The Great Family Staycation Guide 2022

It's been a long time since most of us had that much-needed holiday and so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for you to find fun and local days out near you. Helping to keep children (and grown-ups!) learning, engaged and inspired, our Great Family Staycation Ideas in this guide are the perfect place to start when planning your summer adventures. An easy-to-use guide of great days out across the UK, it’s packed full of inspiration, with plenty of options for kids, families and adults. 

Below, you’ll find our easy-to-browse index of great family staycation UK days out via the interactive maps below. Simply find the country you’re wishing to visit and explore the pins: each pin design represents a different type of day out and by clicking each pin, you’ll find an attraction listing, links to their websites where you can read more and even find access to brilliant free boredom-busting resource packs to keep children engaged and entertained during your travels. These have been tailored-made in collaboration with attractions to add an extra level of engagement to each trip, keeping children learning whilst having fun on their holidays!

Family days out: Staycation near me

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Use our guide to find opportunities for a fun family staycation near me.

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Free Summer Holiday Resource Pack

What to pack for holiday - family staycation essentials

With it being so long for many of us since we last packed for a holiday, it’s worth taking the time to remember all the things that make holidays that extra bit comfortable… as well as those that for a family staycation (UK) may unfortunately be essential (looking at you, raincoats!). Whilst passports, EHICs and all the other international travel essentials won’t be necessary, there’s still a lot of things worth remembering - so make sure to consider these:

Safety

Masks and anti-bac hand gel

Whilst things are certainly improving, hand gel is still important - especially if you’ll be dining out and can’t guarantee they’ll have any available. Likewise, masks are vital for indoor days out and so if you’re travelling, consider packing a few extra in case any get lost down the side of the car seat!

Antihistamines

For those of us who struggle with hay fever, antihistamines can be key. But more than that, Jen Mellor, blogger at Just Average Jen, says bringing some “even if you do not think anyone will need them” is also vital. She says: “My son had anaphylaxis on a staycation a few years ago to a food we did not know he was allergic to, the fact we had antihistamines to help before calling the ambulance could have saved his life. All of something which costs a few pounds at the most!” Something really important to keep in mind when travelling with little ones.

Money belt

On the topic of keeping safe, Kevin Mercier, founder of travel blog Kevmrc Travel, also makes a great point about keeping valuables protected. He says: “While the UK may not be one of the most dangerous places in the world, it is wise to keep your money and cards secure with a money belt in case something goes wrong.” Always better to be safe than sorry and a money belt can be a great solution.

Weather

Waterproof jackets

Now to address the elephant in the room with UK staycations - the possibility of the odd shower (or two...). Whilst it’s so far shaping up to be a lovely one, it’s always worth being prepared for the worst case scenario. Jacs, blogger at Flashpacking Family, says: “We make sure to always have our packable waterproof jackets with us. They are ideal because they pack down into small drawstring bags and don't take up much space in your day bag so you can take them out with you just in case a lovely summer's day turns rainy."

Roll-up trousers, zippy hoodie and an umbrella

Similarly on the topic of ‘hope for the best, prepare for the rainy’ when mentioning UK weather, Jeremy Scott Foster, founder of TravelFreak, says: “Consider items like a wrap up rain mac that can be tightly wrapped and stored in a backpack, or trousers that are both stylish and comfortable rolled up, or rolled down. A zipped hoodie that can change with the temperature is another must have, and I would always recommend carrying a small umbrella as most british people would swear to.” 

Waterproof shoes

Meanwhile, Kyri Rousou from Mindful Wonderer also recommends waterproof walking shoes: “The notorious ability of UK weather to change at the drop of a hat means you'll be rewarded for choosing some multi-purpose footwear. Walking shoes are lighter than hiking boots, provide plenty of support, and won't feel like overkill or look goofy on sunny days with shorts. You then are also covered in worst-case torrential rain scenarios, and can save your favourite trainers from a premature and muddy end.” A great thought for those wanting to keep their toes dry without the clunkiness of walking in wellies!

Sun hat, sun cream and reusable water bottles

On the more optimistic end, Sinead who blogs at Map Made Memories makes some great suggestions for when the British sunshine does present itself. She suggests “a sun hat and sun cream for when the British sun is stronger than many think” as well as “a reusable water bottle to combat the waste we have seen on our beaches after lockdown”. If you’re travelling to any of the many green areas of the UK for some walking, a good water bottle and sun protection is key, plus sunglasses to save you from squinting at the beautiful scenery around you.

Comfort

Comfort food and drink

Whilst it’s great to try new things on our travels, sometimes you can’t beat your usual snack or drink favourites. Michelle Adenle, founder of My Morning Mocha, recommends bringing your favourite coffee or hot drink: “If you love a particular brand of coffee, pack your favourite coffee or hot drink to avoid disappointment at your accommodation. You can easily buy sachets of your favourite drinks to use when ready.” Children in particular may really miss a certain snack or drink so remember to pack enough for the trip or things may get grumpy!

Insulated bottles

And on the topic of drinks, Jennifer Sizeland, a writer at Land of Size, has a suggestion for keeping green whilst also keeping warm or cool. She says: “My tip for a staycation is to take insulated metal drinking bottles and cups for the whole family. These insulated bottles keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for hours so they can be used whatever the weather! They are great as they can save you money by bringing your own coffee, tea, water or juice.” Everyone loves saving money - no one loves cold tea or warm lemonade!

Towels and linen

If you’re staying the night away from home, there’s few things worse than a bad night’s sleep for you or your children. For parents of children with additional needs, Emily Ansell Elfer, Editor at Autism Parenting Magazine, makes an excellent point to consider taking and using their usual sheets from home: “[They’re] worth considering. Sometimes staycation properties don't have all the kit you need, and if you're travelling with children, especially those with additional needs, you might find they settle better in familiar sheets or using their own towels.”

Activities

Walking

Whether rambling through the countryside, trekking through hills or exploring a scenic coastal path, it’s important to have the right walking gear. A good backpack, walking boots (consider breaking these in before your trip!), walking socks, and both sun and rain protection are all worth packing. Consider blister plasters in case of the worst, too.

Swimming

Visiting a pool, lakes, river or the sea? Don’t forget the swimming costumes and towels, plus goggles, woggles and armbands for children who need them. For those daring enough to take a plunge outdoors for some watersports or surfing, you’ll probably want to include a wetsuit as it can be chilly.

Beach visit

If you have them, save on plastic waste and pack last time’s bucket and spade rather than buying new ones at the beach shop. A volleyball and/or some racquets and a ball might be great to include and, again, sun protection, sunglasses and towels (account for the fact that sand will get everywhere!) are key to any great beach visit.

Benefits of outdoor family staycation days out

With restrictions and caution around indoor activities, now’s the perfect time to explore all the many exciting things to do outdoors in 2022. Our index includes dozens of such, usually, free days out across the UK and the team at Visit Mid Wales explain some of the brilliant opportunities for outdoor days out below:

The importance and benefits of exercising for health and well-being purposes has become more apparent than ever. An increasing number of people have taken up interests such as cycling and running over the last year – and 2022 could be the year to take advantage of what the great outdoors has to offer.

National Parks across the UK have loads of walking trails, including accessible ones suitable for smaller children, pushchairs and wheelchair users. And if you’re chomping at the bit in anticipation for what could be a year of sporting achievements, the UK has a lot to offer in terms of training facilities, natural or otherwise. If you are seeking something a little bit different, get outdoors and reap the benefits to your wellbeing.

Our rural landscapes are a mecca for cyclists and mountain bikers from across the world, with top-class routes and facilities available for all abilities. Of course, cycling isn’t all mountain biking though – there are wonderful traffic-free family friendly cycling routes to explore, too. Many of the routes connect with holiday areas, country parks and historic attractions, allowing you to combine your traffic-free bike ride with a sightseeing experience.

If you fancy a relaxing family adventure afloat in a canoe, there are plenty of options to get out on the water and explore. Learn to surf – and in doing so, you may learn about more than how to catch a wave. And finally, wildlife parks and nature reserve visitor centres are the places where you can spot a huge variety of native birds and beasts - you’ll never know what you might discover!

Where to go for your family Staycation UK?

It can be hard to choose where to head off on your next holiday, so Twinkl have put together a guide of some of our recommended holiday locations across England and Wales.

We have examined the following factors to give a comprehensive overview on family Staycation safety:

• Low Search Popularity
• High Room Availability
• Low Infection Rates
• Volume of Outdoor Activites
• Population Density
• Vaccine Uptake

Following our research, we found Kent came out on top for England as the safest travel family staycation UK destination, followed closely by Essex and Hampshire, then Surrey and Staffordshire.

In terms of each safety factor, at the time of conducting this research, South Yorkshire had the lowest holiday Google search volume, West Midlands had the lowest hotel availability and the Isle of wight had the lowest Covid infection rate. Meanwhile, Devon had the highest volume of outdoor activities, Northumberland the lowest population density and Dorset with the highest vaccine uptake.

Have a Great Family Staycation!

We’ll be updating this page with more and more great family staycation days out throughout the summer so be sure to come back for even more staycation ideas. We hope you have a brilliant summer and remember to share your family day out using the hashtag #InspiredForLife.