What was your best UK holiday with teenagers?

[MissDollyMix]

Ok, so I admit I'm procrastinating on my work this morning and dreaming about holidays (summer 2025!) instead of doing what I'm supposed to be doing!

DC will be 12 and 15 next summer. DH and I are hoping (well, I am hoping, DH is just being dragged along) to go on an adult-only holiday later in the year so I'm wondering what we can do with the DC for a family holiday without breaking the bank. I am just lacking inspiration! What was the best family holiday mumsnetters have taken with their teens in the UK? I'm open to everything - city breaks, something rural.... so far we've done London, York and North Yorkshire, Bristol, Bath, Lake District, Manchester, North Wales and Anglesey, Manchester, Northumberland, Lincoln, Shropshire, Hampshire and the New Forest, Dorset (Swanage) and Skye so all of those are out!! I'd love to take them to Edinburgh as it's one of my favourite cities but August is not the right time to go so that's also out! I was considering another Scottish island but whilst it might be my idea of heaven to spend my days on deserted beaches and hiking, it would definitely NOT be ideal for the DC... What am I missing from my UK bucket list?

PGL. My DD says it is the best holidays we've done (beating Italy/Greece/Scotland etc).

Center parcs my niece and nephew that age would say. Pool all day, freedom for them to come and go.

wow, thanks! I've just had a quick glance at their website. I had no idea that pgl did family holidays too! My sociable 12 yo would love it, the anti-social 15yo would probably sooner chew his own arm off than have to interact with other kids 😂(But it could be a good thing for him)

It's a good shout. The DC do love Center Parcs... I'm a bit off them due to the poor value for money and the fact that last time we went it felt quite dirty - younger DC picked up a stomach bug.

Cornwall with 17 year old DS and 14 year old DD. We had surfing lessons and went paddle boarding and it was great.

Thanks @mrssquidink ! Any particular destination in Cornwall? I'd love to go but a bit concerned about crowds....

We stayed at Hendra Holiday Park, it’s just outside Newquay but we would go to Crantock and Holywell Bay for the beach. At the height of summer if the weather’s good both do get busy - for Crantock the beach car parks would be full by 10 but there was always parking up at the village hall. Both beaches are huge so crowds on the beach weren’t a problem.

Pembrokeshire had some lovely beaches. Surfing, paddle boarding. coasteering all options. We stayed at Celtic Haven outside Tenby which is nice for an evening wander while you choose where to eat.

Also Mull of Galloway for lake canoeing, beach walks, mountain biking, dark skies and great seafood.

Centre Parcs with their cousins.

River Dart Country Park and Dartmoor South Devon was awesome

Narrow boating with my three and DHs 3 .. 12-19yrs .. took the 24 hours to detox from screens and realise that there was no reception whatever they did… And then they were really into it. Lots to do,, lock gates, cooking, fishing, walking and running up the Towpath, and then finally just chilling.

Same. Although it was a long time ago now. No idea what it is like there now.

We did multi centre theme park tours at that age . Started in Yorkshire with Lightwater Valley and Flamingo Land , moved onto Blackpool and the Big Blue for the Pleasure beach and then moved on to Drayton Manor , Alton towers

Bluestone resort in wales. Similar to centre parks with loads to do.

My teens, now 17 and 19, will say best holiday, not just UK but of any holiday, was Cornwall in 2021.
We didn't go abroad due to Covid rules/testing and rented a house with its own pool in Cornwall.
Weather was fabulous, which was obviously a bonus, and it was just one of those holidays when everyone was relaxed and happy.
Yes, it was busy - St Ives was the worst - but not everywhere and we balanced being out and about with pool time.
There is so much to do in Cornwall and having own pool to come back to was brilliant.
It wasn't cheap but was a really great holiday.

In the UK
Cornwall they surfed every day, New Quay we stayed just outside the town and drove in each day for surfing, Bude was great like stepping back in time but in a good way, stayed near the town as its quieter, surfed again.

Scotland they did all sorts of activities.
https://www.donthibernate.co.uk/summer-trip-to-the-west-coast-of-scotland/

Outside the UK well they are quite adventurous so they have dragged us all over the place! We let them plan and book it
Cyprus for the weekend was a great one https://www.donthibernate.co.uk/winter-weekend-in-cyprus/

Following! Need some inspo for this summer

My 13 and 16 year olds love Pembrokeshire. We go a lot as it’s where the GPs live and DH is from there. Some good boat trips and lots of surfing/bodyboarding beaches. They still live Folly Farm which is a zoo with an indoor vintage fairground.

We live in Devon and go to Cornwall a lot. We avoid Newquay and St Ives in summer. Bude is quieter and has great beaches. Our favourite area is The Lizard. Quite quiet with some beautiful beaches. We like Falmouth which has an interesting castle and the Maritime museum for wet days. There are boat trips from Falmouth. We enjoyed the boat to St Mawes checking out where the rich go on holiday.

A boat on the Norfolk Broads. We go to Norfolk a lot but had never done this until 2020, went in the summer between lockdowns. It was brilliant, kids were 13 and 17. We spent a week pottering about. There are loads of great places to moor up, many are near pubs so no need to cook if you don't want to. Depending on the route you take you can go into Norwich, or moor up in a village with a bus connection to get there so can do some city stuff too. We hired canoes and spent a day doing that, and my son spent a lot of time fishing. In the evening we hunkered down and watched TV, even after all the time we'd already spent together in lockdown it was still honestly one of the best holidays we've had in UK.

Pembrokeshire, Brighton, Cornwall, canoeing Wye Valley or slightly less UK but often cheaper - France!

My teens loved Brighton.

Cornwall body boarding/surfing is their favourite holiday ever.

Center Parcs. Both of mine have said its better than being abroad 🤷‍♀️ We do love it though because its like a home from home.

Potters Resort in Norfolk. They cater for all ages. All inclusive including drinks soft and alcohol. All activities are included - segway, shoiting range, rally carts, quizzes, vr, pottery painting, theatre tour, giant swing and much more. Shows in the theatre each evening. There's a huge recreation field for football etc, crazy golf, pool plus access to a private beach.
Ds loved it, used to make a bunch of friends each year.

Northumberland
Horse riding on the beach
Lots of water activities. Dolphin and whales.
Seals and puffins.
Harry Potter trips.
They loved it and still say it was a brilliant holiday now they are adults

Aviemore area if dc want sociable activities, but plenty of options for diy as well