Family Camping in the UK: Holiday Parks, Campsites and Days Out

We might spend most of our holidays in Europe these days, but the UK is where it all started for me. I grew up going to Shorefield holiday parks in the New Forest with my grandparents, then camped in Swanage every summer with friends. Our first ever camping trip together (Mike and me) was in Swanage too, in a £25 pop-up tent with our feet hanging out the door (it’s all in the Swanage post…).

So if you’d rather skip the ferry, here’s everything we’ve written about family camping and holiday parks in the UK, plus the regions, timing and costs that actually matter when you’re planning one.

Who is UK family camping for?

UK camping suits families who want a short, low-stress break without a ferry crossing or a long drive. If you’ve got a week or less, or you’re nervous about taking young kids abroad for the first time, a UK holiday park or campsite gets you outdoors without passports, a ferry crossing and a long day of driving on the right.

It’s also the easier option for a last-minute trip. Campsites in mainland Europe usually need booking ahead for the best pitches and mobile homes in summer, but a UK holiday park can often take a booking a few days out, especially outside peak summer.

UK holiday parks vs campsites vs mainland Europe: what’s the difference?

A UK holiday park, like Hoburne Bashley, usually means a static caravan or lodge with a pool complex, a bar, an arcade and entertainment on-site, booked by the night or the week. A UK campsite, like the ones we use in Swanage, is more basic: you bring your own tent, there might be a small shop, and the pitch price is lower because you’re not paying for a pool and a kids’ club.

Mainland Europe sits somewhere in between and then goes further. Campsites in France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands with Eurocamp mobile homes (we’ve stayed at plenty, from Le Ranolien in Brittany to La Grande Métairie in Carnac) usually have bigger pool complexes, waterparks and longer seasons, because camping is a much bigger part of family life over there. The trade-off is the crossing, the extra driving and booking earlier for peak weeks.

If you want sunshine and a full waterpark, mainland Europe usually wins. Have a look at our best Eurocamps in France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands to see what I mean. If you want a weekend sorted with an hour’s drive and no ferry, the UK wins.

Where we’ve been

Our camping roots in the UK are in Dorset and the New Forest. I grew up going to Shorefield parks with my grandparents. I first camped in Swanage for carnival week in 2008, went back every year with friends until 2011, then took Mike there once we’d finished working on campsites in Europe, at Downshay Farm and later Toms Field. We haven’t been back for a few years now (we must go again, this time with the girls). We stayed in a caravan at Hoburne Bashley and used it as our base for a day at Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World.

Which UK regions are best for family camping?

The New Forest and Dorset coast are where we have the most first-hand experience, but plenty of other UK regions are well set up for family camping. Here’s an honest look, with what we’ve actually done flagged clearly.

New Forest

The New Forest is where I grew up holidaying, at Shorefield parks with my grandparents. Ponies wandering across the road, big woodland walks and easy access to the coast at Lymington and Milford on Sea. Shorefield Country Park is right by Milford on Sea. More recently we stayed at Hoburne Bashley and used the New Forest as a base for Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World.

Dorset

Dorset is the other region I know well, mainly Swanage, where I camped for carnival week for years. We used Downshay Farm, a working farm with views of Corfe Castle and the steam railway, and tried Toms Field in 2016 at Mike’s suggestion. Toms Field is a lot flatter than Downshay and seems more popular in summer. Full write-up on our camping in Swanage page, including the steam railway to Corfe Castle and the beaches at Old Harry Rocks. If you’d rather have a caravan or lodge than a tent, Shorefield has Swanage Coastal Park just outside the town.

Cornwall

We haven’t camped in Cornwall ourselves yet, but it’s consistently one of the UK’s most popular camping counties thanks to its beaches and surf spots along the north coast around Newquay and St Ives. Expect higher prices and earlier booking in the school summer holidays, since Cornish sites fill up fastest.

Devon

We haven’t stayed in Devon either, but it covers both coasts: the sheltered, family-friendly beaches around Torbay on the south coast, and the wilder surf beaches near Woolacombe in the north. Dartmoor National Park sits in between if you want walking and wild ponies alongside the seaside.

Lake District

I haven’t camped in the Lake District, but Mike has. He’s from the north and went camping there with his friends when he was at uni. It’s the UK’s go-to region for a hillier, lake-based trip rather than a seaside one. Expect cooler, wetter weather than the south coast, so it suits families who are happy with walking boots and waterproofs over buckets and spades.

Wales

We haven’t camped in Wales ourselves, but the Pembrokeshire coast and the Gower Peninsula both come up often as family camping spots, with sandy beaches and lower prices than the south coast of England in peak season.

UK holiday park deals

UK holiday parks are brilliant for a short break or a half term, and there’s no long drive at the other end. These are the ones we keep an eye on for offers.

When should you go camping in the UK?

The main school summer holidays in England and Wales run from late July to early September (from 22 July in 2027), and this is when UK holiday parks and campsites are busiest and priciest. If you can go in May or June half term instead, you’ll get lower prices, quieter pools and usually decent weather.

Swanage carnival week, when I used to camp there, is at the end of July and the start of August, which is peak summer, so book early if you’re going then. If your dates are flexible, the May half term and September are usually quieter and cheaper than August.

UK caravan park weather is never guaranteed. We were lucky with the weather at Bashley and spent most of our time in the outdoor toddler pool, but have a backup plan for a rainy day. We went to Paultons Park and Longdown Activity Farm in the rain. If you want somewhere fully indoors, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu is nearby.

How much does UK family camping cost?

A basic UK campsite pitch for a tent and family typically runs from around £15 to £30 a night outside peak season, rising at busy coastal sites like Swanage in summer. Motorhome and caravan pitches with hookup typically cost £30 to £45 a night across the UK in 2026, according to Swift’s 2026 pitch cost guide.

Holiday park caravans and lodges cost more because you’re paying for the accommodation itself, not just the pitch. Prices move around a lot by date and season, so always check live pricing at Shorefield Country Park, the other Shorefield Holidays parks or Park Holidays UK before you book.

Packing for a UK camping trip

Our camping packing list works just as well in Dorset as it does in the Dordogne. Just swap the sun cream for extra waterproofs, and maybe pack a pop-up tent that actually fits your airbed.

UK family camping: frequently asked questions

Is UK camping cheaper than camping in Europe?

A basic UK tent pitch is usually cheaper than a Eurocamp mobile home in mainland Europe, since you’re not paying for a built waterpark or a longer entertainment season. But a UK holiday park caravan with a pool complex, like Hoburne Bashley, can cost a similar amount to a mobile home in France or Spain once you add up the week, and over there the sun is far more likely to come out. The real saving in the UK is skipping the ferry and the extra driving.

Do you need to book UK campsites in advance?

For school summer holidays and half terms, yes, book ahead, especially at popular coastal spots like Swanage. Outside peak dates, plenty of UK campsites and holiday parks will take a booking just a few days out, which is one of the big advantages over a French trip that needs more lead time.

What’s the best UK holiday park for a toddler?

From our own stay, Hoburne Bashley worked well for a toddler thanks to the indoor and outdoor splash areas and a shallow toddler pool. Check-out is 9am though, which is early if you’re packing up with a toddler, so plan the last morning around that.

Is tent camping or a holiday park caravan better for a first UK trip?

If you’re not sure your kids will cope with tent camping, start with a holiday park caravan. You still get the outdoor, campsite feel with a pool and entertainment, but a real bed, kitchen and bathroom on-site. Once you know they’re happy outdoors, tent camping somewhere like Swanage is a cheaper step up.

What should I pack that I wouldn’t think of for UK camping?

Extra waterproofs over extra sun cream, since UK weather is far less predictable than southern Europe. Our full camping packing list covers everything else, but a spare set of dry clothes for the kids and a full rain cover for the tent are the two things people forget most.

Fancy going further?

When you’re ready for a bit more sunshine, have a look at our best campsites in France, best Eurocamps in Spain or best campsites in Italy. Or start here if you don’t know where to begin.