Cheap Family Easter Holidays

How To Find Cheap Family Holidays

Finding a budget-friendly family holiday is not just about clicking the lowest price you see online. Timing, flexibility, and knowing where to look are what usually make the difference. A little extra homework can save you a surprising amount once you are ready to book.

• Book early or go last-minute: Booking early usually gives you the best choice of dates, room types, and free child place offers. Early booking can also bring useful savings, with travel companies offering deals and discounts months in advance. Although less common now, last-minute deals can still be good value if you are flexible and the operator is trying to fill unsold rooms.
• Be flexible with dates and locations: Flexibility is harder when you are tied to school holidays, but it still helps. Travelling mid-week, avoiding the busiest Easter weekend dates, or choosing a less obvious destination can all reduce the total cost.
• Choose a package holiday: A package holiday can be cheaper than booking flights and accommodation separately, especially for families. Providers such as Jet2holidays bundle flights and hotels, and sometimes transfers as well. Package holidays can also offer extra support if something goes wrong. Where a flight-inclusive package is covered by ATOL protection, you have financial protection if the travel company fails. If you pay by credit card, Section 75 protection may also apply in some cases, but it depends on how you book and the total cost, so do not assume it covers every travel purchase.
• Browse Savoo deals and compare prices: Travel brands such as TUI and Thomas Cook regularly promote family deals, so it is worth checking the latest travel deals before you book. Comparing the total cost, including luggage, transfers, and meals, is often more useful than focusing solely on the headline price.
• Consider self-catering: Staying in an apartment, lodge, or holiday home with kitchen facilities can cut food costs sharply, especially for larger families. It also makes life easier if you are travelling with picky eaters, toddlers, or anyone with dietary requirements. Savoo's guide to meal prep to save money is useful if you want to plan ahead.
• Single-parent savings: Single-parent travel can be up to 28% more expensive per person, particularly when a child occupies the second place in a room that would usually be priced for two adults. That makes it worth checking for deals created specifically for one adult travelling with children. Savoo brands such as Canvas Holidays can be worth a look when you are comparing prices.

When is the Best Time to Book an Easter Holiday

The best booking window depends on the type of trip you want, but a rough timeline helps.

• September to November: Good for booking next Easter early, especially if you want the best choice of family rooms, flight times, and kids go free availability.
• January to February: A strong period for mainstream tour operator offers, discount codes, and payment-plan deals.
• Two to six weeks before departure: The period when some last-minute prices appear, provided you can be flexible on destination and dates.

Kids Go Free Deals

Kids go free deals can make a real difference to the cost of a family holiday. Travel companies such as easyJet Holidays and First Choice regularly promote free child place offers for families booking together. In most cases, the deal applies when two full-paying adults book the trip.

If you want to secure a genuine free child place, there are some key details to check before you book:

• Who qualifies? Most deals apply to younger children, often under 12, though some brands extend the age limit. Always check the exact age rules on the booking page.
• Limited availability: Free child place deals are usually limited and often sell out early on popular school holiday dates.
• Not always fully free: Some offers cover accommodation only, while others may still exclude flights, luggage, local taxes, or extras.
• Applies to selected hotels and resorts: Free child places are often tied to specific family-friendly properties, so flexibility helps.
• Booking window: Early booking still tends to give you the best chance of finding a free child place for Easter.

'Most free child places are gone within the first few weeks of release, especially for peak school holiday dates. If you see one available for your dates, book it immediately before it sells out. I saw this firsthand when my cousin tried to book a free child place on a Jet2holidays deal to Tenerife last year. She spotted a bargain at £2,100 instead of £2,700 because one of her kids qualified for a free place. She decided to think about it overnight, but by the time she checked back the next morning, the free child places were gone. The same holiday had jumped back up to full price, and my cousin ended up paying more because she hesitated.'

The Best Destinations for a Cheap Easter Getaway

Not all destinations offer the same value for money. Some places offer plenty of free attractions, cheaper food, and family-friendly accommodation that stretch your budget further. Others look cheap at first glance, then become expensive once you add meals, activities, and transport. Picking the right destination is one of the biggest decisions you can make.

To judge value properly, it helps to look beyond the flight price. A destination with cheap flights can still work out expensive once you arrive. In other cases, a package or all-inclusive option can bring the total cost down because so much is included upfront. Here are some of the best family holiday destinations for an affordable Easter break.

Cheapest European Destinations

If your priority is stretching the budget, these destinations are often worth a closer look.

U.K. Seaside Towns and Holiday Parks

A U.K. break can be one of the simplest and cheapest ways to get away as a family, especially if you are travelling with younger children. Avoiding flights removes a major cost and makes packing, food stops, and travel days easier to manage. Holiday park brands such as Parkdean and Away Resorts often run Easter promotions that bundle entertainment and family activities into the overall price. You can also find more ideas in Savoo's guide to free and cheap holiday activities for kids.

Best locations:

• Cornwall and Devon: The south west has beautiful beaches, family attractions, and plenty of caravan parks, campsites, and self-catering stays. Prices vary widely by site and school holiday dates, but a basic Cornwall campsite for a family of four over the Easter weekend costs around £150 - £250. Haven has 4-night Easter packages from as little as £175.
• Wales: Llandudno and Tenby are reliable choices for affordable coastal breaks with plenty to do nearby. Which? has previously found Wales to offer better-value holiday cottages than some of the U.K.'s most in-demand national park areas during Easter.
• Scotland: Ayr and St Andrews work well for beach days mixed with historic towns and museums. VisitScotland's accommodation guide is useful for comparing everything from guest houses to self-catering stays, and Scotland has no shortage of free museums, parks, and outdoor attractions.

All-Inclusive Sunshine Getaways

If you want warmer weather, Easter can be a smart time to head to Europe. Parts of Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, and the Canary Islands are warm enough for a spring sun break, but they are often still cheaper than peak summer. All-inclusive holidays can be especially useful for families because meals, snacks, and some entertainment are included, which makes budgeting much easier.

Here are a few destinations that regularly offer good family value:

• Turkey: Turkey is often one of the strongest-value options for all-inclusive family holidays. Easter breaks in Turkey are available from £277pp* at lastminute.com.
• Spain: Costa Blanca and Costa Dorada are packed with family-friendly resorts, beach towns, and holiday parks. Eurocamp offers great value 4-night stays in Spain from uner £150 for a party of four*.
• Canary Islands: Tenerife, Lanzarote, and Gran Canaria offer the best chance of warmer weather at Easter. loveholidays Canary Islands offers are worth checking for family deals from £279pp* and low-deposit options.

* Prices vary depending on dates, airports and board basis. Data from March 2026.

European City Breaks

A European city break can still be affordable if you choose carefully. City breaks work particularly well for families with older children who are happy with walking, museums, parks, and casual dining rather than resort-style entertainment. Savoo's guide to cheap Eurostar tickets is a good starting point if you are travelling without flying. Our comprehensive guides of free and cheap things to do in Paris and how to visit Rome on a budget can also help you plan an affordable Easter getaway.

• Amsterdam: Amsterdam has parks, canals, and plenty of family-friendly sights, plus some good-value accommodation outside the very centre. I can thoroughly recommend Amsterdam's Secret Garden. Located between Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and Nieuwendijk, the garden is curated by a new artist every few months.
• Lisbon: Lisbon combines city sightseeing with beaches, public transport that children tend to enjoy, and relatively affordable food. The MAAT, on Belém's waterfront, has interactive art exhibits and offers free admission on selected days.
• Prague: Prague remains one of the more affordable city break options in Europe for accommodation. It is the most beautiful city I have visited. Look out for the Astronomical Clock in the Old Town Square. Every hour between 9 am and 11 pm, it conducts a performance featuring moving figures that children will love.

Family Adventure Holidays

Adventure holidays do not have to mean high prices. Camping, glamping, walking breaks, and activity-led trips can all be more affordable than a classic resort holiday, especially if you stay in the U.K. or travel short-haul. If you fancy the slopes, Savoo's guide to saving money on a ski trip covers lower-cost ski options in France, Austria, or Bulgaria.

National parks in the Lake District, Peak District, and Eryri, also known as Snowdonia, are popular destinations for an adventure getaway. They combine scenery, walking trails, and outdoor activities, and you can often control the budget by choosing self-catering or campsite accommodation. Legal & General's family holiday report suggests U.K. family holidays can become expensive once accommodation, food, and activities are added together, so anything that includes free outdoor entertainment is worth considering.

Best Types of Holidays for Different Families

The cheapest holiday is not always the best-value holiday if it doesn't suit your family's needs. Matching the trip type to your children's ages and your own travel style can save both money and stress.

• Families with toddlers: U.K. holiday parks, short car journeys, and short-haul flights with self-catering accommodation.
• Families with primary-age children: All-inclusive resorts, holiday parks with entertainment, and beach destinations with simple travel days.
• Families with teenagers: City breaks, ski trips, and activity-led holidays where there is more independence and variety.
• Budget-focused families: Camping, caravan holidays, off-peak self-catering stays, and U.K. coastal breaks.
• Single-parent families: Deals built for one adult travelling with children, flexible self-catering stays, and short breaks that reduce transport costs.

My colleague and fellow Savoo Money-Saving Editor, Emily Ambler, says: 'If you're struggling to find a deal within budget, consider travelling one or two days outside peak school holiday dates. Some airlines and hotels drop their prices just before or after the official Easter break. On one occasion, taking my son out of school 2 days early saved me hundreds of pounds on a peak holiday. But you need to be savvy when claiming these attractive travel deals. Parents can face fines for unauthorised school leave and even prosecution in extreme cases, so you should always check the current rules with schools before you book.'

GOV.UK's school attendance guidance is clear that holidays in term time are not usually considered exceptional circumstances, so always check the rules before you book around school dates.

Final Thoughts: Cheap Family Holiday Made Easy This Easter

Easter can be a useful sweet spot for families who want a break without paying peak summer prices. You can often find better value than you would in July or August, while still getting decent weather in parts of Europe and plenty of family options in the U.K..

The main savings still come from the same places: booking at the right time, comparing the full cost rather than the headline price, making use of free child place offers where available, and choosing a destination that suits your budget as well as your family. With a bit of planning, you can enjoy a great Easter break without overspending. There are also more ways to save money on a family holiday once you arrive.