Wetter and warmer seems to be the way the UK’s climate is going – but whether washout or heatwave, unpredictability is assured. And there is nothing more disheartening than heading off on a domestic break as dark clouds gather.
Families could adopt the “friluftsliv” Scandinavian mindset of embracing the weather whatever it throws at you, along the lines of “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.”
Alternatively, there is the option of seeking out holidays where there is lots to do inside and undercover, or with plenty of all-weather activities. Either way, the costs can mount up, when paying for activities to keep children entertained and your nerves calmed.
Here, we have sought out UK family holidays with wet-weather strategies and entertainment included – at a reasonable cost.
The big-hitter holiday parks
Billy Butlin’s 1936 vision to create a “place of colour and happiness” is still going strong, and is especially appealing to families on a tight budget, with many activities included in the price. Indoor attractions include Splash Waterworld with its slides, flumes and toddler areas, and live entertainment with new shows from Stephen Mulhern: The Masked Singer and Peppa Pig. Following the opening of Skypark in Skegness last year, a brand-new Skypark opens in Minehead for the summer holidays. Yes, it’s outdoors, but active children will still love the towers, tube slides and swing lines in the drizzle.
Three-night summer breaks from £255 in a silver room at Butlin’s Minehead from 26 July, butlins.com
Haven has 38 holiday parks laced around the UK coast and actively promotes its rainy-day activities – although, other than swimming, they often cost extra and should be booked well in advance. Prices start at £5 per person for activities including sand art, as well as pottery, slime creations and dinosaur fossil adventures (£16 per person). Some sites have all-weather sports courts alongside climbing walls, aerial walkways, surf school and bike hire.
Four-night midweek package at Church Farm in Sussex or The Orchards in Essex from £499 staying in a silver-grade caravan, haven.com
Parkdean Resorts has 66 locations across the UK, nearly all with an indoor complex with a bar, restaurant, arcade and show bar with entertainment. A number of parks have indoor swimming pools and activity zones, including Camber Sands in Kent, which has four indoor pools, an arts and crafts den and sports dome. Cayton Bay in Yorkshire, meanwhile, has an indoor heated splash pool, adventure playground and arts and crafts den.
A Hub Pass gives you free access to facilities and selected activities such as football and Milkshake! Mornings. Some activities cost extra, such as the high-ropes course (£13 per person) and slime-tastic in the arts and crafts den (£6 per person). It’s a good idea to book your activities before you go to avoid disappointment.
Many resorts are located near seaside resorts, with attractions, amusements and indoor adventure play areas such as Newquay with The Blue Reef Aquarium, Newquay Leisure World and Camel Creek Family Adventure Park. Joel Bishop, owner of nearby Westcountry Surf School, says that rainy weather provides the best conditions for surfing.
Three nights at Trecco Bay Holiday Park in Wales, the largest holiday park with the most indoor action, from £499, arriving 9 August, parkdeanresorts.co.uk
Hoseasons has hundreds of holiday parks in its portfolio, from Cornwall to the Highlands. Hunters Quay near the seaside town of Dunoon in Argyll has a arcade machines and games including pool and air hockey. There is also an indoor pool and sauna, and a new arena with free shows and activities. Paid-for wet weather experiences include build a bear (from £22.50 per person) and a climbing wall (from £13 per person). Cabins are set in Scots pine woodlands, where you can look out out for red squirrels. The lochs, hills, forest and mountains of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park are also on the doorstep.
One week in a pet-friendly caravan from 2 August from £1,055, hoseasons.co.uk
Holidays in nature
Located in the scenic Lincolnshire Wolds, a National Landscape, Landal Kenwick Woods is set in woodland that’s laced with hiking and cycling trails. Indoor activities include soft archery (£12.50 per person), pottery-making (£8.50 per person), slime-making (£9.50 per person) and tie-dye workshop (£9.50 per person). There is also an indoor pool and spa facilities. The historic city of Lincoln is nearby, with its castle and cathedral. In the evening, families can cosy up in their woodland lodge with a film or board games or soak in their outdoor hot tub (even in the rain).
Four-night break in a standalone lodge starting 28 August from £439, landal.co.uk
Bluestone National Park Resort, set in 500 acres of wild Pembrokeshire countryside in Narberth, prides itself on being one of the UK’s most weatherproof holidays. Its expansive Serendome (like a large umbrella) has a rainproof playground, a Sky Walk aerial adventure course, shows in the Cloud Theatre, Wacky Racers, and food and drink. The Blue Lagoon is a subtropical water park with balmy temperatures, crazy waves, flumes, a lazy river and “beach”. The Hive indoor play centre has a bouncy castle, air maze, zip wire, climbing walls and leap-of-faith Power Jump. All are included in the accommodation price, apart from the Sky Walk, which costs from £12.95 per person. Other activities at the resort, which include half-day coasteering where the rain doesn’t matter, from £45 per person.
Four nights in a lodge from 26 August August from £1,260, bluestonewales.com
Darwin Forest is a family-owned holiday park on the edge of the Peak District in Derbyshire. On rainy days, there is a Little Monkeys Play Centre with a large soft play and activity centre (£3.50 per child for two hours). There is also a complimentary soft-play area for under-fives in the activity den, which also includes pool tables, table tennis, air hockey and arcade games for older children (from £1 to £2). Organised activities include archery and crossbow (from £10). Nearby attractions include the caves in Buxton and Castleton and the underground boat ride at Speedwell Cavern.
One week in a classic lodge from £1,605 from 26 July, darwinforest.co.uk
In Monmouthshire, Penhein Glamping makes good use of its woodland setting with plenty of shelter from the trees. Petro is a communal tent with electrical sockets and lamps and bean bags, toys and games, plus a wood-burning stove. There is also the chance to have a go at using the potter’s wheel. New this year is a mini adventurers club for two- to eight-year-olds (£35 for two-and-a-half hours), with crafts and nature activities. There is also a new deer and bird hide and woodland playground. Within easy reach are Chepstow Castle and Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley, as well as Clearwell Caves and Puzzlewood – a magical, moss-draped trail through the Forest of Dean.
Four nights in a Persian tent with kitchen and loo from £540 from 29 July, penhein.co.uk
Burrowed deep in the North Devon countryside, The Mole Resort is one of the UK’s newest playgrounds set in nature. There are 14 activities included in the price of a lodge including fitness classes, use of the pool, pétanque, tennis and pickleball. Additional activities range in price from £5 per person for disc golf to £20 per person for archery.
Two-bedroom lodges from £500 for two- night weekend break, themoleresort.co.uk
Farm stays
Farm Stay UK lists a number of farms with indoor family facilities as well as outdoor options so children can interact with animals. Glynn Barton Farm Cottages in Cardinham, Cornwall, for example, has eight converted barn cottages and four safari-style tents sleeping between four to eight people. There is an indoor heated pool, soft play, games room, archery barn and giant chess. Outside is a fort play area, zip slide, mini tractors, swings and a tennis court as well as daily animal feedings – children can meet miniature Shetlands, pigs, goats and alpacas. The Eden Project and National Marine Aquarium are both close by.
A week in the Tack Room from £1,950 from 26 August, farmstay.co.uk
Situated on a family run working farm on the Leicestershire/Northampton border, award-winning Brook Meadow Camping offers pitches, glamping and caravanning. Indoor activities include “Moovie” night in the Cowshed cinema on straw bales every Saturday evening. All-weather activities include egg-collecting and fishing on the lake (complimentary if staying in a luxury lodge) and pond-dipping. Camp Fest Brook Meadow is a one-day festival of mindful experiences on 10 August costing £25 per person, with children under 12 going free. Taster workshops are free, but more immersive experiences such as flower crown-making have an additional fee. Nearby attractions include Foxton Locks. A safari bell tent costs from £165 per night for a weekend stay, brookmeadow.co.uk
Big city hitter
Manchester is having a moment, with a plethora of indoor activities making it a great choice for an all-weather family city break. The Visit Manchester Pass is a new way to explore Greater Manchester, offering families discounted access to attractions including Sea Life, Legoland Discovery Centre and the National Football Museum and a tour of Manchester City FC’s Etihad Stadium. One-, two- and three-day digital passes from £60 per child and £79 per adult. And whatever the weather, the Manchester Caribbean Carnival on 10-11 August is sure to bring warmth and colour to the city’s streets. manchester-pass.com, visitmanchester.com
Family festival
Festival-meets-holiday at Camp Kindling (16-19 August) held in a heritage pine forest near Sevenoaks, Kent. More than 1,000 activities are designed for parents to enjoy with their children during the day, from ukulele workshops to martial arts, origami to Lego robots, circus skills to bug hotel-building, before the festival spirit kicks in at night.
What’s included depends on the ticket you buy.
Elementary includes 45 activity credits, music, games and talks, £245; teens £215; six- to 11-year-olds £175; three- to five-year-olds £95. Standard tickets include 90 credits, £295-£145. Dynamo tickets have unlimited activities, costing £345-£495. campkindling.co.uk