I swapped my fancy holidays abroad for staycations in the UK – I now visit the same island every month
A FAMILY have revealed how they gave up their fancy overseas holidays for stays in the UK – and are now visiting the same place every month.
Laura Edwards and her husband Mike began holidaying on the Isle of Wight during the year Coronavirus Pandemic.
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The couple first went to the British Isles with their three children when Covid restrictions were eased in 2020 – and have not looked back since.
Laura told Sun Online Travel: “I wasn’t on the island until the pandemic, but I decided to book a static caravan when we were allowed to dine al fresco.
“We went to the island and absolutely fell in love with the place.”
After Family‘s first visit to the island, they also went to other static home public holidays to places like Kent and Cornwall.
However, Laura, 43, added: “Nothing has pleased us as much as the Isle of Wight, it’s just a beautiful place.”
“It almost feels like going abroad because you can get the boat across, making it a different experience than other places we’ve been.
“We were always abroad before going to the Isle of Wight and we never holidayed in the UK.
“We always went to different places and loved Mexico and places like that.”
After visiting the island so many times, Laura and Mike decided to buy a static house instead, using the money from a van that was sold.
Mike actually won the van in a competition – but it was too small for that transport his tools, so he used the proceeds to buy the family’s vacation home.
Laura said: “Our caravan site is absolutely beautiful, it’s on a hill and the views are stunning.”
The family now visits the Isle of Wight at least once a month.
They run during school holidays, term weeks and even weekends when traveling from south London.
And it’s not just Laura and Mike who love being on the island – their children love it too.
Laura added: “It’s also great for the kids because they get to go out and play and ride bikes with their friends.
“It’s very carefree on the island and you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
“In the SummerI let the kids play until 9 p.m. and then I go and find them and bring them back inside.”
“When my teenage daughter comes, she is very relaxed.
“We recently became members of English Heritage and when she started filming the sites on her phone I knew she was having fun.”
Although there’s “always something new to do,” Laura’s youngest children Louie, 12, and Darcy, 11, always have the same thing on their Isle of Wight bucket list.
She said, “The kids love to go to the amusement parks and spend time in the arcades and on their paddle boards.”
Although the family recently returned from a week’s stay on the island, they plan to return in two weeks.
While many Brits yearn to travel abroad, the Edwards family are content with their stay in Britain.
Laura added, “It’s like a home away from home.”
The Isle of Wight is also home to Britain’s oldest theme park, which recently announced a brand new ride.
Blackgang Chine opened 180 years ago – and to celebrate it has opened its brand new Extinction attraction.
The last hovercraft in Europe is also on the island – that’s what it looks like.
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