Any tips for Haven holiday?! (Devon Cliffs)
Hi all,
We booked a few months ago to go for a little break away. We booked for a Haven in Wales but decided it may be bit far for little ones atm, So have changed to Devon cliffs which is only 2 hrs up the road (if that) I have been before when I took the children from work but never been on a family holiday and tbh this is our first little trip away since having the kids. We were meant to go with all my family to butlins, but big R was very poorly and had to cancel. So I really want to make the most of this as we wont be going away until October when we go London for a few days.
Any tips? Anywhere around the area that we could go to? Little is R will be 5 months and big R will be 20 months. Also I'm guessing food will be quite expensive, so will take a few nibbles/snacks to keep in the caravan. I don't really want to cook anything, so will be grabbing some easy bits in a local tesco ect. So any nice places for food?
PJ xx
Replies
When are you going PJ? We went to HAven Newquay Wales last April and we're going to the Pwhelli one at end of this month. So sorry no tips on where you can visit local to where you're going but got a bit of advice about Haven itself.
If you're going soonish like we are - the caravan gets really cold at night so takes plenty of warm pjs/blankets etc for nighttime. Foodwise, we did a shop at a local Tesco for bits and pieces but we didn't want to cook either so we ate 2 or 3 times at the Mash & Barrel which is on every Haven site, it's a bit like Wetherspoons, the food isn't wonderful but it's fine and they really do cater for kids so it was the easiest place for us and our 3 very young children to eat - they have colouring etc, plenty of room for pushchairs, good kids menu and the staff were nice. Haven also have a really nice pizza place who will even deliver to your caravan and they are lovely pizzas. In the caravan there were also menus from the local takeaways who also did delivery service which was good! We usually ate out once a day then had sandwiches or whatever in the caravan (or packed a picinic) for the other meal.
If you look on the Haven website and the actual one you're going to, there is usually lots of info on local attractions etc.
Thanks Mossy! we leave end of April so will take more blankets and jumpers. We were planning to go to Kiln park (i think) but decided it was quite a journey, which is a shame as I would have liked to seen wales. But will do that another time. Thats why we are going, we want something easy with the kids, we looked into B&B's but tbh you never realy know what you are going to get so decided that we should try it out. Will try the food on site but like you say take a picnic ect for lunch. I have just searched and there is a tesco about a mile away so will go there and stock up before we go. Thats a good idea about delivery as im sure kids will be shattered some nights. Thanks x
is alcohol quite expensive there?! H has already told me to put some beers on the list!
weatherspoons sounds fine also. I'm sure R wont care where we eat. H won't be bothered!
PJ we always take our own wine and beers for the van. Youcan't beat Asda prices for those! I've also been known to put a bottle of wine under a blanket in the pram and take it to the clubhouse of an evening!
Belle, you sound like my type of friend! ha! TBH i just want a nice few days with H and the kids. And if thats getting pissed in a caravan with H while kids are sleeping then thats fine with me! Will take double and single pram so both can lie completely flat if they end up dosing off if we are out in the evening. H is already worried their routine will get messed up. We have had family down last weekend and both kids were up till 8/9pm (normally in bed by 6.30 latest) and they are fine, bit grumpy now but thats just because they are catching up with sleep. We are lucky both kids sleep so well and im worried too about disturbing them but H honestly thinks we will break them if their routine is slightly out! I'd like to know why he actually cares, as I can count on one hand the amount of night feeds he ever did with big R, and little R was NEVER! Anyone would think he was worried about sleep! Ha! So have told him to not even mention them going to bed late if it happens it happens, we are going with the flow and going to enjoy our little holiday!
just read that back... and realised I'm going slightly off subject! xxx
It's the law that the kids go to the disco on caravan holidays right after mum & dad have played Bingo. So your H will jjust have to lump it that their routine will be out cos the disco doesn't start til about 8pm
We took our own alcohol, we did buy one or two drinks in the evening when the kids were at the disco, don't think they were stupidly expensive but probably wouldn't want to buy lots (not that you can get slaughtered when you've got kids with you anyway!) so we tended to have wine/beers back in the caravan when the kids were asleep. We're big on routine in this house PJ but not on holiday and because we only had a 2 bedroom caravan with 3 kids (eldest 2 shared then littlest in travel cot in our bedroom) we found the 1st night the 4 year old and 18 month old were keeping each other awake till gone 10pm!! So for the rest of the week we went to the evening entertainment till 8/9pm and they went straight to sleep no problem!! Definitely go to the evening entertainment, me & H wouldn't be seen dead there if we were on our own but the kids love it sooo much that it's cruel not to take them!! To be fair, the whole holiday is about the kids so got to do what makes them happy. What would make me happy would be a 2 week holiday somewhere abroad with hot weather and lush food but that's not going to happen any time soon so caravan holidays here we come!
If the weather is bad they have free activities for kids and activities you can pay extra for. Or my kids just loved swimming and then spending time in the arcade!
Mossy I won't be telling you about the time I got slaughtered and was drunk in charge of a buggy walking back to the van! Curly Wurly is to blame. It's all her fault.
Oh yes, Bingo! I havent played in years!!!
Oh all inclusive 2 weeks would be fabulous, but aslong as kids are having fun thats all that i care about. Just be nice to be me H and kids, noone just popping in to see us ect. just my little family! Think thats a good point as if they are shattered they go to sleep straight away! We will defo be using the pool, but not sure how warm it'll be for little R so we may get out bit earlier than the boys and get hot chocolate!
Oh belle, sounds like a fun night!
We are going to Devon cliffs on Friday. We went there last year too.
Tips...
Freeze something like a lasagne or spag Bol to eat on the first night, by the time you get eat it, it will. Be defrosted. Changeover day gets a bit hectic in the eating places. There is a tesco about 1.5 miles away from the holiday day.
What type of caravan have you got? The bedrooms can get really cold at night So if you don't have heating in the rooms either take some extra blankets or portable heaters if you have them.
Don't forget toilet paper, a bath mat (the floor gets very slippery), and tea towels.
We tend to take a couple of bottle of wine for the evening in the caravan, although I think bar prices were not too bad.
There is a little farm type place close to the entrance of the zoo, if the weather is nice the beach is lovely and there is a play area near the beach which kept the kids entertained for ages.
They have a lovely restaurant near the beach called south beach or something like that. It is a little pricey but worth a visit if you want a nice meal out.
Belle that's ok if you were the only one slaughtered lol
My H admitted on our first family holiday that it hadn't really occurred to him that all the things you do at home with a toddler or baby you still have to do on holiday. So I'd definitely have a rough plan for meals in mind. We have had a supermarket delivery of food and all other supplies before which worked really well.
No tips to add but we are going in July so let me know what it's like!!
Some good tips there! Thank you! We will pack some food for R as I know he likes to nibble as does R. Will go to the tescos when we get there!
I suggest that you better book for a self catering accommodation than a hotel in Devon because accommodations there are really costly. You can save more if you go for apartment rentals such as Apartment 7, Louisa Terrace which is offered at £283 for 3 nights. You can have a lot of choices from www.bluechipholidays.co.uk/devon-holiday-cottage. And if you are not into cooking, don't worry, you can buy cheap food at the town centre. The cottages are really accesible to the attarctions like the beach and the restaurants.
Whatever NewUser. The OP wasn't asking for recs on where to stay, she has already booked. PJ, I do a snack and drink shop and take it with me.
We have been to a few haven we cook a meal and take it for the first night as you can't get in till about 4, we also take all breakfast stuff and stuff for teas because the shop on site is extortionate and usually there isn't a local supermarket nearby.
We turn up with our own beer /wine for the caravan
I was 15 months when we last went and he LOVED the disco
there was lots of little tots there.
PJ were going to Devon cliffs in October with the kids!
When are you going? April next year?