TEAM Fabulous road-tests three coastal campsites.
From Costa Dorada in Spain to Vendee in France, we have a beautiful beach for everyone.
SPAIN – Playa Montroig, Costa Dorada
Editor in Chief Sinead McIntyre, husband Alistair and their teenage twins found a coast with the most, including a day trip to Barcelona.
THE PAD
Set on the stunning Costa Dorada coastline and a quick 25-minute drive from Reus airport, the star of the show here is the sandy beach, with its lively bar and floating dive pontoon.
One morning, my daughter Riley and I woke early to swim out and had it all to ourselves while watching a yoga class – just one of the activities on offer.
Our premium three-bed lodge was also minutes from the three swimming pools, slides and a pool bar.
You’ll also find a well-stocked supermarket, bakery, fishmonger’s and pizza takeaway on-site.
Tennis and padel courts are a win, too.
EXPLORE
The coastal village of Miami Platja just 5km away is flanked by picturesque hills and mountains, and boasts golden beaches.
A short drive from here is Llaberia Nature Park, perfect for hikes through stunning flora and fauna.
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Meanwhile, Barcelona is under 90 minutes by train from nearby Cambrils.
Book well ahead to visit Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia – the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world – and admire its astonishing architecture.
Tickets cost from £23 each (Sagradafamilia.org).
Or stop by Barcelona’s famous Camp Nou football stadium – though currently under renovation, you can still visit its excellent museum.
Entry costs £25 per person (Fcbarcelona.com).
REFUEL
Get your tapas fix and dig into calamari, £12.60, garlic shrimp, £10.90, and Iberian ham croquettes, £1.75 each, on-site at Terrassa restaurant.
Pair with a refreshing carafe of sangria with cava, £14.70.
Or try beachside Tucanamar, with its stunning sunset views and divine spaghetti with clams, £10.90.
A walk along the shoreline is Restaurant Friends, serving up specialty spare ribs, £17.25, and grilled sea bream, £15.20 (Friendsplaya.com).
In Barca, hit Catalanian eatery La Nueva Marquesa for delights such as fried eggs with Iberian ham shavings and monkfish skewers with prawn and crab sauce.
Finish with melt-in-the-mouth tiramisu.
Three-course set menus cost from £13 (Lanuevamarquesa.com).
DON’T MISS
Mas Miró – the family home of Joan Miró, legendary Catalan artist and friend of Picasso – is nearby.
Explore the buildings he brought to life and see his sketches first-hand.
Entry costs £8.70 per person (Masmiro.com).
BOOK IT
Seven-night stays for four people at Playa Montroig during May half-term 2026 cost from £586 (Eurocamp.co.uk).
FRANCE – Le Garangeoire, Vendee
Deputy Editor Ellie O’Mahoney, husband Mark and their two young kids fell for crêpes and climbing on the west coast of France.
THE PAD
This five-star, family-run campsite, just 15 minutes’ drive from the beautiful beaches of France’s Atlantic west coast, has 200 hectares of woodland and a stunning 17th-century château, complete with free pedalo and canoe hire on the boating lake.
There are tennis courts, crazy golf, a horse-riding stable and two kids’ clubs.
Of the four pools, the main one boasts three slides, and is our kids’ favourite.
For some quiet time, head to the natural lagoon surrounded by a sandy beach.
There are tons of activities, including aromatherapy and night walks, and our three-bed lodge was perfectly appointed with a veranda for alfresco feasts.
EXPLORE
Kids will love swinging through the branches at Le Grand Défi, the world’s largest tree-climbing park just down the road, plus there’s a huge aqua park and pony rides.
Treeclimbing costs from £10.70 for kids, £20.90 for adults (Grand-defi.com).
Historical theme park Puy du Fou, an hour’s drive away, puts on eye-popping performances.
Watch gladiators fight in the “Roman” coliseum and experience stormy seas aboard an 18th-century-style explorer’s ship.
Tickets cost £39 for adults, £28 for kids (Puydufou.com).
Or head to the beach town of Brétignolles-sur-Mer – you’ll find pretty Breton T-shirts and wooden toys at its busy market on Thursdays and Sundays.
REFUEL
At nearby lakeside restaurant L’Auberge du Jaunay, we demolished a stack of cheese galettes for a bargain £3.25 with a half-carafe of red wine, £8.90.
A sugar and lemon crêpe, £4.70, completed the kids’ favourite feast of the trip.
On a beach day, we nabbed a table on the white sand at Crêperie La Normandelière.
We didn’t get the warmest of welcomes, but the food made up for it – I loved the smoked salmon salad, £12.70, and Nutella and banana crêpe, £5.20 (La-normandeliere.eatbu.com).
In the nearest town of Saint-Julien-des-Landes, just minutes’ drive away, you’ll find Rest’O Landes, which does the most delicious honey and goat’s cheese takeaway pizza, £9 (Restolandes.com).
DON’T MISS
Spot star constellations during the ferry crossing with the free SkyView app.
BOOK IT
Seven-night stays at La Garangeoire in May half-term 2026 cost from £363 for up to six (Eurocamp.co.uk).
An overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo with Brittany Ferries for four people with a car costs from £351 (Brittany-ferries.co.uk).
ENGLAND – Daleacres, Kent
Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Danielle Woodward, husband David and their two teens sought out safaris and steam trains in the South East.
THE PAD
In the heart of the Kent countryside, near the seaside town of Hythe, you’ll find Daleacres Campsite, complete with a playground for younger kids and a communal firepit for glampers.
Safari tents offer kitchens with a fridge and microwave, and the kids took turns to fill up the water dispenser, a short walk away.
With patchy free Wi-Fi, they also “enjoyed” screen-free time!
We woke to cock-a-doodle-dos from a nearby farm, before freshening up in the spotless shower and loo block.
EXPLORE
Feeling beachy? Pick between Hythe’s shingle or nearby Dymchurch’s three miles of sand and amusement park with classic rides and an arcade (Dymchurch-amusements.co.uk).
Meanwhile, spot apes and tigers at Port Lympne Safari Park.
Day tickets including safari cost £32 for adults, £28 for children (Aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne).
Or hop on the miniature steam train on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway.
Tickets cost from £10 return (Rhdr.org.uk).
The kids were also fascinated by the crypt in St Leonard’s Church, home to the largest, best-preserved collection of ancient human skulls and bones in Britain (Slhk.org/theossuary.htm).
REFUEL
In Dymchurch, hit Lamby’s Seafood stall next to the Ocean Inn pub for a pot of brown shrimp, £4 (Oceaninn.co.uk/lambys).
At Port Lympne, scoff tasty wood-fired prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella and rocket pizza, £15, followed by fig and pistachio frangipane tart, £5, in Babydoll’s restaurant.
While the 400-year-old cosy Botolphs Bridge Inn pub, a short walk from Daleacres, offers fab pies of the week with mash, veg and gravy, £13.50 (Botolphsbridgeinn.co.uk).
DON’T MISS
The Battle of Britain Memorial in Folkestone has an interactive Scramble Experience, which brings WW2 to life.
Entry is £7 for adults, £4 for kids (Battleofbritainmemorial.org).
BOOK IT
A safari tent at Daleacres sleeping five costs from £59 per night (Experiencefreedom.co.uk).