7 Holiday Destinations to Visit in the UK this Summer

This summer, with the on going travel restrictions for international holidays, taking your break within the UK is looking more appealing than ever. While saving yourself the hassle of taking part in restrictive testing and quarantines, you will also get the chance to appreciate and experience some of the brilliant parts of the country that you may not have visited before and discover some beautiful British gems right here on our door step.

We will take you through some of the best options for UK breaks this summer, both city based and coastal or rural options, so there is something for everyone. You can visit Ebooking to find many great options for booking your hotels all around the UK.

London

As the Capital city of the UK, London naturally has so much to offer tourists. If you are travelling as a family with children, London has plenty to keep them busy from the Museums to the parks, London Zoo or the SeaLife London Aquarium, to famous national landmarks and sights like Buckingham palace and the London Eye.

Staying centrally in areas like Paddington, Kings Cross, Covent Garden or South Kensington will give you great access to lots of attractions and you can quickly and easily get around on the tube to explore further.

From London, you can also consider day trips slightly further afield to attractions such as Legoland Windsor. Or take a de-tour and spend a few days around Windsor itself to see the castle, and the atmosphere around this beautiful town.

York

York is another brilliant option for a city break within the UK. As such a historic city, there is plenty to explore and learn about for all ages. We visited York with the kids a few years back and had a great time.

You can visit Clifford’s Tower, the old keep of York Castle, which is quite central. The whole city of York is actually inside castle walls, making it quite unique! It is also worth a visit to the Jorvik viking centre, the York railway museum, or travel a little further out to Eureka museum in Halifax which is a really good interactive museum for the kids.

Stratford-Upon-Avon

As home of Shakespeare, Stratford Upon Avon is one of the most historically significant towns to visit in the UK. We took a mini break here with the kids and found plenty to keep us occupied. You can see Shakespeare’s birth place, visit his school (which is very interactive) and more. The atmosphere wandering through the town centre is really historic, very unique and interesting.

There are also other family friendly attractions such as the MAD Science museum and a butterfly farm.

Cornwall and the South West

Cornwall is one of the classics for a UK break. You can not beat this area for beaches, and some of the best coastal scenery in the UK. We have visited Cornwall a few times, and would recommend areas such as St Ives and Lands End as they have plenty to offer in terms of attractions for kids.

One of the most beautiful and unique places that we visited in this area is the Minack Theatre – a historic open area theatre set on cliffs overlooking the sea. You can even watch a performance here, with options suitable for children.

I would also recommend visiting the Eden Project, as a great day out and something quite unique. There are also some really interesting historic sights such as Tintagel Castle which is definitely one we will check out next time we are in the area.

If you’re looking for a city break in the South West, then Bristol is an obvious choice. There is a great atmosphere in this city, picturesque docks, museums for the kids (We The Curious – previously known as @ Bristol Science museum) and lots of great places to eat.

Wales

Wales is a beautiful part of the UK to visit, whether you go to the North or the South. In Pembrokshire, South Wales, you can visit traditional seaside towns such as Tenby. We also did some off road quad biking in the Pembrokeshire countryside which was so much fun.

There are some brilliant family friendly days out at farms and activity parks, such as Folly Farm Pembrokeshire, or Zip World in North Wales so plenty to keep the kids entertained as well as beautiful sceneries to enjoy.

For a city break within Wales, Cardiff is a great option.

Scotland

Scotland can also offer a variety of city breaks, or a rural escape. We have enjoyed visiting both Edinburgh and Glasgow for city breaks, both of these have plenty for kids and families to entertain themselves. I would recommend the Tall Ship and Riverside Museum in Glasgow, and in Edinburgh you have to visit the castle.

For a more in depth Glasgow Vs Edinburgh comparison check out this post from Bel around the World

Wandering around and exploring the atmosphere, shops and restaurants of these cities is also a lot of fun. Glasgow and Edinburgh are not too far from each other so it’s also pretty easy to combine both of these Scottish cities into a Multi-stop city break and kill two birds with one stone.

South East

The South East also has some really interesting historic towns to take the family, such as Hastings, which as the name suggests is the site of the famous battle of Hastings in 1066. You can visit the Battle Abbey to find out more about the history, and there are some beautiful coastal towns nearby to explore such as Bexhill on Sea.

For family days out, Drusillas zoo is a great option in this area, and one that we have visited quite a few times. It has a really good balance of animals, rides and attractions.

I hope this has given you a few ideas to kickstart your plans for a UK break this summer. These are just a few ideas to scratch the surface of what UK travel has to offer for families, especially those looking to try a UK city break, or explore some UK history.

Wherever you decide to book, I hope you all have a fantastic and fun UK holiday!