Memories For The Future: How To Plan A Kids’ Holiday In The East Neuk
Travelling with children is always an adventure, giving the whole family memories that they can treasure for years ahead. However, if you’re visiting the East Neuk with little ones, as with any holiday, a little preparation is essential. Fortunately, we’ve got a simple guide that makes it straightforward to plan a kids’ holiday that is fun for everybody.
Be realistic
Before you get to your destination, it’s helpful to have a good idea of what to expect. Start with a rough plan of how you’ll spend each day of the holiday, and take note of local attractions that you could visit. All that said, beware of over-planning – after all, you’re still on holiday and while the East Neuk is lucky to have beautiful summers, that weather forecast isn’t always reliable! Make sure you’ve got some ideas for how you would spend both sunny and rainy days, factoring in relaxation time for board games and a family movie.
Stay by the beach
A seaside holiday is a brilliant choice for holidays with kids – pack some spades, a picnic and a good windbreaker and you’ve got yourself a low-cost day out. Fortunately, finding seaside accommodation isn’t exactly difficult in the East Neuk and the closer to the shore the better, especially since it means less time with uncomfortably sandy feet in shoes! Luckily, our house Beachend is so close that the garden opens directly onto the Earlsferry sands.
Research local cafes and restaurants
There are plenty of lovely places to eat and drink in the East Neuk but it’s handy to have some idea of where to go, particularly on day trips. After all, hungry tummies can make things tricky after a lot of tiring activities. You might want to start by looking up family-friendly establishments in popular destinations, such as The Diving Gannet in St Monans, a great choice for a light lunch, or Anstruther Fish Bar for a deliciously authentic fish supper.
Remember to take your camera
Whether you want to capture shots of the family to share with your Facebook friends or create a new album worth of memories, taking photos and videos is essential for a family holiday, so remember your camera. You’ll treasure the photos of your young ones eating ice cream on the beach or eating a victorious picnic along the Fife Coastal Path. Even better, those nostalgic photos will be excellent for that one day in the distant future, when you can embarrass them at their grown-up birthday party with that moment that they buried their siblings in the sand.
Look up some free days out
A holiday is a time for treats but everything doesn’t need to be testing for your wallet. After all, it’s important to leave some change for that Cornetto from the ice cream van. A little research into free activities can go a long way and there’s plenty of ideas to be found online. Some of our favourites include keeping the kids active playing in the massive Craigtoun Country Park or searching for sleepy seals at Tentsmuir beach.
Begin a travel scrapbook
This last one is a perfect way to keep the kids busy on holiday whilst preserving wonderful memories. Stock up on a scrapbook (Paperchase have a great selection online, or in their St Andrews store) and get some colourful pens or pencils. Then, in moments of quiet time, you can encourage your little ones to draw, write about their favourite activities or collect flyers and tickets from activities. You could even include some shells from the beach or pressed flowers, creating a lovely time capsule from your special trip away.
Discover more about our luxury seaside accommodation and book your stay on our Elie Cottage homepage.