Now that the summer sun has gone – sigh, most of us would prefer to head abroad for an Autumn break. However, if your budget won’t stretch as far as a holiday in sunny Spain, there are plenty of amazing places in the UK that you can visit.
To help you ensure that you have a great time on your next holiday, even if it is on a budget, I have put together some tips that you should find useful. Since S and I had such a lovely weekend away in Bournemouth and Southampton last weekend, we thought we’d share the love!
It doesn’t matter what time of year it is; the UK is still the perfect place for a short break. Okay, so you may not be able to get a tan, but you can still have a lovely time away. Devon, Dorset and Cornwall are all lovely destinations. I can personally vouch for how pretty the Cornish coastline is – it’s beautiful. But now i’m rambling…
The point is, by choosing to holiday somewhere in the country, instead of abroad, you can save yourself a lot of money. This means that you will have more money to spend on enjoying your trip – in our case this included lots of tasty food, visiting an aquarium, a gorgeous spa evening and a sneaky trip to IKEA via an indirect detour home!
Choose somewhere that has lots to see and do
When it comes to choosing a holiday destination in the UK, make sure to choose somewhere that has lots to see and do. If you want a break that will allow you to relax, stay just outside of a town. This will give you the tranquillity that you crave, but you will be close enough to lots of fantastic amenities.
If you are thinking of visiting the seaside, it’s important to remember that most smaller places are seasonal. If you are going this Autumn or Winter, it’s important to realise that many of the facilities may be closed. Equally, be sure to check out events that are happening in the area. Whilst we were exploring Bournemouth we checked out the Powerboat P1 & Aqua X Jetski Grand Prix of the Sea Championships which was pretty sweet!
However, if you choose somewhere more commercial, like Brighton or Blackpool, there should still be lots to see and do. If you are a fan of theme parks, take a look at the holidays in Blackpool that are on offer. You can get some great deals that include not only accommodation, but also access to Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
Carefully choose accommodation
If money is tight, your best bet is to opt for a self-catered accommodation or a travel lodge to save on cost. How much of the time are you planning on spending in your room anyway?
Since we were only going for a couple of nights, S and I decided that we’d rather eat out, so opted for cheaper accommodation rather than self catering and enjoy the local restaurants, such as such as Hot Rocks Surf Restaurant and Cocktail Bar on the seafront.
We stayed just outside of Bournemouth city centre away from the hustle and bustle, but just a stone’s throw away from the nightlife, which was ideal for the short time we were staying!
Do lots of research on the best local attractions
If you are on a tight budget, doing lots of research before you go is crucial. Most locations have lots of free attractions and things to do, it’s just a case of finding out what they are. If you have friends or relatives who have visited the place you are going to, ask them to suggest the best places to visit.
We used Tripadvisor to find out what to do in the area and make the most of our weekend. We checked out Bournemouth Oceanarium (Obviously the Oriental Small Clawed Otter stole the show) and walked along the seafront before heading to the spa for the evening.
Follow these tips and you can ensure that regardless of your budget, you have an amazing time away, just like we did!