Caravan Holidays and Lodges - Holidaying in the U.K.

For the past 12 years my family have tended to holiday in the U.K. We have only returned to the same holiday park once, so whilst many people will have holidayed in far more exotic locations I have become a bit of an expert on caravan holidays and lodges along the south coast of England.

I am sure a number of you will be feeling sorry for me as you recall your last holiday in sunny climes! I have found that holidays in the U.K. have a number of advantages and on the whole I have enjoyed my holidays.

Park Size
I have visited a variety of different sized parks. The advantage of staying in a larger park is that there tends to be a greater selection of activities. Some such as Rockley Park offer activities such as snorkeling lessons and tennis courts. These are over and above the more standard activities offered by the majority of parks.

The downside of the large parks is that you can find a real sea of people. This gives the feeling of the park being rather "in your face" and it is not so easy to relax. For example I only went swimming at Rockley Park once as I found the pool just too busy to be enjoyable.

My own personal favourite was Chesil Beach holiday park. This was a much smaller and friendlier park. The entertainment for children was very good and the park had a quieter and more relaxed feel to it.

Entertainment
All the parks I have stayed at have provided entertainment in the form of children's clubs and also entertainment for adults in the evening. The children's clubs offer art and craft type activities, nature trails as well as a selection of games and competitions.

One age group that I feel gets a bit left out are those between about 11 - 15. There is plenty for younger children, while older teenagers either stay at home or make their own entertainment.

Evening entertainment for children can include children's entertainers or more commonly entertainment routines provided by in house staff.

Children have always appeared to be very happy with the entertainment provided.

Activities
Just about any family holiday park will have an indoor swimming pool. Some have an outdoor pool as well. Pool tables are more or less standard too. Crazy golf is another popular on site activity. You can often hire bicycles on site as well.

Larger parks can offer differing activities. You can find lakes for fishing, areas for playing football, tennis courts and one even has a ski slope.

Accommodation
A lot of views on the accommodation provided are likely to be personal. Not everyone likes the idea of staying in a caravan, while others love it. Space can be at a bit of a premium in a caravan. I did spend two weeks with my feet sticking out the bedroom door on one holiday.

Lodges certainly tend to offer more space and some extra comfort. Larger lodges may have a separate shower room. This can make the logistics of getting ready easier, especially with older children.

Most of the caravans and lodges I have stayed in have been in a good state of repair. This is quite an achievement when you consider the number of people staying there throughout a busy summer season.

Cleanliness
Likewise when it comes to cleanliness I have had few complaints. Most lodges and caravans have been clean on arrival. Most areas of the parks have been well maintained, clean and tidy.

Catering
Large parks tend to have the edge when it comes to catering. Smaller parks may only have a small take away on site. Very small parks may not offer any catering at all. Larger parks have fairly large restaurants with a wide range of choices. The standard of catering can be a bit variable. On the whole I would describe it as roughly in line with a typical pub.

More Information
We normally book our holiday through Hoseasons. They offer a very wide range of parks throughout the U.K. They also offer a variety of family holidays throughout Europe. I have always had good service from them and am happy to recommend them.

Please note activities and details listed above were available when I visited. Please check to ensure they are still available before booking.

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