Suggestions of good midweek break for me and DS reasonable travellin distance form London

[aspyqueen]

Only recently a single parent (loving it!!). Problems with splitting time with DS between me and DH (DS is 6), so this summer is a ridiculously carved up affair with me getting two or three days here or there, no longer. Anyway hopefully by next summer we'll have it ironed out, and at present DS doesn't really know the differnce- I have taken him to the countryside for two days a few weeks agao and he declared it "the BEST holiday he ever had!" (he has had plenty of trips abroad of two weeks or more etc. But, to him, life is simple and two days playing by a stream are heaven.
So....suggestions of where to go woth him for a Tue lunchtime till Friday morning beginning of Aug. We have a car or we could take a train. I don't want to camp unless it's glamping (I've done my time in tents....) He likes playing by wtare, stream or sea or swimming pool will do. He likes sand but mud does just fine. He likes other kids around. He likes animals.
We live in South London, so I don't wanna spend all day driving up to Lake district or so,thing then have to drive back a day and half later...Equally although trains up North are fast we'd then be stuck without a car if we were somehwre like the Lakes that could be tricky. Thoigh if u can suggest somewhere easy to holiday without a car we are willing to do a two or three hour train journey or willing to drive two or three hours.
Budget is pretty healthy (have still got head firmly in sand about how we'll mamage in the future financially, but for now what the hell..). Not proper posh hotel prices, but it doesn't need to be camping prices.
I looked at Centre Parcs (didn't look at prices) but they only do four nite minimum midweek. But it'd be good to go somehwre like that where there's lots of fun to be had (for a kid) in one place as we're time limited. Nothing too Hi de Hi tho...

bump

How about Broadstairs........ really lovely and an hour and a half on the train :}
Or drive and go to some trips eg howletts, rare breeds, wingham wildlife park........

Sandy balls in new forest have some deals on

B and b in new forest eg brockenhurst

Check out travelodges too.

Seafront Bournemouth is lovely.

Thank you! Am googling all them like mad. Keep more ideas coming!!
x

ISle of WIght. 1.5 hours from London on the train or easy drive down M3, catch a ferry over, lots of lovely beaches, scones, ice creams, Tiger zoo, Owl and Monkey sanctuary, old-fashioned chair ride at Needles.

Legoland? Windsor or is that too commercial and not countryside enough?

I was going to say Broadstairs of the Isle of Wight

Brighton? An hour from Victoria, loads to do - beach, pier and seafront with loads of rides, Sea world, playground/splashpools right on the beach, interesting shops etc etc.

hi We're often down in Brighton seeing relatives so I'd rather not and Isle Of Wight is lovely but he's going there later this year.
Hmmm never been to Braodstairs.. will check it out. Are there any nice places to stay there like Glamping or holiday parK?

Bournemouth is lovely. Have a look at Alum Chine. There may be some hotels with pools but also loads of B&B. You can walk to the beach, there's a play area at the beach and a train that runs along the promenade. You can walk on the prom in the evening too and on Thursday nights there are fireworks in Poole.

There's the Oceanarium if it's not such good weather and an indoor soft play. Farmer Palmers is brilliant for that age group too and it has animals, a sandy play area, tractor rides, slides etc.

Absolutely tons to do.