If you want entertainment choose a location that offers offsite as well (Pontin's)

Member Name: chrisc92

Product:	Pontin's
Date:	26/06/09 (125 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good entertainment for early teens

Disadvantages: Monotonous, varying levels of food quality and accommodation

I've visited Pontins 4 times, but not for a considerable time, the first being around 1994 at their Blackpool site, The second around 2002 at Brean Sands and the latter 2 at Southport.

I have good and bad memories of my 1st visit. It was full board and the majority (if not all the cost) was paid by the Family Fund, a charity aimed at those on low incomes with disabled children - and what they provided, well I can't thank them enough for what they did for us at that time.

Anyway, it was a 4+ hour rail journey and with a 4 year old autistic child, 2 year old daughter, a nagging 7 year old and a wife that made things seem more difficult than they should be, well I struggled - we had 2 pushchairs and 2 large suitcases (that we ruined). Luckily for us the railway station we got off was right round the side of the camp, but it was still a struggle.

We were placed in economy class, which at the time was when the camp was being repainted and tidied up. Out the front we had the street lights which were next to the sand dunes, and on the other the disco! So every night we had late nights with doors opening every few minutes - we didn't actually use much of the facilities. The pool was just a standard size, nothing spectacular and there was some outdoor things such as short tennis, a football pitch and crazy golf. The only thing I remember well was the snooker hall, which was competitively priced and they often had snooker competitions for national finals.

Included with the holiday, Pontins included a free tram ticket, and in view of what seemed about 4 miles every time we went into town or to the central pier, it was certainly worth it. We did most of our own entertainment, walking into town or to Lytham St Annes which was quite an achievement trying to get in the meals as well. I had to take my son with me on one trip as my wife refused to go and took him to the sealife centre and Louise Tussauds (using the tram), but my best recollection was looking up at the Pepsi Max (year it opened) and watching as ride after ride they would head up and look to head way out to sea before being forced back by a cunning twist in the track. Why did I take him with me - well because although he was old enough the staff weren't confident they could look after him, so we never had much time to ourselves. At the time we visited the food was appauling (apart from breakfast) and every meal we had was covered with water. Would I go back, well yes I would because I don't have the same restraints I had then, and I really do want to see what the camp itself has to offer.

We booked our stay at Brean Sands the year after I moved down to Plymouth, and despite it being my 1st wife that had walked out on the children, I felt pretty uncomfortable about going the location knowing that she was living in the area and working at what I believed to be a holiday camp. At least it didn't effect the kids and they loved it despite it being half board. My 2nd wife's kids and my eldest daughter loved the quad bikes and the rock climb and weren't that bothered by the lack of activities in the pool. In fact everyone enjoyed it and the nightime entertainment was pretty reasonable. Captain Croc and his buddies were a little young for them, but they didn't seem that worried about it. We found enough to do for the week without once venturing out of the camp. Again, I would quite happily go back there again, and know I'd feel more at ease now I know my 1st wife doesn't work there. The food was much better than at Blackpool.

As for Southport, well my 2nd wife's brother lives only a few miles away backing onto a red squirrel nature reserve in Merseyside. We chose on both occassions self catering, but it was horrible and on both times it was crawling with flying ants. Nothing against the entertainment, but the accommodation was shocking. On the 2nd visit, we spent about 3 of the 7 off camp including a visit to the Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

I certainly can't recommend Southport, but Brean Sands and Blackpool would certainly be worth a visit. These camps are slighly better at offering entertainment to children in their early teens. Value for money? Well, that depends on what you think your kids will get out of a holiday, but if you can get a discount it's certainly worth considering.

Summary: A great place to take early teens, but you need to have other plans offsite