How To Have An Amazing UK Staycation!
Thursday, August 27, 2020
AD - This post is sponsored, but all opinions are my own
With quarantines being added to more countries, it's looking unlikely that travelling abroad will be off the cards for a while. If you're still wanting a hint of adventure, there are lots of UK Staycations for you to try! Whether you're staying in a tent or a luxury hotel, there is an at-home holiday for you! I thought I'd talk about what to consider before taking a Staycation and how to make your UK holiday a memorable one!
With quarantines being added to more countries, it's looking unlikely that travelling abroad will be off the cards for a while. If you're still wanting a hint of adventure, there are lots of UK Staycations for you to try! Whether you're staying in a tent or a luxury hotel, there is an at-home holiday for you! I thought I'd talk about what to consider before taking a Staycation and how to make your UK holiday a memorable one!
Things To Consider Before Your Staycation!
Local Lockdowns
One of the most important things you need to consider is the local lockdowns. Just because your area isn't experiencing an influx of cases, doesn't mean other places are. Do your research before booking a holiday, and make sure cases don't seem to be on the rise. Keep checking the local lockdown updates to be on the safe side!
Protection & Staying Safe
If you're going out and about on your break, make sure you're wearing PPE. I recommend wearing a mask in busy streets and inside any buildings. I recently went to Great Yarmouth and was shocked by the lack of care. There weren't many people wearing masks in arcades or even sanitising their hands. Make sure you're not caught out. Bring a mask & sanitiser with you wherever you go!
Wifi & Facitilies
Many of us are working from home, so make sure your accommodation has WIFI available so you can check updates, answer emails etc. I recently received my A-level grades via email but was away at the time. Without Wifi, I wouldn't have known about then or had the chance to appeal. You'll also want to consider the entertainment, local shops and accommodation facilities, especially if you've got young children or have dietary requirements.
How To Make Your UK Holiday Amazing
For many of us, holidays abroad were the best thing about summer. I miss counting down the days until I'd fly out to a new country to explore. Although it's not the same as a holiday abroad, UK staycations can still be fun. Here are some of my top tips for having an amazing UK break.
Count Down The Days
Set a countdown on your phone for the time you're leaving for your vacation. It'll keep you excited and eager to go away. If you pack your suitcase a week before, it'll also build your excitement! Treating your staycation like a "proper" holiday can make things more special
Treat Yourself A Little More
By staying in the UK, you'll be saving money on flights, attractions and rental cars. Use that money to treat yourself, making your staycation a little more special. I'd recommend upgrading your hotel room to a luxury alternative or treating yourself to a few new outfits!
Plan Something Special
If you're not looking forward to your UK break, plan something special for you to count down to. Whether you're treating yourself to champagne and afternoon tea or purchasing fast passes to a theme park, planning your days out can make your holiday seem more exciting. It's also helpful to know what you're doing each day!
Try Something New
Holidays are about doing things differently. If you're used to having sightseeing holidays, mix it up and do something thrilling! If you stay in hotels normally, brave a tent or caravan. If you're looking to make your staycation fun, change the way you do things. You may find something new that you love!
Have An Abroad Holiday At Home
If you're missing your pool days, buffets and markets, you can always recreate your holiday at home. You could stay in a themed hotel or yurt to experience another culture. Try to eat foreign foods, venture to local markets and do activities such as safaris. It would be fun to pick a country and make your staycation as similar as possible!
Remember England In The Sunshine Is Still Amazing
It can be hard to think of the UK as a sunny haven. Just remember, there's no bad weather, only unsuitable clothing! The UK in the sun can be just as warm as overseas! We're also climatised to wet weather so no matter where you go, you'll fund things to do!
Places I'd Recommend!
I love having UK getaways but sometimes struggle with places to visit. I thought it would be helpful to share some of my favourite places and ones I'd love to visit one day!
A gorgeous spa and hotel that is close to my hometown, Congham hall offers so much. With a luxury spa, a pool and treatments available to guests, this hotel is the perfect place to spend a self-care weekend away! It would be a gorgeous place to spend time with your other half or treat yourself to a much-needed break. Coghnam hall is beautiful and close to Kings Lynn, so you could always venture out during your stay. A standard room starts at £249 per couple and it includes breakfast and dinner and £159 if you're just staying in the room. I have to admit, the meals look delicious and I am excited to be staying! They're all quite fancy, so you'll deffinitly have a giggle with your partner while you're enjoying these meals - I know I always feel really fancy when eating certain things!
The Norfolk coast is a lovely place to explore with historic houses, family attractions and lots of trails to wander around. If you're going to go anywhere in the UK, Congham hall should be on your list of places to go! If you're in the Norfolk area, you could also head down to Great Yarmouth for some rollercoasters, arcades and the beach. It also has the Sealife centre and is close to Banham zoo if you're an animal lover!
Park Dean California Cliffs, Great Yarmouth
I recently stayed in a caravan here as a mini getaway with my family. Although we had a few issues with the caravan, it was a great place to touch base, and you couldn't find a more affordable place next to the sea. There was a beach 5 minutes from the site with bakeries and little shops close by too. Great Yarmouth town centre is only a 10-minute drive away with neighbouring towns equally nearby and ready to explore! There is a plethora of arcades, racecourses and banger racing experiences to add to your list of things to do!
The Royal Albion Hotel, Broadstairs
The Royal Albion Hotel is right on the beach, meaning you can eat your breakfast overlooking the sea! The hotel has been modernised, but there aren't any lifts for prams or wheelchairs. It's easy to access, and you're right in the centre of Broadstairs. There are lots of busses and rail links close by so you can explore further than the seafront. I'd recommend paying extra for the balcony rooms as they're bigger and have beautiful beach views!
Wotton House, Dorking
This beautiful hotel is full of history and heritage. There are gorgeous gardens to wander through with the availability of afternoon tea and picnics. The afternoon tea is on vintage tea sets and was divine. The hotel also offers a spa, studio classes, pools and more for you to enjoy. If you want a staycation, this hotel has it all. You can stay in the hotel happily for the weekend, or adventure into the local area. Nearby, there's the Denby Wine Estate and Wisley Gardens for you to explore.
Fox Inn, Much Wenlock
The Fox Inn was a lovely B&B to stay in. The rooms were comfy and homely. Our breakfast was huge, plenty to eat and cooked well. We stayed for a wedding, but it would make a lovely place to stay for a long weekend. Much Wenlock is close to the Iron Bridge and The Edge Adventure centre which hosts segways, quads, zip wires and clap pigeon shooting!
De Vere Beaumont Estate, Windsor
De Vere is a beautiful hotel to stay at if you're with children. The grounds have gorgeous wicker sculptures to view as you walk around, and the location isn't too far from Legoland. The hotel isn't too far from Windsor castle if you fancy a historic day out. It also has a swimming pool, spa and gym for a relaxing evening!
I loved having my Great Yarmouth staycation. It was nice to see a different 4 walls for a week. It's a great way to get out of the house and explore new locations. Are you looking to have a staycation this year? Or are you going to brave it abroad? Make sure you stay safe and wear a mask! Let me know where your favourite UK staycation destinations are!
8 comments
Some fab tips here, I think staycations are going to be the norm for the foreseeable! Haven’t been to any of your recommended places but I’m definitely going to add them to my list.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and commenting
DeleteEm x
Staycactions are definitely my plan for the foreseeable and they're just as exciting as a normal holiday! Love these tips!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and commenting
DeleteEm x
Thanks for sharing you tips on having a great staycation, taking PPE is so important, the amount of people in motorway services not wearing them and not following the one way system made my very anxious, which made me have a panic attack
ReplyDeleteNic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes
It's crazy isn't it!? Thank you for reading and commenting
DeleteEm x
Love this post! There are so many beautiful places to visit within the UK, aren't they? Like you we noticed on our recent trip to Whitby not everyone has the same level of care. I was quite shocked at how many people were walking down the front not social distancing and going the wrong way on the one-way systems put in! We stayed in an airbnb, taking our own cleaning wipes and gave everything a good clean down before we even did anything. We know the place had been cleaned but you can never be too careful, can you? We found it more comfortable doing it this way rather than a hotel too, as we could get food in and eat there rather than going out to eat all the time (which we did do on some occasions).
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
Aimsy xoxo
Aimsy’s Antics
I think it's a shame that not everyone is being sensible about the issue. it's quite scary when you've got a group of people coming towards you, no masks and no care. We also cleaned everything ourselves because we are over-caring, but it's better to care too much then not at all! Thank you for reading and commenting
DeleteEm x