World Book Day celebrates children's stories and the love of reading. Here at Activities Abroad, it is one of our favourite days in the school calendar! Not only is it a chance for parents to share their favourite books with their children and help develop their imaginations but we also believe that there is something magical about picking up a book and transporting yourself to somewhere else in the world with just the turn of a page!

After we received such a fantastic response to our #MyActivitiesAbroad competition that we ran over the Christmas holidays, we decided to run it again over February half term!

For years, the Algarve has been the destination of choice for UK families visiting the stunning Portuguese coast. However, here at Activities Abroad we think that in order to experience a truly memorable family holiday, you need to visit the locations away from the tourist trail and uncover the hidden gems instead. It’s in these special destinations where you can enjoy authentic and unforgettable experiences that you and your family will cherish for years to come.

Our Product Manager Amy has plenty of experience visiting our winter destinations and it’s always extra special when she gets to experience the magic of Lapland with her family! Here she gives her expert advice on how to dress children for a family winter holiday. 

Though Brexit is official, in the world of travel we know that friendships and the opportunities for great family holidays are much stronger than borders. In fact, Visit Portugal wants to remind us of just that.

Here at Activities Abroad, we pride ourselves on our team of Family Travel Experts. We have visited all of our destinations, tried and tested the activities and carefully crafted our itineraries to create unforgettable family activity holidays.

We've had an absolutely fantastic response to our #MyActivitiesAbroad competition, with so many of our clients sharing their wonderful family photos with us from their holiday - and now...the results are in!

In between juggling busy work schedules, running errands and chauffeuring your children to and from events, it can be difficult to plan your dream family holiday. That’s where we come in. Here at Activities Abroad, we think that the start of a new decade deserves a spectacular welcome, and what better way to celebrate 2020 than with a bucket list family holiday?

At Activities Abroad, we absolutely love to see what you get up to with your family on your adventures away with us. Whether you’re enjoying a husky safari in Swedish Lapland, meeting Father Christmas in Finland, or going in search of the Northern Lights - we want to be a part of the action!

With Christmas just around the corner, we’re turning our attention away from the stresses of present shopping and onto some serious bucket list breaks.

Here at Activities Abroad, we always strive to offer our families the best experiences and though our Family Travel Experts remain proud of our carefully crafted and tried and tested locations, it’s nice to see that other people think the same! That’s why we were thrilled to see that a number of our holiday destinations have been featured on Big 7 Travel’s reader’s poll of the 50 best islands in the world. 

Here at Activities Abroad we know that think that witnessing the Northern Lights is a real bucket list item for many families, which is why quite a few of our snow holidays include opportunities to witness Mother Nature’s greatest light show!

However, seeing the elusive Aurora isn’t quite as straight forward as simply jumping on a plane to the Arctic and hoping for the best. As with any natural phenomenon there are a few things to bear in mind if you want to give you and your family the best chance of ticking the magical display off your bucket list. That is why we have put together our five top tips to help you have the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights with your family this winter! Read on to find out more!

Though Father Christmas may call it home, when it comes to experiences in Lapland, the man in red has some fierce competition!

Having watched Dame Judi Dench embark on her wonderful adventure to Borneo, we’ve been having some serious wanderlust thoughts about travelling in her footsteps!

Whether it’s sailing from island to island, setting foot in a winter wonderland or tackling ghyll scrambling together as a family, a short break doesn’t mean you have to be short on experiences.

You may not have heard of it before but Malta’s sister island is a small but mighty location that’s perfect for your next family adventure. With its impressive coastline, clear waters and rich history, Gozo offers something for the whole family.

These days, it can be difficult finding time for the whole family to get together, which is why we’ve always championed holidays as a brilliant opportunity for some precious family time. What can make this even more special, however, is a multi-generational trip where Mum, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa and the kids are all invited – you could even extend the invitation to Aunts, Uncles and cousins!

When you consider the bucket list moments, bonding opportunities and quality family time that travel can bring, a multi-generational holiday is something we think everyone should experience.

You could travel to Finnish Lapland where adventures include meeting Father Christmas by day and standing under the Northern Lights at night. If you prefer warmer destinations, you could explore the Atlantic islands of Madeira or São Miguel in the Azores, where you can go whale watching and snorkel alongside wild dolphins. No matter what your preference, we have the holiday that will suit the whole family. And remember, our Family Travel Experts are always on hand to help, simply call 01670 789 991 today to get started.

A family whale watching trip is one of those memories that lasts a lifetime. Nothing compares to hearing the excitement from your children as they see the spurt of water from a whales’ blowhole or a flick of the tail as these mighty animals dive down into the water. During a whale watching experience while on holiday in the Azores, you’ll explore the surrounding waters of the incredible volcanic archipelago and look out for the many different species found here.

As one of the world’s largest whale sanctuaries, you’re in with a great chance of spotting whales during your holiday in the Azores. In fact, whales and dolphins are seen on 98% of the boat trips. What’s more, you’ll be following in expert footsteps as even the BBC and National Geographic have visited the Azores due to its whale watching potential!

View our holiday in the Azores complete with whale watching here.

There are few better ways to create lasting family memories than by going whale watching during a holiday in Madeira. Having explored the impressive volcanic landscape, complete your visit by getting out onto the surrounding waters of the Atlantic Ocean and go on the lookout for the variety of marine animals found here.

With over 20 different species, you and your family will have a very good chance of seeing a wave from a tail, a splash from a blowhole or even a spectacular breaching display during your whale watching day out in Madeira.

What’s more, due to the depth of the water, you could see a whale as close as 5km away from the shore!

View our family holiday in Madeira with whale watching included here.

Following the announcement of the winner of our Junior Expert Writing Competition, we’re thrilled to share the entries from our runners up.

When we asked our clients if they had any budding writers in the family who might want to enter our Junior Expert writing competition, we didn’t expect to have some future JK Rowling’s, Charles Dickens’ and Jane Austen’s on our hands!

With ‘Blue Planet Live’ airing last night, here at Activities Abroad we’ve again been enthralled by the wonderful wildlife we share the planet with.

Due to the success of our Christmas and New Year family holiday competition, we decided that we wanted to see more #MyActivitiesAbroad photos – this time from your February half-term adventures!

Here at Activities Abroad, we know travelling is different for every family. That’s why we know there is no ‘perfect holiday’ to suit everyone. However, there are a few tips and tricks we’ve learned during our 16+ years’ experience in family travel that can help you perfectly plan your family holiday.

Here at Activities Abroad, we love seeing your photos of your favourite family travel moments with us. That’s why in December 2018 – January 2019, we decided to run a competition to celebrate all the wonderful images we receive!

If you are anything like us then you have probably started to dream of escaping the cold dark days of winter and embark on a family adventure to sunnier climbs! Now it might only be January but the good news is that the some of our favourite sunny escapes are just around the corner!

Although we love the Mediterranean islands of Sicily, Gozo and Croatia, there is one destination that we are particularly excited about – Madeira! Not only is this sub-tropical location full of picturesque landscapes, fascinating culture and dramatic views but it is also home to some wonderful family activities too! However, rather than rambling on for too long we’ll let the pictures do the talking. So, sit back and prepare yourself to be inspired!

With the summer holidays often dominated by a family getaway in the sun, and the Christmas break filled with frantic shopping, present giving and vast amounts of food, February half-term is usually far quieter and often forgotten about when it comes to planning a family escape.

As a UK-based travel company, we know that the issue of Brexit is something that is of concern for all the families that travel with us.

That is why we have decided to answer some of the common questions to help explain what Brexit might mean for your travel plans after 29 March 2019 when Great Britain is set to leave the EU.

With Christmas just around the corner it won’t be long until the memories of mince pies, turkey and presents start to fade and you’ll find yourself longing for your next family holiday. Although February half-term provides plenty of exciting opportunities to escape to some incredible destinations with your children, here at Activities Abroad we’re also starting to get excited about the Easter holidays!

We have some great news that we are delighted to share with you all – we’ve only gone and won another award!

Activities Abroad is delighted to announce that it has been named ‘Best Adventure Specialist for Families’ at the prestigious Family Traveller Awards 2018!

If your family is anything like ours, then you’ll have been thrilled to welcome the king of nature documentaries, David Attenborough, back to your screens on a Sunday night.

There can be a lot of pressure deciding how you want to celebrate the new year, especially when you have the whole family to think about. That’s why we’ve carefully designed family new year holidays to take the worry away.

There really is nothing better to get you into the festive spirit than an appearance from good old Saint Nicholas but with all the times he’s come to us, isn’t it only right we visited him?

No matter what your age, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the famous man in red. What’s more, we know that for the little ones a meeting with Father Christmas can be a truly magical experience. That’s why we’ve carefully designed a selection of holidays that include personal and memorable meetings with Father Christmas, right on his home soil.

Sadly, the school holidays are over and it’s time to get back to reality. But why not give into some wanderlust thoughts and start thinking about your family winter break!

Here are Activities Abroad’s 10 unmissable winter experiences you need to have this year:

Lapland offers so much to families wanting to revel in all the joys that come with an escape to a winter wonderland. With so much choice, we understand that it can be hard to narrow down exactly what you want to do on your family break. So, in order to help you plan your next Arctic escape, we caught up with one of our Travel Experts, Laura to get her top three experiences to have this winter with your family:

Here at Activities Abroad, we know that most families can’t wait to tick husky sledding off their bucket lists. However, when you and your children actually get the chance to experience it for the first time, it can be quite daunting. So, in order to help prepare your family for one of the Arctic’s most exhilarating experiences, we have put together our top tips for any husky sledding beginner!

If you are anything like us then you have probably been longing for the chance to escape the heat of summer and cool down! Now it might still be the summer holidays but the good news is that winter is around the corner and here at Activities Abroad we think that there are plenty of reasons to get excited about the colder months!

Former television presenter and journalist Eleanor Findlater was looking for a holiday to suit her family's love of nature and adventure. After contacting Activities Abroad we knew there was only one place we could send her and the family - The Azores! We caught up with Eleanor to find out what she and her family thought about these incredible islands and the adventures that they enjoyed:

Sitting 563 miles west off the coast of mainland Ecuador, the Galápagos Islands are no doubt one of the most famous archipelagos in the world. The very name conjures up images of exploration, adventure and incredible wildlife, found nowhere else in the world. From Charles Darwin, to his famous ship the HMS Beagle, and an amazing array of unique animals, that helped the famous scientist come up with his theory of evolution, there is something very special about these incredible islands that puts them on many a bucket list.

Now although the amazing wildlife is certainly reason enough to make a trip to these wonderful islands, they are not the only reason you should be planning your next family holiday here. With so many good reasons to travel to these islands we have chosen just five of our favourites to encourage you that a trip to the Galápagos Islands is the ideal adventure for your family of explorers!

Associate Global Editor at the Daily Mail Online, Jake Wallis Simons is a multi-award-winning journalist, best known for his work the BBC, Sky News and The Daily Mail. In his spare time, he has also written several novels including the best-selling 'The English German Girl'.

Whilst looking for a family holiday with his three children he stumbled across the Azores. Here at Activities Abroad we have been celebrating this picturesque archipelago for years so we thought we should catch up with Jake and see what he thought about the stunning islands:

Here at Activities Abroad we have always viewed rivers, lakes, canyons and oceans as natural playgrounds. Over the course of nearly two decades, we’ve travelled the world seeking out, and, very importantly, trying out the very best water-based experiences.

This got us to thinking about which are our absolute favourites so we asked our Family Travel Experts to come up with their particular choices. This resulted in a very comprehensive list so we decided to whittle it down to one per country.

With our time becoming increasingly more valuable, as more and more things seem to eat away at our time, it is perhaps unsurprising that more and more families are choosing to use holidays as a way to meet up and spend time together as families.

In 2018 it has become more and more common to find grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, parents and grandchildren all enjoying a well-deserved family holiday together. These multi-generational or ‘3G’ holidays have lots of benefits too!

We approached Kotor along the snaking coastal road that hugs the contours of the bay on a warm early evening in September. Below were the beautiful lights of Kotor twinkling in the distance, inviting us into its beautiful streets. My excitement grew as the lights kept dipping in and out of view and we wound and twisted along the curves of the road until finally, we arrived ready to begin our Montenegrin adventure!

if you are like us then you probably got a real taste for the summer over the recent sunny bank holiday we enjoyed. And here at Activities Abroad we think there are plenty of reasons to get excited about the summer holidays!

Having worked at Activites Abroad for almost 9 years I have always dreamt about taking my family to Lapland.  I am very lucky to be able to visit many of the wonderful destinations that we offer as part of my role as Product and Operations Manager and I consider many of our local partners as friends rather than just business associates.

We recently caught up with Laura from our marketing team to find out about her experience meeting reindeer in Finnish Lapland, here's what she had to say:

So, I’m a little bit of an animal lover (ok - major animal lover) and when I heard I was going to Finnish Lapland and getting the chance to meet reindeer, I couldn’t have been more excited!

When telling friends I’d been on the island of Gozo I was often met with a ‘where’s that’ reaction. It seems Malta’s little cousin is still relatively unknown compared to other more mainstream Mediterranean family destinations.

Without an airport, and covering only 26 square miles, it is immediately apparent when stepping off the short ferry from Malta that this island is a little different. Gozo hasn’t had anywhere near the development of its larger neighbour and retains a wonderful charming ‘older’ and more rural feel.

Active family holidays are a fantastic way to get some quality time with kids – including hard-to-please teens! - while enjoying a favourite pastime or discovering a new hobby, whether it’s cross-country skiing, a husky safari, cycling, surfing or all manner of other outdoor pursuits. 

As parents ourselves, we can understand that safety when travelling is at the forefront of everyone’s minds and, in an increasingly turbulent world, it is understandable that travellers are eagerly seeking out destinations where issues such as political unrest are less prevalent.

We’ve been running activity holidays since 2002 and there have been many, many occasions when parents have commented on how our trips had helped to build their children’s confidence and self-belief. This is something I have seen in my own kids over the years but I’ve never had a pictorial example of just how inspiring our outdoor activities can be. That was until a few weeks ago when the McLean family joined Activities Abroad’s family holiday in The Azores and I went mountain biking with my son.

Sete Cidades, ©Futurismo Azores Adventures

I’ve never really understood Kids’ Clubs. Why would you want to go on a family holiday (that's F-A-M-I-L-Y holiday) then pack the children off every day while the grown-ups do their own thing?

My philosophy, and it is one that I have always insisted that we adhere to here at Activities Abroad, is that a family holiday should be just that, a family holiday.

I see a lot of my kids. I see them when I am driving them to football or rugby or cricket or dancing or "Rock Project" or any number of activities. I also see them while they are playing football or rugby or cricket (but not dancing or "Rock Project"….Teenage Daughter would never allow a “PARENT!!!” to be present).

However, this is my point. Whilst I SEE a lot of my kids, like so many parents, I rarely actually DO anything with them. I seem to spend my life watching them rather than participating with them and I think that is a great shame. I'm not sure that the kids feel the same way but it is the reason that I believe a shared family holiday is so important.