to not know where to go?

[ACupOfTeaSolvesEverything]

We love travelling and always go abroad for a summer holiday, this year for obvious reasons we're staying in the UK and I've got no idea where to go. I looked online and so much is booked up already and now the prospect of finding something nice seems overwhelming. There are 3 of us (2 adults and a 10 year old) and we're pretty open minded. Budget is £500 each/week including accommodation and main meals.

Where the hell do I look? Where's good? Shall I just give up and sit in the house going mad forever?

No suggestions? We're going insane stuck at home

What sort of things do you like to do? That would be a starting point- museums, history and culture, beaches, nature and the outdoors, city breaks?

We have booked two holidays in August and have booked Premier Inns for both locations. We have National Trust, English Heritage, and Merlin passes and will make use of those.

If you can't find somewhere why not do a proper staycation. Find places within a day of where you live, I was brought up near Cardiff but have never been to Cardiff Castle as an example. Eat out and buy ice creams much as you would on holiday.

Sorry to say I spend days looking and ended up with a massively overpriced airbnb which is £1600 per week for 3 (2 adults 1 child). Forget anything close to a coast and you might be lucky.

Yes all of that! Honestly that's why I didn't specify, we've been all over and enjoyed all sorts of holidays from Thailand to Turkey, Bangkok to Marmaris. We also often visit friends and family abroad but that's not happening either this year.
We live in Northern England and have done the Lake District a lot so maybe not there but other wise really open minded. Beaches, sightseeing, hiking, all sorts!

@goose1964

If you can't find somewhere why not do a proper staycation. Find places within a day of where you live, I was brought up near Cardiff but have never been to Cardiff Castle as an example. Eat out and buy ice creams much as you would on holiday.

Excellent idea, but we have done so much "local tourism" when we've been allowed to in the last 18 months that we're desperate to go somewhere else.

@AdriannaP

Sorry to say I spend days looking and ended up with a massively overpriced airbnb which is £1600 per week for 3 (2 adults 1 child). Forget anything close to a coast and you might be lucky.

We live near the coast so not desperate for the coast, just want somewhere nice

North Berwick.

East Neuk of Fife.

Aberfeldy

Advertise for a house swap?

Do a house swap

Northumberland is beautiful. I also really enjoyed Somerset- avoid the coast and places like Burnham on sea but inland towards Glastonbury, Yeovil is nice. Not far from Stonehenge either

A city break with museums and great meals out. Somewhere like York is great but will be packed and expensive. Maybe Bradford instead or Hull. Lots to do, lots of chain hotels, quite a few parks and gardens in both cities.
I suspect anywhere rural will be heaving.

Hmm Stonehenge, could be an interesting area

No one will want my house in the state it's in

We're spending a week in cambridge. Found a reasonable (for covid year anyway!) price on a holiday inn, and we'll eat out. Thinking we'll do museums, river trip, punting, city sights, maybe shopping, but I dunno if it's good for that... botanic gardens.... can't remember what else was on our list, but I'm looking forward to it.

I would guess oxford, bath, York, Edinburgh - other old-feel university places might be similarly good for a mooching around the UK holiday :)

Usually we'd get nice accommodation and spend time relaxing at the holiday home. For the prices though, we decided go for cheaper accommodation and go big on meals and trips out instead.

@mayblossominapril

A city break with museums and great meals out. Somewhere like York is great but will be packed and expensive. Maybe Bradford instead or Hull. Lots to do, lots of chain hotels, quite a few parks and gardens in both cities. I suspect anywhere rural will be heaving.

Absolutely love York but discounted it as figured it would be heaving. Used to live in Bradford but only ever got the ferry from Hull.

Ooh Edinburgh maybe, thanks FlippingKipper

We got 7 nights at the holiday inn for about £500 for 4 of us in a room (kids on sofa beds, but as I say, we'll not spend much time in the room hopefully).

You fire up holidaycottages.com and you crack on. Preferably six months ago but things are what they are.

Find a nice house, click, look at the map, have a quick look on Days Out With the Kids to see what's nearby, job done.

Lots of the more popular beach/dales/moors-type destinations will be booked up or expensive. But how about somewhere in the midlands? Could do, for example, trips to Alton towers, dovedale, go hiking in Peak District, Ilam park, Stoke etc.

Or somewhere like Hertfordshire - go to whipsnade zoo, take a day trip by train into London to see the sights, explore St Albans and the Roman ruins, go to the making of Harry Potter, Hatfield house, the natural history museum at tring etc.

Or base yourself in a city like Leeds, explore that. Then take day trips to the Yorkshire dales, Yorkshire sculpture park, llkley etc.

If you decided on a destination, then might be easier to narrow down accommodation options. (But previous suggestion of premier inn isn’t a bad option, as can often get good deals).

Look at the Cairngorms, still had decent availability last week for August. Plenty of options for adventurous activities eg quad bikes, kayaking, clay pigeon shooting plus hiking of course. If you like whiskey there's distillery tours too. On your budget you could find a cheaper hotel half board or self cater

Alternatively how about Bristol? We live out by the coast 25 mins on fast bus into the centre and have beach, outdoor pool, marina etc if you don't want to stay in a city. Cheddar gorge, Bath, lots of hiking options all nearby. There's paddle boarding lessons in the marina for kids

How about a narrow boat holiday (we're paying £900 for 3 nights but that's big boat, sleeping 6). With a couple of nights at a holiday Inn in a city after?

Lots of suggestions, thank you

@LuxOlente

You fire up holidaycottages.com and you crack on. Preferably six months ago but things are what they are.

Find a nice house, click, look at the map, have a quick look on Days Out With the Kids to see what's nearby, job done.

Thanks, my executive functioning isn't brilliant (hence we haven't booked anything yet) so chunking it like this is actually helpful, feels less overwhelming

We live in Warwickshire which is packed with National Trust properties such as Charlecote Park (where Shakespeare was caught poaching), Baddesley Clinton (priest hole, moat), Packwood House, Upton House and more besides. There is also Kenilworth Castle which is English Heritage - it's a great castle! You're close to Birmingham which has a lovely art gallery and big city styles and also to Coventry if you fancy looking at the Cathedral and the museum.

We're close to Stratford Upon Avon with good river walks and Compton Verney which is an art gallery in a beautiful house and grounds (designed by Capability Brown). There are some great walks to be had in Warwickshire plus it's only an hour to the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire and 40 minutes to Oxford with its museums etc.

I'm from North Essex myself and love the Essex/Suffolk borders which are essentially Constable Country. Suffolk has lovely coasts, walks and castles, so that's another area to think about. It's a surprisingly beautiful area and often overlooked.