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.

Swisslady we stay around the Burnhams. Favourite beaches are Holme, Thornham ( through the RSPB reserve) and the sweet spot between Holkham and Wells ( reached via woods and dunes). Brancaster is nice but busier. We swim, kayak and dune roll at Burnham Overy Staithe. Lovely beach there, if you don’t mind a walk. Morston is great. It gets busy but if your car has high clearance, skip the NT car park and drive to the creek, where you can swim and play on the island beach. It’s also the best spot for samphire. We avoid Wells, Sheringham and Cromer. Only really go past Blakeney under duress or to eat, or to walk the coastal path.

I agree!

As a mum of 2 young children, I’m not particularly looking forward to our Norfolk holiday next month as it’s gonna be hard work! Exactly as you describe. We’re staying in one of the best located buildings in a very popular seaside town, so we don’t need to drive as everything is on our doorstep. But still it’s going to be hard work. We won’t be able to eat out much as it’s so expensive in the U.K.

I’d rather be holidaying in Italy, where we can eat out all the time because it’s so cheap. We stay in seaside towns that are popular with Italians, so really good value. Or a Mediterranean cruise (Italian line). Kids can stay up late, people interact with them and they’re much easier to entertain in Italy or on a cruise. I can’t wait to get back to our normal holidays!

I agree with the OP and I don’t particularly like all inclusive holidays but understand the difference.

Just at the end of my 1 week on a uk beach holiday, we have been so lucky with the weather and have been to the beach 6 out of 7 days. At the weekend we had to be at the beach for 9 to get a space so early starts. Long queue for the toilets and beach shack cafe. No restaurants or pubs in walking distance.

However we have been away as a family group and have had a brilliant time which all the D.C. have enjoyed.

I enjoy travelling and exploring other countries but this was a lot less stressful and in its own way more relaxing

@Cam2020 why are you so unpleasant? I’ve explained it upthread. No need for the aggressive tone. Maybe you need a holiday?

You’ve had the most fabulous weather though, so it surely shouldn’t have been that difficult.

We holiday in uk and abroad, love both for different reasons. Get a supermarket delivery in uk for brekkie, snacks, drinks and a couple of simple dinners. Eat out or takeaway for the rest. Never do any washing.

@Cam2020

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.

Exactly the reason we never go all inclusive. Can’t think of much worse at home or abroad.

Huge coughed and spat on buffets with indeterminate lukewarm offerings of mush and cheapness overload. Only ever been to one on the Red Sea, where everyone got bad bellies. Been to Egypt several times since and never had a problem, so not destination related.

Neilson’s had a buffet of sorts but you ate out a few times during the week and there were always fresh food stations or you could buy bar food.

British food can be fabulous. Good coastal seafood restaurants are comparable to anywhere.

@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.

YANBU, and I agree with you. I miss going on holiday abroad

I also agree with PP that most places available for eating with children are full of ultra processed foods. Even establishments where the food looks fresh and healthy.

I don’t eat UPF, vegetable oils and grains. This is why I choose to holiday in Italy and go on cruises. Food cooked completely from scratch and healthy. I don’t eat the burgers or pizzas but eat a meditarerran diet. You can’t really get that food in U.K. eating out without paying a lot of money for the privilege. I’d spend my whole holiday with gut rot if eating out in U.K. all the time. Not so in Italy or on a cruise.

Surely the problem here is booking a holiday that isn’t what your used to and not being ready/willing/able to adapt?

U.K. holidays can be fantastic if you have the right approach to them. For me they aren’t much different to holidays abroad as the thought of spending all day around a pool is my idea of hell anyway. If that was my only option for a holiday I wouldn’t go because it wouldn’t work for me.

Only time I went all inclusive I hated it. All the food was a mystery and probably a food hygiene nightmare as it was all unlabelled buffets. Nightmare with small children. We go on chikd focused holidays as ultimately its more relaxing if the kids are occupied and happy.

I think the best way to do UK holidays is to stay somewhere in walking distance of the beach and shops tbh. That way you don't have to be up and out at the crack of dawn and you don't need a packed lunch. It does make the holiday cost more though unfortunately.

My restaurant comment has been picked up in a few times. Just to reiterate- there are lots of amazing restaurants in the UK. This is true! However, lovely healthy food tends to be in more popular/populated touristy areas. More upmarket, smarter places. If you go to the wilds of Scotland (our choice) there aren’t so many of them. A few but not as many as the south of England! That was the point I was making. The healthy places are the exception rather than the rule for most of the UK. Compared to Greece say where you can get a Greek salad/grilled meat and a watermelon most places!

We live in Suffolk. Can always spot the tourists in the beach car parks. They are the ones with 6 millions bags, chairs, wind breaks and picnics. You don't need all that stuff -- and it makes it easier to enjoy yourself if you just stop bothering with it all! bucket and spade, bottle of water. Towels are pointless. They just get Sandy! Sit in the sun and you'll dry off. My kids have always had lots of beach fun without me bringing loads of stuff.
You also don't need endless picnics. We always do a morning at the beach and then either home or to a cafe for lunch. Then something different in the afternoon.
Re Sandy clothes - just give them a good shake outside! What do you think people who live near the sea do? Constantly wash everything? Shake sand out, hang up to dry if damp.

I agree that there a lots of lovely little wood fired pizzas, cafes and other to find food in Norfolk and Suffolk. You just need to look a bit harder for them and not fall into the trap of spending the whole day in one coastal place.

Disclaimer: we have 2 dogs, hard floors and lower standards than some. Sand, mud and other detritus is just swept up every couple of days when it gets crunchy underfoot 😁

@Bunnycat101

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.

Because land in the UK costs a lot more than in most other countries. Labour costs a lot more than many touristy countries too. AI resorts have enormous complexes and an army of staff in order to facilitate guests wafting around on their own timetable. The running costs in the UK would be phenomenal. Plus it would rain 60% of the time.

Not read every post but we are currently in the Outer Hebrides. Yes it takes a wee bit more thought/effort but wow! is it worth it? Yesterday we spent the entire day on a totally deserted beach. Postcard perfect, clear blue water and not another soul. Bliss! Children did not want to leave.

So, yes we had plenty of bags (wetsuits, towels, picnic lunch, change log clothes, etc) that took an hour to pull together in the morning, but I’d take that over a crammed buffet breakfast style hotel any day!

I think we just need to readjust our thinking/approach and embrace what our country has to offer.

@ssd

Oh FFS i didn't realise the queen was on mn

Slight overreaction to a thread???

My husband and I went on a lovely all inclusive holiday to Turkey, and day after day watched families with bored kids, parents on sun loungers having a lovely relaxing time whilst their kids either laid around too hot to do anything, whinged, or tore around disturbing other people. The holiday you're having now is much nicer for your children.

81Byerley
Your last sentence is just lovely. 😊

I don't like UK holidays but for other reasons. A big part of holidays for me is to be immersed in a different environment, another language, different foods. British holidays just feel more of the same. I do like long weekends away in Britain though.

Although expensive, do people actually plan to spend as much on UK stay? If you went to posh AI resort would be thousands and could get a great hotel stay for that in UK but we are reluctant to shell out as much. Do you know what I mean? Moan about it being expensive in UK but are we trying to spend less than normally would?

@Fizbosshoes

When DC were young I was (unreasonably) anxious about them being unwell on foreign holidays so I didnt enjoy them as much and took the entire bathroom cabinet of otc medicines in case I couldnt explain what was wrong

Then when they were older we generally couldnt afford to go abroad.
Now we can, and I dont really want to!!

Oh god, that was me! I took a whole pharmacy bag. Plus about a litre of Calpol.

We've cracked UK holidays now..... we leave our DC (young adults) at home which removes 90% of the workload, and find somewhere where we don't need to use the car. We take our 2 dogs, get a food shop delivered on the 1st day with lots of simple to cook food, and arrange a mid week clean.

Absolute heaven. We went to Woolacombe last year just before lockdown and spent a quiet week reading books, drinking obscene amounts of tea and having long walks on the beach.

When I look back to holidays we had with our young DC, it was bloody torture. We booked a gorgeous Devon longhouse one year, it was so lovely and cool but there were steps everywhere that our toddler kept falling down, and huge window ledges upstairs with no window locks. I didn't relax at all on that holiday.

@Cam2020 why are you so unpleasant? I’ve explained it upthread. No need for the aggressive tone. Maybe you need a holiday? grin

For disagreeing? It seems like people are miffed they're not getting their AI this year and are making their own problems to prove a point that UK holidays are shit.

I've had a lovely holiday, thanks, luckily on the last spell of good weather. Went to a small harbour town with lots of restaurants options, close to a beach. Didnt saddle myself with cooking or housework because I chose not to. People really seem determined to make things hard work for themselves so they can gave a good old moan.

Surely this isn’t a uk hols thing? It’s a self catering cottage thing. We’ve done self catering hols in France and they’ve been pretty stressful too.
You aren't really comparing like with like @ChocolateRiver. We do have hotels with laundry services in the UK too!