Best For: Peaceful breaks, families, New Forest caravan and lodge holidays.
Accommodation Types: Caravans, lodges
Highlights: Quiet setting, outdoor pool, access to wider Shorefield facilities

Forest Edge Holiday Park is a small, quiet park on the edge of the New Forest, offering caravans and lodges in a relaxed woodland setting. With an outdoor pool, play areas and simple on-site amenities, it’s well suited to low-key family breaks and couples seeking a calm base.

Guests also have access to the fuller facilities at Oakdene Forest Park nearby, including an indoor pool and entertainment. With easy reach of forest trails, Ringwood, Bournemouth and the south coast, Forest Edge is a convenient base for exploring the region. Ringwood is around 5 minutes by car for shops and pubs, while Bournemouth is about 20 minutes for the beach and seafront. Full facilities including an indoor pool, gym, bar and restaurant are available at nearby Oakdene Forest Park, around 5 minutes away.

Why it’s a top pick: Ideal for visitors wanting a peaceful park with good access to both the New Forest and Dorset’s coastline.

Best for: Family holidays and group breaks in the New Forest with on site activities and direct access into woodland.
Accommodation Types: Caravans, lodges, cabins and camping pitches.
Highlights: Indoor and outdoor pools, spa and gym, restaurants and bars, cycle hire, alpaca walks and forest activities.

Sandy Balls Holiday Village covers around 120 acres near Fordingbridge, with accommodation spread through woodland and open clearings linked by internal roads and forest tracks. The main hub at Village Square includes pools, restaurants, bars and activity spaces, with additional facilities and activity areas spread across the site. 

Direct access leads into the New Forest for walking and cycling, with routes used for bike hire and guided activities from the park. Fordingbridge is around 5 minutes by car, while Paultons Park is about 20 minutes and Bournemouth around 30 minutes for the coast. 

Why it’s a top pick: Well suited to family holidays and group breaks near Fordingbridge, Hampshire, combining forest based activities with a full range of leisure facilities on site.