family holidays in April: where to go with teens

The school Easter holidays are a great time to plan a family trip.  Everyone’s ready for some sunshine and teens need a break after a busy school term.  But European weather doesn’t always come up with the goods: the sea’s still cold and April can be rainy.  On top of that Easter can be a key revision time for public exams so some families may be packing an extra bag of books.

I asked three travel experts, whose companies specialise in tailor-made trips, for their  recommendations for family holidays in April. Here are their inspiring suggestions: from rest-and-revision in Lanzarote to beach and adventuring in Belize. NB this is not a sponsored post.

Family Holidays in April: where to go with teens

Holidays in Latin America in April  

Go longhaul for guaranteed sunshine
Mark Rolfe, is the founder of Latin Odyssey and a specialist in tailored travel to Central and South America. He custom makes each holiday to the individual client’s interests and budget and came up with some exciting itineraries.  I’ve included action-packed options here which can be dialled down to a more low-key schedule if quiet time is also needed for exam revision!

Mexico in April

Mark says: One of the bonuses of Mexico is that you can fly direct from London to Cancun in 11.5 hours. From here you can do as much or as little as you wish. For instance, hire a car or take a customised private tour to explore the Yucatan peninsula.  Perhaps begin with a couple of nights at the world famous pyramid and temples at Chichen Itza.

From here you could transfer to the colourful colonial town, of Merida where live bands play in the plaza and horses and cars share the narrow cobblestone streets. Spend a couple of days exploring then transfer to the Biosphere Reserve wildlife refuge on the north east coast for moonlight safaris and tours of the petrified forest.

Afterwards move on to swim in cenotes and visit Tulum for its white sand beaches, turquoise waters and Mayan ruins. There are plenty of options to design a trip that’s as busy or restful as you want.

A Guatemala and Belize itinerary

Alternatively, tick the boxes for everyone by flying direct to Guatemala city then transferring to the small colonial town of Antigua.  A huge volcano towers over it and nearby Lake Atitlan is often described as ‘the most beautiful lake in the world’.  Go kayaking and walking, visit local towns to see traditional textiles and paintings and generally chill out.

There’s the option to take a light aircraft up to the jungle clad Mayan ruins of Tikal.  You can sleep beside the ruins in a simple lodge where howler monkeys wake you in the morning!  Then drive into Belize to a lodge surrounded by pristine jungle. Go riding, river tubing and canoeing or explore the local caves and ancient sites.

Finally transfer by speedboat to Ambergris Caye to relax for a few days in a beachfront casita.  The reef here has famous sites for snorkelling and diving, including the 124 m deep Blue Hole.
Other destinations to consider: Costa Rica, Nicaragua
For more options check out the website: Latin Odyssey

Click here to read about a family holiday to Patagonia

Holidays in Oman and The Emirates

Look to the Middle East for resorts and culture  
Karen Simmonds at Travel Matters specialises in bespoke family holidays worldwide.  Karen says: The Emirates and Oman are great at Easter. At around 7 hours flying time from London they are mid-range destinations.  Temperatures are in the region of 30 degrees with reliable sunshine in April.

Explore Oman

Oman, on the Arabian peninsula, offers plenty of opportunities for exploring.

Visit fortresses, mosques, caves and ancient villages, spend the night at a desert camp and go dune-bashing in a 4 x 4.

Oman’s ‘grand canyon’ is great for adventurous walks. After all that activity go to the coast for a few days of beach and pool at a resort.”

However bear in mind the dates of Ramadan in Oman, when restaurants and cafes are closed during daylight hours and it is against the law to eat or drink in a public place. This includes visitors as well as Muslims and non-Muslims, although international hotel restaurants usually open during the day. This year Ramadan dates are 10 March – 9 April, 2024.

Hotel in Ajman, UAE

The Canary Islands in April 

A villa in Lanzarote or hiking and biking in La Gomera
Thorsten Fibelkorn of Cachet Travel specialises in tailor-made trips to the Canary Islands, Greece and Turkey.  He recommends Lanzarote for family holidays in April.  This is what he says:

A villa in Lanzarote with heated pool

Thorsten: As an all-round family destination for the Easter holidays, Lanzarote is hard to beat. It offers one of the driest and sunniest climates in the Canary Islands and has  a wide selection of villas with private pools.  These include beach locations or quirky restored farmhouses like Casa Barranco which has an outdoor heated pool.

The main resorts are pleasantly laid-back and  low-rise. Playa Blanca Lanzarote has sheltered sandy beaches with restaurants, shops and facilities to keep everyone entertained, but without ever feeling rowdy.

It sits at the southern tip of the island, so it also enjoys the best weather. Fuerteventura is just a 20-minute hop away by ferry and makes for a fun day trip.

Some popular attractions are based on Lanzarote’s unique volcanic scenery and the creations of local artist and architect Cesar Manrique.  Visit Timanfaya National Park to see its demonstrations of ongoing volcanic activity and Manrique’s former home which is constructed from a series of subterranean lava bubbles. The caves and underground lakes at Cuevas de los Verdes and Jameos del Agua are also an interesting excursion.

Take the ferry from Tenerife to La Gomera

For hiking and mountain biking the smaller island of La Gomera is a good option. A 50-minute ferry journey from Tenerife, La Gomera is less commercialised than the larger Canary islands. It has wonderful mountain scenery in its interior, including the primeval forests of the Garajonnay National Park.

Villas are scarce but there are family size apartments in  Valle Gran Rey on the island’s sunny west coast. Once a small fishing village, then hippy hang-out, Valle Gran Rey retains a laid-back charm. Several small companies there offer guided walking excursions, mountain bike hire etc, so it is a great base for families who enjoy nature based activities. The boat journey to get there adds a sense of adventure, though older teens may find the island rather quiet. (Perfect for revision then 🙂 – Nancy).

Windy conditions can never be fully ruled out in coastal areas, although neither Playa Blanca nor Valle Gran Rey are particularly noted for their strong winds.
Find more options on the website: Cachet Travel 

Family Holidays in April

Happy Easter trip planning, I hope this has helped with some info and inspiration for your family holiday in April. If you enjoyed this post please Pin this image below to save and share to Pinterest