We do a bit of both. We like to go off and explore the area but sometimes we might just go for half a day and return early so the kids can have a good play, after all we're meant to be relaxing and going out every day all day can be tiring itself and the children enjoy making new friends.
We mostly go off for the day- like Alan it's a base to explore from- but I really enjoy the rare occasions when I can get my OH to just sit in the tent on an afternoon chilling, playing cards or dominoes and enjoying a healthy snack of crisps and wine!
we do both, I like to get back to the tent late afternoon for a sit down then weather permitting its time to light theBBQ and sit back with a glass of wine, find it enjoyable sitting in tent playing board games as well, never seem to have the time for that at home
------------- Sandra
Life isn't a rehearsal, be all you can be, follow your dreams and live life to the full!!
if we go to Bude for the weekend, we walk into town and go to the beach, but if we go away for the week then we tend to go out, as it's our main holiday
------------- KIM.
2013 Season.
Upgraded from a TT to a caravan.
Loving it!
Roll on summer :-)
For us sitting outside (or inside) not doing anything in particular is as much part of the holiday as going out and about. When I am away I can sit and do nothing without feeling guilty about the dishes, the ironing, or that set of accounts waiting to be done. Also because there are various sets of 'friends' for the kids to play with, they are more likely to be playing that at home, where it is possible that the local friends will not be available, so they will be in the house unless we go out for the day.
For our main holiday we like to go to France and have a bit of sun, a pool, facilities and get good use out of them. When we're away for 2 weeks we like to incorporate some good *sitting* time, whilst the kids make friends with the neighbours kids and don't pester us ;) Other times a basic site for a weekend and use it mainly as a base.
Even when we're using it as a base I find we still spend a fair bit of time using the site. We don't get up, rush around, have breakfast and then leave for the day by 8am, only coming home to cook then bed.
Whilst we're faffing about having a morning coffee, the elder one is off at a play area. Some times I find they need a bit of chill out time at the site, we may get back for a long lunch break, whilst they get on and run about unhindered. There's also that time after dinner and between bed, when camping they're not in bed early :)
Even if we go for a day trip in France there's still that hour before dinner when one will take the boys swimming, the other do dinner. I find with young kids there's a lot of hours in the day to fill
When I go to France it's usualy around a 1000+ miles to the site from home, with a couple of overnights on the way, so it is nice to spend the first couple of days chilling on the site, after all that driving, this year I plan to use the car a lot less, once at the site, and will be using the train for any day trips to the med for instance, which is about 100 miles from the site, last time I went to the Cote d Azur, we hardly used the car, public transport was so good and cheap, it just wasn't worth the hasssle with traffic and parking etc.
On our 'long' French trip we tend to plan about 5 or 6 things to do in a 3 week period... the rest of the time we chill out on site... however, the sites we go to tend to have lots of activities - like pools, flumes, tennis, table tennis, crazy golf, pony rides etc. so the kids disappear and we just sit.
If we go for a weekend in the UK we normally plan to have something specific to do on the Saturday, but other than that we chill...
This May bank holiday we went without a plan, and in the end couldn't be bothered to leave the site - we played rounders with the kids and actually had enough time to read the Sunday papers while they played footie and met up with other kids - bliss!
Depends on the site. If its one of our regular sites we are usually happy to stay on site most of the time and let the kids have fun. If its somewhere new, then we like to explore and see new things. We do spend a lot of time on site though as my OH cant really do much in the way of walking.
------------- Always forgive,Never forget;Learn from mistakes,But Never regret;People change,Things go wrong;Just remember life goes on
Cool campers use Delta Pegs.
The happiest people aren't the ones who have everything they are the ones who make the most of everything they have
We do a bit of both,the kids like going out,but once they make friends they want to stay put,so maybe we just go out in the afternoon.I`m quite sure that if i didn`t have the kids,relaxing with a book and a glass of wine would be lurvely!
Sandra - agree about the board games. We play Scrabble. We never play it at home, but it's become a compulsory part of the camping evening. It can get a bit acrimonious though, as we always forget to take a dictionary with us to settle the inevitable "that's not a real word!" arguments.
we do a bit of both, but the site we are going to bank holiday weekend has a beach 1/4 mile away!
so probably spend more time on site this trip since mostly we travel to beaches, however will sqeeze in several visits also. I was lucky enough to have been given a pack of leaflets so definitely doing a trip to sea and seal sanctuary and probably other places as well.
------------- Camped since 2008 and still loving it!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Out and about or on-site all day?
