You are reading Anywhere But Here, our summer-long series on travel at home and abroad, serving up the information and inspiration you need.
Summer may now be over, sob, but we’re not done with our holidays needs (we’ve been cheated of late!), so it’s only natural Brits are craving a bit of travel.
And we’re not stuffing our suitcases back into the loft anytime soon. In fact, according to Tripadvisor’s newly published Autumn Travel Index, half of Brits are planning an autumn break this year.
Boomers are the most likely to be heading off on holiday with 57% saying that they plan to do so – nice if you have the cash! – followed by 51% of millennials.
Folks are still determined to make up for lost travel time due to the pandemic by packing in as many trips as they can. Over a third (35%) are planning two autumn trips and more than one in 10 (11%) are planning three or more.
Even Gen Z travellers aren’t holding back, with a third (36%) saying they will take three or more trips.
With so much uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, staycations are still the trip of choice this autumn – 62% of Brits are planning to travel domestically, while only one in seven (14%) are planning on going abroad.
But where do we have our sights set on? These are the top 10 trending staycation destinations across the UK, based on Tripadvisor data – along with the most popular activities and highly-rated restaurants when you get there.
1. Cardiff
Popular experience: Walking tour of the iconic Four Waterfalls valley.
Highly-rated restaurant: Vivo Amigo, Cardiff.
2. Belfast
Popular experience: A full-day combined tour of Game of Thrones locations and the Giant’s Causeway, departing from Belfast.
Highly-rated restaurant: Holohan’s Irish Pantry.
3. London
Popular experience: Warner Brothers Studio’s The Making of Harry Potter.
Highly-rated restaurant: Vegan at the Amrutha Lounge.
4. Portrush, County Antrim
Popular experience: Full-day guided tour of the Northern Highlights.
Highly-related restaurant: Ocho Tapas Bistro.
5. Swansea
Popular experience: Go kayaking in the Lower Lliw Reservoir.
Highly-rated restaurant: Truffle, Swansea.
6. Glasgow
Popular activity: Take a walking tour of Glasgow City Centre.
Highly-rated restaurant: Scran, Glasgow.
7. Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Popular experience: Take a ‘Taste of Newcastle’ food tour.
Highly-rated restaurant: Branches restaurant, Jesmond.
8. Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Popular experience: Go on a ‘Mythical West Wales’ tour.
Highly-rated restaurant: Heywood Bar and Grill at the Heywood Hotel.
9. Dundee, Angus, Scotland
Popular experience: East Neuk Treasures tour from Dundee.
Highly-rated restaurant: Piccolo, Dundee.
10. Ayr, Ayrshire
Popular experience: Culzean Castle, Burns Country and the Ayrshire Coast.
Highly-rated restaurant: At Home Thai.
Travel is the story of our summer. The rules (and traffic lights) are always changing, but one thing’s clear, we dream of being Anywhere But Here. This seasonal series offers you clear-headed travel advice, ideas-packed staycation guides, clever swaps and hacks, and a healthy dose of wanderlust.
