Caravan / holiday parks

[Slightyamusedandsilly]

For the first time in my life, I'm on a caravan holiday. Fairly upmarket (as much as they can be) one. Very clean. Quiet. Directly by a beach. Very middle class town.

My god, I'm SO bored. I'm not a fan either of package hols, but this is a whole different level of dull.

AIBU?

You don’t like the beach, don’t like the pool, don’t like sight seeing (??), kids don’t like “tromping” around… there’s no pleasing some people.

Is it nowhere near anything you can explore? There must be local cultural or historical things?

Most people like just chilling in the caravan and going to the beach for a lot of the time.

What do you usually do on holiday to entertain yourself? There must be bars, cafes, restaurants in the local town?

This.
I don’t know who won’t be bored just sitting in a caravan. You need to create your ‘entertainment’. The British weather won’t change so as there’s no entertainment on site, check what you can find around and do it.

With a toddler in tow I wouldn't think bars and cafes are going to be much fun for long, but one would hope there'd be some family type activities in the area.

Shockingly dull aren't they OP?! Oh well we live and learn! You won't make that mistake again.

If you don't like sightseeing or shopping, do you normally just stick to an all inclusive resort abroad and not leave it for the duration?

If so, you were always going to be bored on this holiday.

Even if it's cool, Kids will spend hours on the beach. It's boring watching them so you have to join in with the sandcastle making and rock pooling. The good thing is that the sea air tires them out so they sleep well. This sort of holiday you do have to be more active and outdoorsy. If that's not you, then yes you will hate it.

See if there's a soft play nearby, or a zoo type place. If you're in coastal Norfolk, I can recommend a few things for you.

Tell us where you are staying (nearest town) and maybe a local MNetter can give you some ideas of what you can do.
(Unfortunately with self catering and a toddler it's a case of same shit, different location).

Did the kids Complain about the cold pool ?

Agree. If you're worried about being outed OP, you could get this thread deleted or namechange and post a new one asking for toddler friendly things to do in whatever area.

Out of interest, is this your first holiday with a toddler? I just wonder from the comment about being able to relax into it if they weren't there. If so, don't feel too shit- it's a learning process a lot of us go through! I still enjoyed holidays when mine were that age, UK caravan breaks at that. But it's very different to a holiday where you can sit and enjoy leisurely anything, and you have to be in the mindset for that really. There are worse things than learning that lesson on the cheap.

@Slightyamusedandsilly
"Overseas it'd be a lot warmer, so there'd be a lot more sitting round, in the sun (or shade) enjoying extended lunches etc. Not as fun in the cool UK."

So nothing to do with a caravan holiday then? You're basically unhappy because you're holidaying in the UK, as opposed to abroad. In which case you'd be just as bored in a UK hotel or holiday cottage. The title of your thread should have reflected that.

No castles or country parks nearby? They usually have child centred activities during the holidays. National trust places are good, or English Heritage. Steam trains, boat rides. Would be helpful if we knew which area you were in.

Kids don’t need sun / warmth on a good beach.

Get buckets and spades. Make castles. Make big birthday cakes out of sand and decorate with shells and seaweed. Dig a speedboat in the sand for them to sit in. Dig a network of channels and have them run back and forth to pour buckets of water in.

Play ball.

Not being funny OP but you sound like the dull element of the holiday, not the caravan or the site.

You don’t want to play on the beach, you don’t want to go sightseeing, you don’t like the weather, you can’t relax and read and that’s the kids fault…..

I'm on a beach caravan holiday now! We've done national trust places x 2, a steam train, an animal sanctuary, a Roman villa and the one rainy day we went to a horrible arcade place with slot machines which the kids loved. Beach for just an hour or so in the afternoons. Had some amazing meals out at some seafood places (one with a Michelin star). I've had a lovely time.

I stay at a Parkdean Resort site on the East Yorkshire coast twice a year with my dog. The site is friendly, clean and well managed and only 5 minutes walk to a lovely sandy Blue Flag beach which has a very long stretch on which dogs are allowed. I've taken my existing dog and my previous two dogs and have had some lovely relaxing holidays. The weather has generally been very good but even when it hasn't been, I've still gone on long beach walks at least once a day. The rest of the time I read, sometimes I have a nap, sometimes I watch rubbish TV.

It's bliss just to relax and not have time constraints. It's not everyone's cup of tea
but it's always suited me and my dogs. Other holiday makers leave in the morning, go off exploring and return late afternoon. You have to make your own entertainment on a caravan holiday.

Can we help with suggestions of places to go nearby?

Seriously it’s your fault you’re bored. Go to a walk. Make your own entertainment.

We're in a Haven now and dont get the passes either.We're staying in a Gold and its a mini home from home.

So what do you usually do on holiday with a toddler?

Mine liked a walk to the park, an ice cream, dinner in the pub, arcades, faffing on the beach, playing outside the caravan.

Toddlers aren’t the most exciting holiday companions but I don’t see how being abroad would change that necessarily, you just have to be more creative.

Sounds like your issue is being in this country rather than the caravan per se

Good book
Buy good coffee
Play board games or cards
Nice walks
Find out what is going on around you like food festivals, museums, cinema, music venues.

Or sit around being negative. It makes everyone else love spending time with you and makes their holiday a joy too.

Only boring people get bored

Give it a week and you'll be back at your desk/lathe/shop counter and you'll be longing for all day to do as you please with your family around you.

You don't sight sightseeing or shopping, your not willing to take your toddler on a hike, you don't like to play on the beach. What DO you like to do op?

I think with toddlers you might need a more all singing all dancing caravan park to be honest. The Woolacombe Bay ones have loads of things to do including great indoor and outdoor heated pools, soft play I think one of them had bowling. Kids entertainment etc. I mean, from memory, most holidays are a bit shit with toddlers because they need watching and entertaining all the time so you can't relax, they don't travel well, can be picky eaters etc.

I tend to actively seek out quieter parks but my kids are older and into surfing, eating out etc so it's just a base for us.