Family Friendly Staycation Tips!
UK staycations offer a break away from normality, and life’s daily stresses, without having to navigate airports and long flights. It’s the perfect time for families to come together. But if you’re travelling with kids, it can become a whole new ball game.
The truth is, while holidays with the little ones are hugely rewarding, it can be tough to plan and occasionally stressful when you’re there. Fear not though as we’ve been on enough family holidays ourselves in the past and have a few pieces of advice to help you out.
1.Do your research
Seriously. It goes without saying that if you want a smooth and plain sailing holiday, you need to look into the holiday destination you’re travelling to. Consider what you want from your break and look into places that suit. As well as this, find out about the local restaurants, activities, amenities and read reviews and forums from other parents.
Once you’ve decided on a place, it’s time to find a family-friendly holiday home. The same depth of research is required here to ensure that you’ve got a home away from home that everyone will be happy in. Do you want an outdoor pool? Will an open-plan kitchen/diner mean you spend more time with young children? Or are you looking for separate family rooms with child-friendly play rooms so that everyone can chill out? Only you can make these decisions.
2.Prepare for rain (and sun)
The UK might get its fair share of bad weather but that doesn’t need to put a stop to your plans. You just need to ensure you’re prepared for it. The same can be said for good weather - after all, we’ve all been caught out in jeans and jumpers before when the sun is basking down on our shoulders.
One of the best things about travelling somewhere in the UK, likely by car, is that you’re not restricted to airline luggage weight. So, make the most of it. Pack a selection of clothes, shoes and games and maybe even some hot chocolate packs for if the weather is particularly bad…
3. Don’t forget about the food
If there’s one thing that can get your staycation off to a really bad start, it’s a hungry traveller. And, after a journey to your holiday home, you’re hardly likely to be in the mood to cook immediately. Pack a few easy-to-grab snacks, batch-cook some of the kids’ favourite meals for the first night there or find some highly rated pubs and restaurants along the way for the perfect pitstop in a long journey.
While you’re at it, you’ll also need something for the morning after. Whether it’s sausage sarnies for the whole group or a bowl of Cheerios, it’s better to take some goods with you than realise you don’t know where the nearest shop is.
4.Set some rules
Okay, so this might be a holiday but everyone knows that kids like routine - and by setting a few parameters you’re sure to avoid any family meltdowns from parents too! For starters, if no work is allowed on this family trip, say so. Or, if you don’t want the kids to lounge in front of the TV in the evening, explain why and offer an alternative fun family game.
If everyone knows exactly what the plan is from the get-go, you’re more likely to have a stress-free break.
5.Get the kids involved
This is their holiday too so why not let them choose something to do each day, or a restaurant for the evening? Whether it’s eating ice cream at 11am or going in the hot tub at 11pm, there’s nothing wrong with allowing everyone in the family to have a say on the day’s activities. Consider outdoor activities, adventure playgrounds, a self-created road trip or even mountain biking in the beautiful countryside - there’s plenty of great choices for a fun UK family holiday. You may even find that it takes the pressure off you and keeps them occupied and engaged just that little bit longer.
6.Be realistic
Finally, be realistic - and don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Having an itinerary is great but the best thing about being on holiday is that you don’t have to follow the clock. If you stay at the beach for two hours too long, who cares? If the kids don’t wake up until 9am, what’s the problem?
As long as everyone is having fun, and you’re making memories, we’d consider that a pretty good family-friendly staycation.
If you’re planning a family-friendly staycation in the UK and are yet to find the perfect accommodation, why not check out our two properties? Newton Lodge Country House is nestled in the Cotswolds and High Tides in Devon - each offering their own unique spin on a family staycation and providing a luxury place to stay for all ages. We’ve helped many families, just like you, to plan their next getaway so why not let us help?