all offer great attractions for children of all ages, as well as family-friendly accommodation.

Majorca, Spain

With its cerulean waters, quaint villages, family-friendly attractions and quiet, hidden bays, Majorca is often recommended as an ideal holiday destination to take your first holiday as a family. With a flight time of just over 2 hours (from London), you'll be able to get to this Spanish island quickly so that you can get settled into your accommodation of choice.

In terms of the best areas to stay, Port de Pollença, Cala d'Or and Alcúdia are all good options for families, with safe, shallow beaches and bays to enjoy, as well as a more relaxed vibe. However, if you have older kids and are all about those family-friendly attractions like theme parks and water parks, then you may want to consider popular and buzzy Palma Nova instead.

And the family-friendly accommodation options couldn't be better. TUI BLUE Alcudia Pins offers a huge range of activities for familes, with baby and kids' clubs, family arts and crafts sessions, evening entertainment, kids' swimming pools, on top of providing playgrounds and soft play areas. In Cala Millor, Holiday Village Majorca offers a creche for little ones, kids' club, discos, mocktail-making sessions, a family water splash park, along with pools for kids and toddlers.

For more Spanish island inspiration, check out our family holiday guide for Gran Canaria.

Halkidiki, Greece

For getting the best of what Greece has to offer while remaining on the mainland, Halkidiki is a personal favourite. You'll need to catch a flight to Thessaloniki and then transfer to your accommodation, but once you get there, you're in for a blissful holiday. Halkidiki feels more relaxed than some of the more famous Greek island destinations, but it has safe sandy beaches, family-friendly attractions and boat cruises to enjoy.

Consisting of three peninsulas, there are a number of good areas to stay for families. On the first peninsula - Kassandra - families tend to stay in Sani. Sithonia, the second peninsula is usually the more popular choice for family holidays, with most holidaymakers choosing Neos Marmaras or Vourvouro. While there are some attractions specifically for kids, like Fairytopia, family-friendly boat cruises, beach time and age-appropriate water sports are the main offerings in Halkidiki.

TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess in Kalives is set right on a sandy beach, with an almost-endless list of family-friendly offerings, like baby and kids' clubs, two kids' pools, an aqua playground and splash park, as well as both daytime and evening entertainment and activities. The popular Sani Beach resort has its own open-air theatre hosting all sorts of evening entertainment while also providing a kids' club, a creche (at an additional cost), a kids' pool and many additional activities, including a football training academy.

Calabria, Italy

While Italy is a popular holiday destination throughout the year, the hotspots are usually Tuscany, the lakes or Sardinia. While all of these are great options, why not change things up and consider southern Italy this year? Calabria, the southernmost region of the Italian mainland, is considered an up-and-coming family holiday destination, thanks to initiatives like Green Flag beaches. Green Flag beaches are awarded their status by Italian paediatricians, where factors like shallow waters, cleanliness, facilities and children's amenities allow that beach to be known as a child- and family-friendly beach.

The best news? There's a whole lot of Green Flag beaches in Calabria. Combine this with top-notch cultural attractions and a laidback way of life in the south, and this is what makes the entire region so enticing for families. If you're sold on Calabria, most families base themselves in either Tropea or Capo Vaticano, since both of these are known for their white-sand beaches and family-friendly resorts.

TUI MAGIC LIFE Calabria in Pizzo is a family-friendly resort that pulls out all the stops. Not only does it offer kids' clubs, kids' pools and a splash park, this resort has its own slice of beach, making it feel like an exclusive and safe option for families to enjoy. And since Calabria is known for its outdoor pursuits, TUI MAGIC LIFE Calabria also provides access to a wide range of activities, from group fitness classes to water sports, volleyball and an extensive games room for when you want to head indoors.

Antalya, Turkey

Turkey is becoming a holiday staple for families, and it's easy to see why. Holidays here tend to be affordable, there are plenty of safe and clean beaches for little ones and there are many large family-friendly holiday resorts to choose from. Antalya, located on a stretch of coastline known as the Turkish Riviera, would be our top choice for a family summer holiday in 2025. While some of the destinations on this list offer a quieter, more laidback experience, Antalya tends to be busier yet its attractions for kids are second to none and it also offers plenty of culture in its historic centre.

Lara Beach is by far the most popular area to stay for families, while Side and Belek are also great options. In terms of those attractions we mentioned, there's an aquarium, a huge theme park and water parks for kids of all ages to enjoy.

When it comes to the family-friendly resort you could stay at, there are many to choose from in Antalya. Hotel Su & Aqualand is just one example, and it's popular for its unlimited access to Aqualand, a water park that's conveniently next door to the resort. There's also a kids' club, open-air cinema evenings, kids' pools, a games room and a playground. In Belek, The Land of Legends Kingdom Hotel also offers access to Aqualand, as well as the The Land of Legends theme park. On site, you can find an indoor pool for babies and toddlers, outdoor kids' pools, a playground and children's discos.

Sunny Beach, Bulgaria

It may not be the most well-known option on our list, but don't underestimate Bulgaria's Sunny Beach as a summer holiday destination for families. Firstly, it's an affordable option and, secondly, it provides an unforgettable experience for families. The main attractions and activities are water-based, whether that's swimming at the beaches, going on pirate cruises, visiting Action Aquapark or enjoying the options for kids at the family-friendly resort of your choice.

However, there are cultural attractions too. Head to nearby Nessebar to see its wealth of ancient buildings and ruins that have earned the city its UNESCO World Heritage Site status. The extra perk is that all of these sites are concentrated within a small area, which is perfect if you're out exploring with kids.

TUI BLUE Nevis is one of our favourites in Sunny Beach. This resort offers baby and kids' clubs, sensory classes, evening entertainment for kids, a kids' pool and a wide range of activities where the whole family can get involved, like stay-and-play sessions at the pool and arts and crafts. DIT Evrika Beach Club Hotel also has a decent offering for families, with a kids' club, a kids' pool, a mini water park with slides, discos and other evening entertainment.