How to have your dream holiday in the UK
Table of Contents
For most people, holiday’s are the best part of the year. You can relax, spend time with your loved ones, see some sights and get that perfect Instagram picture. Holidays also give us the chance to tick off a few items from our ever-expanding bucket lists and try our hand at something new. Like a dream holiday in the UK.
However, not everyone loves the thought of the thousand-pound price tag that accompanies many far-flung destinations. The truth is, we don’t all have the time – or the funds – to visit these luxurious destinations and bring our dreams to life. But holidays don’t just have to be in exotic destinations – it’s possible to have your dream holiday in the UK without worrying about the cost.
Let’s look what’s included in this post;
- Intro
- Surfing
- Safari
- Thermal Springs
- Whale Watching
- Skiing
- Bucketlist Prices
Amazing holiday in the UK in 2019
Stena Line, an international ferry company, decided to put this to the test. They asked the UK public what their dream holiday activities are and found that the 5 most desired activities include:
- Surfing
- Safari experiences
- Thermal springs
- Whale watching
- Skiing
But they didn’t stop there. Instead, they scoured the UK and Ireland for destinations where you can surf, safari, and ski for a snippet of the cost – and saving you upwards of £4,500!
Surfing in the UK
Hawaii is the go-to destination for any avid surfer, because its white sandy beaches, gnarly waves, and general surf culture make it a brilliant destination to dive deep and get familiar with this awesome sport. Nonetheless, this experience isn’t cheap and not everyone is warm to the idea of spending thousands on a few days abroad.
Not only does it take 17 hours to fly there, but return flights for one person cost around £1,244. You’ve then got to add on the cost of accommodation which averages at £890 per room for five days, along with surfboard hire and an ESTA. In total, the trip racks up to more than £2,000 per person for just 5 days.
Why not check out Surf Snowdonia in Wales.
However, if you’re interested in taking to the waves somewhere nearer to home, Llangennith in Wales is a brilliant alternative. Professional surfers from across the country visit the Gower, known as the heartland of Welsh surfing, to practice their skills. It’s also a great place for intermediate and advanced surfers, and it’s considerably lower cost than Honolulu, Hawaii.
In fact, hotels in Llangennith are just £425 for a five-day stay, almost 50% less than Honolulu hotels. Because you don’t need to cover the cost of flights, and ESTA, or airport transfers, the only other cost is surfboard hire which averages at £80 per day. That means the whole trip costs just £505.
Safari experience in the UK
Visiting the Serengeti plains of Kenya in Africa is a dream for anyone that wants to experience a safari and see wild animals in their true habitat. It spans thousands of miles and makes for a great adventure. However, it’s also incredibly expensive.
Flights to Maasai Mara in Kenya, the best destination for an African safari, are over £550 for one person, and the shortest safari trip is 3 days long and costs more than £500 each. It only gets more expensive from there with the accommodation being a minimum of £250 per night for one room, and a travel visa is £38.72. You’ll also need to account for spending £141.95 on typhoid and yellow fever vaccinations. This brings the total cost of the holiday, for one person, to £1,622.87 – not including food, airport transfers, and spending money.
Fear not though, because the UK does offer an alternative. The West Midlands Safari Park on the outskirts of Birmingham gives you the chance to get up close to some of the wildest animals for a fraction of the cost. Also, if you’re looking for an even more immersive experience, they even offer VIP packages to make your trip as enjoyable as possible.
Entrance to the West Midlands Safari Park is just £24 per person and nearby hotels only cost around £43 for one night.
Awesome thermal Springs in Bath
Known for its azure blue volcanic lake that contrasts with the stark landscape surrounding it, the Blue Lagoon in Iceland is a place of natural beauty. It has increased in popularity in recent years and is now a hotspot for tourists from across the globe, with thousands of people flocking there each year.
But it’s no secret that Iceland is expensive. Booking tickets in advance for the Blue Lagoon costs £44.60 for just one hour in the water, and the Silica hotel, one of the only hotels in the area, is an eye-watering £448.83 for a one-night stay.
Don’t worry though, because the Thermal Spa in Bath, England, gives you the chance to try a real-life geothermal bath without having to worry about your bank balance. In the eyes of many, Bath is the original thermal spa town because of its plentiful underground springs that enabled Roman settlers to create hot bathhouses. It’s one of these springs that you can access for just £36 – a far cry from the cost of the Blue Lagoon.
Accommodation in Bath is also incredibly reasonable at just £67 per night in a mid-range hotel, and because you don’t need to pay for any flights, the total cost of this trip only sets you back by £103.
Whale Watching in Ireland
Whales are one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet, and with them reaching up to 30m in length, the only way to see these incredible creatures is to venture into their natural habitat. One of the best destinations for whale watching is Husavik in Iceland. Companies offer a selection of wonderful tours in traditional wooden boats out of Skjalfani Bay.
However, as previously mentioned, Iceland is renowned for being expensive which means whale watching is pretty pricey. Just 3 hours on the water costs £66.52 per person, nearby hotels come in at £103 a night, and return flights are usually around £396. That means that per person, the total trip equals £565.52.
West Cork, Ireland, is the perfect alternative to Iceland for anyone that wants to go whale watching without spending a small fortune and travelling far from home. The whale watching experience in Cork is just £42.67 for 4 hours on the water, and hotels are only around £87 a night. Travelling to Ireland is also super easy with a ferry ride costing just £41 per person for an overnight stay.
I want went whale watching in Kaikoura and swimming with whale sharks in Oslob. I can assure you it’s an amazing experience.
Skiing in Glenshee
The world-renowned destination for avid skiers from across the globe is the Matterhorn on the border of Italy and Switzerland. Cervinia, a ski resort at the base of the Matterhorn, is home to holidaymakers that fly over specifically to try their hand at taking to the slopes.
It costs £72 for off-peak return flights, and one-day ski passes are only £18.79 per person. However, it’s the cost of accommodation that is somewhat off-putting, at £420 for just two nights. That’s why many people are now choosing to visit Glenshee, Scotland, to fulfil their skiing dreams instead.
The Glenshee Ski Resort gets a great deal of snowfall throughout the year and because it has both beginners and advanced slopes, it’s ideal for people with any level of skiing experience. A one-day lift pass at the Glenshee Resort is also slightly cheaper than Cervinia at £32 for experienced skiers, and £20 for beginners. Ski hire costs £23 and staying at a hotel in Ballater, not far from the resort, costs just £55. That gives you a saving of over £500.
A UK bucket list family holiday from home
A good holiday isn’t always an expensive holiday – a holiday in the UK in 2019 maybe just what you’re looking for. All these destinations give you the chance to visit new places and try out some of your dream activities without spending a fortune. You can even save upwards of £4,500 in total by opting for destinations closer to home.
A breakdown of all prices can be found in this infographic on the Stena Line website, and in this table:
| Abroad (£) | At home (£) | Total Saving (£) | % Saving | |
| Surfing | 2,205.90 | 505 | 1,700.90 | 77% |
| Safari | 1622.87 | 67 | 1,555.87 | 96% |
| Thermal springs | 666.43 | 103 | 563.43 | 85% |
| Whale Watching | 565.52 | 170.67 | 394.85 | 76% |
| Skiing | 552.46 | 165 | 387.46 | 70% |
| TOTAL | 5,613.46 | 947.67 | 4,665.51 | 83% |