What do people DO on UK holidays?

[JudgeRindersMinder]

We’re sun worshipers, and go abroad for the sun 2-3 times a year. Except this year!
We have a few days off in September, Thurs-Sun, and wouldn’t mind getting away for at least a couple of nights.

I’ve been looking at nice hotels in various UK locations (ie NOT Premier Inn type places) We aren’t super active people who are into bracing walks in the countryside (both have issues with arthritis 🙄), and if we stay in Scotland, any spas, pools etc are no go.

If you were us, where would you go and would you do?
Budget is fairly healthy, and travel by plane or car isn’t an issue

@judgeRindersMinder what's wrong with Scotland? You do know we have spa's pools etc

Another vote for Northumberland - quiet beaches, Alnwick, Bamburgh, Lindisfarne - lovely!

Do a city break here or abroad, go to Jersey, Isle of Wight, walks, theatre, museums, cathedrals.

We holiday in the UK at least two or three times a year, usually in a self catering cottage... I have a list of features though, mainly a washing machine/dishwasher and a log burner/open fire in spring/autumn/winter. We tend to just relax in front of the fire with a book and a glass of wine, and have the odd day out in the locality, country pub lunches etc.

We love it, we can take the dog and go at our own pace, DS12 requests WiFi so that keeps him busy too.

It can be VERY expensive though, we certainly don't do it to save money as we'd be cheaper going abroad.

Thats my type of holiday too.

Another vote for Northumberland. Absolutely Beautiful and unspoiled.
Take walks in the hills and o. the beaches, eat in country pubs, visit open gardens, ruined castles, etc.

What about hiring a river boat that way you can do small sails along the river to pubs for food and if the weather is nice lie in the sun and read your book

@1forAll74

I would hire a decent sized motor home, travel North, to the wilds of Scotland.Off the beaten track sometimes, with camera and binoculars. Hope to avoid a lot of people, but maybe sample a bit of local food and drink, and have a chat with some way off locals.

This.....

I just went with my husband to the Cumberland Hotel as it has an outdoor pool and bar overlooking sandy beach in Bournemouth. It was fabulous and food was good too

Some practical tips:

Go on trip advisor and check what the top ten things to do are in the area you're visiting. Usually that will turn up some options

Find a travel guide to where you're going, and find what the things to do are.

Get the all trails app, which gives you all the public footpaths in an area, plus walks selected by people and reviews

There are usually loads of interesting parts of history to investigate in any part of the UK. It's incredible. It's like every tiny patch of earth has lasted and laters of fascinating history, no matter how remote or how developed.

Old churches, ruins, stories, beaches, villages.

A drive round, punctuated by little coffees in interesting villages, plus walking round quirky independent shops.

Try Northumberland rather than going up into the more popular and almost as beautiful Scotland.
Most people just pass through it, but it’s got great beaches, lovely country side, good quality locally produced food and beer, cosy tea rooms, loads of interesting National Trust places and English Heritage (not just Hadrians Wall - although that’s interesting too) dark skies so good stargazing opportunities. Choose a place to stay where you can enjoy a drink and read by a warm fire or looking at an amazing view. There’s plenty to choose from. Somewhere on the coast like Beadnal or Warkworth or Seahouses or further inland like Rothbury or Alnwick or even over by Hexham, Haltwhistle or even out in Kielder.
As you are readers you really should try to spend a day at Barter Books at Alnwick- you can browse and read all day, good food in their cafe and excellent coffee.
Do take a jumper or two, comfy shoes and a raincoat!
No, I’m not from the Northumberland tourist board 🤣🤣 Just sold on the area.

Walking
Walk on the beach
Visit historic houses, castles and gardens
National Trust properties
Museums
Galleries
Picnics
Lunch, dinner, afternoon tea

God, I love a cottage holiday in this country. We also eat a lot of cheese and biscuits and drink a lot of wine!

A colleague has just come back from a camper van trip to far flung parts of Scotland. He booked it in January. He said that the campsites were packed!!

Ooooh go to Scotland and tour the Highlands without bored toddler whining, stopping for nice pub lunches where no one regurgitates the food they dislike, have long lie ins reading books etc.

Oh wait, this has turned into my fantasy....

Sorry! How did I miss the other Northumberland recommendations! Must learn to RTFT more carefully 😊

I realise it is on your doorstep, but how about a couple of nights at Gleneagles? Spoilt rotten nice food cooked by someone else and I am sure fires to sit by and read. You could then go on to one of the nice hotels in Edinburgh and do the same. We had a week in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago (and also come from about an hour north of Edinburgh) and it was amazing. It is so quiet it is almost a different city and we had a wonderful time wandering round in a way that you really can’t normally do. Great restaurants too.

I do realise that is slightly counter intuitive, but spoiling yourself on your door step might be a relaxing option.

[quote linsey2581]@judgeRindersMinder what's wrong with Scotland? You do know we have spa's pools etc[/quote]
Nothing at all wrong with Scotland-although pools etc have yet to open here.

I’ve actually booked a very posh room at a lovely hotel here in Scotland which has loads of activities, and a great reputation for its food. I can’t name it here as it’s totally outing!!

A Norfolk canal boat holiday. If the weather is nice then the journey will be amazing but if it isn't then you can snuggle down and read a book in a wonderful cabin . It'll be a mini adventure.

We’re staying in Cheshire at the moment and have been for a wander down the canal, spend a day at Blue Planet aquarium and Cheshire Oaks shooing centre, walked up to Beeston castle, followed a treasure trail around Chester Walls, a visit to Knowsley Safari park, Crosby Beach to see the Anthony Gormley iron men, Dunham Massey NT gardens and Sunflower fields and a trip to Liverpool.

Explore

I hate the sun, love a sunny day but get bored by lying in hot sun by pools/beaches. We don't holiday in UK due to budget as we like luxurious cottages or spa hotels, but equally I've fond memories of a run down caravan in W Wales in the rain where we had so much fun as a family playing board games and watching films, something we never find time to do at home. We love exploring the UK coastline on foot, the beautiful architecture in our cities and learning about the history behind our own country. Our children love surfing in Devon/Cornwall surf and exploring rock pools and crabbing. And we love exploring local cuisines and local independent shops for trinkets. I've holidayed all over the world when I was younger, but still love a good UK holiday and I've only explored a fraction of it!

Another vote for Northumberland. We have been twice and thoroughly enjoyed it. Would love to go again soon, but I worry that having enjoyed it so much on previous trips we might be disappointed this time round with everthing the way it is at the moment. However, reading this thread I am starting to change my mind.

Same as we do when abroad - sightseeing, hiking, experiencing local culture etc for half the dat and then the other half at the beach (different beaches) or pool. Any budget or free activities that we can find to entertain the children. We research our destination fully before we book anywhere and always max out the tourist info office for maps etc. We always self cater (holiday cottage/ villa / camp) as can't stand hotel culture, fighting over sun loungers, chavvy bits abroad etc and always hire a car so we can go anywhere.
I guess it has been said many times before but why do you want to travel anywhere just to plonk yourself down on a chair all day? I love the sun but, no offence, it sounds like you need to broaden your horizons. You would have a much better experience.
Don't get me wrong, we budget wisely, book flights, accommodation ourselves which saves hundreds and pre covid we could holiday easily as a family of 5 in the height of summer to a hot location for less than £2k (2 weeks).
This summer we had an amazing hot and sunny week on the Isle of Wight for £400 all in (using vouchers, discounts etc) and feel that we did everything the beautiful island had to offer.

Isle of Wight is lovely

I think what people do is walking and spending money on entertaining and feeding themselves while dodging the rain.