We take a family holiday to a holiday park on the beach in Filey, Yorkshire
Name
The Bay Filey Holiday Resort
Where is it?
On the North Yorkshire coast near to Filey, south of Scarborough.
What is it?
A dog-friendly holiday park where you can stay in a house or a lodge, with access to a sandy beach.
Facilities include a swimming pool, gym, restaurants, pharmacy, playground, shop and arcade.
Our lodge at Bay Filey Holiday Park in Yorkshire
Is it family friendly?
Yes, there’s lots for children to do – there’s an indoor heated swimming pool (and separate baby pool), arcade and small adventure playground. They can play tennis, basketball or football and you can book activities (for an extra charge) such as pottery painting, archery and teddy-bear making.
The arcade
Plus, of course, the beach – Hunmanby Gap Beach – is a short walk away for long, sunny days or even rainy day walks.
The beach
Is it dog friendly?
Yes, it really is and a lot of the people staying here had a dog with them. There was a box of goodies waiting in the lodge for our dog Charlie, containing a ball, travel bowl, blanket, poo bags and bag holder.
Charlie’s box of dog goodies
They are even allowed in the pub and pizza restaurant – which is good as holidaymakers are encouraged not to leave their pooches alone in the accommodation.
Although they need to be kept on a lead around the site, the beach is a perfect place for well-behaved dogs to stretch their legs and enjoy the ball from their goody bag.
Charlie on the beach
The accommodation
When you first drive into this park, it feels like you are entering a modern housing estate. There are lots of pretty houses to stay at, but further into the park, you find sections with roomy lodges.
Houses at The Bay Filey
We stayed in a four-person lodge near to the lake – larger six-berths are also available.
It had an open plan lounge/kitchen-diner with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Inside our lodge
One bedroom had a double bed, the other had two singles and both rooms had tvs, plus there’s one in the lounge.
A bedroom at our lodge
A sliding glass door at the front opened out on to a small outside terrace with a table and chairs and a partial view of the lake.
The outdoor terrace
The kitchen was well-equipped with an oven, hob, microwave, dishwasher and even a washing machine.
Wi-fi was available in our lodge. But it is not available in every holiday home here, so check before you arrive.
Food and drink
The kitchen in our lodge was big enough to make self-catering a breeze.
There are also two restaurants on site – a pizza restaurant and takeaway called The Four Cats and a pub called John Paul Jones – both with great menus.
The Four Cats pizza restaurant/takeaway
The woman making delicious pizzas at The Four Cats was lovely and worked so hard, with takeaway orders coming in as well as for those dining in. Two pizzas was plenty for the four of us. There is even a dessert pizza, topped with chocolate and marshmallows.
Our highlights
*Access to the beach – being able to walk to a lovely beach has to be a big tick on anyone’s holiday wishlist – see our top tips for more details of how to access it.
*Arrivals – unlike many parks, here you can arrive any day at any time of the year, even during peak times. The only requirement is that stays are a minimum of two nights.
*Dog walking – outside our lodge was a lovely meadow with paths to walk dogs and explore, plus the footpath to the beach via the cliffs and other walk along footpaths in the area.
Top tips
Activities
Activities need to be booked in advance – download the Away Resorts App to book. The tennis court also needs to be booked this way. You can start booking 21 days before your stay so make sure you download the App in advance especially during busy periods to reserve the activities you want.
Making a glitter globe activity
How to get to the beach
There are two paths to the beach from the site – the main route off Silversands Way is steep in places, not suitable for anyone with mobility issues.
The main path to the beach.
The second way, from a gate on Sunrise Way, is a longer and narrow walk with clifftop views towards the end (and steep drops). It takes you through the beach car park and past a lovely beach café at the end.
Alternative way to the beach
If you don’t want to walk too far or have a lot of beach paraphernalia to transport, you can drive a mile to the beach car park, which costs £5 for the day. There’s a steepish slope down to the beach but it’s not too far this way.
You can pay to use Portaloo-type toilets here at 20p a go.
Beach cafe
There is a beach cafe in a glorious spot overlooking the beach and sea. It serves food like toasted sandwiches, all-day breakfast, cakes and quiche and is great value. We had a lovely lunch, enjoying the view.
The beach cafe
If you are driving, turn left out of The Bay Filey and go left at the first roundabout and the car park is about 1 mile down the road.
But you will walk directly past it if you travel to the beach from the beach car park or if you take the clifftop walk from the site.
Swimming pool
You don’t need to book the pool but this can mean it is full when you arrive and you will have to return at another time, so check with staff when the best time would be. It’s a nice big pool but can get very busy and the changing rooms are a bit tight and could do with a revamp.
The swimming pool
The gym
Nearby
Hunmanby Gap Beach
The nearest attraction is obviously the beach. Hunmanby Gap Beach is a big sandy beach with a lovely café overlooking it. Great for swimming in the sea and perfect for dogs.
The beach when the tide is in
When the tide if out, you can walk from here to Filey Beach.
Filey
The traditional seaside town and former fishing village of Filey is a couple of miles away. There is a promenade and an award-winning beach. Filey Beach is dog friendly but they are only allowed on certain parts of it from the start of May to the end of September.
Filey Beach
Parking can be tricky, we parked at Filey Country Park and walked down steep steps and a steep slope to get to the beach. Attractions on the seafront include crazy golf, a bouncy castle and arcade.
Crazy golf at Filey Beach
Scarborough
Scarborough is around 25 minutes away and has beaches, a busy town centre, harbour and attractions like Sealife, Escape Rooms, Burton Riggs Nature Reserve and Alpamare Waterpark.
Alpamare Waterpark
The waterpark has an indoor wave pool and an indoor splash area with two toddler slides. There are four big water slides, one that you slide down on a mat and two on inflatables. There are also two gorgeously warm outdoor pools – which we surprisingly loved and spent a lot of time in on a cold, rainy day, while feeling sorry for the lifeguards on duty under umbrellas.
Away Resorts exclusive discount code
Away Resorts is a UK holiday park operator with 20 parks across the country in locations including Scotland, Lincolnshire, Isle of Wight, North Wales, Hampshire and Dorset, Cornwall, Hayling Island and Essex.
The company says its sites are all different but make the most of their individual surroundings.
We have an exclusive discount code for you when booking a holiday with Away Resorts until September 3 for 2023 holidays.
Use the code FAMHOLGUIDE10 for your excusive discount.
This offer excludes Away Resorts Boston West, Clumber, Gara Rock, Kenwick, Piperdam and Woodland Lakes.
The football pitch
More information
Address: The Bay Filey, 1 Moor Rd, Primrose Valley, Filey YO14 9GA
We take our children and dog to Love2Stay in Shrewsbury where we make exciting finds at our lodge before we even start to explore the rest of the site
Name
Love2Stay, Shropshire
Where is it?
Love2Stay is in the countryside on the outskirts of Shrewsbury in the centre of Shropshire.
What is it?
This UK holiday park is a fresh, modern, 22-acre resort where you can stay in anything from your own caravan through to a luxury lodge.
Watch our video tour below and then read on for lots more information.
Is it family-friendly?
Yes, it’s very family-friendly with lots for children to do.
There are two outdoor pools, a sand/beach area, a huge play area/playground and somewhere to play football. There’s also a pizza restaurant and numerous activities ranging from paddle boarding and archery through to den making and tie dying t-shirts.
Accommodation
You can bring your own touring caravan or motorhome or stay in a glamping lodge (Safari Lodge) or luxury Woodland Lodge on the site.
Our woodland lodge
We stayed in a lovely new Woodland Lodge in a spacious plot – the children were thrilled when we arrived to find we had our own hot tub, huge hammock, bean bags and fire pit in the garden!
They decided this was going to be the best holiday ever, before we even got through the door.
Inside the lodge
Inside was a modern open plan lounge/kitchen/dining area, two bedrooms (one with two small single beds and one with a double), a bathroom with shower and an en-suite without.
The twin room
The main bedroom
It’s fully equipped with a microwave, dishwasher, fridge/freezer, oven and hob. The appliances were of a high standard and it was extremely clean.
In the hot tub
If staying in your own caravan or motorhome, there are fully-serviced pitches, warm clean facilities with private showers and complimentary toiletries.
Food and drink
The lodges are self-catering and we cooked in the kitchen and on the fire pit at ours. Each lodge has firelighters, kindling and logs supplied to get your fire pit roaring.
Plus there is a communal outdoor kitchen area with a fire pit, barbecues and woodfired pizza oven you can use.
There is an on-site cafe and pizza restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, selling delicious pizzas, breakfast snacks and other sharing dishes like nachos.
A few items like eggs and milk are sold at reception. There are nearby supermarkets including Sainsbury’s Local, Co-op, M&S and Asda, all within a few minutes’ drive.
Facilities
*Two outdoor swimming pools and beach.
The natural pool
A BioTop natural swimming pool – free of chemicals and filtered through a reed water garden. This gets very cold, you may need to bring a wetsuit.
A shallow pool for children to splash about in with water sprays that come on every so often, alongside the beach.
The children’s pool
*Small lake for kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing.
Paddle boarding on the lake
*Gym/fitness suite.
*Grassy sports field with two goals for playing your own games.
*A big playground/play area for climbing, swinging and sliding. It was an excellent play area mainly suited for slightly older children aged 6 and above.
The playground/play area
*An assault course for aged eight and over, which can be booked as an activity.
*A small cinema in a tent showing three films a day. All the films when we were there were family films.
*Spa treatments.
*Yoga and pilates sessions.
*Woodland School sessions with fun activities.
*A cafe and restaurant.
The cafe/restaurant and reception behind the outdoor pool
Is it dog-friendly?
Yes, our lodge was dog-friendly and our dog Charlie loved it here – there is a lovely fenced-in space where they can run around off the lead and play and a fantastic adjoining agility area.
They need to be kept on the lead around the rest of the site and are not allowed in some areas such as the pool areas.
Charlie in the dog agility area
Nearby
Love2Stay is in the heart of Shropshire, a county with lots for children to do.
The holiday park is on the outskirts of the town of Shrewsbury.
We crossed over the River Severn and had a walk through its 29-acre park The Quarry.
In the centre of the park is a stunning sunken garden called the Dingle. This is a lovely area to explore and you can also enjoy the historic town centre.
The Dingle garden in the Quarry park, Shrewsbury
There is loads more to do in Shrewsbury including Shrewsbury Prison, a canal ride, a boat ride and a visit to a fabulous park Hawkstone Follies, read about them here.
We discover if Cofton Holidays is as good as it sounds for a break with children
Name
Cofton Holiday Park/Cofton Holidays
Where is it?
Cofton is at Starcross near Dawlish in south east Devon, 20 minutes from the M5 and Exeter.
What is it?
It’s a five-star holiday park. The 80-acre site is family-run and has won multiple awards and we are very impressed, it’s one of the nicest holiday parks we’ve stayed at.
Is it family friendly?
Yes, very much so, there are lots of facilities for children – indoor and outdoor pools, an arcade and a woodland adventure area.
There are indoor and outdoor play areas for younger children and bookable activities.
It’s a great holiday park for children – our two love it as do we.
Accommodation
There are various options – from camping through to more luxurious options.
Luxury lodges at Coftons
You can take your own tent, caravan or motorhome.
There are static caravans, luxury holiday lodges with hot tubs and holiday cottages and apartments to choose from.
We stay in a static caravan in a great location, next to the centre where reception, the pools and restaurants are based.
Our static caravan
It is warm and cosy with two bedrooms and very comfy beds. The main bedroom has an en-suite, and there’s a separate bathroom with shower.
The double bedroom
The kitchen/diner/lounge is open plan.
The lounge area
It feels modern and clean, very comfortable with everything we need, except maybe a dishwasher!
The kitchen area
Food and drink
Two of the restaurants on site serve from the same good menu.
The Swan pub is on the ground floor and includes an outside patio.
Swan Inn
Amelia’s upstairs is bigger and also includes outdoor seating overlooking the pool. There is a soft play area off this restaurant for under-eights.
Evening meals and Sunday carveries are also served in the Warren Retreat – an area which hosts children’s discos, live cabaret and other entertainment. This area is closed when we visit due to Covid restrictions.
Warren Retreat
There’s also a fish and chip takeaway and a small shop selling essentials including bread and milk.
Facilities
*Swimming pools
There’s a lovely heated indoor swimming pool, which we use nearly every day. It is perfectly warm and a real hit with us all.
It is all one depth, there are splash taps and large, clean changing rooms.
Indoor pool
There’s also a heated outdoor pool, open over the summer, great for warmer days.
Outdoor pool
*Arcade
There is an arcade with lots of games. It also has American pool tables and a mini tenpin bowling alley with four lanes.
*Gym
*Woodland adventure area
At the top of the site and at the base of a forest Is a wooden adventure area complete with zip wire, assault course and climbing nets.
Woodland adventure play area
*Playground
There is an outdoor play area with swings and climbing frames.
*Soft play
There’s a soft play area for younger children (closed when we were there due to Covid restrictions).
*Coarse fishing
Anglers are well catered for here – there are well-stocked fishing lakes and fishing competitons. Assisted fishing is available for adults and children. All fish caught are put back into the water.
Entertainment
There are activities for children in the day – when we stay, youngsters can learn to fish or try pond dipping. At other times there are children’s discos in the evening and other entertainment.
Learning to fish
Nearby
*Beaches
The nearest beach is the Blue Flag beach at Dawlish Warren. It’s a 35-minute walk or a seven-minute drive. There’s a big car park next to it which can get busy and a fun fair. Life guards are on duty during the summer months.
Dawlish Warren
*Dawlish
The town has a river, sea walk, crazy golf and places to eat plus Dawlish Town Beach.
Dawlish
*Haldon Forest Park
This is 3,500 acres of woodland with three walking trails and four cycling rails (bikes can be hired).
We also see a few groups on Segway tours.
*Exeter
Exeter is twenty minutes away, read our review and guide for visiting Exeter with children.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome at Cofton – and are even allowed in the Swan Inn. Plus there are loads of dog walks in the area.
Covid restrictions at Cofton 2020
Coronavirus restrictions were in place for our visit – we find the site to be very clean and the staff are fantastic.
Precautions have been taken – activities and entertainment adapted, pool sessions are an hour and need to be booked and there is an app you can use to order food in the restaurants.
Masks have to be worn by adults in the shop, reception and arcade.
There is hand sanitizer in key places such as at the playgrounds.
All in all, we feel very happy with the arrangements.
Try to book pool sessions, activities and restaurants before you go if possible as they are popular.
We take our children to Cofton Holiday Park and explore the surrounding beaches and attractions
“This is amazing,” says our son and we all feel the same.
The sheer joy of a family swim makes the months of lockdown seem a distant memory.
This perfectly warm indoor pool is just one of the excellent facilities at Cofton Holiday Park near Dawlish in Devon.
Indoor pool
Swim sessions are pre-booked and limited to an hour to ensure the pool isn’t too crowded while Covid precautions are in place.
It is the same with Cofton’s large outdoor pool, which opens over the warmer months.
The pools are at the centre of the sprawling site along with restaurants and arcade and it’s all just a short walk from our static caravan.
We are in a Tamar model and it is a superb place to stay – modern, spotlessly clean, with two smart TVs, fast WiFi, two bathrooms, good kitchen facilities and plenty of space in the well laid out lounge/dining area.
Our static caravan
There are also luxury lodges with hot tubs, holiday cottages or you can bring your own tent, caravan or motorhome.
The lounge area
Children could spend their whole holiday at Cofton – there’s also a woodland adventure park with zip line, small playground, fishing lakes and woods to explore.
It would also be pretty easy to eat here every night with three restaurants (one closed during our visit), serving good family food and drinks at reasonable prices. There is also an excellent fish and chip shop and a small store on site selling essential food and drinks.
The outdoor pool and restaurants
Plus there are children’s activities run by the entertainment team with daily activities like pond dipping, fishing lessons and pirate adventures, when we visit.
With beautiful Devon on our doorsteps we have to get out and about too.
The beaches are our main aim and the nearest is Dawlish Warren. You can walk from the site – up steep woodland, along a footpath to a walk which takes about half an hour.
Alternatively it is a 10-minute drive from Cofton to the beach’s large car park, past a popular funfair.
This child-friendly flat beach stretches along a sand spit at the mouth of the Exe estuary.
Dawlish Warren
It’s good for games and sandcastle building, there are lifeguards patrolling during the summer and a cafe and ice cream shop.
We also spend time at Coryton Cove near Dawlish, a sheltered partly sandy spot with a cafe.
For an adventurous trip out, try Holcombe Beach. You can’t park there but have to leave your car in the village and negotiate the steep Smuggler’s Lane.
Once you walk under the railway line, which hugs the shore, you come out on a high sea wall path (beware, there’s a sheer, high drop) with steep, narrow steps leading down to the sand.
Holcombe Beach
The beach is good for bodyboarding and offers great views with dramatic red sandstone cliffs at both ends. If you love train-spotting then you can stand inches from the main railway line as services whizz past.
For a more sedate pace of life, try Dawlish town with its gentle river running though the park and traditional seaside appeal.
Dawlish
Devon clotted cream ice creams from Gaye’s Creamery, eaten beside the ducks floating along the weirs on the river makes for a relaxing afternoon.
You can also enjoy the crashing waves along the sea wall and games of mini-golf.
Cofton Holdays is only 20 minutes from Exeter and a similar drive to the hills of Dartmoor.
Haldon Forest Park with its range of bike and walking trails is another good option if you want to head inland.
Back at the park
After one hearty dinner at the park’s Amelia’s Cafe, as the evening sun shines over the rolling hills, we set out to explore the area on foot.
We look down to the holiday park laid out before us. “This is amazing,” I say.
Al Fresco Holidays launches in four new resorts for 2020
A leading family holiday company has added four new resorts across Europe for 2020
Al Fresco Holidays will now operate mobile homes in six countries after launching in holiday parks in Croatia, France and Italy.
Among the new options are Brioni Sunny Camping in Croatia, Le Soleil de la Mediterannee and Camping Club Le Napoleon in France as well as Montescudaio Camping Village in Tuscany.
The new Croatian park is near a shingle beach, overlooking the Brijuni archipelago – a National Park consisting of 14 islands. It is near the historic city of Pula.
Brioni Sunny Camping in Croatia
The new French sites include Le Soleil de la Mediterranee in the Roussillon region, which boasts a large waterpark featuring a lagoon, lazy river and two giant waterslides.
Camping Club Le Napoleon, in the Languedoc in southern France, is a family-focussed site with a waterpark, games room, a sauna, massage services and onsite beautician.
Camping Club Le Napoleon in southern France
In Italy, Montescudaio Camping Village is a large holiday park situated in the Tuscan countryside. It has a pool side restaurant, takeaway, and onsite bar.
Montescudaio Camping Village in Tuscany, Italy
Some of Al Fresco’s existing parks have been upgraded for the new season with new waterslides at Duinrell in the Netherlands, which we reviewed here, and a new waterpark at Marina D’Erba Rossa in Corsica, which we visited here.
There will be new mobile homes at certain parks with the newly designed three-bedroom Da Vinci Lounge and the Toscanini Lounge which has an open plan kitchen.
We go glamping in style with our children at Holidaypark Duinhoeve in the Netherlands
What is it?
Holidaypark Duinhoeve (Recreatiepark Duinhoeve) is a relaxing and peaceful holiday park with chalets, lodges, holiday homes, glamping lodges, tents and camping options.
It has playgrounds/play areas, swimming pools and a café. There is children’s entertainment at peak times.
Watch our video of Duinhoeve here and read our full review and tips below.
Where is it?
It is in the middle of Holland, an hour south of Amsterdam, in north Brabant near Udenhout, a short walk from Loonse en Drunese Dunes and a 10-minute drive to Efteling Theme Park Resort.
Is it family-friendly?
Yes, this is a good holiday park for families with younger children especially.
Our accommodation.
We stayed in a seven-person glamping lodge. It was fabulous – crafted with beautiful wooden frames and interior, all covered with canvas.
Our glamping lodge at Duinhoeve
A big 48 square metres, it has an open-plan kitchen-diner and lounge area with an L-shaped sofa and tv. The kitchen has a hob, microwave combi oven, fridge, freezer, kettle and coffee maker, along with plates, bowls, cutlery and utensils.
The first bedroom has a double bed, the second has bunk beds and a single bed. Then there is a bedstead – a separate space up a ladder, filled with a double mattress.
There is one bathroom with a big double shower (no bath).
The children were really happy with the lodge – there is even an extra little space which little ones can use as a small den or play room, with a little doorway – or it would make a fabulous storage area.
And there is a large undercover decking/veranda area outside at the front with a big picnic bench and separate garden furniture sofas.
We loved staying in this glamping lodge, it felt almost new and very clean.
Food and drink
We bought supplies from a local supermarket, plus a few bits from home and mainly ate at the accommodation or made picnics.
But there is a restaurant on site with outdoor and indoor seating area.
On-site restaurant
Plus there is a restaurant called Landgoed Bosch en Duin, with a play area, a five-minute walk away where we stopped off one day for Dutch specialities poffertjes (small round Dutch pancakes) and apple pie.
Nearby
*It is a five-minute walk from the site through woodland to stunning sand dunes – our children felt like we were in a desert.
Dunes of Loon
In fact, the Dunes of Loon in Drunen National Park, which formed 10,000 years ago, is sometimes called the Dutch Desert or Brabant Sahara. It is the largest sand drift area in western Europe.
*It is a 10-minute drive to Efteling – Holland’s biggest theme park, read our review of it here and watch our video below.
*The medieval city of Den Bosch is 25 minutes away.
Den Bosch
It has a cathedral, museums, lots of shops and cafes, we sampled the city’s speciality – Bossche Bollen – a Danish pastry reminiscent of a huge round chocolate éclair or profiterole but much nicer.
Bosche Bollen, yum
*Beekse Bergen Safari Park is half an hour away by car.
Our highlights
*This holiday park has three play areas including a nice playground near to our glamping lodge and one next to the swimming pools, with a giant bouncing pillow trampoline.
*The swimming pools
The main pool is solar heated and 1.4m deep throughout. It is on the small side but we all enjoyed it – it was a great temperature, not too cold and we were all glad of it as temperatures reached 33 degrees during our stay.
The small children’s pool is shallow and has a pirate ship with two slides – perfect for toddlers and little ones.
*The surrounding area
Being next to the Dunes of Doon desert was a great bonus plus there are some good walks and cycle routes.
*Accommodation
The fabulous glamping lodge we stayed in felt roomy and fresh and the children loved it.
More information
*Dogs are allowed if you are camping, they are not allowed in any of the rental accommodation options apart from rental tents upon request.
In the small town of Solenzara, two thirds of the way down the east coast of Corsica on the Côte des Nacres (Coast of Pearls).
What is it?
Sole di Sari is a small, eco-friendly holiday park with a stunning, mountainous backdrop. This hilly site opened in 2012 and has nearly 140 mobile homes – 22 of them run by Eurocamp when we stayed (May half-term 2019).
Is it family friendly?
This is a peaceful, quiet site. There is less for children to do here than the other Eurocamp site in Corsica (Marina D-Erba Rossa, read our review of that here) – but it is more modern and beautiful.
There’s an outdoor play area, with climbing frames and swings, a basketball court, boules court and swimming pool. Plus there’s the added excitement of having a real river to paddle and swim in. And lots of nearby beaches to enjoy.
The holiday homes
The Eurocamp holiday homes here are modern and equipped with a hob (no oven), microwave and fridge freezer.
The Vista 3 bedroom sleeps eight (maximum six adults).
The Vista 2 Bedroom, which we stayed in, has a double room and a twin room and sleeps up to six.
There is an open plan kitchen/diner area. There are no televisions, no toaster or dishwasher. The kettle is heated on the hob. There is a microwave and plates, cutlery, saucepans etc.
It is more salubrious than the lodge we had at Marina D’Erba Rosa – although that site has plenty going for it.
Food and drink
As well as the self-catering option, there is a bar and restaurant on site. Pizza, pasta and salads are included on the menu and we enjoyed two meals there, one outside, enjoying the view over the swimming pool. You can also order takeaway.
There’s a bakery on site from 8 to 9am, but no shop. The nearest supermarket, a Spar, is five minutes drive away.
There is an ice cream parlour over the peak summer period.
Nearby
The Alta Rocca mountains are a short drive away.
There are several beaches nearby. We tried Canella beach (five miles south). We really liked this beach although we got rained on after about 20 minutes!
Canella Beach
Our children also enjoyed Scaffa Rossa beach, about a mile away, which had bigger, rougher waves and rocks on one side.
Scaffa Rossa Beach
We also went to Palombaggia (an hour’s drive), after visiting the town of Porto Vecchio. This is a popular beach and was the busiest we tried. It was a bit of a walk from the car park but nice with beautiful turquoise water.
Palombaggia Beach
Our highlights
*The modern holiday home/lodge/chalet.
*The stunning location. Even swinging on a swing seems more special when you are looking at mountains.
*The pool area has beautiful views – the main pool is small so may not be enough for older children and although meant to be heated, it was cold when we were there. It never got too busy though.
*The site is on a river, which you can swim and paddle in. The river bank is a rocky sun trap with sun beds tastefully placed here and there. (You can’t see the river from the sun beds).
*The lovely outdoor playground, basketball court and French boules area below the swimming pool.
More information
*The site runs its own kids’ clubs during most of July and August.
*You have to pay for WiFi.
*There is no oven (just a hob and microwave), no dishwasher, no washing up liquid/brush/cloth, soap or tea towels provided.
*You hire bed linen and towels. The beds are not made up ready for you but are quick to do – just two sheets and a pillowcase.
*The nearest airport Bastia is 89km away.
*The nearest beach, Scaffa Rossa, is 1.5km away.
Address
Sole di Sari Campsite, Route de Bavella – RD 268, Lieu dit Pianu, 20145, Solenzara, Corsica.
Marina D’Erba Rossa is on a beach on the quiet eastern coast of Corsica, halfway down the island, five minutes from the town of Ghisonaccia.
The beach at Marina d’Erba Rossa
What is it?
A fairly big holiday park with mobile homes and camping pitches.
Is it family friendly?
Yes, family holidays are the key market here. There is a good new playground, nice swimming pool, table tennis, mini golf and pool tables (for an extra charge). It is on a lovely big beach, which has a volleyball net. There is even a small animal ‘zoo’ with ostriches and llamas.
There’s also a children’s club and other entertainment.
The mobile homes
Our Esprit mobile home was compact and a little dated but really well positioned in the corner of the park next to the animals.
Our Eurocamp mobile home
It had three bedrooms (one double, two twins) which was great for our family of four, having six people in here would have been a squeeze.
The kitchen had a hob, microwave, fridge-freezer, plates, cutlery etc. There was no oven or dishwasher.
There’s a shower room and separate toilet, no television, decking and a gas barbecue outside.
Food and drink
As well as the self-catering option, this site has a lovely restaurant with outdoor seating too. The menu is dominated by pizzas, luckily they were delicious. There’s also a takeaway option.
There is a shop selling essentials and a bakery, which was open from 7.30am to 9.30am, selling freshly cooked baguettes, croissants and pain au chocolat.
Nearby
Ghisonaccia is a quiet town a few miles from the site but has all the shops you need including a large supermarket. There is also a Spar store near to the site.
There are beaches along the coast including one with a huge pine forest.
It is an hour’s drove to the bigger cities of Bastia and Porto Vecchio.
The historic roman site of Aleria is a 20-minute drive.
Our highlights
*The swimming pool – not too cold and big enough to have plenty of fun.
*The beach and its location, accessed from next to the pool. It is a big, sandy beach.
*The outdoor play park/playground has new equipment which our two loved.
*There’s a raised netted area in another part of the park with trampolines and a zip wire.
*There is an indoor games/arcade room and gym.
*The restaurant is lovely, although didn’t open until 7pm.
*Having a small animal park/zoo on site was a nice touch although the peacock was a bit noisy, waking us up in the morning!
Address
Marina D’Erba Rossa, Route de la Mer, 20240 Ghisonaccia, France
We review Duinrell in the Netherlands to find out if a theme park, water park and beach makes for a perfect family holiday
Forget double Dutch. We have discovered a triple treat in Holland – a holiday heaven for children which combines a theme park, water park and beach.
I’m sure we never would have stumbled across this gem without a recommendation from a friend whose family return year after year.
Duinrell holiday and amusement park is in the upmarket town of Wassenaar, 25 miles from Amsterdam, on the south-west coast – where the Dutch royal family spend some of their time.
The tranquil setting of the accommodation, between woodland and sand dunes, is in contrast with the high octane excitement of its theme and water parks.
Duingalows
There are a choice of chalets, called Duingalows, as well as various camping options.
A Duingalow at Duinrell in Holland.
Our newly-built lodge was modern and fully equipped. It had three bedrooms, a kitchen with dishwasher, open-plan lounge/dining area and a secluded terrace, from which to enjoy the leafy surroundings.
If you aren’t cooking then there are several restaurants and takeaway options on site and in the nearby town.
Our two were thrilled to use their scooters to explore but a lot of families were on bikes, which can be hired along with electric bikes and go-karts.
Theme park
First we headed to the amazing theme park.
The theme park at Duinrell in Holland
Adrenaline lovers and children aged eight to 18 would get the most out of all the roller coasters and other rides.
Our two are younger but found plenty to do too and as we stayed during the week at half-term, there were lots of English people but no long queues. It was noticeably busier on the Friday when we left.
Water park
Secondly, if you’re after more thrills and spills, the park has a fantastic indoor water park called Tikibad with enough slides and waves to keep everyone happy.
With our accommodation, we had free entry to both the water park and the theme park.
Beach
And finally, the big, sandy Wassenaar beach is just two miles away.
Wassenaar beach.
There are fabulous cycle lanes everywhere so we hired bikes to enjoy the safe route through vast sand dunes to enjoy time together by the sea.
Ferry
Cycling may be the way to get around in the Netherlands but the cheapest way we found for us to get to Duinrell was by car and ferry.
We used the DFDS ferry from Dover to Dunkirk. It was a bank holiday and long delays at Dover passport control meant we boarded with just three minutes to spare.
The children loved exploring the spacious ship and restaurants and the one hour 50 minute crossing passed quickly.
From Dunkirk, it was three more hours in the car, on increasingly flat terrain dotted with wind turbines.
Surrounding area
With its woodland walks and sand dune scrambles around Duinrell, as well as the popular Luciano ice cream parlour in Wassenaar, you don’t need to leave the area.
But we took a trip to the university city of Leiden. It had charming canals, cobbled streets and waterside markets where we sampled Dutch pancakes called poffertjes.
In conclusion
Holland might not be the first place that springs to mind for a summer holiday but you needn’t think twice about trying a trip to Duinrell with its trio of family attractions.
Accommodation: We stayed as guests at Duinrell holiday and amusement park in Wassenaar, Holland for the purposes of this review. All opinions are our own.
Travel: We travelled by car and via ferry from Dover to Dunkirk, courtesy of DFDS.
