Help in a rut - ideas for a week at the end.of August please

[Passwordsarestressful]

We had a fantastic fortnight in Vietnam at Easter and are planning Italy for next Easter, but we want something to look forward to in the summer.

We spent many years camping or in cottages in Cornwall or Devon and are.a bit bored with it and budget is very limited, so options are on the shabbier side in general.

I may be missing something really obvious, sonny ideas extremely welcome please!

2 adults and 2 young teens, plus a medium sized dog.
4-7 days last week inn August.
Live in Somerset. Ideally not more than 3 hour drive, but would stretch if it was worth it.
Budget not great, looking at £1000 for accommodation (which I thought was fine, but😬)
Happy to cook but would like option to eat out or get takeaway a bit.
All happy to visit historic/pretty/interesting places, dog friendly obviously.
Beach not essential as most arentbdog friendly then anyway.

Slightly random suggestion but Shropshire - lots of dog friendly attractions, some nice towns to mooch around, the Shropshire hills are pretty, and it’s usually not horrendously overcrowded.

Just a quick search - if you wanted something in a town:
Ludlow
Bishops Castle

or more rural:
Clun

Have you been to Dorset? Fossil hunting in Charmouth, Corfe Castle near Swanage, Splashdown water park in Poole for the teens. Lulworth cove, Durdle Door and Chesil beach to visit.

We have been to Dorset a fair bit, but worth bearing in mind. One teen loves splashdown the other ruined it the first time they went 🤣

Shropshire is an interesting idea.

Thank you both

Pembrokeshire/Camarthenshire, go castle hunting! Boat trip to see seals and puffins. Lots of accommodation around, lovely area.

Or north Wales, go to the zip line, bounce below, etc.

Wales but inland- black mountains?

Base yourself around Chichester and do Arundel Castle and Fishbourne Roman Palace as visits. Walks on the South Downs and beach at the Witterings (I think there's a portion you can take dogs in)

We went Portsmouth a couple of years ago and rented what was normally a student house in the summer .

Something like this
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/927303438979852620?adults=2&children=2&search_mode=regular_search&check_in=2024-08-19&check_out=2024-08-23&source_impression_id=p3_1717396060_P3lqah3lAplQ2dQF&previous_page_section_name=1000&federated_search_id=0740add6-04b4-4568-b5a2-c8765bd0f404

You can do the city and also loads of beaches within 45 mins drive

Shropshire is great and often overlooked or perhaps North / Mid wales?
Some ideas here
https://www.donthibernate.co.uk/route-10-lad-dad-trip-to-mid-wales-and-internal-fire-museum/

https://www.donthibernate.co.uk/shropshire-autumn-weekend/

Norfolk.
Mess a Round on the river Hire a day boat. Dogs welcome
The beaches are fab
Seals sanctuary nr holt Google as I forget actual
Place
GreatYarmouth for a fantastic oldWooden rollercoaster and other rides.