An inexpensive summer holiday

We still haven't planned a summer holiday. I don't know why we always wait till the last minute but we do. Anyway, I spent way too much money in the USA a few weeks ago including a few hundred £ I had stashed away for a rainy day and now we don't have much money for a summer holiday. So does anyone know where we can go that's cheap and cheerful and kid friendly. Keeping in mind I don't really want a holiday resort like Butlins by the way! The summer holiday we took to Wales a few years ago was brilliant so we're thinking about heading down that way again this summer. We prefer to stay in the UK. I'm hoping to find something for around £500 for 5 days. Is it possible?

We used to love spending the summer holidays at Ruda Holiday Park in North Devon (Croyde Bay, near Barnstaple). You can rent holiday homes/caravans or they have lots of camping pitches available if you're on a budget.

It a lovely area, you're just 5 minutes walk from the beach, which has great surfing... and if you walk a few minutes into the nearest village, there's a gorgeous clotted cream ice cream shop . Plus, the site itself has a pool with a waterslide and rapids, a pizza place, a cafe, an arcade for the kids, lots of kids activities and evening entertainment - for both the kids and the adults:).

Luckily, it's not much like Butlins at all, although it is now owned by Parkdean Holidays, and depending on availability/accomodation that you choose, it doesn't have to be expensive (we always rent a pitch in the camping area rather than paying out for a holiday home).

We've stayed at Woolacoombe (sp?) Bay, Devon with the kids once. We booked a week in a very drafty, dumpy, caravan. We were up half the night listening to loud music from the clubhouse then the drunks singing and stumbling back to their caravans. I hated it! We came home two days early and I was exhausted!
Last October we stayed a weekend in a 900 year old cottage in Ilfracoombe which I loved but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it. I remember it was only like £200 for the weekend.

Would camping be a option or would that be too much hassle with the kiddies?? or renting a self catering holiday cottage for a week can be cheap.

http://www.goodcottageguide.com/

http://www.theholidaycottages.co.uk/

http://www.english-country-cottages.co.uk/ecc_homepage.html

You could always keep an eye on lastminute.com, had some good late deals from there

I've been looking in the Devon/Cornwall area, looks like a huge variety in the campsites out there with places to rent, www.mawganporth.co.uk/  I went to this one years ago..  and this one looked quiet  http://www.motheriveysbay.com/ (maybe too quiet!!) I have also been looking at rentals straight from owners, which I have had brilliant luck in the past with http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk  Hope this helps...  I have an added complication, MIL coming Wed-Wed  , so have to find something that rents midweek as well..  Yuck! 

Ricki head north, either to the North Yorkshire coast. Whitby and the surrounding area is so beautiful and there is plenty to do. Alternatively try the lake district again very beautiful and not too far from the coast.

Ricki head north, either to the North Yorkshire coast. Whitby and the surrounding area is so beautiful and there is plenty to do. Alternatively try the lake district again very beautiful and not too far from the coast.

Thanks.I may check into it Gerry. I have a few cottage rental websites I use. What area (town) do I search?

Ricki head north, either to the North Yorkshire coast. Whitby and the surrounding area is so beautiful and there is plenty to do. Alternatively try the lake district again very beautiful and not too far from the coast.

Or, if you want something even cheaper than that - Northumberland.

But as for the North Yorkshire coast - there's Whitby, Scarborough, Filey, Bridlington...this should help:

http://www.discoveryorkshirecoast.com/

Lake District:

http://www.golakes.co.uk/

Northumberland:

http://www.visitnorthumberland.com/

(Hogwarts castle is up there!  Northumberland.)

Thanks for the Linx, C! The kids would love to do Hogwarts!

The kids would love to do Hogwarts!

Voilà -  Hogwarts:  http://www.visitnorthumberland.com/site/highlights/the-icons/alnwick-castle

There's also a lovely garden in Alnwick too:  http://www.visitnorthumberland.com/site/highlights/the-icons/alnwick-garden

Nearby, you can do short (part-day) cruises to the Farne Islands for things like seal and bird watching.

There are also beaches.   We did a lovely long weekend holiday last August bank holiday in Northumberland - I'd love to go back sometime & get a self-catering beach cottage for a week's stay.

But it is a bit of a drive for you.  Yorkshire & the Lake District are closer to you than Northumberland.

Go North!

Brilliant Carolyn! It gives me a few ideas. Also I always thought the 'Hogwarts' castle was in Scotland 

Also I always thought the 'Hogwarts' castle was in Scotland 

Well - you're not very far away from Scotland by the time you get as far north as Northumberland.  In fact, you wouldn't have to drive very much farther and you could set your foot down in Scotland while you're there...

Yorkshire & the Lake District are also great if you don't want to travel so far.

Speaking of Scotland, anyone have any ideas for a romantic getaway in Scotland?

DH and I were planning on renting a car and driving somewhere for a four day weekend in August.

We'd like to go somewhere where DH could fish and I could shop   Any ideas?

ETA: Didn't mean to hijack your thread Pebs!

if you want fishing, I receommend Loch Tay in perthshire....there's cute little hotels up there, can't say there's much shopping tho!
If you want shopping I'd say Edinburgh, not sure that's quite as romantic tho :-)