Top UK summer travel ideas

Go glamping

There's no need for chilly tents and soggy pitches – upgrade your camping memories for a glamping weekend instead. Wildlife lovers will enjoy Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, set in 600-acres of beautiful Kent countryside and home to many rare and endangered animals. There’s a wide variety of accommodation on offer for different group sizes and budgets, you can choose from luxury treehouses to clear lookout bubbles for star gazing in bed. Each glamping area also has its own vantage point on the wildlife, within a whisker of big cats or with a bird’s eye view of roaming rhino. All accommodation comes with out-of-hours access to the safari park as well as a safari truck tour which takes you on an adventure through the South American, Asian and African experience zones.

For another unique glamping experience, visit Fforest, a 200-acre farm in wild west Wales, where you can stay over in a geodesic dome (complete with wood-burning stove and Japanese-style onsen bathing area), an original Welsh crog loft, or simple 'garden shac'. Check out our glamping and camping guide for more of our favourite locations.

Visit a vineyard

When thinking of a vineyard break, your first thought might be Spain, France or Italy (and we've visited those too – check out our guide to the best European vineyard breaks). But the UK wine scene is booming and there's plenty of English vineyards and Welsh estates to discover, visit for a day trip or stay for a weekend. For those who are London-based, Denbies Vineyard is just a 50 minute train from London and offers indoor and outdoor winery tours. The former explores the working winery along with a cellar tasting, while the latter takes you on a 50-minute toy train tour of the vineyard, showing off panoramic views of the North Downs.

Known for its world-class sparkling wines, Kent’s Balfour Winery is home to lush English vineyards, acres of ancient apple orchards and oak woodlands – perfect for nature and wine lovers alike. Located on the Hush Heath Estate, take a self-guided stroll or book for a full estate tour and tasting experience from £45-£65, where an expert will show you around the vineyards, learning about the secrets and history of Balfour as you stroll. See more of our best UK vineyard stays.

Take the train

UK summer travel doesn't have to be a whole week or even a weekend, spend your weekend on a day trip. No car? No problem. We've picked the best day trips from London by train, with journeys starting at under 20 minutes for a speedy afternoon in St Albans. Discover the classic seaside towns of Margate, Brighton or Whitstable for ice cream, fish and chips or oysters. Summer is also great time to visit university towns of Oxford and Cambridge when they're quieter during the student holidays – go punting, eat ice cream whilst people watching outside historic colleges and get a squidgy éclair from bakeries that are local institutions.

See the seaside

You don't need the Med – head to the great British seaside for the ultimate staycation. Margate is a classic English seaside resort that’s been enjoyed by tourists since the 18th century and today mixes its old-school coastal charm with cool vintage shops, the famous Turner Contemporary art gallery and bubbling café culture. Pretty Babbacombe in Devon has plenty to offer: there’s Devon sunshine, blue seas, charming Oddicombe beach (made private by the shelter of a steep, tree-lined cliff) and even an art deco funicular railway linking the beach to Babbacombe’s pretty clifftop green. Browse our best British seaside holidays guide for more hotspots in Scotland, Suffolk, Norfolk or Kent.

Perfect pub gardens

Spend a lazy afternoon in an idyllic pub garden soaking up the sunshine. The Potting Shed in Crudwell in the Cotswolds has an expansive 2-acre garden, complete with apple trees, lawns and an abundant vegetable patch that supplies the hearty gastropub classic menu. Lancashire gem The Inn at Whitewell is a 16th-century pub perched high on the banks of the River Hodder, with spectacular views down the valley to the grouse moors beyond. Book one of the outdoor tables for a pint of Moorhouse's Broomstick Bitter from nearby Burnley, or settle in for a leisurely lunch in the sunshine.

Set in the picture-postcard village of Blanchland, on the Northumberland and Durham borders, the 18th-century Lord Crewe Arms occupies an idyllic and timeless spot next to an ancient church and opposite the village square. Enjoy lunch on the lawn of the walled garden that produces 95% of the menu’s produce. See our best beer gardens for more great locations to work your way through, including an idyllic thatched inn in Yorkshire and one of the oldest pubs in Oxford.

Holiday cottages foodies will love

Stock up on local produce from farm shops, food boxes and artisan delis and make the most of fully equipped country kitchens with a staycation in a holiday cottage. Cuddle up by the fire in Pembrokeshire, go foraging in Monmouthshire or hide out in a fishing village in Cornwall – check out our picks of the best unique holiday cottages for foodies. If you've got a large family or group of friends, Durslade Farmhouse sleeps 12 and is set among 1,000 acres of boundless Somerset countryside. No two rooms are the same – with each of the six bedrooms curated with unique charm and enchanting vintage pieces.

For a Cornish getaway, stay at The Fish Store in Mousehole. The house is a short stroll down to the harbour where you can pick up crab fresh off the boats. Guests also receive a gourmet welcome hamper on arrival and there’s no shortage of places to eat out in this foodie corner of west Cornwall.