ad collaborative post // I’ve written a LOT of posts about staycations over the years (not surprising since I haven’t been abroad since 2011) but I’ve never actually written a post about my FAVOURITE UK staycation destinations. Weird, huh? I’ve no doubt mentioned them in passing in various posts but never dedicated a whole post to them. So here we are.

I haven’t been abroad since 2011 for a variety of reasons, the biggest one being my anxiety disorder which prevented me from stepping outside the house, let alone on a plane. So over the last decade, I’ve been on a LOT of staycations. Which I’m totally not complaining about because there are some seriously beautiful places in the UK to visit.

There’s so many great things to do throughout the UK, from beautiful Cornish beaches, to mountains of Snowdon, West Midlands Safari park or the Best Sunday Lunch in County Durham!

I think the pandemic made a lot of people realize that, too. Which is nice. Because you don’t always need to jet off halfway across the world and get on a plane in order to find a bit of natural beauty. There’s plenty our little island has to offer. So although I am DESPERATE for an all-inclusive, I’m not doing anything even if you paid me, beach holiday, staycations are pretty great too.

And for the sake of this post, staycation refers to a holiday taken in your own country. I am not having this boring-ass argument about what a staycation is with anyone. 

So today I want to share some of the beautiful locations within the UK that I’ve visited for a staycation which I would highly recommend you consider, if you’re looking to replace your abroad holiday with a staycation this year. Check out this post on how to save money on your staycation too!

Cornwall

Cornwall is just beautiful. I absolutely love Cornwall and I’d love to go back for a proper long holiday sometime soon. I went to Bude for a surfing and activities holiday but there are so many different places in Cornwall that are worth visiting. If you’re looking to save some money on your Cornwall holiday, you can get some cheap caravan holidays in Cornwall!

The Lake District

The Lake District is stunning and such a beautiful place for a staycation. There’s so much to do and see there and I absolutely loved our holiday to the Lakes. Check out this post on my own Lake District and Cumbria holiday to see more about what we got up to when we went!

Norfolk Broads 

I’ve been on the Norfolk Broads on a boating holiday twice and I absolutely love it. There’s nothing like the slow pace of life on the river, the quiet, the sunsets – ugh, it’s beautiful. But I really just love Norfolk and Norwich and that sort of general part of the UK anyway. It’s a really lovely area!

Lincolnshire 

My boyfriend’s family lives in Lincolnshire so I’ve been there PLENTY of times and seen quite a bit of it. It’s somewhere I’d definitely consider moving to in the future. I love the vast country side scapes, the small towns and the city of Lincoln with it’s Cathedral and cobbled streets is absolutely lovely.

Snowdonia 

I went to Snowdonia a LONG time ago (over 10 years) but it’s stood the test of time in my list of UK staycation destinations that I would consider my favourite. It’s beautiful. Utterly beautiful. If you’re active, you can hike Mount Snowdon or you could just enjoy the country. Either way, you’ll love it. I loved being in the middle of nowhere!

What did you have to say?

Gemma Jayne: “My favourite (so far) is Bournemouth. Not only do you get sandy beaches, but also lakes and parks to explore and it is a mixture of relaxation and hiking which is what I love!”

Nyxie’s Nook: “The North Coast of Northern Ireland is a gorgeous spot for a mini staycation. There are so many things to see, trails to walk and local views to take in.”

What Did She Type: “I would say one of the best places for a staycation would be Windsor. Not only can you visit Windsor Castle, St. George’s Chapel, and Royal Apartments to learn more about history and experience the home of royals, you can also shop at local shops and enjoy the green scenery.”

Life With Ktkinnes:I’ll go towards the west and say Enniskillen in Co Fermanagh – beautiful countryside, some stunning stately homes to visit, peaceful picnic areas by Lough Erne, and Nora’s Cafe in Irvinestown nearby is a must, the brownies are incredible!”

Shy Strange Manic: “The Yorkshire coast! It has some stunning views, seaside villages and quirky towns but it’s massively overlooked!”

I’d love to hear about some of your favourite UK staycation spots! Leave your recommendations in the comments.

23 Comments

  1. I’ve found so many hidden gems around the UK, I’ve actually never been abroad. There are places you’ve mentioned above that I’ve loved too. I think there are some great places in Shropshire too, that I’ve enjoyed staying at. Thanks for sharing these thoughts though, I’ve enjoyed this post! ^_^

      1. Oh, the Severn Vallley Railway is just lovely. Especially in the spring/summer. It’s nice to see the old locomotives and other trains riding along the lines. I’d recommend though some of the places near Ludlow too, if you’ve not been. There are some beautiful places to stay in for whatever duration, and then you’re not too far from places like Ludlow itself. I can’t help but call them hidden gems around the UK ^_^

  2. Cornwall is definitely a favourite of mine to visit too – I’ve been to several places there over the years, I like visiting cities too. I’d love to go to the Cairngorms up in Scotland, the Lake District, Yorkshire (I’ve been to York before). x

  3. I haven’t been to any of these places other than a single day trip to the Lake District for my Geography GCSE so there’s a lot of land to cover here. I haven’t done many staycations but these are great ideas, especially looking for places to go with Hugo x

  4. Thanks for sharing! I for sure have the travel bug and it’s worse since COVID. I’ve been to the UK a few times (I live stateside) but never Cornwall. It’s on my list for next time!

  5. It’s so exciting to see my name and my suggestion on this list! 🙈 Amazing post! Thank you so much for sharing. Cornwall is definitely on my list at the moment. xx Penny

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