With travel restrictions likely to affect our holiday plans for some time, there is no better time than to plan UK staycation! With miles of coastline, and a wealth of countryside to explore, why not make it a roadtrip and reconnect with this beautiful place we call home. Here are some must-do activities on a tour of England!
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Cotswolds
A quintessentially English market town in a truly delightful country setting. Being in an Area of Outstanding Natural beauty, it is an ideal base if you like to enjoy the great outdoors whilst being close to urban comforts.
York
A medieval marvel with cobbled streets, teeny tea rooms, and lots of history to explore! Must-do’s are the Jorvic Viking Centre which offers olfactory insights into centuries past, and of course York Minster.
Lake District
This national park offers stunning scenery and is an amazing place to be for outdoor activities. Whether kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, canyoning, gorge scrambling, via ferrating, abseiling… (you get the picture) is your adrenaline rush of choice, you’ll find it here.
Cambridge
The place to be if you’re after that wind-in-the-willows vibe. Cambridge is a university town with a distinctly erudite atmosphere. Number One activity here is to take a punt tour on the river Cam, and also wander the city’s many bridges. You can see where it got its name.
St Ives, Cornwall
The light here is magnificent, the beaches are beautiful, and the winding streets are a delight to explore. St Ives has a wonderfully cosmopolitan vibe without losing any of its quaint charm. Also excellent for surfing.
Did you know? The England Coast Path is due to be completed in 2020 – this will be an epic 3000 miles long trail of uninterrupted coastal walk!
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London
The Capital of the country and full of tourist attractions that are oddly overlooked considering everyone in the country can get here for a day trip. Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, British Museum, National Gallery, and the Victoria and Albert Museum will reconnect you to the culture of the country, and give you an insight into why the tourists flock here – history!
Whitby Bay
Fish and chips followed by a wander along the pier, maybe a ride on the steam train, and if the weather is warm enough a dip in the sea. The North East Coast of England is a rugged and spectacular place to be, and Whitby is the perfect base to explore from.
Stonehenge
A peek into our pagan past, and a wonderfully mystical site to visit. Stonehenge attracts tourists from all over the world, but it is a place we Brits seldom put on our itinerary. Take a trip to connect with your Druid roots!
Tip: Take a hire car! If you are on an epic tour of England, you really should do it in comfort, especially if traveling with the whole family! Remember to take out car hire excess insurance – it will protect you from the potentially high fees associated with exclusions, and save you from purchasing the hire company’s more expensive protection.
New Forest
This is a place where horses, donkeys and cows wander free – a novel and unusual experience, especially if you spend most of your time in a city. The New Forest has a serene outdoorsy feel, great for camping, family bike rides, and kayaking.
Brighton
A small place with everything you could ask for. As well as a vibrant nightlife, great shopping, and a fabulous beach all wrapped up in Victorian splendour, Brighton also sits just on the edge of the South Downs. The perfect balance of city life with country living – whatever takes your mood.
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Don’t forget your car hire excess insurance – it’s not just for breaks abroad, it offers peace of mind for UK car hire too.