By Justus Scout
While the still lingering travelling restrictions of Covid have boosted the profile of the ‘staycation’, it’s always been an option for holidays in the UK, and it’s a great way to add a budget conscious break to your routine or an exciting trip in your kids’ half term without breaking the bank.
Today we’re taking a look at some ways you can make a day trip or city break extra special.
Be a Tourist
Whether you’re enjoying a classic staycation – holidaying at home rather than taking a trip elsewhere in the UK – or staying away, there’s often a kind of pride in staying off the tourist trail. But for one day at least, through caution to the wind! Go to Madame Tussauds! Walk across the Clifton Suspension Bridge! Enjoy the Edinburgh Military Tattoo! Tick off some tourist cliches, whether it’s with honest enjoyment or an ironic edge.
Find a New Side to the City
Once you’ve tried the tourist cliches, it’s time to find some unique sights and underground attractions.
You can speak to local friends, consult guides for off-the-beaten hints or simply set out on foot and explore. Head for interesting looking landmarks and keep your eyes peeled for extra sights along the way. If you want a shortcut to this kind of exploration, you should try a scavenger hunt. Modern scavenger hunts have evolved past the basic A-Z, matchbox hunts of your childhood. They come with narrative, jokes, clues, insights into local history, scoring and a text message hint system so you don’t get stuck. If you look for a Bristol scavenger hunt you’ll find a new way to look at the city!
Focus on Food
One way to give a city break a distinct character is to focus on the foodie reputation of the city you’re visiting. Don’t just look at a list of popular restaurants, research the city’s history and culture and look for places that draw on that history.
As well as creating a delicious itinerary of restaurants and bars to dine in, you could also build in trips to attractions like vineyards, breweries and even farms to see how local delicacies are made.
You could also focus your trip around local history or the artwork that’s on offer in the city’s gallery’s – the most important thing is to pick something that gives this particular city break its own particular identity.
