Holiday Village/caravan sites - Made me feel a bit sad

[Girlwhowearsglasses]

Have just come back from one of the many many Holiday Village type camp sites in the UK. This one is very well kept, and cost as much to stay in a double glazed mobile home as a cottage on the beach would have (I have since discovered). It was located in one of the truly beautiful parts of the UK. In other words not at all unusual, and very similar to lots of others..

I have come away feeling a bit sad; and also that I'm a bit of a snob. I just don't get it.

Basically even though there were beaches and stunning landscape, great pubs and cafes and restaurants serving great food, lots of local stuff to see and lots of other attractions; a large portion of the people there spent most of their time in the camp. Aside from the crazy golf, playground, swimming pool etc, quite a lot if this time seemed to be spent drinking and gambling. The children also seemed to be spending a lot of time trailing their parents watching them drinking or playing bingo, and there was a large children's amusement arcade with a lot of expensive games which as far as I could see were training the kids to gamble. My DP took the DCs in once and they were hooked instantly and begged to go in there all holiday.. There was one 8 YO boy there who had around 70 cards from a machine which cost £1 per card (sort of collectable cards with a game involved) - he'd spent his entire time in there. The food and drink in the camp was at least as expensive as to buy much better nearby.

The mobile home was clean, but cramped and uncomfortable (beds always terrible in Mobile homes). We spent our time doing all sorts of things off site, and didn't end up doing a lot of the the stuff on offer in the camp - all of which cost £££ extra (climbing wall etc). Honestly we could have spent so much money in the camp - its not a cheap option at all.

We could have stayed in a really nice self catering and had some really fancy meals out for the same price.

AIBU not to get the point and wonder why they come to such a beautiful place and don't look at it?

Best holiday I've had with DCs was at a UK caravan park - we avoided the massive ones like you are describing though.
Someone else I know has been to one and said similar to you - to leave you had to walk through the 'entertainment complex' - they spent a fortune. I was also warned off ones with a pool - apparently often they are packed and time is rationed - you end up hanging about until it is your turn and then younger DCs are disappointed you have to get out so soon etc.

The one I went to was smaller, with lots of regulars. It was on the beach (but the sea was freezing!) and had a play park for the children and a wee shop.
The DCs made friends instantly - nice children, no swearing etc. The older ones looked after the younger ones. It was like being back in the 70s. DDs disappeared at breakfast came back a couple of times for food/drinks - often with their friends- then back at dark. Desperate to get out again in the morning. They bought the odd ice lolly but mainly water bombs from the shop so spent very little.
After a few days I was happy enough for DD2 (3.5ish) to go to the park with her 9.5 yo sister...just kept checking on them every so often - I even let DD2 go once alone (although only for 15 mins and I was a bit freaked -sister had gone to the local swimming pool with a new friend).
We did virtually no sight seeing etc - I actually managed to read more books than I had taken, than they had in the caravan. The DCs had a fantastic time and so did I (DP was a bit bored though...)
But the next time we went on one it was very different - still a smallish site but lots of privately owned (empty) vans, also before the start of the English summer holidays so virtually no other children around - and no play park to act as a gathering place. And my parents were staying in a nearby hotel. Still had a nice time but spent most of the time going to places - sightseeing and the beach etc....felt exhausted by the time it was over...
(Problem with a cottage etc is the DCs won't have the opportunity to make friends and so need you to entertain them -so it is not really a holiday for you!)

I remember that holiday swap programme it was brilliant. Family 1 would end up on a 5 star shindig in Morocco while family 2 had given up Morocco for a rainy Butlins in Skegness

It was great wasnt it fair and really shows how we should all get out of our comfort zone occasionally.

For some reason the most dominant family in my mind was American guy taking family to florence and other family had to have special food brought into pizza place or something like that, family 2 took them camping, to bognor I think

How do you know that they were in the arcade all day? were you in the arcade all day?

As hulababy says people have different types of holidays. We camp a lot , sometimes we do a keycamp style holiday in Europe, sometimes we wild camp in Scotland and other times we stay on a holiday park in the UK. We also go skiing, go cruising, stay in villas, sailing ...... I am quite amused that you would decide to pass judgement on my poor children based on a glimpse of them in an arcade.

I used to love holiday swap.

YABU. Those people are taking their DC on holiday after all.

We have done these sort of holidays plus so many other different kinds. Our DC have been to Butlins , Centre Parcs, Alton towers hotel, Hoseasons, keycamp. holiday cottages, lodges etc.

They have also been to over 20 countries and been to different continents. Been on cruises, city breaks, beach holidays, sightseeing, etc. and they have stayed in posh hotels as well as caravans.

They like playing crazy golf/arcades/visiting museums/sporting events/festivals/waterparks/stately homes/animal sanctuaries/wildlife/theme parks/world heritage sites amongst loads of other things.
We want them to grow up experiencing as much as possible and hopefully be open minded, rather than narrow minded.

These were my holidays as a child. We holidayed with another family with similar aged dc. All the dc would spend hours and hours in the park and in the arcade, while waiting for our kids entertainment or waiting for the grown up entertainment to finish. I loved the gambling machines but obviously didn't spend much on them. I saved my pocket money up and once it was gone it was gone. my parents would have a drink because that is what they enjoyed. They weren't unable to look after us. We are by no means chavvy by the way, it was just a holiday we enjoyed. We also left the campsite most days to explore and do other things. how do you know that they never left the campsite unless you stayed there the whole Time? In which case your post is hypocritical. your post made me sad :( people enjoy different things from a holiday.

Are you serious? ALL large campsites in the UK are like this! Did you not realise that there would be expensive onsite restaurants, arcades and such? do you not realise that mum and dads need a break too...hence why they may go to bingo or whatever??

YABU and a massive snob, perhaps book oneself into the Ritz next time

The holiday you describe wouldn't suit us at all. We are unsociable and don't want "entertainment" in the evenings. We tried one caravan holiday when DD was two and it was OK. The caravan was nice but we just didn't like being in such close proximity to other people. We didn't use the facilities on site at all, except for the launderette after DD had been sick one night.

We just did other things during the day - steam train, visit to the zoo, look round a castle etc. We only stayed in the caravan because it was cheap.

Since then all our UK holidays have been in individual SC cottages in lovely parts of the country. There is more room and the facilities have been better.

I love caravan parks and don't leave the complex either. Swimming pool in the morning, beach in the afternoon (if its not raining), nap back at the caravan then evening entertainment so DS can have a run about and a dance while I get a drink.
We go to the Haven site in Berwick and my DM and DDad sometimes come too. They normally go for civilised meals in town, visit the historic stuff, take a boat trip out to Lindisfarne etc. They are in their 60's and that's what they like to do. As far as I'm concerned, while my kids are little, everything I need to entertain them is onsite and if they're happy, I'm happy. Its more relaxing for me to potter about with them close to home.

I didn't see any of the lake district when we went to Center Parcs because they kind of trap you on site!
yes i remember doing butlins as a kid and getting out was easy, i felt trapped.

I always hated holiday parks but now stay in one every year in dorset. I love the walks and the views. The beach is beautiful.
We spend our evenings in the entertainment bit as the kids love it, so all good there, we swim on complex if it is raining. Most of our break is spent walking the coastline or on the beach

I agree with you I feel snobby but need a cheap accessible holiday. The children love it and I always pay for a nice large heated caravan ;).

It is what you make it. We love our holiday, peaceful and beautiful by day, loud and brash but happy kids by night.

My daughters think these holidays are the absolute best.

We save our 2ps up throughout the year, the dc have a money box each which is emptied the night before we leave.

On the last night they spend their pennies money in the 2p machines. They love it - they win tat like little notebooks and little rings or necklaces which they treasure.

I suppose the saving up and having to wait till the last night helps encourage delayed gratification. And the saving in itself is very worthy, if you care about that sort of thing.

Also means we can walk through the arcades for the whole week without being pestered because they know their time will come!

The entertainment is crap but what little girl doesn't love dressing up in her princess dress and dancing the evening away? Perfect way to end a lovely day spent building sandcastles, flying kites and eating ice cream.

It is what you make it - like anything in life.

If I showed you our holiday photos of BBQ'S, castles, cream teas, sunny beach days, rainy museum days, lovely picnics, beautiful scenery, gorgeous sun kissed smiles and long bike rides you be hard pressed to say it's a horrid holiday for small children.

Last year I asked DD1 what had been the best bit of her holiday and she gave a massive happy sigh and said 'everything'. That's a good enough endorsement for me.

I used to love Holiday Swap. Why isn't it on anymore? :(