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.

Our Whitby UK holiday next week will be fairly relaxing. No point trying to get DS 15 up before 11 so DH and I can saunter into town for breakfast. Dog is with his beloved dog sitter so no enforced 2 hr walking per day.
We're picking up his pal from York and then will deposit them to Flamingoland and the water park a couple of days and DH and I will go walking.
Our Lake District holiday was great as well with our own hot tub and swimming pool.
I do think the issue is popular places will be even more rammed this year so getting to car parks in Cornwall doesn't sound like fun.

@Yuckyfinger

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)

I agree, people don't seem to be able to compare total costs, including insurance, airports transfers/car hire/parking, etc. Going abroad used to be cheaper, especially meals out etc but now pretty comparable to the UK.

Certainly our last few trips abroad (2-5 years ago) ended up a lot more expensive than we expected once we'd added everything up, and were nothing special really, just normal hotels/holiday homes, normal destinations etc.

I agree with you to a certain extent but on those sorts of holidays, I :

Don't sweep up sand until the end of the holiday, apart from just brushing any obvious massive piles out of the door

Don't wash towels until we go home . Just hang them up to dry, any sand stuck to them can be shaken off when dry

Ditto swimming.costumes , though I might quickly rinse those off under a tap before hanging to dry

I would only probably do a maximum of one machine wash in a week away

If definitely have some lunches out 2-3 times in a week. Fish and chips, beach cafe etc. If I am on holiday that is part of the budget . I absolutely refuse to be responsible for cooking/./preparing food twice a day every day while on holiday . That is not a holiday for me .

I'd keep evening meals very very simple

Once children are old enough, clearing up after dinner would be done.all together as a family

I.do agree however that self catering holidays are more work for.parents of young children than all inclusive hotel ones are .

As others have said the beach is easier if you are very close to it . It is the constant early starts to be up early and out of the door to find a parking space that is the killer for.me

The problem is the cost of accommodation very close to a.beach is much higher than one on a farm or in the country and you need.to book really early as they sell out very quickly in the UK because they are popular with tired.parents wanting to reduce their work levels while on holiday

@Ultimatecougar

Where can you go all inclusive in the UK right next to a beach and with a good sized pool to lie next to? And even then you can't guarantee the weather. It's been hot this week, but often it's cold and wet.

We had a lovely holiday earlier this year in the Isle of Wight at the Royal Hotel in Ventnor with our two children and extended family. We had breakfast and dinner included, and sometimes stayed in for lunch or extras which were added to the bill.

-pool to lounge around
-5 minute walk from beach
-luxury hotel and superb food
-lots else to do with children
-staff went above and beyond

We didn't have to wait around airports (and we try to minimise flying for the environment's sake). Excellent weather except the afternoon we left and even then it didn't matter much - the UK has plenty to do when it rains!

I think with UK holidays you have to use your home advantage.

We normally holiday abroad, had two local holidays here instead. Chose somewhere near a quiet beach instead of the honeypot locations, with parking at the property. Ordered a supermarket shop to the holiday house with plenty of easy food - cereal, milk, fruit, good bread, dips, cheese, nice drinks and treats, so no one would have to cook much. Spent 30 minutes researching activities we could do if the weather turned. Found local restaurants to try.

No, it's not Crete, but it was enjoyable and almost stress-free even with a young child.

I know what you mean. It’s not the same holidaying in the U.K. I am debating going overseas in August, it’s a lot cheaper than the U.K. I currently have Covid too so reduces the risk of me catching it out there

@Labradabradorable

If you don’t mind me asking, where abouts in Norfolk as it sounds ideal.

Do you waste any time washing dishes after meals?

Get everyone to stack their own plates in the dishwasher

Traybakes for supper - and take it in turns to cook that

Eat out at lunch

We self cater abroad and in the UK. Abroad is more expensive because of the flights and the accomodation. When we are abroad we need to be central so e.g. the 3 bedroom flat in Florence was much more expensive than the 4 bed detached house in Oxford because we wanted to walk everywhere whereas in Oxford we could be further out and drive in (admittedly we had free parking at our old college). And our flights to Florence were over a grand whereas getting to Oxford was a couple of tanks of petrol. Days out cost about the same and eating out was about the same and we had very similar types of holiday (lots of culture).

I need to know where you usually go OP, because I need that kind of holiday right now I probably can't afford it though

It’s easier to stay at home. That’s what I’m doing.

Not really the location though is it. You’ve booked an entirely different holiday and gone from meals included to self catering so surely didn’t expect anything different? If you didn’t want to cook you could have paid to go out and eat. All inclusive isn’t cheap and then there’s flight costs etc,

[quote Swisslady]@Labradabradorable

If you don’t mind me asking, where abouts in Norfolk as it sounds ideal.[/quote]
North Norfolk is amazing with so much that is unspoilt, miles of sandy beach(Holkham), and plenty of smaller, quirky little beaches. Lots to see and do. You can stay somewhere cheap or expensive and enjoy yourself. Kids love it and always want to go back.

When DCs were little we stayed in the same lovely cottage many times to make the work part of the holiday easier. Nice big garden to play in and farm shop/cafe for breakfast, ice creams and some lunches next door. Knew where good shops and cafes/restaurants were. Went to the beach with picnics a few times every holiday, but knew when and where to go so could park and it wasn’t too crowded. I miss that cottage (it now belongs to the farm next door and isn’t for rent) but have to agree that self catering with kids isn’t easy.

@ivykaty44

Do you waste any time washing dishes after meals?

Get everyone to stack their own plates in the dishwasher

Traybakes for supper - and take it in turns to cook that

Eat out at lunch

Do you waste any time washing dishes after meals? was in reply to MrsJBaptiste who doesn’t understand why people use the campsite laundrette as she thinks it’s a waste of a holiday. I don’t think you get dishwashers in most tents.

Holidays in the UK with kids are just same thing, different view. We always go to the coast because we live in the middle of the country and imo a holiday requires sea and sand. We do a shop when we get there (don't drive) for bfast and some easy dinners, always eat lunch out. Never in the house to make much mess. Do a full load wash set to run whilst were out to cut down on what i have to take and what i have to wash at home. Its not hard work, its just normal life plus extra hands as DH is there and paddling!

I love a UK SC holiday, but I insist on staying within walking distance of beach/attractions. I don’t mind a couple of day trips out by car but refuse to drive every day. OP’s holiday would be 90% less stressful without having to pack up the car and struggle with parking every morning, if you can just shove a T shirt over the DC’s swimmers and go.

I always describe self catering holidays as "same shit, different location"! This is why I insist on going all inclusive when we go abroad. Every year DP suggests a self catering villa and I refuse because I know it will be me doing everything I do at home while everyone else sits by the pool, not a holiday for me.

Just been to Newcastle. Lovely
Time. Weather
Helped

Lovely
Cottage in a farm

City only 30
Mins away for teens

Beach only 30 mins away for dog and free parking !!!

Lots
Of pubs

I'd go back there for sure.

It depends on the ages of the kids and how helpful your DH is...

Kids old enough to snarl at them to sort themselves out when they come and moan to you that they're hungry and a DH who shares the cooking and chores... yes, self-catering fine.

Young kids and a DH who hasn't realised it's no longer the 1950s... same shit, different location (only you start on the backfoot since you're exhausted from packing and the place isn't childproofed).

Surely Butlins and similar are the equivalent of AI? I’ve never been there or to Centre Parcs but have stayed at a small holiday camp in West Devon where there was an amazing breakfast buffet.

If you Airbnb in any country you will find the same.

Depends where you go. There are wonderful places in the UK which are not Devon or Cornwall and don’t get nearly as many visitors.

I think the thing with abroad, is that you don't have to plan for things to do.
Get up, breakfast. Go to beach. Swim. Read a bit. Swim and play in the sea. Go back to apt. Swim again. Get ready for tea. Out. No driving, no planning ahead.

In this country, if you've got older kids, you need to plan everything. You have to do things during the day. That's fine, if it's that sort of holiday, but as my entire life is spent planning and organising and rushing, I want a week of not having to think.

Having said that, I live in a tourist area. Stupidly didn't think of how busy it would be this year and now can't even get to book local things to do to occupy the kids occasionally.

We've always worked on the basis that self-catering holidays are my holidays too so I will be doing minimal cooking. We therefore eat out a few times and have quite a lot of takeaways, microwave meals, pizzas, and snacks meals of things like bread and cheese/pate and fruit. We go for cottages with washing machines and dishwashers. Whilst we probably do do a couple of clothes washes during the hoiiday, chucking stuff in the machine is hardly difficult.

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

All that freshly caught fish and crab is just a heart attack to happen, eh? Again, it depends where you choose to go and choose to eat.