Has anyone NOT enjoyed a UK holiday with their kids/teens?

[Arrowheart]

Or is it just me? Please tell me that I'm not alone in finding the moaning, sulking, moody behaviour a little bit tedious. Especially after spending £££'s to travel somewhere else for a week to listen to it.

It’s the reason we haven’t been on holiday for the past 3 summers. I’m not paying to escort a grumpy teen and an exhausting 4 year old somewhere else.
Waiting for easier ages.

Mine have been great this year (15 and 17yo, two separate self-catered UK weeks). Perhaps that's because we do at least one of this sort of holiday every year so its normal for us - it gets better as they get older because they can go out or stay in independent of us as well as together and we are no longer forking out for so many days out at attractions (tend to just use NY/EH memberships now) so we have more budget for eating out. I can't think of anything I'd less rather do on holiday than a fortnight round the pool.

Yep, it was hard work to make sure the dcs had fun, so I didn't.

I better get to a sun lounger by the med with someone else entertaining my dcs for a week next year. Is that too much to ask?!

I agree. I don’t do UK holidays any more.

Mixed bag here.

Low key beach / resort park type place an hour from home? Works for DD (4), renders DH into shock-induced coma.

Weather plays a big part and obviously hugely unpredictable in the UK / the bits we were in.

Group holiday to Wales with other families with young kids was great and there was loads to do, but dear god the six-hour drive. I could’ve been on a beach in Crete in that time.

Sorry to hear you had a rubbish time OP. We didn’t go away this year so my teens have just been moany at home instead. But if it’s any consolation, in the past when I’ve taken them away and they’ve been really grumpy and I’ve thought it was such a complete waste of money but years later they’ve spoken very fondly of the memories of that trip which really surprised me.

I hope so much that we can get abroad next year. BUT, that said this year has been good because we have been to some locations we would not have done otherwise (Northumberland- OMG the beauty!!!!!!!!!!).

I am in bed ill and planning the October half term. Thinking Butlins.... tbh things go better when I lower my expectations.

@MissJeanBrodiesprime

Sorry to hear you had a rubbish time OP. We didn’t go away this year so my teens have just been moany at home instead. But if it’s any consolation, in the past when I’ve taken them away and they’ve been really grumpy and I’ve thought it was such a complete waste of money but years later they’ve spoken very fondly of the memories of that trip which really surprised me.

yes I agree with this also.

We really enjoyed our week in Cornwall with our two (15 & 17) ☺

I think we were just all so happy to be leaving the house for a week that we made more of an effort and made it work. We had meals out together, had a laugh out and about in the car and played cards in the cottage. Yes, they were still on their phones far too much and moaned about having to share a room but all in all it was a great week away 👍

Agree OP, i was bored as well as my 5yr old.
Can't wait to get abroad again!

I cried before my 4 nights in the Peak District with an 11 and 15 year old. In the end it was ok, better than being at home in some ways and we did some nice stuff. Unreliable weather is always the issue in the UK for me.

And yes to the teens talking fondly about a holiday that you didn't think they'd enjoyed.
We went to Tenerife Oct 19 and stayed at the same aparthotel complex we had been to a number of times. DS - 13 at the time - seemed pretty unenthusiastic during the holiday, moaned about a few things and only appeared to really enjoy the ( very pricey) Escape room we went to.
So we'd decided that he had just outgrown it and we'd go somewhere else, only for DS to say that he had a good time and wanted to go back. Fingers crossed we'll get there this October- although by this stage I think we're all finding the thought of abroad a bit daunting so somewhere familiar will help us relax.

Camping is about all I can bear in UK. That may not be everyone’s idea of fun, but a few days away at £25 a night, where the DCs will have a blast just because it’s camping is alright. We when camping near Whitby this year, we did get rained on a bit but had fun. But there’s no way in hell I’d pay through the nose for a holiday let or hotel, because in my experience they’re usually rubbish and nowhere near as comfortable as my own home, and very very expensive. When you try to actually go anywhere whilst on holiday in the Uk it’s always incredibly painful as it’s so damn busy, and odds on it will rain. So you’re paying a fortune to be more uncomfortable than at home, hacked off, and rained on. No thank you.

It is all about expectation. I love UK ones and like going abroad.

UK means more preparations, more planning and I think it is more expansive but I don't think it is not enjoyable.

We didn't do the typical AI holiday until DD was 7, I had a baby/toddler/small child who didn't sleep late when going to bed late. She wouldn't sleep in a pram while we were eating late.

I do hope we can go abroad again soon, we had a couple of years sc holidays and I would like a more relaxing hotel one again.

We went to London. I was expecting to hate it but we had a great time and wish we'd stayed longer.

It was expensive though, worked out at £1000 a day

Cripes!!!!!

Now I NEED to know what you did if you do not mind me asking, because it must have been awesome! We went to London last week- only 3 days and we did not think we had got the most out of it, so are planning a weekend there again in october.

We had a fab week in Cornwall with DC age 11, 13 and 15.

My dc are 24 and 26 and never had a bad holiday even in the rain. They loved the beach as toddlers, even in rainsuits.
Portugal as babies twice
Centerparc in europe from 5 to late teens
A northern cyprus holiday, city breaks and a road trip late teens.
All good holidays

My favourite holidays are in the UK, we pick a beautiful house, pack all our comfy clothes in the car and go. It’s a bonus being able to take the dog with us too.
Dh loves cooking so we usually stay somewhere with a big kitchen and outdoor cooking area and he’s in his element and the rest of us get to enjoy whatever he whips up. We go on walks and activities in the area then go back and chill out.

I find going abroad stressful, worrying about packing everything, the airport, hate flying and then high expectations of Having Fun Every Minute makes me feel anxious.

Will probably do an all inclusive somewhere next year the kids 12 and 9 will love even though I’d rather be in the Yorkshire Dales!

UK holidays are shit tbh. I have really missed being abroad. Everything here costs a fortune plus the weather is hit or miss and has a huge impact on enjoyment. Yes it's hot abroad but just live like the locals - avoiding the afternoon heat but enjoying gorgeous balmy evenings.

Mine are fine if I leave them in holiday digs with WiFi.

We always rent an apartment in Liverpool. It's a fantastic base that pleases everyone.
We've done cat cafe, shopping, beaches, parks, day in Chester, day at chester zoo then an evening at cheshire oaks. Cinema a couple of times. Walks along the docks..... Even a walk out to an island (( hilbre)) and the naked people on the beach statues are always fun to see.

As it's a smallish city thats easy to find your way around ( we use the docks as a marking point)) it's pretty safe to let the teens off to roam. Trying to do a bucket and spades type holiday with kids that ae is just pointless. They want cold, hard cash and a little bit of freedom.

I love holidaying with my 14yo DD. This Summer we spent a week in Edinburgh which was fabulous. Nice apartment, loads of history, science and wildlife (Edinburgh Zoo and a side trip to the Highland Wildlife Park in Aviemore). We also had a great few days in Bristol. We have very similar interests which really helps. Both of us would be horrified at the thought of a fortnight just sat on a beach, although we have enjoyed beach holidays abroad as long as there are plenty of things to see and do and then come back to a swim and a nice meal.

I really don't enjoy UK holidays - been there, done that, got annoyed in moderately comfortable accommodation in all parts of the British Isles. I'm normally the biggest whinger in our family though, so I can't blame the teens.