Am being clueless and need advice from those who have been abroad with toddlers before!!

We want to go abroad but i have never really done the package holiday thing before as we have always made our own arrangements for flights, hotels etc and not really gone to main tourist resorts. Was thinking a package option was easier now we are taking Lily. We dont want a really long flight so was looking at Portugal, has anyone been and is it nice??

The other thing i was not sure of was whether it was better to go self catering or all inclusive? I was thinking all inclusive might be easier as everything is provided for us but have not done it before and wondered what people thought?

On a practical note, do you think you would bother taking a pushchair for a 2 year old??

any advice gratefully received!

I haven't been to Portugal so can't answer that bit. We went to Turkey last year and opted for Bed&breakfast. For us this was the best, as we didn't have to worry about anything in the morning, there was a little shop and a restaurant/cafe in the hotel where we could get lunch which was cheap. Each night we could find a different restaurant to try different food. Plus it's so cheap we were having 3 course meals with drinks for £5 each. I can see the benefits of all inclusive but I've always worried I wouldn't like it and feel i'd be trapped in the hotel complex a bit. I liked exploring the little town bit and finding a diff restaurant each night. But i guess thats personal choice.
Also i don't know if self catering/bed &breakfast works out cheaper. We paid £600 for hotel &flights &transfers for 2wks.Then spent £400 over there so £1000 total. My bro &sis in law have booked 10days all inclusive for £1300, then they have to take spending money for excursions/days out etc, seems a lot more.
I would deffinitely take a pushchair, even just a cheap little stroller. In the heat, i don't think the kids can walk so much and if you go out somewhere in the evening you've got somewhere for Lily to lay down/sleep. We saw loads of 5yrs in pushchairs on holiday.

I think self catering or all inclusive are the best options for people with toddlers. You'll find that their routines get a bit messed up so meal times can vary so much. At least with all Inc or self catering you can easily get lo a meal at a time that suits you.

I would take a pushchair as in my experience they usuallly like a daytime nap, so you can put the pushchair in the shade and you can chill in the sun. Also lo can fall asleep in the pushchair at night and you don't have to rush back to get them in bed.

I'm not sure Portugal is the best option at the moment though.

Iv not been abroad with lillie but based on when I worked out in majorca...

I would bring a pushchair, as like shell said, they get tired easily and if you wanted to go for a walk or in the evennings. Id get a cheap one though to take, INCASE (not sayin will) gets broken or lost on the plane!! when I was rep OMG the amount of people who brought brand new, expensive pushchairs then they got scratched, damaged or lost the amount of form I had to fill in!!!!!!!!! lol
some places (would have to check on booking) you can hire them at the airports once the other side something to look into dont know how much though.

I dont know which is better all inclusive or self catering... not sure pros and cons for them all. as Iv not been dont know. guess for older kids would be better all inclusive as ice cream and soft drinks all that is norm included which would be a saving I guess but depends how much Lily drinks and eats lol

aw Im jel of you goin on holiday! dont know the last time Iv had a holiday. mind with my 2 dont think it would be a holiday lol Il have to take my mum haha x

I don't know about toddlers but we have done self catering and all inclusive. a lot of self catering places only had a hob and we just found we ended up eating out every night. When we added the drinks to that it didn't really work out any cheaper than when we'd gone ai, especially when we took into account that was in crete and the ai were both in mexico. We found the time we went half board was cheaper than self catering

On a personal note we prefer ai as you just have to take money for going out and everything else is included. However, unlike now, we had a reasonable budget and didn't shop around so you might be able to find some cheap self catering apartments

Hi i love AI holiday packages, there is just a wide range of foods for u to choose from say if LO didnt like something. They always do a big spread of fresh fruit aswell, which is so nice when its hot. Soft drinks are free too, i find it more cheaper.

My OH wants to go portugal, i have always fort of it as a couples holiday to go exploring etc, i didnt think they had many kids/family resorts. But i have never been there so they migt have. I do know its expensive in portugal lol

I would go spain its not that long away, they have fab family resorts its fairly cheap and u get the sun.

Hope u have a fab time wherever u choose. I would take a stroller.

Char

I cant stand self catering. specially abroad. But I love AI there are alot of hotels now that cater to kids so they actually have there own buffet/good are too as well as the other buffet/food areas.

i would def go ai when we took dylan when he was little it cost us nearly 1000 in food alone, plus with ai you get all your drinks ice creams etc too and yes i would take a buggy they check it in separate and it doesnt cost any more but you get to keep it till just before you get on the plane then they put it with the cases xx

I cant answer about the package stuff as I have only taken Izzy to my parents house in France, so not at all package!

I would say to take the stroller though, I was thinking the same about when Lisa& I go to Cornwall and thought well yeh if we go for a long walk or something it would be handy rather than having to carry her!

I don't like AI unless its 5 star/with different restaurants - otherwise the food is never varied enough and its the same thing every day which is soooo boring, especially in places like Spain/Greece.
So I'd rather go SC and get to choose where to go - or at least go half board so you can go out for lunch!