To not go on holiday because it's raining all week?

[Elisabeth3468]

UK caravan holiday predicted rain every single day. Obviously I knew there was a chance the weather wouldn't be great but was hoping for a few dry days at least.
It's only a cheap caravan holiday (what we can afford) and we have a 3 year old and 7 month old.
Involves a lot of packing with two young children and it's a 5 hour drive.
We would definitely be going if the weather looked nicer .
My 3 year old is very energetic and needs a lot of running around/outdoor time. Baby doesn't sleep well in travel cot. We were planning more outdoor (free) things and not to be going to soft plays etc, although there is free swimming and soft play at the caravan site.

If we stayed home we'd do a couple of days out locally and also crack on with some house projects that really are desperate to be done so the time wouldn't be wasted.
We would obviously lose the money we paid for the holiday.
What would you do?
please no snide remarks that "you have to expect rain on UK Holiday etc" I do know that.... it's just predicted horrendous rain for the full week and stuck in a caravan with a baby and toddler without home comforts doesn't sound very fun haha.

The rain wouldn't bother me at all, the staying in a caravan tho would give me nightmares for the rest of my life. 😂. We went to Haven about 5 yrs ago and it was the most traumatic 5days of my life. Never again.

You can always home home early, but hopefully you will all enjoy yourselves

I have done a week of rain in a caravan with young DC and still look back on it as happy memorable holiday. When I was a DC as well can remember having fun singing on the beach in the rain and cosy games back in the caravan.

Walks in the rain as long as you have suitable waterproofs and boots- wellies for DS to splash about in.

I think you are unreasonable to cancel because of UK weather unless you don’t have suitable waterproofs and can’t afford them.

It a change of scenery and it won't rain all the time

There’s more to holidays than the weather!!!

I'd go! It won't rain the whole week, may only rain for an hour each day, that's when you go swimming etc. Toddler will enjoy all the indoor activities at a caravan park just as much as outdoor and it'll be exciting for them to go on holiday in a caravan and be somewhere new.

We would go. We had plenty of rainy uk holidays when the DC were little. Tent camping too.

We took waterproofs plenty of changes of clothes and a fan heater. In my experience DC don’t often mind getting wet.

How's it going @Elisabeth3468

We were away last week (with an active 2 year old and a newborn) and the weather was no where near as bad as predicted, so I think it’s always worth that chance. It did rain at some point most days but put your waterproofs on and go for it! “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing”

Hmmm I'm on the fence about this. I've been taking my daughter camping and on caravan holidays since she was teeny (alone, as I'm a single parent). I wouldn't go 5 hours drive away, too far. But I have gone closer to home, only once did we come home early cos of the rain. I'm pretty well organised and your kids are young enough for all the fun indoor things (soft play, kids entertainment etc). I find it harder and are more inclined not to go now my daughter is a teenager 😒🙄

We arrived about 5pm after leaving the house about 9.30. That's with 3 stops, two of those to eat and stretch legs and 3 year old a run around. They both travelled well although baby only napped 20 minutes of the whole journey!! And all day actually and also wouldn't feed until we go to the caravan so didn't get a bit upset at times which was stressful. They were both very excited when we got here and have done 1000 lengths up and down the caravan!!! Will keep the thread updated . Caravan site seems really nice and caravan spotless.

depends on how important weather is to your enjoyment of a holiday. Some people can just get on with it other people like myself don’t see it as a break if the weathers crap you feel claustrophobic and your stressed of thinking to do all the time !

@Elisabeth3468 It’s absolutely typical. We did a 5 hour round trip in the summer and my baby, who is usually an excellent sleeper, slept for 10 mins of the entire journey.

I hope you have a great time now that you’re there!

I'm glad you decided to go, you'll likely have far more lovely moments than rubbish ones. Make the most of what opportunities you have (and don't think about the Father Ted "Holiday" episode...)

A change is an adventure for very young children, they can be satisfied with very little because they don't have the high expectations that older people do. Hope you get some lovely weather!

I love that episode 😂 the bit where they play hide and seek makes me die 😂

Holiday is a shit show so far... Discovered 3 year old has worms and has been screaming all night with the itching. Spent the morning finding a pharmacy to get treatment. Baby was up the whole night crying because she hates the travel cot. I slept 1-2 hours all night. Constant heavy rain, not had chance to even glimpse a beach.
I wish we'd stayed at home!!!
Think we'll head back Thursday.

Been there!

I still take ovex on every holiday just in case, and my youngest is yr 7! You never know, and when they turn up you want treatment immediately.

Hope it improves a bit!

Oh no, hopefully things improve a bit before you head back.

Solidarity Op! We've got worms here too. Thankfully we think we've caught it early so only 7yr old has it and it isn't affecting sleep. We are all on ovex too!! Hope the medication works quickly for you and hope weather improves!

I think it would be nothing short of masochistic to go.

Bless you. Are you somewhere like Cornwall? Sorry I haven’t RTWT.

it does sound a shitshow but I’m wondering if we can suggest some stuff locally to make it less shitshow y!

Sorry op I live in Cornwall and the weather has been beyond shite. The beaches aren't terribly safe ATM either because of high tides and storm surges.
Jungle Jack's in Newquay is a good soft play. The aquarium's alright but prob not worth the money with your kids ages. The zoo is not good. The Better leisure swimming pool has fun slides. If you have a national trust membership, Trerice House is cool if you get a break in the weather the garden's nice.

Scratch that - I've been to the beach this morning with my toddler and she had a great time - tides not so bad. I was at Hayle and yes it's drizzling but not too cold and she played in a puddle suit for ages and declared the water is 'really warm!'

Oh no OP - sorry to hear it's been bad.

Not much comfort now but you will one day laugh about it

5 hours is a long drive with young children to chance it. It will completely depend on the site you have chosen. Some have lots of indoor facilities. Is the pool indoors? That might be worth the trip but otherwise id cancel and find something closer to home. Also every caravan site we have stayed with will let you move your holiday until very close to the day, definitely worth a try (With the exception of one large company with several sites that I won't name and wouldnt stay with again!)