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The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Family Holiday in February
February is the month when escaping the UK starts to feel less like a luxury and more like a public service. Christmas is a distant memory, the novelty of the new year has well and truly worn off, it’s dark by approximately lunchtime and everyone is simultaneously cold, tired and counting down to Easter. In our opinion, this is the school holiday you *really* want to leave the country for
Whether you’re travelling with a baby, toddlers, younger children or teenagers who are equally desperate to escape the February gloom, we’ve rounded up the best places to go in February with kids, plus the family-friendly hotels we’d actually recommend, to make planning the next half-term escape a little easier
Words: Frankie Collinson
Published: 10th September 2026 | Last updated: 10th September 2026
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Where is hot in February for a family holiday?
For an easy escape without going full long-haul, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and the UAE are brilliant bets. You’ll get sunshine, outdoor pools and temperatures warm enough for a serious improvement in family morale, without a 12-hour flight
- Cape Verde: 25-27°C
- Dubai: 24-26°C
- Canary Islands: 20-23°C
- Madeira: 18-20°C
Fancy going properly far? February is prime time for some of the world’s best family-friendly long-haul destinations. Thailand is hot, dry and gloriously beachy, South Africa is brilliant for combining Cape Town, safari and the Winelands, while the Caribbean delivers the classic combination of turquoise water, white sand and absolutely no requirement for a coat. Mauritius is another excellent all-rounder, with beautiful beaches, brilliant family hotels and plenty to do when you’ve had enough of building sandcastles
- Thailand: 30-33°C
- South Africa: 25-30°C
- Antigua: 28-29°C
- Mauritius: 28-30°C
- Maldives: 29-31°C
For families who’d rather swap their swimming costumes for salopettes, February is also peak ski season. The Alps should have a good covering of snow, ski schools are in full swing and there’s plenty of family-friendly accommodation to choose from. Just be warned: February half term is one of the most expensive and competitive weeks of the ski season
Best February holidays by age
Best February holidays with babies and toddlers
- Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru, Maldives
- Falkensteiner Hotel Montafon, Austria
- Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama, Tenerife
Best February holidays for children aged 5-12
- JA Palm Tree Court, Dubai
- Jumeirah Muscat Bay, Oman
- Club Med Tignes, France
- Melozhori Private Game Reserve, South Africa
Best February holidays for teenagers
When to book a February family holiday?
February skiing = start looking in August/September and book early
February half-term sunshine = 6-9 months ahead
Long-haul February escapes = 6-9+ months ahead
Flexible dates/destination = you can afford to keep an eye out for later deals
Want to a deeper destination dive?
Whether you’re choosing a February family holiday based on the hotel or what you can actually do there with kids, these are the family-friendly destination guides worth diving into next – all the places to stay, things to do and parent-tested intel you need to narrow down your search
Family-friendly February holiday first hand reviews
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