Caravan / holiday parks

Slightyamusedandsilly · 2025-08-01T09:25:08+00:00

For the first time in my life, I'm on a caravan holiday. Fairly upmarket (as much as they can be) one. Very clean. Quiet. Directly by a beach. Very middle class town. My god, I'm SO bored. I'm not a fan either of package hols, but this is a whole different level of dull. AIBU?

Coffeeishot · 02/08/2025 11:44

You have tried it wasn't for you I wouldn't dismiss it though and try again maybe a weekend when they are older.

user1476613140 · 02/08/2025 11:43

We are doing a Friday to Monday before schools go back this month and that's long enough so you get out there and treasure each day for what it is. I am a great believer in making the best of it.

Original poster

Slightyamusedandsilly · 02/08/2025 11:20

hmmimnotsurewhy · 02/08/2025 10:15

A caravan holiday sounds like my idea of hell. I wouldn’t do it even if It was fully paid. I’m with you op. It’s dull, boring and mooching around trying to find things to do , I would rather be home.

Even the DC said this. I'd taken toys so they had stuff to do while in the caravan, but the same stuff after a week was boring.

At home in good weather (while I was cooking etc) they'd have been able to go out in the garden, but 1) not safe to go out alone here, 2) too young anyway.

I'm by no means a holiday snob, have never done AI and am up for a bit of sight seeing, but as another poster has mentioned, the DC are ND and their tolerance for sightseeing is short.

It was worth a try. But I know now, while a couple of days are OK (novelty value for easy access to beach and swimming) a week was too long. If we do it again, it will be for a weekend or quick mid-week break.

It was by no means the worst holiday I've had (been on packages years ago that I absolutely loathed) but I need to consider the needs of the DC better next time. As much as I'd hate a site with evening activity (think performers etc, Butlins style, and amusements) it would definitely keep them more interested. Even the pool where we were only had one 'fun' hour a day for children to be loud and boisterous.

You live and learn.

OP posts:

hmmimnotsurewhy · 02/08/2025 10:15

A caravan holiday sounds like my idea of hell. I wouldn’t do it even if It was fully paid. I’m with you op. It’s dull, boring and mooching around trying to find things to do , I would rather be home.

pictoosh · 02/08/2025 09:06

I've only done a couple of caravan holidays in my time...we usually hire a cottage and/or go camping as well.
Must say the caravans were good both times...warm and comfy, a really nice place to return to, tired and grubby after a day out being active somewhere in the vicinity.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 01/08/2025 23:14

Even on a holiday abroad though when my kids were young they would never have just sat around enjoying extended lunches we usually stayed somewhere with a kids club, and still had to do the whole beach thing when it was often too hot for that

LadyCankleOfGrantham · 01/08/2025 22:56

DappledThings · 01/08/2025 20:05

Were you also locked in like OP?

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No but with a big family with varying accessibility and neurodiversity needs, spending all day tramping around wasn’t always an option

ButteredRadish · 01/08/2025 20:30

Caravan holidays are all I can afford. We relax, DC goes swimming/other kid activity on one of the days, the other days we go exploring the area.

user1476613140 · 01/08/2025 20:23

Sounds like you can't be arsed entertaining your DC on the caravan holiday which is not normally an issue on your usual foreign holiday as they're chucked in the holiday clubs so you can lounge around on the pool in peace and quiet. Kids are a bloody nuisance for some. Utterly spoiling a good holiday.

user1476613140 · 01/08/2025 20:19

So what activities do you do with young DC abroad in hotter climes that you can't do here at the caravan?

SkinnyOatFlatWhiteForMePlease · 01/08/2025 20:06

bellamorgan · 01/08/2025 19:59

Without the location none of us can help.

But it sounds like it’s a you thing not the place thing. The caravan should not be your 98% of the time place. You should be exploring and doing things.

Of course if all you normally do is lay by a pool in the sun and send the children off to kids clubs it’s not the holiday for you.

Even with the location @Slightyamusedandsillyseems to dislike wandering around towns, shopping and sightseeing. Enjoys long walks but the children don’t. Not much to go on there 🙄.

DappledThings · 01/08/2025 20:05

LadyCankleOfGrantham · 01/08/2025 19:31

I’ve just been on one, it was SO boring. And the park owners inexplicably took all the sunloungers away from the outdoor pool so couldn’t even sunbathe (not that we had the weather for it). Activities were extremely expensive for the kids - stuff which is available at an activity centre near my (expensive) home town costing 4 times as much. £4 for a small coke at the bar, which we ended up just sitting in as there was nothing else to do. Will never do it again. I’ve done it before mind, and had a good time so I guess it depends where you pick.

Were you also locked in like OP?

SkinnyOatFlatWhiteForMePlease · 01/08/2025 20:04

UsingAMansNameInAWomensWorld · 01/08/2025 19:53

You're the problem not the location

You don't want to do anything and you're whinging about the weather when the kids would be fine playing.

There's bound to be an adventure park or castle or something nearby to take them to

This.

bellamorgan · 01/08/2025 19:59

Without the location none of us can help.

But it sounds like it’s a you thing not the place thing. The caravan should not be your 98% of the time place. You should be exploring and doing things.

Of course if all you normally do is lay by a pool in the sun and send the children off to kids clubs it’s not the holiday for you.

incognitomouse · 01/08/2025 19:54

Holidays are what you make them.

UsingAMansNameInAWomensWorld · 01/08/2025 19:53

You're the problem not the location

You don't want to do anything and you're whinging about the weather when the kids would be fine playing.

There's bound to be an adventure park or castle or something nearby to take them to

Groovee · 01/08/2025 19:34

We used to use it as a base. Take board games for the evenings. Daily we used to travel about to visit fun things. My kids have fond memories of our few caravan holidays.

chipsewfast · 01/08/2025 19:33

The problem is with you. It's what you make it

LadyCankleOfGrantham · 01/08/2025 19:31

I’ve just been on one, it was SO boring. And the park owners inexplicably took all the sunloungers away from the outdoor pool so couldn’t even sunbathe (not that we had the weather for it). Activities were extremely expensive for the kids - stuff which is available at an activity centre near my (expensive) home town costing 4 times as much. £4 for a small coke at the bar, which we ended up just sitting in as there was nothing else to do. Will never do it again. I’ve done it before mind, and had a good time so I guess it depends where you pick.

Createausername1970 · 01/08/2025 19:28

x2boys · 01/08/2025 10:59

Well your determined to hate every minute why not go home now?

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This, in spades!

Sirzy · 01/08/2025 19:25

Actually with kids cooler days are better for the beach. They can run around and enjoy it without it being packed, without it being too hot, without having to worry (too much!) about sun cream etc.

they can be kids running around and having fun in the sand with their parents!

(and I say that as someone who personally hates the beach but made sure we had great days there when my son was little!)

ThePoshUns · 01/08/2025 19:03

Exactly

DappledThings · 01/08/2025 18:47

ThePoshUns · 01/08/2025 18:38

Some people are able to make the best of things, some aren’t.

I don't think OP actually wanted to. I think she decided before she got there she would hate it so deliberately didn't do anything while she was there and didn't engage with any suggestions or questions here so she can confirm it's not her type of holiday and she never has to do anything so ghastly again.

ThePoshUns · 01/08/2025 18:38

Some people are able to make the best of things, some aren’t.

UpDo · 01/08/2025 18:37

WonderingWanda · 01/08/2025 18:05

I think with toddlers you might need a more all singing all dancing caravan park to be honest. The Woolacombe Bay ones have loads of things to do including great indoor and outdoor heated pools, soft play I think one of them had bowling. Kids entertainment etc. I mean, from memory, most holidays are a bit shit with toddlers because they need watching and entertaining all the time so you can't relax, they don't travel well, can be picky eaters etc.

I tend to actively seek out quieter parks but my kids are older and into surfing, eating out etc so it's just a base for us.

In OPs case definitely. I actually liked a quieter park when mine were that age, but that only works if you're happy to make a lot of use of the beach and there's family friendly stuff nearby. Basically if you'll make your own entertainment. However, if that's not you then yep, the ones with the whole shebang on site will suit better. I hadn't heard of Woolacombe before but from the website, exactly that kind of thing.