I finally did it – our first group trip abroad actually happened!
I started my Facebook group Kiddo Adventures Day Out back in 2019 with the dream of organising regular group trips for families. But as life got busy, that dream had to take a back seat for a while.
Fast forward a few years (and after successfully hosting three amazing free family days out), I felt ready to finally take the leap and plan something bigger — a group trip abroad!
I knew coach travel, while definitely the most tiring option, would make the most sense. It meant everyone could pay the same price and keep costs affordable for families.
After doing lots of research and comparing different companies, I came across Phoenix Adventures. I emailed them with my ideas and they responded super quickly and were just as excited about the plan as I was.
Phoenix Adventures were amazing from the get-go. They quickly pulled together a full itinerary and pricing details, and everything felt super professional from the start. What made things even easier for me was that they provided a custom email link for all the families who wanted to join the trip — so people could send their personal details and make payments directly. I didn’t have to handle any of that side, which was such a relief!
Whenever any small issues came up, the team at Phoenix Adventures were quick to sort them. Honestly, they were a fantastic company to work with, and we’ll 100% be using them again. In fact, a lot of people have already asked me about organising a group trip to Disneyland Paris, so that’s definitely in the pipeline!
I realised after this trip that many people didn’t quite know what to expect from a coach trip like this, so I wanted to explain the logistics a bit more clearly for anyone thinking about joining the next one.
We started at London Victoria Coach Station, where Phoenix Adventures picked us up. From there, we drove a couple of hours down to Dover to catch the ferry. This part surprised a few people — we had to get off the coach and go through passport control to get our passports stamped before boarding the ferry.
Once we were through, we reboarded the coach and drove onto the ferry. But once we were on the ferry, everyone had to get off the coach again and head up into the main ferry area. Luckily, the ferry had everything we needed — places to charge phones, grab a bite to eat, and even a play area for the kids, which was a big bonus.
After sailing across to Calais, we got back on the coach and continued our journey all the way to Parc Astérix. We had plenty of time in the park to explore, enjoy the rides, and make memories.
Later, we met our drivers at the designated meeting point outside the park (all clearly listed in the itinerary). From there, we drove into central Paris, where we saw the Eiffel Tower, took some gorgeous photos, and then headed to a nearby area with food options like McDonald’s and KFC — perfect for a quick, familiar meal.
After that, it was time to head back. We did the same journey in reverse:
- Drove to Calais
- Got off the coach for French and UK passport control
- Reboarded the coach and drove onto the ferry
- Got off the coach again to spend time on the ferry
- Sailed back to Dover
- Final leg: coach journey back to London Victoria
It was a long day, yes — but full of fun, excitement, and a brilliant first experience for our growing community of family travellers.
I wanted to keep the trip as affordable and family-friendly as possible, and thanks to Phoenix Adventures and group ticket deals, we managed to offer a great value package.
Age Categories:
• Children: 3–11 years old
• Adults: 12+ years old
Trip Details:
• Travel cost: £86 per person (same for adults and children)
Park Ticket Prices:
• Adult ticket: £54.25
• 1 FREE child ticket with every full-paying adult
• Additional child ticket: £47.55
Total Price Breakdown (Travel + Ticket):
• Adult: £140.25
• Child (travelling with a full-paying adult): £86
• Additional child: £133.55
Payment Plan:
• You could secure your place with a 50% deposit
• Final balance was due at least 4 weeks before departure.
This structure helped make the trip more accessible for families, especially those with more than one child. It also gave people the flexibility to spread out the cost a bit.
Want to Join the Next Trip? Here’s How!
Like I said earlier, I’d love to organise another trip like this — and from all the feedback I’ve received, it’s clear that lots of you would love to come along too!
If you’re interested in joining us on future trips, the first step is to join our Facebook group: Kiddo Adventures Days Out.
I created the Facebook group for a few important reasons:
- It keeps everything in one place — all the info, updates, questions, and announcements go in the group. I’m just one person, and I simply can’t keep up with DMs on Instagram, emails, and WhatsApp messages from every direction. The group helps me stay organised so I can focus on planning great experiences.
- It keeps everyone safer — especially since we’re travelling with our kids. I recently saw a TikTok about a woman who created a WhatsApp group for women, and somehow strange men managed to infiltrate it just because the link was shared publicly. That’s not something I want to risk.
With Facebook, I can check and verify who’s requesting to join, and make sure it’s real people — not just random accounts. We’re a community of parents taking our children out on group adventures, so it’s really important to me that everyone feels safe and secure.
I know not everyone loves Facebook, and some people don’t use it — but it’s completely free and easy to set up an account, even if it’s just to join the group.
So if you’re excited about the idea of coming on the next adventure — whether it’s to Disneyland Paris or another fun destination — make sure you’re in the group so you don’t miss out when the next trip goes live!
