Help please lovely MNetters - 5 live are interested to know your thoughts on family holidaying in the UK?

Airports are rubbish. But holidays in the uk just don't seem like...erm.....holidays?

It's very expensive, the food and service is generally poor, and just so reliant on the weather - usually shite.

I know only priority should be quality time with the kids, blah, blah blah, but give me sunburn, mossies, cheap Euro plonk and a bit of language argy-bargy anyday. Oh. And Swimming. Whatever anyone says, swimming outdoors in the UK is just rubbish and cold. And swimming is a vital part of any holiday - ONLY enjoyable abroad.

Until the youngest of my three is 5yrs then we will stick to the UK regardless of the economic climate.

The thought of airports and too much sun with 3kids under 5 sends shivers down my spine.

It's not always that much cheaper either. We're going to Center Parcs for Easter w/e and it's costing £900 for the weekend. But with a 5yr old,a nearly 3yr old and a baby it 'stacks up' far more than the stress of leaving the country. There's lots for kids of all ages and there's no expectation of good weather so it's not reliant on it. When they are slightly older we'll venture further afield. Of course we miss it but they don't know the difference at their age.

For families who are having to switch for financial reasons, I think it's worth remembering that for the kids, it's all about, (a) the new experiences you're giving them (b) the fact that they're getting quality time with you without the mania that is mon-fri mornings.

Another thought, if you book via Expedia or Travel republic, pay in £ not Euros as you would do if you booked direct with hotel.
eg, just booked hotel in Italy for week in May. Hotel website rate 120-200Euros per night depending on hotel. Booked via Expedia, £60 per night. Euro can do what it likes between now and May, I don't have to fret.

...the urchins rate Center Parcs as prime destination.

We will be going abroad though, probably a ferry to a Brittany eurocamp. Just feels more 'abroad' without being expensive....

We always holiday in the UK - No passports in the CQ household!
We've recently been doing Featherdown Farms holidays, real luxury camping.
You take a risk with the weather, but then nowhere is guaranteed good weather all the time.
And you're not ripped off with exchange rates and the cost of basic items.

We were actually pleasantly suprised by the cost of our trip to Italy - I think the travel companies must hedge, so this year's prices may not yet reflect the exchange rate (obviously lunches etc while there will be dearer). So if you're a sun addict, may be better to still go this year than next.

Should have added that planning to go to Devon in June to avoid aforementioned nightmare. Usually do hols both home and abroad in a year. Holiday rentals have improved over recent years but it still amazes me how many holdiay cottage owners put so little effort into standards/facilities and want top dollar. Chuck out yer chintz FGS

We stay in the UK for most of our holidays, cheerfully picnic in the car and change clothes twice a day, take flasks of tea and spend £80 for a meal for 4 in the evening. But disappear off to the sun once or twice a year depending on budget. The weather in the UK is just tooo unpredictable.

We've just booked a week in the far north west of Scotland for late May this summer.

We had a fabulous week the same time last year - warm and sunny, gorgeous empty beaches. Beautiful.

Obviously we can't count on the weather being as good but I had loads of family holidays up north when I was little so I know what to expect and we'll take the waterproofs and plenty of books & games.

Tbh, after last year we'd probably have gone anyway, but the strength of the euro certainly makes the decision an easy one.

We have just cancelled the villa we had booked for Majorca at half term. The euro is weak against the £, Easyjet want an arm and a leg for the flights just because its Easter, then we need to factor in car hire for 2 weeks, an overnight stay near Stansted and airport parking charges. We can go to somewhere in Scotland for about £600 which will probably work out about 1/3rd cheaper. Also when you are in the Balearics etc, when it rains (as it did on our holiday last year) you are really stuck for things to do. At least in the Uk you can usually find a cinema, bowling, museum etc.

the failing £ is putting me off booking abroad at the moment but i think i probably will end up going away.
holidays in the uk are just as expensive as a package deal somewhere hot.

we ususually holiday here as always on a tight budget anyway, and hate flying with small children, especially on low budget airlines which is what we can afford. Disappointed though with price and quality of food in holiday destinations in uk, restaurants so expensive and quality often poor. Disappointed in expense of dismal child attractions too.

Agree with Quattro. We go to Cornwall or the south coast for half term, or maybe a week during summer,but I need to be able to swim in something a bit above freezing so head to warmer climes. We had no furrin holiday last year due to me being fat pregnant so I am really looking forward to it this year. Having said that, I do work for a bank, so lord knows what will happen.
Tell Victoria to check back with me in a few months

(actually, tell her I will speak to her on air if she gives me a two week holiday on the Med - I can be her "person with the foreign regional accent"!)

With LeninGrad on this one - thought of taking 1yo twins through airport security checks, departure lounge facilities (lack of)and possibility of delays etc makes me feel quite ill! Will probably drive to Hungary next year though.

We also love holidaying in the UK, we usually camp/yurt/some other hippy rustic type affair, with maybe one night of indulgence on route. We go abroad to visit family so do not really have the willpower to haul ourselves across the world for another trip to relax. Our UK holidays have aways been our relaxing time as a family, we do not stray too far.

This year with one less income, we will probably skip visits abroad and just do UK. We will likely to North/East Devon,Cornwall or Dorset. All of these we go to regularly and like Twinset have never so far seen it as missing out.

And tell victoria derbyshire to ensure she reads her research correctly before talking. She has a habit of sounding a bit like she sits in ivory tower - althougn I do quite enjoy yelling at her in the mornings!

We've always thought the UK stacked up as a family holiday destination! In fact this year DD will be 10 and she's just got her first passport so we can take her to see Pompeii.

Our summer holiday will be in the UK though.

Of course it will be rainy and horrible.(translation: please everyone else go in chartered airborne cattletrucks to bake in the sun so that lovely quiet UK places aren't ruined for those of us who love them )

I have this theory that it is okay to have a week in the UK every year - Cornwall or Scotland or Wales or the Lakes. Good for the DCs to get to know something more about their own country.

But not as a main holiday thank you - I like to see the sun at least once a year. We might eat in more but really I'm not cutting down to that extent unless I get made redundant ...

We love holidaying in the UK, it used to be our secnd holiday but this year will probably be the primary holiday.

I think there is a lot to do for families here and I dont see us as missing out in anyway by staying in the UK.