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10 Best Dog Friendly Caravan Holiday Parks - 2022
Caravan parks offer a decent choice for pet friendly and dog friendly holidays. They usually have plenty of space for walkies and some are near to dog friendly beaches.
We've picked out 10 of the best pet friendly caravan holiday parks in the UK from a selection of the biggest seaside resorts and counties, including Dorset, Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Devon, Wales, Yorkshire, Norfolk, Blackpool and Skegness.
We've done a bit of digging (much like a dog) but have a proper read of the small print with each park as the phrase 'dog friendly' means a lot of different things. Some only allow one pet, some have dog walking areas and so on. Some charge extra whilst others do a 'pets go free' offer.
We picked our top 10 by looking at location, dog-friendliness, facilities, customer reviews and price. Our price comparison looked for the cheapest caravan for a family of four in August 2022.
We've picked out 10 of the best pet friendly caravan holiday parks in the UK from a selection of the biggest seaside resorts and counties, including Dorset, Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Devon, Wales, Yorkshire, Norfolk, Blackpool and Skegness.
We've done a bit of digging (much like a dog) but have a proper read of the small print with each park as the phrase 'dog friendly' means a lot of different things. Some only allow one pet, some have dog walking areas and so on. Some charge extra whilst others do a 'pets go free' offer.
We picked our top 10 by looking at location, dog-friendliness, facilities, customer reviews and price. Our price comparison looked for the cheapest caravan for a family of four in August 2022.
1. Haven Hafan y Môr Holiday Park North Wales (large resort, waterpark)
**Haven Offers 2022: Last minute bargains from £49 + Summer Holidays from £219 + May Half Term from £249**
Haven's Hafan y Môr Holiday Park is a very large holiday park which is dog friendly. It's also next to a beach which allows dogs (at the time of writing).
The park has had a number of improvements in recent years, including a large and impressive indoor swimming pool/splashpark which opened a couple of years ago. Other entertainment includes an 'adventure village' where you can do high ropes courses and the like. There is also entertainment for children and adults and a whopping nine different places to eat. Some activities cost extra but there are lots of free things to do, including several playgrounds. Overall, customers give the park a score of 4/5 on TripAdvisor. On Google reviews it scores 4.4/5. Price: £1194 for a dog friendly apartment for a week in August 2022. Haven resorts are usually cheaper if you arrive on a Friday/Monday rather than Saturday. When you book a Haven holiday you'll be asked to choose either 'Haven Stay + Play' or 'Haven Stay'. The cheaper option just gives you accommodation and access to the restaurants onsite. However, if you pay for Haven Stay + Play then it means you can use the swimming pool and other onsite facilities. |
2. St Ives Bay Holiday Park Cornwall (swimming pool, adjacent beach mostly dog friendly)
**St Ives Bay Discount Code: Save up to 10% with promo code HPG10. Valid until 31/12/22** (some dates excluded)
St Ives Bay Holiday Park didn't used to be a dog friendly holiday park, but it has new owners and became dog friendly for 2022 holidays. We've included it because it is good value and it has excellent sea views. It's also unusual, because dogs can stay in any of the different accommodation. Lots of caravans just have a couple of dog friendly caravans, which limits your choice.
The smallprint is important with this park as the adjacent beach is dog friendly - with one exception. During July and August, dogs aren't allowed on the beach from 10am - 5pm. The rest of the year, dogs are welcome on the beach at any time of day. So, I'd say that it's an ideal park if you're visiting outside of peak season or if you do an early morning walk. There's a maximum of two dogs per caravan and a charge of £55 per week, per dog. That's a little bit more expensive than some holiday parks (most charge about £30-£45 per week). The resort has an indoor swimming pool and it also runs surf lessons, if you fancy squeezing into a wetsuit. There's a bistro and bar, minigolf, a playground and kids' entertainments during the warmer months. The choice of accommodation is very good. There are basic caravans, as well as adapted caravans for guests in wheelchairs and posher lodges and caravans with sea views if you want to upgrade. Review scores are also excellent, although a lot of them refer to the park's time with its former owners. It scores 4.6/5 on Google Reviews or 4/5 on TripAdvisor. We've found that it's usually much cheaper to arrive on a Friday or Monday at St Ives Bay Holiday Park. Price: £1162 for a week in a value caravan for a family of four and one dog, during early August 2022. This was a Friday arrival. |
3. Rockley Park Caravan Holiday Park Dorset (family friendly Haven park)
Haven is probably the best-known name in the UK caravan holiday park market and most of its parks allow dogs (besides a handful of breeds).
Rockley Park in Dorset gets good reviews (4/5 on TripAdvisor) and there are plenty of dog-friendly beaches in Dorset if you don't mind travelling a little bit. The park is busy and family-friendly with an indoor swimming pool, kids' club, evening entertainment for the grown ups and lots of facilities including water sports and a climbing wall. It's near to Poole and Bournemouth, which are both pleasant towns with plenty of attractions. If you want to save a bit on a Haven holiday, check prices for arriving on a Friday or Monday instead of a Saturday. It's often quite a bit cheaper and you still get a full seven day holiday. Price: £1078 for a week in a 'saver dog friendly' caravan for a week in August 2022 for a family of four. Haven changed its grading system for caravans for 2022. The cheapest models are now called 'Saver' caravans with the option to upgrade to Bronze, Silver, Gold and Signature (the most expensive). The cheapest caravans are narrower and don't have central heating, whilst the most expensive ones have better views, dishwashers and TVs in the bedrooms. Read our full comparison of the different grades of caravan at Haven. |
4. South Bay Holiday Park Devon (next to dog friendly beach, two swimming pools)
**South Bay Latest Offers: Midweek May 2022 from £89 + Summer from £389 + Last Minute Bargains**
South Bay Holiday Park is a good value caravan site next to a lovely dog friendly beach called St Mary's Bay. The caveat is that you need to be pretty fit yourself, as there are about 100 steps down to the beach. The whole site is quite hilly, which gives it good views but makes it hard work if you're not very mobile.
The resort is run by John Fowler Holidays, which has about a dozen similar sites around the Westcountry. All of their caravan parks are dog friendly, but some are better than others in terms of space for walking. You pay a supplement of £40 per week to bring a dog (assistance dogs are free). You can bring a maximum of two dogs on holiday with you to a John Fowler Holiday Park. This is one of John Fowler's bigger caravan sites. It's got an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor swimming pool where you can try out kayaking without the risk of ending up in France. In the evening, there's bingo, cabaret and other entertainment. It's worth noting that dogs aren't allowed in the clubhouse, so this may not be the one for you if you want to spend every night being entertained. If that's a priority, then I would look at John Fowler's Combe Martin Beach Holiday Park in Devon which has a pet friendly area in the Clubhouse Children can join with a kids' club, clamber on a playground or play a game of minigolf or basketball. There's a choice of pet friendly chalets and caravans at South Bay Holiday Park. When we checked, there were bronze and silver dog friendly caravans available. That's good news, as you are sometimes stuck with the cheapest grade of caravan if you bring a pet. Review scores for South Bay Holiday Park are very good (4.3/5 on Google Reviews, 4/5 on TripAdvisor). Price: £1039 for a week for a family of four with a dog in August 2022. That was staying in a bronze, pet friendly two-bedroom caravan. Upgrading to a silver caravan or a three bedroom caravan was only about £50-£100 extra. |
5. Oakdene Forest Park Dorset (woodland walks, dog friendly indoor area)
**Oakdene Forest Park offers: Extra 15% off for NHS and emergency services + Summer Holidays 2022 from £645**
All of the holiday parks run by Shorefield are dog friendly. However, Shorefield Country Park and Oakdene Forest Park both allow dogs into the main complex so they're worth a mention.
We've picked Oakdene Forest Park as it's next to lots of footpaths and woodland for walking. It's got an indoor seating area with snacks and water for pets provided. There's also a dog friendly terrace attached to the restaurant. The resort has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, with a flume and water jets with the indoor pool. There are also lots of activities you can sign up for such as fencing, archery and crossbow. For something a bit tamer, try minigolf. The downside with Oakdene Forest Park is that the coast is about half an hour away. Dog friendly beaches in Dorset include Milford on Sea Beach and the western end of Sandbanks Beach. The park is near to the border with Hampshire and scores 4.4/5 on Google Reviews of 4/5 on TripAdvisor. There are plenty of dog friendly accommodation options, including cheap caravans and more luxurious lodges with hot tubs. Shorefield sometimes do a 'pets go free' offer at Oakdene Forest Park. Price: £952 for a Statement Caravan for a family of four and a dog for a week in August 2022. |
6. South Lakeland Leisure Village Yorkshire (lakeside lodges, good for walks, up to three dogs)
**Winner: best value dog friendly holiday park**
South Lakeland Leisure Village is one of three holiday parks on the same site which share an impressive leisure complex. It's an excellent choice if you want to explore a bit of Yorkshire, the Lake District and Lancashire during your holiday. You can get to Windermere in about half an hour or Morecambe Bay in 15 minutes.
We've included it because you can bring up to three dogs, whereas most holiday parks set the limit at two. You'll pay an extra £45 per week, per pet. The local area is good for walks. The cheaper accommodation is low-priced, but doesn't include 'leisure passes' which you'll need to buy separately if you want to use the large swimming pool and spa facilities. There are also fishing lakes at the site which are overlooked by some of the posher accommodation. You can upgrade to a hot tub holiday, if you enjoy that sort of thing. One thing worth pointing out is that the park is very close to the M6. That's good news for getting out and about, but it means it isn't completely silent. Even so, guests give South Lakeland Leisure Village an outstanding review score of 4.4/5 on Google Reviews. Price: £920 for a family of four stating in a bronze caravan with one dog for a week in August 2022. |
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7. Marton Mere Holiday Park Blackpool (Haven park, swimming pool)
We've picked out a dog friendly Blackpool holiday park for our top 10, as it's a popular resort for a classic English seaside holiday.
However, the downside of a Blackpool holiday with a dog is that there are quite restrictive rules in place on the main beaches. A couple of beaches allow dogs on leads, but that's about it unless you're happy to travel further along the coast. If you fancy giving it a go, Marton Mere is a dog friendly Haven holiday park which is particularly good for families. It's got an indoor swimming pool to provide a welcome activity on a wet day and an outdoor 'splashzone' for sunnier days. There are kids' clubs, a bar and restaurant, playgrounds, adventure golf, sports courts and entertainment in the evening for the adults. If you want, you can sign up for paid activities like archery or pottery. It'll take you about 10 - 15 minutes to drive to the seafront at Blackpool from Marton Mere. Reviews average 3.5/5 on TripAdvisor or 4.1/5 on Google Reviews. Price: £1068 for a saver dog friendly caravan for a week in August 2022 for a family of four and one dog. |
8. Nodes Point Holiday Park Isle of Wight
Nodes Point Holiday Park on the Isle of Wight allows pets and it's a good family-friendly option.
It's near to the beach at St Helen's which allows dogs. It's only a short drive to Bembridge beach which also allows dogs. It's a busy park owned by Parkdean Resorts (it was formerly a Park Resorts caravan site). It offers an indoor swimming pool, bar and restaurant, horse riding along the beach in summer and family activities. Reviews average 4/5. Price: £1049 for a week in a 'Farringford' chalet at Nodes Point for a family of four, plus a dog in August 2022. That includes £40 for a pet for a week. |
9. California Cliffs Norfolk (coastal location, busy park with plenty to do)
Some of the accommodation at Park Resorts'/Parkdean Resorts California Cliffs is dog friendly, and it gets solid reviews of about 4/5 from most review sites.
It's the kind of place which is popular with families, so expect lots of children and busyness rather than complete silence. There's an indoor swimming pool for rainy days as well as outdoor entertainment including a sports court, outdoor swimming pool, crazy golf and an adventure playground. Reviews of the different grades of accommodation vary considerably. When I checked there were more than 10 different options on offer with reviews ranging from 6/10 to 9/10. It's a short drove to the kiss-me-quick hats of Great Yarmouth or there are plenty of quieter beaches along the Norfolk coast, many of which are dog friendly beaches. You can bring a maximum of two pets. Price comparison: £899 for a week in a Burnham caravan in August 2022 for a family of four including a dog. |
10. Southview Leisure Park Skegness (cheap, indoor swimming pool)
**Winner: cheapest dog friendly holiday park in our guide**
You'll need a good pair of walking boots and a dog with plenty of energy if you want to walk the two miles to the beach from Southview Leisure Park. As with most holiday parks in Skegness, it's not right on the beach.
Once you get to the beach, there's a partial dog ban but there are still sections you can take your dog for a walk. However, it's a dog-friendly park which gets decent enough reviews of about 8/10. It's run by Parkdean Resorts (formerly Park Resorts) which is one of the big names in the caravan holiday park market. It has an indoor swimming pool, sports court, gym, fishing lakes, playground, 9 hole golf course and a restaurant. Book up early to get one of the caravans with better reviews, as there's a big variation in the grades available. Price: £989 for a week in a Wentworth caravan for a family of four in August 2022, including a dog. |
Price comparison of 10 of the UK's best dog friendly caravan holiday parks
Our price comparison just looked at one week in August 2022 for a family of four with a dog. It will often be much cheaper to visit outside of school holidays, if that's an option for you. We didn't include any upgrades or extras.
From cheapest to most expensive:
From cheapest to most expensive:
- California Cliffs Norfolk - £899
- South Lakeland Leisure Village - £920
- Oakdene Forest Park Dorset - £952
- Southview Leisure Park Skegness - £989
- South Bay Holiday Park Devon - £1039
- Nodes Point Holiday Park Isle of Wight - £1049
- Marton Mere Blackpool - £1068
- Rockley Park Holiday Park Dorset - £1078
- St Ives Bay Holiday Park Cornwall - £1162
- Hafan y Môr Holiday Park North Wales - £1194