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Two Cornwall-based surfing mums have launched a surf travel company to encourage more families to spend quality time together by the sea on a surfing holiday.
Hayley Lawrence and Celine Bennet founded Family Surf Co. after experiencing challenges in pursuing their own passion for surfing when travelling with young children.
The pair set about locating the finest family hotels in some of the top surfing destinations – including Portugal, Barbados, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka and Cornwall – so they can help other parents organise their perfect surf holiday.
Family Surf Co. officially launches on 20 June 2019 – International Surfing Day – offering a handpicked collection of stylish, family-friendly accommodation beside the waves.
“We love spending time in the ocean as a family, but travelling with three boys (now five, eight and ten years old), I needed decent family facilities to ensure we could all relax, have fun and be safe on our surf trips,” said co-founder Hayley Lawrence.
“Having well equipped accommodation within footsteps of surf breaks and beach life is vital, so that we can yo-yo between the surf, the sand and all the amenities needed to keep the family fuelled up and entertained.
“Although we enjoy surfing together, we’re all at different levels, so it’s essential to have expert surf instructors who cater for family sessions, solo sessions and surf guiding for more experienced surfers. Also, I want to know there’s a babysitter on hand or kids’ club if I want to go for dawn surf or a sunset session without the children.”
Co-founder Celine Bennet travelled the globe as a pro kite-surfer in her 20s, and has continued to travel extensively with her young children (now one and five years-old), surfing as much as she can.
“The reality is that it can be stressful travelling with a young family, especially if you’re driving around looking for waves, while trying to keep everyone happy. With this in mind we’ve handpicked boutique family hotels and resorts where you can slip seamlessly from your bed to your board.
“We’ve road-tested every place we sell holidays to, so we can give personal advice to families, and we send them off with a personal travel guide to the area, including surfing beaches, places to visit and recommendations of where to eat and drink. We’ve also made sure that every place is within a reasonable transfer time of the airport or ferry port. While we like to explore new and exotic destinations, there’s a limit to how far off the beaten track you want to go with a young family in tow.”
Family Surf Co. holidays aren’t purely about surfing – there’s plenty on offer for family members who don’t want to hit the waves, from active adventures to chilling out by the pool with a cocktail in hand. The handpicked portfolio includes hotels with skate parks, bike hire, football pitches and water sports from SUP to snorkelling.
As well as family time there are plenty of opportunities for grown-ups to relax and recharge, with yoga sessions, spa treatments and swanky restaurants – as well as kids’ clubs and babysitting services to ensure adults get some time for themselves.
All holidays are 100% financially protected by the Travel Trust Association. Family Surf Co. will help parents plan a bespoke family surfing holiday, including flights, car hire and transfers, and also offer personal advice and information on each destination.
Making trip planning simple and cutting out time-consuming research, they even supply with you a packing list and travel guides.
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