Haven parks?

[mistermagpie]

So we are wanting a few days away but money is very very tight (two children in private nursery) and I am looking at Haven parks. I'm very likely being a total snob but the idea of a holiday park has never appealed to me before, or now really... but I do think the kids would like it and with the Sun voucher codes it's dirt cheap.

Anyway, can anyone recommend a park? Either Northumberland or Yorkshire really as the others are too far. Any top tips or recommendations gratefully received.

Not Haggerston Castle.
Just don't go there.
We went to Craig Tara in Scotland-def recommend it, have been to a few Scarborough way and they were lovely!
Take as much food as you can - supermarket is expense throughout!

I've heard good things about Blue Dolphin and Reighton. Essentially you want a clean caravan near a decent beach so you can avoid the puggies and the entertainment. There's one in Cleethorpes - bit further I know - which the kids loved. And it was clean.

Oh god no. Not Haggerston, it's renowned.

Following with interest as we're in the same boat tho thinking maybe around Blackpool/Cumbria area. Not sure whether just to pay more and go to Ribby Hall

Blue Dolphin was lovely when we went a couple of years ago.

Oh no, Haggerston was one I was considering! What's wrong with it?

Primrose Valley looks ok. I'm a bit put off by Craig Tara because we live quite near it so it's not really a holiday destination!

I also can't decide whether to just pay more and do centreparcs but it is three times the price...

Primrose valley is the only one I’ve been to. Kids loved it, the pool is great!

HC is the NE version of Ibiza /Magaluf.

Step away from the brochure op.

There are a couple around Scarborough which are nice. I think reighton sands might be one. We really enjoyed it there.

Could you find something on air b&b?

We’ve just come back from Devon Cliffs. I am a crashing snob about holidays and we usually do naice cottages, but the kids wanted to do a holiday park.

We paid a bit extra for a platinum caravan so that was lovely, nicer than I expected. But I was genuinely blown away by the park. It was clean, well staffed, the restaurants were surprisingly good (esp the beachfront cafe, we ate there three times in the end). The kids did loads of paid activities but tbh there’s plenty of free stuff anyway, the pool and parks and beach etc. The evening entertainment was fab.

It is their flagship park though so I don’t know if we’ve peaked and ruined the other ones for the future. If they are all up to that standard then I’ll be very impressed.

Not been to many but would recommend Reighton Sands or Primrose Valley in Filey. PV is a lot bigger, bigger pool, more restaurants, more kids activities etc but there still a fair bit at RS. Both have their own private beach and there Filey beach nearby.

Bridlington and Scarborough aren't too far either.

We've been to all of the ones mentioned with the exception of Reighton.

DCs really enjoyed Blue Dolphin and Primrose Valley. Great pools and play parks. Nice clean caravans.

Craig Tara is good but seemed like the caravans are quite close together. I don't think Haggerston Castle was that bad but I do know it's popular with hen parties/family celebrations. We had a good weekend there.

(When we went to Craig Tara we did a Tesco order from the Ayr store. Dumped stuff in caravan and went back to collect. Worked really well. )

(Ribby Hall is very nice!)

Primrose valley is lovely the best Haven we have been too.

If you go to Blue Dolphin you can use the bigger swimming pool at primrose valley

I went to Primrose Valley last year with my 3 year old (and about 25 years ago when I was about 10 haha). We all loved it. It was clean and the entertainment was good. Restaurants are fine, nothing special but reasonable and clean. I would recommend it. I agree with PP about the pool though, it was fab!

In the last couple of years I have also been to Martin Mere (Blackpool) and Presthaven Sands (North Wales), both also good. Martin Mere is much smaller than the other two, but was perfect when DS was just over 1.

Right, HC is off the list then!! PV might be a good shout, I'm not bothered about the restaurants really as we'll self cater because the kids are only little. Some of the Devon/Cornwall ones look great but DS2 is only one and we're coming from Scotland so it's a loooooong way.

Reighton was nice when I went a few years ago. We're not interested in the evening entertainment to be honest, so we'd use the pool/play area, maybe had a few drinks in the bar but other than that we'd spend evenings in our caravan. Which was lovely! The beach is just down from the site, there's a little (free) train up & down if you've got kids, theres a cafe at the bottom that also sells buckets & spades etc.

Could you manage to get to skegness.
The maplethorpe haven is just up the road and its really nice.
And it has a sea lion sanctuary next to it.

Primrose Valley - that's the other one near Scarborough. Yes, I'd recommend it and Filey and the area is lovely.

Rivière sands is gorgeous - only been tonther one. We loved it so much we bought a static of our urn

We have just got back from a week at primrose valley my 4 year old really enjoys it although I find the other visitors a bit of a mixed bag. Last time we did blue dolphin it felt very rough.

We always book through a private caravan owner as I think haven prices for the basic caravan are extortionate. The other thing I like is being able to choose where we are situated on the park. We always go for a cul de sac where the vans are spaced out and have hedges in between. Some vans are really on top of each other so if your unlucky on the neighbour department it could ruin your break away. Have a look at the park map and you will see what I mean the place is huge.

With primrose valley being the flagship Park it is really big and seems to have had lots of money injected into it. Only downside we find to going with private owners is the passes are often not Included in the price but we book a week and only get passes for the 3/4 nights to save on costs.

I'm sure I could answer any more questions you might have East Yorkshire coast has been my holiday destination for three quarters of my life

Not sure about that region but parks we visited in Norfolk were very clean and very well looked after, the swimming changing area in particular. Food is expensive though....

Lakeland is lovely, small but really nice.
Cala gran is ok, close to Blackpool.
Seton sands was nice last time we were there, but that was about 10 years ago, so it's probably changed.
There's loads to do at Craig Tara, but, if your ds is only 1, he's a bit young for a lot of it.
Have you looked at parkdean as well? There's weymss bay, just outside largs, sundrum castle (but if you're close to Craig Tara you'll not want to go to coylton!), and southerness all within 90 minutes drive. Just avoid sandylands at saltcoats, it's not called stabbylands for no reason.