Where / what was your best uk family holiday?

[sillymillyb]

I am getting myself SO confused about where to go!

What was your best uk holiday as a family?

There are 7 of us (aged 3-70) and I think what we are after is a traditional seaside break with lots to do. Can we pinch your holiday ideas please?

---------

You can find more recommendations, plus discounts on self-catering accommodation, in our round-up of Mumsnetters’ top UK holiday destinations. MNHQ.

You might want to save the Yorkshire coast until next year because then the new waterpark will be open, which I'm very excited about.

waterpark? do tell!!

Awks and anyone else!
We're off to Crail in August, staying in a cottage. What/where would you recommend? Dd (11yrs), me and dh.
Really, really hoping for decent-ish weather!

say that we love Crail and go often for day trips as not too far from us. Visit the other villages in the area. Elie has a nicer beach, more sand than shingle, and have a day in St Andrews. The West Sands beach at St Andrews is huge! Great for kite flying etc. The chippy in Anstruther is famous and always packed, but the one in Crail is just as good.
You could visit Kellie Castle of take a boat trip to see the puffins.

Disclaimer: I live in Norfolk!

Norfolk really is lovely - there are pretty EH and NT places to visit, wonderful beaches, parks and woods, classic seaside towns, crabs, fish and chips, pretty villages, adventure places for kids and lots of things to do and places to see.

OTOH, I've been visiting the Isle of Wight for almost all my life - my grandparents lived there and now my mum does. And we have wonderful holidays there - big sandy beaches, rocky beaches for clearer water (get some cheap surf shoes from Sports Direct and the stones are not a problem!), attractions like Blackgang Chine and the Roman Villa at Brading, pretty villages, lovely seafood, and the big attractions of Osborne House and Carisbrook Castle.

Two big tips: If you plan to visit IoW, and want to go to both Osborne and Carisbrook, seriously consider getting English Heritage membership as they are absurdly expensive otherwise. One adult can take up to 6 kids, so you'd only need a membership for adults. And it pays for itself pretty much in 2 visits.

If you are coming to Norfolk, take a look at The Fairyland Trust, if your dates match up with their summer event on 24/25 May book and go! It's a magical day, kids love it, so do adults, we have been to loads of their things and it's lovely and nature-focused, not at all plastic!

Can I ask those who go to IoW - can you still take a cable car to the needles? I have wanted to do this with DD as I did as a child.

Not a cable car, a chair lift

Another vote for the East Neuk of Fife - Crail, Pittenweem, Elie, St Andrews, Anstruther - it's absolutely beautiful!

A lovely cottage in Bamburgh, Northumberland.
It was across the road from the sand dunes and beach and we could see the castle from our bed!

Yes you can Isabella! At least you could the summer before last, I was terrified......

Scarborough waterpark under construction and hopefully open by Easter 2016.

Dumfries and Galloway. So beautiful there, lovely beaches too.

We used to go to Elle loads when dd1 was a baby in our battered caravan was near enough home but far enough away to feel you were on holiday crail chip shop was muchbetter than the 1 in Anstruther I can't do the east coast now im not as hardy as I used to be the wind can cut you in half.

We have been to Cornwall (around Helston) and North Norfolk (Cley) many times but Fort William in Scotland and the Isle of Islay are our absolute favourites.

Thank you chicken

Hello!

Thank you all so much for your holiday Inspiration, today has went a tad wrong in that ds is just soooo clingy he won't let me look properly.

I did a running tally and the places that stick out for me are Cornwall, Norfolk, Pembrokeshire and Isle of white. That's discounting Northumberland seeing as we are already here!

So, I'm now looking for the cheapest but nicest 4 bed accommodation I can find in those areas to compare our options.

Laqueen your post sounded exactly like what we are trying to recreate but the first place you mentioned only sleeps 4, and the bruern holiday cottage that sleeps 10 is £5,500 for the week slightly above budget sadly!

I have so loved reading about all your fave holidays, so I really wanted to say thank you again - it's made my hunt for the perfect break a lot more enjoyable

Ps magpiecursedtea - we are neighbours! Small world!

finlakes, Devon. Google it, you won't be disappointed

Small world indeed!

I love Cornwall, we went loads pre dc but what puts me off these days is being restricted to school holidays. It does get stupidly busy in summer. We did Bude with the dses which was lovely but the beaches were packed.

I would suggest North Wales, Arnside or the Lakes but if you want a more laid back beach style summer holiday you really can't beat North Norfolk. Wells next the Sea is just delightful.

West Cornwall is gorgeous, we found it a bit quieter than further North.

We have stayed in several of these cottages and they have always been lovely. Our strategy is to do the beach from fairly early morning till just before lunch. Then lounge about in the garden for the afternoon. and then a huge Cornish cream tea Bliss :)

www.abovebeachcottages.co.uk/index.html

Teignmouth,
Sheldon,
Torquay,
Paignton
Charmouth,
Weymouth
Whitby
Llandudno
Rock
Polperro

Enjoyed all of these.

Bude in Cornwall gets our vote. Fabulous wild beaches or more tame ones if you prefer. Much emptier than other parts of the Cornish coast. And only just over the Devon border so not too far to drive.