Holidaying in 2021 is all about the staycation and the UK has some awesome destinations lined up for you in this regard! Make your way along the coastline between northeast England and the Firth of Forth in Scotland, and you’ll be amazed by what you find. There is so much to see and do, you and your loved ones are bound to have a great trip!
So whether you live in Edinburgh and want to have a quick getaway, or plan to use your summer holiday to explore Edinburgh, you’ve come to the right place to find the right holiday park for you. The following four best holiday parks have great access to central Edinburgh, all being within 60 miles and reachable between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours. So join us for a chance to experience a beautiful part of the country this summer!
1. Haven Seton Sands
Location: Port Seton, East Lothian
Best for: first-time travellers to Edinburgh or local residents who want a quick getaway to the East Lothian coast
Just 30 minutes from Edinburgh, your coastal holiday unfolds at Haven Seton Sands Holiday Park. Not only is this caravan park close to Edinburgh, but there’s a sand beach with rock pools just across the park site. There’s no need to waste time on the road just to get to the holiday park with Haven Seton Sands, you can spend your time roaming the beach and discovering sea life in the shallow waters! Likewise, if you are looking for holiday accommodation near Edinburgh, capital of Scotland and undoubtedly one of the most attractive cities in the UK, look no further than Haven Seton Sands. During your stay at this holiday village, spare a day to explore Edinburgh which will enchant you with its endless attractions, from Edinburgh Castle and Edinburgh Dungeon, to The Elephant House, widely considered to be the home of the Harry Potter series!
Seton Sands Holiday Park will be particularly attractive for those who enjoy golf or fishing. Seton Sands offers a 9-hole golf course with a sea view – this is a section of the coastline that includes some of the top golf clubs in East Lothian, including the recent home of the Scottish Open! You can also go coarse fishing at the lake, just remember to bring your rod and license. Why not enjoy the golf course with great scenery over the Firth of Forth, or catch carp or tench at the fishing lake?
Seton Sands is friendly to all guests with a good range of accommodation and adapted caravans, as well as dog-friendly beach access and beach wheelchair hire for children. Depending on your budget and preference for a holiday home, you can choose from caravans and lodges, to luxurious caravans in an exclusive section of the park. Pack your days and nights at Seton Sands with numerous bookable activity options, no matter the age of you and your company. And if you are bringing a dog with you, you can enjoy beautiful beach walks and nature trails with your four-legged companion!
Facilities: Seton Sands Holiday Park has 2 food and drinks venues, one of which is the Boatie Blest where you can enjoy free superfast WiFi. The heated indoor pool features 2 racing water slides. Just remember to book in advance! The holiday park also offers pool tables, 3 outdoor play areas, an adventure trail, an all-weather sports range, bungee trampolines and segway hire for family-friendly activities.
2. Parkdean Resorts Eyemouth
Location: Eyemouth, Berwickshire
Best for: chilling out at a peaceful beach with your family and visiting St Abb’s Head
Eyemouth Holiday Park, about 50 miles away from Edinburgh, is so well-reviewed it has a rating of 9/10 on reevoo. Why is this park so well-reviewed? Well, despite being a bit further away from the city than Haven Seton Sands, it is still within easy reach of Edinburgh. As you unpack at your holiday home at Parkdean Eyemouth holiday park, you’ll be welcomed by the beautiful landscape of Scotland’s east coast. The beach is only 5 minutes away on foot – this is a superb site to enjoy coastal walks, make sandcastles and splash in the sea with your little ones!
When you come back to the holiday village after a fun time at the beach, if your children are still looking for adventure, they can head straight to the park’s outdoor play area or the kids’ clubs. And if you also have energy left, head to a multi-sports court or an amusement arcade for rounds of family games. At any time when you feel peckish, there are a lot of food options – try the Killies Lounge or the Boathouse Bar & Restaurant.
When it becomes time to explore the neighbouring area, fantastic St Abb’s Head is just a 20-minute drive away. Anyone who loves birds will be thrilled by this National Nature Reserve, known as ‘seabird city’. We say it’s easily accessible by car from the holiday park – but when you’re there, you will feel wild and remote, watching the dramatic vertical cliffs with waves breaking at their base. Beautiful wildflowers and a wealth of wildlife at this nature reserve round off the total experience during your visit, making your Scotland getaway truly unforgettable.
Facilities: Parkdean Resorts Eyemouth has added brand new caravans for 2021 on their site – great news for those guests who prefer the most up-to-date, modern and extra clean facilities and services in a holiday home. The holiday park’s caravans and lodges can accommodate up to 8 people, with pet-friendly units and accessibility options available. Guests can also use super-fast WiFi in the complex and a local swimming pool for free.
3. Haven Berwick
Location: Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland
Best for: touring northernmost England along the beautiful coastline.
Here, your Scottish caravan holiday can also expand to encompass a taste of northern England. Haven Berwick holiday park in Northumberland is still close to Edinburgh, normally taking 1 hour 15 minutes by car. As this caravan park area is very near the sea, you can walk along the rugged coastline or enjoy views of a clean, pristine beach from the cliff-top. After a lovely and relaxing walk with your loved ones, come back to a cosy caravan of your choice to chill out. Although Haven Berwick doesn’t have lodges as an accommodation type, you’ll be able to find a caravan that fits your budget and needs from 4 caravan grades (Standard, Deluxe, Prestige and Platinum with decking). Accommodation for those with limited mobility and dog owners is also provided.
If you have children, whether they love sports, arts or nature, Haven Berwick holiday park’s great activity programmes will keep them happy and engaged. From archery instruction and a game of football, to creating seaside slime and wooden masks, and building dens and nest boxes, the fun moments won’t end till the last day of your time here! Once you finish touring the base area, find out about the region’s evocative local history – the border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed is within easy walking distance and has a range of interesting attractions, including the impressive Royal Border Bridge and Berwick-upon-Tweed Barracks and Main Guard.
Facilities: Haven Berwick holiday park is one of the Haven holiday parks with both an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor swimming pool, and is the only caravan park with both such facilities among these caravan parks near Edinburgh, so feel the fresh air as you swim in heated water outside. Family-friendly entertainment at the Show Bar is available with booking, as well as Pic ‘n’ Paint Pottery Studio, pool tables, Bowlingo and many more. In case guests miss any essential items to bring for their holiday, there are several shops including a mini-market, the Fun Shop and the Swim Shop. You can even get souvenirs from the park’s gift shop to take home.
4. Haven Haggerston Castle
Location: Near Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland
Best for: relaxing in a woodland park and pampering yourself with spa and sauna treatments
Haven Haggerston Castle Park is another great option for anyone looking for a caravan trip near Edinburgh, while exploring both Scotland and northern England. Located just under 65 miles away from Edinburgh, your driving time to the park is around 1.5 hours. As the name suggests, here you can see the last remains of Haggerston Castle – the tower, rotunda and stable block, all of which are Grade II listed. The tower is now used as a unique bar, where you can pop in for a quick recharge, making this holiday park even more special. Pick your accommodation between caravans, luxury lodges and exclusive lake view lodges, it’s time to spoil yourself!
You can relax as much as you like using the park’s sauna, steam room and beauty treatment rooms. Just make sure you book an appointment and the rest is all prepared by Haven and you’ll be transported to your peaceful zen moments. Whether your holiday plan is to have fun with your kids and dogs, or to pamper yourself and your other half, Haven Haggerston Castle is a great choice.
For those with itchy feet, you can travel to various places of interest around Haven Haggerston Castle holiday park. The quiet, family-friendly and sandy Spittal Beach is just 2 miles away, while Holy Island is 6 miles away from this family caravan park. Holy Island is world-famous and now is the best time to visit this beautiful, historic island with its amazing wildlife, before the world can go back to normal, as pre-COVID it attracted more than 650,000 visitors every year from all over the world. You can just stroll on the island or visit famous on-site attractions like Lindisfarne Priory. For extra COVID safety measures, booking is required – please see the English Heritage website to check further information.
Facilities: This holiday park offers 5 food and drinks venues including Papa John’s Pizza and Burger King as takeaways. It also has a wide range of activities for family entertainment with advance booking, from a lovely heated indoor swimming pool with a waterslide, to tennis courts and 3 outdoor play areas, a 9-hole golf course and adventure golf, a boating lake and an aerial adventure. At the indoor garden atrium-style entrance, you can find out more information and get help to plan your days and evenings at the park’s guest information point.
Holiday Parks in Other Areas in Scotland
Do you fancy venturing out of the Edinburgh area to enjoy some of the other great sides of Scotland? We’ve also got you covered there, check out 7 more great holiday parks across Scotland. Or whether it’s a log cabin break you’re specifically after you can view our 8 deals on a log cabin in Scotland here.
If You Choose a Holiday Home at a Haven Holiday Park…
All the mentioned holiday parks we’ve listed above will help you explore the Edinburgh region and take amazing memories back home after your holiday. But if your final choice of holiday accommodation is with Haven caravan parks, please take your time to view this information, since Haven newly introduced two different styles of holiday for guests to its holiday parks – Haven Stay Holidays and Haven Stay+Play Holidays.
Haven Stay Holidays are the most appropriate choice for those who want a no-frills option and plan to browse the park’s local areas and outdoors, as the offer includes self-contained accommodation of your choice and access to food & drinks venues.
By contrast, Haven Stay+Play Holidays provides travellers with full access to the caravan parks’ swimming pools, activities and day and night shows & entertainment, on top of what Haven Stay Holidays users get access to. So if Haven Stay+Play Holidays are to your liking, just make sure you book in advance for any activities or family entertainment venues, as part of Haven’s new system of guest management. For more information and booking, don’t hesitate to contact us.
What about Touring and Camping Options?
Some of the holiday parks listed above also offer facilities for touring and camping holidaymakers, such as Seton Sands and Haggerston Castle holiday parks. The number of pitches varies depending on individual parks, but touring and camping visitors can use the general facilities, including baby changing facilities, designated WC and shower facilities for guests with disabilities, covered dishwashing areas, waste disposal points and an outdoor play area. If you want to want to find out more about touring and camping parks, you can search options by region on our website.