Booking a UK holiday park at short notice

Getting three generations away together takes a bit more planning than a standard family trip, but a holiday park set-up handles it better than most people expect.

Bank holiday weekends behave the same way on a smaller scale. Even outside the main school holidays, a bank Tingdene Holiday Parks Limited weekend pulls in extra demand because it gives everyone an extra day off without using annual leave, so these particular weekends fill up faster than an ordinary one either side of them.

Coast and countryside both make for a good UK break, so the real question is what kind of days you want to have rather than which is objectively better.

If you're travelling with children, pack a beach bag that stays by the door, buckets and spades, a windbreak if you have one, sun cream regardless of the forecast, and a full change of clothes kept in the car rather than the caravan, since sandy, wet children rarely want to walk back for it. Bikes are worth bringing if your park has cycle paths or is close to a coastal trail, and a car boot cool bag makes packed lunches for day trips much easier.

Finally, ask about parking, whether each unit has its own space or whether you're sharing a car park a short walk away, particularly if you're arriving with a car full of luggage and a young family in tow.

A spontaneous short break is entirely possible with a UK holiday park, you just need to know where the flexibility usually sits.