Dorset: Chesil Vista
A stone’s throw from Chesil Beach, Chesil Vista is a family-friendly caravan park (open March-october) that makes the perfect base for exploring Dorset’s fossil-rich coastline. You’ll find comfortable, wellequipped caravans with large living rooms and decent showers – some also come with a generous terrace and sea views, and a handful of two-bedroom apartments have shared terraces.
On site, there’s plenty of organised entertainment and games to keep children happy, including an indoor pool complete with flume slide. No trip to the seaside is complete without a visit to the arcade, and Chesil Vista’s will not disappoint, while other on-site facilities include a well-maintained soft play centre. Rise early and hire bikes (in advance) to make the most of the vast shingle bays with their crystal-clear waters, that are virtually on the doorstep. Look for fossils, visit the impressive Portland Bill Lighthouse, and stop off for freshly shucked oysters in one of the many seaside shacks.
If you’re looking for good food with a familyfriendly vibe, then try Billy Winters Bar & Diner
(billywinters.co.uk). There’s house-smoked salmon, Fleet Lagoon-foraged seabeet, and oyster beds adjacent to the restaurant so you can enjoy briny bivalves straight from the water. The wood-fired pizzas (£11.50-15), and homemade cakes (around £3) are a hit with kids, and Billy’s makes a good classic cocktail, too (£7.50). The bar is set right on the beach with amazing views, which is ideal for some postprandial stone-skimming.
If you’re looking for a more grown-up dinner venue, then the award-winning Crab House Café (crabhousecafe.co.uk) is a short walk from the caravan park. Renowned for its seafood, it’s recommended by tourists and locals alike, with mains from £14-£30, and children’s fish and chips for £7.50.
For a relaxed, good-quality, well-priced meal on site, Chesil Vista’s Breeze Bar & Grill (breezebarandgrill. co.uk) has friendly staff and a wide selection to choose from. Try the locally caught seabass with scalloped new potatoes and spinach (£13.95) and a range of classic kids’ dishes from a fiver, then grown-ups can round off the meal with artisan cheeses sourced from the Dorset Downs (£6.95). Kids will be delighted by the dessert menu. Indulge them with an ice-cream sandwich or sundae (£4.95) to fuel a bit more play before bedtime. Lily Barclay
How to do it
From £159 for a three-night break (Fri-mon) based on a family of four sharing a Classic Modern Caravan. watersideholidaygroup.co.uk/our-holiday-parks/ chesil-vista
Rise early and hire bikes to make the most of vast shingle bays and their crystalclear waters