Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park Review: A brilliant family break with pools, slides and sea views

We recently stayed at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park in North Devon and, overall, it was such a brilliant family break. It had that classic holiday park feeling that children love, with the most amazing range of activities, so no child could ever say that they were bored!

We stayed in a 3-bedroom Gold caravan with a deck at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Village, which was a brilliant base for us. It had lots of space, felt really comfortable and was close to the main facilities, which made everything so much easier with three children. For a family stay, it worked really well.

First impressions

The big thing with Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park is how much there is to do. You get access to all three parks, which is a huge bonus, and we honestly ran out of time before we could try everything.

There are pools, slides, splash areas, activities, entertainment, arcades, play parks, sports areas and lovely views across Woolacombe. For families with children who like to be busy, it is a brilliant set-up.

Our children are between 6 and 11, and it worked really well for all of them.

The pools and slides

The pools were one of the highlights of the trip.

At Woolacombe Bay Holiday Village, where we stayed, the indoor pool was more of a lap-style pool, with a pirate ship and slide. I would say this pool is best suited to younger children and preschoolers, or if you want to just swim, although ours still enjoyed it and had a great swim with lots of jumping in!

Outside, there was another heated lap pool with views over Woolacombe beach, and I loved this space. It felt open, relaxed and had that proper holiday feeling, especially when the sun was out.

There was also a splash pad, a heated pool, a toboggan slide, a three-racer slide and another toboggan-style slide. Our children absolutely loved this area. It felt like there was enough variety to keep them entertained without it feeling too overwhelming. There was also lots of sun loungers around the pool and tables and chairs by the splash pad. There was also a bar near the slides which was great if you were there for the day.

For us, the pools and slides were probably the biggest win of the whole stay.

The activities

The children did quite a few activities during our stay, and they were all a hit.

They tried Crazi-Bugz, which the older two loved. Our 6-year-old thought it was brilliant too, but did find the controls a little harder when it came to turning. It was still one of those activities they talked about afterwards.

They also did Make a Bear, which they loved. This worked really well because it meant they were happily doing something fun while we had a bit of time in the spa.

Another favourite was adventure golf. It was a lovely family activity and one of those easy holiday park things that always goes down well.

The trampolining was another huge hit. It overlooks the view, which made it feel a bit more special, and the children absolutely loved it.

There was also a brilliant park and a really good football pitch, which was perfect for letting them run around and burn off even more energy.

We took scooters with us, which the children loved, but it is worth saying that the hills make getting back up a bit of a workout. They were great for getting around in places, but you do notice the slopes.

The spa

While the children did Make a Bear, we went to the spa, which was such a nice bonus (my parents were with us – a top tip idea for a little peace and quiet)!

The spa had two plunge pools, two steam rooms, two saunas, an outside relaxation area, a foot spa and heated loungers. It was a lovely way to switch off for a bit and made the break feel a little more grown up too.

That is one of the things I liked about the park. It is very family-friendly, but there are still little pockets where adults can relax too.

Food, entertainment and the arcade

On site, there is entertainment in the Ocean Bar. We watched some of the shows, played bingo and used the pool tables. The bar also has lovely views, which made it a nice place to sit in the evening.

There is also a bar and restaurant. We had lunch there and it was good pub-style food. Easy, family-friendly and exactly what you need on a holiday park break.

And then there was the arcade, which the children loved and which very quickly took all our money. It was a fab arcade and definitely one of the places they kept asking to go back to.

The beach

Woolacombe beach is beautiful and definitely one of the reasons people come to this part of North Devon.

The beach is walkable from the park, but it is worth knowing that the walk back up is steep. With children, bags, beach things and tired legs, we found it much easier to drive down to the sea.

That would be my biggest practical tip for families. The beach is absolutely worth visiting, but don’t underestimate the walk back up if you are carrying everything.

What we loved

The best things for us were the pools, the slides, the activities and the amount there was to do across the parks.

The children were never bored. There was always something else they wanted to try, somewhere else they wanted to go, or another swim they wanted to squeeze in.

The Gold caravan was also brilliant. It gave us plenty of space, the deck was lovely, and being close to the facilities made the stay much easier.

I also loved the views. Some parts of the park have beautiful views over Woolacombe, and it really adds to the feeling of being away by the coast.

What we would do differently next time

Next time, I would choose accommodation with a dishwasher and a BBQ if I could.

The dishwasher is just one of those little things that makes family holidays easier, especially when you are eating in some of the time. And a BBQ would have been perfect for sunny evenings on the deck.

I would also plan the beach trips around driving down, rather than assuming we would walk every time.

And I would leave even more time for the activities. Because you get access to all three parks, there is loads to do, including things like the 9-hole golf course, but we simply ran out of time.

Final thoughts

Overall, we had a brilliant stay at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park.

It is a great choice for families who want a busy, activity-filled break with pools, slides, entertainment and easy access to the coast. It is especially good if your children like swimming, arcades, sports and trying different activities. There is enough for younger children, but also plenty to keep older children busy too.

We came away tired, happy and feeling like we had properly made the most of a few days away.

Sarah x