to think that Norfolk isn't the only place you can holiday with Toddlers?

[punnedout]

Seriously, I need a change but everybody I speak to seems to think that the north Norfolk coast is the ONLY (vaguely northern) place to go and have a good time on holiday with Toddlers. Can anybody help or am I going to have to go to the bloody overpriced and not that nice Sandringham café twice again this summer (once on the way and once on the way home)?!

You can't beat Anglesey in my opinion.

I'm not sure why you'd go to Sandringham if you don't like it either. If you do choose Norfolk again then try some of the other big houses. If you stayed in North central Norfolk I assume you've been to Holkham? It's fabulous. Wonderful house, great outside area and the beach there is lovely.

I live in Norfolk and it is brilliant but sometimes wish I lived further North so I could easily take the dc to Scotland (west coast in particular), York, Whitby. Just to name a few examples.

I'm of the opinion you can take a toddler anywhere though. They're usually easily pleased.

Thanks AndHarry, I hadn't thought about the Peak District, will look in to it

Yes showy, I agree Holkham is lovely. We always go to Sandringham because of my husband, and because it's on the way there/home. I think I'm just a bit bored and need a change! West coast of Scotland sounds nice, thank you

What about north of Yorkshire , Northumberland is lovely, east and western Scotland has some beautiful beaches , also loads of things for young children.
Deep sea world , zoo ( pandas) east Craig's farm and loads of other attractions. The east coast Gullane , Yellow Craig's, North Berwick all lovely beaches. ( All near Edinburgh )
Fife , aslo nice beaches with easy access to other attractions.
West coast , again beaches.
Northumberland, Haggerston Castle ( caravan holiday village/ beach ) day trip to Lindisfarne , Cresswell ( beach) Alnwick Gardens, Seahouses, Bamburgh Castle.
The list is endless. Just spend some time on google or the many suggestions from the posters on MN .
There really are many beautiful places in the north.

I live in the NW of England and have never thought of Norfolk for a holiday, probably because I love mountains.
Snowdonia is wonderful also Northumberland is not too far from you.

With our toddlers we enjoyed Cornwall, eurocamp in France and holidays in Greece and Spain. Neilsons holidays are fab with toddlers and a genuine holiday for parents rather than just a chance of scene!

We have mountains. Well hills. Okay, gentle slopes. Mole hills then.

Nah, it's really flat.

Did you know that a couple of years ago Sandringham was selling golliwogs? I was agog.

Northumberland definitely for lovely beaches and places to visit - as you have experienced the wind on the North Norfolk coast, it won't be any colder!

It has never occurred to me to change where I go on holiday because I have kids .

We go on the same holidays we did pre-DC. Are we weirdos??

Never been to Norfolk - our sons a bit older now so perhaps it's not for us.

When DS was younger we enjoyed and still enjoy the Lake District. Fallbarrow Park beside Bowness has nice lodges and caravans within walking distance of the village with lots of nice ice cream shops and the boats for trips.
We've also done Northern Wales when DS was a baby which was fab and Sardinia which we could never afford now that we're on school holiday prices.

We live in Norfolk...gets better with older DC as can do Broads holidays, camping, Boats, Dyke diving/wild swimming, Sailing around coast, Bird watching (if your DC will let you!) Seal conservation, easy for Cycling holidays (not completely flat unless you get to Lincolnshire...but no mountains that's for sure) etc etc....we don't just have beaches (although they are great)!

rookiemere, Norfolk isn't a holiday destination for people with young children at all. It's a really lovely holiday destination and some people happen to have children. That's more like it tbh.

You can come on holiday to the North Norfolk coast if you tick over 75% of the following criteria:

-Own a black lab
-Own a joules gilet
-Own a joules quilted jacket for when the gilet won't do
-Own hunter wellies
-Dress your children in Boden
-Have a son with long, curly hair
-Don't mind being labelled as an Outsider who is only here to buy a holiday home and price locals out of the market

I am mostly joking.

Oh dear I'm not sure I fit very much of that criteria!

I hate Joules clothing and refuse to buy Hunter wellies on principal ( I'm not sure which principal as it tends to leave me with cold feet), DS does wear Boden sometimes but only because it is one of the few brands that make elasticated waists to fit his weirdy long torsoed body and his hair goes bouffy when uncut rather than curly. Oh and we have struck dog ownership off the list of things we want to do - woo hoo!

But maybe we'll go anyway - we do fancy canal boating one year.

Oh dear Showy we have booked a place in Norfolk in August and fail to meet most of your list, should i be worried? We need to see the mammoth, the dinosaurs and find some fossils. dd is packing her pick and brush.

We've had breaks in Whitby with small children, Northumberland, France and even the Peak District which FIL went on and on and on at us about because it wasn't near a beach and apparently the only holiday options for families are climbing mountains in the lakes or going to the beach . Good job he wasn't invited then .

Oooh you're coming! I have been trying to send you a message on FB but am without a laptop atm and I can't do it without downloading Messenger apparently. I get my trusty hamster-powered laptop back some time this week though so I must send you a message and ask you all about where/when. The Dinosaur Park is obviously place number one on your list. DD will love it, I promise. We go there A LOT.

I am honestly half joking about the list. There is a real problem with people buying second homes here though. Local people are massively priced out of the market and your local 200yr old butcher shop ends up closed and a Joules springs up in its place. Not everywhere is like that though. There's lots of very different places here. Canals and beaches, villages and a big, vibrant city, kiss me quick beaches and windswept marshes. It's a fabulous place.

Bianca I would love to continue the nice holidays I had pre-DC but sadly they are far too expensive :(

Norfolk isn't in the North.
Or the South.
It's in The East!

We live in Norfolk. One point in its favour is it's the driest area of the UK.
Another is it's very quiet and unspoiled, like a 50's time warp. Not a single motorway. And very little crime.

Forget about the 'posh' aspect. We clean a holiday barn not far from Fakenham, and it's ideal for young children and dogs. It's on a farm. We're far from posh, and unless you go to Holt, most other places to visit are for everyone, not just the green wellie brigade. In the Castle Mall in Norwich (and elsewhere) there's a stand with hundreds and hundreds of leaflets about things to see and do in Norfolk. You'd never get round to visiting all of them.
The Royal Norfolk Show is wonderful for children, with all the animals and displays. And the Broads are good fun for hiring a boat for the day. There are endless places to picnic. Even Great Yarmouth is tremendous fun with a huge clean beach and loads to do. A bit 'Kiss-Me-Quick', but what's wrong with that? There are woods and walks, lakes and rivers, traditional seaside spots; everything you could possibly want.

Isn't Norwich north of Birmingham? I agree it isn't "North" but north of Birmingham can't be "South of England", surely?

We are indeed, booked somewhere in West Runton 15 min walk from the beach. It was the mammoth that did it. Once dd found out there were fossils on the beach she insisted and i don't argue with dd, never gets me anywhere.

Can I recommend the Isle of Wight? Not northern but there are some fantastic things to do, provided you come between Easter and 31 October.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, I've decided to go for Northumberland, so any suggestions for sel-catering accommodation welcome!

(I agree AndHarry, I can't afford to go on our old holidays either!)

That's what I thought blendedfamilygrinch!

That is genuinely shocking showy !

I agree, IOW is lovely CruCru, it's just I can't really be bothered to drive that far!