Please tell me about the best 3 holidays I should book here in the UK this summer

[Timetoask]

We always tend to go away for our main summer holiday, this year want to explore the UK. Our boys are 7 and 9, they love the beach.

I don't have a clue were to start looking (I am foreign!). Would appreciate some recommendations (we have been to centre parks so prefer not to do that). The boys would like to try some surfing!

Please give me some ideas.

YY to the Isle of Wight, we've had some fabulous family holidays there, beaches to suit everyone, flat sandy ones, stony cliffy ones, ones with fossils, surf, you name it. My two love the Ventnor paddling pool too. Also lots of other interesting days out. We've had three weeks and two long weekends there in the last four years and still not done half the things on our list.

Thanks. Ventnor does seem to be winning from everything I've read. Just got to find somewhere nice to stay now!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! DH and I are going to go through them today and finally book something!
Can't wait!

Alderney. Empty beautiful beaches and hotter than anywhere else in the British isles because it is down south

Www.visitalderney.com

Best beach in the UK is the Gower Peninsula.

Isle of Man - you can go anywhere using horse trams, electric trains, steam trains, old diesel, electric trams, proper mountain railway (with pinion wheel). Laxey wheel - biggest water wheel in the world, mine railway through the mines, lovely woods with waterfalls, self catering appartments in Douglas (do shop around). I think your boys would love it.

London with all its museums.

Hire a canal boat and trip over a stretch of canals. You can sleep/cook onboard and find out how locks work and what live on the water is like.

TBH there are so many lovely places everywhere in Britain, you're spoilt for choice.

Seahorse Cottage in Pembrokeshire at Aberfforest - almost private beach. Nothing else but if nature is your thing it's the place to be.

Saw someone has already mentioned Crieff hydro. We were there last summer with similar aged boys and it was amazing with loads to do.

Northumberland? Great surfing (with equipment hire and teaching if you need) on longsands beach in tynemouth. Loads of museum type places in Newcastle, Castles aplenty, Hadrian's wall, fantastic walks and a beautiful coast line. Very happy to give more detailed info if you decide to give it a go...

The Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. The southernmost point of the UK! We stayed in Mullion which is a pretty little village. A number of beaches around the peninsula - Kynance Cove is gorgeous - with lots of body-boarding.

Northumberland is beautiful, only another hour to Edinburgh too and the liveliness of Newcastle/Durham/Metrocentre is nearby if the weather is crap.

Nearby Tynemouth has a good surf scene too.