Types of Holiday and Holiday Activities

(Photo Credit: Artiom Vallat; Santorini, Greece)

In this lesson, we are going to focus on six types of holiday and the activities you can do when you choose each one of them. 

You are going to learn how to describe the type of holiday you like. 

This knowledge is especially important when you want to talk about your holiday and what you did. 

There are different types of holidays. A lot of people choose a tourist destination first instead of thinking about the type of trip they are actually looking for. 


A BEACH HOLIDAY (A SEASIDE HOLIDAY) 

• go and sunbathe | do some sunbathing 
• walk along the sand (phrase) 
• be lying on the sand (phrase) 
• build a sand castle (phrase) 
• play in the sea
• sit in the sun | sit in the shade 

Examples: 

• My ideal holiday is relaxing on the beach and swimming. 
• Our kids love playing in the sea and building sand castles. 
• We love playing volleyball and Frisbee on the beach. 
• I love looking for some seashells to take back home. 
• I always have a great time just lying on the sand or walking along the sand. 
• When I'm on a beach holiday, I tend to sit in the shade and read. 

A CITY BREAK 

A city beak is a short holiday or weekend break spent in a city. 

• buy souvenirs 
• try the local cuisine 
• do some sightseeing | hop on a sightseeing bus 
• a real learning experience 
• stay in a hotel in a historic city 
• spend a fortune on entrance fees 
• meet people and learn about other cultures
• sample the local nightlife 

* When you go on a city break, you can try a hop-on hop-off tour to do some sightseeing. 

Examples: 

• I really like looking around museums and art galleries, and going to cathedrals.
• I usually take photos in front of historic buildings. 
• I like exploring the city I'm in by hopping on a sightseeing bus. 
• Sightseeing is great, but you can easily spend a fortune on entrance fees. 
• The guided tour of the old town was a real learning experience. 
• I spent the weekend in a fascinating small town with lots of impressive buildings. 

A SKIING HOLIDAY 

• go skiing | go snowboarding | go snow scooting | go ice skating 
• horse-drawn sleigh rides 
• go sledding | go dog sledding 
• hit the slopes (= ski on them) 
• snow covered mountains 
• enjoy the mountain air | enjoy the mountain scenery 

Examples: 

• If I’m on a skiing holiday, I enjoy catching the cable car to the top of the mountain and then I like zooming down and enjoying the beautiful scenery. 
• You can gaze at the stars. The clear mountain air can give you a breathtaking view of the stars at night. 
• I'm not a fan of skiing, so when I'm at a ski resort with family or friends, I tend to seek out other winter activities. 
• Some ski resorts offer helicopter rides. You can get a bird's eye view of the snow-covered mountains. 
• You can go sledding or dog sledding, with sleds pulled by huskies. 
• The only reason why I go to ski resorts is simply to enjoy the fresh mountain air. 
• Switzerland has plenty of good skiing. 

AN ACTIVITY (AN ADVENTURE HOLIDAY) 

Some people may want to go on an activity or adventure holiday. 

• go sailing | go surfing | go windsurfing  
• go canoeing | go kayaking
• go snorkelling | go scuba diving 
• go hiking 
• go bungee jumping 

Examples: 

• I really like activity holidays where I can do lots of fun things, like mountain bike riding – that’s my favourite – or canoeing, and I like horse riding too. Personally, I think holidays are for doing exciting things. 
• I'm big on outdoor activities like hiking and mountain biking. 
• Bungee jumping seems dangerous to me, so I would think twice about it. 

VOCABULARY 

• be big on something (phrase) - to be very interested in something 
• think twice (phrase) - to consider something more carefully 

A CAMPING HOLIDAY 

Camping can be lots of fun. It's the perfect type of holiday for those who enjoy sleeping outdoors and getting away from the daily routine. 

• pitch a tent | set up a tent | put up a tent (collocations) 
• take down a tent (collocation) 
• sleep in a tent (collocation) 
• sing around the campfire 
• relax and listen to nature 
• go hiking | go rock climbing 
• go fishing | go swimming 
• go bird watching | go animal watching 
• gather rocks or flowers 
• sleep under the stars (collocation) - in a place with no roof 

Examples: 

• We pitched our tent as soon as we got to the campsite. 
• We took down our tent early in the morning. 
• I love camping holidays and being outdoors. I like getting closer to nature, waking up in a tent and then going fishing all day. 
• We went on a camping holiday in southwest France. The campsite was huge -- with a water park and an immense beach stretching as far as the eye can see. We explored the inland on horses and we also hired bikes a few times. That's probably the most memorable holiday I've ever had. 
• We stayed at an amazing campsite in the mountains. 

VOCABULARY 

• a water park - a place where people can have fun in swimming pools or go down water slides 

• as far as the eye can see (phrase) - for a long distance until something is so far away that it cannot be seen any more 
• a memorable holiday (collocation) - one that will always be remembered 
• in the mountains (collocation) - in an area where there are a lot of mountains 

A CRUISE 

• sit on the deck 
• look out to sea 
• watch a sunset (or a sunrise) over the ocean 
• sit in the sun 
• swim in the pool 
• take on-board classes 

Examples: 

• Cruise holidays are great because you can sit on the deck, relax and look out to sea. 
• You can watch a sunset (or a sunrise) over the ocean. 
• You can sit in the sun by the pool or swim in the pool. 

​

Other lessons: 
Story Time: Travelling in Spain 
Story Time: Travelling in France 
​Travel Tips: How to Ask for Information and Make Recommendations 

English conversation lessons: 
English Conversation: Travel opinions 
English Conversation: Travel experience 
English Conversation: Travelling in Europe and Asia 

IELTS Speaking Part 2: 
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe your perfect holiday 
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe an area of your country that is well known for its natural beauty 


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