It’s the end of August and all you’ve heard at work is people talking about going away on holiday. Unlike other people, you’re looking at the bank balance and know that you want to go away, even if it is for the weekend but can’t afford anywhere exotic: This is where you need to look at the positives of taking a trip slighter closer to home, whilst still getting away.
First things first, where are you going to go?
Maybe start by taking a look at some of these sites:
http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Destinations-and-Maps/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destination/uk/128998/British-summer-holidays-guide-2015.html
Even if it these sites just give you some food for thought, it’s a good start and will make it easier when you start looking for accommodation.
Where are you going to stay?
I love looking for deals on accommodation, but you do need to be open-minded about where you stay. A few of my personal favourites:
http://www.hostelworld.com – They have listings for all over the place and offer cheap accommodation. Even if you’re not a student anymore, you can always get a private room at hostels, sometimes within the heart of a city and isn’t it nice not to spend a fortune before you’ve even done anything on your trip.
https://www.pitchup.com/campsites/ – Choose this website or one of many similar sites to find a perfect campsite for a cheap yet enjoyable trip where you can connect with nature. There are Glamping places around too if you don’t like conventional camping, but there is nothing quite like roughing it in the country for a bit with friends or a loved one.
https://www.airbnb.co.uk – For those who would prefer to rent a room or maybe a whole apartment but on the cheap, choose Air B n B. I have only tried this recently in the UK but all the people we rented from were lovely and we would definitely do it again – maybe next time even internationally.
You’ve decided where you’re going and where your staying, but how are you going to get there?
If you haven’t got the luxury of a car or being able to afford to rent one, there are some other good options out there:
http://www.thetrainline.com – At the moment Trainline are sending out some good offers for travel around the country, so especially if you are booking in advance, it’s worth looking at their deals.
http://www.nationalexpress.com/home.aspx – National Express do offers sometimes where you can travel for cheap (sometimes as low as £5-10 one way) but even when its normal price, it’s not too bad.
http://uk.megabus.com – For those that really want to save the pounds, if you book Megabus in advance, you really can get around the country for cheap. Years ago I did Edinburgh return for about £12. It wasn’t the best journey I’ve been on, but not bad for what I paid. If you don’t want to go as cheap as Megabus, why not try their Gold version?
http://www.megabusgold.com – The seats are bigger and leather, there are plug sockets, free wifi, you get a drink/snack if it’s a long journey and it’s just generally nicer. I did a trip to Cardiff for about £15 return and it was so much nicer than the previous one I did on the normal bus.
So don’t be glum and watch the end of summer/start of autumn pass you by. Get online and get that long overdue trip booked!
Written by Nicola Smith
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