Two thirds of children think holidays in the UK are just as - or more - fun as going abroad

A survey of 1,000 boys and girls aged six to 16 revealed three quarters (73 per cent) think it is important to see as many of the best UK sights as possible before heading somewhere else. The ideal experience for a child is a visit to a waterpark, followed by a day at the beach with an adventure at a theme park taking third spot. Making up the top five are the opportunity to swim in the sea and being able to go and eat your favourite kind of food. Half term holiday The research was carried out by Premier Inn as families across the country prepare to go away for a half term holiday. Simon Ewins, managing director for Premier Inn [www.premierinn.com], said: “Children love the chance to go and visit another country on holiday, but the research shows that they’re desperate to see the sights of the UK and enjoy a homegrown adventure. “Families can rest easy knowing that wherever they want to visit in the UK there is no shortage of trips to go on and attractions to enjoy as children approach a well-earned break from school.” Spending quality time The research also found, for children, the most important thing when going on holiday is having the chance to spend time with their parents and family. Other important parts of a family break include the opportunity to explore and go on adventures, see new things, relax - and go for a swim. A child’s best type of holiday is by the beach, with almost twice as many kids’ choosing the seaside as the next nearest options. However, mums and dads should be warned that two thirds (64 per cent) wish their parents would give them more freedom to do what they want when they are on holiday. And kids want to be involved in the decision process too, with 59 per cent wanting the opportunity to choose where they get to go on holiday. Parents creating issues Parents were also called out in the survey, carried out via OnePoll, with 80 per cent of kids claiming their mums and dads manage to annoy them in some way on holiday. The most common complaint from children was about their parents embarrassing them by taking lots of photos. Simon added: “As families across the UK start to get ready for an Autumn break this half term, our one piece of advice is to listen to the little ones – they might not be the ones paying for it, but they’ve made it clear they want some involvement in it. "And planning trips to some of their favourite places or exploring new ones is a great way of making the most of everything the UK has to offer. "Premier Inn takes pride in its family-friendly service – and as kids love having breakfast in a hotel, we let them eat for free when their grown-ups tuck in too." TOP REASON REASONS CHILDREN THINK UK HOLIDAYS ARE AS GOOD AS GOING ABROAD: 1. There are lots of really cool places in the UK to go on holiday 2. It’s just as fun as going abroad 3. It’s easier to find food you like in the UK 4. You can still watch your favourite TV shows 5. It won’t be ‘too hot’ 6. You can take as many things with you as you like but a plane limits you 7. You don’t have to worry about not understanding foreign languages or what people are saying 8. It’s better for the environment not to fly abroad 9. There is a range of both indoor and outdoor activities 10. You can be spontaneous and go whenever you like 11. You like road trips and driving with their family 12. It takes too long to get to your destination if you go abroad 13. You can use phone with unlimited data 14. You understand what it says on menus 15. You can go away with friends 16. You can go away with other family members 17. You can take your games console 18. You can go away for longer 19. You understand the currency 20. The weather in summer here is just as hot as it is abroad