Have you heard of skip-gen holidays? It’s a travel trend that’s growing fast in the UK, where grandparents take their grandchildren on holiday without the parents – so you’re literally skipping the middle generation. If you’ve got a lot of grandchildren, Sleeps12 have the perfect holiday houses where the older and younger generations can have a fantastic time and make very special memories.
There are so many reasons why skip-gen holidays in the UK are such a great idea. Firstly, you get to spend quality time with your grandchildren, time that’s precious, as we all know how fast they grow up these days. Spending time with children is a short cut to happiness because their energy and enthusiasm is infectious; it’s a way for you to be a child again, to rekindle the things you loved doing when you were young. It’s also about getting to know the younger generation and strengthening your bonds with your grandchildren.
Whatever time of year it is you can share memories from your own childhood – the simple things like rolling up your trouser legs and paddling in the sea, watching wildlife, catching fallen leaves, maybe even building a snowman. If the weather’s not on your side, it really doesn’t matter because we have luxury group accommodation with so much to keep you all smiling even if it’s lashing down with rain outside. There are private indoor pools, games rooms, movie rooms, and BBQ lodges where you can toast marshmallows together in all seasons. Not only is it family friendly, it’s also dog friendly, so you can take the pet pooch along too. Even if you’ve got mobility issues it needn’t be a problem because so many of our large group holiday houses in the UK are access friendly with level floors, ground floor bedrooms, wet rooms and in some cases, a lift or stairlift.
Another reason why skip-gen holidays are such a good idea is because it’s easier to organise. Parents may be unable to take a break due to work commitments, but grandparents are usually retired so it’s not a problem for them. This might especially be the case in the school holidays when a lot of parents are looking to take time off. It also gives parents a break, a chance to catch up on some much need together time, or to head off for a romantic holiday of their own.
When booking a Skip-Gen holiday it’s wise to think about the needs and interests of your grandchildren and to plan things you can all enjoy together. We’ve put together a short list to inspire you:
Skip-Gen Holidays in the Country
Most of our large group holiday properties are set in glorious countryside where there will be fields for your little darlings to run through, huge amounts of fresh air to make them sleep well, and so much to see and do. Discover the heathery heaths of Exmoor where wild ponies graze, spot red deer feeding in the Quantock Hills, have an adventure deep in the Forest of Dean, go for a picnic in the Blackdown Hills that straddle both Somerset and Devon.
Plan activities like alpaca trekking, bushcraft, mini golf or tenpin bowling; visit attractions like Dunster Castle, Quince Honey Farm, or Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park. Take a day trip to Stonehenge, go underground at Cheddar Caves and Wookey Hole, enjoy a safari at Longleat Wildlife Park, or a trip on a horse drawn barge along the Grand Western Canal at Tiverton.
Skip-Gen Holidays Near the Beach
We’ve also got big holiday houses within easy reach of the beach, in Devon, Somerset and East Sussex. Kids just love the seaside so if the sun has got his hat on you can spend days by the shore, making sandcastles, exploring the rockpools, and tucking into fish and chips.
Take a mackerel fishing trip or an exhilarating rib ride at Lyme Regis, join a fossil hunt at Charmouth, play on the sands at Woolacombe and Croyde, enjoy donkey rides at Weston-Super-Mare, try canoeing at Cuckmere Haven.
Skip-Gen Holidays Near a City
Head for a day in the city on your Ski-Gen holiday – something your grandchildren can tell their parents and friends about. Take them to London for the day on a sightseeing trip, visit a big attraction like the Natural History Museum, Madame Tussauds or London Zoo. Explore Bristol where you can climb on board SS Great Britain and get close up to all kinds of sea creatures at Bristol Aquarium; visit Bath to see the Roman Baths, take a tour of the Medieval Underground Passages in Exeter and see the Egyptian Mummy at the RAM Museum.
Skip-Gen Holidays on a Farm
Some of our large holiday homes are set on working farms so you get to experience the sights and sounds (and sometimes the smells!) first hand. There might be horses or cows grazing in the fields close to the house, sheep nibbling the grass on the hills, and free-range chicken and ducks pecking about. You may be able to buy farm fresh produce on site or close by – freshly laid eggs, milk from the dairy, vegetables grown in the fields, apples from the orchard, or even meat from animals that are raised and grazed on the farm.
Precious times, extra special memories for you and your grandchildren. Book your Skip-Gen holiday today!