Over the past year, it’s no surprise that a lot of people have searched online for places like Cornwall and Devon. Why? Well, these South Coast gems and their neighbouring counties offer some truly Great British holidays. So this year, why not rediscover the South Coast’s diverse range of natural beauty?
For the perfect family holiday, the 37 Haven holiday parks offer a great range of caravan park experiences around the country’s coastline. Among these great holiday parks, we’ve selected the 5 best Haven holiday parks on the South Coast for you and your family in 2021. While each has its own unique attractions, these seaside holiday parks typically have amazing sandy beach access and fantastic facilities, like heated swimming pools, outdoor play areas, climbing walls or a golf course or two.
So what are you waiting for? Break away from the everyday and join us for a tour of the best Haven holiday parks on the South Coast!
1. Haven Riviere Sands
Location: Hayle, Cornwall
Best for: Visiting some of Cornwall’s top destinations – St. Ives, St. Michael’s Mount and Land’s End
Surfing, blue and white stripes, Cornish pasties, Poldark… No matter which element of Cornwall has stolen your heart, your Cornish getaway starts here. This holiday park will wow you with its view of St Ives Bay from the clifftop. You’ll then be tempted to head down to feel the soft golden sands, made easy by direct beach access to Hayle beach. While you enjoy the sandy beach, your children can hit the waves for surfing or paddle boarding – and if you have not tried these watersports before, don’t worry, the beach has its own surf and paddle school. There are lots of great surfing beaches nearby, so you are bound to find the perfect one for you and your family. You might even be able to encounter seals and dolphins by the shore, a special addition to the perfect Cornish retreat!
If your children want to have a break from the sea and still have the energy to make a splash, they can jump into the park’s swimming pools, with water slides available at the outdoor pool and flumes in the indoor pool. Hungry stomachs can be refilled at The Bluff Inn restaurant, Coast Cafe, or Cook’s Fish and Chips, or you can venture out to the many excellent restaurants and cafes in easy reach.
Day trips to St. Ives, St. Michael’s Mount and Land’s End are great ways to make the most of your time at this caravan park and explore the local area. These are just some of Cornwall’s top destinations within driving distance of this Haven park. Hit the road and absorb the Cornwall vibes that’ll be remembered by every member of your family!
Facilities: Riviere Sands Holiday Park’s outdoor play area displays a spectacular view of St Ives Bay. The park’s entertainment facilities include the FunWorks amusements arcade, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, pool tables, crazy golf course, adventure playground and bungee trampolines. Nature Rockz Programmes such as pebble art, sand sculptures, nest box creation and many more, have been confirmed for 2021.
2. Haven Perran Sands
Location: Perranporth, Cornwall
Best for: great surfing beaches, dog-friendly holidays and days out around Newquay
If four-legged friends are accompanying your family to Cornwall, Haven Perran Sands holiday park is the perfect choice, as one of Haven’s dog-friendly holiday parks with direct beach access. In fact, Haven Perran Sands is friendly to all, whether you stay as a couple or a family with children. Couples love the gorgeous view of the pristine beach as they walk on soft sand, little ones lose track of time making sandcastles and splashing in the waves, teenagers discover the excitement of surfing and paddleboarding, while furry friends leave their pawprints in the sand on the beach – and are sure to have a busily wagging tail! Everyone can engage with the great outdoors at Perran Sands.
Only 8 miles from Newquay, you can easily venture out to Cornish towns and villages in the local area for a change of scene. One of the most popular attractions is Lappa Valley as both kids and adults can enjoy steam train rides on over 10 types of steam engines. The National Trust’s Carnewas at Bedruthan Steps is a gorgeous viewpoint you can easily reach by car, with a well-reviewed National Trust tea room. For those fancying day trips further afield, the Eden Project is about 40 minutes drive away and it is just over an hour to Tintagel Castle.
Multiple types of accommodation at this holiday park let you try a unique theme and style for your holiday in 2021, from several grades of caravans (Standard, Deluxe, Prestige and Platinum with Decking) to chalets (Standard, Comfort, Comfort Plus and Premier), glamping (Supertents, Geo Domes, Safari Tents and Yurts) and Beach House options. Simply take your pick at this holiday park, whether that’s a classic caravan trip, a luxurious coastal holiday, or even a nomadic yurt stay!
Facilities: This Haven park is facilitated with 6 food and drink venues and a supermarket. This includes the Surf Bay Cafe where you can taste a Cornish cream tea. The entertainment venue, amusements arcade, indoor SportsDrome and the all-weather sports range ensure young visitors have the best holiday, even if the weather takes a turn for the worse. The lazy river at the outdoor swimming pool is a great addition to this caravan park’s many water activities, along with the water flume at the heated indoor swimming pool. Anyone with a creative mind can also unfold their imagination at Pic ‘n’ Paint Pottery Studio as various art programmes are confirmed for 2021, including Pottery Art for adults.
3. Haven Devon Cliffs
Location: Exmouth, Devon
Best for: fun-filled family caravan holiday with breathtaking beach views along the Jurassic Coast
If you want a site that is regularly considered a contender for THE BEST Haven park and one of our best holiday parks in the UK, look no further than Haven Devon Cliffs. Being one of the biggest holiday parks in Europe, this Haven park has something for your children, regardless of their age. From excellent pool facilities, to the park’s outdoor climbing wall and an aerial adventure course, where you can climb up to a platform with great scenery. Your smallest adventurers can even train themselves on a swinging course just 1m off the ground! Even if bad weather hits, indoor entertainment has got you covered, including an all-weather sports range, a heated indoor pool and 2 entertainment venues. Little ones, young ones and big ones will enjoy every minute of their time here, day and night.
The size of the park isn’t it’s only impressive aspect. Its location, in the East Devon AONB and on the cliffs alongside the Jurassic Coast, makes this caravan park and your bay holiday even more special. The natural gem will attract your whole family with direct beach access to Sandy Bay Beach, the Blue Flag Winner in 2019. This beach, with its golden sand, is wonderful to stroll, swim and sunbathe on. This Haven holiday park also offers your family another great way to explore the South Coast through the Nature Rockz programme. Free of charge to visitors of all ages, join Haven’s Ranger for Dinosaur Coast Discovery, an engaging and exciting opportunity to find out more about the area’s dinosaur history and create your dinosaur sand sculpture.
Facilities: This caravan holiday park boasts 12 venues for food and drink, including big name brands like Burger King. A diverse range of entertainment facilities is available, from 3 outdoor play areas to heated indoor and outdoor pools with a multi-lane slide and a flume, the adventure golf course, bike hire, 4×4 off-roaders, segway, bungee trampoline and a nature trail. The fun activities just don’t end here, truly one of the best Haven holiday parks!
4. Haven Seaview
Location: Preston, Weymouth, Dorset
Best for: A quieter holiday with a UNESCO World Heritage Site closeby
If you prefer a smaller and more relaxed family getaway, but don’t want to miss out on natural beauty, Haven Seaview may be the best Haven park for you. Both the indoor pool and the outdoor pool are heated, with an indoor water slide. Once you have enjoyed the pool, take advantage of other Haven park activities available, from playing crazy golf or bouncing on a bungee trampoline, to learning archery and shooting, creative workshops at Pic ‘n’ Paint Studio or the Nature Rockz programmes.
In the immediate area of this holiday park is Bowleaze Cove, which is just 15 minutes on foot. This is a dog-friendly beach, so your furry friends won’t look sad about being left behind! Nearby RSPB Lodmoor Nature Reserve is a nice spot for a nature walk where you can go bird watching. On the other side of the holiday park site, Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door are just a short drive away, some of the UK’s most famous attractions related to the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What makes Haven Seaview holiday park stand out is its diverse range of accommodation types. Not only does the park provide caravan homes in Standard, Deluxe, Prestige and Platinum with decking, it also gives you an option of chalets, or Safari Tents which accommodate up to 5 guests.
Facilities: Haven Seaview has a Cafe Bar and Grill and PAPA JOHN’s Pizza, with a supermarket on site. While quieter and smaller than other options, this holiday park still has all the day and evening entertainment offerings you need for a fun family holiday. At the ShowBar venue, entertainment programmes for the whole family are run day and night, including interactive shows with music and dancing. There is a sports field available and there’s also an outdoor play area.
5. Haven Rockley Park
Location: Nr. Poole, Dorset
Best for: Connecting with nature, from strolling the nature reserve to indulging in water activities
Located on the heathland of Ham Common nature reserve, this Haven park is a great place for families with young children. With easy access from the holiday park, let your children explore Ham Common for lizards, over 34 beautiful butterfly species and a wide variety of birds. From its lake views to amazing sunsets, during a gentle stroll around Ham Common, you’ll be amazed by how many beautiful spots this nature reserve contains.
While these natural spots fascinate your little ones, this Haven park is filled with fun facilities and exciting programmes for not-so-little ones too. At this site, water lovers can enjoy an indoor pool, with water slides, SplashZone and a flume to the outdoor pool. Hire a kayak or paddleboard, or add a sprinkle of the unique with a pedal kayak and stand up pedalboard, from Shore Thing, based at Haven Rockley Park. When you’re back on land, there are more adventures to be had with Vertical Challenge and the high ropes course, lawn bowls, an outdoor climbing wall and a crazy golf course.
There is a wide range of choice of accommodation at Haven Rockley Park, from The Pod, a new additmyion from 2019, classic caravans and luxury lodges. With so much choice, you can find the perfect type of accommodation to suit you and your family. Of course, any family who needs better accessibility is covered with this holiday park’s Adapted Caravans.
Facilities: Whatever your age, you are bound to have a great time here, with 4 outdoor play areas, an all-weather multi-sports court, toddler-friendly soft play area, Pic ‘n’ Paint Pottery Studio, Tennis courts and Nature trail. 4 food and drink venues and a local supermarket give your family a variety of meal options.
Explore Best Haven Holiday Parks in Other Areas
If you would like a holiday village elsewhere in the country, don’t worry, Haven have still got you covered with their holiday parks around the country – from North Wales to Yorkshire, the Lake District to the East Coast.
One of the best Haven holiday parks in North Wales is Haven Hafan y Môr, as it’s close to the spectacular Snowdonia National Park. Being Haven’s largest caravan park, the facilities here are absolutely full of great activities. The adventure trail and aerial adventure course are great tests for brave young explorers, while the indoor swimming pool, with its multi-lane water slide and splashing activities for toddlers, is fun for everyone. Check out our guide for more information on Haven Hafan y Môr and other best holiday parks in North Wales.
In the north of England, some of the best Haven holiday parks include Haven Primrose Valley and Haven Blue Dolphin, both of which are in North Yorkshire, and Haven Thornwick Bay in East Yorkshire. These caravan parks are great for fishing and have excellent swimming pools on site. Check out more details about the best Haven holiday parks in Yorkshire.