Back to the bucket and spade …

FAMILY holidays are coming back in a big way. According to VisitEngland’s travel trends report, England’s baby boom and ageing population will see more three-generation family holidays booked in the next ten years than ever before.

VisitEngland rounds up the best of the English seaside for all the family:

Lincolnshire: Serene, unspoilt and a little bit wild

East Lincolnshire’s tranquil charms take nothing away from its huge family appeal. Cleethorpes near Grimsby has three miles of unadulterated Blue Flag beaches, with plenty of space to fly a kite, play beach games or simply dig your toes into the soft honey-hued sand while eating fish and chips.

Isle of Wight: Dino history

Explore the Isle of Wight in a fun and unusual way while following in the footsteps of gentle, lumbering giants – and that doesn’t mean trailing after your grandparents all day! The Dinosaur Island App is designed to trigger off at six different dino hot spots, allowing you to see exactly which ones were uncovered there. You can even use the app to take pictures of family members unwittingly posing next to Iguanodons, T-Rexes and more – just point your smartphone or tablet and click.

Maldon, Essex: Anglo-Saxon heritage

High up on a hill overlooking the Blackwater estuary, the ancient riverside town of Maeldune has a rich history. Discover its full story at the Heritage Centre’s 42ft-long Maldon Embroidery, bringing to life 1,000 years since Earl Byrhtnoth’s heroic battle against Viking marauders in 911 AD. Take a trip back in time on one of England’s last remaining Thames Sailing Barges, whose rust-coloured sails were a common sight amongst 19th century mercantile fleets.

Sunderland, Tyne and Wear: Beachside frolics and cosmopolitan nights

Don’t be fooled by its modernist architecture and grandiose construction. Sunderland bears strong traces of England’s traditional seaside within its regenerated beach resorts, Roker and Seaburn. Armed with buckets and spades, kids can happily while away the afternoon building sandcastles, peering into rock pools, playing ball games and throwing frisbees.

Weston-super-Mare, Somerset: Seaside nostalgia mixed with modern thrills

Donkey rides across miles of sand, fish and chips along the vast prom, theme park rides on a colossal new pier… when Weston-super-Mare does ‘family seaside holiday’ it does in to the nth degree. Those old enough to remember the English seaside’s golden age can re-live them at the Weston-super-Mare Museum. Down by the seafront, the renovated Grand Pier has all the pleasures you might expect, from stomach-churning rides to penny slot machines and a double-sided helter skelter – though older generations might opt to relax in the Edwardian-style tearooms instead.

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