Contributed Collaborative Post
With travel abroad up in the air for 2021, many families are opting for the more secure option of a staycation in the UK. Given the current circumstances of vaccine restrictions and countries moving on and off the UK green list, domestic travel offers more security and peace of mind for a summer holiday. So, we’re sharing our top three tips to help you plan the best UK staycation this summer.
Location, location, location
Naturally, the most important decision you’ll make when planning your staycation is choosing the perfect location. The UK has a lot to offer, from quirky city breaks to relaxing coastal retreats, so it’s important to match the location of your staycation with your intentions for your trip.
If you’re looking for a busy break that has a jam packed schedule of activities, then make a list of the cities you’d be interested in and research the local attractions they have to offer.
By contrast, if you’re looking for a quieter holiday that’s full of relaxation and mellow bonding time with your loved ones, you may want to consider a rural retreat in a cabin based out near the coast or in the Lake District.
Once you’ve pinpointed the purpose of your holiday (and it’s important to consider your whole party, not just you!) then you can narrow down your locations and find the perfect UK staycation spot.
Be clever with your dates
Sometimes the dates that you’re booking are beyond your control, but if you have some flexibility around your chosen staycation days, it’s worth taking a moment to find the cheapest times to book.
Try to avoid booking a bank holiday weekend, or arriving during a weekend. If you can arrive on a Thursday/Tuesday, it’s sometimes possible to get a much lower rate as most people will be booking for the weekend dates. So if you have enough annual leave saved, take the Thursday as well as the Friday to try and save some money that can be put towards dinners out or fun activities. 
Booking as far in advance as possible will help with this too, as you’re likely to have a larger array of dates to choose from if you’re organised in advance. If you leave your booking until the last minute, you’ll be stuck with limited dates in the most expensive rooms which isn’t the best way to start your vacation planning. Plus, if you secure your accommodation dates early, you’ll probably save money on your travel bookings too.
To find the best dates, it’s often useful to use comparison sites, even if it’s just to give you some rough ideas that you can then use to book directly with different companies. So take your time, and do your research to prevent yourself spending extra money for no added value.
Pencil out a plan
You don’t want to map out every single hour of your staycation, because you’ll need another holiday to recover from it if every moment is accounted for. However, it can be best to plan some activities ahead of time to avoid disappointment.
In today’s current climate, booking ahead is vital due to increased demand and limited availability and capacity. If you decided to visit a sports centre for some skiing lessons, it’s likely that all of the spaces would be taken if you turned up without a booking. You want to avoid a staycation that’s boring and uneventful because you can’t get in anywhere to do any fun activities.
The same goes for restaurants – if you know there’s a specific place you want to eat, or a certain bar you want to experience, then just book it in advance. There’s nothing worse than looking forward to an activity that you ultimately can’t do, so booking your eating in advance will prevent you from missing out on your bucket list items.
So, to plan the best UK staycation, the key is to be prepared as Scar from The Lion King would say. If you were flying abroad, you’d plan and research in advance to ensure you get the best value for your money. You should channel the same energy into your staycation planning to create a memorable holiday experience.
This is a contributed collaborative post
