According to the pundits, this year is the year we all decided to forego the delights of abroad and spend cheap holidays in the UK.
The word ‘staycation’ has entered our vocabulary, whether we like it or not!
So, is staying at home the new going away?
There is a strong case to be made that with a little application and ingenuity, you can have a perfectly nice break that doesn’t entail catching the 5.15 am from Heathrow, and unless you’re a truly terrible cook, no Montezuma’s Revenge at the end of it either!
So here’s my guide to making the best of your staycation.
Check out some of the destinations listed here: Canal boat trips, renting a cottage, a mid-week break to a good hotel…
Remember, it’s a holiday – so leave the mobile switched off. Don’t take calls from work. Unless you really want to, don’t wallpaper the living room.
Take a break from the kitchen – go out for meals or get pizza delivered.
Yes – you can watch daytime TV if you want to! Or take a nap, or have a beer with your lunch – it’s your break, so do whatever you feel like doing. Or nothing.
Now’s the chance to try out a new activity. Fishing, or golf perhaps? See our guides.
Read that blockbuster novel you have been meaning to for ages. And if you really want to save, check out the local library for free (but don’t do what I do and forget to return them! Those late return fines soon mount up!)
Fantasy ideas – take your other half on a date. Leave the kids with the grandparents and go for a romantic stay at a luxury hotel. Or have a separate holiday – a weekend with the girls (or the lads).
A little ingenuity and imagination can go a long way. Pretend you are a foreigner in your own neighborhood, and check out the places of interest – castles, museums, art galleries,parks. Go swimming in the local leisure centre! Hire a bike and cycle on the local trails. Have a picnic in the park. Try a new restaurant, or a different type of food – Thai perhaps, or Mexican. With a little forethought, a holiday in the UK can be just as rewarding as a holiday abroad.