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.

I had a wonderful break in Whitby last year. Told my friend about it and she reckoned she'd found a bargain price deal to go there - turns out the deal was to Whitley Bay and she thought they were the same place!

I would also recommend Pembrokeshire in Wales (especially St. Davids), St. Ives in Cornwall and pretty much anywhere along the Dorset or Devon coastline.

I see Norfolk has many fans, hope it doesn't get too busy....

Has a great Dinosaur park too.

SW Harris - amazing beaches and a real 'getting away from it all' feeling. Loved it (April 2014) for my Dads 70th birthday treat with kiddies in tow

Lucky you OP living 10 mins from Whitley Bay. We're off to Whitley bay again this year for our holidays. I really fell in love with the Northumberland Coast when we were there last year.
DP and I actually considered moving there after our holiday last year. So so pretty!

Cereal are you local?

The Dinosaur Adventure park is AWESOME for anyone coming to Norfolk

www.dinosauradventure.co.uk

But, for anyone visiting Norfolk this summer BE WARNED you need to be parked up at the beach no later than 10:30!!!

After this the carparks start to get full up cars are turned away. Locals tend to get there early, have a lovely few hours then head off once it's starts to get too busy after lunch.

As a local, it does feel like during the summer holidays the rest of the UK must be empty!! But I don't think it's any different to going to Cornwall in the summer. And it's really just the beaches that get very busy. As a visitor you wouldn't notice busy roads etc.

Oh god, Northumberland. Love it there.

Sorry, just had a squizz at thread and see that Northumberland is out!

North Wales is great too around Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire.

Looe in Cornwall. quieter south coast away from the newquay and padstein brigade. lovely beaches, coastal walks, bodmin moor on a clear day with no - one else in sight, sea you can swim in (don't like huge surfing type waves) cream tea, crabbing off the quay in Looe along with all the other parents! Just love it. something for all of us to do as well so no one gets bored and its cheap to sit on the beach all day, go for a walk or cycle ride.

Will also add my vote for Norfolk.

I'm a Cornwall girl, love it down there, but it does get busy and is a long way away (from East Mids).

Went to North Norfolk last year, first time, for a week and stayed at Kelling Heath. Visited Cromer, Sheringham, Cley and Wells, thought it was all lovely. And comparatively for the time of year (June) it was much quieter than Cornwall.

The drive was horrible though - they were doing major road works at Kings Lynn and you can get stuck for hours behind farm traffic.

All of these places make me want to go on holiday now!

I live in Cornwall (lucky me) so I can heartily recommend here. Anywhere really, you're spoilt for choice, but St Ives in summer is beautiful. It does get a bit packed though.

I also love Northumberland.

Last summer we camped in the Cairngorms (Ecocamp Glenshee) and stayed in a cottage on Skye. That was a beauty holiday. Epic journey too!

I love Pembrokeshire, it is really beautiful. We also had a lovely family break in the Cotswolds (Bourton on the Water) there is a fair bit for kids to do around there.

Following on from Tricky, if you're coming to North Norfolk from the North, or the Midlands, try to avoid the 'yellow' roads around King's Lynn as these can get stacked during the summer on weekends. Huge queues of caravans and day trippers. Try to work your way through King's Lynn and use the coast use the A149 coast road rather than the A148.

A question for anyone living on the Scottish borders / Northumberland way. Is early July likely to be warm enough for camping? Well, 'glamping' with a stove. Yes, I am a soft southerner!

Yes yes to Pembrokeshire. Esp if you can stay in bluestone-loads of activities for kids and use as a base for visiting beautiful nearby beaches. Tenby, broadhaven south my fave. St David's.

Also Cornwall gorgeous! St Ives etc

Mumslife & Tricky I've never got round to going to Kelling yet, but am eyeing up the woodland lodges for a 'before school' holiday in late august.

Ooh - glad to see Northumberland mentioned! We are going for the first time this Easter. I can't wait!

We live in Pembrokeshire, it's beautiful and only takes a day to the beach in the summer to feel like we're on holiday There are literally hundreds of beaches to choose from, miles of coastal path, plus folly farm, oakwood theme park and Manor House wildlife park if you don't want to spend your whole holiday on the beach

I much prefer cosy beaches with features than great open expanses.

I really enjoy north and south devon, beer branscome and clovelly etc.

Another vote for North Norfolk! I won't repeat all the fab advice on here but in my experience, in terms of accommodation, heading Sheringham/Cromer way is a bit cheaper than the Burnhams.

We stayed here and it was really lovely. Five minutes drive from Sheringham and a bit further from some of the gorgeous beaches. Lots of really good NT properties nearby. Fab walking - and Sheringham Country Park is gorgeous. I was very pregnant with DD2 when we were there and DH used to take DD1 for a stroll in the mornings with her in the sling so that I could have a bit of a lie-in. Was a blissful holiday.

If I win the lottery, the first thing I'm doing is buying a house in North Norfolk.

Would Jersey count?

Ooh, please tell me about Jersey, we're considering it this year.

Cornwall is magical but I fear it might be hellish in high season, unless you're content to stay put on a beach within walking distance and not try driving anywhere.
Love Snowdonia - so much to see and do even if the weather's not kind. Wales also tends to be a good bit cheaper than the West Country in terms of accommodation.
But most of all I can't believe no one's mentioned Lyme Regis - go for Lifeboat week or the Carnival and there is so much going on in town (on top of the usual fossil hunting, aquarium, beaches etc.) that you won't need to move your car once in the whole week.

Cabbagesandcustard, good call. All that Jurassic coastline is lovely.

If you are talking about the Channel Islands my absolute favourite holiday destination is Sark.

It is small enough to walk around, is traffic free, virtually crime free and is like going back in time. It is a beautiful, wonderful place.