The Best UK Locations for a Relaxing Retreat in 2025

The UK’s most relaxing locations revealed

Here are the top ten UK locations to consider for your next UK holiday when you need to relax:

Rank	UK Location	Region	Coastal?	Clean and Tidy	Quality of Green Spaces	Local Safety (%)	Population Density per 10km	Night Sky Brightness	Noise and Light Pollution	Total Rank
#1	Bigbury-on-Sea	Devon	Yes	58.33	73.61	43%	484	21.58	45.83	76
#2	Cresswell	Northumberland	Yes	56.25	76.79	48%	952	21.04	50	65.9
#3	Clitheroe	Lancashire	No	62.5	81.25	48%	12,952	20.33	12.5	62.7
#4	Gloucester	Gloucestershire	No	66.67	100	47.5%	53,400	19.65	16.67	62.2
#5	Heysham	Lancashire	Yes	62.5	81.25	48%	34,032	20.22	12.5	62.1
#6=	Pendine	Wales	Yes	59.38	84.38	50%	2,307	21.62	37.5	62
#6=	Morecambe	Lancashire	Yes	62.5	81.25	48%	46.949	20.29	12.5	62
#8	Lancaster	Lancashire	No	62.5	81.25	48%	43,669	20	12.5	61.9
#9	Mersea Island	Essex	Yes	62.5	91.67	47.5%	3,889	20.89	25	61.4
#10	St Minver	Cornwall	Yes	53.31	74.71	43%	1,250	21.51	46.49	60.2
#11	York	Yorkshire	No	61.11	75	56.5%	52285	19.32	22.22	60.1
#12	Skipsea	Yorkshire	Yes	59.38	75	52.5%	6,000	21.14	25	60
#13	Chester	Cheshire	No	75	75	56.5	36,649	19.24	40	59.3
#14=	Withernsea	Yorkshire	Yes	59.38	75	52.5%	12,318	20.84	25	58.8
#14=	Milton Keynes	Buckinghamshire	No	64.77	92.05	50%	44,390	18.83	27.27	58.8

Gloucester is one of the top five most relaxing locations in the UK

Step into Gloucester’s rich heritage and striking architecture, all while enjoying the relaxed pace of a city that keeps stress levels low. With impressive scores across multiple wellbeing factors - including low noise and light pollution (16.7) - Gloucester offers a peaceful yet vibrant urban experience.

Fancy some sea air? Gloucester’s location means you’re less than an hour from the coast, with beaches like Severn Beach near Bristol and Penarth Beach near Cardiff just a drive away.

This Welsh town is a restful retreat to explore

Tied in sixth place with Morecambe, Pendine in Wales, scores a 62 in our relaxation ranking. From scenic cliffs and coastal walks in the west to golden sands in the east (where land speed records were set), Pendine’s got it all!

If you fancy unwinding in style with a luxury hot tub lodge, Carmarthen Bay Holiday Park is just 45 minutes away, and is perfectly located for exploring the stunning Carmarthenshire coastline. Or if you're after direct access to Pendine, Pendine Sands Holiday Park is right on the doorstep, offering the ultimate beach escape.

Enjoy a calming escape in these two locations

Wrapping up the top ten are Mersea Island, Essex (61.4) and St Minver, Cornwall (60.2) - both serving up serene coastal charm with lush green spaces and blissfully sparse crowds.

Whether you’re enjoying Mersea Island in style with a hot tub lodge or soaking up St Minver, located just minutes from the Cornish ‘St Tropez’, these peaceful spots are perfect for beach days, wildlife spotting and total relaxation.

Which UK residents are the most in need of a relaxing break?

As online searches for “how to relax [your] mind from stress” have increased by 3,650%, it’s clear that the UK is eager to find a solution to reducing feelings of stress.

We have analysed searches for a range of stress-related terms such as ‘how to manage stress’, ‘how to relax’, ‘stress management’ and ‘dealing with stress’ to find the top ten locations in the UK where residents are the most stressed out and in need of a restful retreat this year.

Londoners are the most in need of a calming retreat

Unsurprisingly, London tops the list for Britain's most stressed-out city. But where can people living in the top 3 locations go to unwind?

• The city dwellers of London can travel just under 70 miles by car to Coopers Beach Holiday Park in Essex to switch off
• Less than a 2-hour drive away from Rutland is the coast of Lincolnshire, where visitors can escape to the award-winning sands of Skegness Beach
• Those stressed out in Blaby can head to the Norfolk coast for golden sands and green landscapes

The UK’s best places for a nature escape

With #naturelover being used in 2.3m posts on TikTok, the benefits of connecting with the outdoors aren’t being overlooked. Research shows that being exposed to a natural environment decreases cortisol levels, the stress hormone.

With this in mind, we’ve found the best UK locations with the highest quality green spaces - so you can immerse yourself in greenery and wildlife on your next trip.

Gloucester, Gloucestershire - 100/100

Gloucester is the perfect place to feel at one with nature. Thanks to a score of 100 for the quality of its green spaces, this cathedral city near the Cotswolds has made it into the top spot for those looking to relax among nature.

Hartlepool, North East - 95.83/100

Hartlepool boasts Green Flag awarded Ward Jackon Park, so when seeking out natural beauty and green space, this is the perfect place. Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, just outside of Hartlepool, you'll find Crimdon Dene Holiday Park, where you can enjoy easy access to both the spectacular coastline - as well as Hartlepool's green spaces.

Dunfermline, Scotland - 93.75/100

The third best place for those seeking greenery is Dunfermline in Scotland, which has a score of 93.75 thanks to the city having lots of parks to choose from, including 76 acres of woodland and recreational areas at Pittencrieff Park.

The best UK coastal areas for calming the senses

Being close to water has been found to lower stress levels and increase relaxation. For those seeking vitamin sea, we’ve found the ten best coastal locations in the UK for a restful holiday.

Enjoy the natural beauty of Bigbury-on-Sea

This coastal town in Devon has the perfect blend of peacefulness with a sandy beach, the iconic Burgh Island and picturesque surroundings. The nearest beach is Bigbury-on-Sea Beach which has sandy shores and clear, shallow water.

Listen to the gentle waves in Cresswell

Cresswell is at the southern point of Druridge Bay, which offers miles of golden sands. Cresswell Beach is one of the best on the Northumberland coast, and with a clean and tidy score of 76.79, your senses won’t be interrupted.

Unwind on the Lancashire coast

Heysham ranks as the third-best coastal location with minimal noise and light pollution (12.50). Half Moon Bay’s soft sand and relaxing ambience is the perfect escape. Only a short walk away is Ocean Edge Holiday Park where you can stay close to the water with an indoor pool.

Yorkshire has a range of beaches to choose from

Three Yorkshire coastal locations have made it into the top ten most calming, including Skipsea, Withernsea and Barmston. With low noise and light pollution, as well as a low population density, these are the perfect seaside retreats for a calming escape.

Less than a 45-minute drive away from all three coastal gems is Cayton Bay Holiday Park, which offers easy access to the best of the Yorkshire Coast and hot tubs for a cosy staycation.

The most restful UK lodge locations to unwind

If you're craving a little extra indulgence on your next escape, why not opt for a luxury lodge with a hot tub? It's the perfect way to unwind and keep the relaxation flowing long after the day’s adventures are over.

We have examined the reviews from our 14 holiday parks with hot tub lodges and analysed terms such as ‘relaxing’, ‘quiet’, ‘soothing’, ‘calm’ and ‘tranquil’, to uncover our 'Relax-O-Meter' of our most restful lodge locations.

Despite all location reviews highlighting that our holiday park guests had a relaxing experience, some lodge parks really stand out. We’ve helped to narrow down your search for the best hot tub getaways by highlighting some of our best parks, based on guest feedback.

East Anglia has the most relaxing lodge locations

Our holiday park with the highest number of reviews featuring relaxation-related terms is Southview. With 68 reviews in total, this landscaped park is at the top of the Relax-O-Meter for a hot tub holiday.

Not far behind with 63 relaxing-related reviews is another East Anglian holiday park - Cherry Tree. Nestled in a countryside setting and close to the Broads National Park, it’s not surprising that this is a favourite location among our lodge customers.

Essex is the perfect place to de-stress

Also with 63 reviews relating to relaxation, Coopers Beach in Essex offers a peaceful island retreat with direct access to the beach. Guests who've booked a hot tub lodge can take a soak after a day of seaside activities and a sunset stroll.

Head to the Lake District for a good night’s sleep

The Lake District is also a favourite, with Fallbarrow Holiday Park having 62 reviews associated with calmness. Lakeside lodges offer breathtaking views of the iconic Lake Windermere.