Milestone birthday - weekend abroad or UK?

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(Apologies, posting on AIBU for traffic)

We're talking a big birthday. Fast-approaching so limits options but as it stands its out of:

• French city (not Paris), travelling early hours on the birthday (~6am flight), 3 nights away, returning late at night with work early the next morning, OR,
• 3-4 nights away somewhere within the UK, perhaps a nice air B&B?

If UK based would be able to leave Friday evening after work, can drive, wake up birthday morning without the stress of a 2-3am alarm/travel to airport etc and can leave at a reasonable time the evening before work. Its just that staycations don't really tend to appeal to us.

Any suggestions?

I would change destination an find better suitade flight times.
It can be cheaper in some places abroad ylto celebrate than on UK.

Sorry for typos

What is your budget? Personally I could do without the stress of airport on a birthday although I would do eurostar.

I'd wait and have a week abroad

@Exasperatednow Budget flexible - have savings but very keen to get on the housing ladder this year so want to be frugal if possible as to not eat into ££ that would otherwise be used for a deposit.

@NEmama Getting a week off together is very challenging. May be waiting till the summer for that (a whole 6 months after birthday and still may or may not manage a week off at the same time)

Go somewhere else with a reasonable flight time and you can still go abroad

If uk what area ?

It sounds like UK would work better for you to maximise your time. Personally I’d do London- book a Premier Inn and some nice restaurants, maybe theatre and or exhibition.

@Exasperatednow We live near Chepstow on the Wales/England border - open to where but north of the Midlands would probably be too far for a weekend

Ghent on Eurostar?

Norfolk with lovely beach walks? Lots of places do packages especially in winter (Titchwell for instance).

therectoryhotel.com/restaurant-bar/

This is nice but not necessarily cheap. There's a lovely b and b near by. I'll see if I can find it.

dialhousehotel.com/stay?gclid=Cj0KCQiAnsqdBhCGARIsAAyjYjRusCIJLFQLYSq1CATiYVoC6DDYER1wI8YhClhvAE9s51Bf0q9iuZoaArP3EALw_wcB

But this is all countryside. Would you prefer a city?

aside from the ethics of flying for a weekend, the thought of a super early start and airport hassle on my birthday - no thanks
Somewhere nice in the UK, go the night before and start the day with a luxurious hotel breakfast.

I would always go abroad

Could you fly Friday night ?

Personally I would do a uk break. Maybe bath with a day at Longleat. Or maybe the new forest. A spa hotel ?

It really depends on your personal preference. What i like might be your idea of hell 😆

What do you actually want to do while away?
The sort of things I enjoy I wouldn't really be able to do in France due to the fact I don't speak/read French.

@Exasperatednow thank you, looks lovely but sadly well over what I'd be happy to spend.

@DDivaStar that would be ideal, friday night flight so no travelling on actual birthday. sadly cant find any decent flights from Bristol airport. Spa hotel sounds lovely too.

@Needmorelego Try new things - new food, culture, explore new areas, walking and relax/recharge. Open to most activities too. Of course wouldn't get that "different" feeling quite so much in the UK hence not as keen but for convenience sake happy to explore. Maybe theres a unique stay (havent had much luck searching on air B&B).

Personally.... I would go somewhere in the UK.
The waiting around at airports is wasted time to me.

What about Belfast, Dublin as the flight time would be quite short. Flights can be quite late on Fridays to these destinations so could go after work on Friday

Fly

Bristol to Edinburgh
Bristol to Amsterdam
Bristol to Dublin

Have you tried the explore option on skyscanner, just putting in your departure airport/dates?

If you fly just with hand luggage it's easy peasy walk through. I usually fly without checked luggage and I think my personal dare record was arrival about 30 min before gate closed.

I pick short trips by going on Ryanair and eayjet fare finders and pick what sounds interesting under £30 each way

The ship Inn, in Mousehole looks nice. About £300 for two people for 3 nights.

Though London would be good if you wanted to be busy and lots of good free things to do and cheap and good places to eat. Premier inn in kings Cross is ok. Not fancy but clean and comfortable bed.

Daughter is off to Prague in January- flight £40.

@Pothoswithasparkle that doesn't sound too bad time wise. I've waited longer at train stations 😂
I just can't stand airports full stop so really wouldn't want to have to fly. But I am not the OP so she might think differently.