Holidays at Home

Fancy something a bit different for this year's family holiday, but don't know what? Maybe you're getting a little bored and jaded with the same old beach-based holiday every year.

If you can’t bear the thought of facing the airport queues or a long journey on a ferry, there are plenty of great options right here at home in Ireland just a car, bus or train journey away and you can pack up the car with the kids favourite toys without worrying about luggage allowance. You are keeping your family’s carbon footprint lower if you are not jetting off overseas – so it’s a green holiday in every sense of the word! The ideal family holiday includes plenty of fun activities and time to relax and less time spent 'on the road'. Although the Irish weather can be unpredictable, children can still get sunburned so don’t forget to cover them up. 

Ireland has loads to offer when it comes to things to do from the outdoors including great beaches and national parks to the wide range of sightseeing attractions like ancient monuments, cultural centres, top theatres and art galleries and some of the most memorable festivals around the world !

It’s all on your doorstep, and you can visit a lot of places for free. ‘The Rainy Day Guide to Ireland’ is a guidebook written for children with details of fun places to go and includes a trivia quiz, game & stickers to keep them busy in the car!

From family friendly hotels and B&B’s to apartments, from farm-stays and caravans to luxury self-catering accommodation, there is lots of family friendly accommodation to choose from around the country (check www.discoverireland.ie for accommodation ideas and special offers).  Many family friendly hotels have Kids Clubs during the holidays where your children can be looked after for a few hours while you have a break and relax. 

The self-catering option can be cheaper and more flexible than staying in a hotel, especially if you have a larger family and you generally have more space than in a small hotel room. There is a huge range of self-catering accommodation available all over Ireland now from small individually managed properties to larger groups where all properties meet certain minimum standards.

Banna Beach Holiday & Leisure Village is a four star resort with over 100 Fáilte Ireland approved Holiday Homes on a totally self-sufficient complex.  Idyllically located, with miles of beautiful beaches on the resort’s doorstep and one of Ireland’s finest Blue Flag Beaches, Banna Beach is just a stroll away.

The perfect Irish holiday for families of all ages and ideal location for School Tours with newly opened State of the Art Leisure Centre - Heated Indoor Swimming Pool & Gym with the latest in exercise and training technology along with the best in relaxation facilities.  The resort also boasts Indoor & Outdoor Kiddies and Teenager Play Areas, Themed Bars, Restaurant, Supermarket, Fast Food Outlet and organised entertainment for adults & kids alike. The resort is also on the door step of some of the worlds leading Links and Parkland Golf Courses, Ballybunion, Tralee and Killarney.  For special offers and more detailed information check out their official website www.bannabeachhotel.net or lo call 1890 332  332

Dream Ireland Holiday Homes offer an incredible selection of more than 3,000 self-catering holiday homes, cottages and apartments in over 100 locations throughout Ireland.  Many of their holiday homes are located in the grounds of a Hotel and so guests are treated as residents of the hotel and have access to the onsite leisure facilities.  These are the most popular locations for families during mid-term break and summer holidays as there is something for everyone to do regardless of the weather.  Some of the locations even run Summer Kids Clubs to keep young ones entertained.  Visit their website at www.dreamireland.com which offers a simple search facility to view properties attached to a Hotel with onsite facilities, properties close to a beach, family friendly destinations, golfing destinations, wheelchair accessible locations and even places where you can bring along your family pet! For further details on all their wonderful locations logo onto www.dreamireland.com or call Dream Ireland on 064 41170 for a free copy of their summer brochure.

Select Hotels of Ireland have a great deal to encourage Irish families to check out those undiscovered regions of our island.  Stay with Select hotels for 4 nights and get the 5th night absolutely free of charge! Select Hotels offer a choice of hotels across 22 locations nationwide – for that family holiday, romantic retreat or pampering break.  Patricia Coughlan, Select Hotels M.D., says it is important to promote Ireland as a destination this summer as well as longer stays in more hidden regions.  Ireland has lots to offer and Select hotels will look after each guest’s individual requirements.  Call 021 4391998 to book or visit www.selecthotelsireland.com

Focus on…Tramore

Pebble Beach Holiday Homes are nestled in the seaside resort of Tramore, Co. Waterford in a 4 Star Bord Failte approved self-catering holiday home complex. Pebble Beach is the ideal place to stay for a family holiday as it is close to all amenities in Tramore. Pebble Beach residents can enjoy exclusive discounts to Splashworld - Ireland's premier waterpark. Other activities available locally include surfing at Oceanic Manoeuvres, horse riding at Killotteran Equitation Centre , Run Amuck in Tramore's Indoor Play & Party Centre, explore the Tramore Amusement & Leisure Park (complete with boating lake), visit Copper Coast Mini Farm (Fenor), take a trip on Waterford & Suir Valley Railway (Kilmeadan)or while away the hours on the beautiful sandy beach. Venture further into town for the Waterford Crystal factory tour or the gorgeous Georgian Christchurch Cathedral for guided tours and musical events throughout the summer months.

Oceanic Manoeuvres Surf School at the Red Cottage in Tramore has been offering summer camps for the last nine years, building a reputation of fun, level of care and safety that's "second to none". A family run enterprise, their camps can be attended daily or weekly during July and August.  The camps are structured in such a way that a weekly booking is not necessary - one, three and five day rates are available, with all equipment supplied.

The Gremmie Turtle Club (10am - 12.30pm) is a fun based club for six to eight year olds.  Catch waves on surf or body boards (when ability allows), be a Rock pool Explorer, Beach Detective, play Beach Fun games and Sand Sculpting, while learning about the seashore and it's environ.

Surf Camp (10am-12.30pm) is for eight to 14 year olds who want to concentrate on surfing while building confidence in waves through fun and instruction. Beach activity games, Beach Safety Instruction (with Paul Tuohy RNLI Helmsman and Education Officer), Wave Forecasting, Surf Etiquette and Surf Lingo will sometimes be included.

Teen Zone (4pm - 6pm) for 11 to 17 year olds offers progressing surfing techniques in paddling, getting to feet, bottom turn, trim line and style at beginner, improver and elite levels. There are also Family Fun Clubs on Saturdays in July from 10.30am-12.30pm and during August from 1.30-3.30pm Monday to Friday.  Call Paul or Linda Tuohy on 051 390944 for a Camp Registration Form & Booking Brochure or email: oceanic@eircom.net www.oceanicmanoeuvres.com

Wherever you holiday in Ireland, don’t leave home without checking www.primarytimes.ie for plenty of ideas for places to go and ‘what’s on’ events and activities happening all over the country during the summer. Remember, there’s only one thing kids want to have on holidays – and that’s FUN!