Why We’ve Stopped Trying to Cram Everything Into Our Holidays

Right, confession time. For years I thought a “good” holiday meant coming home more tired than when we left. Every day planned, every attraction ticked off, a phone full of photos I never actually look at again, and absolutely no energy left for real life once we got back. Sound familiar? I have a feeling I’m not the only one.

Lately though, something’s shifted for us. Our breaks away have gotten a lot quieter, a lot slower, and honestly, a lot more restful. And I don’t think it’s just us.

Turns out it’s not just me getting lazy

I was half convinced this was just me getting older and less able to cope with a packed itinerary, but from chatting to other parents, loads of us seem to be feeling the same way. There’s something about wanting a break that actually leaves you rested, rather than needing another holiday just to recover from the first one. Instead of squeezing in one more theme park or one more day trip we don’t really have the energy for, more of us are quite happily doing a lot less, and somehow enjoying it more for it.

If I’m honest with myself, a big part of this has just been being truthful about what we actually want from time away, rather than what I think we “should” want. Sometimes that’s a proper package holiday, flights, kids’ club, guaranteed sunshine, someone else sorting the buffet breakfast, and there is genuinely nothing wrong with that. When you’re knackered and just need everything organised for you, package holidays earn their keep. But other times, what I’m actually craving is stillness. No excursions booked in, no alarms set, just somewhere nice to sit still for a bit.

UK spa hotels have basically become our thing

This is where UK spa hotels have quietly taken over as our favourite kind of trip. We’ve stayed in a few now and there’s something brilliant about turning up somewhere with a pool and a hot tub, with zero expectation that you’ll do anything more energetic than move between the two. A few of the UK spa hotels we’ve tried do family sessions too, so it’s not just a “sneak off without the kids” treat anymore, which honestly made it a lot easier to justify to myself.

What I love most is how little thinking it actually takes once you’re there. Breakfast, pool, maybe a treatment if we’re feeling fancy, a wander if the weather’s decent, and that’s the whole day sorted without me having to plan a thing. No queuing, no rushing between attractions, no one asking “are we nearly there yet” for three hours straight. Just somewhere calm, not too far from home, where everyone actually gets to switch off, me included for once.

It really doesn’t need to be complicated

I used to think a “proper” holiday had to involve flights, transfers, and a packed schedule waiting for us on the other side. These days I’m just as happy with a couple of nights somewhere quiet, an hour or two up the road. There’s something genuinely lovely about not needing a passport, not stressing about time zones, and being able to arrive by lunchtime and be sat by the pool in a robe an hour later, coffee in hand, nobody needing anything from me.

That’s not me saying I’ve gone off package holidays completely, sometimes you really do just want the sunshine guaranteed and everything sorted for you, and that’s exactly what they’re for. But when what I actually need is rest rather than sightseeing, a slower trip closer to home wins nearly every time now.

If you fancy trying it, here’s my honest advice

If you’ve never done a proper slow break before, my tip is to resist the urge to plan every single hour. I know, easier said than done if you’re a natural over-planner like me. Book somewhere with a bit of breathing room, whether that’s one of the many UK spa hotels around the country or a quiet spot in the countryside, and then actually leave gaps in the day rather than filling them out of habit. The best moments on our trips have always been the ones we didn’t plan.

I’ll always have a soft spot for a good package holiday, for the years when everyone just needs guaranteed sunshine and someone else doing the organising. But for the weekends when what we really need is an actual reset, it’s the slower, quieter breaks winning in our house every time lately.