On the way to Brittany we got stuck in the notorious Port of Dover traffic. Our sat nav routed us through town toward the port, but many roads were closed so we had to turn around and follow a different way in. We reached Dover at 11 a.m. and didn’t board until 6 p.m. — here’s how we kept the kids entertained for those six hours.
We mixed up seating with a bit of musical chairs so everyone sat next to someone different. Noah and Dad sat up front listening to the FA Cup for a while, while Isla and I watched two episodes of Stranger Things on my phone — our new little tradition. I also kept Dad awake by chatting with him, which I’m surprisingly good at.
Knowing we might lose signal in France, we’d downloaded Netflix episodes to our phones. Those saved us in the Dover car park and kept everyone occupied for a long stretch.
We played “spot the car” by picking a colour and scanning for matches. It’s a game we’ve played since the kids learned colours, and it felt nostalgic doing it with them now they’re older.
Queue frustration was inevitable. We kept asking how long the line would be and got annoyed at cars cutting in as people grew impatient. For most of the six hours we hardly moved at all, which was tough on the kids. About three hours in, Isla needed the toilet — we had to wait until we reached the passport control queue, but luckily she managed to hold it.
While we waited, we watched ferries leaving and arriving. The road curves around the port so you can see the ships and Dover Castle. The kids loved guessing how many people and crew were on each ferry and trying to work out how many cars and lorries fit on board — it’s amazing to see it all in action.
If you’re travelling to Dover on a bank holiday or a weekend, expect heavy traffic — P&O warned us these are the busiest times. Our ferry should have been the 12:05 sailing, but we missed three before finally getting to the port. Bring plenty of water and snacks, pack lots of activities, and try to stop for a last toilet break before you reach Dover in case you get stuck. It’s also worth keeping an eye on the Port of Dover Twitter account for live updates.
Have any tips for avoiding Dover traffic? Do you prefer night crossings or day crossings? I’d love to hear your experiences. Check out my other Northern France posts for more travel ideas.
