In our latest mental health piece, a look at ways to take some holiday time, even when prices appear to be on the up.
As summer approaches and people anticipate the warmest months and longest days, there is a lot of excitement building up to summer holidays.
Social media is filling up with posts showing countdowns or confirmations of late-booked getaways. Ads are appearing all over with a range of offers. And all the pictures seem to be blue; blue skies, blue seas, and blue pools. Greece. Spain. Italy. The Maldives. Or maybe even a cruise to see many places in one trip.
It looks like Heaven.
Unfortunately, there’s a significant amount of us who can’t quite afford to board a plane and jet off to destinations far and wide, so we look a little closer to home. After all, we do have some beautiful destinations on our own soil.
Whether you’re drawn to the history of Canterbury and York, the beaches of Devon and Cornwall, or the openness of any District or Moors, you will be able to find somewhere lovely right here. Why, we even have amusement parks.
Caravans, chalets, villas, apartments, hotels, bed and breakfasts, and campsites – there is pretty much something for everyone.
Minor hiccup, though. While it has long been an established fact that school holidays are more expensive for any and all holiday options, it does seem that in the past year or two the prices have increased further still. This writer, for example, has had multiple holidays in which accommodation on the seafront for a week, with travel to and from the destination all costing less than £600.
However, no matter how hard I search, these days, I can’t find anything suitable. The ideal locations are far too expensive, even the ones I’ve visited previously. The affordable ones are… do I need to say it? The average cost of my one week by the sea, now, is over £900 and that is often for an accommodation further than I would like from the beach, less than enthusiastically reviewed or presented, and that doesn’t even factor in my travel costs.
Oh, Brighton, how I miss you.
So, there goes that idea, for many of us.
But fear not. During my many depressing searches for unaffordable holidays within my own county, I did figure out a way to see multiple places within the UK for less than I have paid for my previous holidays.
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Vacations? No.
Staycations? Nope.
Daycations? That’s the way to go.
There are multiple ways to do it, from organised day breaks with local travel companies, to arranging your own travel there and back. I am looking at using a coach company that offers a range of day trips, travel included obviously, to various seaside, country, and city locations.
From beaches and fish and chips, to city markets and cafes, and walks around beautiful lakes and villages. And the best part is that the prices are significantly lower than you may expect, meaning you can visit far more places and experience more than you normally would for less than you would have previously paid for a five-night stay in a caravan.
And these don’t have to be seen like standard day trips. Each one can literally be considered a mini holiday… except cheaper and you get to sleep in your own bed at the end of the day. I mean, could it get any better?
Well, yes – but on a realistic level, why not venture out for multiple daycations? I already have four on my list.
So, you go and enjoy Benidorm while I explore Whitby, Windermere, Bridlington, Chester, Bath, Liverpool, and anywhere else I feel like checking out. We both win, then.
