Best family holiday destinations

How we're judging "best" here

Industry research consistently shows that the destination itself, not just the activities once you arrive, is something most parents actively involve their children in choosing — and that family holiday budgets get blown most often by food and drink rather than the room rate itself. With that in mind, this guide weighs six things for each destination: flight time and how disruptive it is with young children, how predictable the total cost actually is once resort fees and visa costs are added, the realistic all-inclusive availability, the entry requirements specific to UK passport holders, the best-fit age range, and whether the destination is genuinely open and warm for the dates you're likely to be travelling.

Turkey

Turkey has the widest choice of large, purpose-built family all-inclusive resorts on this site — waterparks, dedicated kids' clubs and family room or suite setups are standard rather than a premium add-on, and because most spending is settled before you fly, the final bill rarely strays far from what you budgeted. UK passport holders don't need a visa for stays of up to 90 days, just a passport with at least 150 days' validity remaining, and there's no fee to pay. Maxx Royal Belek Golf Resort in Belek is a good benchmark for what a top-tier Turkish family resort actually includes: an all-suite and villa layout, a dedicated Dinoland kids' area, and a championship golf course for parents who want their own activity once the kids are settled.

Spain

Spain offers the shortest flight time of any destination here — roughly 2.5 to 3 hours to the mainland coast — plus the widest range of accommodation types, including villas and apartments alongside hotels, which gives more room to spread out than a single hotel room with an extra bed squeezed in. There's no nationwide tourist tax; it only applies in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, not on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca or in Madrid. The bigger change for 2026 is ETIAS: the EU has now confirmed a Q4 2026 launch, so UK travellers will need a €20 online authorisation, valid three years, before entering Spain — it's not a visa, but it's one more thing to sort ahead of a half-term trip rather than at the airport. Iberostar Waves Las Dalias on Tenerife is worth checking specifically for families chasing a winter break, since the Canaries stay warm year-round and the resort runs an extensive kids' club to match.

Egypt

Egypt's Red Sea coast has quietly become one of the strongest-value family destinations on this site, combining large all-inclusive resorts with reliable warm weather from roughly October to April — useful when you want winter sun without a Maldives-sized bill. The genuine catch is the visa rule, which depends entirely on where you're staying: a trip confined to Sinai resorts like Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba for 15 days or less can usually get a free entry stamp, but Hurghada and every other mainland resort area needs a standard e-visa or visa on arrival, typically $25 to $30 per person. Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Neverland in Hurghada is a strong pick if the waterpark is meant to be the holiday rather than a day trip away from it, while Steigenberger ALDAU Beach Hotel offers a more conventional large-resort family all-rounder with a lazy river and big pools.

Dubai

Dubai suits families who want theme parks, aquariums, malls and the beach within easy reach of the hotel rather than a pool-only week — Atlantis The Palm and its waterpark and aquarium are the obvious reference point, and the city's year-round warm weather and short, direct flights make it a realistic option even for a shorter half-term break. UK passport holders get a free entry permit on arrival, with no advance visa needed, provided your passport has at least six months' remaining validity. The trade-off is cost certainty: most Dubai hotels aren't all-inclusive, so budget for spending beyond the room rate, and the Tourism Dirham fee (AED 7 to AED 20 per room per night, depending on star rating, capped at 30 consecutive nights) is added to every hotel bill regardless. Atlantis The Palm remains the strongest single attraction-led pick for families wanting the hotel itself to be a destination.

Greece

Greece works best for families who want an authentic island holiday rather than a single sealed resort complex — real beaches, real Greek food, and a hotel in an actual town rather than a gated compound. Crete and Rhodes have the widest choice of large family all-inclusive resorts, while Corfu, Kos and Zakynthos suit families wanting greener scenery, flatter terrain and a shorter flight of around 3.5 to 4 hours. The trade-offs are seasonality (most island hotels close from roughly November to March or April, so this isn't a winter sun option) and the Climate Crisis Resilience Fee, a per-room, per-night accommodation tax paid locally that varies by star rating and season. From Q4 2026, UK travellers will also need an ETIAS authorisation (€20, valid three years) to enter, since Greece sits inside the Schengen Area. Princess Andriana in Rhodes is a consistently well-rated family all-inclusive resort, and Daios Cove in Halkidiki is worth checking for families wanting genuine luxury alongside the kids' facilities, with separate parent and children's sleeping areas built into its suites.

The Maldives

Some Maldives resorts are genuinely excellent for families, with proper kids' clubs, creche facilities and dedicated family villas, but a significant number of the country's most famous luxury resorts are adults-only or simply lean heavily towards couples — always confirm the specific resort's family policy directly rather than assuming from the destination's general reputation. UK passport holders get a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival, so there's no advance application needed, but budget carefully: Green Tax ($12 per person per night at most resorts) plus service charge and Tourism GST sit on top of the room rate, and the flight itself, including the onward transfer, typically runs to around 10 to 11 hours door-to-door from the UK — worth factoring in honestly for younger children. Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives runs a Premium All-Inclusive plan and is one of the more consistently recommended Maldives picks for families specifically.

Which destination suits which age group

Toddlers and pre-school children. Flight time and disruption matter more than facilities at this age. Spain's short flight and flexible accommodation (a villa with a private pool beats a hotel room with a travel cot most of the time) tends to work best, with Turkey a close second for families wanting everything pre-paid and a shallow, supervised pool area as standard.

Primary school-age children. This is where kids' clubs, waterparks and a genuine programme of activities start to earn their keep, and where Turkey and Egypt's biggest all-inclusive resorts pull ahead — both run large, age-banded kids' clubs that can realistically occupy a full day. Greece's family islands (Corfu, Kos, Crete) are a strong alternative if you want a more authentic trip without sacrificing family facilities entirely.

Teenagers. Older children are usually after their own space and something to actually do, which tends to favour Dubai's attractions, a Turkish mega-resort's teen club and watersports, or a Maldives resort with diving or watersports certification options — a quiet beach alone rarely holds a 14-year-old's attention for a full week.

What to check before booking a family holiday

• Whether the resort or hotel actually welcomes children, rather than assuming from general destination reputation — this matters most in the Maldives, where adults-only resorts are common, but it's worth a direct check everywhere.
• All-in cost, including resort fees, tourist taxes and any visa or entry requirements, since these vary enormously by destination and rarely appear in the headline room rate.
• Realistic food and drink spending on top of the booking. Industry research on UK family holidays consistently finds that food and drink, not the room itself, is where most families end up overspending — often by a wide margin — which is exactly why an all-inclusive board basis tends to deliver more predictable value for families than for other travellers.
• School-holiday pricing versus travelling just outside term-time dates. Booking within UK school holidays can add a noticeable premium per person compared with term-time travel, which is part of why a meaningful share of parents weigh up a short, unauthorised absence against the savings — DealStays isn't recommending this, just flagging why the price gap exists.
• Flight time and transfer length, especially with younger children. A 10-hour Maldives transfer and a 2.5-hour Spain flight are not interchangeable trips with a toddler, however similar the brochure photos look.