UK Family Holidays, where am I going wrong?

[missedthememo1]

AIBU to not book my UK holiday 5 years in advance? Clearly.

DC2 has just turned 1 & as we didn’t get a holiday last year (never got around to it) its a priority this year.

Now we are not holiday virgins, travelled a fair bit with DC1 & loads without kids. However we are virgins when it comes to booking the traditional summer break in the UK.

Ideally we would like a week in Devon between June -Sep. Seems we have left it far too late. I’ve never booked any hotel months in advance. Admittedly I’ve never done the UK holiday thing except from the odd weekend break. My parents are immigrants so every school break we were whipped off to our respective holiday homes abroad.

What’s the MNs way?

Salcombe is nice in its way but full of expensive shops and hideous parking. Not for nothing is known as Fulham on Sea.

There are many lovely places in the South Hams of Devon and also I’m in love with the North Cornwall beaches. Avoid the big names such as Newquay. Owners Direct have many properties for rent. I’d aim for a self cater in a small town or village where you can potter and get out to eat. Remember you can organise an online shop delivery to keep life easy. Some places have a small group of properties with some toddler facilities such as playground.

I would actively avoid the school holidays as the roads become gridlocked.

Because you don't have to go in school holidays, don't look at mid - July - early Sept, the costs will be astronomical.

Once your DC is school age you'll get better prices booking 18 months ahead, so alos consider looking after Easter for next summer.

I've had many wonderful family holidays in Dorset on the Jurassic coast (between Bridport and Lyme Regis). Plenty of cottages available on dorsetcoastalcottages.com
Lots to do - sandy beach at Burton Bradstock; lots of other beautiful beaches where you can hunt for fossils; children's farm, swannery and subtropical gardens at Abbotsbury; aquarium at Weymouth; Lyme Regis v picturesque seaside town

Hi missed - useful thread so thanks for posting. I second Holbourne - various choices of accomadation - August will be busy but if you look at July and Sept you will find something. We have always stayed at Holbourne naish - it's on the Hampshire borders but there is so much to do. They do have one around Devon I think.
Another thing - legally children do not need to go to school till they are 5 - so if your child is at school you can take them out - the school my tut - but they cant fine you.
I will save this thread - my sons 8 - and I've never paid more than 600 for a week - always self catering though!!! I'm northern and tight!!!

Most book as soon as they become availble. We book on Booking.com a year in advance

Just occurred to me if you register for newsletters with websites and can leave it to a later decision, you'll get 'sale' alerts. When it gets close to dates and they have empty places, they'll reduce them. Worth thinking about but of course there's even less advance planning and less choice. But that's the joy of driving somewhere not flying.

That is a massive budget. I start by looking on the tourist board site as there are usually accommodation search facilities. Unless there are a large number of you or you are really specific with requirements you should find something. We paid about £600 in August for a chalet near Sidmouth in 2016 and hadn't booked by Jan.
As someone else has suggested Bluestone in West Wales is lovely and plenty nearby to do. We live near Cardiff and are staying at a barn conversion in St clears not too far from bluestone and a week in August is £715.(we got a 10%discount for booking early).
Not Devon but we have found swanage area is nice too.

Book a stay at Centre Parcs. Jobs a good un'

Carbis Bay in Cornwall is beautiful and a 5 minute train ride from St Ives.

Just a quick thand you for your time & the very helpful suggestions. Have narrowed down to just a few so will likely book in the next day or so. Plus saved lots of money 👍🏼

thank you not thand you!

Swanage in Dorset is lovely, and very family friendly. We book through Wyke Dorset Cottages and their customer service is very good. If you book before 31st January, it's only a £99 booking deposit. (I don't work for them, honest!)

Which has reminded me, I need to book our holiday!

We booked a National Trust cottage in Devon for early July one year on NYE. With your budget you should have loads of choice.

Ooh, exciting, well done missed. Did you settle on an area?

Glad you have found somewhere. Hope you have a good time.

Have a look at Court Farm holidays... we loved it their with small dc

Maenporth estate is just down the road from me, I hear good things about it. Near Falmouth, on a nice little beach. www.maenporthestate.com

Haha, we were like you when we came to the UK.

In desperation I booked Bedruthan Steps hotel, a family room. I really liked it, but DH hated it as full of Boden clad stockbrokers and bankers families... (guess they can afford it!).

Ever since, we booked cottages or farm stays. Some farm cottages do dinner service (meals you can reheat in oven), feeding the animals, tractor rides etc. Mainly we ended up going to Spain or staying at home in the summer hols

I find summer-holidaying in the UK bafflingly expensive (and not just the Bedruthan Steps )

ah we were at Mawgan Porth earlier this year too, although in a self-catered apartment. Wasn't too pricey and lovely little place.

Puckingfixies has said exactly what I was about to post. Don't book through Airbnb, do your research there and on other sites maybe but go direct to the owners, its almost always cheaper. We saved a couple of hundred £ a week doing this in Italy.

Late to this and you are probably sorted. Since having kids I am coverted to static home holidays (although never use them in high season uk). There are owner direct sites which can work out cheaper and they are usually better equipped. Read reviews about the site but we have had some wonderful holidays (as a family, not what I have chosen as a couple)! We use them a lot to visit family as everyone is hundreds of miles away and we like space. To be honest in school holidays I find europe much cheaper, even with flights. Skyscanner 'everywhere' search and take it from there!

Still some availability at Bosinver for end of June - it's great for toddlers as long as you're willing to go to Cornwall again.