Footwear deserves more thought than it usually gets. Bring proper walking shoes or trainers for dunes, coastal paths and pebble beaches, sandals for round the caravan and the pool if your park has one, and something you don't mind getting wet for rockpooling or a paddle. Flip-flops alone rarely survive a full week of coastal walking.
Next, think about park size. A larger park usually means more on-site facilities: a pool, a clubhouse, perhaps a shop and a play area, which suits families who want options if the weather turns. A smaller park tends to be quieter, with fewer people about and a slower pace, which some guests prefer, particularly couples or those travelling without children. Neither is better, they just suit different trips.
If your break falls within school holidays, particularly the summer holidays or half terms, book as early as you reasonably can, ideally several months ahead. These are the weeks every family with school-age children is trying to book at the same time, so the best weeks, and often the more sought-after units within those weeks, go first. Waiting until a few weeks before a summer half term usually means choosing from whatever's left rather than what you'd actually prefer.
Pace is worth planning around too. A multi-generational trip works best when the itinerary has some flexibility built in, a gentle morning walk that suits everyone, followed by an afternoon where younger children can do something more energetic while grandparents have a quieter few hours back at the caravan. Trying to keep every generation doing exactly the same thing for a full week tends to wear thin by day three.
A countryside or Broads-side setting offers a different rhythm. Rather than one central stretch of coast, you're usually within reach of quiet lanes, market towns, nature reserves and, on the Norfolk Broads holidays specifically, slow-moving waterways that suit an afternoon boat trip or a riverside pub lunch. It tends to be a calmer setting day to day, better suited to those who want gentle walks, birdwatching or simply a quieter base to come back to after a day out, rather than beach-focused activity.
Get the full picture at self-catering holiday parks.
Next, think about park size. A larger park usually means more on-site facilities: a pool, a clubhouse, perhaps a shop and a play area, which suits families who want options if the weather turns. A smaller park tends to be quieter, with fewer people about and a slower pace, which some guests prefer, particularly couples or those travelling without children. Neither is better, they just suit different trips.
If your break falls within school holidays, particularly the summer holidays or half terms, book as early as you reasonably can, ideally several months ahead. These are the weeks every family with school-age children is trying to book at the same time, so the best weeks, and often the more sought-after units within those weeks, go first. Waiting until a few weeks before a summer half term usually means choosing from whatever's left rather than what you'd actually prefer.
Pace is worth planning around too. A multi-generational trip works best when the itinerary has some flexibility built in, a gentle morning walk that suits everyone, followed by an afternoon where younger children can do something more energetic while grandparents have a quieter few hours back at the caravan. Trying to keep every generation doing exactly the same thing for a full week tends to wear thin by day three.
A countryside or Broads-side setting offers a different rhythm. Rather than one central stretch of coast, you're usually within reach of quiet lanes, market towns, nature reserves and, on the Norfolk Broads holidays specifically, slow-moving waterways that suit an afternoon boat trip or a riverside pub lunch. It tends to be a calmer setting day to day, better suited to those who want gentle walks, birdwatching or simply a quieter base to come back to after a day out, rather than beach-focused activity.
Get the full picture at self-catering holiday parks.