What do you do on a UK holiday?

[Hemsbyboc]

First time on a UK holiday in my life. Kids have never been out of the city they were born in unless in a plane.
They are bored to tears.
What do you do??
Don't want to say exact location but it is coastal wales and we have driven here.
Honestly don't blame the folk going abroad despite restrictions. We are climbing the walls.
Been to 4 villages, takes less than an hour to walk around each one. Shitty cafés, food like school dinners. Tide is in so looked at the sea. Everybody in full winter clobber. I am not investing in body boards cos I never want to come back. Wales match is not even showing anywhere. I am 90% leaning towards cutting my losses and going home tomorrow, I have decorating/gardening I could be doing.

Save us mnetters!

I have been to Manchester, stbxh works there and so it has never seemed like a place to go with the children as by the time he was home, we'd not go back. I know children round here who have been nowhere in this country or out of it. It's not unusual. How many londoners bring their kids to liverpool for the day?

@MyMabel sounds lovely. Mine loved all of that at that age.

First time on a UK holiday in my life. Kids have never been out of the city they were born in unless in a plane

@Hemsbyboc are you serious ?🤔

@MrsMaizel many people never leave the area they live in.

@Hemsbyboc

First time on a UK holiday in my life. Kids have never been out of the city they were born in unless in a plane. They are bored to tears. What do you do?? Don't want to say exact location but it is coastal wales and we have driven here. Honestly don't blame the folk going abroad despite restrictions. We are climbing the walls. Been to 4 villages, takes less than an hour to walk around each one. Shitty cafés, food like school dinners. Tide is in so looked at the sea. Everybody in full winter clobber. I am not investing in body boards cos I never want to come back. Wales match is not even showing anywhere. I am 90% leaning towards cutting my losses and going home tomorrow, I have decorating/gardening I could be doing. Save us mnetters!

Omg there is way more to do in UK than some boring anonymous beach hotel abroad,

[quote Hemsbyboc]@MrsMaizel many people never leave the area they live in.[/quote]
I don't know anyone like this .

@MaMelon

I know plenty of people who have never travelled the country, it is not that unusual surely?

To have stayed in one city and never visited anywhere else in the UK in the many years they’ve lived here? Yeah, it’s unusual.

Yes, the lack of curiosity is puzzling! Even if I lived in a country I absolutely hated, I'd take a few trips around to try to find some places I liked or just get a change of scene. I lived in Belgium for a year in my 20s and wasn't a great fan of the city I had to live in for work but took train trips around on weekends to visit other cities and get to know the country a bit. Why not? Travel broadens the mind, after all. Unless you arrive with a closed mind, determined to not enjoy anything...

Hemsbyboc
Is there a reason why you haven't taken your kids to see the countryside around you? Or taken the kids anywhere at the weekends?

One of the reasons it’s quiet is that it’s not school holidays for England and Wales. Have you taken the kids out of school just to go to Anglesey?

BungleandGeorge
That's what I was wondering. OP doesn't seem to be a homeschooling type. No imagination or curiosity/self reliance.

Ffs. We usually holiday in the Uk but have been priced out of it this year. Really pisses me off to see that some of those people who did deign to do a “staycation” haven’t the research skills or imagination to enjoy it.

She said that they’re not at school as it’s the weekend but that also that they’ve been there a few days and that they’d be cutting the holiday short if they left tomorrow. And then that they’re only in school part of the week because of covid. So they’re self isolating? Or the school is shut because of covid cases? The idea is that people stay put rather than decamp to Anglesey and that the children do a full day of online learning on every school day at their age???

mummyoply

It sounds like your DC are younger. When mine were say 5&7 they would have loved all those things. Now they're 13&11 they wouldn't be so keen.

I think teens are notoriously hard to please as it is & if they're used to going further afield I can see why Angelsey might be a bit dull.

You're getting a hard time here OP. If I had the money I'd go abroad too.

@Sunshineshow

I think people in this thread either have very unusual teens or are just on to have a go.

What teenager enjoys walking round castles/national trust with their parents? Do you see many when you are there? No because they’d rather sit in the car for 5 hours! ‘Exploring Stonehenge’ my arse. You walk round, cry at the cost, realise it’s dull as fuck and that’s it. Zoos and exploring rock pools is wonderful for primary aged kids yes, but you won’t see a teen there not under duress.

Why do we have to pretend that our lovely youth will enjoy this stuff? No wonder half end up pissed in parks just for the hell of it. Sorry about your holiday OP.

Mine both love doing all of those. My 14 year old would spend a whole day at the beach, alternating between swimming/body boarding and looking for interesting shells and stones. 16 year old has finished school for the summer, 14 year old has an inset day coming up. When I asked what they want to do they both suggested NT properties. Of course they can't agree on one, but it was still their choice of day out.

I cannot get over your teenagers having never left the city they were born, other than to go abroad. This is exceptionally unusual. I don’t know anyone like this!

[quote Hemsbyboc]@MrsMaizel many people never leave the area they live in.[/quote]
I used to teach in one of the most deprived areas of England. There were plenty of children there who’d never even been to the nearest city, let alone abroad. But I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who could afford to travel abroad yet has never seen other parts of the UK at all. That is unusual.

I wouldn’t like a rainy outdoorsy holiday either OP, so I wouldn’t book one - in Wales, in Denmark or anywhere else! That’s why I’ve booked to go to Manchester not Anglesey this summer. I understand your reasons for booking a UK holiday, but I’m not sure why you settled on Anglesey if that’s not what you wanted to do.

Are you anywhere near zipworld? I think teenagers would enjoy something there if they're open!

I don't know Anglesey well, I normally stay in or near Snowdonia if I'm going to N Wales.

But ... You have teenagers, they're used to city life, and being hyper-connected? And you've gone to somewhere quite rural and the wifi and mobile data are bad? Yeah, no wonder they're bored. The country's not the issue, the place within it is.

Boat trips (google local ones or ask at at tourist info office. Book early in your trip as often day/tide dependent. Some might be to see bird/seal colonies, some to visit an island for a day. Visit a lifeboat station or lighthouse and actually read the amazing stories on the walls. Google outdoor theatre in the area. Some amazing comic Shakespeare productions doing the rounds atm. Usually great evening and a bonus if ties in with what your teens do at school. Search out amazing tiny local museums. Buy a stunt kite and fly it on the beach. Ditto couple of cheap nets...find a rocky beach with tide out and hours drift by rock pooling. Mine enjoyed this well into late teens. Ditto crabbing lines and buckets/bacon...find a quayside with a few others sitting on the edge and you'll probably get given a kit by someone going home. Look up amazing local ice cream sellers -there's one in North Wales called something like Cadwalladers. Visit castles, stop at cafes for afternoon tea/scones. Walk along coast path to spot dolphins. So much to do! Sorry, I would be really bored abroad by a pool!

Just seen it's Anglesey...have you visited South Stack? Lots of steps and takes a while but absolutely breathtaking....and mind-blowing to be on an island...on an island...on an island etc. Gives you time to unwind and enjoy talking to your teens ....even if they grumble, it's still bonding somehow . Not sure why you're struggling to find decent food. Takeaway delis/teashops/pubs are usually great, just take a little time choosing and check the menus online first.

What about a local steam train trip....cable car....?

I'm amazed at posters saying teens won't enjoy anything other than WIFI. If that is true then you have failed them as parents by allowing WIFI and holiday entertainers to babysit them for years on your foreign holidays. Try teach them some life skills like socialising and learning new things rather than indulge sulking.

Sure, my kids likes to connect to WIFI when in a holiday cottage but can put their phones down long enough to enjoy the outdoors or days out too.

I'm also surprised at people saying how expensive the UK is, there are so many things you can do without spending much, if any, cash.

I love a beach holiday abroad as much as the next person but we aren't lie by the pool people and make our own entertainment there too. We all value family time. If they are bored you need to be less boring and capture their imagination.

Some ideas here

www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/things-to-do/north-wales/isle-of-anglesey/adventure/high-ropes-courses/teenagers

Don't dismiss the beaches, have a go at flying a kite - an almost lost art. Take a flask and enjoy watching the waves in the cold.

Wet sand is great for writing messages, see if you can complete them before the waves wash away.

[quote Hemsbyboc]@MrsMaizel many people never leave the area they live in.[/quote]
I don’t know anyone who never leaves the area they live in, it’s not the norm at all.

[quote Hemsbyboc]@MrsMaizel many people never leave the area they live in.[/quote]
I've never come across this attitude. Possibly only the very poor and deprived, and that's lack of funds and opportunity.