Why Do Active Holidays Work So Well for Single Parents?
Single-parent family adventure holidays are a great way for solo mums and dads to enjoy their time abroad without having to organise everything themselves. Joining Small-group trips allow children and teenagers to meet other families, while parents can share the experience with other solo parents. Our Croatia family adventure holidays combine activities, accommodation and local tour leaders, creating a fun and connected environment for both parents and children.
Why choose an adventure holiday as a single parent?
✅ You don’t have to organise everything
One of the best advantages of joining a family adventure holiday as a single parent is that you don’t have to be the person responsible for organising every part of the week. All the local arrangements are taken care of by your tour leaders. This means mums and Dads can concentrate on enjoying the experience with their children rather than constantly thinking about what needs to happen next.
✅ Your children have other children to socialise with
For many single parents, knowing that their children will have other children to spend time with, will make a huge difference. On a small-group family adventure holiday, children and teenagers are travelling alongside other families, often with children of a similar age. Friendships can develop naturally during activities, boat trips, meals and time around the accommodation, giving children their own social experience as well as the time they spend with their parent. Arm wrestling your teenagers to get off their phones, won’t even make an appearance during a planned Active Week, with other children and teens.
✅ You can meet other single parents
Travelling as a single parent can feel different from travelling as part of a couple or larger family. A group holiday changes that. You are sharing the week with other parents who understand the practicalities of travelling with children on your own. There is an opportunity to chat over breakfast, share experiences during activities or simply enjoy a drink together at the end of the day. For many parents that booked with Green World Holidays, having that sense of being part of a group is one of the most enjoyable parts of their holiday. It’s actually beyond the adrenaline and scenery of Croatia, relaxing within the effortless group connection that turns a great week into an unforgettable one.
✅ Activities are organised for you
Adventure sounds exciting, but organising a family adventure independently can involve a surprising amount of planning. Where do you go rafting? Are the rapids safe? Which boat trip should you book? How do you get everyone there? What equipment is needed? On an organised family adventure holiday, those decisions have already been made for you. Activities are planned in advance and local leaders take care of the practical details, allowing you to experience the adventure without having to manage the logistics yourself. Green World Holidays has been crafted these dedicated itineraries for over two decades. Our guests leave reviews on Google, TripAdvisor and Trust Pilot. To read a Teenagers perspective of their experience on our active holidays in Croatia, read this article by Bella. She stayed with her family and Blogged about her time in Dalmatia. If you’d like to hear from a Solo Parent that’s reviewed our Brac island Adventure week – head to her TikTok Page ‘This Mum Cooks’
✅ Families stay together
There is something particularly reassuring about being part of a group where the families are staying together. You are not arriving at a large resort and hoping your children find someone to talk to. Instead, you are sharing the experience with a relatively small number of families from the beginning of the week. That creates opportunities for parents to get to know one another and for children to become familiar with the other families around them.
✅ Teenagers can have some independence
Family holidays can become challenging when teenagers want more independence but parents still want to know that they are safe and enjoying themselves. A small-group adventure holiday can provide a useful balance. Teenagers have opportunities to spend time with other young people, make their own friendships and enjoy activities together, while parents remain nearby and part of the overall group.
✅ You aren’t the only adult responsible for creating the fun
Perhaps one of the most overlooked benefits of a single-parent adventure holiday is simply not having to be the entertainment department for the entire week. The holiday already has a rhythm, activities and other families around you. That means you can step back occasionally, enjoy watching your children have fun and actually have some time to enjoy the holiday yourself.
What To Ask Before Booking A Solo Parent Holiday?
Choosing your next family holiday is a big decision for any parent. But if you are seriously considering to book a small group holiday, that is dedicated to Single Parents, then ask the following questions:
- What is the typical age range of your holidays? We ask this question, so we avoid booking onto the wrong kind of trip. Families with older teens, won’t want to be hanging out with five and six year olds. Ask the Tour Operator of the ages of children already booked on.
- Is the Trip totally dedicated to Solo Parents, or is there a degree of flexibility in their booking process? This question, is their to manage your own expectations, without surprises later on.
- Are all the single-parent families booking on, located in the same accommodation? This is one of the most important questions to ask. Never book a Solo Parent holiday, where guests are separated in various private accommodations. When guests are located in the same hotel, the social bond will be so much more connected.
- Are activity transfers and equipment all included? Parents need a holiday too. Logistics of adventure days should be for the Tour Operator, not for guests.
- Can the Tour Operator clearly show Social Media of their adventure holidays on offer? Definitely avoid companies that use generic type posts and pictures. Adventure Operators, should be regularly posting reviews, pictures and videos on Facebook and Instagram of their single parent itineraries.
Are adventure holidays suitable for single parents travelling with teenagers?
Traveling with 11 to 19-year-olds doesn’t have to mean negotiating screen time or dragging reluctant teenagers to sights they aren’t interested in. Small-group family adventures deliver the ultimate win-win: maximum freedom for them, total relaxation for you.
When you join a group of just four to six families, the magic happens almost instantly. As teenagers share adrenaline rushes with new friends, friendships are forged at lightning speed. There’s nothing quite like a shared leap into a canyon to break the ice. Teens arrive as strangers and end up inseparable.
Best of all, small-group travel takes the pressure off you ‘the parent’. With expert local guides taking the reins on logistics and safety, your teenagerss get the peer dynamics and freedom they crave, while you get to kick back, recharge, and enjoy the ride. It’s cool enough for them, effortless for you, and guaranteed to be the one single parent holiday your teenager will actually talk about when they get home.
On Zoom: Interview with 3 solo parents
Last summer, three single parents—Rob James, Rebecca Lawson, and Leah Gimson—participated in our family adventure holidays in Croatia.
Upon their return home, Head Tour Leader Jelena connected with them via Zoom to hear about their experiences.
So, firstly how did you come to find Green World Holidays?
Rob: For me it was the classic Google search. My son Toby was finishing his A-levels and my daughter Hannah was finishing her GCSE’s so I was researching a trip that could reward and motivate their hard work. I must have searched something on the lines of joining a family activity holiday in Europe. Croatia was a country I’ve always wanted to go.
Rebecca: Like Rob, I started with Google. I found your team and explained I was keen to age match my 15-year-old son. I was also very interested to know if there were any other single parents booked on. One week in particular had other single parents booked on and there were lots of teens matching Max’s age. So it was all a good fit.
Leah: My friend had travelled with Green World Holidays last year to Brac island. I ended up booking the Omis Adventure Week and similarly to Rebecca I was a bit nervous about travelling as a solo parent and one of the weeks was particularly single parent friendly. Although, not exclusive to single parent holidays. For the week we joined, over half the group were solo mums and dads.
Rob: As a single parent buddying up your teenagers is a must. Hanging out just with Mum and Dad sadly doesn’t cut the mustard.
Rebecca: Even though we’re planning and paying for it.
Did the adventure aspect of the trip meet your expectations?
Rebecca: Max and I did the Croatia, Rivers & Canyons week. Hosted by Maria & Sara, who were both incredibly kind and amazing with the kids. There was no pressure or sense of competition. I felt that really helped bond the group.
Rob: We did the Brac island week, which exceeded our expectations. Included activities were SUP boarding, mountain biking, climbing and sea kayaking. We were one of six families, which was a perfectly sized group. Neither too large to be impersonal, but large enough to meet lots of fun personalities. The blend of both water and land activities is like Miro says, ‘the perfect Croatian cocktail’.
Leah: My sixteen-year-old Sophie confided in me on the way home when her guard was down, it had been her best holiday ever.
Rebecca: You can’t ask for better feedback than that.
Any particular highlights spring to mind?
Leah: Tubing was our favourite activity. Barisa our tour leader is a wonderful personality. Extremely knowledgeable and great fun. The hotel Plaza Omis is right on the beach. The kids would buddy up together and be in the sea. Parents would be at the beach bars, adjacent to the volleyball courts. Just a superb place to hang out. Surprisingly, this active holiday has been my most relaxed!
Rob: I’m not really a bike guy. But surprisingly, cycling was a highlight for me. The route was cleverly designed to loop back to our accommodation. The kids were straight in the pool and an impromptu party proceeded.
Rebecca: Max loved the canyoning, that was his highlight. He’s an adrenaline junkie. I’m the opposite, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find out that there are no mandatory high jumps during the canyoning tour. Do it, if you feel like it. My highlight was the river tubing.
What makes the week work for single parents?
Rebecca: A big deal for us was having accommodation, where all the families are located together. Our Villa had 6 apartments, so all the Green World Holidays families were together. We’ve been on similar trips, and have been separated. We’d never do it this way again! It’s essential to all be together, to connect and be social. It was also extremely safe. The kids would often hang out together and play in the pool.
Rob: It’s challenging meeting your teenager’s needs. Sometimes they don’t even know what they are after. So having so many other teenaged children in the same boat, was a positive catalyst. Knowing the ages and genders really helped make that right decision. The itinerary itself was flawless. No thinking to do. Tour Leaders led the way!
Leah: I think the biggest success to these holidays is the tour leaders. They make parents lives so much easier. On previous holidays when I have tried to organise stuff myself it always ends up a battle of wills and if something doesn’t go to plan of course you get the blame. Our guides Barisa and Iva simply told us where to be, at what time and what we needed to bring. It was great.
Was Croatia the right destination for you?
Rob: Brac island is ideal for adventure holidays for families with teenagers. Our coastal village was idyllic but not sleepy. A picturesque place with a Mediterranean vibe. Gorgeous local restaurants on the harbour front and only a minute walk back to the private apartment building. I felt very comfortable to see my son exploring the village with his newly made friends.
Rebecca: Our activities were water based which was ideal during the heat of the day in Croatia. In the evenings we tended to relax by the pool or walk down to the beach.
Leah: You can understand why Croatia family adventure holidays are so appealing. The lovely weather, organic food, quick flights, stunning scenery. We loved our time with you at Hotel Plaza in Omis. To be with all the other families in the same accommodation was truly brilliant. I think Omis is the perfect coastal town to host such a trip. It’s a magical spot, with an impressive sandy beach. Perfect for teenager activity holidays.
Rob: Can I add the local people we met were delightful?! The Croatian people couldn’t be nicer. It feels so safe. The country has a youthful energy, but has lost none of its tradition an authenticity.
Any tips for other single parents looking at booking a family active holiday in Croatia?
Rob: Plan your holiday in advance. I left my booking a bit late and was very lucky to get on the Brac Island adventure week. Bring reusable drinking bottle. Croatian drinking water is perfect.
Rebecca: Bring UV T-shirts or water tops. They are ideal for the sea kayaking and white water rafting tours. Most of the beaches are pebble. So I’d recommend purchasing some water shoes.
Rob: Croatia is Euros. Bring cash for extra tours and some restaurants are cash only. We had a great time in Split before the start of the week with you. Would recommend that for others!
Leah: My advice is to go for it. Don’t let any anxieties hold you back. We all have them and we’re meant to lead the way for our teenagers to follow. The social side of the week is really easy going. No one is ever centre stage. You all pitch in together.
Rob: Both my children said they loved the connectivity in the group. Parents agreed over dinner it was a magical experience. One that most likely we won’t ever be able replicate.
Rebecca: We did an additional boat tour. That was organised locally by our tour leader in Omis. If there’s an opportunity to do this, I would say go for it. Oh, and pack light. You don’t need to bring much for this kind of trip. What to pack for a family adventure holiday in Croatia, is really just a good attitude.
Rob: Couldn’t agree more. It was so relaxing, as everyone came with an open mind and supported each other. Ironic that an adventure holiday was one of my most relaxed weeks I’ve had with the kids.
Leah: If you have any dietary requirements, you’ll be able to communicate this prior to travel. There’s a really useful booking form sent after booking. We also loved Split and recommend a pre or post stay.
Rob: Like Rebecca mentioned. We also hire a boat and captain for the day. This was arranged by your local guides, during our stay on Brac island. Highly recommended.
Who are our single-parent adventure holidays suitable for?
Joining Green World Holidays is a perfect choice for the below family types:
- Solo mums
- Solo dads
- Parents travelling with one child
- Parents travelling with several children
- Families with teenagers
- Active families
- Parents who want a social holiday
- Parents who don’t want to organise everything themselves
- Families wishing to meet other families
- Parents looking for an unusual holiday in Europe
- Introvert and Extrovert Parents.
What activities do families book near Split?
There is a wide selection of adventures for families to choose, if staying in the Dalmatia Region. The following activities can be booked directly or as part of a family adventure week.
10 Most Popularly Booked Activities are …
- RIVER TUBING
- CANYONING
- WHITE WATER RAFTING
- BOAT TRIPS
- SEA KAYAKING
- ZIP-LINE
- CLIMBING
- MOUNTAIN BIKING
- SUP BOARDING
- SNORKELLING
Summary
A single parent family adventure holiday can offer a very different experience from a conventional family break. Instead of having to organise every activity, meal and day out yourself, the week is planned around shared adventures, with local guides taking care of the practical details.
Our family adventure holidays in Croatia bring all of this together through a combination of outdoor activities, island trips, time by the sea and exploration, alongside a relaxed small-group atmosphere. For teenagers in particular, the combination of adventure, friendship and a little independence can make the holiday feel genuinely exciting.
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