40 UK Staycation Ideas for Your Next Break

Stuck on where to go next? This is a list of forty UK staycation ideas, grouped into coast, countryside, cities and something a bit different. Each one is a starting point, with a link to the destination or a fuller guide so you can take it further.

By the sea

1. Surf in Newquay

Newquay is the surf capital of Cornwall, with beaches for beginners and experienced surfers alike.

2. Harbour days in St Ives

St Ives combines sandy beaches, a working harbour and a long tradition of artists.

3. Fossil hunting in Lyme Regis

The beaches around Lyme Regis are some of the best places on the Jurassic Coast to look for ammonites.

4. Abbey and harbour in Whitby

Whitby has its clifftop abbey ruins, the 199 steps and a harbour known for fish and chips.

5. Oysters in Whitstable

Whitstable is a Kent harbour town known for oysters and weatherboarded seafront huts.

6. Art and sand in Margate

Margate pairs a wide sandy beach with Turner Contemporary and an old town of independent shops.

7. Salt marshes in north Norfolk

Wells-next-the-Sea has a huge beach backed by pine woods and colourful beach huts.

8. A walled town in Tenby

Tenby keeps its medieval walls, with sandy beaches on both sides of the town.

9. Victorian Llandudno

Llandudno has a pier, a long promenade and the Great Orme headland to walk or ride up.

10. The Causeway Coast from Portrush

Portrush is the base for the Giant's Causeway and Northern Ireland's north coast.

Countryside and mountains

11. The Lake District fells

The Lake District offers everything from lakeshore strolls to Scafell Pike, England's highest mountain.

12. Bakewell and the Peak District

Bakewell is a market town close to Chatsworth and some of the best walking in the Peak District.

13. Pubs and limestone in the Dales

The Yorkshire Dales combine stone villages, waterfalls and a good pub at the end of every walk.

14. Cotswold stone

Chipping Campden has one of the finest high streets in the Cotswolds and marks the start of the Cotswold Way.

15. Ponies in the New Forest

Lyndhurst sits in the middle of the New Forest, where ponies wander freely across the heath.

16. Snowdonia's summits

Snowdonia has the highest mountains in Wales, with Yr Wyddfa at its centre.

17. Waterfalls in the Brecon Beacons

Brecon is the gateway to grassy ridges and the waterfall country of south Wales.

18. The Cairngorms

Aviemore is the base for the Cairngorms National Park, with pine forests and lochs close by.

19. Ben Nevis and Glen Coe

Fort William is the outdoor capital of the Highlands, below Britain's highest mountain.

20. Dartmoor and the Devon coast

Devon gives you moorland and two coastlines in one county.

City breaks

21. Medieval York

Walk the walls, visit the Minster and explore the Shambles, all covered in our York staycation guide.

22. Roman and Georgian Bath

Bath has the Roman Baths, the Royal Crescent and a modern thermal spa.

23. Edinburgh's Old and New Towns

Edinburgh puts a castle, a palace and free galleries within walking distance.

24. Glasgow's museums

Kelvingrove and the Riverside Museum lead a strong free line-up, set out in our Glasgow guide.

25. Liverpool's waterfront

Liverpool has the Albert Dock, museums and plenty of Beatles history.

26. Bristol's harbourside

Bristol has the SS Great Britain, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and a strong food scene.

27. Oxford's colleges

Oxford offers college quads, the Bodleian and free museums.

28. Punting in Cambridge

Cambridge is best seen from the river, drifting along the Backs behind the colleges.

29. Durham's cathedral

Durham has a cathedral and castle on a wooded bend of the River Wear.

30. Belfast's Titanic Quarter

Belfast combines shipbuilding history with a lively Cathedral Quarter.

Something different

31. Try glamping

Pods, yurts and shepherd's huts are an easy step up from a tent, as our guide to glamping for first-timers explains.

32. Take a narrowboat

A week on the canals at walking pace is a very different holiday; see canal boat staycations.

33. Go stargazing

The UK has several dark sky reserves, covered in dark sky staycations.

34. Book a hot tub

A cabin with a hot tub turns a cold weekend into a treat; our guide to hot tub staycations says what to check.

35. Cross to Skye

Portree is the main town on the Isle of Skye, with a colourful harbour.

36. Take the ferry to the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight offers beaches, chalk cliffs and a slower pace just across the Solent.

37. Sleep in a castle

Amberley Castle in West Sussex has four-poster rooms inside medieval walls.

38. Stay on a farm

Farm stays are great for children; our guide to farm stay staycations explains what to expect.

39. Swim wild

Lakes, rivers and coves make for memorable swims; see wild swimming staycations for where to base yourself.

40. Take the waters in Harrogate

Harrogate is a Victorian spa town with Turkish Baths and tea rooms.

Making the most of these ideas

Many of these ideas combine well: a city break in York with a day at the coast in Whitby, or a Lake District walking trip with a night in a hot tub cabin. Campers can start with our guide to the best campsites in Cornwall, and if you're travelling with a dog, read dog-friendly staycations. For short notice, try last-minute staycations, and for families, the best staycations for families.