Butlins Minehead

Butlins Minehead is the sort of place that divides opinion sharply, and that's fine. It's a traditional seaside resort built for families who want everything laid on - entertainment, food, accommodation, the lot - without having to venture beyond the gates. The resort sprawls across the seafront with rides, shows, arcades and pools all crammed together under one roof (mostly). Kids under twelve will genuinely lose themselves here for a week. Teenagers, less so.

What you're looking at is a full-service holiday village rather than a casual day visit. Most visitors come for multi-day stays, staying in chalets or hotels on-site. The all-inclusive packages mean you're paying for access to rides, shows, pools and beach areas as part of your accommodation deal. It's a bit of a throwback to how seaside holidays worked thirty years ago, which is either reassuring or depressing depending on your outlook.

Minehead itself sits right on the coast with the Exmoor National Park inland - if you fancy proper walking or scenery, you're genuinely minutes away. The Minehead Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is under a mile down the road if you'd rather base yourself more independently. Hoburne Blue Anchor, three miles along the coast, gives you holiday park facilities without the theme park vibe. Butlins works best as a self-contained break for families with young children who want zero planning and maximum distraction. Everyone else should probably look elsewhere.