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.

So? A million people can be wrong as easily as one. There are endless stories online of filthy accomodation, mass brawls, stabbings and food poisonings at Butlins. And they're the highlights.

Ah sorry I just read your most recent post. If you have finances, could you take a couple of weekends off? It sounds like you really need a break x

@CupidStunt22 think you're confusing it with Pontins! Butlins is lovely when you go on the kids/ family breaks. Obviously don't take your kids to an 18-30's weekend 🤣🤣

I think you can have a great time OP. Some of our happiest memories from when our kids were young are from UK beach holidays. Even if you need to pack raincoats as well as sunscreen.

I am not sure where you are travelling from but if not too far from the south coast how about Isle of Wight? It has the benefit of including a ferry journey which could help to make it seem more of an adventure? Plus you could play up things like touring the whole island?

Another option (if you don’t mind losing the beach) would be somewhere like the Celtic Manor. Tons to do on site.

If money is not an issue, did you know you can stay at Warwick Castle... out in the field in a "lodge" or glamping (or if without the kids - inside the castle itself!)

Ah, so budget isn't too much of a limiting factor then? This is nice...

I'd choose a Centre Parcs for a long weekend. Kids could spend hours in the pool and safely cycle everywhere. Build up a healthy appetite for family BBQs or a meal at one of the restaurants.

Or, first class train trip to York, Bath Glasgow or Edinburgh, depending on where you start from. Fantastic sights and things for families to do.

Or, book a central London hotel and visit as many touristy sites as you can fit in.

Or, hire a little canal boat. So relaxing. You'll feel you've had longer away. (Rubbish if it rains though).

Or, Eurostar to Paris. So nice. Although I think you said something about passports?

Butlins?

Sandcastle competition

Yup, that would make a two day holiday feel like two weeks

I'm not. I have, unfortunately, been to Butlins. Though as the original brief is to make 2 days feel like 2 weeks, Butlins would do that.
I would actually kill myself if I had to stay 2 weeks at Butlins

Right I’m booking butlins. The worst one I can find.

Lucky asked "who wants Butlins?"

I answered: 1 million people want Butlins.

So it's not an unpopular choice really nor is it the "wrong" choice. Might not be you cup of tea, bit it felt a bit sneery to imply it's something 'nobody' wants.

OP I think this is a lovely idea.

It sounds like you really deserve a longer break with everything that's happening but having actually bothered to read your PPs I understand that you can't, and that you've settled on the seaside, and that you're not going in October.

What you've suggested sounds really lovely.

What about a cinema trip on one of evenings after dinner and get the popcorn and trimmings? Or perhaps you could do some sort of countdown to the holiday, e.g. where the kids get to open a little present each day before they go and add it to their suitcase? Do something you wouldn't normally do the evening before you go away to extend the sense of something different, e.g. a local ice cream cafe for a sundae, or a takeaway you wouldn't normally have.

You could have a week somewhere warm in October. I know which I’d rather have.

You'd go without a break for 6 months to go somewhere for a week, rather than missing out on possibly multiple weekends in the UK where it's perfectly warm (just look at last weekend) and enjoyable?

besides, there's nothing stopping OP doing weekends away AND a week in October.

Thank you! i don’t mind people aren’t reading everything as it’s not the most fascinating of threads but lovely ideas like yours make it worth posting. I’ve spoken to the kids and im going to take them shopping for new books the day before and a new holiday t shirt each (probably just primark) and im going to buy a scented candle and use it in the hotel room so that we can be reminded afterwards, and we all agreed we are going to have fish and chips three days in a row. Also the hotel im looking at has a very nice looking spa…

You'd go without a break for 6 months to go somewhere for a week, rather than missing out on possibly multiple weekends in the UK where it's perfectly warm (just look at last weekend) and enjoyable?

I’d probably do both. Why the silly face?

I'd go off early to Longleat for a safari day and then onto Butlins at Minehead. They'd have a variety of different things to do. Depends where you live of course

If money is not an issue how about the lion or giraffe house at Port Lympne in Kent. Looks amazing.

Children do remember! We stay in one hotel in Broadstairs where the room has a kind of lighthouse room up some stairs, and DS literally never shuts up about “when can we go back to the turret hotel”. And we also stay in fisherman’s huts in Whitstable, and shepherds huts in Sheppey, and he remembers all of them very clearly from one year to the next.

But I agree he wouldn’t give a shit about a fancy hotel over a standard one.

If you only have two nights, consider booking a sleeper train down to Cornwall.

Won’t be busy in October. Find a nice hotel or AirBnB, and either rent a car, or just spend the weekend on the beach. You can still surf in October, and there are some lovely walks. fish and chips on the beach each night. Lovely.

If you can take single nights away, consider doing a couple of overnight trips as well if that is possible (I’m assuming one of your children has additional needs, reading between the lines). DS5 and I are going to York by ourselves during half term while DH is working. It will just be nice to be somewhere different for a change.

Just go as close as you can to save travel time. No point wasting two days in a traffic jam or at an airport or waiting for a ferry or overpacked and delayed train. Really depends where you live.

@Dobbyismyabsolutefav

Great idea. It's bloody fantastic!!

We had a year where we couldn’t get away for more than a few days, so we went to Scotland on the sleeper train.

we took an after work train to London, stayed over in a premier inn at county hall (could have taken an early morning one, though - we are not morning people and my kid loves the buffet breakfast!) had one day there (boat on the Thames, big wheel, NHM) dinner in China town, checked in and slept on the train (which was super exciting) pootled around Fort William (which was lovely) and took the sleeper back again.(we had another day in London and went to Hampton court, a show and a late train home but that would be three days)

I think you can get it to Cornwall too, if you’re set on beaches. DD loved it - it was all so different (usually we did the seaside) but rather than trying to make your break into something it isn’t, maybe do something totally different and enjoy it for what it is?