My definition of a staycation is a holiday in which you take in your home country. I’m guessing that’s most people’s definition but I just want to clarify for anyone reading this thinking, “huh?”. I am a huge lover of the staycation. As much as I hate where I live, I adore the United Kingdom as a whole and I think us U.K folk can certainly sometimes forget how beautiful our country is. I’ve posted about a few of my own staycations like when I went to Snowdonia in Wales, The Lake District, boating on the Norfolk Broads and my most recent staycation, Shropshire on the Severn Valley Railway (post coming up soon about that one!). My boyfriend’s family also live in the countryside in Lincolnshire, a good 2 and a half hours drive from us down in Essex so I always highly look forward to staying with them because again, that feels like a mini staycation to me!

So we’ve established that I love a staycation and I would always encourage people who live in the U.K to explore it more. We think about holidays and the far off distant shores of exotic countries a 5 hour plane ride from here but you can find just a much beauty right here at home! So on that note, here are my tips on preparing for a staycation!

Pack sensibly

I’m one for just packing everything I own but I know that’s not the right way to go about packing for a staycation. Remember, the weather in the UK can be dramatic and unpredictable. Think about where you’re going and pack for that place. For example, when I go on boating holidays on the Norfolk Broads the only thing I pack is leggings and comfy T-Shirts because that’s all I’m going to need.

Be clear on travel

Whichever way you’re getting to your staycation destination, make sure you’re clear on your travel times and routes before you go. Print off tickets in advance, check the traffic and where service stations are, check for any train route closures – everything to make your journey simpler and smoother so you don’t get abandoned somewhere! Which brings me on to my next point…

Look after your car

Lots of staycations are taken by car (majority of mine are) so if you’re driving a long distance to get to your destination, it’s so incredibly important to make sure your car is up to the journey before you leave. It’s vital to make sure your car has had a proper MOT and a service – www.kwik-fit.com can provide these for you and extra information on the MOT procedure – but also simple things like your tyres being at the right pressure and water for your windscreen wipers.

Research!

Although we assume a staycation will be a piece of cake because, it’s only the U.K right? it’s handy to research where you’re going and the surrounding areas, pubs, restaurants and things to do. There’s so much to see, you want to make sure you can fit it all in!

Budget, budget, budget

Staycations can be quite expensive. Not the holiday itself but all the “extra” stuff: food, petrol, gifts, tickets to various things. Which is another reason why its great to research everything before you go so you can get a sense of how much you’re going to spend. I would also take full advantage of the self-catering facilities most holiday cottages have and take as much Tesco Value items as possible! You’re going to be having too much fun to worry about gourmet meals every single day!

Do you have any of your own tips for a staycation? Where are your top staycation destinations and recommendations? Let me know!

* This is a collaboration with Kwik-Fit. All content is my own.