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)?!

Someone upthread mentioned the Forest of Dean. A friend of mine went there for a couple of days and reported back that the locals were 'strange'.

I think that's Fred West's old stomping ground though.

Suffolk is just the A11 really. We drive through it as quickly as legally allowed on our way to better places. Like Cambridge and, er Essex?

With toddlers we holidayed in West Dorset, Italy, Pembrokeshire, Cornwall, Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Somerset and Devon.

I don't really understand why Norfolk is the only suitable place.

What about Scotland or Northumberland?

Not to diss the Dinosaur Park. But what on earth else was included in the "large adventure" competition in Norfolk in 2013?

Punnedout, not sure where in Northumberland you want to be but Warkworth is lovely and it has a castle little ones can have loads of fun in (its more of a ruin really) and its got the sea and a river and a fab patisserie. We've stayed in various places with Coquet Cottages. Always been very pleased with them.

They have unexplained lights, thought to be UFO's, in Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk. That might be exciting. (Or it may just be a few doggers)

Do you want to go in the UK?

My ds ha been taken to
Egypt - 6 months
Cuba - 1st birthday

I've never holidayed in the UK as I want hot sun and all inclusive so I'm not much help sorry I hope you find somewhere nice

Northumberland fab beaches, historic piles, never crowded.
Anglesey or Lleyn Peninsula.
Pembrokeshire.
(From another who lives in Yorkshire.)
As you have toddlers, Scotland is much cheaper outside school hols.

There are plenty of large adventure places in Norfolk actually TSSDNCOP. How rude are you? There's, um, Bewilderwood. And my mate John has got a massive field out the back of his house. And our dogging site might not have unexplained lights but it's quite big and adventurous by Norfolk standards and it's the site of East Anglia's last- rocking - Ford Cortina (it's next to Norwich prison if you're not interested in mammoths and dinosaurs but still fancy coming to Norfolk).

We do have a theme park. It's called Pleasurewood Hills. And I haven't been there since a school trip in 1993 but I seem to remember the pleasure is eating really greasy chips then trying not to vomit them from the top of a rickety pirate ship.

Oh and Bewilderwood is a theme park. A middle class one. Where you have to sell a kidney in order to afford the privilege of escorting little Ptolemy and his friend Cressida round some woods before feeding them hummus and carrots.

Oh and before I forget, I will message you on FB asap DinosaurFossilHunter but add Pensthorpe to your list of places to visit. I grew up next to it and it's just lovely. Would be right up your street.

I used to have a cMpervan when dd was younger and have holidayed all over England and wales.

Places I'd recommend.

Cornwall. Mousehole area and fowey area are beautiful. St Ives is lovely.

Devon. Dartmoor area and a bit South are nice areas. Went to North Devon once, looked very nice but was monsoon weather all week.

Dorset. Weymouth area very nice.

Hampshire. New forest is lovely. Loads to do in the area. Nice day trips to Portsmouth historic dogs. Also Marwell zoo.

Peak District is all gorgeous, ditto the Lake District.

Yorkshire dales is very nice. Love wensleydale. Going back to yorkshire this summer. You've got fab towns like harrogate, skipton, Richmond. Lots to do in the area and more towards leeds/bradford.

Other side of the a1 and North yorkshire. Pickering, whitby, york, castle Howard.

Northumberland. Kielder water, hadrians wall, beaches, Alnwick castle, newcastle, boat trips to Farne islands, cragside.

I want to start exploring scotland more.

I used to live in Wales and agree Pembrokeshire is the best. I'm a Tenby girl. Also love snowdonia, llyn peninsula and Anglessey.

Booking up right now Showy

'Oh and Bewilderwood is a theme park. A middle class one. Where you have to sell a kidney in order to afford the privilege of escorting little Ptolemy and his friend Cressida round some woods before feeding them hummus and carrots.'

Is it called Bewilderwood because people are so bewildered at the price?

Norfolk isn't south. It's north of Birmingham and Birmingham is in the Midlands so how can it be south? It's not exactly north either, admittedly, but it's definitely not south.

I live in North Norfolk too, and it is great for kids. We have been out of Norfolk, but aren't too keen on it to be honest*.

The beach at West Runton is great (nice ice creams at the café) and great rockpooling. Go crabbing on the pier at Cromer and eat at Galton Blackiston new restaurant overlooking the pier (v child friendly - fish and chips served in a bucket for kids downstairs and a fish restaurant upstairs). More icecreams on the pier and go and see the lifeboat. Rent a beach hut. Go boating on the Broads, visit How Hill and see swallowtail butterflies, the tiny reedcutters cottage and have a trip on electric eel with a wildlife expert. Go to the funfair at Yarmouth (everyone loves the Snails, they're a tradition) or the circus on the seafront, have a donkey ride. Blickling and Felbrigg are good for walks and Sea Palling has an amazing sandy beach. Wells is lovely - nice beach and harbour. Cley Nature reserve.
Holt is Joules brigade but nice shopping and eating at Byfords.

*disclaimer; totally untrue.

Very excited. is it August yet?

We've used Northumbrian Cottages twice for self-catering accommodation & it's been good both times. Stayed in Seahouses which has facilities eg small supermarket but is not the most beautiful seafront in the area (though very close to Bamburgh) & Beadnell where you can walk to a fab beach but is small village.

There is a great new play area at Pensthorpe for young 'uns. DS2 (6) went there last year for a school trip and raved about it.

The new play area is bloody awesome Miss. You must go.

And yes to Galton Blackiston. We went last week and it's the best fish and chips in Norfolk. Those Snails btw? They look tame. They're NOT. We took my 87yo grandma on them. She still wakes up screaming.

for northumbria we've stayed in Bamburgh before in one of the cottages just back from the sea front. It was nice, easy to nip over the road and down to the beach and a short stroll up to the shops etc and the castle. No idea how much it cost though, mil paid. In general my holiday booking protocol is to go through owners direct and find a decent looking, inexpensive cottage close enough to shops and a few things to do that we don't have to get back in the car for a few days.

Tenby. Go to Tenby.

pensthorpe looks good. Mind you once we've paid to go to the dino park we may be limited to free/ national trust for the rest of the holiday!

Do you use Tesco at all? You can use clubcard vouchers for the Dino park. Also you can often pick up money off coupons locally. You can't use both together though. If you don't have clubcard vouchers, I'll find you some local money off coupons before you come. It's stupidly expensive.

We'll take you out for the day too. There's a nice historical spot near Norwich prison...

Bwahahaha.

EVERYONE STOP BEING RUDE ABOUT BEWILDERWOOD

it's smashing

OP have you thought of Southend? It's super fun for toddlers. Especially if they like mud. And crabs. And chips. And lovely warm Estuary water

[love southend emoticon]