Where to go with kids in October

All-inclusive Belek resorts with kids' clubs, plus Turkey's biggest theme park

October: October: warm days, a sea still comfortable for swimming and fewer crowds. Some resort facilities and parks start to shorten their programmes.

Calm Nusa Dua and Sanur beaches, a big water park and a safari park within a day trip

Europa-Park and Rulantica in Rust, with forest villages and waterfalls nearby

October: Autumn brings lower crowds and Halloween events; the park's Halloween season ran 23 September to 7 November in 2026.

A long beach season, big water parks and resorts that run free kids' clubs

October: Still warm enough for the beach; Fasouri Watermania's season usually ends mid October.

Five theme parks, a wildlife sanctuary and surf beaches within half an hour

Two big theme parks, a cable car and a harbour ferry in one compact city

October: Drier and cooler; among the best months for outdoor park days.

Free kids' clubs, lagoon beaches and a safari park, all on an island you can drive round

October: One of the best months: dry, warm and relatively quiet.

Super Nintendo World, whale sharks and Nara's deer on one easy rail network

Penguins and an aquarium in Cape Town, then Big Five game drives with no malaria tablets

October: Spring: Cape Town warming up, wildlife active and prices below the December peak.

Disneyland, Universal and LEGOLAND within one coastal drive, plus San Diego's zoo

Winter-sun family resorts with Siam Park and a volcano an hour away

October: Sea still warm, hotels cheaper after the September peak; UK half-term is the busiest week.

Two Disney parks, Ghibli and teamLab, with trains that handle pushchairs

October: October to November: warm days, cooler evenings and some of the best weather. Disney's Halloween season runs in the autumn.

Short-haul Atlantic beaches, three water parks and resorts built around kids' clubs

October: Water parks close by the end of the month; still warm enough for the beach on most days, with October half-term demand.

Surf beaches, rock pools, the Eden biomes and steam trains on England's far west tip

PortAventura, Ferrari Land and sandy Salou beaches an hour south of Barcelona

October: Halloween season runs in the park, with an offer on hotel plus tickets on weekdays; the water park is closed and evenings can be cool.

Sandy bays, water parks and Minoan ruins on Greece's largest island

LEGOLAND, LEGO House and an indoor water park in Billund, plus Tivoli in Copenhagen

October: Halloween events at both LEGOLAND and Tivoli; Danish autumn break (week 42) brings a crowd spike.

Gardaland, water parks and a safari zoo around Italy's biggest lake

One island, one lagoon, one kids' club: a beach holiday with almost nothing else to plan

October: Wetter and windier; good value, but check the lagoon side that faces the weather.

Shallow sandy bays in the north, water parks and an aquarium in the south-west

Efteling's fairytale park, a safari drive, Duinrell's slides and hands-on Amsterdam

October: Autumn half-term weeks bring crowds and Halloween events (Toverland runs Halloween days for families); rain becomes more frequent.

Waikiki beach days, Ko Olina lagoons and a snorkel bay, all within an hour's drive

October: Calmer and cheaper than summer; hurricane season officially runs to November, but direct hits on Oahu are rare.

Seven big theme parks within 30 minutes, plus a real rocket launch site an hour east

Two Disney parks, a Gaulish theme park and city museums built for small hands

Universal, Oceanarium and Mandai wildlife parks, all under an hour by car in the tropics