Ideas for UK tour

[AllStar14]

I'd like to take DD who will be 5 soon for a week away in August. Travelling abroad during that month is unlikely to be affordable so I thought maybe we could spend a week driving around UK (probably just England and perhaps Wales?) staying in cheap hotels and visiting local attractions along the way. Does this sound like something a 5-year-old would enjoy? Or would driving a few hours every day or two be too much?

Any recommendations would be appreciated too

Stuck in traffic and a hot car for several hours a day?

Why not book a seaside holiday in one place?

Can you get to the Dorset coast easily?

@fireman I know, that's the problem but I thought going to new places and seeing different things would be nice.

I think Dorset is about 3 hours away from me so that's an option.

Not a 5 year old.

Pick a place with lots of fun things to do and self catering. Centre Parks, a not too touristy beach resort, holiday caravan park with a pool and playground.

But does a 5 year old want to ‘see things’? Or go to the beach/park/pool to play every day, get an ice cream, etc?

That doesn't sound great for a five year old, compared to just going to one place and having fun there.

Yeah, you're all right. My initial idea was Newquay which is almost 5 hours away so I thought I could break it up and stay somewhere along the way. I'll look at somewhere closer to stay. Thanks

My dc would hate that. They are 7 and10.

In August, school holidays time - driving UK is a nightmare particularly getting to Newquay, you'd spend your days stuck in traffic

You could but Im sure you could find somewhere Newquayesque nearer you. Newquay is better for the teenage/surfer dudes. Somewhere smaller would be fine for a 5 year old. Cornwall has better options, I would say.

5 hour journey isnt too bad to do in one day, either end of the week. Except that Cornwall in summer will probably take much much longer, so again closer would probably be better

You could still do a lot of traveling about if you did Dorset/Hampshire borders. Holiday Park in the New Forest for example would be a good base.

Easy to get to Bournemouth and the Jurassic coast, loads of theme parks and tourist attractions but you can get to other towns and cities nearby by train too like Portsmouth and Southampton and you could catch a ferry to the Isle of Wight too.

I have DTs who are two and so this week away with DD is important. I want her to have a brilliant time and I don't want to waste it in traffic. Kids love holiday parks don't they? Lots of entertainment and all in one place. Maybe that's the best option. Thanks again everyone.

We did Haven Weymouth Bay when mine were that age. They absolutely loved it.

Weymouth is nice if you want to go to Dorset. Monkey World and the tank museum aren't far. Charmouth heritage centre is good for fossil hunting down on the beach.

I’ve done that in Scotland staying in youth hostels and id also do it in Wales but we have a dog now, we had a great time.

Stayed in Conwy Youth hostel and explored Snowdonia again it was great.

If you can go fossil hunting kids love it!

No don't do it! Not at five. My poor Mum did this once. She decided instead of the usual North Wales we would go on a little tour.
I think we ended up stuck in traffic and in the car for nine hours in total. It was awful.

Seriously if you want to do a holiday for her pick somewhere like Haven.
Swimming pool, kids characters, kids shows,.sports and games, parks etc.
Many sites do the Nature Rockz stuff now which is fab. We made bird feeders, bird boxes, survival bracelets, did pond dipping and all kinds. Some of that was free.

You might have to be flexible with the dates to get something which isn't expensive in the summer there but it's possible.

I've just got a quote for four nights at Haven for over £600! That's way more than I thought it would be. I'm a single parent on minimum wage so can't stretch to that with spending money too.

I will keep looking

Summer prices are brutal. What about camping? Dont have to go far. Can you borrow stuff?

Ouch!!
We have only ever gone in term as DDs school had different holidays and my Mum has booked it.

Tbh at 5 years old and on a badger I wouldn't even consider anything like this. Spend some quality days with her locally or semi locally. 5 year olds are just as impressed with a picnic in the park locally as they are when you have driven 5 hours to get to the park. Arguably they would prefer to cut out the travel. And with your budget spending money on fuel and hotels isn't going ti help.

On a BUDGET, not a badger

Have you looked at a private room in a YHA youth hostel?

They're really very nice nowadays and I have fond memories of staying in them with my perma-skint DM as a child.

Another vote for God's Own County of Dorset.

Go crabbing in Weymouth harbour. See King George III's bathing machine. Red squirrels and Chinese barking deer on Brownsea Island. Corfe Castle on a steam train. Open-top bus no 50 from Bournemouth to Swanage via the Sandbanks ferry. The stocks and the ducking stool in Christchurch. Peppa Pig World. Farmer Palmer's. Monkey World. The Tank Museum. Etc etc etct.