8 reasons to staycation in the UK this Summer

Welcomes to our blog on 8 reasons to staycation in the UK this Summer. 2021 may not be the ‘back to normal’ year many of us had expected. But with the roll out of the vaccine programme, and the potential for life to become much better than it has been – a Staycation in the UK is looking very possible.

Here’s 8 great reasons to enjoy a staycation in the UK this Summer.

Fantastic Accommodation options

Without a doubt the UK has some of the best accommodation offerings in the World. From fantastic campsites, to holidays parks right through to luxury cottages and Hotels.

We have stayed in some fantastic places in the UK, some of which I’ve linked below.

Forge Cottage, Sykes Cottages – This was a fantastic cottage tucked away in the Lake District amongst picture postcards towns and villages. Price is £1241 for 7 days at the beginning of May 2021.

Read more about our stay in the Lake District here.

Coachmen’s Cottage, Airbnb – This was a beautiful cottage in the Peak District, within easy reach of beautiful Countryside but also the cities of Liverpool and Manchester. It costs £982 for 4 for a week at the beginning of May 2021.

Read more about our visit to the Peak District here.

Courtfarm Cottage, ‘Absolute’ Airbnb – We stayed in this lovely converted barn for New Years 2019. It was tucked away in the most gorgeous little hamlet, in a fantastic location for Longleat, StoneHenge and Bath. For 1 week at the beginning of May 2021, it costs £810 for 2 adults and 2 children.

For more on our break to Somerset check out our blog post here.

Something for everyone

With over 31,000kms of coastline, the UK definitely has its fair share of amazing beaches and coastal towns. Many immediately think of Devon and Cornwall for their beaches, but there are spectacular beaches in Scotland and Wales too – as well as many other areas of the UK (the north Norfolk coast springs to mind).

If the beach isn’t your thing, how about miles and miles of rolling Countryside? We’ve had brilliant holidays over the years in the Peak District and Lake District, both of which are areas of outstanding national beauty and completely take your breath away.

In fact, over half of the UK’s land is farmland at 56%, and natural landscape coming close behind at 34.9%. Only 5.9% of the land is actually built on! It can be easy to think of the UK as crammed full of people…but actually, outside of the towns and cities there are vast areas of open space to explore.

Amazing food

There’s absolutely no doubt that one thing the UK does extremely well is food. Due to our rich diversity there are cuisines here from all over the World, you name it, you can find it.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that all you could get was pub grub and fish and chips. Now, if you fancy Lebanese for dinner, or maybe some sushi for lunch – you can most likely get it.

Not only is the food available, but often its available at extremely high quality – the UK has 187 Michelin Stars restaurants with the stars located in London, but also Dublin (which has 8!), Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh to name but a few.

Or what about something really different food wise? Many Lavender Fields now offer not only amazing photo opportunities but also delicious lavender flavoured food! I had a delicious lavender scone last summer! Check out this post for a list of lavender farms in England.

You can drive!

Oh it’s so much easier to drive to your destination isn’t it? As much as we love foreign travel, we always say whenever we drive somewhere, how much easier it is. No luggage restrictions, no airport stress, no jet lag and you can work to your own timetable.

Pretty much everywhere in the UK is accessible if you factor in enough time and maybe an over night stay if needed. Or why not consider a road trip stopping at numerous places along the way? One of the beauties of living on a relatively small island is you can see a huge variety of things in the space of week.

Suprisingly nice weather

It’s easy to think that it just rains here. And yes, we do get a fair bit of rain. But actually there are also loads of really nice days too – sometimes these are cold sunny days, but from June to August it is often actually very warm and sunny.

However, even if you do get unlucky and end up going away during a rainy week – the UK is REALLY set up for a soggy day or two with exceptional indoor activities, from soft plays, swimming pools and cinema and theatre complexes. Even Farms and Theme Parks take into consideration the chance of rain.

It’s easier

I have to admit, being a typical Brit who only speaks English, it can take away a bit of the challenge if there’s no language barrier! And all the rules and regulations are those which we understand (i.e. who else gets confused driving abroad!?)

Plus no need to concern yourself with passports or visas, jabs or potentially Covid Tests – this year, more than ever, it may well be a whole world easier.

The opportunity to do something a bit ‘different’

One of our best holidays with the children to date was our (gifted) visit to Cwmberach Urach Farm in Wales with Feather Down Farms. We stayed in this wonderful Glamping tent with toasty wood burning stove, a cupboard bed for the girls and a lovely hot shower. Three nights in a 6 person ensuite tent in the first week of May 2021 will cost you £485.

The UK is awash with amazing unique stays, such as Tree Houses, Shepherds Huts and Glamping. Getting out of your comfort zone and doing something a bit different is not only exciting, but really rewarding.

Supporting the UK Economy

Whenever we holiday in the UK, I get a little bit of satisfaction that we are boosting the economy and, even more so, when we shop local. I love exploring the High Streets of the many pretty Towns and Villages within the UK – they are an absolute treasure trove of amazing home grown shops.

The UK also has fantastic Farm Shops and markets. These are crammed full of brilliant kitchen table companies selling their delicious produce. Strawberry Picking is often linked to these fantastic shops – check out this post here for a comprehensive post of where to find the best strawberry picking fields in the UK.

It is also worth checking for deals if you have a Tesco club card. We have got some brilliant deals using our Tesco club card in the past (we bought all our Merlin passes using it and a number of Eurotunnel tickets too).

Conclusion

Thank you for reading our 8 reasons to staycation in the UK this Summer. I am a huge fan of this Country and all it has to offer. We really are spoilt for choice. And in a year that may well still be challenging for foreign travel, a staycation is a great alternative.

If you happen to be staycationing in the South East of the UK, check out our blog here of favourite things in this region of the Country.

For details on staycations in the gorgeous Peak District, check out the wonderful Peak District Kids website.

A wonderful idea for summer is to make a bucket list! For tips on how to do this check out this fantastic blog post here. Are you worried how to afford to Staycation in the UK? Then check out these 12 tips for saving money Holidays in England.

Disclaimer: Please always follow Government guidelines and we obviously only recommend traveling when it is safe to do so.