Uk holiday that’s just as nice as going abroad

[Pinkunicorn21]

Help! I’m trying to find a holiday for next year that’s a bit better on the bank balance….! We usually spend around £4k going to Greece but we can’t afford it this year coming, with the cost of living going up we really can’t do it. Is there a next best thing? Something with pools, kids entertainment, near the beach, nice accommodation, clean, spacious? I think we have been spoilt and same for our little one. Is there anywhere in the uk where you have thought this is nicer or just as good as abroad?

Probably. But then you'll probably pay the same, if not more than going abroad. For example, a week at centre parcs in August next year for 2 adults and 2 children starts from £2k going up to almost £11k... at least going abroad you can 99% guarantee decent weather!

You'll probably have to look at something like Butlins for all of the entertainment. But yeah, it'll rain.

If I were you I'd go abroad but just spend less. Depends what your budget is I guess. You could get cheap flights, air bnb etc for a long weekend for maybe less than a grand? We're going to Turkey for a week AI in October for £2.5k (4 people).

Isles of Scilly

We stayed here in July. Woolacombe is lovely with a beautiful beach and barricane beach next door is stunning.
We stayed in a "seashell house" which was OK, bit they also do higher end lodges with hot tubs. The entertainment was good, and there is an outdoor pool with slides if you get the weather.
Loads to do on site but Devon is just gorgeous to explore too.
We really enjoyed it.
We have also gone abroad this summer, but both holidays were equally enjoyable.
www.verdantleisure.co.uk/southern-england/north-devon/golden-coast/touring/?source=Google%7CPMax+-+New+-+Golden+Coast%7C&utm_campaign=PMax+-+Golden+Coast&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&utm_term=&hsa_src=x&hsa_ad=&hsa_ver=3&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_cam=20326578711&hsa_mt=&hsa_acc=4549953526&hsa_kw=&hsa_grp=&hsa_tgt=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxNW2BhAkEiwA24Cm9NqmC7CMGoK5jBkzYAVkuH9sR3ym1npDiV79XEXfug8iCdRvlo6l0hoCJmYQAvD_BwE

Isle of Wight.

You get to go on ferry which will be discounted through your accommodation. Loads of holiday parks and hotels.

This is the flip side of airline travel being subsidised by unfair tax subsidies such that it's ridiculously cheap. You will not save much money by skipping the airline, and you don't get a chance to gain from the exchange rate if you stay in the same country.

You can have a wonderful holiday in the UK but you can't recreate a fly and flop type scenario, so you need to look at a different type of break.

Sorry, that link above takes you to the touring site, but you should be able to find the accommodation info from there too

Bit rubbish once you're there though. Unless you really like ploughing matches which the local paper seemed to be very keen on when we went.

I would drive to the middle or southern part of France. Better weather.
Rent a basic but nice holiday let. You can easily get one for €1000 or less for the week with onsite shared pool.
You will save on flights and car hire. Self cater, bbq or eat out cheaply.

Get the ferry to France and go to a Eurocamp type place. We have just come back from a Yelloh holiday village in Brittany and there was a great pool with slides, entertainment, kids club, and we were a couple of miles from a beautiful beach. Cost £1k for the week plus £600 ferry.
Downside is that the accommodation is pretty basic (but new and clean).

Jersey?

I agree with everyone who suggested a cheaper overseas holiday. Even the nicest spot in the UK can be ruined by our delightful climate

West Wales or Cornwall.

£600 ferry?!! Slightly off topic I know but is that how much it is now, that’s extortionate. It wouldn’t cost much more to fly if you factor in petrol costs too

That place is a shit hole 🤣🤣
Rip off!!

@FinallyPregnant23 - but then you would have car hire costs also. Most cheaper accommodation is due to location being slightly further out, so you need a car really.

Otherwise consider a non packaged trip abroad. Look at areas with cheap flights. For example Trieste in northern Italy is Ryanair and cheap flights often found. From there you could find accommodation in Italy, Slovenia or northern Croatia all within an hour or so drive. So flexible for location and cost. Hire car

@deplorabelle I've flown 3 times this summer- beginning of June, mid July and in 2 weeks time

Not one flight( just the flight) has been under £250 return per person by the time I've added in a hold bag, booked seats and flown at a sensible time and that's easy jet, Ryanair and BA ( in fact the BA one to Athens was£448 return )

So I would hardly say it was bargain basement. The days of £100 returns have gone unless you don't take any luggage at all ( not even a cabin bag) go totally out of season and at the crack of dawn or dead of night

There are countless brilliant places to visit in the UK - the only missing factor is the (almost) guaranteed hot weather you’d find in the med.

All the national parks are worth a visit - no you probably won’t be spending your days sunbathing, but lots of fun activities, good scenery, nice restaurants etc

I'd do this too.

Cornwall and Wales, although lovely, are known for rainfall.

Greece is really expensive compared to, say, Turkey. Have you considered there? You can get a lovely standard of hotel for a lot less money.

My DS has found this too. 250 is pretty cheap though, and quite a small component of a four grand holiday.