If your trip is about a relaxed, self-catering base with room to actually live in for a few days, a static caravan Tingdene Holiday Parks UK at one of our parks is worth a look. If it's about a compact, everything-sorted stay in the middle of things, a hotel is the better fit. Most families find the caravan route suits a coastal or countryside staycation particularly well, simply because there's more to come back to at the end of a day out.

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 UK staycation can be planned around almost any budget, provided you know where the genuine savings sit and where cutting corners actually costs you more in the long run.

Don't forget the boring essentials either: any medication, chargers, a printed booking confirmation in case signal is patchy, and enough cash for small stalls or ice cream vans that don't take cards. None of this needs to be complicated. Pack for changeable weather, bring comfortable shoes for more walking than you'd expect, and let the caravan's kitchen do the rest. That's really all a coastal break asks of you.

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.

For the caravan itself, most static units come with a cooker, fridge and basic kitchen equipment, but tea towels, washing-up liquid and bin bags are worth throwing in your bag rather than assuming they'll be there. A torch is genuinely useful for evening walks back from the clubhouse, and a few games or a pack of cards cover the odd wet afternoon without anyone reaching for a screen.