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 UK family travel blog
Contents - jump to what you'd like to know
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
- Family camping checklist for tent holidays
- Must-have items or travel with kids
- What to pack for glamping holidays
- What to pack for caravanning holidays
- Packing for a family camping holiday
- What to pack for a mobile home holiday abroad
- What to pack for family holidays in Europe in Spring
- What to pack for a holiday in Lake Garda
- What to pack for a holiday in Cornwall
- What to pack for a Caribbean cruise
- What to pack for a camper van holiday
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
- Tips for driving in Crete
- How to save money on flights
- How to plan and round the world trip
- Using Smart breakdown from the AA
- Where do you stand on cancelled holidays?
For even more tips read my post for smashing travel with kids!
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
- Sleeping bags for camping and caravanning
- Kids sleeping bags
- What you need for paddle boarding with kids
- Teebee travel toy box
- Are We There Yet? travel activity bags
- Foame travel games
Paddle boarding with kids
If you fancy having a go at paddle boarding with kids we can highly recommend it. Here’s some tips and paddle board reviews you will find useful:
- What you need for paddle boarding with kids
- Safety tips and advice for paddle boarding with kids
- Tips for paddle boarding in winter
- Red Paddle Board review – premium paddle boards
- Sandbanks SUP Style review – mid-budget paddle boards
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:
- Our full guide to caravanning with kids
- A family guide to glamping with kids
- What to pack for camping with kids
- 10 camping tips to make you look like a pro
- 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?
- Best gifts for campers
- Camping play sets for kids while you’re not away
Camper vans with kids
We bough our first camper van (well, it’s actually a day van) in 2019. Here’s our posts about what we’ve learnt and things we have tried while camper-vanning with kids:
- Top tips for buying a camper can or day van
- How to find a camper van to convert
- What questions to ask when buying a camper van
- What to pack for a camper van holiday
- Review: OLPRO Cocoon Breeze inflatable camper van awning
- How a family of four sleeps in VW Transporter beds for camper vans.
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
- Pentewan Sands, Cornwall
- Seaview Gorran Haven, Cornwall
- Western Meadows Glamping, Launceston, Cornwall
- Perran Sands Holiday Park, Perranporth, Cornwall
- Little Winnick touring park, St Austell, 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
- Blackdown Yurts, Devon
- Cheddar Mendip Heights, Somerset
- South Lychett Manor Caravan and Camping Park, Dorset
- Verwood Camping & Caravanning Club Site, Dorset
You might also like my guides to: glamping in Devon | self-catering accommodation in Cornwall | holiday parks in Cornwall | touring campsites 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
- The Esplanade, Newquay, Cornwall
- Langstone Cliff Hotel, Dawlish, Devon
- Fowey Hall Hotel, Fowey, Cornwall
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
- The Valley, Truro, Cornwall
- Bournemouth Beach Lodges, Dorset
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
- Pentewan Sands, Cornwall
- The Valley, Truro, Cornwall
- Perran Sands Holiday Park, Perranporth, Cornwall
Check out our full guide to holiday parks in 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
- Little Winnick touring park, Cornwall
- Moorland Garden Hotel, Dartmoor, Devon
- Darwin Forest Country Park, Peak District, Derbyshire
- The Grand Hotel, Torquay, Devon
- The Valley, Truro, Cornwall
- Langstone Cliff Hotel, Dawlish, Devon
- Fowey Hall Hotel, Fowey, Cornwall
Why not also take a look at these dog-friendly days out in the UK.
Accessible and wheelchair friendly days out
If you are looking for a day out that the whole family can enjoy then accessibility may be on your mind. Whether you are visiting an attraction with a disabled child or relative, read this round up of the most accessible and wheelchair friendly days out in the UK.
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
- How to have a more environmentally-friendly cruise
- What to pack for a Caribbean cruise
- Planning a Caribbean family cruise
You can read more tips, destination guides and cruise line reviews the family travel blog Cruising With Kids where I also write.
More cruise blogs
We have also cruised without the kids. Here’s a selection of my post from our Eastern Caribbean cruise, including excursions, tips and destination guides:
- 15 day winter sun cruise in the Eastern Caribbean
- Disembarkation day tips
- Tips for having a more environmentally friendly cruise
- Is the P&O drinks package worth it?
- Barbados Atlantis Submarine tour review
- St Lucia island tour review
- Day trip to Virgin Gorda
- What toiletries to pack for a winter sun cruise
- Is it worth indulging in the adults only area of a ship?
Family-friendly campsites Europe
In the past few years our family travel blog has 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:
- Camping Eden, Lake Garda, Italy
- Yelloh! Village Pin Parasol, Vendee, France
- Norcenni Girasole Club, Tuscany, Italy
Family-friendly holidays: UK
Love a UK staycation? Here’s our guides to some top UK staycation destinations for family holidays:
- Where to holiday in England over October half term
- Bath, England
- Cornwall, England
- Devon, England
- Dorset, England
- Isle of Wight, England
- London, England
- Midlands, England
- Northumberland, England
- Sussex, England
- Wiltshire, England
- Windsor, England
- West Yorkshire, England
- Carmarthenshire, Wales
- Glamorgan, Wales
- Swansea Bay, Wales
Find more days out in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in my big round up of 101 UK attractions for families.
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:
- Lake Garda, Italy
- Siena, Italy
- Florence, Italy
- Pompeii, Italy
- Venice, Italy
- Sicily, Italy
- The Italian Lakes
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
- Things to do in Chania, Crete
- Island hopping in Croatia
- Easy walking holidays in Europe
Gift guides for travellers
Wondering what to get the adventurer in your life. These gift guides will help:
- Gifts for the whole family
- Gifts for campers
- Gifts for camper van owners
- Travel gifts for kids who have everything
- Gifts for travelling mums
Follow our family travel blog
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For more travel advice and reviews take a look at my tips for smashing travel with kids and sign up to my newsletter.