So you’ve been counting down to your next use of annual leave for weeks, and the day is finally dawning? But you don’t want to be sitting at home watching Judge Rinder all day (some of us do though…let’s not judge!) so why not enjoy your time off by taking your leisure activities to a new destination? While walking through your local National Trust parks might be a great pastime, we’re sure that when you walk through the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Dubrovnik or battle sites of the First World War in Slovenia and Italy, you’ll never forget the experience.
Benefits of an activity holiday
Taking an activity holiday has a huge amount of benefits, just the same as exercising when you’re at home. But if you know your kids will spend half the holidays glued to the TV or their Xbox One’s then maybe an activity holiday is the most subtle way to ensure they regain their love for the outdoors again. As well as this, using an activity break as a fun family holiday can also help you get some quality time through both learning a new skill or sharing an already-loved hobby together.
If you go for an activity that’s slightly new to you, then firstly be careful it’s not a whole new world, e.g. you might not want to try canyoning if you’re not a strong swimmer! However, the benefits of something new based on skillsets you already have in your locker (kayaking for example) go beyond the physical. If you nail that new skills then you’ll also go home feeling truly satisfied with a sense of achievement – plus something you can brag about to your work colleagues and friends!
Studies have also suggested that those taking activity holidays also feel more refreshed and take less time to get back into their daily routine. This could be for a variety of reasons from spending the week relaxing and sleeping in, making that alarm clock all that bit more horrible when it goes off on Monday morning, to overindulging on alcohol and holiday food!
Types of activity holiday
For those who aren’t quite sure what they fancy, a multi-activity holiday allows you to sample a range of different activities so that you’ll be experiencing something new each day. This is a great option with kids as it prevents boredom setting in from the same activity and sights each day. Alternatively, if you love mountain biking, then sometimes the trails in the UK & Ireland just aren’t enough so why not try somewhere with a little bit more sunshine and some new scenery to get amongst!
Whether you’re a beginner or novice on a horse, horse riding as an activity holiday allows you to still have that necessary chill out time while enjoying your favourite hobby. From close-to-home breaks such as in Kerry’s beautiful seaside village of Rossbeigh where you’ll trek across the beaches and countryside, to transporting yourself to a whole new world in Sardinia. Sardinia’s Horse Country Resort is awesome for those wanting to enjoy their horse riding holiday with kids as it’s almost like a western-style ranch! From a saloon bar and tex-mex dinners to traditional carousel performances, you can also hire equipment such as canoeing or pedal boats for an extra cost at the resort to fill your days with even more adventure.
An alternative activity holiday offered by ActivityBreaks.com is the total fitness and lifestyle break in Slovenia. For those who need the motivation to kick start their new health regime, this is the break to take! All your meals will be taken care of to ensure a healthy balanced diet, while you’ll take part in one-to-one or small group training in a programme tailored to your fitness levels.