Center Parcs - Always a family favourite!

Center Parcs/"a posh Butlins"/relaxing escape from the manic day to day life. Whatever you want to call it, there's nowhere I love going to more than Center Parcs. It's my happy place.

As a family we have been going since i was three years old (I'm now 22 so you can imagine how long it's been!) and i reckon we've probably been over 20 times, mostly to Elveden Forest but a few years ago we also visited Longleat (not our favourite, riding bikes up those hills was practically impossible! and it all just looked really old). This past weekend however, we visited Woburn Forest for the very first time. Woburn opened in June and when we heard a new park was opening we knew we'd have to visit!

As we were only there for the weekend, and we'd also heard the park was fairly small we unusually decided not to hire bikes. as it turns out the walk from our lodge to the main center was actually pretty far (my legs are only just starting to forgive me!). Speaking of lodges, ours was nice. It was a little bit small but it was cosy (almost too cosy, inside was so insulated it became boiling at times!)

We're not a particularly adventurous family so things like rock climbing and various other activities are off the cards, but we played tennis and badminton and just spent a lot of time chilling in starbucks, not particularly strenuous but sometimes it's just nice to relax and not have to do anything.

We were really lucky with the weather. It was sunny pretty much the whole time we were there, apart from the one time we were sat outside and it decided to bucket it down with rain! But we had our waterproofs and were well prepared for the british weather!

The food was awesome. Usually we go to Centerparcs for a week and we eat in and cook some nights, but as we were just there for a weekend we ate out at the sports bar (where we also came second in the family quiz!), Strada and Hucks. I always love the restuarants at center parcs but I always finish the holiday feeling like i've eaten my weight in food!

There is always a nice little selection of shops. The Store Room is probably my favourite, I got a bit addicted to the gorgeous smells and the bath bomb section.

Of course I had to buy something, choosing what to buy was so hard though, In the end i found the cutest christmas decoration and this Cath Kidston bag which i'm completely in love with!

So that was my trip to Center Parcs, it was so much fun as always and we're already planning our next trip (although we're yet to decide whether to go to Elveden Forest or back to Woburn again!)

But what about you? Have you ever been to Center Parcs? Did you enjoy it? I'd love to know your thoughts. Do you have any favourite weekend getaways of your own? Let me know in the comments.

Hannah xxx

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