WITH its twirling helter skelter and colourful wind shields, Weymouth beach is everything you’d want from the charming British seaside.
The soft white sands of the Blue Flag beach are only a ten-minute walk from my base for the week, Haven’s Weymouth Bay resort, on the edge of Dorset’s rugged Jurassic Coast.
I was there with my family of six and we spent the days building sandcastles, playing traditional arcade games and watching fishing fleets come in and out of the bay from the comfort of our deckchairs.
Holidaying a little closer to home doesn’t mean you’re getting short-changed on fun, in fact at Haven it’s quite the opposite.
The Weymouth park has an indoor and outdoor pool, a huge play area, nature activities, evening entertainment — and most importantly, it did not cost an arm and a leg.
We stayed in a Gold caravan, which had ample room for me, three kids and my two parents, who both have disabilities.
The inside is simple and comfortable, with a modern kitchen, Bluetooth speakers and spacious lounge with a TV and DVD player for quiet evenings.
If you’re after something a little flashier, you can upgrade to a Signature caravan, which comes with an en-suite in the master room plus a TV.
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Not that you’ll spend much time in your caravan when you’re so close to the action.
Durdle Door is ten miles up the road and one of the most famous landmarks on the Jurassic Coast, with its rock formation — which some say looks like a dinosaur — that has been carved out by sea erosion.
Be sure to bring your walking boots though, as it’s a steep 20-minute climb downhill — and back up again — to the beach. It’s a must for any active holiday-makers.
And if you have the stamina, take the coastal walk from here to the picturesque Lulworth Cove.
On the opposite side of the holiday park, the seaside town of Weymouth is steeped in history.
The holiday resort was made popular by King George III who holidayed there in the 1700s and now has a statue erected in his honour on the seafront.
Elsewhere along the seafront you’ll spot buildings dating back to the Tudor era as well as a plaque to victims of the Black Death, which was said to have entered England through Melcombe Regis, just up the road.
There’s plenty of fascinating history for kids to get stuck into as well.
Nothe Fort, at the entrance to the harbour, is Weymouth’s number one heritage attraction and features a maze of underground tunnels, guns on ramparts and fun trails.
GO: Weymouth
STAYING THERE: A four-night Stay+Play break at Haven Weymouth Bay is £368, based on a family of four sharing Gold accommodation and arriving on May 2. See haven.com.
OUT & ABOUT: Tickets to The Tank Museum cost £14.50 adult and £8 child online in advance at tankmuseum.org.
Entry to Nothe Forte costs £9.50 adult, £4 child 5-15). See nothefort.org.uk.
The museum explores how military technology advanced at the fort and if you’re lucky, you’ll get to hear the engineers fire the cannons, which happens every second and fourth Sunday of the month.
Dorset has a rich military history, and The Tank Museum in nearby Bovington is a must for army barmy youngsters.
My son Clark, six, and nephew Dexter, ten, loved watching the displays of tanks through history.
But the real highlight was a ride in an armoured vehicle.
We even saw a Little Willie, the first ever tank invented in 1915.
Dorset has endless hidden corners to roam, whether you’re finding fossils by its historic hills, letting your imagination take flight at the Helicopter Museum or seeing rare native red squirrels in Brownsea Island.
That’s Wey more than just good beaches.
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