Suggestions for holidays on a budget with a young child, no car.

[TelephoneIgnoringMachine]

Having always gone camping with DH (pre DD), we got a self catered apartment this year. So much easier, & not that much more expensive - considering that we didn't have to eat at the local pub every time it rained.

Not having a car (neither of us drive) & as DD isn't a good sleeper, we'd rather go self catered next year. We don't want a "resort" type holiday with childcare & entertainment etc, as we like to be able to do our own thing. We do, however, need somewhere with a good public transport network.

I thought a city holiday, but we're on a budget (I work p/t & DH is a f/t university student). Any suggestions? TIA.

Windermere and Tenby are nice seasidey places that are on the train - Windermere can be expensive though.

If you don't mind somewhere less resorty, I'd look at Eastgate Cottages in Pickering. There's no train station (nearest one a few miles away) BUT there are regular buses to York for wet weather stuff and Whitby for the beach. The town itself is quite nice, and there's a play park, swimming pool and heritage steam railway in the centre. Also a big co-op for groceries and plenty of pubs, takeways and cafes. If you ring them they'll find you a cottage in the town centre so that all the above is within 5 mins walk - we've used them loads and they're very good.

Hi. Are you looking for UK or abroad?
If UK where will you be traveling from
What about Dartmouth. Nice town catch train to Paignton then steam train and ferry to Dartmouth.
Or Teignmouth on the railway and you can catch train to Exeter or Totnes for days out.
Or Isle of Wight pick somewhere on the tube.
If abroad get cheap flight to Barcelona then train down coast a few miles direct from airport.

Why don't you try camping pods?

for example here

St Ives is LOVELY if you don't mind a long train journey.

Whereabouts are you?

Thanks for the replies & suggestions. We're in Yorkshire, so it would indeed be a long train journey to St Ives! Also way over budget I suspect, if we want to arrive in 1 day (don't fancy 2 days on a coach each way with a very lively 4 year old).

The camping pods look quite cosy, Pottering. Not Scarborough, though - we went there this year!

York or Pickering maybe, or the Lakes. Not sure about public transport in the Lake District though, it's always seemed a place you need a car. Will investigate (love the area).

Have you got a friend and family railcard? Although you won't have to pay for your child yet it reduces the adult prices so significantly that it is well worth paying for her (it cost £1.35 for my DD to go all the way from Norwich to London! And adult tickets weren't much more than £10 each)

Also You can get the train to Manchester and then either bus or train to Buxton and stay in a holiday cottage. There's a lovely park and lots of picturesque towns to hop on the bus and visit.

No, but we're already planning to get one next year.

I really don't want to be one of those families that does the same thing every year, for lack of imagination. Would prefer to stay in the UK if possible - I have multiple food issues & it would just get too complicated in a foreign language, I don't fancy spending the whole time feeling rotten.

If you're in Yorkshire how about Northumberland as you can get the train straight up? Or even Durham - v easy to do surrounding areas by train.

www.visitkielder.com/caravan-camping/bellingham-camping-caravanning-club-site

How about here?