Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to take my babies on holiday alone :(

30 replies

CharlieBear15 · 11/08/2015 00:08

I'm desperate to take my babies away for a few days on my own. But I don't drive! So fed up of not being able to do anything!

So I priced up a holiday for a week abroad, aibu to not want to pay 1500 for me and two young (7&6) children to go away!

OP posts:
IHeartKingThistle · 11/08/2015 00:11

Holidays are sooo expensive now, it is tough.

But in your shoes I'd be spending that money on driving lessons. It would benefit you all far more than any one holiday could.

G1veMeStrength · 11/08/2015 00:13

How about going somewhere by train then? Advance tickets are v cheap.

Murfles · 11/08/2015 00:13

When are you thinking of going? If you book well in advance you could easily pick up flights and book an apartment cheaper than that depending on the time of year and where you'd like to go.

emmelinelucas · 11/08/2015 00:15

YANBU to be fed up of price hikes in the school holidays.
YABU to call 7/6 year olds babies.
Seriously, though I get where you are coming from. I don't drive, either and a package holiday all-in sounds like a good deal. Just not in the holidays when you are able to go.

Original poster
CharlieBear15 · 11/08/2015 00:18

I'm sorry but they are my babies, and always will be.

OP posts:
QueenArseClangers · 11/08/2015 00:19

Have a look at the Holiday Pirates blog. Cheap as buggery deals and ideas.

missingmumxox · 11/08/2015 00:21

don't go abroad then, I do loads of hols here for approx £600-700 for a week, also I have actually booked a week in Holland for £480, for a week for 4 of us, stop whinging and hit google.

NickiFury · 11/08/2015 00:21

This is why, at that age, I go in term time. But that's extremely controversial on here Wink

NickiFury · 11/08/2015 00:22

And OP you can call your dc whatever pet name you like Smile

Original poster
CharlieBear15 · 11/08/2015 00:26

I will happily go in term time lol.

If I went in this country, how would it work? Would I get a taxi from train station to the place?

OP posts:
NickiFury · 11/08/2015 00:27

Yes, or walk possibly, choose a small town that has a station in the centre and coordinate it all around that.

ilovesooty · 11/08/2015 00:28

Doesn't it rather depend on where your destination is in relation to the train station?

ilovesooty · 11/08/2015 00:29

Sorry, I meant that the train station might be nearby or walkable.

NickiFury · 11/08/2015 00:31

For example a place called Ferryside in Wales literally has it's station next to the beach. It's so small you get off the train and you're there, holiday homes in sight. I'm sure there must be other places like that.

emmelinelucas · 11/08/2015 00:33

I didn't mean to cause offence - that is why I carried on by saying seriously
It is an AIBU.

cal28xx · 11/08/2015 01:02

i took my dd to wales last year. stayed in a caravan and had the best week. i only payed 300 for the caravan. we also got a coach (dropped us of right outside the camp) and we had a brilliant week.

QueenArseClangers · 11/08/2015 01:04

www.holidaypirates.com/holidaypackages

Fill yer boots!

NotYouNaanBread · 11/08/2015 07:15

You can get the bus to lots of places - Lake District, Devon, Scotland etc. - because sometimes the train is really expensive, but the bus is very affordable and at 6/7 the children won't be obnoxious on a 4 hour bus ride.

Then airbnb wherever you want to go.

And learn to drive for next year. :)

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime · 11/08/2015 07:21

There are loads of places you can go on the train with no car... seaside places like North Berwick or Dunbar in East Lothian, for starters.

You need to think a bit. It's obvious there are modes of transport other than cars.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 11/08/2015 07:21

Your money would be better spent learning to drive and saving towards a car. You are fed up with not being able to go anywhere, so do something about it.

If you take the kids away in term time, won't you be fined.....

BertrandRussell · 11/08/2015 07:23

How do you normally get to places?

PingpongDingDong · 11/08/2015 07:23

I've been in holiday with my dd every single year since she was a baby. You really don't have to spend a fortune. I've booked caravans in country parks (very cheap), rented tiny cottages (about £400) and gone abroad if I had more money. I would suggest, if you can't drive you go somewhere that has stuff on (pool and or activities) or that is close to somewhere fun otherwise you may be a bit stuck once you get there.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 11/08/2015 07:40

All decent sized towns will have a bus service, or budget for taxis. Do your research online for nearby attractions and how to get there. There's a load of seaside towns where you can stay right by the beach and most bus companies have information/timetables/search functions via their websites.

I grew up in Bournemouth where there's loads to do and the beach is next to the town centre. It has a good rail service and lots of buses go past the station. Plus coaches go there too. You'll probably find that large towns/cities have organised day trips by coach or bus out to surrounding attractions which you could book.

Another example is Butlins at Minehead, which is across the road from the beach. So has the usual Butlins onsite activities (if you like that) but you're next to the beach and a short walk from the town centre. There must be loads of other examples.

Book a holiday let and get an online shopping delivery. We're doing this and we're we'll have two cars on our holiday!

Scarydinosaurs · 11/08/2015 07:43

Errrr yeah, you could taxi, coach, bus. Surely you're used to coping without a car as you don't drive? I don't understand why you think if you can't drive you can't holiday in the UK and it must be abroad?

PurpleCrazyHorse · 11/08/2015 07:47

Holidays can be expensive, especially if going abroad and having to pay (usually high) train fare, particularly if traveling in the UK first.

Book in advance to save money and/or look closer to home. Try out of season if you can in the other school holidays, possibly a winter break if they're cheaper? We've saved money bunking DD out of school a couple of days before the start of the holidays (DD's in infants) and used the 48hr D&V excuse.

Six of us are holidaying in Kent this year, much cheaper than our previous holiday to the Dordogne, but still loads to see and do. We do have cars but are staying very close to a little town and the beach, so could easily have a week without travelling very far.