Walk this Way

If you're still wary of booking flights, there are plenty of good holiday options a ferry ride away. Explore has a lovely three-day walking tour of the Lake District, where you'll get to see the homes of William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter, as well as the sheer beauty of the lakes, taking in Morecambe Bay, Grasmere and Windermere. It costs €340 per person and included are two nights' stay in a hotel and two breakfasts. www.explore.co.uk; 1890 747 747.

Bride and joy

Summer means weddings and weddings mean hen parties. Killarney boutique hotel the Ross is offering the perfect package for sophisticated girlie gatherings. The bride-to-be and her friends can avail of two night's bed and breakfast with dinner on one evening, as well as a makeover afternoon with Blue Bell Photo Studios, which will take professional photos of the party after a hair and make-up makeover. The hotel will also treat you to champagne and strawberries. The price is €220 per person sharing. www.theross.ie; 064 663 1855.

Northern Exposure

Those in search of a Father's Day present should check out the Clarion Hotel in Sligo's 'Active Packages'. There's the choice of two. For golfers, dads can enjoy an overnight stay, full Irish breakfast, a round of golf, a complimentary drink, full use of the Sanovitae Leisure Centre and complimentary upgrade to a suite for €85 per person sharing, valid Sunday to Thursday. If surfing is more his scene, he'll enjoy the same deal, with a two-hour surfing lesson replacing the golf. It costs €70 per person sharing. www.clarionhotelsligo.com; 071 911 9000.

City slicker

As it's nearly impossible to avoid the Sex and the City 2 hype, you might as well embrace it. The Gresham (right) has a very Carrie-esque deal. From €60 per person, you can have private use of one of the hotel's penthouse suites overlooking the city.

A private barman will serve you two Cosmos (or glasses of champagne) per person and you can then kick back with canapés and cupcakes and watch the first Sex and the City film on a plasma screen. Then it's off next door to the Savoy cinema for complimentary tickets to SATC 2.

Minimum number is eight, maximum is 12 and the deal is running for as long as the Savoy is showing the film, so another six weeks or so. www.gresham-hotels.com; 01 8746881.

Little chef

If you're looking for something to keep your young ones occupied this summer, signing them up to learn an important life skill isn't a bad idea at all.

Donnybrook Fair's Cookery School (89 Morehampton Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4) is running a series of week-long cookery courses for young people and each day has a theme such as 'Italian pasta and pizza extravaganza', 'The chocolate factory' and 'Party in the park'.

They'll be learning how to make everything from homemade lemonade to curries and every day they'll sit down together at lunchtime and sample the dishes they've made. The classes will run from Monday to Friday (10am-2pm) on 14-18 June, 21-25 June, 19-23 July, 9-13 August, The cost is €200 for the five days, €120 for three and €40 for one day. www.donnybrookfair.ie; 01 6683556 ext 205.

The Italian connection

It might be a haunt of billionaires and celebrities but the picturesque island of Sardinia doesn't have to be prohibitively expensive. Concorde Travel has a number of packages to a variety of four-star hotels, all including seven nights, flights, transfers, accommodation and airport taxes. From €1,068 per person, you can stay in the Hotel Punta Negra on the seafront in Alghero or for €1,176, at the Hotel Marinedda Thalasso & Spa in Isola Rossa (again, with fantastic views) on a half-board basis. www.concordetravel.ie; 01 775 9300.