UK holidays are hard work

[ChocolateRiver]

We’re on holiday on the north Devon/Cornwall border. Staying in a converted barn on a farm. It’s lovely, the kids are having a great time but it’s such bloody hard work. Getting up early to get a parking space at the beach, making up picnics, putting sandy beach clothes/towels in washing machine, sorting out food, cooking etc, driving everywhere, hoovering up after beach days, tidying up - feel like I’m constantly on the go! And it’s so expensive, can’t afford to have all lunches and teas out. Don’t get me wrong, we’re having a nice time, but it’s definitely not a rest - we’re knackered. We usually go abroad but have stayed here due to Covid, we’ll be off abroad again next year if it’s possible.

Eg renting a place in Spain costs less than renting the same in the UK, so there's already more money for spends,

I've never really understood this argument as I have noticed that accomodation of a similar size is often cheaper abroad, but once you add in flights during school holidays and potentially transport to/airport parking and transfers the other side you'll have easily cancelled out any saving. (And now add on multiple covid tests)

Also don't get the apparent cheapness of holidays abroad. Lots don't seem cheap and the ones that do are those where you end up flying at 2am and so on so end up adding in supplements anyway.

Restaurant food can be pretty unhealthy too compared to restaurants in other countries I’ve visited

That simply isn't true. You are obviously choosing the wrong places to eat at.

When we stay in SC accommodation in the UK we always choose somewhere that is as comfortable and well equipped as being at home. No camping for us.

I don't cook much on holiday and cook simple meals or eat out more.

I live in North Wales, not on holiday, and it is exhausting just dealing with so many people. My kids want days out and it is just heaving everywhere.

I wish the tourists and the jellyfish would reduce by 1/2. That would sort my summer right out.

On behalf of all those who normally live quiet lives by the sea, I say bring back the all-inclusive Spanish holiday.

(planning on going to devon in a few weeks so will contribute my share to busy roads, depleted grocery stores, and parked-up beauty spots)

It sounds a lot like you’re doing a lot of the work. I’d put the children to work tbh. Mines are aged 6-10 and after our day at the loch swanning off is forbidden. I give them all the wetsuits and buoyancy aids on hangers to go in the greenhouse. Towels and suits in front of washing machine. Picnic bag in front of dishwasher.fiver for the kid who hoovers the car. I carry paddle boards and heavy stuff.

I’m a fan of the carrier bag picnic. Bits from the supermarket that can be taken out without adulteration. So instead of sandwiches id take a packet of oatcakes, packet sliced cheese and cherry tomatoes type stuff.

It’s like anything else it is what you make it.

I have just got back from a few days away with DS. He is autistic with complex medical needs too which adds to the fun but just getting away from the normal day to day shit was lovely.

I hear you OP. I never really do self catering abroad so no cooking. In the UK although it would be possible to eat out for every meal because I'd probably have a car I'd feel obliged to pack it full of food etc and end up catering. Also it's far more expensive in the UK to eat out (and harder to avoid chains in many places).

Also I'm not a huge beach fan. I like a pool and sun beds. I've never had that experience in the UK. I find the beach lovely for sunsets, views and a quick dip in the sea. I wouldn't do day after day there.

And I never have my car abroad.

Also I like the unfamiliarity of abroad. Different shops and smells and sounds. Different ways of living and doing things. I have never found that to be the case in the UK whether in the highlands of Scotland or the Cornish coast.

I do like holidaying in the UK but it's definitely different and, being honest, I don't find it as enjoyable.

I suspect we are staying not far away from the OP - we are in north Devon but went to a beach in Cornwall yesterday. I suspect it may have been the same beach and indeed you do have to be at the car park by 10.00 if you want a space in the best bit of the car park.

However, I have never washed swimming costumes and towels out at the end of each day and I certainly don't hoover every day! A picnic isn't too much hassle.

In this weather, going to the beach later can definitely be better. We went early yesterday, left, and went back at 7, swam again and watched the sun set over the sea on a practically deserted beach. It was glorious. Obviously can't stay out too late if you have young children but an afternoon siesta might help, especially during this weather.

I think any self catering holiday is bound to be more hard work ... in fact holidaying with DC can be hard work ... in my late 50s I finally had a beach holiday with a girlfriend - no DHs or DC ... I'd always rather sneered at those sort of holidays but it was really fab ... totally relaxing. We've done the same every year since ... until Covid.

@doorornottodoor

We were reminiscing today about the pancake machine at a breakfast buffet in Hong Kong. ❤️ You just pressed a button and out popped a pancake in a little splat shape

There was one of those in a hotel we stayed in near Legoland Windsor 6 years ago. The dc still talk about it!

On my way back from our last UK holiday I informed my family that our next holiday we wouldn't be washing clothes or cooking meals. We go on holiday on Monday so this weekend we are stocking up on clothes so we have enough to manage without washing and we are going to eat out for every meal apart from breakfast which will be a choice of two cereals end of.

Once Covid is over we are going on an all inclusive jobby where we don't have to do anything at all.

I agree with the self catering comments. SC in the UK, especially in weather like this, is the same as SC anywhere else.

SC anywhere cannot be compared with all inclusive.

Apples and oranges.

What do you expect? You are comparing a fully-inclusive resort holiday with a self-catering one.

I get you but AI isn't a thing here and the pandemic has made everything more difficult - it may be like that abroad too at the moment.

Things we found make SC easier- once the children were old enough they chose meals and made them and washed up! So we shared that. And breakfast was a whole load of stuff put on table, and away again for tomorrow if not eaten. Cereals, yoghurts fruits, breads etc

I love a good U.K. break but it’s definitely cheaper and more relaxing with over 10s in Corfu or elsewhere in the med not least with the guaranteed sun shine, we are Villa with pool people never stayed in hotels .

No worries about when people get up, guaranteed weather , no need to pay extortionate entrance fees or activity costs because generally my lot are happy with the pool, a good book and pack of cards . We might go to the beach for snorkelling in the evening but would never just sit on a beach , two out of three are sand phobic . I rarely do washing as they just wear swimming costumes all day and shorts and t shirts don’t even bother to pack coats, maybe one jumper, unlike in U.K. where you have to pack clothes for every eventuality. Barbecue or eat out in the evenings.

The most stressful holiday we had was taking two toddlers to a hotel.
Much prefer camping...

I mean it sounds like you’re partly making work for yourself. Why on earth are you hoovering, and washing beach things if they’re just a bit sandy? Shake the sand out and hang them to dry overnight - if they’re a bit damp the next morning, that hardly matters as they’ll be in the sea again before you know it. And in all honestly, hoovering on holiday? Bonkers. Let it go, just make sure you whisk around quickly before you leave. I’d never leave a cottage in a terrible state, but I certainly let things go while we’re actually staying there.

Invest in sand free towels then don’t wash everything every day. Use a drying line or chair back in the sun. Save the world!

Don’t have children dress and then change. Take them to the beach in their costumes with a pair of shorts over them.

Stick with very simple food. Nobody wants huge fancy sandwiches full of sand anyway. Cool box with some fruit, lumps of cheese, cold sausages, tomatoes, cucumber etc thrown in a tubs. Unless the children are really tiny they can help.
Don’t do beach ever day. You have to be ‘on guard’ all the time. An ordinary park is a bit easier to relax in sometimes. Depending where you are, outdoor pools are good for a change, less sandy and wear them out. Plenty around the SW.
Depending on age, play crazy golf. They spend an hour doing it whilst you sip a tea and smile.

I would alternate days out with evenings out, depending on kids' ages. It's too stressful to do that every single day. After a day like that, have a peaceful day in your holiday cottage, maybe investigating what's within walking distance or just hanging out there, and then at 4/5pm go out to do a nice evening activity if you want to. I'd go crazy with every day like the one you've described.

I'm with you op. I get married soon so last night we were saying how gutted we are to have to holiday in the UK for our honeymoon. A UK holiday just isn't a holiday in my eyes. You can't just chill and relax like you can abroad on an all inclusive. I really need a holiday to relax on.

Why isn’t nice AI a thing here though? I’d have thought an AI resort near a beach/with a good pool would make a killing.

I live in Devon by the beach. If you're annoyed having to get up early to get parking spaces, try spending every bloody summer never getting a parking space when you need to go to the post office or it takes you an hour to do a journey that should take 15 minutes.

It's bad normally but this year is cataclysmic.

Doorornottodoor feta pie. Or spinach pie. Sold in big slabs.

On one of our early, pre child, holidays, we stayed somewhere where a pie man used to come down the beach every day.

I know it’s not everybody’s cup of tea but we are at centre parcs atm, it’s so good for children, no parking worries we’ve had takeaways and eaten out so no food to worry about, children love the beach, swimming and parks so we’ve only done a handful of activities which cost less than a day out! Cottage holidays are good if there’s plenty of things to do in the area but for me whilst I’ve got small children centre parcs is great.

We had glorious bucket and spade holidays in Cornwall when the DC were small. Two bedroom cottage with a garden (so very little cleaning), walking distance to the beach. Local Tesco to stock up.

It was chilled and great and ime under 7s can't do more than two hours at the beach - and that includes 90 minutes of rock pooling.

We had a buffet breakfast at Eurodisney - queuing for breakfast- it was like a grown up version of school dinners.

We were cottage and villa abroad people. We love holidays at our home in France but I suspect anyone who likes AI on the Costas would detest them. Bit of watering, boat ride to the local town, meander into our small town early morning or evening, dinner or more likely lunch out two/three times.es a week, potter on a beach usually reached by boat, morning/evening swims, local markets - no dressing up whatsoever. More than occupied the dc who are grown up now but still love it.