A new and increasingly popular trend in the travel industry is skip-generation holidays, otherwise known as ‘Gramping’, which is the coined term for when grandparents take their grandchildren on holiday! It’s a brilliant way for grandparents to reunite and spend quality time with their little loved ones and discover somewhere new together whilst parents get to spend some well-deserved quality time together.
With its beautiful stretches of diverse beaches and wonderful island-wide activities, Jersey has plenty of appeal for skip-generation holidaymakers. Without experiencing any language barriers or changes in currency (apart from the unique Jersey pound notes!), the Island has a home from home feel, making it easy to enjoy all that Jersey has to offer.
We’d love to share with you our recommendations for the ultimate ‘gramping’ holiday in Jersey, including educational and fun activities as well as the best hotels that cater for everyone.
Activities
Jersey Zoo
A family holiday wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the zoo, and Jersey Zoo is the perfect place for grandparents and grandchildren to spend some quality time together, no matter their age. Whilst there are plenty of animals and exhibits to see, the zoo can easily be explored at your leisure making it perfect for a day trip. To break up the day and discuss your favourite animals, you can enjoy lunch at Café Firefly or the Dodo Restaurant. Make sure to leave enough time for the gift shop!
Mont Orgueil Castle
The medieval Mont Orguiel Castle stands as a bold backdrop to the beautiful fishing village of Gorey and is a must-see attraction for everyone interested in learning about Jersey’s history. The Castle’s captivating and troubling history is brilliantly retold for both adults and children, with hands-on activities for you and your little ones to get involved with! There are also plenty of hidden passages and exhibits within the castle walls for you to discover together – children will especially love the Wheel of Urine and the Witches room that can be found down a narrow staircase. You can choose to explore the castle at your own pace or take a guided tour, but either way, you’re in for a fascinating day!
Rockpooling
One of the most fascinating things about Jersey is its notably large tidal ranges, with the Island almost doubling in size at low tide twice a day. For anyone with curious children wanting to catch a glimpse of Jersey’s sea life, you can walk along the beach when the tides drop and spot miniature crabs and sea creatures in the exposed rock pools. This is a fun and free activity that you can enjoy together, letting your grandchildren explore while you take in the fresh sea air and beautiful coastline. You’ll find rock pools across several beaches in Jersey, the best ones being Greve de Lecq in the north or Green Island in the south. Make sure you time your trip around the tides to get the best experience!
Seafaris RIB trip
If you’re not averse to travelling a little further off the island, there are wonderful Seafaris RIB trips that you can take from Jersey that are bound to give you lots of fond holiday memories. Their passionate and skilled team of skippers take guests on a wide variety of voyages, including the North and South coasts of Jersey and beyond to the tiny islands in the Bailiwick of Jersey called Les Ecrehous and Les Minquiries. You’ll feel the thrill of being on this unique adventure as you look out for dolphins and grey seals, with plenty of photo opportunities along the way.
Accommodation
3* Merton Hotel
It can be a challenge finding a hotel that caters for everyone, but luckily the 3* Merton Hotel has a great choice of activities and facilities to entertain all ages. The hotel is well known for its family-friendly appeal, and the terrific indoor heated Aquadome provides hours of endless fun. The Merton also has a Kids Club where they can socialise and play whilst you relax with a coffee at Cascades Café Bar along with evening entertainment that you sit down and watch together.
Their double rooms with bunk beds are ideal for your skip-generation holiday as you can all stay in the same room – however, there are plenty of other family-friendly room types if you would prefer a different setup.
4* Golden Sands
For a hotel right on the beach, the 4* Golden Sands hotel is a great option. The beautiful St. Brelade’s Beach would be right on your doorstep, giving you the perfect opportunity to bond with your grandchildren whilst building castles or with an ice cream in hand! This popular beach has an atmosphere all year round and you’ll find a string of inviting cafes and restaurants along the promenade and plenty of activities on the beach to get involved with.
The hotel caters brilliantly for families and has family rooms available. Throughout your stay the hotel has buckets and spades, fishing nets and beach toys that are free to use, and also hires out their own sun loungers for you to relax in whilst the kids play nearby.