Has anyone been to Jersey?

[greenqueen22]

If so what's it like? We all need passports renewing this year and there looks to be delays at the passport office this summer. Coupled with having a one year old I'm not sure I can be bothered with the faff of going abroad.

Dh suggested jersey because it feels like going abroad without actually needing a passport. And its only 1 hour on a plane from an airport local to us.

But what's it like? It doesn't look like there's much there. Along with the baby we have a primary age dc who would need entertaining. Is the weather good in summer? Any experience very much appreciated!

The traffic is bad in certain spots at rush hour but unlikely to bother a tourist. It’s expensive to live but, again, bearable for a holiday. The sea is not the Caribbean, it’s true.

We left Jersey for several reasons but I still think it’s a lovely place for a holiday if you can find somewhere to stay.

I have been a few times for a weekend as we have friends there. I'd describe it as a few degrees warmer that the UK with mostly beautiful sandy beaches. It's perfect for a holiday with small children if you don't want European extremes of temperature. So is Ireland.
Both you technically don't need passports for, but you do need photo iID so your kids will need passports.

Accommodation is difficult to find and pricey esp at peak times.

After a brief spike when the strike was announced Passport office processing times are normal at the moment so I'd crack on asap. Face to face fast track/ emergency apts seem to be most affected. You can do the digital check and send service at a post office if you want pics taken and your docs sent off on the spot. It gives some certainty it's been done right and hopefully faster turnaround at the other end.
DH did the online application in a panic when the news of the strikes hit and 10 days later hasn't gotten to a PO to post off his old passport. So technically his application hasn't been started yet. 🤦🏼‍♀️ So we may be off to Jersey too.

If self catering in J I'd recommend bringing some basic foodstuffs. Obviously available there but more expensive for lots of items.
Ireland has pretty much every product available in UK apart from niche local stuff.

Not sure if photo id is required for kids if taking the ferry to NI? Imagine it is due to possible child abduction but worth a check

You really, really don’t need passports for anyone to go to Jersey from the UK. If flying, some airlines ask for photo ID, which can be a driving licence. BA don’t normally ask for anything unless you’ve checked luggage, EasyJet and Jet2 tend to. For kids, no photo ID is required; they are covered by the adult they are with. I have flown to and from Jersey more times than I can count, with and without children, and I guarantee this to be true. Ferries require no ID from anyone at all.

As @Doubleraspberry says if you come by boat you don’t need photo id for adults but please double check. We have needed photo id for every plane flight in though. DH was stopped from boarding as he only had a driving license with Easyjet once though.
I stand by my earlier comment about having to book anywhere in advance for lunch or dinner even including pubs such as the Goose and the Tenby. There are some pretty grotty hotels in certain places too but two excellent Premier Inns.
Several popular attractions have shut in the last 10 years including Tamba Park and Jersey Living Legend but there is still a fair amount to do with young children.

I stand by my earlier comment about having to book anywhere in advance for lunch or dinner even including pubs such as the Goose and the Tenby.

It might be advisable but didn't have to do this at all during my week in Jersey though. We ate out every night and sometimes at lunch and I had no trouble just walking into restaurants so it can't be all of them or has it changed during the past 6 years?

The channel Islands are lovely, quite expensive but really lovely.

Same sort of weather as Cornwall in the summer.

Don't go on the ferry, flying takes about 40 minutes. You need photo ID for anyone over 16.

Ditch the kids and stay here www.landmarktrust.org.uk/search-and-book/properties/nicolle-tower-9638/?ZJjYEWg8T5Uilneb2kJmmS/wLBbpScPDmc6or4jFxI6BeFWs6MmM/GOLVujTZHlA5hfEnHAwKqfneTQrduCl+t98ybn++pH7hGEVndVXfhG7jEzQRE3vt/EGxJcsr3bHZlOGg7p2APmUgNaUoRv8L1qIYZyyBOUxgF/dTLCwNQr0IpJkZH5MBQ==#FAQs

Yes, it has. Like everywhere else, Jersey is struggling with staffing so quite a few places are closed some of the week. The demand on the others has risen. It’s worse in the first half of the week.

There is quite a lot of pressure on Fridays and Saturdays too although you’d probably find somewhere in the end in town! The really good or smaller places will definitely need reservations though, and it will be especially busy in any holiday period.

Absolute common sense to have photo ID for adults when travelling by the way, as it might be needed for lots of reasons. But an airline shouldn’t be demanding a passport if you have an alternative official photo ID.

We went for a week last summer with our 9 year old and had a fantastic holiday. It may have helped that it was during the heatwave lol. We went to lots of beaches, the Jersey War Tunnels, the Maritime Museum in St Helier, hired bikes one day, did lots of walking. There’s a lido on St Helier beach which my daughter enjoyed. The only downside was the traffic but we mostly avoided this by getting the bus everywhere. We didn’t find we needed to book restaurants.

Yes, it has. Like everywhere else, Jersey is struggling with staffing so quite a few places are closed some of the week. The demand on the others has risen. It’s worse in the first half of the week.

There is quite a lot of pressure on Fridays and Saturdays too although you’d probably find somewhere in the end in town! The really good or smaller places will definitely need reservations though, and it will be especially busy in any holiday period.

Thank you! That's very helpful to know for my next visit.

I loved Jersey, I went there in my late teens with my parents, I met someone there & went back a couple of times on my own to see him. I loved the history of the invasion, the underground hospital, the Zoo is the best one I have ever visited, the shopping is good, there are places that hand make jewellery & Jersey potteries is a good place to visit.

Jersey is lovely, easy and safe but also warm!

Guernsey is better though!

Go to Guernsey instead, and visit the small islands of Herm and Sark. They’re not easily accessible from Jersey and are heaven for young children

It was an occupation rather than an invasion.

It wsn't much fun for those who lived through it.

I don’t think @Nat6999 was suggesting it was. Although the underground hospital is now the War Tunnels (same place, but now a very good museum of the occupation, rather than the hospital set up it used to be).

It’s nice but more of a long weekend sort of place rather than a fortnight on a beach kind of place

Love Jersey. Really missed it in 20 & 21.
Hoping it will be less hot this year than last!

I would personally disagree, so I guess it depends what you look for in a holiday.

If you like beaches you can easily fill 14 days, especially if you've not been before, (and even if you have).

If you don't want to spend significant time on beaches then I agree there is less. But I reckon you could still have a packed fortnight the first time you visit if you want to, including things like a day trip to St Malo (but you'd need passports for that!).

The food is more up market and relatively pricier than it was 20 years ago though.

We love Jersey, highly recommend Rosa Bistro in the fish market behind the high street if you love fresh fish and seafood. Enjoy!

Shhhhhh don't tell anyone!

We had the beach to ourselves on Herm last time. It was heavenly!

Consider Guernsey, assuming you are not going in the second week of July when it hosts the Island Games.

I am biased though, as ancestors moved from Jersey to Guernsey in Victorian times and some family have remained there since!!

We went when DS was about 4. Weather was crap so we didn’t get to try the beaches, but they were wide and sandy and I’m sure lovely when it’s not lashing it down. The zoo was great and there was a big indoor pool with slides etc in St Helier. I was fascinated by the underground museum, told the story of the German occupation. Not exactly child friendly but there were interactive buttons around for him to press. We really enjoyed it for a few days, think that was about the right length of holiday there.

Jersey is one of my favourite places. We've been going every year we could afford to since DS15 was 4 years. It's the most beautiful place. The beaches are wonderful (especially Plemont) and there's lots to do. We particularly like the War Tunnels and Jersey Zoo. It's the best zoo I've ever been to, the animals seem so well looked after and a lot of the animals are there for conservation work.
If I were a millionaire, I'd live there!

The zoo was my highlight of Jersey.