To think I can make two days by the seaside as good as two weeks abroad?

[Toothiehurtie]

For a variety of reasons we can’t go away this year and we haven’t been away for the last two years mainly because covid but other reasons too. We have a friendship circle where everyone else has been away at least twice and just heading into talking about everyone’s summer holidays. We can do two days by the seaside but I’m thinking if we throw money at it and try and find a nice hotel with a pool and just let the Kids have as much ice cream and fish and chips etc. Wondering if you fantastic people can think of anything inventive to make it seem extra exciting. We are going to get up very early to go and I’m going to make the kids a pack like you get on a plane.m, and make hotel welcome basket etc but trying to think outside of the box.

Also, are there surfing lessons or wind surfing lessons or something completely new for your children to master?

My kids are a few years older than you and they were discussing the holidays we have been on. The holidays they remember most are where we have stayed in unusual places although they also like staying in hotels where the breakfasts and free drinks in the hotel room are the main excitement. They’d also be really impressed with an adjoining room with their own TV!
Mine would absolutely love a hamper/welcome pack with things in they aren’t normally allowed.
We’ve previously done ‘yes’ days where you have to say yes to whatever they suggest within reason, rules have to be agreed ahead!
My DS remembers a holiday from when he was 3 years old because he had an attic that was full of toys to himself!

We watched Yes Day recently and I have promised we’ll do one at some point … might be a good option for one of your two days OP?

I agree with going to a theme park like Alton towers, you could do the theme park one day, the water park the next day, they have the rollercoaster restaurant where the food is served on a rollercoaster track.
If you did this now you could take them away again in October when you have the time off and go abroad, they will have that to look forward to and be really excited.
And then just do exciting days out with them.

I think at that age just going away to somewhere different is the excitement.

We had family in Scotland we would visit regularly when i was a child. My favourite memories are of the trips in the car and going to the services.

We've done Alton towers breaks with our kids and they loved it. But be warned, it the theme park gets ridiculously busy and last summer when we went the queue times were two hours.

Somewhere like Blackpool etc is a good shout in case they weather is shit, there are still things you can do.

Go camping? They will love it and it will feel like 2 weeks🤣

If you’re planning a trip to a nice beach with beach huts for hire, then I 100% recommend hiring one for the day. Saves lugging all your stuff with you, they generally come equipped with a cooking stove and pans, kettle, beach chairs, windbreaks, toys, etc etc. We love getting a hut when we go away, it takes the stress out of being at the beach when it starts raining, or having to pack up all your stuff just to go and get lunch.

I couldn't take my 2 primary school children away last year as I couldn't afford it, so we had 2 full days at the beach with an overnight stay. It was great just the 3 of us! We travelled by train which they absolutely loved! We stayed out all day both days, had picnics on the beach, donkey rides, we just packed so much in. And they still think about it as a holiday.

I agree that Alton Towers would be far more exciting at these ages than the seaside.
All the making it more exciting is odd, either just go or do something else.
Plan a family holiday for Oct.
Trying to make it something its not will seem strange to your DC and others, it puts pressure on everyone and those sort of expectations always fall apart .

Wow thanks for all the advice. It’s two nights somewhere so we can make it three separate days. Had to be seaside and have a pool which we’ve already all agreed on, but everyone’s advice for day trips and going forward is amazing thank you, it’s more like how to make it all the best it can possibly be if that makes sense. I get the thing about the plane packs and the hamper but if the packs have the kids favourite snacks in and a new fidget toy and a cd to listen on the way and then the hamper has my husbands favorite gin and snacks in and maybe a face mask for me, that could make it all feel a bit more special, no?

If they've never cruised before how about a two-day cruise from Southampton? Pool, as much food as you can eat, evening entertainment and a few hours in somewhere like Guernsey or Amsterdam.

In oct it could piss down with rain all day every day, I wouldn’t go to the seaside for my 2 day holiday on Oct with kids…

I think it sounds lovely. A hamper of beach toys too. And use those other days you get through the year for day trips. You can have special picnic days in the garden too

Ignore all the miserable gits.

The kids will have a great time wherever you go and for however long.

Two days at the seaside will be great, just camp out on the beach, kids are (usually) very happy playing on a beach all day long.

I think the packs sound great - my two would have loved them at that age! One of the things we did that they really liked was alpaca walking. They also loved glamping with a hot tub and fire pit - you can find some really unusual places on airbnb or canopy and stars like tree houses or converted buses/airplanes. Good luck and I hope you all have a lovely time! 😎

...she's not going in October.

She's saying that they'd have to wait until October to go away for longer than 2 days.

Somewhere with evening entertainment or find a bar that does kids entertainment too. As much to spend in the arcades getting tickets to buy a prize would have been the highlight of a holiday for me I think. On every ride they see

Do you mean you're going to the UK seaside in October (grim! and you won't be using the pool surely!) or do you mean you couldn't go on holiday for more than two nights before October?

If you're going to the beach/pool in summer then I would really recommend taking some inflatables for the kids, (tyre rings for about a fiver on amazon, inflatable lobster, beach ball etc), I would take a football and a beach bat and ball set. I wouldn't book anything in the sea and count on it happening too much as we've had two things cancelled due to UK weather (both in the summer).

If you can't get away for longer till October then I would just wait till then and go to the Canaries for a week instead. Or go to Southern Spain for a long weekend. Don't have a long weekend in the UK in October though, chances are it will be absolutely miserable.

We just drove the 90mins to Fylde Sand Dunes Beach every weekend during the summer the last yr. It's not Sandy lane, but it was a warm substitute, not too crowded, and pretty peaceful. Certainly more pleasant than Blackpool which resembles a mass gathering of people on day release from prison..😂

Sometimes in life because of circumstance, one has to make the best of it. A trip or a few trips to a beach is a good idea. It's only the price of fuel and picnic.
I think days out at Uk attractions are a rip-off.

My kids are a bit younger but would love this. I would get them involved in the planning. What do they want to do/eat/see? It's long enough for a change of scenery and some excitement.

I'd be looking for somewhere about 1.5 to 2 hours away. Far enough to visit different places but near enough you aren't in the car for long. You definitely need a playlist of 'classic' holiday songs for the car e.g. I do like to be beside the seaside'. Pick somewhere with plenty you want to do in case of bad weather.

When you go out for dinner, one of you stay behind briefly and do your own turn down service - leave a chocolate on the kids pillows and maybe a g&t on yours.

Agree with glamping suggestions – and I hate glamping – but as a kid and knowing my DC and nieces’ and nephews’ preferences, the outdoorsy, campfire, tree-climbing stuff is and was more memorable and felt like long lingering days, vs blink-and-its-gone theme parks.

I don’t think you need the pretend plane packing and packs. Just somewhere unusual to stay: try Canopy & Stars, the Landmark Trust, or Featherdown. Staying in a windmill or shepherds hut or bothy, roaming free, day trips to the sea for ice creams and crabbing, staying up late by the campfire, all a weekend of dreams.

Theme park then not hotel by the sea.
Upgrade the room wayama overlooking the animals if Chessington, any of the suites if alton towers, overlooking the park if legoland (and eat in the castle hotel whichever hotel you actually stay at which doesn't really matter) thomas rom at Drayton.
Qbots and fast passes
Slushies and doughnuts for second breakfast

I think you can have a great time. We’re child free at the moment (I’m pregnant) and haven’t been away since before the pandemic either. Last year for my birthday we spent the long weekend at my 2 favourite seaside places and I really had the best time. My Mum took us to the beach at every opportunity as kids and I remember loving that as much as I enjoyed ‘proper’ holidays.

There seems to be a strange cult obsession with queueing at Alton Towers on this thread but IMO something like that is best saved until the weather is worse, why spend the best days of summer queueing for several hours?!

Go and have a great time OP.

How about Center Parcs?
It doesn't matter what the weather is like, and my kids have only been once and see it as a massive treat.
I think there is risk with weather at the seaside given your limited time.

Can you stay somewhere quirky? A day playing on the beach, fish and chips, too many ice creams? Two days is better than no days and in the grand scheme of things, I think your dc’s will just remember a nice couple of days at the beach.