Noise and privacy tend to worry first-timers more than they need to. Units are generally spaced with a reasonable gap between them, and most parks are quieter in the evenings than people expect, particularly outside peak school holiday weeks.

Start with location. Decide whether you want to fall out of your door and onto a beach, or whether you'd rather have a quieter, greener setting with the coast a short drive away. Both suit a staycation well; it's really about what kind of days you want to have. If you like the idea of an early walk before breakfast and a paddle before lunch, a coastal park earns its keep. If you'd rather cycle quiet lanes or potter around a market town, a park a little further inland can work just as well, especially if the coast is only twenty or thirty minutes off.

Find out more at Lincolnshire coast holidays.

Confirm exactly what's included in your stay versus what costs extra. Bedding, towels, a welcome pack, use of the pool or clubhouse, these vary considerably from park to park and even between different unit types on the same park, so it's worth getting a straight answer before you book rather than after you've paid.

With a bit of flexibility on dates and location, tingdeneholidayparks.com a short break is often bookable within a few days rather than weeks, which makes a UK holiday park a genuinely practical option when the diary suddenly clears.

A static caravan is bigger inside than most people expect from the outside. Most units have a separate living area with a sofa and television, a kitchen with a cooker, fridge and the basics you'd find in a small kitchen at home, and two or three bedrooms depending on the size you've booked. It's closer to a small, self-contained holiday cottage than anything resembling camping.