None of these questions take long to ask, and any decent holiday park will have straightforward answers ready. If a question gets dodged or fudged, that's often more useful information than the answer itself.

Bank Tingdene Holiday Parks UK weekends behave the same way on a smaller scale. Even outside the main school holidays, a bank holiday weekend pulls in extra demand because it gives everyone an extra day off without using annual leave, so these particular weekends fill up faster than an ordinary one either side of them.

If you're travelling with a dog, check the pet policy in detail rather than assuming all units accept them. Ask which specific caravans or lodges are dog-friendly, whether there's an extra charge, and whether there are dog walking areas on site. This is one of the most common causes of a frustrating check-in when it's left unchecked.

Ask about on-site facilities' actual opening hours and whether anything's seasonal. A pool that's only open during summer months, or a clubhouse with restricted evening hours outside peak season, changes what a break looks like considerably if you're travelling in spring or autumn.

A coastal caravan holiday suits anyone who wants the beach to be part of daily life rather than a single day trip. Mornings can start with a walk along the front, afternoons can be built around a paddle or a spot of rockpooling, and there's usually a working harbour, a promenade or a string of small seaside towns within easy reach for lunch. Coastal parks also tend to sit near longer coastal footpaths, so if you like a proper walk with the sea in view for most of it, this setting delivers that without much planning.

Where it's worth spending rather than cutting corners is on the things that affect your actual comfort: a caravan or lodge with enough bedrooms that nobody's sharing a room they'd rather not, a park close enough to what you actually want to do that you're not driving an hour each way, and decent waterproofs and footwear so a bit of British weather doesn't spoil a day out. Saving money by squeezing into a smaller unit or picking a park purely on price, regardless of location, tends to show up as a less enjoyable week rather than a genuine saving.