Bargain destinations for August holiday with 7 and 11 year olds - do they exist?!

[LaMigraine]

We've just had a big building project done at home and don't have a lot of cash for a summer holiday this year, so I've been looking at UK destinations but everywhere is so expensive still, and also so booked up! So I thought actually it might be cheaper to go to Europe, especially if we could drive there, but would prefer not a package... It's probably too much to ask and I should just accept that everywhere in the flippin world is expensive in August. But if anyone has any genius ideas I would be so grateful!

Have you considered eurocamp/canvas or another provider campsite holiday?
Plenty of lovely campsites in France, east to drive to - depends on budget. Plus leave it later in August it's a little cheaper.

What’s your budget?

I just booked a holiday cottage in Cumbria for £164 total for 4 nights Monday to Friday 4 people and a dog in August Summer holidays. We will fo a Supermarket shop for food and maybe a few meals out. Entertainment will consist of walks in the forests/coast/lakes etc and hanging about playing board games and watching movies so all free.

Try looking at Youth Hostels www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/jan/09/top-10-youth-hostels-with-family-rooms-uk
livemore.yha.org.uk/destinations/take-family-short-break-yha

Look at Pierre vacances in Normandy - I've got a week for under £500 in August in the past, not too bad on fuel bills too

Milan Italy

I’ve just priced up a week in northern Spain flights and accommodation for under £800, 4 bed house with shared pool near national park and flights with easy jet. You’d need a car, but would still come in under £1k.

That’s in the middle of August

We stayed here for 8 nights last year as part of a longer European road trip and the kids absolutely loved it. It's in the Netherlands but close to the Belgian border and really easy to drive to from Calais or a dutch / Belgian port. There are loads of accommodation options with various prices and most of the kid's activities are free. DC's were 8 & 13 at the time. It's also close to De Efteling and a safari park if you wanted a couple of days out.

www.terspegelt.nl/en/

China's looking particularly cheap at the moment....

Brittany Ferries holidays have some good deals. End of August or even May half term is good for bargains as European kids are at school.

You need to give us an idea of budget and where in the country you would be travelling from.
For example if you are in the north of England flying from Scotland is cheaper than flying from England the last two weeks in August as the Scottish school kids go back two weeks earlier than English school kids.

@justdeckingthehalls1 Though not funny for those who are there, of course...

Thank you all so much for suggestions so far!! I posted then ran yesterday, and have only just had the chance to check back, but I'm going to look into all of these later today. @Daddylonglegs1965 you're quite right, sorry - I posted in a rush. We're travelling from London, and budget-wise, would love it to be under £1k (and as much under £1k as possible - £1k is really the absolute absolute max).

Oh, also - DH hates camping , so that's out, unless it's more of a glamping/yurt situation. There needs to be an actual bed, and toilets/shower preferably in the same place, i.e. not a walk across the site.

That could be quite a challenge in August and you would probably have to be practically fully SC for August.
I would look at where you can get cheap flights and cheap ferry prices to and from as a starting point (usually you have more choice for flights and ferries down south than us northerners) or even dare I say it taking the kids out of school a day or two early would help keep costs down a little usually accommodation costs aren’t too bad it’s the flight prices that inflate the cost and when your eating out and the DC are teenagers and insist on adult meals.

I’m pretty sure you’d get a week at the place I posted above for less than £1k including ferry or Eutotunnel.

There are some very cheap apartments in the alps in the summer. Particularly in ski resorts. Stunning scenery, swimming lakes, loads to do. The resorts put on loads of events/activities to get visitors in tbe summer. I've just found on booking.com one for £400 for last week in August for 2 bedrooms in a complex with an indoor pool in Les Gets.

You could drive there.

Is that £1k for everything for four people for a week and you don't want to camp? If so, I'd look at driving prices for ferries and Eurotunnel and SC somewhere off the tourist trail. If you look on Airbnb you can often find modest SC accommodation for under £100 pn. For instance, what about something like this: www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/11063121?adults=2&children=2&check_in=2020-08-22&check_out=2020-08-29&source_impression_id=p3_1580387743_5sglYSRJQ7ia2xEk. You can SC quite cheaply in France if you just shop at the local supermarket.

It's too late now but we got flights under £500 to Nice for 4 in August as soon as the flights came out in Sept (Easyjet).
Then self catering as others have said. We stayed on the tram line so didn't need a car.