Which is best – family holiday abroad or here in the UK?
Ever since the great covid summer staycations of 2020 and 2021 families have debated whether to holiday closer to home again or go back to a week in the sunshine in Spain, France, Greece, Turkey or Cyprus.
But many families have found they really enjoy spending a week together in the UK, and they’re still doing it year after year. It’s become a fixture of their annual family get-togethers.
So why are many families holidaying in the UK?
For one thing, a holiday in the UK is much less hassle for many families. Co-ordinating everyone’s different calendars and commitments can be a real challenge. By booking a big house by the beach family members can come and go to suit their own schedule. This is not something you can easily do when flights are involved, and no one needs to worry about a passport.
For example at North Cottage Cromer; the holiday cottage is booked from Friday, but some of the family join the fun on Saturday or perhaps a couple of family members depart a day early. Many of our guests do this. Booking a 7 night stay is usually more cost effective than booking a 5 night stay and may even cost the same or less. It gives much more flexibility. Some family holiday time spent together is much better than another missed year.
Just too much baggage?
Another factor is luggage. Travelling with very young families often involves a lot of stuff. So packing around an airline’s baggage rules can be a real headache. Stuffing everything needed for a UK stay in the family car is much, much easier and saves a lot of arguments about why big teddy, or the scooter isn’t coming on holiday with us. It’s surprising what becomes ‘essential’ when you don’t have to pack it in hand baggage!
Car hire can also be a big expense. Booking hire cars abroad has become very expensive. This cost doesn’t always get factored in until its too late. Small cars may look like good value, but the cost chart jumps up frighteningly quickly as the vehicle gets bigger. Deciding ‘We’re going to need a bigger car’ can cost hundreds of pounds (and that’s before adding the insurance…). There are no unexpected car hire shocks when you holiday with your own vehicle.
Travel time is also generally less when travelling to a UK destination, by the time you factor in getting to the airport, parking, waiting in departures, flying, collecting baggage, picking up a hire car and transfers at the other end. This can typically take at least 7 hours travelling. That’s a complete day of the holiday lost – at both ends! Travel time by car to a UK destination is usually 3 to 4 hours, even in holiday traffic.
The weather is always better abroad – myth
And now to the elephant in the room – the weather! Of course the main family argument is usually about the weather. We all know it always rains in the UK, while it’s always gloriously sunny almost everywhere else. In our hearts we know this isn’t really true. What’s more sunny can also equal unbearable. Last summer, temperatures in Greece reached 42C. That’s not as much fun as it might sound, and it’s definitely not comfortable for sleeping or for young and old family members. Surprisingly there’s something rather comforting about weather you’re familiar with, and you know how to plan for and what clothes to pack.
Planning activities and booking ahead is also generally much easier in the UK. You know what you’re getting. There are no language barriers or cultural misunderstandings. There are no currency fluctuations or exchange rates to deal with. Phoning ahead is much easier and many UK operators are amazingly helpful if you phone them and have a chat about what you’re planning.
Environmental Benefits of Staycationing
There’s an increasing awareness of the down-side of over-tourism. Local people have protested in the Spanish Canary Islands about tourists buying up their homes, damaging the natural environment and hogging scarce water supplies. We’re not immune from some of these same issues in the UK. But you will be helping the planet if you don’t board a plane every time you go on holiday, and if you’re thoughtful you can travel more sustainably at home and make a positive contribution to fragile rural and coastal economies by trying local produce, and supporting local businesses.
Unexpected benefits at home in the UK
There are also a whole host of smaller, unexpected things that can remove a lot of extra bother from a family holiday of several generations. You don’t have to worry about whether you can get all the supplies you need when you’re still in the UK. Nappies, medications and favourite foods are all just a shop away. A forgotten prescription, or a trip to out-patients can be much more easily resolved here in the UK than in Spain or Cyprus. If these are the kind of things that have eaten up precious hours of previous holidays you’ll know how important they are to you.
Decided a staycation is best this year?
Wherever you decide to go for your family holiday we hope you have a great time.
But if you’re starting to think a family holiday in a big cottage, just 2 minutes from the beach and loads of shops, pubs and restaurants, sounds like it might suit your family this year, we’d love to welcome you to North Cottage Cromer. You’ll be in good company. We have almost ninety five star reviews and we’re a finalist for the Suffolk and Norfolk Tourism Awards. We’re also in the top 5% of Airbnb properties worldwide! North Cottage Cromer sleeps 12 guests and there’s secure parking for up to 5 cars.
Other things to consider and raised in this article – Cromer has a community hospital and 4 pharmacies. There are 4 supermarkets and home deliveries from 5 supermarkets including Waitrose, an Argos where you can buy most things within 24 hours. There are 7 pubs within a 5 minute walk and many restaurants and takeaways. Come to Cromer and you may find you’ll be coming back year after year as many of our guests do.
Jerry@northcottagecromer.co.uk
