By Parkdean Resorts on 11/07/2019
What is a staycation?
A “staycation” is a term coined to describe the idea of holidaying at home, either in your home country or your home town. In recent years the number of people booking a staycation has risen and it seems that the trend is here to stay in the UK. This might be because we’re extremely lucky to have such a diverse landscape so whether you’re craving beautiful beaches, lochs, mountain hikes or soft green rolling hills, you’ll find it all here. At its heart a staycation is all about enjoyment, relaxation, and spending quality time together in a place you and your family love.
Why choose a staycation?
Today, it's easier than ever to hop on a plane and jet off to some truly fabulous locations across the globe. So why in recent years have we seen an increase in the amount of families choosing a holiday at home over international travel? This is because a UK staycation gives you ample opportunity to relax and spend some quality time laughing (alongside a bit of bickering) with your loved ones.
You definitely deserve a holiday, so sit back and let us convince you that there are some huge benefits to opting for a staycation this year.
1. Travelling is easier
Travelling to your destination will almost certainly be easier, whether you’re heading across the UK or you’ve chosen to explore somewhere closer to home. You’ll expertly avoid the anxieties and stresses that travel brings, which is especially useful when you’re travelling with young children. Planning a staycation means that you can set the perfect pace to suit your needs, which is bound to be invaluable if you've got little ones to haul out of bed in the morning.
Enjoying a holiday at home in the UK means that you’ll swerve all of the gripes of international and airport travel - including jetlag, airport delays and the unrelenting fear that somehow you’ve lost your passport. You also won’t need to worry about whether you’ve packed enough t-shirts and spares to last the trip, since a UK staycation has no luggage limit. This also eliminates the fear that your luggage might not make it to your destination when you do, whilst there's no need to worry about packing light, and fitting your precious liquids into travel-size containers either.
Less travel time means that when you’re finally heading back to work you’ll feel properly refreshed and recharged, not exhausted by crossing time zones, long haul flights and late nights.
2. You'll save money
Yes, you can spend endless time on comparison websites and sometimes get lucky with cheap flights, but that isn’t always the case - especially if you’re wanting a last-minute getaway. What you’ll be saving on plane tickets and currency conversions, you can use on days out making amazing memories, and doing something the whole family will really enjoy. No plane travel also means you won’t succumb to spending all of your holiday money at the Duty Free, by convincing yourself to just have a “quick look” because you’ve got time to kill before your flight.
A staycation grants you the option to save some money on food costs; a great way to do this is by preparing a picnic for a day out, or opting to cook your own breakfast or dinner during your holiday. All of our caravans and lodges are fully equipped with kitchen essentials to help you cook up a culinary storm, and this is a great opportunity to get the kids involved in the preparation without the pressures of day-to-day time constraints. And if saving money is one of your main considerations, we also offer a huge range of cheap holidays in the uk on both caravans and lodges alike.
If you really don’t feel like cooking, you always have the option to venture out a short way to one of our affordable and delicious food and drink spots.
3. It's more environmentally friendly
This one is simple - it’s no secret that air travel is inherently damaging to the environment, reducing your carbon footprint, plus fuel usage is much easier to curb when choosing to holiday at home. You’ll likely be travelling a much shorter distance to get to your destination, and most of our parks are located conveniently close to local attractions, making it easy to head out and explore.
Luckily, there are lots of different ways to be eco-friendly whilst on holiday, and on park you’ll be doing your bit for the environment effortlessly. A more familiar environment means that you and the family can confidently explore more of the local area; leaving the car and using alternative methods of transport, like making use of local buses, hiring a bike, hopping on the train, or walking.
Warmwell, Dorset
4. Your dog can come along
Your four-legged friend deserves a holiday too, it can prove to be really positive for their wellbeing and seeing your dog excitedly discovering new things is heart-warming. A UK staycation means that instead of leaving them behind, you can bring them along! With a huge amount of pet friendly accommodation your pooch will love the relaxing feeling of having you close by.
The great British outdoors is blessed with vast woodland and coastal walks designed to be safe for dogs and owners to embark on. There are so many new places for you to explore together; check out our pet friendly blog posts for tonnes of day out inspiration. After a staycation with your pooch you’ll be reluctant to consider leaving them at home again.
5. You'll discover some hidden gems
A staycation in the UK gives you the chance to discover an area more in-depth and support the local economy by visiting attractions like museums, fairs and gardens, along with eating out at locally-sourced and delicious independent eateries.
You’ll have the chance to sample local foods that you might’ve only heard about before, like haggis neeps and tatties in Scotland, pease pudding in the North East, or a Lancashire hotpot. If you’re staying in the Lake District make a beeline to sample some of the famous Grasmere Gingerbread; it has been dubbed the "best gingerbread in the world" and it’s right here in the UK.
You can keep the kids entertained by learning more about some fascinating local history and discover hidden gems from locals who are really excited to show you what their part of the UK has to offer. You won’t need to put any pressure on your holiday to fit everything in as the brilliant thing about a staycation is that you can always come back again so easily. Amongst all of this exploring you’re definitely guaranteed to find some hidden gems.
If you do find yourself falling in love with a location, we’ve got a huge selection of static caravans and lodges for sale, to suit all tastes and budgets. Buying your own home away from home, means that you can visit your favourite place at a moment’s notice.