Islands make brilliant family holidays. The geography does a lot of the work for you: there’s a natural boundary that keeps things contained, beaches are usually close by whatever you’re doing, and the pace of life tends to be slower. We’ve been island-hopping as a family for a while now, and we’ve racked up some firm favourites along the way.
This is our round-up of the best islands for families from the UK — all visited by us, all worth your time. We’ve covered everything from easy short breaks to proper adventures, so there’s something here whatever you’re after.
What makes an island a great family destination?
- Manageable size – you don’t want to be driving for over an hour to reach the beach
- Good infrastructure – places to walk with your pram (boardwalks, harbours etc), reliable supermarkets, and decent restaurants that welcome kids
- Easy travel from the UK – short flights or ferry crossings reduce the stress considerably
- Something for adults too – decent food, beaches you can relax on, perhaps some culture or scenery
Every island on this list ticks these boxes in its own way. Some are better for very young babies, some for active toddlers, some for families who want a bit of luxury. We’ve flagged what each one does best.
1. Jersey: best for an easy first trip abroad
Jersey is one of those destinations that quietly overdelivers. It’s technically abroad (you need a passport) but it flies from most UK regional airports in under an hour, has no language barrier, and is one of the most pram-friendly places we’ve ever visited.
We went when R was ten months old, based ourselves in St Helier, and didn’t hire a car once. The town itself was a real surprise — more charming and characterful than we expected, with good independent shops, a really lovely food scene, and a harbour that’s fun to walk around at any time of day. The bus network is excellent, contactless, and completely pram-friendly, and the WWII history is surprisingly engaging even with a baby in tow — we found the Jersey War Tunnels fascinating, and the Tidal Trail along the coast is an easy, beautiful walk with a pram.
Food-wise: Jersey Royals, fresh seafood, and Jersey butter that you’ll think about long after you’re home. The beaches are beautiful, especially in warmer months (we went in October so saved those for a return trip).
As a first trip abroad with a baby or toddler, it’s pretty hard to beat. The airport is tiny and nearly stress-free, the journey is short, and the whole island feels easy.
Getting there: ~1 hour from most UK airports | Best for ages: all ages | Vibe: easy, low-stress, culturally familiar
2. Île de Ré: best for cycling families and village charm
Île de Ré is connected to the mainland at La Rochelle by a bridge, which means no ferry — just fly into La Rochelle (one hour from London, one of the smallest and easiest airports I’ve been to) and you’re on the island in ten minutes. It’s a long, flat island with over 100km of dedicated cycle paths, beautiful sandy beaches, and a string of whitewashed villages that feel like the best of France without any of the stress.
We stayed in La Flotte over Bastille Day with R when he was 7 months old, and it was a brilliant trip. The island reminded us of Devon and Cornwall but with better weather and all the best parts of French food culture: patisseries on every corner, oysters, pain au raisin at the morning market, bread that makes you reconsider every loaf you’ve ever bought at home. The pace is slow, the streets are pram-friendly, and it felt completely safe and relaxed with a young baby.
The cycling is what makes it special, and the bike culture here is like nowhere I’ve ever been — and I’ve been to Amsterdam. Hire shops in every village offer trailers and child seats, and the paths link the whole island so you barely need to think about a route. We had R as a baby on this trip so rented a car, but I actually yearned to be cycling everywhere and it’s very much the plan for next time.
High summer gets busy and pricier so late June or September is the sweet spot. Self-catering works well and the markets and supermarkets are excellent. Search Île de Ré accommodation here.
Getting there: Fly to La Rochelle (~1 hour), 10 mins to island | Best for ages: all ages, especially active toddlers | Vibe: laid-back, French, cycling heaven
3. Mallorca: best for the reliable all-rounder
We took R to Mallorca when he was six months old, and it quickly became one of our favourite destinations. It’s the island that does everything well and rarely lets you down: guaranteed sun from April to October, a huge range of accommodation at every budget, short flights from almost every UK airport, and enough variety to fill a week whether you want beaches, mountains, or a city day.
What completely surprised me before we went is just how easy it is with a baby — high chairs, pram-friendly streets, and kids menus are just there in most restaurants without you having to ask or check in advance. We based ourselves in the north around Port de Pollença, which I’d choose again in a heartbeat: calmer, shallower seas than the south, a lovely promenade, good supermarkets, and a much more relaxed atmosphere than the southern resorts.
Palma is a genuine bonus if you fancy a day out, with a Gothic cathedral that’s extraordinary even from the outside, good tapas, and a harbour that R found endlessly entertaining. The Tramuntana mountains are spectacular in the background the whole time you’re there, and there are easy flat walks along the coast even with a pram.
It’s not the most adventurous or off the beaten track choice, but as a reliably brilliant family beach holiday it’s really hard to fault. Search Mallorca accommodation here or compare car hire rates with Auto Europe.
Getting there: ~2–2.5 hours from UK airports | Best for ages: all ages | Vibe: reliable, well-resourced, warm
4. Brač, Croatia: best for a Croatian island base
Brač is the largest of the central Dalmatian islands and sits a short ferry ride from Split — you drive your hire car on at the port and you’re in Supetar in 50 minutes. We chose it over Hvar partly because it’s quieter and less of a party island in peak season, which matters a lot when you’re travelling with small children.
The island has real variety to it. Bol on the south coast has the famous Zlatni Rat beach — that distinctive white shingle spit that shifts shape with the currents and is as dramatic as the pictures suggest, and we spent a lovely morning at the Ured beach bar watching the catamarans come and go. Supetar in the north is lower-key, with a good seafront promenade for pram walks and relaxed restaurants.
The Adriatic here is that calm, clear blue that makes swimming with very young children feel easy, and we found Lovrekinica Bay nearby too — away from the crowds, brilliant clear water, and a small restaurant. One of those places you stumble on and end up staying far longer than planned. Brač also has Stina Winery right on the Bol waterfront for when R is napping, and the Black Monastery walk if you want to stretch your legs (take plenty of water — it’s steep and remote).
If you’re doing the Dalmatian coast as a road trip, Brač earns its place as a proper island stop rather than just a beach resort. Search Croatia accommodation here or book car hire through Auto Europe.
Getting there: Fly to Split (~2.5 hours), ferry to Brač (50 mins) | Best for ages: all ages | Vibe: authentic Croatian, quieter, beach-focused
5. Sylt, Germany: best for luxury and a different kind of beach holiday
Sylt wasn’t on my radar at all until my mum went for a week in May and came back rather evangelical about it. I knew it by reputation as Germany’s answer to the Hamptons — the opposite of toddler holiday — but she came back with a very different picture: wide beaches with kids running wild, excellent cycling, and an island pace that she thought would suit us perfectly.
There are 40km of unbroken beach, with some of the finest white sand in northern Europe, and the cycle path network covers almost the whole island with bike hire everywhere including cargo bikes and child seats. The Sylter Welle waterpark in Westerland is a solid rainy day option, most villages have well-maintained playgrounds, and the beach access via wooden boardwalks makes it easy with a pram.
It’s not a Mediterranean beach resort, and even in summer you’ll want layers and a windproof jacket — mum visited at the end of May and enjoyed a pleasant 15 degrees, breezy and bright, while the rest of Europe was in a heatwave. But that’s what makes it special. It has that same unhurried, weather-dependent quality as Île de Ré — somewhere you build your days around the beach and the tides rather than a packed itinerary.
We’re heading there next summer with R and my mum as our very willing guide. For accommodation, Severin’s Resort and Spa is the island’s most family-oriented luxury hotel, with a children’s programme, pools, and a spa. Self-catering is widely available through Vrbo — book early for summer.
Getting there: Fly to Hamburg (~2 hours), train or Autozug to island | Best for ages: all ages | Vibe: upscale, wild coastline, distinctly German
6. Lefkada, Greece: best for stunning Ionian scenery
Lefkada is the only Ionian island connected to the mainland by a causeway, which makes it slightly easier to reach than some — fly into Preveza (a small, easy airport) and you’re on the island within twenty minutes. It has some of the most spectacular beaches in Greece, including Porto Katsiki, which regularly appears on lists of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.
I’ve been to Lefkada before and loved the turquoise water, the dramatic limestone cliffs, and the relaxed pace of the Ionian islands generally. Last time we stayed in a villa with a private pool near Nydri, hired a small boat, and spent a morning at the Nydri waterfalls — one of those unexpectedly brilliant half-days. We’re heading back as a family with R this July and staying in the highly recommended Mousses by Simpson Travel, which offers childcare built into a villa experience.
What I already know makes it good for families: the island is smaller and less developed than Corfu or Kefalonia, the beaches around Nydri on the east coast are sheltered and calm (perfect for young children), and the west coast beaches like Porto Katsiki are more dramatic — better saved for when the kids are older and can handle the clifftop walks. For accommodation, Porto Galini and San Nicolas Resort are both well-regarded family options near Nydri.
For now, take a look at our broader Greek islands guide, and watch this space for our full Lefkada family guide later this summer.
Getting there: Fly to Preveza (~3.5 hours), 20 mins to island | Best for ages: all ages | Vibe: stunning, quieter than Corfu, Ionian magic
7. Isle of Skye: best for wild, remote adventure
Skye is the wildcard on this list and deliberately so. It’s the only UK entry, and it’s here because it offers something none of the others can: that feeling of being somewhere remote, otherworldly, and completely unhurried.
We went in late March when R was fifteen months old. The drive from Inverness down to Skye is one of the best in Scotland — wide open roads, almost no traffic, dramatic Highland scenery the whole way — and we stayed in an Airbnb right on Loch Portree, which turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. You don’t stay on Skye for the cafes and shops (Portree is small and not as busy as you might expect out of peak season) — you stay for the wild scenery.
The island does all weathers in a single afternoon, which is part of the charm and part of the challenge — we had sun, rain, hail and heavy cloud all within a couple of hours on most days. Pramability is limited outside Portree and so Skye is a place for a carrier and waterproofs rather than a pram, but as a destination for families who want a proper adventure rather than a resort, it’s unlike anything else on this list. We’d recommend basing yourself in Portree and staying somewhere like Glenfinnan House Hotel for a night if you’re doing the wider Highlands loop, and we also loved our stay on Loch Ness which we paired with Skye.
Getting there: Fly to Inverness, drive (~2.5 hours) | Best for ages: babies in carriers, confident walking toddlers | Vibe: wild, dramatic, properly remote
8. Sicily: best for history, food and a proper road trip
Sicily is a different kind of island holiday: bigger, wilder, and built around a road trip rather than a single resort base. We visited while pregnant with R, splitting the trip across four bases (Riposto/Taormina, Agrigento, Noto and Ortigia) to cover the coastline, the Valley of the Temples, and some properly baroque towns without too much time lost to driving.
You could easily stay in one base for a simpler trip, but if you’re up for it, moving around a bit is the best way to see the island’s variety: some of the best-preserved ancient Greek ruins outside Greece, beautiful beach towns, and food that’s a match for anywhere in Italy. Agrigento in particular was a real highlight and excellent value.
Getting there: ~3 hours to Catania or Palermo | Best for ages: all ages, though a carrier helps in the old towns | Vibe: ancient history, big flavours, proper road trip
Quick comparison
| Island | Flight time | Best for | Cost level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey | ~1 hour | Easy first trip abroad | ££ |
| Île de Ré | ~1 hour (La Rochelle) | Cycling, village life | ££ |
| Mallorca | ~2–2.5 hours | All-rounder beach holiday | ££–£££ |
| Brač | ~2.5 hours (Split) | Croatian coast base | ££ |
| Sylt | ~2 hours (Hamburg) | Luxury, North Sea drama | £££–££££ |
| Lefkada | ~3.5 hours (Preveza) | Ionian scenery, calm seas | ££ |
| Isle of Skye | Drive from Inverness | Wild adventure | ££ |
| Sicily | ~3 hours (Catania) | History and road trip | £££ |
Every island on this list has been visited by us (or in the case of Sylt, my mum) and earns its place. If we had to pick one for a first family holiday abroad, we’d send you to Jersey or Île de Ré as both are low-stress, short-haul, and hard to get wrong. For something more special, Lefkada and Skye sit at opposite ends of the spectrum but both deliver experiences that stay with you.
We’ll keep adding to this list as we travel. And if you want more detail on any of the destinations above, every island has its own full guide — links above.
Allie, Jack & R x
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