Tag: half-term

Choctastic days out

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We’ve found some chocolate themed, indulgent, scrumptious family Days Out…because well, if you can’t go chocolate crazy at Easter, when can you?

Cadbury World; Bournville, Birmingham

A chocoholics dream day out surely has to be Cadbury World! Discover the history behind your favourite chocolate treats and explore the magic of how they are created. Visitors have the chance to grow their own cocoa bean and experience chocolate rain! With so many amazing things to discover, including an adventure play area and the world’s biggest Cadburys shops, this is one delicious day out not to be missed!

Hotel Chocolat – The School of Chocolate; Leeds & Covent Garden, London

Learn the noble art of chocolate making in a creative Children’s Chocolate Workshops with expert chocolatiers. You can try chocolate decorating and experience a fun and educational introduction to cocoa and chocolate. Plus, everyone will receive a delicious goody bag to take home!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical; Drury Lane, London

Feeling a little queasy after all those delicious sweet treats, then why not treat your little Oompa loompas to Roald Dahl’s timeless, chocolate themed extravaganza! Charlie Bucket and the mysterious confectioner Willy Wonka come to life in this gigantic new musical that is choc-full of Fun fantastical treats to dazzle your senses.

York’s Chocolate Story; York, North Yorkshire

Visit this entertaining and informative guided tour discovering chocolate’s origins, how to make it, how to taste it like an expert and even the future of chocolate! Travel through the interactive choctastic experience and learn the secrets of this scrummy treat in their virtual factory! Fancy getting messy, then why not make and decorate your own sweet delights at the Chocolate Making Station.

Places to take the kids on February half term

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Meadow Keeper’s Cottage, near Rye, East Sussex

Set on a 40-acre farm, between two wildflower meadows, this idyllic little holiday home is the perfect base for a taste of country life – children can become junior farmers, helping out at animal feeding time.

The “cottage” itself looks like it’s been lifted straight from a children’s storybook and put on wheels. Hand-made by a local craftsman, it’s as cute as can be with flowers in boxes under blue-framed windows, a wooden door and wood-burner indoors to keep you toasty.

Not one for a large family or older kids but perfect for young ones, with a double bed and two singles that double up as benches, a fold-away dining table between them and indoor cooking area. The loo and (wood-fired) shower are outside.

The wide stretches of beach at Camber Sands are only nine miles away and Bodiam castle, which also looks like it’s been lifted from a fairytale with its crenellated towers and drawbridge.

• £660 for six nights from 10-16 February (sleeps four),

Walking in the Lake District

If you’ve got kids who need to burn off energy every day, how about a dedicated walking holiday? This group trip features a choice of three child-friendly walks a day ranging from an easy option at six miles to a full 13-mile hike. In the evenings, activities are geared towards children; there’s also a games room.

The four-day trip, departing 13 February, costs £279 per adult (saving £50), with children (aged 11 to 17 and sharing with an adult) paying £194 each (under-11s go free), including full-board at the company’s Derwent Bank Country House on the shores of Derwentwater through HF Holidays.

A cottage in Wales

Wayside, Near Dolgellau, Snowdonia

Sheepskin, which specialises in luxury homes – the majority of which are in Wales, is offering 10% off its larger properties this half-term, including Wayside, near Dolgellau in Snowdonia, a charming cottage with an open-plan living area and cosy sofas around a wood-burning stove, looking out over a valley of fields and forests. It sleeps six and costs £1,328 for the half-term holiday (including the 10% discount), arriving on 10 February.

Alternatively, Bantwen, a traditional cottage in Carmarthenshire, is on offer through Under the Thatch; it sleeps six and costs just £224 for four nights starting 13 February.

Save money this holiday season

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Research shows that more than four in ten (41%) British parents have had to forgo a family get away during school holidays due to price hikes making it unaffordable.

New research reveals that more than seven in ten Brits (73%) don’t think it’s right that parents are charged a premium for going on holiday during school holidays and more than nine in ten (92%) believe something needs to be done to ensure this does not continue.

But if parents planning a trip for the family stick to the rules and book their family get away for October half term, what practical advice is there to ensure they are getting the best value for money and protecting themselves from hidden costs?

To help parents navigate this potential minefield, I offer the following tips:

  1. Start the research for your intended destination early – what kind of experience do you want for you and your family? When researching you should remember that many resorts and destinations in October are already operating on a reduced capacity mode. Whatever the brochure states, follow it up with a call to the hotel or destination and check to see if facilities are open.

  2. If you are going all-inclusive, make sure it really is all-inclusive. Make sure you know what’s included so you can budget correctly. Don’t forget to check your terms and conditions and ensure you know what protection you have.

  3. Before you click to pay for your holiday, check for any other ‘extra’ charges such as credit card charges. Make sure you are satisfied that you are only paying what you want to pay.

  4. Once you have clicked to go, take out that all-important travel insurance and also get your European Health Insurance Card if travelling in Europe – shop around, do not just buy the cheapest policy. Never leave home without it.

  5. Don’t buy your foreign currency at the airport. Shop around before you travel and be ready to buy the best rate you can get. Make sure you understand the cost of using your credit card abroad and watch out for those ‘extra’ costs if you use your card!