Our caravan.
In September 2024, Daddy (Simon), Mummy (Kim), Owen and Luca went on holiday to Hopton (near Great Yarmouth), to a Haven caravan park for 6 nights. Having done Haven Clacton earlier in the year we knew roughly what to expect, and expected both boys would love it.
Travel day - Set off at 12:45. A 2 hour 45 minute smooth drive to Haven Hopton site. Super easy check in (they do it by car registration plate). A lovely caravan (silver class). Number 9 Woburn. Three bedrooms this time and a slightly better layout with the dining table than Clacton. Owen in his own twin room (He starts there but comes into us in the middle of every night. Daddy often swaps with him). Luca in a travel cot at the end of the bed.
Snacks of sandwiches, we made before we left, and then out to scout around. We are a bit of a walk from the main complex, but the walk is nice enough. Owen babbels the whole way (as becomes a common feature of the trip). He comments on the caravans, trees, fountain, ducks and cars, usually pointing out how big they are and how many there are. We check out the mini-mart and peer into the swimming pool. The anticipation of going on the water slide grows. In the arcade Owen excitedly darts between the machines and their flashing lights. The mini-train ride is a super hit for Owen, especially when he realises he can make it reverse. We head into the soft play area. The main bit is tall and narrow, but good enough. The tunnel slide at the top is too dark and twisty for Owen today. It is designed for 4+ year olds after all. Luca has a smaller soft play area with blocks he can roam around in.
In the Marina lounge for the entertainment, but it is so slow getting going that we give up. Buy fish and chips to take back to the caravan and stop into the mini-mart to buy essentials. The food is great! Especially the chips. A few games with Owen in the caravan and then all to bed.
Up at 7:30 for breakfast. Out to our first swim at 10:45. Owen went straight for the slide. He is a bit short to go on his own so he sits on Daddy's knee or between his legs. Most of the time there is no queue so we do it over and over. Daddy loves it as much as Owen!
Lunch at the caravan and then, when Owen and Luca are napping, Daddy heads to Tesco for the food shop for the week. It takes a while...
Ducks come to the front door of the caravan hoping for food. Owen is delighted!
Dinner of stuffed pasta and vegetables, then back out to the entertainment. Owen still more interested in the arcade and soft play. Daddy tries the slide on his own to demonstrate to Owen and gets friction burns on his knee. Not going to be encouraging him to go on this too much! Luca has a feed from Mummy and then has his own go in the soft play. Owen takes Mummy to the shop attached to the stage area. He repeatedly counts in and out of the box the bottles of bubbles. He also takes a shine to a squishy strawberry that he plays with every night of the trip.
Swim at 10:15 this morning. Lots of slides for Daddy and Owen, but Owen does some great jumping and swimming as well. Luca is fascinated by beachballs that people are batting around in the pool. He enjoys jumping into the pool from the edge (with help from Mummy). There is a lot of stimulation which does make him tired.
When Owen goes down for his nap, Luca and Daddy go out for a walk around the campsite. Lots to discover and explore. A trip to the beach (the sand area is not much bigger than the caravan at high tide). Found and checked out the nature trail (very passable with a push chair). Found the way in to the outside activities. Found several play grounds and a big duck pond.
We head out to the 'The Garden House' restaurant on-site for dinner. Lasagne for Daddy, chicken burger for Mummy, pizza for Owen, finger snacks for Luca. Owen gets his first ice cream of the week for dessert. Waffles and ice cream for Mummy and Daddy. Yummy.
Onto the entertainment (in the same building). Mostly in the soft play area. Owen is envouraged by a little girl called Ava. After she demonstrates the slide a few times, Owen is convinced to try it with Daddy. He loves it. Daddy loses more skin on his arm this time! It is not designed for adults, but has to be done a few more times Owen!
Owen and Daddy head out to Activitots - Balance and coordination class for 9:15. 45 minute session on the outdoor multi-sport pitch. Lots of activity 'bases' set up. Basketball, tennis, balancing, bowling, football, hockey, etc. We try them all. Great at bowling, but enjoyed most of them.
Meanwhile, Luca takes the opportunity to explore the caravan more. The main draw is the shoes and pram wheels!
Luca and Mummy head to the swimming pool where they meeting Owen and Daddy for a swim at 10:15. We buy a 'puffer fish' toy for Luca to enjoy, which he does. Owen does more jumping and playing than sliding today.
After lunch Owen and Daddy head out to feed the ducks some sweetcorn. Obviously Owen loves this. We then go to the playground where Owen finds a little girl, Hope, roughly the same height, to run around after.
Owen goes down for his nap and Daddy walks Luca around the nature trail to get him to sleep. Mummy gives the caravan a tidy and clean and gets a bit of a rest.
Dinner is chicken goujons, potato waffle fries and veg. Then out to the entertainment. Owen is mostly fascinated by the 2p drop machine. We get very wet on the walk home.
A wet start and we knew it would be. We head out to the Sea life centre in Great Yarmouth. Owen is immediately fascinated by the "so many fish!" It is small compared to some sea life centres, but it is pretty good. Amazingly we stay there for two and a half hours. Owen probably most impressed by the fish which are as big as he is. Mummy loves the stingrays of course. Owen even gets to touch a starfish, although that was probably only so he can get a sticker. Walking under the tank of sharks and a green sea turtle also a highlight.
Once back home and naps done, fish and chips are ordered to the caravan. Lovely again.
Then head out to the entertainment. It feels a completely different venue. Loads of people have arrived to start their holiday or just come for the weekend. The stage is opened up to the bar so more people can see the stage. The entertainment quality is ramped up to match. We still spend a lot of the time in the soft play which is way fuller with kids. Too much for Owen to want to tackle the slide, but the train and 2p drop game are still hits.
Out for a swim at 10:45. Glad we booked this one ahead of time as slots are hard to come by and it is busier with the extra people on the campsite. Lots of jumping in for Owen.
But, as it is sunny and there are more people, the ice cream van is finally open. Owen has looked at it longingly every time we have gone past and he has been promised all week he will get an ice cream, so he is very happy that wish has come true. Huge for a little boy though. Then home for our normal lunch.
Owen and Daddy nap. Luca takes the opportunity to play with the spikey dinosaur he's been trying to get his hands on all week and the red ball that was purchased at the mimimart. Dinner is chunky chicken, pasta and veg (Owen's choice).
Owen and Daddy take Luca and Mummy to the duck pond as they have not seen it yet. Lots of ducks trek over to enjoy the food Owen throws them.
Then to the entertainment. Still very busy, but we watch some of it. All four seaside squad members are on stage for once. It does not last as Owen keen to head onto the arcade and soft play. He does the slide a few times with Daddy (who is prepared today with long trousers and sleeves). He then tries some of the other arcade games with Mummy while Daddy and Luca enjoy the smaller soft play area.
We are booked to stay until Monday, but we are leaving today as we have an appointment for Luca we need to be back for. It makes for a relaxed "pack up" day. Start with a trip to feed the ducks and then to the playground.
After lunch we have our last swim. All the normal jumping, puffer fish chasing, and splashing in the toddler pool. Daddy and Owen even venture into the outside pool which is covered with a temporary roof so isn't too cold. We finish with a few slides.
Final bit of packing and then into the car. Owen has to wave goodbye to the carvan, all the other caravans, the ducks, the fountains, the trees, the grass and everything else we see on the way out. Easy drive home with both boys asleep the whole trip. Arrive home at around 7pm.
Another great holiday. We had so much fun. We got almost everything right in terms of what we took, what we booked and what we did. It would be better going earlier in the year to have a better chance of sunshine rather than the rain we got, but there was enough dry weather to do all we wanted.
Haven Hopton is a great resort. We would do a caravan holiday again. We would do Haven again. We would go to Great Yarmouth again. And we would go to Haven Hopton again (at least with a few years gap).
Both boys loved having both parents attention for a week, the change of location and all the activities. Mummy and Daddy loved spending time with the boys being so happy and watching both boys grow with the experiences the holiday brought.