We all crave a bit of sun, sea and sand every now and again, especially when we’re faced with miserable rainy days every time we look out of the window. Many people associate holidays with going abroad and sunbathing on the beach and most don’t realise that you can have just as good a holiday much closer to home.
What with the current global economic crisis, a lot of us will find it hard to get away somewhere hot this summer, so I decided to examine the benefits of staying in the UK for the holiday season. Read on to find out how you can enjoy a fabulous holiday in the UK this year.
One of the great things about holidaying in the UK is that you immediately remove the problem of the language barrier. Although most resorts abroad employ staff who can speak English, it can still be difficult to get past the language barrier. We’ve all witnessed the stereotypical Englishman gesticulating wildly and shouting slowly and loudly to signal to the poor bemused French baker that he would like two baguettes and four croissants. As lovely as it is to embrace another culture, life is a lot simpler if you stay in the UK.
What’s more, you’ll greatly reduce travelling time by staying in the UK for your holiday, which is ideal if you’ve got young children or elderly relatives joining you, as they tend to find it difficult to travel long distances. There’s no waiting around at the airport or draughty ferry ports either; simply jump in your car, or even catch the train and you’ll be there in a few short hours.
Many of us enjoy sampling the beautiful scenery whilst abroad, but the good thing about the UK is that we have some of the most stunning landscape in the world, so there’s no need to travel great distances when it’s right on our doorstep. Visit the beautiful countryside of the lakes or peak district if you enjoy walking and being in the great outdoors.
The UK also boasts many delightful coastal villages so your kids can have fun making sandcastles on the beach whilst you enjoy a bracing walk along the promenade or an afternoon exploring charming towns and villages. You’ll also have this advantage at caravan parks on the coast; where after a long day of exploring the beach your accommodation will be just a short walk away.
If you like shopping for souvenirs, there are many shopping centres, boutiques, craft stalls and quirky hideaways in the UK so you can shop to your heart’s content and not have to constantly do the sums in your head to convert between currencies. Speaking of which, staying in the UK saves a trip to your local post office to change your money over, not to mention saving you from paying extra for the exchange rates and commission.
If your house is full of fussy eaters, as many are nowadays, holidaying in the UK removes the hassle of trying to decide where to eat, or how to translate a foreign menu. That’s not to say you have to stick to the traditional fish and chips British fare either; we’re lucky in the UK to host a fantastic variety of different cuisines so it’s easy to find something to suit every taste.
Finally, staying in the UK could actually end up saving you money, which means you can spend a little extra on daytime activities and not have to worry about paying off the credit card bill as soon as you return to work.
With so many benefits to staying in the UK for the holiday season, you’d be mad to not give it a go.