UK Weekend Getaway ideas

Whenever I am researching UK Weekend Getaway Ideas, I am flooded with ideas on where to visit, what to do and must see but I am still sticking to my guns on how expensive it is to travel within the UK. This is not to say there are no affordable locations within the United Kingdom boundaries, there are!Unfortunately getting to them is often the first major cost that you have to overcome as travel in the UK is ridiculously expensive. Once we get over how expensive travel within Great Britain is, we can open our eyes to the beauty that the island holds and the many places we have at our door step.

One thing you can’t deny about the UK is that we have many beautiful locations that you can explore, from Holiday Parks in Cornwall to the incredible Lake District. I have had the pleasure of exploring some of the best locations within the United Kingdom and I hope this post will share some locations that you can consider for your next UK adventure. Obviously, over the last couple of years, travel has changed dramatically and you need to research more than before any locations you wish to explore.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post

UK Weekend Getaway Ideas

My last great UK adventure has to be the girls weekend getaway to the Lake District which was exactly what the doctor ordered. We made it into the best road trip ever, 5 girls in one electric car somehow elevated the trip as the stops we made to charge the car meant places we could stop, explore or eat at. I love road trips with the girls, it’s always the most fun especially when you explore places within the UK with adventurous people.

The locations I am recommending in this post and those where I have been to myself and wouldn’t mind exploring them again. Each location offered something unique to remember it by, if not the people then the food or popular tourist sites. All the locations here are best if you drive there but public transport is also available depending on where you are travelling from within the United Kingdom.

Swansea Bay, Wales

The Swansea Bay Area in Wales is just under 3 hours drive from Oxford and makes for a perfect weekend getaway or even a day trip but to make the most of the trip, I would make it a weekend getaway. There are so many wonderful beaches to explore, so many little villages, great history and incredible food. I shared a full blog post on exploring the Swansea Bay in Wales. The most memorable thing about Swansea Bay for me where the incredible white sandy beaches that we explore and the majority were in close proximity to each other.

Kent, England

Kent is also just under a 3-hour drive from Oxford and is situated in South East of England and is home to the oldest cathedral in England in a small town of Canterbury. Kent is also home to the English Channel and the White Cliffs of Dover. The county is filled with beautiful beaches and castles and we had an amazing weekend getaway to Kent and highly recommend it for a short escape. When I think of the most memorable thing about Kent, I have to say it was the White Cliffs of Dover, make sure you go super early when there are not that many people around and take your time with the walk. Read more about our visit with the girls.

Edinburgh, Scotland

I have been to Edinburgh more times than I came to count over the last 20 years and each trip has been unique in its own right. When I lived at home with my parents, we used to drive the entire 8 hours to Edinburgh from Cambridge but now I opt for a 1.5hr flight from London instead. Edinburgh is the Scottish capital, a city with a castle perched on a hill filled with incredible history and cute cobblestone alleyways. The city of Edinburgh is home to Harry Potter author JK Rowling and is famous for the international fringe festival. My most memorable thing about Edinburgh has to be my attempt at climbing Arthur’s Seat totally unprepared and turning back half way. I shared my weekend getaway to the Scottish capital in this post.

South Devon, England

Driving in the small for over 3 hours to reach south Devon was one of the most terrifying experiences my sister and I have had on our quest to explore the UK. But, what awaited us was a region filled with sandy beaches, medieval towns, towering cliffs as well as the Jurassic coast. Devon is the only county blessed with two coastlines as well as two national parks and South Devon, is home to the picturesque English Rivera located in the Southwest, separating Cornwall from the rest of England. The most memorable thing was an accidental pit stop that we made and discovered Labrador Bay on our drive, the views were breathtaking, you can read more about our trip in this post.

Over the years, I have shared a lot of ideas on the UK destinations that I recommend and all this information you can find under ‘United Kingdom‘ in my Travel Guides section.