UNITED KINGDOM
The growth of the "staycation" (dreadful word) may have peaked with the Olympics but many Brits are discovering what a colossal trove of tourism treasures this country has... not to mention how the quality of food & hospitality has dramatically improved in the last decade. So this section may help you research some domestic holiday ideas.
Lists...As with most of my lists, this is an eclectic mix. The Special Places lists are hotels and B&Bs that have caught my attention for one reason or another. Some of them may be part of a well-known chain / collection / brand, but that's irrelevant; they are in the list because there is something that stands out about them individually. These are very subjective lists, I include properties, not because they broadly match the criteria, but on a whim. The B&B Collections list is an adjunct.
And then there are some lists covering UK activities And you might want to check out Walking Festivals, which are mostly UK. |
Tourist OfficeVisit Britain is really aimed at overseas inbound visitors, but there's plenty of inspiration there... as there certainly is at the country-specific tourism sites: |
Interesting/Useful BlogsAbout.com/travel/uk - Ferne Arfin, an American living in the UK (for at least 10 years since I've known her) writes the UK section for About.com and always has usefu & interesting posts about the latest places to go and things to do. My Life in Leeds - Darren Cronian, who firmly established his blogger credentials with the popular Travel Rants blog, went on to create this excellent 'hyper local' site, which is a must-read site for anyone planning a visit. He has now expanded the concept to My Life in Yorkshire. 501 Places - Andy Jarosz's blog has a rich seam of posts that go off trail and under the skin of Britain. Savoir There - Jaillan Yehia's blog has some revealing posts on visiting Belfast and County Antrim in Northern Ireland. |
Interesting/Useful Articles & Blog PostsThe view from the Shard - Neil Barnes' very practical and detailed guide to visiting London's latest major tourist attraction. The Lake District in a Twizzy - Quirky Traveller, Zoe Dawes' fun post about driving around the Lake District in an electric car. Zoe has a number of posts about her travels in the UK and Cumbria in particular (where she lives, if I remember correctly). Up Helly Aa in Shetland - Kate Culley has quite a few posts about the UK, especially Scotland, in her Adventurous Kate blog, but this photo post is particularly convincing (apart maybe from the Viking Smurfs dancing), and made me want to go! |
Image: Flickr/Dimitry B