Looking for pro tips and resources to make travel with kids simpler? This page is stuffed full of goodies from across my UK family travel blog to inspire and point you the direction of things we love or have made life easier for us.
In case this is the first time you’ve landed on Tin Box Traveller, hi! My name is Claire and I’m a mum to two girls and wife to a Royal Navy officer. You can find out more about each of us plus our gorgeous pooch on my About us page. But in summary, we live in Devon and enjoy all types of holidays in the UK and Europe. Add to that plenty of outdoor fun and day trips, and we don’t sit still for long.
So what’s this page all about? Essentially, it’s a round up of all my family travel blog best bits.
If you’re up for regular travel inspiration, tips and recommendations then you can sign up to my newsletter.
The hottest tips from this family travel blog
Packing lists
Love it or loath it, packing is an essential element of any family holiday. But what should you have on your travel checklist for different types of holidays and destinations? Here’s some of the handy travel checklists you’ll find on the blog:
- Packing for self-catering holidays
- Must-have items or travel with kids
- What to pack for glamping holidays
- What to pack for caravanning holidays
- What to pack for a mobile home holiday
- What to pack for a holiday in Lake Garda
- What to pack for a holiday in Cornwall
There’s even more packing lists in my ultimate travel checklist for family holidays.
Family travel tips
We’ve got plenty of tips for travel with kids. Here are some of our top posts:
- Family holiday packing lists and checklists
- Sanity saving tips for visiting London with a baby
- Entertainment for road trips with kids
- Hiring a car abroad
- Picking the best travel insurance for family travel
Gear for travel with kids
When we became parents we found all the advice about what you really need to buy for babies and toddlers a bit overwhelming. Here’s some of the travel gear that we’ve tried and tested, and found most helpful:
- Baby Jogger City Tour travel stroller review
- mifold – the Grab-and-Go Booster seat review
- Osprey Farpoint 40 backpack
- More essential kit for travelling with babies and toddlers.
Caravanning and camping with kids
So many of our mini-breaks and family holidays have been spent on campsites or in a caravan. Here’s some top tips if you’ve got the camping and caravanning bug:
- Essentials for first time caravanners
- Caravanning with a baby
- Caravanning with toddler
- Essentials for organising your caravan
- Baby and toddler beds in caravans
- Camping games for families
- What’s best for touring: caravan vs camper van?
Family-friendly campsites UK
Camping is a brilliant budget travel option for families. Here’s some of the family-friendly campsites we’ve been to in the UK, including campsites with swimming pools, hot tubs, clubhouses and glamping:
- Hendra Holiday Park, Newquay, Cornwall
- Seaview Gorran Haven, Cornwall
- Western Meadows Glamping, Launceston, Cornwall
- Ross Park, Newton Abbot, Devon
- Caravanning and camping at Crealy Meadows, Exeter, Devon
- Andrewshayes Holiday Park, East Devon
- Caalm Camp, Shaftsbury, Dorset
- Oakdown Holiday Park, Sidmouth, Devon
- Woodovis Park, Dartmoor, Devon
- Strawfields, Illfracombe, North Devon
- Stonehenge Campsite, Stonehenge, Wiltshire
You might also like my guides to: glamping in Devon | self-catering accommodation in Cornwall
Family-friendly hotels UK
If you prefer the comfort of a hotel and are looking for one that doesn’t just tolerate families but welcomes them, here’s some excellent family-friendly hotels in the UK:
- Bel & The Dragon – Churt, Surrey
- Sands Resort Hotel & Spa, Newquay, Cornwall
- China Fleet Country Club, Saltash, Cornwall
- The Grand Hotel, Torquay, Devon
Family-friendly cottages and apartments UK
We love the freedom of self-catering holidays and can recommend these family-friendly cottages, lodges and apartments in the UK:
- SACO Apartments Broad Quay, Bristol
- The Point at Polzeath, Cornwall
- Bosinver Farm Cottages, Truro, Cornwall
- Beech House, Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire
Family holiday resorts and holiday parks UK
More excellent self-catering options for families include holiday parks in the UK. Here’s some we can recommend with swimming pools, kids clubs, evening entertainment and family activities:
- Hendra Holiday Park, Newquay, Cornwall
- Ross Park, Newton Abbot, Devon
- Darwin Forest Country Park, Peak District, Derbyshire
- Bosinver Farm Cottages, Truro, Cornwall
- Oakdown Holiday Park, Sidmouth, Devon
- Woodovis Park, Dartmoor, Devon
- Andrewshayes Holiday Park, East Devon
- Waterside Resort, Cornwall
Dog-friendly holidays UK
A family holiday doesn’t feel complete without Tin Box Dog. Here’s some of her recommended dog-friendly places to holiday in the UK:
- Luxury UK holidays with a dog and kids
- Caravanning and camping at Crealy Meadows, Exeter, Devon
- Trevella Holiday Park, Newquay, Cornwall
- Western Meadows Glamping, Launceston, Cornwall
- Moorland Garden Hotel, Dartmoor, Devon
- Darwin Forest Country Park, Peak District, Derbyshire
- The Grand Hotel, Torquay, Devon
Cruising with kids
If you love a bit of vitamin sea then a family cruise is a brilliant way to introduce your children to a variety of destinations. Explore multiple ports and countries in one holiday while enjoying incredible onboard facilities, food and experiences. Here’s a selection of our cruise holiday and ship reviews along with tips for planning a brilliant trip:
- Cruising with a baby – what you need to know
- Preparing for a cruise from Southampton – your pre-cruise check list
- A seven day Mediterranean cruise on Carnival Vista
- A review: how family-friendly is Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas
- What’s onboard Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess for families
- An overview of family-friendly facilities on MSC Preziosa
- Norwegian Breakaway ship tour
You can read more tips, destination guides and cruise line reviews on my other blog, Cruising With Kids.
Family-friendly campsites Europe
In the past few years we’ve been lucky to partner with Al Fresco Holidays for a couple of camping holidays in Europe. Here’s our reviews of campsites in Italy and France:
Family-friendly holidays: UK
Love a UK staycation? Here’s our guides to some top UK staycation destinations for family holidays:
- Devon, England
- East Devon, England
- North Devon, England
- South Devon, England
- Dartmoor, Devon, England
- Windsor, England
- Northumberland, England
- Cornwall, England
- London, England
- Isle of Wight, England
- West Yorkshire, England
- Swansea Bay, Wales
- Glamorgan, Wales
- Wiltshire, England
Destination guides: France
Destination guides: Italy
We can’t get enough of Italy. Here’s some of the destinations we’ve been lucky enough to visit in the past few years:
Destination guides: Spain
Spain is a top choice for family holidays. Here’s some destinations we can recommend for family trips:
More family holiday and destination guides: Europe
Here’s some of my top destination guides from the rest of Europe:
- Iceland in 24 hours
- What to do in Europe in winter
- Active family holidays in Europe
- A European road trip itinerary
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