...to ask for your best, cheapest 7 day UK family holiday destinations?

[DuchessofNorks]

Tell me the stories of the best holidays you have had in the UK, preferably with a modest budget (under £500 for 6 nights)?

I want lovely destinations packed with family fun and preferably not a city.

Camping at Llyn Gwynant in Snowdonia. It's on the edge of a spectacular lake with kayaking, climbing and orienteering on-site. The DC love fishing with nets in the stream and playing in the beach.

Not done it yet and not sure if it'll come in under budget but a cycling holiday maybe. I want to do the hadrians wall cycle way, but there are others like the south downs.

Isle of Wight

Camping is probably the cheapest way to do it. There are campsites attached to holiday parks if you want entertainment/swimming pool etc.

Whereabouts did you have in mind?

Camping treardur bay Wales static caravan lovely

Yes, Isle of Wight is fab! Like stepping back into the 1950s. We went last summer and loved it. Wasn't any cheaper than mainland though, but we stayed in an apartment with a pool. The kids loved the ferry ride and we found some great beaches.

camping is only really 'cheap' if you have all the gear - otherwise you have to factor in buying a tend, beds, stove, chairs etc etc!

I like www.underthethatch.co.uk/ - the cottages can be pricey BUT because they are eco friendly they don't like anywhere unoccupied so nearer your dates they may offer reduced rates for places not booked

It sounds grim, but Butlins are still good value. And, for some mad reason, Children still love it.

Went to Hopton caravan park for a 4 day break and it was really nice. Surrounding area was awful, but the park itself was great with a pool as warm as a bath - lovely!

rent a static caravan , you can rent private ones directly from owners for about £500 during the summer hols, all over the country and coastal areas. we had a 6 berth static in comb martin in Devon for about £450 that was a few years ago now though.
I've seen a couple with late availability for august at flamingoland, one off fee for the theme park for the whole week and there's lots of other stuff to do in the area you don't have to stay on site all the time, also about £500 usually sleeping minimum of 6.

I can't remember the name, but there is a holiday park in Bude (a cheap area of Cornwall), that is really close to a couple of very good, life guarded beaches. The beaches have just won some cleanliness awards too.

Not Haven at Seaton Samds. Hideous.

Wales is good value, or Norfolk. Look at cottages/apartments on Owners Direct website, we've had some great ones :-)

After reading about this company on MN, We've booked 7 nights at an outward-bound centre in Devon for 4 of us including all meals for £560!! I couldn't believe it either ... It's a not-for-profit organisation and they are all over the UK www.real-family-holidays.org

Does it have to be UK?

You can get a Center Parcs in the Netherlands for a week for 700 euros if you go on 24th August. You've then just got to sort out cheap ferries.

The thing with camping is that once you have all the gear it is so much cheaper - admittedly i have forked out the best part of £600 recently because we started with nothing but because camping will be our holidays for the forseeable future i wanted a nice big tent. We went on our first adventure recently and i loved it so much. I love that site in wales.

Surf lodge in Newquay

Seafront beach pods at Sauchenhope, St. Andrews.

Sorry that should be sauchope links!

My caravan cost £496, including travel insurance, for 7 nights on IOW first week of August. I booked it through Hoseasons.

Devon valley. Half board for a week 383. You have woodlands adventure park near and also beaches and Paignton zoo.

Those sun holidays are supposed to be good value. A friend with two children reckons they work out at about £80 for a week and she prefers the haven parks.

Good for anyone with a tight budget..

Can you go in term time? If so there's a hotel called Sands in Cornwall where we've got some great (term time) last minute deals.

Looe, Cornwall. £450 for week in cottage 2 mins from lovely clean beach. Went to Asda, spent £100 on nice lunches/dinners/treats and cooked in cottage for meals or took picnic. Lovely rest and real quality time with DH&DD. Me and DH take a good box set to watch at night.

I always book through Hoeseasons and always spend around £500 on the accommodation. We've been to The Isle of Wight and Bude. This year Cornwall again. We've had luxury caravans/chalets each time. It's only dh, dd and me. Highly recommend having a look.