So you’ve decided that a good old British Holiday is just what you need, but how to decide where to go? While the UK is bijou compared to other countries, there’s so much on offer but there’s also so much to consider, such as the area you wish to visit, the accommodation you wish to stay in, and the facilities you’d like to have on park.
Step by step there’s so much to think about, and that’s exactly the way to do it, going through your requirements as a family and making a decision about where to go. Here are some of the questions you might want to ask yourself before choosing a holiday park.
First you need to choose a destination and here there are lots of things to consider, such as the type of holiday you want, and the distance you wish to travel. Generally people are looking for a coastal holiday, a scenic holiday inland, or even a city break and the very many holiday parks around the UK pretty much cater for at least one of these. As for where you’ll go, this will either come down to having somewhere you desperately want to visit, or the distance you wish to travel from home. While it’s great to go to far flung corners of the country, travelling, especially with young children can be especially stressful, and it’s often easy to find your own little haven that feels a million miles away in your own corner of the UK.
Next up is to decide the kind of accommodation you want to choose. While traditional caravan holidays have always been the staple choice for staycationers but these days there are so many other options! Choose a wooden lodge or even a chalet or cottage, and with many of these ‘upgrade’ options you can choose things such as your own hot tub for the perfect relaxing break, putting a thoroughly upmarket twist on the traditional caravan holiday.
Finally you want to keep the whole party happy, and this isn’t always easy. Are you looking for a rugged park with no facilities where you can really get away from it all, or do you want all the facilities, pool complex and round the clock entertainment? In any area of the UK there’s a park that offers both ends of that spectrum and plenty in between too. It might be that you don’t want the full on entertainment package, but you do want a shop for convenience. These are all things to consider when choosing your park.
If you’re on a beach holiday, consider how far the park is to the beach, the difference between a drive and a walk can make all the difference, and that’s the same for walking holidays too. Do you want to go on a walking holiday where you have to drive to the scenic bit? Possibly not so bear this in mind too when booking your break.
The final thing to consider is whether you’re taking pets. There are some great dog friendly parks around the UK and this is great for dog owners who can usually take their pet along for a small fee. However, you might be in the other end of this scale too, and not only be without a dog yourself, but not want to share the park with many dog owners, so thankfully there are plenty of parks that are dog free zones too.
Doing your research and thinking through a holiday before you leave can make all the difference. When you are fully aware of the facilities and attractions of a location then you’re more likely to find your holiday meets your expectations, and once its booked you can get excited and then enjoy!
By: Kath Cross
