*Collaborative post
For those planning a holiday away with the whole family, a staycation might make a little more practical sense than a foreign excursion. They tend to be cheaper, and they don’t involve the hassle of going through an airport with children. What’s more, there are plenty of things to see and do in the UK that might not have even appeared on your radar.
Edinburgh
There are plenty of reasons to take the family to the Scottish capital. Aside from the major tourist draws like the Castle and the surrounding historic streets, there are more modern attractions like the Camera Obscura & World of Illusions, as well as the Edinburgh Dungeons.
London
Many of London’s better-known attractions need no introduction, but it might be that there are members of your family who’ve yet to see them all. Madame Tussauds, the London Eye, London Zoo and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour are all worth a visit.
Wales
Tourists’ trips to Wales can perhaps be lumped into two categories. There are walking holidays through the hills and mountains of the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia, and there are coastal trips where you’ll acquaint yourself with a range of seaside towns, and get up close to windswept beaches and ragged cliffsides.
Peak District
This national park has plenty to offer the average family, with camping opportunities, walking and cycling adventures, caving, horse riding, and fishing. Whatever activity you might envisage doing outdoors, in other words, you can do it here. If you’re looking to visit, you might find that a campervan or motorhome provides a means of doing so while keeping your accommodation affordable and as close to nature as possible. Just remember to take out sufficient campervan insurance before travelling.
Kent
Kent’s beaches have enjoyed the honour of being named the best in Europe by Lonely Planet, and there are more than four-thousand footpaths and cycle trails to wander along. On top of everything else, it’s accessible: you can get here within an hour if you’re travelling from London, and you can use it as a staging ground for further adventures on the continent. If you usually pass through Kent on your way to Calais, then there’s a lot to be said for stopping awhile and acquainting the family with all it has to offer.
Suffolk
There are plenty of family days out in Suffolk, including the open-air Easton Farm Park, which provides adventures in the fresh air of Woodbridge. Then there’s the Pleasurewood Hills family theme park, with its log flumes and merry-go-rounds. Of course, if you’re visiting this part of the world, then you’ll want to stop off in Framlingham Castle, which is where Mary Tudor was proclaimed Queen. Book your tickets in advance, because demand is always high!