Where do you begin when planning a UK holiday? Where do you stop? In this handy article, we'll walk through how to plan a holiday in the UK so you don't have to worry.
Planning a holiday is often an exciting experience, but for some, it can be a little more daunting. Where do you begin? Where do you stop? We’ve put together a list of things to help make the process a little easier. Hopefully after this you’ll be able to relax a little easier and prepare yourself to enjoy your holiday.
Where, who & when?
WHERE - The first big question is where do you want to go? Are you looking for a seaside break, a camping trip, or something in the city?
WHO - Then it’s time to think about who. Are you booking a break for your family, a group of friends or it is a couple’s retreat? Knowing who is coming is important if you’re doing the booking, this will help you to decide how many rooms you’ll need at your destination, and what sort of activities to plan later on.
WHEN - The final step of the first stage is when. Are you planning to book your trip for the summer? On a weekend, or during the week? When you’ve picked your dates, ensure your party is happy and if need be, can book the necessary time off work.
Accommodation
When booking your accommodation, consider the facilities of each option and the needs of your party. If you’re travelling with small children, local activities, high chair and crib availability may be more important to you than local nightlife and gym facilities.
Transport
How are you going to get there? If you’re staying for a short time, or are packing light, have you considered public transport? If the train works out a cheaper option, or makes it easier on the designated drivers, make sure there’s a station within close distance from your destination. If you’re travelling as part of a large group, have you arranged who is driving, and which cars your party will be separated into. Make sure everyone can agree on a departure time so you can stay close together and support each other throughout the journey.
Activities
To some, the most important part about planning a holiday is what you’re going to do when you get there. When looking for activities, consider everyone in your party. While younger children would prefer a busy day at the beach or an adventure at an animal park, elders may appreciate a relaxing excursion or a bit of fine dining. Make sure you plan for everyone! A good place to start would be TripAdvisor, enter your destination and find everyone’s favourite choices: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions.
Before you Leave
There’s a couple of important things to consider before you can finally leave for your trip. If you have any pets, it’s important to plan for their care. If they can’t come with you, do you plan to book them into a kennel, or is someone looking after them for you? Finally, it’s time to pack! Lists are a good place to start, if you’re travelling for a weekend, make a list of everything you’d use over a standard weekend at home, then begin to think about the activities you’ll be doing. Will you need swimwear, hiking boots or extra sun cream?
Handy Packing Tips
- If a member of your party takes medication, ensure you have enough to cover your trip, and a few extra just in case.
- Research into the weather before you travel. Will you need shorts and flip flops or raincoats and wellies?
- If you have a long journey ahead of you, consider packing in-car entertainment, snacks and drinks to keep everybody happy.
- First aid kits can come in extremely handy. Pain relief, plasters and small dressings can help aid minor injury that may occur by slips and trips.