Centre parcs or similar suggestions please

[Klouise777]

Looking at going away in March for a few nights with dh and lo who will be just under 2. Did like the look of centre parcs but obviously I guess things on site could be expensive?! Anyone taken a similar age child there and found there was enough to do or recommend anywhere else similar? Want something like a lodge with plenty of room for lo incase weather is rubbish and ideally Midlands area such as cotswolds, Gloucestershire way? Thanks

Now is probably the time to go to Center Parcs as you get quite good deals if you go in the week during term time, we first went as a family when DS was about 18 months and he had a great time, swimming, walks in the wood etc.

The pool is free and the activities for the little ones aren't too expensive. To be honest at that age we only did one or two anyway as otherwise it's a bit much.

It is expensive to eat out every night but we just took a shop with us and had dinner in. We had the occasional lunch/breakfast out. It's not cheap but not horrendous either.

There is also Bluestone in Wales which is similar but a bit cheaper?

Look at Landal Sandybrook and Landal Darwin Forest, and also Whitemead Forest Park.

Oh, I literally just started the same thread! We are also thinking of doing CP in around March with an under 2 . Are you me?! Although we are in the north. I know quite a few people who have been to the one in Whinfell Forest with children ranging from a few months old to 3ish and all have been glowing about it.

Bluestone is fairly similar but smaller and lovely. We like Darwin Forest, it has a small pool, cafe, soft play and restaurant and nice lodges but is much, much smaller than CP. Is Sandybrook the one just north of Ashbourne? We took a peek in when in the area last summer it looked nice but no pool I think. Ashbourne Heights nearby has some lodges but only a very small pool and not much else indoors to do.

Sandybrook does have an indoor pool.

Just had a look at the Darwin one for an Easter weekend and it's more expensive than centerparcs.

We've been a few times with dd1 who is nearly 4. Always go out of term time and usually in the colder months. We love it. We do a shop on the way so eat in most of the time but do easy dinners or little buffets 😂 we eat out once to keep costs down.

Dd is a proper water baby and has to be dragged from the pool, so we would go early for a swim, have a walk back to the lodge. Maybe watch a film and have a sleep. Then back out for another swim, maybe feed the ducks and stop at the park on the way. Then back to the lodge for tea time.

Dd usually sleeps well because she's shattered 😂 most of the restaurants and bars have a soft play attached so if the weather isn't great we can do soft play too. We take DD's scooter and go for a walk/scoot (depending on what park, longleat is very hilly) we like Woburn if we're just going for a weekend. It's quite small but it means everything is in easy walking distance, even for a 3 year old.

I'm interested in other parks people have been to, especially the CP equivalent parks abroad.

elvedens our fave. its quite flat, so nice for biking.

We have been many times but no longer feel its good value. It was only the adventure and the pool that drew us to it. Often the same activity is available outside for half the price but they make it difficult for you to get in and out.
Have a look at some of the upmarket caravan sites, this is near the lakes and very good, they have several sites we often stay at Silverdale
www.holgates.co.uk

We were at Longleat Centerparcs at the start of this month . Dd and I were using it as a touring base but the place was full of people with pre schoolers so I assume there is plenty to do . We didn’t find it too expensive to eat out on site ( I don’t self cater except breakfast) and had no problems getting in and out in the car you just have to tell gate security your lodge number and name when you return . We found it more cost effective than a decent hotel for our 4 night break . On the one afternoon we used the pool it wasn’t remotely busy .

Love bluestone. Even better with a golf buggy.

We went to the Landal park in Cornwall it was lovely

its not hard to get out or get back in lol!!!! we are at CP now. today we had a trip out. got in the car (at the carpark) drove to the exit, barrier goes up! thats it !

when we drove back , we drove up to the gate house/ arrivals, said our villa number and name its under, staff lifts the barrier, we drive back in the carpark.

whats difficult about that lol!!

maybe funf was moaning about the walk to the car? or expected staff to take you to the car?????

its a traffic free environment. (most of the time)

Darwin forest is lovely but very expensive!
We loved centerparcs whinfell forest this year although both my children said they preferred centerparcs de kampervanaan.

Im a fan of Butlins for young children. We have been going every year from my dd being 9 months and she is now 10. They can be entertained from breakfast until bedtime. We went to minehead this summer and liked the site. We usually go to skegness.

The other short break my children love is Alton Towers Enchanted Village. CBeebies land, splash landings, crazy golf, and the staff entertained the children in the evenings in the village. The lodges are very cute.

This isn’t like CP Much smaller, but if you wanted swimming with the kids, indoor games room, play park, some ride on tractors, and they are making an indoor soft play for toddlers too, try Weybourne, Norfolk. Home Farm Holiday Cottages. They have 19 self catering cottages in the village. Just really nice, easy for families, wood burners in some, some are dog friendly.