Last weekend we had a wonderful break in a caravan at the Parkdean Holiday Camp in Hayling Island. We haven’t stayed in a caravan since having children and I was looking forward to seeing if this was a holiday we would all enjoy and how it would compare with going abroad.
Hayling Island is on the South Coast near to Portsmouth. It has lovely Blue Flag beaches and a beautiful view across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. The park itself is really quiet and very well kept and clean. It is the perfect place to stay with young children.
We were staying for three nights and set off as soon as school was finished for the Summer. We arrived late at night but received a really warm welcome from the staff. We were excited to get to our caravan and impressed with how spacious it was. The girls loved the selection of goodies left for them.
The first thing I noticed about the caravan was how much storage there was. The kitchen had everything you would need to self cater, which definitely helps to keep the cost down. We ate at the restaurant and
The living area seemed really big, even though there was five of us, there was enough room. It was great to have the Tv and dvd player for the evenings.
There was a seating area and a dining table and chairs. They were all really comfortable.
The caravan sleeps 6 people comfortably. There are two twin rooms and a double. There are two shower rooms, which is really handy when you have little ones. The twin rooms are one end of the caravan and have lots of handy storage. The beds were very comfortable and the girls had a good nights sleep. Although the caravans look quite close together you couldn’t hear the neighbours and it did feel really quiet.
The beds were quite narrow and you might need a bed guard for younger children to keep them from falling out. Once of the best features is the washing machine. This was so handy when you have young children.
There is also a small patio area with a table and chairs. This is a lovely area to sit in the evening.
There is plenty of space around the caravan for the children to play. They had a lovely time.
The park was very friendly and that was probably because a lot of the caravans were residential. You could tell the owners loved the Parkdean holiday park and took a lot of pride individualising their caravans. This really made the park seem homely and welcoming.
Hayling Island is a lovely place to explore. We went out both days we were there. It is a proper English seaside town.
The best way to explore was to ride the little train along the bay.
We loved to look at the colourful beach huts.
It was great to get away from it all and spend time as a family. 
Of course you have to stop and have an ice cream.
After a busy day at the beach there was lots to do at the Holiday Park in the evenings. There was a small arcade with a few rides and slot machines.
The girls liked the air hockey the best. There was also a kids club in the evening which the girls loved. They watched performances fro the Parkdean mascots Sid and Lizzy and took part in fun games and quizzes.
There is an adventure playground with swings and slides. As with the whole park this was exceptionally clean and well maintained.
We were incredibly lucky with the weather and managed to swim in the outdoor pool both days. It felt like we were in Spain. You can access the indoor and outdoor pools from the same changing room. You just get a band from Reception and need a pound for the lockers.
If it is raining there wis also a soft play area with a ball pool. There were so many things to do. We didn’t get chance to use the gym or the kids club.
We had a really lovely time at Parkdean Holiday Park. I would definitely go again, or stay in one of their other parks. It really showed what a brilliant time you can without leaving this country. I would definitely recommend it.
Follow Rebecca English’s board British Holiday on Pinterest.
Disclaimer: We stayed at the holiday Park for free and received a complimentary meal for the purposes of this review.
