Family Holiday - drive to Spain
Discussion
We drove from Norfolk to Gibraltor via Malaga for a wedding 6 years ago with a 6 year old and a 1 year old, took us 36 hours from memory.
Was OK, but the route is as boring as hell, at the time used a Chrysler Grand Voyager with an auto trans and cruise control, must admit was the ideal vehicle as each child had their own captain seat and space, plus room for all to stretch out and relax.
Tips would be work out your route fully prior plus have a plan B route, make sure the air-con gets a full re-gas prior to going and try and avoid deadlines so you have the flexibility to stop off as you want.
Was OK, but the route is as boring as hell, at the time used a Chrysler Grand Voyager with an auto trans and cruise control, must admit was the ideal vehicle as each child had their own captain seat and space, plus room for all to stretch out and relax.
Tips would be work out your route fully prior plus have a plan B route, make sure the air-con gets a full re-gas prior to going and try and avoid deadlines so you have the flexibility to stop off as you want.
Hmm quite a bit of day time driving, my preference is to leave after the kids have eaten tea, put them in pyjamas / track suits and then go all night.
My other tip, would be if you are going in the day time, try to find a planned lunch stop, somewhere you know you are going to find food and some time out of the car.
My other tip, would be if you are going in the day time, try to find a planned lunch stop, somewhere you know you are going to find food and some time out of the car.
Type R Tom said:
Leave in the evening and let the kids sleep over night, by the time they wake in the morning you'll be most of the way through France. Also take the Eurostar, quicker crossing and more reliable, from anywhere in Kent you'll be in France in under 3 hours!
Thanks for that - just looking at it, seems like a good plan....we did this sort of trip for 10 years in cars from a new mini to an s type jag we used to (from Kent)head over at 5pm chunnel head to roen for the night next day drive all the way to the pyrennees then slip through andorra for duty free and mountain roads then all the way to malaga .long drive but great fun . 2 adults 2 kids youngest was 5 never a problem even in the mini ( went to the IMM in salou on the way) we used to try lots of different routes but found we loved the mountain roads of andorra and used to detour on the way bqack to do the mulsanne and clermont ferrand and so on , in spain we stayed in some wonderful state run hotels called paradors I think they were listed buildings so we stayed in several castles a windmill and a lighthouse all very cheap some years we stopped in barcelona / salou at the portadventura hotel and theme park . Most practical car were the people carriers synergie and galaxy we used to remove the other seats and have the room for more stuff nicest drive was an e38 , mini was ahoot in the mountains though.
do it my kids still remember the trips fondly and son now does roadtrips himself around europe to see touring cars or rallycross.
do it my kids still remember the trips fondly and son now does roadtrips himself around europe to see touring cars or rallycross.
I've driven to north Spain from Birmingham area for the last 3 years. I normally leave about 6-7pm on Friday, book a eurotunnel (quick and free with tesco vouchers) around 10-11pm so in France for midnight. I then usually arrive around 10am to villa. Kids awake for first few hours of journey and last few which is easy to entertain. Make sure you get a toll tag so you don't need to stop at any of the tolls (no waking up wife and potentially kids). I use toll tickets. I normally try to adjust my body clock (late nights) so driving through the night a little easier and the wife drives the last few hours.
I know your journey is a fair amount longer but may save you 1k in travel!,
I know your journey is a fair amount longer but may save you 1k in travel!,
As a victim of several European driving holidays when I was a kid, I would advise against it. As others have pointed out, what you can do in 2 full days of driving on your own becomes a week long, shattering epic with kids.
Also, while I much later discovered that driving around Europe is fun, being stuck in the back of a hot car for days on end is definitely not.
Boat across to Bilbao might be a bit more realistic (if you're ok with ?24 hours on a boat, which would be a pain for me!) but that still leaves you a long, hot drive through the middle of Spain to Malaga.
Also, while I much later discovered that driving around Europe is fun, being stuck in the back of a hot car for days on end is definitely not.
Boat across to Bilbao might be a bit more realistic (if you're ok with ?24 hours on a boat, which would be a pain for me!) but that still leaves you a long, hot drive through the middle of Spain to Malaga.
Quick update on what we are actually doing:
Leave Lincs early hours of Monday morning and drive to Dover. Getting 0830 ferry (decided on this to brake the journey up and for breakfast)
Drive to Paris - drop car at train station (it's off on Autorail to Toulouse). Afternoon in Paris before getting the overnight sleeper train to Toulouse.
Pick up car early Tuesday in Toulouse and head off to campsite in Pyrenees - about anhour or so driving. Stay there for 4 night.
Leave early hours of Saturady and head from Pyrenees to Mijas - for week with family in villa. Very long day that one!!
Following Saturday - early start again and drive through Spain to Santander for 20:30 ferry to Portsmouth.
Arrive back in UK at 1945 Sunday night - head back Lincs (kids should fall sleep for this leg) - be home just after midnight.
Should be fun, has the possibility of being a great adventure involving our car, a couple of ferries and a train. Could also turn out to be a total mare. But slightly cheaper than flying, longer holiday and hopefully great fun.
Leave Lincs early hours of Monday morning and drive to Dover. Getting 0830 ferry (decided on this to brake the journey up and for breakfast)
Drive to Paris - drop car at train station (it's off on Autorail to Toulouse). Afternoon in Paris before getting the overnight sleeper train to Toulouse.
Pick up car early Tuesday in Toulouse and head off to campsite in Pyrenees - about anhour or so driving. Stay there for 4 night.
Leave early hours of Saturady and head from Pyrenees to Mijas - for week with family in villa. Very long day that one!!
Following Saturday - early start again and drive through Spain to Santander for 20:30 ferry to Portsmouth.
Arrive back in UK at 1945 Sunday night - head back Lincs (kids should fall sleep for this leg) - be home just after midnight.
Should be fun, has the possibility of being a great adventure involving our car, a couple of ferries and a train. Could also turn out to be a total mare. But slightly cheaper than flying, longer holiday and hopefully great fun.
sanf said:
Quick update on what we are actually doing:
Leave Lincs early hours of Monday morning and drive to Dover. Getting 0830 ferry (decided on this to brake the journey up and for breakfast)
Drive to Paris - drop car at train station (it's off on Autorail to Toulouse). Afternoon in Paris before getting the overnight sleeper train to Toulouse.
Pick up car early Tuesday in Toulouse and head off to campsite in Pyrenees - about anhour or so driving. Stay there for 4 night.
Leave early hours of Saturady and head from Pyrenees to Mijas - for week with family in villa. Very long day that one!!
Following Saturday - early start again and drive through Spain to Santander for 20:30 ferry to Portsmouth.
Arrive back in UK at 1945 Sunday night - head back Lincs (kids should fall sleep for this leg) - be home just after midnight.
Should be fun, has the possibility of being a great adventure involving our car, a couple of ferries and a train. Could also turn out to be a total mare. But slightly cheaper than flying, longer holiday and hopefully great fun.
Good luck to you but I have to laugh. We were 5 up in a Fiat Tempra to Spain on the A roads as we couldn't afford the M's. Though compared to a Moroccan mate at work who had 6 in a transit van all the way from London to Morocco we were positively lucky! Leave Lincs early hours of Monday morning and drive to Dover. Getting 0830 ferry (decided on this to brake the journey up and for breakfast)
Drive to Paris - drop car at train station (it's off on Autorail to Toulouse). Afternoon in Paris before getting the overnight sleeper train to Toulouse.
Pick up car early Tuesday in Toulouse and head off to campsite in Pyrenees - about anhour or so driving. Stay there for 4 night.
Leave early hours of Saturady and head from Pyrenees to Mijas - for week with family in villa. Very long day that one!!
Following Saturday - early start again and drive through Spain to Santander for 20:30 ferry to Portsmouth.
Arrive back in UK at 1945 Sunday night - head back Lincs (kids should fall sleep for this leg) - be home just after midnight.
Should be fun, has the possibility of being a great adventure involving our car, a couple of ferries and a train. Could also turn out to be a total mare. But slightly cheaper than flying, longer holiday and hopefully great fun.
I've done this a few times. Calais / Bayonne / Malaga in the car.
My kids are 4, 6, 9 & 14. It's really not as bad as it sounds. If you prepare properly and have a toll tag, in car dvd, overnight stop sorted etc., it's actually a very nice way to go on holiday in Europe.
Best I've managed was 28 hours I think.
Also did Tonker's suggestion last year when my son & I drove with all the luggage and the girls flew the next day.
The cost of (large) car hire down there during peak season is eye watering so having your own car down there is a bonus. The savings can substantial by driving.
My kids are 4, 6, 9 & 14. It's really not as bad as it sounds. If you prepare properly and have a toll tag, in car dvd, overnight stop sorted etc., it's actually a very nice way to go on holiday in Europe.
Best I've managed was 28 hours I think.
Also did Tonker's suggestion last year when my son & I drove with all the luggage and the girls flew the next day.
The cost of (large) car hire down there during peak season is eye watering so having your own car down there is a bonus. The savings can substantial by driving.
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