Reet grand tour
Diving into Yorkshire with our own little Tyke
HURTLING down the slide before splashing into the water, Harry jumped feet first into his holiday. Mini Meerkats club is aimed at the toddlers, with balance bikes, sand art and science lessons.
And young explorers aged from four to ten in the Lookout Club can join the ranger on the search for hidden treasure in the forest. Plus there’s archery, five-a-side football and kwik cricket.
The Inbeteeners caters for teenagers with the highlight being a night vision adventure with specialist goggles to spot nocturnal animals.
Sand le Mere also has a sensory room for children with autism, Asperger’s and ADHD.
And it is also a great base to explore Yorkshire.
The East Riding coast is stunning and we had a beach day at Hornsea, where Harry collected pebbles and, erm, small rocks to take home. Lunch at the Floral Hall cafe was a treat for Harry – it is perched high above the beach, giving him another chance to try out his new binoculars and take in some amazing views.
An hour’s drive up the coast from the holiday park is the seaside town of Bridlington, with eight beaches within easy reach.
Dance
SINGAPORE’S iconic Raffles hotel, which dates from 1887 and is where the Singapore Sling was invented, is open after a two-year revamp. Five nights’ B&B costs £2,550pp with flights and £60 credit a night. See wexas.com.
You can enjoy the sand and shingle at North Beach, the nature reserve at South Landing and visit Flamborough, famous for its puffins. There’s also Bridlington South, with its mile-long stretch, and the vast sandy expanse at Wilsthorpe.
The town is also home to Bridlington Spa, with its dance hall and theatre, and the harbour is bustling bus with cafes and shops. The Bridlington Birds of Prey and Animal Park is also worth a flying visit – home to falcons, owls and hawks set in a woodland and with a daily flying display for visitors.
Flamingo Land boasts thrill rides such as the Mumbo Jumbo with its vertical drop and the Peter Rabbit Adventure for the little ones. As its name suggest, it also has a zoo.
The Deep in Hull is one of the country’s most spectacular aquariums, with more than 3,500 colourful fish.
Starfish, sharks, rays and penguins await, just 15 miles away from Sand le Mere.
You can even watch divers feeding sharks in the Endless Oceans, the Lagoon of Light and Amazon Flooded Forest.
If you want to get up close and personal with the Deep’s residents, yo you can handle small species, su such as sea urchins, velvet sw swimmer crabs and starfish.
It inspired us to take a dip ou ourselves, in our private hot tub ba back at Sand le Mere, while wa watching the sun set over God’s Ow Own Country.
Glass of wine in hand, and Ca Captain Harry safely tucked up in bed, we toasted a perfect fam family staycation.
FACTFILE: FAC Four nights at Sand le Me Mere, starting August 19, costs fro from £769, based on up to six sha sharing a two-bedroom lodge. See sand-le-mere.co.uk.