Tag: holiday

Family beaches to explore

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Studland Beach, Dorset

This National Trust owned beach, located a short five minute chain ferry journey from Poole Harbour, is a lovely family day out! This beautiful beach has four miles of protected golden sands and a stunning view of Old Harry Rocks and the Isle of Wight. It’s perfect for a variety of watersports and for exploring lots of exciting wildlife, including deer, insects and birds! For rumbling tums, visit the Knoll Beach cafe.

Bournemouth Beach, Dorset

This famous activity and event packed beach offers something for all of the family… even a zip wire from the pier to the stretch of seven glorious miles of sand! Hosting events such as the Bournemouth Air Festival, Arts by the Sea and more, you’ll be spoilt for choice! Head to one of the many cafes and restaurants nearby, including West Beach and Harry Ramsden’s for traditional fish and chips by the sea!

Luskentyre Beach, Scotland

Luskentyre Sands, located on the west coast of South Harris in the Outer Hebrides, is a stunning beach boasting beautiful white sands and amazing green-blue water. You’d be mistaken for thinking you’re in the tropics! Luskentyre is a dog friendly beach.

Montrose Beach, Angus

This famous beach runs north from Montrose to the mouth of the North Esk River with beautiful clean sands. With a short promenade and lots of parking available, as well as a Seafront Splash play area, this beach makes for a lovely family day out! The beach also has a shop, amusement centre and family run cafe nearby.

West Cliff, Yorkshire

This picturesque Blue Flag beach is the perfect seaside escape. With free and pay and display car parking available nearby, as well as Whitby’s train station a short walk away, this beach is easy to get to… after a stop for fish and chips in the town centre that is! West Cliff has cafes, toilets and a lost child centre, as well as a first aid post. See if you can spot the famous Whale Bone Arch!

Druridge Bay, Northumberland

This seven mile stretch of glorious sand has lots of sand dunes and rock pools to explore, as well as the 100 acre Ladyburn Lake with surrounding woodland. Pop into the nearby cafe (open on weekends and during the summer holidays) or their visitor centre for more information on the fascinating wildlife you can spot in Druridge Bay many nature reserves!

Formby Beach, Liverpool

This beautiful beaches dunes are a certified Site of Special Scientific Interest! You can even spot some prehistoric human and animal footprints and visit a red squirrel reserve… the last one of its kind in the UK! Ice creams, snacks and drinks are available from vans on site during peak periods.

Barafundle Bay, Pembroke

With crystal clear blue waters, this popular National Trust owned beach is the perfect place for a more relaxing day out. It’s your very own staycation Mediterranean escape! There’s no direct road access to the beach itself, but this allows you to take in the beautiful surroundings on a fifteen minute walk from the car park to the coastline.

Constantine Bay, Cornwall

Whilst more commonly known for being one of the most popular spots for surfing in the UK, this stunning beach has lots to offer for families! With unbeatable views of the Cornish coastline, this beach also has lots of rock pools… perfect for exploring and discovering how many beach critters you can spot! Dogs are allowed all year long.

Botany Bay, Kent

This Blue Flag beach offers amazing views of the white cliffs and impressive chalk stacks! When the tide is out, it’s perfect for fossil hunting and rock pool exploring. There are kiosks on site selling ice creams, or you can pay a visit to nearby cafes offering hot food and drinks. Dogs are not permitted on this beach from 10am to 6pm from May 1st until 30th September.

What to do this Easter

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Easter comes packed with chocolate, egg hunts and adorable animals. That all sounds pretty magical to us! It’s a time when we can finally shake off those winter chills and head outside again, especially when the Easter school holidays start. To help enjoy this wonderful time of year, we’ve rounded up the key dates, along with the best children’s activities for the easter holidays.

When are the Easter school holidays in 2018?

The holidays unsurprisingly fall around the Easter weekend. We’ve put the different dates for each country below.

England

26th March – 23rd April

Scotland

19th March – 13th April

Wales

26th March – 16th April

Northern Ireland

29th March – 6th April

These dates are an outline of the school holidays across the UK – please check with your specific school to get exact days for your school.

Top Easter activities and days out

Top of your list of fun things to do in the Easter holidays is to throw your wellies on and get out to your local farm park. Seeing furry, fuzzy and indeed feathered friends is always a treat at any point of the year but it’s around this time that loads of newborn babies are taking their first steps. Lambing in particular is always popular and loads of farm parks let families get up close and cuddly.

Equally, if the weather isn’t playing ball, don’t worry: the Easter school holidays were pretty much made for getting covered in glitter and glue with egg experiments, crafting bonnets and your very own Easter basket. Getting crafty with kids is a fantastic way to fill a day and there are more than a few pottery painting cafes who’d be happy to help with your festive creations.

Top Places to go this Easter

There’s plenty of places open over the Easter weekend: we’ve pulled together a few of our favourite days out so take a look and start filling your calendar:

Mead Open Farm – Introduce your tribe to some of the cutest creatures out there, including bunnies, chicks, ponies and more. Feed the goats, watch the sheep race and then let loose in the play areas – including a high ropes course for the most adventurous! It’s more than just a fabulous farm.

Charlecote Park – To take part in the national Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt in 2018 you could turn up and pretty much any National Trust site, but we really like Charlecote Park for an afternoon with the kids. It’s a treasure of a stately home which has been in the same family for 900 years. Adults can get their dose of culture and beautiful scenery while helping kids unravel egg hunt clues for a chocolatey prize.

Cadbury World One word: chocolate! Go to the source with a few hours of indulgence and enjoy rides, characters and history to boot. Take a peek behind the scenes in the factory to see where your favourites are made – taking advantage of some samples along the way, of course!

Mella Mella’s Pottery Cafe – Get crafty this season at this place of pottery. Kids can be “experimental” with colour, paint, glitter and clay and you don’t have to clean up. Result. Plus, you’ll have a new piece of art for pride of place on the mantelpiece.

Pennywell Farm – ‘Tis the season for meeting cute and cuddly animals, and what could be more adorable than the miniature Pennywell Pigs?! That’s not all this day out has to offer though, the action packed scheduled includes multiple shows, family-friendly go kart racing, train riding and ferret encounters – to name just a few things!

Ski with your kids

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Parents with young children can enjoy guilt-free skiing while kids have lots of fun in dedicated playrooms and out in the snow.

Until now parents with young kids have had to sacrifice their winter holidays or feel guilty about leaving their young ones at home.  Tots To Travel have responded to the gap in the market and come up with a solution that will also allow for families to invest in future family ski holidays too.

Hand selected by Tots to Travel, all child-friendly ski chalets and resorts have dedicated childcare, specially-designed chalets with high-quality catering, as well as the Tots To Travel Baby and Toddler

Essential Kit Guarantee.

What a Tots To Travel ski holiday includes:

  • À la carte childcare in your own chalet (additional cost)
  • Flights and transfers
  • Daily filling breakfast
  • Homemade purees and Hipp Organic baby food for babies and toddlers
  • Afternoon tea, coffee and cakes when you return from the slopes
  • Children’s two-course High Tea seven nights a week
  • Aperitif with canapés, six nights a week
  • A delicious three-course meal for adults, including wine, six nights a week

Seasoned skiers will know that a ski holiday is a little different to other holidays. However, a lot of parents may feel that they become inaccessible with little ones. Tots To Travel, craft family holidays by parents for parents. We understand that parents of young families need a holiday to get quality family time and to reconnect.

About Tots To Travel:

Tots To Travel’s mission is to select the very best and most suitable baby and toddler friendly and resort accommodation, then craft an experience that is exclusively available for Tots To Travel families.

This experience includes barrier pools, an Essential Kit Guarantee and outstanding levels of customer service, giving families the very best chance of a blissful  fun family holiday.

Enjoy the festive cheer

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Here are some traditional ways to enjoy the festive holidays!

  1. In Japan, “Santa Kurohsu” has eyes in the back of his head, so that he can watch out for naughty kids. There we were thinking it was just us Mums with eyes in the back of our heads!
  1. On December 5th, German children leave a shoe outside their bedroom door before they go to sleep. If they have been good, they will wake up to a tree branch with sweets on but if they have been naughty they will only find a branch!
  1. Norwegians hide brooms before they go to sleep on Christmas Eve as they believe that witches and evil spirits will arrive.
  1. In the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, people travel to Christmas church services on roller skates – how cool is that!
  1. In Portugal, ahead of their Christmas feast, families sometimes set extra places at the dinner table for deceased relatives, as they believe it will bring good fortune.
  1. Christmas cuisine in Greenland is raw whale skin with blubber on…pass me the sprouts!
  1. Japanese Christmas cake is made using sponge, strawberries and whipped cream – can we have this version too please?
  1. As well as the standard decoration, Ukrainian Christmas trees also have a spider and web on their trees as it’s believed to bring good luck! Eek!
  1. A witch called La Befana gives out Christmas presents in Italy!
  1. And finally, a tradition here in Britain is to go for a Christmas swim…in freezing water! Brave Londoners jump into the Serpentine, and many of us head to beaches such as Bournemouth and Brighton on Christmas morning to raise money for charity.

Family Glamping

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Are you wondering if it’s good idea to take your kids glamping? Glamping is also an eco-friendly option because many of the venues offering this type of break are made with environmentally friendly concerns foremost to the mind. It takes a lot of resources to build and run even a small hotel but nowhere near as much to build a luxury treehouse or to convert and upgrade a caravan.

Glamping is a worldwide trend that allows families to stay somewhere unique. Here in the UK we already have a wide range of exciting glamping spots. One such example is the yurt at Springhill Farm campsite in East Sussex. Complete with a double bed and inflatable furniture, the yurt is built in the style once used by Genghis Khan with a few modern touches and cooking is done in a fire pit outside. The site is near Ashdown Forest, so perfect for a family day out the next morning.

If you loved treehouses as a kid, then staying in one will be a perfect fun for all the family. There are a number of treehouse glamping providers spread around the country and these are treehouses in the lap of luxury.  Enjoy a session in the hot tub before turning in for the night or take the whole family along in a treehouse that can house up to eight people.

Why is it good?

In a study it was shown that kids who spend at least one holiday each year camping outdoors do better in school than those that don’t.

The study involved asking parents across the country a series of question studying the educational, social and psychological benefits of camping to kids of all ages. The study discovered that four out of five parents thought that camping had a positive effect on school education of their children.

Conclusion

So the evidence is clear from the study – camping is good for the whole family and great fun. For people who aren’t so keen on putting up the tent in the middle of a field, there are now plenty of other options that allow all the benefits of camping with a little luxury included as well. And after the holiday is over, the kids will go back to school invigorated and filled with exciting stories to tell their teachers and friends that will continue to benefit them for some time afterwards.

 

October half term ideas

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The school summer holidays have nearly come to an and end and the October half term is nearly upon us.

The October half term is often the last chance that the family get to take a break together in the year before the preparations for Christmas begin and the weather takes a serious decline.  Autumn can be a beautiful time to have a short holiday in the UK and there are plenty of places offering deals for the October half term break as well as special events taking place.

Visiting the countryside

One of the best places to head in autumn is to the forest – with the wealth of colours on show, the forest is a spectacular scene.  Add to that the wildlife can be a little easier to spot after their breeding season is finished while seasonal plants such as mushrooms and berries appear, there is plenty to see.

One of the top places to get close to wildlife is to stay at one of the Centre Parcs resorts around the country.  There are five notable forest locations on offer from the chain – Whinfell Forest, Sherwood Forest, Elveden Forest, Woburn Forest and Longleat Forest.

Whinfell Forest is within the Lake District area and sits on the side of the lake so can offer a range of watersports as well as wildlife spotting opportunities.  The centre is at the heart of a 400-acre woodland site while indoor features include a subtropical swimming pool with a daredevil ride called the Canyon Ride for the bravest.

Sherwood Forest is one of the most well-known forests in the country with its connections to the story of Robin Hood.  The Centre Parcs venue in the forest offers the chance to explore the famous woodland as well as enjoy a number of activities that are best in the woods such as quad biking or owl encounters.

Elveden Forest is a 400-acre site in Suffolk, offering a great range of outdoor activities as well as the calming effect of the forest itself for walks.  There is even a unique experience called cable water skiing to try as well as kayaking, canoeing and even raft building.

Woburn Forest is just over an hour from London and is one of the newest sites, covering some 365 acres of woodland as well as lakes and beautiful views across the countryside.  There are aerial trekking routes, abseiling and climbing opportunities as well as the indoor facilities such as the subtropical swimming pool.

Longleat Forest is close to the famous Longleat Estate and its Safari Park so is a great place to use as a base to visit both. The Wiltshire park allows the chance to see the century old Giant Redwoods as well as tour the forest with the land train or join in water activities on the lake.

Haven are another big name in the holiday business that offer a range of special deals for the October half term. These include special deals for the whole family as well as touring and camping offers that are ideal for those who prefer something a little less formal for their breaks.

Bluestone are also offering a range of competitive deals for the October break that combine the chance to get up close to nature with the indoor facilities and workshops such as the climbing wall and the swimming pool. Close by is an impressive children’s outdoor activity centre with a challenging zip wire course some 60 feet in the air as well as tree top walks and the chance to watch the sun go down from a campfire among the trees.

 

Fun, and free

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If you’re looking for some fun and free days out, here’s some handpicked attractions across the UK that are sure to be a hit with all the family, whether you’ve got a budding author, nature lover or journalist in tow!

Heaton Park, Manchester

Head to Heaton Park for an active and fun day out for all of the family to enjoy! Visit the animal centre, where you can meet an array of delightful animals, including cows, alpacas, goats, rabbits and guinea pigs! Kids will also love the play area, as well as the huge range of activities available. Try your hand at rowing boats, step on board a train ride, have a go at mini golf and loads more!

BBC Birmingham Public Space, Birmingham

The entire family with love having a go at some BBC themed activities, which include presenting an episode of Newsround or the local weather, having their photo taken outside the TARDIS and an old Dalek! You’ll also get the chance to take a touchscreen tour of the radio drama studio, as well as take a glimpse into the Asian Network and BBC WM studios too!

National Railway Museum, Yorkshire

With a collection of over a million objects, covering over 200 years of history, you and your family will be spoilt for choice! You’ll get to see giant halls full of engines and railway legends and kids can let off steam in the outdoor play area. You’ll also get to enjoy lively science shows, take a ride on the miniature railway or learn through the interactive exhibits!

Museum of English Rural Life, Reading

The Museum of English Rural Life houses a national collection of agricultural, domestic and crafts exhibits including wagons, tools and a wide range of other equipment used in the English countryside for the last 150 years. Perfect for any budding historians interested in life in England throughout the ages!

Centre for Wildlife Gardening, London

Originally an old council depot, this award winning visitor centre is a must for little budding gardeners and lovers of nature! The demonstration wildlife garden has mini habitats, a wild flower nursery and some very well-used community raised beds. The kids will love the natural trail and exploring the mini beast village, summer meadow and woodland copse, as well as so much more fascinating wildlife!

Eynsford Castle, Kent

Bring the family to this early Norman enclosure castle, which is surrounded by beautiful countryside. There is plenty for the family to explore, climb and conquer, as well as information boards around explaining the history.

Durdle Door, Dorset

If you’re looking for spectacular views and the chance to grab some fresh air, head to one of Dorset’s most loved beauty spots! You’ll find two small but varied beaches either side of the iconic archway, which you can access from the top via steps.

Falmouth Art Gallery, Cornwall

With a motto like “Family Friendly and Free”, Falmouth Art Gallery is the perfect place to take your little budding artists! Here you’ll find a collection of children’s books, as well as Baby Paint groups for extra little Picasso’s in the making.

Riverwatch Aquariums, Northern Ireland

For a lovely family day out, head to Riverwatch Aquariums to see some wonderful creatures. There are many different displays, including The Louch, a Rockpool, Deep Sea and Freshwater Environment. You’ll see aquatic animals such as starfish, lobster, crabs, eels, rays and some wonderful native species!

Amelia’s Trust Farm, Barry, Wales

The Amelia trust is a fantastic farm which is set in 160 acres of countryside in the beautiful vale of Glamorgan. It has so much for the little ones to see from the smallest to the biggest farm animals, as well as an informative visitor centre!

 

Save money this holiday season

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Research shows that more than four in ten (41%) British parents have had to forgo a family get away during school holidays due to price hikes making it unaffordable.

New research reveals that more than seven in ten Brits (73%) don’t think it’s right that parents are charged a premium for going on holiday during school holidays and more than nine in ten (92%) believe something needs to be done to ensure this does not continue.

But if parents planning a trip for the family stick to the rules and book their family get away for October half term, what practical advice is there to ensure they are getting the best value for money and protecting themselves from hidden costs?

To help parents navigate this potential minefield, I offer the following tips:

  1. Start the research for your intended destination early – what kind of experience do you want for you and your family? When researching you should remember that many resorts and destinations in October are already operating on a reduced capacity mode. Whatever the brochure states, follow it up with a call to the hotel or destination and check to see if facilities are open.

  2. If you are going all-inclusive, make sure it really is all-inclusive. Make sure you know what’s included so you can budget correctly. Don’t forget to check your terms and conditions and ensure you know what protection you have.

  3. Before you click to pay for your holiday, check for any other ‘extra’ charges such as credit card charges. Make sure you are satisfied that you are only paying what you want to pay.

  4. Once you have clicked to go, take out that all-important travel insurance and also get your European Health Insurance Card if travelling in Europe – shop around, do not just buy the cheapest policy. Never leave home without it.

  5. Don’t buy your foreign currency at the airport. Shop around before you travel and be ready to buy the best rate you can get. Make sure you understand the cost of using your credit card abroad and watch out for those ‘extra’ costs if you use your card!

Campervan holidays with the Kids

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At one time, the campervan was seen as a hippie thing, an old VW campervan travelling around the outdoor concerts and the occupants sleeping in fields.  But today, the campervan comes in a range of different styles and features, though the VW campervan is still a good starting point!

Other big name manufacturers are now producing their own versions, with both the Sharan and the Harry being Peugeot’s offerings.  Recently, a New Zealand company has begun to convert Toyota people carriers into campervans and these are now available in the UK.  There are also specific motorhome companies that make spacious and luxurious mobile homes that you won’t want to leave behind at the end of the holiday.

Routes

The variation and type of route you can plan is only limited by how long you have.  You can cover all the main sites within a single county over a few days or take a week or longer to cover a larger area and see the most important sites.

One example is the 7-day English Heritage route from Spaceship Rentals.  Their route starts in London then heads south to Hastings to see the abbey and the battlefield then along to Dover Castle.  On the 2nd day, travel to Portsmouth and hop on the ferry to the Isle of Wight or enjoy the sites around the city.  The third day recommends visiting Osbourne House and Carisbrooke Castle while on the 4th, take in Salisbury and Stonehenge, adding in Woodhenge if you have the time.  On day five, visit Oxford and the sights of the city then do the same the next day in the other big university city, Cambridge.  Finally, on the 7th day, head back to London and visit sites such as Kenwood House and Parliament Hill.  All of these come under a special pass from English Heritage.

Places to stay

There are plenty of caravan and camping sites around the country that will happily accommodate campervans.  Some can be closed at certain times of the year so if you are planning to travel in autumn and winter, this may limit your options a little more.  Sites can range in price from £15-20 a night for those with an electricity connection and organised sites will often offer features such as coin operated laundry and free showers as well.  

In theory, you aren’t allowed to simply park in a layby or on public land to camp but many people do this and it is known as wild camping.  Make sure if you consider this that you aren’t trespassing on anyone’s land, you aren’t disturbing anyone and there are no signs specifically prohibiting camping overnight on the spot.  

Equipment needed

When going on holiday in a campervan, remember that you only have a limited space so prioritising what you need for the break is important.  Take essentials in the way of food and drink with you but remember most of it can be bought while on the road, as there will only be a limited space to store stuff.  If you are using a gas burner, don’t forget to have space fuel for it and the same if you are taking a barbeque.  Dishes can be cleaned as used but don’t forget to take items such as cloths.

Tips

Most campervan holiday fans will advise you to plan ahead for your trip – being spontaneous can be fun but can also be disappointing if things don’t pan out as expected.  Include things in your planning such as toll roads and ferries so you have change for them and watch out for closures on roads and in venues.

If you are travelling with young kids, don’t forget to take along the car seats they will need and plenty of children’s entertainment for the travelling part of the holiday – avoiding bored kids is every parent’s ultimate aim in life!