Child safe

A holiday to Jardon isn’t complete until you complete the Golden Triangle – Aqaba, Wadi Rum and Petra.  With all offering their distinct features: The seaside city of Aqaba is Jordan’s coastal gateway with historic sites on our doorstep, Wadi Rum – the valley of the moon offers glittering skies, undulating dunes and peace of mind, and Petra’s rich ancient past is an archaeological adventure.  Using the seaside city of Aqaba as your base, Petra is just a short drive away. And situated near the desert highway, only a minor detour between both Amman and Aqaba, lies Wadi Rum.

For me, being beside the seaside is synonymous with feeling happy in that slightly hypnotised way that sparkling blue oceans bring on. Happy and hypnotised is not how I'm usually feeling when I find myself in East London, so the fact that I can step on a plane in London's grey downtown and find myself in a chic seaside resort an hours later, is perhaps Deauville's biggest selling point. 

Scorchio in summer, Morocco cools down for its autumnal peak season. Space is already limited for October half-term but specialist operator Naturally Morocco can tailor-make a three-stop itinerary beginning in the High Atlas mountains south of Marrakech. There you'll undertake a soft trek - with mules for the kids to hop astride when needed - to salt-mining villages and passes that will leave you gasping. Next comes a chance to ride camels along sand dunes around seaside Essaouira, before two days in Marrakech itself.

There's nothing quite like a family road trip, and one of the best ways to see France at its fiest is behind the wheel. What is surprisingly is how much of the country's most traditional attractions - gourmet food, the world's best wine, astonishing history and stunning architecture - are within a doable drive from the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle terminal in Folkestone.

We set off from Hampshire - and after a short dash on the other side through pretty Normandy, crossing some incredible viaducts over gaping valleys, found ourselves in Rouen.

Whether you are dining with Cinderella or zooming through the Everglades in an airboat, experiencing lift-off at the Kennedy Space Center or taking a ride on the Hogwarts Express, Florida is one giant playground.  There are also 1,250 golf courses in Florida, so you can play golf on a different course every day for more than three years! It’s just a A whirlwind wonderland of unforgettable experiences.

Upon first inspection, Dubai lives up to its reputation as a millionaires’ playground; it is chock-full of business folk impeccably turned out in Arab thawbs or designer labels, driving huge cars from one gleaming, gargantuan mall to the next. But while this futuristic city in the middle of the desert is great fun for those with money, it is also ideally set up for kids.

Childhood holidays are the source of some of our most enduring memories: long summers, days by the seaside playing in the sand and sea, the scratch of sunscream being rubbed in over sandy arms and legs.  Why not make this summer's holiday one to remember with a car journey in France, starting from the seaside and ends with your children meeting all their favourite Disney character?

Boasting gorgeous beaches, epic ancient sites and natural landscapes ripe for adventure, Antalya in Turkey has everything you need for a truly unforgettable holiday by the sea. For a holiday that combines stunning scenery, beautiful beaches, pine forests, fast-paced adventure and ancient sites look no further than Antalya, on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. Boasting 300 days of sunshine per year, it’s the perfect destination for families and couples, sports enthusiasts, history buffs and sunbathers.

Shanti Maurice, in the unspoiled south of Mauritius, celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. We raise a glass to a resort where you won’t just be a guest – you’ll become family.  As if tropical-inspired luxury, a glorious setting on a horseshoe of coral sand and an award-winning spa weren’t enough to shout about already, this year Shanti Maurice, a Nira Resort, celebrates its 10th anniversary.

 When you are planning the perfect family holiday, you want something that keeps everyone happy and creates wonderful memories to cherish forever.  For a magical experience, try combining Walt Disney World Resort, Florida, with a wonderful Disney Cruise to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.