Toddler friendly UK staycations

[Kay61991]

We are looking to book somewhere not too far from London (2 hours ish max drive), for 3 or 4 nights in September with a 2 year old. Struggling to find somewhere ideal for a family that isn’t too expensive or without too many negative reviews making me reluctant to go for it! Could anyone recommend any areas with things around to do with a 2 year old? Any accommodations you have stayed at that have been clean and suitable too? Desperate for a little holiday altogether but really struggling to find somewhere without something that is an issue! Mostly price when I have found anywhere good! Thanks! X

You are just wanting a holiday Staycation was a made up word during covid restrictions for going. Camping etc in the UK.

I recommend Centre Parcs at Elvedon. We had a fab Mon - Fri break there with our eighteen month old granddaughter in May. We’ll be going back in the autumn. The pool is great and it has a wonderful new playground. They sell Cook ready meals in the shop including the children’s ones which don’t have added salt.

I second Warmwell or Durdle Door caravan park their caravans are spotless,,no kids entertainment though.

I don’t fear tired accommodation - I do however expect where I’m paying to stay to at least be cleaned to an expected standard. Some photos I’ve seen I don’t think is an acceptable level of dirt when you’re paying money! My house isn’t spotless but it definitely isn’t ‘dirty’ to the extent of photos I’ve seen of some of these places. We can’t afford luxury holidays but just because it’s cheaper to stay somewhere, it shouldn’t mean it can be ‘dirty’! Thank you though. I also realise a staycation is a made up word but I just used it in the context many others do - it wasn’t used quite ‘literally’ - it was just used in a context of holidaying in the UK which it’s used by many others too! I obviously know it’s still a holiday lol! Thank you though.

Thank you I was just using staycation to mean a holiday in the UK! Many others use it in this way too!

Yes i know it is well used and I wasn't trying to be arsey but a holiday is a holiday and Staycation sounds like its second tier or something.

Thank you! I will check it out!

I’m sorry but is there an issue with me using a word that you have just also said is well used? I don’t need to be educated on a meaning of a word when the context I’m using it in is a common way of using it. That’s not the purpose of this post and my post clearly details what I am after! Thankful for it being pointed out but I don’t think it needs to go any further than this?!

No issue no it the word just annoys me irrationally so.

Thank you this sounds lovely and it’s not that far at all! I will check it out!

Yes, I have been about 5 times, my last visit was 3 weeks ago.

The whole area is lovely and you are close to Peppa Pig world (paultons park) if your toddler would love that.

Never had an issue with dirt.

Lovely playgrounds / soft play / indoor and outdoor pool, walks, aplaca walks (or just stroke them), lots of places to visit / eat locally too, as well as the shops and restaurants on site.

You can walk to the river, we saw loads of deer and even a kingfisher.

Very peaceful and calm.

Thank you! It does look and sound lovely! The area seems so nice to explore! I think we may end up going for this one! Always helps to hear others have had positive experiences! Which accommodation did you stay in? We co sleep so just wondering if any work better in terms of our sleep requirements!

Which local restaurants would you recommend around there?

thanks!

Honestly, I'd just be looking at the National Trust/EH map, find somewhere with lots of sites of interest, then pick the nearest holiday park with a pool.

There's always a soft play, and at that age they can roam around anywhere shouting WOW because they saw a pigeon or a slightly tall man.

I love castles because toddlers have lots of room and generally a wall and moat to keep them in!

Bluestone all the way! Affordable and brilliant for little ones

Bluestone is west wales so has beaches, animal park, dinosaur park all very close by

I agree with the PP. A staycation is when you do day trips from your own home. Holidays don’t equal abroad.

Edited to say sorry, didn’t realise this had been done to death. It is clearer not to use an ambiguous word or phrase if there is one though.

Appreciate it is clearer to use a word that isn’t ambiguous however the post does detail it’s recommendations for a few nights away so surely that does very clearly show what it is I’m after… lol!

I’m at the wrong end of the country to make specific recommendations but we once spent a day in the New Forest and it was magical. I’m not sure if it’s close enough to London.

It is! I think New Forest is what we will go with! There is a small holiday park there and I think I’m leaning towards just booking with them and hoping for the best haha! Thank you!! New forest is sounding like a good choice!

New forest is lovely, we used to go with Hobourne holidays when the kids were young they have a site in the new forest.

nope - staycation, stay at home do lots of nice day trip and activities in your locale.

Also great - and much easier - for toddlers and their parents!

Searles in Hunstanton.