Staycation: The Great British Seaside Holiday and the Reasons I Love It So Much

UPDATED – October 2023

OK, where do I start? The Great British Seaside Holiday. Going on a UK Staycation. I am aware some of my readers may not know what it is. Do not fear, I will explain below. As kids, we visited many places in Britain. Mainly because of lack of money and well, traveling abroad with two kids ain’t fun. 

I’m calling it the “British” holiday because that’s mainly where we visited as kids. Since being an adult, we have visited Wales quite a lot and I will talk all about this in future blog posts. 

I wanted to discuss this subject because my younger sibling has grown up not valuing this type of holiday as much as I do. My reaction is totally different. These holidays make me really excited and I absolutely love everything about it. Based on our family experience, I suspect other people out there either love or hate it.

If after reading this article, you feel inspired to book your next UK Staycation, I have included all the links you need…

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History of the Great British Seaside Staycation

Butlins is a household name in the UK. My Grandma had the same pictures of my Mum on the beach as us when we were little. The only way you could tell the difference was one set of pictures was black and white, and one was in colour.

I’ve also stayed in a few Pontins holiday parks, for party weekends. Back when I was young and full of energy.

The fascination with this type of holiday began in the 1950s and this article explains the history in more detail.

We have a Haven holiday coming up and also regularly visit Parkdean. With our little one becoming more aware of the world around her, these types of holidays will soon become the norm. I pack up the car with everything we need and the drive is generally about two hours away. Perfect when you have a toddler!

What attracts me to these holiday parks, over a different type of holiday?

 1. Bingo

Who doesn’t love bingo?

Quite often these parks will offer linked bingo, where you can win a large prize, and it’s fun, sitting in the entertainment room with the kids zooming around.

It reminds me of a bit more upmarket Working Men’s Club. When we were young teens, everyone had their parties here and it was right across the street from us. It is now a housing estate. This Guardian article explains how some have remained and adapted to the current times.

2. The entertainment

I must say the quality of entertainment has improved over the years and I am very impressed with the activities we have been able to pre-book for our upcoming Haven holiday.

The joy of getting ready to go out and knowing there will be something to entertain the kids. Family fun for everyone involved and I just love it.

3. Cheap drinks & lovely food

Parking the car up, throwing the bags on the bed, walking to the pub. Can’t wait. We already have a table booking just after our check-in time, haha!

It’s great for us because we know the setting will be child-friendly and we don’t have to worry about disturbing other people who are also trying to have a nice meal. Our little one can make friends, play in the arcades, we can eat and drink, safe in the knowledge she is entertained and looked after. 

This is a huge bonus for families with young children!

Pre-children, we also visited as a couple and absolutely loved it. We rented a caravan for a weekend and enjoyed the bar, minus the kid’s entertainment (there is usually a separate entertainment room and the bar is a bit quieter). I did insist on playing bingo though and hubby wasn’t that impressed.

4. Play area for kids

Now I have a child, it’s also beneficial to have a play area and this is usually right outside the bar, making it convenient for everyone to have a good time.

Whilst I love our local park, the play area tends to be far away from the cafe, which I totally get. However, when you’re on holiday it’s a different vibe. It’s accepted there will be children around and everyone has fun together.

It reminds me of the vibe I get in Spain, where families go out more and do things together. Children are welcome everywhere. I am not saying in the UK they aren’t, there is just still this stigma of child-friendly and non-child-friendly places to eat and drink. I totally understand. If we had a date night, I wouldn’t want a screaming child next to me.

Maybe we are all just a bit more relaxed when we’re on holiday, and it’s a great thing.

If you don’t have a holiday planned, you can check out my blog post, which includes 20 ideas for fun activities adults and children can do together…

I’ve made use of the list this year, as this is the first holiday we’ve been on over the summer.

A list of 20 children’s activities for improving adult mental health

5. Planned activities for kids

As we usually have a week of school activities to keep the little one entertained, she will need something similar when we go on holiday. 

In the past, I’ve booked a bug hunt, nature trail, and slime-making class. This is quality family time spent together and uses up some of her energy.

6. The accommodation

When planning a Great British seaside holiday, there is something that always attracts me to stay in a caravan.

Staying in a caravan isn’t the most luxurious accommodation I’ve ever stayed in, but it’s nostalgic and fun. There is just something about it I love.

These days we book the top brand of caravan. This allows us to have more bedrooms, bathrooms, and overall comfort. As we stay with the in-laws it gives everyone a bit of personal space. Having decking is also a must. Our little one can play outside, but she’s safe in an enclosed space, and it’s also nice to sit there in the morning with a coffee, or a drink at night.

I can picture myself now! Having a sneaky look on Twitter and a lovely coffee, hopefully, before anyone else gets up, breathing in the sea air. I need it after the year I’ve had.

Check out my other blog posts in the holiday section:

TIPS TO MAKE YOUR FAMILY HOLIDAY ADVENTURE UNFORGETTABLE

THE CHARM OF HANDMADE GIFTS WHILST YOU’RE ON HOLIDAY

4 TOP TIPS FOR AN EXCITING FAMILY HOLIDAY

Too busy to read on? Pin it for later…

7. Dog friendly

Our little one loves meeting dogs in the park. 

We also want a dog to join our family, eventually. When the time is right. This year we have family members joining us with a new puppy and we were struggling to find accommodation to house us all, along with the dog. This caravan site is the perfect solution.

It’s great that some of the parks we visit are dog-friendly. Another bonus of staying in the UK for a holiday is for those who don’t want to leave pets behind.

8. Amusement arcade

When the hubby & I got together, one of our shared passions was travelling to the seaside and spending hours on the 2p machines. We did this even before having a child. It’s something we both did as kids, we’ve grown up loving caravan holidays, and we want our little one to experience the same joy.

But he draws the line at loving the bingo and entertainment as much as I do. That’s why I bring my mum along. Eyes down…

9. Near the seaside

These caravan parks are perfect to use as a base camp to explore other nearby areas. 

During our stay, we usually split our time between park activities and going out for the day to the nearest seaside. 

Other holiday parks, booking sites & hotels I want to mention

As I am usually the event planner in the family, I’ve spent many hours researching holidays and know quite a bit about when prices spike and what facilities are available in which parks.

The Great British seaside holiday, happens to be my area of expertise, simply because it’s where we visit the most as a family. When you go abroad, the work is taken care of for you, but these types of holidays need someone organised at the helm.

I frequently use Hoseasons, as their website has a large range of bookings at other caravan parks. You can also filter by holiday type, whether it be adult-only with hot tub, child-friendly, activity parks, cottages, or large houses. They also have a range of special collections you can search by. If you sign up for their email list, you also get sent regular offers.

I’m also a huge fan of Booking.com. The biggest selling point of Booking.com is free cancellation. With what’s going on in the world recently, this is a huge benefit. It gives you peace of mind if for any reason you’re unable to travel.

We have a Village hotel near us and it’s where we go if we want some child-free time to relax. What I love about their hotels is the layout. Everything you need is onsite. You just park the car up and get ready to relax and indulge.

They have a Starbucks, a pub, a restaurant, and leisure facilities including a swimming pool, gym, and classes. A spa. Room service, rooms you can upgrade to with a coffee machine and sky package.

What more could you possibly want?

The pandemic & its impact on UK holidays

The pandemic caused a whole different take on the British holiday. All of a sudden, people couldn’t travel outside the UK and therefore had no choice but to book a holiday in this country.

This article provides some practical guidance on how to ensure you are covered when booking a holiday.

Due to the high demand for UK holidays, we struggled to find suitable accommodation for this break, at a reasonable price. We had to compromise on the location and duration of the stay, but I am looking forward to a break and that’s what matters.

Hopefully next year we can get back to our usual routine, of going abroad, with some holiday parks scattered throughout the year, so I can get my bingo fix!

Before I pack up my car & get going…

Do you have any holidays coming up? Tell me about them below or add me on social media – for updates on mine.

I can’t wait to hear from you.

Feel like booking a stay at Village Hotels?? Click below…

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