This holiday park offered a massive range of things to do, and the accommodation was of a really high-standard, with lots of little touches that busy parents will appreciate when they are away08:42, 30 Jun 2026Being a travel writer takes me to heaps of different places, but Northampton is somewhere I certainly hadn’t considered for a holiday. I certainly don’t want to upset the good people of Northampton, I’m sure it has plenty of great features, it’s just not somewhere I’d normally pick as a staycation spot.‌On the outskirts of the East Midlands town you’ll find a vast holiday park that offers lots of family fun without needing to head to the coast or destinations like the Peak District that can get really booked up as soon as the sunshine hits.‌I hadn’t been to Billing Aquadrome before, despite it only being an hour from my home, and while the location might seem a little odd it makes sense to put a holiday park between London and Birmingham, with lots of smaller cities nearby making it accessible for short breaks.‌However, before you arrive I urge you to download a map of the park to your phone. It’s well-signposted, but we drove in with too much confidence and immediately got lost because of its size. It took almost as long to find our caravan as it did to drive to the park, which isn’t an uncommon theme when I’m behind the wheel to be fair. The park has a big section for motorhomes, then separate areas for glamping, lodges, and different caravan types, so it can feel like a bit of a maze until you get your bearings.But on arrival, I felt instantly relaxed. We stayed on Moorhen Island, a secluded part of the park surrounded by a lake where you’ll see lots of birds gliding by, hoping to get the crumbs from your breakfast. Our caravan had a beautiful terrace overlooking the lake and some weeping willows. There was a hot tub that the kids bizarrely found enticing despite being mid-heatwave, and we discovered that if you relax in the hot water for a bit, you do feel cooler when you get out.‌The caravan was one of the best I’ve stayed in at a British holiday park, with features that gave it a luxury edge. There were bathrobes to use when you got out of the hot tub, a Ninja air fryer and a Tassimo coffee machine, plus comfy beds that felt a million miles from the usual creaky furniture you find in this kind of accommodation. And because we were bringing our pooch, a dog welcome pack was provided which included poo bags, a portable water bowl, a soft blanket, and lots of little treats we found really useful.The park has 11 lakes overall, and just a short walk from the caravan was Willow Lake, where there’s a huge inflatable aqua park, kayaking, and paddle boarding among the watery activities on offer. It’s a nice place to simply walk the dog, and if you get tired, a free mini train does a loop around the water taking you to different facilities around the lake.‌We arrived during a special Pride weekend, which meant there were lots of rainbow flags flying and lots of the entertainment and activities had a Pride-theme. But whatever time you visit, there always seems to be a lot going on, and we were impressed by the amount of free things to do. This included kids clubs, friendly family competitions, discos, and live music.Paid activities also seemed reasonably priced compared to some other holiday park chains. We were lucky enough to enjoy alpaca feeding, where we carried tubs of feed to the park’s adorable resident pack. The ladies, including Alpachino and Chewpacca, came right up to us and we even got some little strokes in while their friendly keepers told us all about them.‌Alpaca feeding costs £8, and there are also activities such as encounters, a very popular alpaca afternoon tea, or even the chance to make your own cuddly animal to take home, all for under £20 per person. Most water-based activities also stay under the £20 mark, and I’ve certainly seen activities such as paddleboarding costing a lot more at certain forest-based parks.In the evening, we headed to the Venue, a hub for the park where there’s an outdoor amphitheatre with a stage for summer night time shows, an amusement arcade, bar, and restaurant. We found a table overlooking the marina, watching some swans glide along the water while we listened to the sounds of Cher drifting from the stage. Like a lot of holiday parks, the food was quite basic and waiting times were long, although the staff were incredibly friendly and working hard to get orders by. We passed the time drinking cider and singing along to Believe.‌The amphitheatre had a fun, if chaotic atmosphere at night, with lots of family-friendly games between acts. It’s set up well, with a playground in eye-line of the seats, so I could enjoy a drink with my husband while the kids ran around, fuelled by Fruit Shoots and ice cream. We enjoyed the Spice Girls tribute act, which got plenty of kids, plus a few merry adults, dancing along.Sunday afternoon saw a giant slip-and-slide go up in one of the fields, and a foam party with 90s tunes and a water balloon fight were perfect for keeping kids entertained in the heat. The indoor pool looked fun, offering a splash park and slides. Sadly, we didn’t manage to grab any swimming sessions as the pool is obviously one of the first things to book up, so I’d definitely get some slots early if we visited again.Overall, Billing Aquadrome struck a decent balance between the sort of old-fashioned family fun you’d expect at a holiday park, with a good standard of accommodation and pleasant, clean surroundings. While the location isn't exactly a tourist hotspot, everything you need is on the park, and you could easily entertain yourself for days with all the free activities on offer.Article continues belowHave a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com