Booking a staycation in UK

[cocowhite]

I know we can't book anything right now, we usually have a holiday abroad with the kids in Spain or Portugal, we actually have our summer holiday booked for the end of April to Spain (was booked for May last year but obviously cancelled so we postponed to this year)

Doesn't look likely at all that it will go ahead. We all desperately need a holiday - as I'm sure everyone does! I'm starting to think once restrictions are lifted it will be much easier to go on holiday in this country.

So I'm not really asking AIBU (or maybe you think I am for thinking about booking at all?!) and more that I need some recommendations on where we can go? We've never had a holiday in this country to be honest so I'm clueless!

We want something that allows pets and a hot tub would be ideal! I'm thinking a lodge or cottage or maybe even glamping?!

Any suggestions of where is nice and child/pet friendly?

Actual dictionary definition of 'staycation' is a holiday in your own home OR in your own country so there's no issue with using the term for your holiday in the UK 🙄

If you want to book for this summer, go for it and quickly. I had a look recently and there's hardly anything available in the areas I wanted to go to.

We booked for Dorset in June. Money back Guarantee if we can't go because of covid. Was about double the price we paid last September. But be nice to have a change of scenery.

I mean why stay here, I have family to go in Spain and Italy and hotter weather.
And yes I miss them

I would avoid Devon and Cornwall, they are very beautiful but also will be rammed with holiday makers. So spread out a bit and choice other destinations.

Derbyshire for walking and hiking, cake and traditional villages and cakes etc

Warwickshire for both modern and old history with castles and very fine country houses, along with Shakespeare and canals

what do you want to do on holiday other than the hot tub and relax?

chichester is my next scout round...off to look

I own a holiday cottage in Cornwall, I'm just praying that everyone still wants to book for this year. It's my first year opening it up to paying guests/the public. I've spent a lot of money on renovations and health & safety.

Hopefully everyone hasn't already booked by the time I get my website finished!

Or put off by the thought of Cornwall being busy!

Wow thanks so much for all these replies! So much to think about

And sorry if I have used the term staycation in the wrong way - I had thought it meant either staying at home and day trips or holidaying in your own country like @tisonlymeagain suggested.

But anyway yes I mean a holiday within the Uk.

I'm definitely not banking on any weather so it's more just somewhere we can all unwind and relax, have some fun as a family and get away from being at home all day every day

I would love to visit Cornwall/Devon etc but the crowds would put me off.

I'm willing to go anywhere in the Uk, preferably has a beach nearby for the dog and kids (doesn't matter if it's raining and freezing)

I've never been to Scotland that is definitely worth looking into. We will probably have a couple of day trips to a nearby zoo etc and some beach days, cafes and shopping, hot tub is an essential for when the kids go to bed to relax. We will enjoy anywhere really that's just a break away from home.

I will research all of your suggestions!

North wales is lovely - Anglesey for beaches and snowdonia for lovely walks. Lots of places are dog friendly. Plenty to do and lots of accommodation around.

Someone will be along in a minute and say we are unfriendly for speaking Welsh (not sure why the Spanish don't get accused of that).

North Norfolk has good beaches for dogs

If you’ve never been there, do not underestimate just how not-warm Scotland is in August. Feel free to pack shorts, sundresses, sandals and T shirts in case of a miraculous hot spell, but resign yourself to the likelihood of wearing jeans, trainers and a jacket all week.

We're going to Rochdale- no worries about tourists or the weather (it rains every day so we know what we're getting).

"Avoid the southern part of Scotland"
The southern part of Scotland espcially parts of Dumfires and Galloway are very beautiful with a lovely coastline.
"though if you happen to be English, you won't be very welcome."
Lots of "English" live in the south on Scottish boarder we find people very friendly.

@livingthegoodlife

I own a holiday cottage in Cornwall, I'm just praying that everyone still wants to book for this year. It's my first year opening it up to paying guests/the public. I've spent a lot of money on renovations and health & safety.

Hopefully everyone hasn't already booked by the time I get my website finished!

Or put off by the thought of Cornwall being busy!

I think you'll be fine @livingthegoodlife We had two separate weeks in Cornwall last summer and booked a few weeks out. I'll be looking to do that this summer if we DO go anywhere.

And specifically for Pollodeprimavera, have a good look at a map of the UK because until you’ve done that it’s really easy to misunderstand how much of it is north of Manchester. Even Edinburgh is a loooong way north of most of the North West of England and that goes double for the Highlands. Pack for your Spring, with some summer clothes just in case you get lucky.

"If you’ve never been there, do not underestimate just how not-warm Scotland is in August. Feel free to pack shorts, sundresses, sandals and T shirts in case of a miraculous hot spell, but resign yourself to the likelihood of wearing jeans, trainers and a jacket all week."
If you're looking for a holiday with guaranteed sun then Scotland is definitely not the place for you, and yes you do get quite a lot of rain (and midges can be very bad in some parts) but it has so much to offer; including breathtaking scenery, significantly less busy than say the Lake District and just as stunning, loads of history, beautiful beaches and coastlines, wildlife, culture, lots of sporting activities, two amazing cities in Edinburgh and Glasgow and Christ it's not that far away even if you live in the south, lets face to many happily drive to camping sites in France. We always find people very welcoming and friendly even in a big city like Glasgow.

@ammary

A staycation is when you stay in your house and go on day trips.

A holiday in the UK is just that:

This.

Why do people think it’s only a holiday if you leave the country?

@JustSaying101 - Northern Snowdonia.

Absolutely beautiful part of Wales. We have mountain views from the cottage, lots of walking, bike trails. castles and practically empty sandy beaches. It's as far removed from the packed beaches of Cornwall as it is possible to be even in August. The ZipWorld sites are popular too for the high adrenaline thrills but that's really not my thing!

I've booked something in the same county as I think this gives us the best chance of actually being able to go. I agree things are getting very booked up and expensive. Our plan B is house swapping with other family members.

we have booked a week in a holiday cottage in a small pretty village on the shore of a loch in the highlands of Scotland for end of August just for one week, hoping the weather will at least be fairly dry as we would love to go on our motorbike and ride round north Scotland coast and over to Skye as this was last years planned holiday and it didnt happen last year, i looked three weeks ago picked the cottage and the week, went to book it last week and that week had already gone so managed to get the week before £700 altogether which i dont think is extortionate

and North wales is lovely we did a holiday cottage week last september and there were lots of places to go and everywhere was lovely we stayed just outside bets y coed

Good to see all of the suggestions for North Wales given that I booked a week there yesterday :-) I just hope the kids are too short for ZipWorld !

We've booked a lodge in Devon at a hoeseasons for June. We went last year when our holiday got cancelled and it was lovely. This year, if we're allowed my sister and her husband will come which means we've upgraded to a lodge with a hot tub. I really enjoyed it last year and the kids loved it because the cabins are quite gimmicky and look like ginger bread houses.

We're also going to go camping if we can

I live on the Isle of Wight, ferries are already reporting an increase in summer bookings. It's a double edged sword for us, like every tourist destination

@janed9388

Good to see all of the suggestions for North Wales given that I booked a week there yesterday :-) I just hope the kids are too short for ZipWorld !

They might like Zipworld Fforest between Llanrwst and Betws y Coed!

It's high level tree walks etc and very popular with our guests with children too young for high speed zip wires.

We’ve booed but it’s transferable if we’re still locked down.