The art of the UK ‘staycation’

With another year, comes another spring and summer for the reader of the Ask Granny (http://www.askgranny.com) online grandparents journal to fill. Of course, you may have ideas for where you want to go yourself, but it’s also possible that you’ll be asked to look after the grandchildren, perhaps while the parents go on a romantic overseas trip. So, what is left for you to do? Well, you could always consider our many great ‘staycation’ ideas if you live in the UK.

As daft a word as ‘staycation’ may seem, the staycation itself has undeniable substance in an age that has seen more and more people struggle with money as fuel bills rise and cuts are made to public services to balance the country’s books. In addition, more and more people are realising that there are so many parts of their own country – or maybe even their own region – that they have thus far ignored. Not only can shorter journeys to attractions and activities be better for grandparents health in some cases, but they also somewhat ward off that refrain that has echoed from grandchildren across the generations: “are we there yet?”

Naturally, many UK holidays offer more obvious attractions to kids than others, with plenty of holiday and caravan parks around offering enthralling activities for miles around. It is very good advice, though, to ensure that you are at least comfortable with whatever you do for a staycation, given that it is you, after all, who will be paying for it. Somewhere like Cornwall, with its high temperatures, stunning beaches and great tourist attractions like the Eden Project and the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount with its enchanting castle, could be the perfect choice in case of doubt.

Discount travel for senior citizens is available to many of the most popular UK destinations, and if it’s just a case of having to bring you and perhaps your partner, your exact choice of destination should be much easier. If you always have your head in a Jane Austen novel, for example, perhaps you could pay a visit to the World Heritage Site of Bath, with its streets that inspired Persuasion? The area along the canal is also the perfect place for a relaxing stroll. For sheer beauty, tranquillity and closeness to nature, the Cotswold and Lake District also come up trumps.

But of course, readers of the Ask Granny (http://www.askgranny.com) online guide for grandparents have to ask themselves what it is exactly that they would like to do on a staycation. Major cities like London, Leeds and Manchester are great places for shopping, for example, also being a great source of grandchildren’s gifts to bring home, while there are also many fascinating museums, galleries and theatres for those that simply must get their culture fix while on holiday. With such a wide range of activities and attractions on offer right here in the UK, you might even be able to overlook the occasional bit of British drizzle!

Editor’s Note: Ask Granny (http://www.askgranny.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.