As Told by Reddit – travel partnership with Airbnb, English Heritage, Rough Guides and Trainline
Reddit is where people go to dive deep into their interests, hobbies, and passions, sharing real-life thoughts and perspectives and building community along the way; and, travel tips are no exception. In fact, we’ve seen a 34% increase year-over-year in conversations about UK travel destinations and holidays across Reddit.
The community makes Reddit a go-to hub for holiday-goers to chat and share real and unfiltered recommendations. Redditors are able to engage with other like-minded staycationers and ask hard-hitting questions about their potential trips… is it dog friendly? … suitable for little ones? … travelling alone?…what’s the food scene like?
Timed with the official summer holiday season, we’ve huddled with some of the leading travel resources and platforms in the UK, including Airbnb, English Heritage, Rough Guides, and Trainline, to share the ultimate guide for underrated summer travel spots. Whether people are itching to get off the beaten path, looking for short trips, or have an upcoming unplanned bank holiday to take advantage of, Reddit has them covered
While a foreign, exotic holiday destination may often be the dream trip, if people know where to go, a UK staycation can offer just as much beauty, adventure, and luxury. And, it can often be the more sustainable choice as people can forgo flying and instead travel by train, bus or car – keeping their carbon footprints low and avoiding the hassle and stress that an airport often brings.
From beachy vibes on the Welsh coast to a Highland hike, there’s something for everyone on our list.
Based on conversations on Reddit, here are the best underrated staycation spots this summer as judged by Redditors – with some destinations also seeing search increases according to Airbnb [1]:
Bedfordshire, England
The Highlands, Scotland
Orkney Islands, Scotland
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Gower Peninsula, Wales
Yorkshire England
Lancashire, England
BEDFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND
Happily Bedfordshire has more to offer than £1 flights to Magaluf via. Luton Airport. This Redditor shared a few scenic snaps from Wrest Park in the quaint village of Silsoe, Bedfordshire; a magnificent 19th century French chateau style house set in an outstanding restored landscape garden originating in the 17th century. According to their post, no matter their mood, they always feel more centred after a couple of hours wandering the grounds. Fun fact: Wrest Park’s grounds reflect three centuries of English garden design, including one of the few remaining early 18th century formal gardens.
People are starting to catch on; the number of visitors to Wrest Park has increased by 12% since 2019, according to English Heritage, with 2021 being its best ever year yet. Respectively, the latest statistics from Trainline shows that train travel to nearby Flitwick station has gone up by 174% this year. So get there quick!
THE HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND
The Highlands of Scotland covers the northern two-thirds of the country and holds much of the mainland’s most spectacular unspoilt scenery. So much so that this redditor was surprised to see that the Lochniver beach they used to visit as a child looks the exact same all these years later.
The signature combination of mountains, glens, lochs and rivers, surrounded on three sides by a magnificently pitted and rugged coastline, guarantees wonderful moody views. While you’re in the Highlands there try wild camping in the region – as this redditors puts it: ‘it doesn’t get much better than this!’. Fort William is gaining in interest — having seen almost 130% increase in Airbnb searches over the past year. In line with that, according to Trainline data, Fort William has seen a 146% in train passengers over the past year. If you’re hoping to recharge make sure to check out the Corrour Estate – this redditor describes it as the perfect spot to disconnect as a solo traveller.
ORKNEY ISLANDS, SCOTLAND
Speaking of Scotland, they also boast a set of stunning and untouched islands. The Orkney islands are a unique and fiercely independent archipelago, and features in the Rough Guides reader survey as the most beautiful places in Scotland. In fact, according to data from Airbnb searches for the Orkney Islands have increased by over 120% in the last year.
This wild life enthusiast spent an entire week on the islands and was so chuffed they took 1600 pictures – you can take a look at some of their top snaps on Reddit.
[Airbnb listing on Orkney Islands]
[Airbnb listing on Orkney Islands] – image credit: Inga Williamson
For an Orcadian, the Mainland means the largest island in Orkney rather than the rest of Scotland, and their history is inextricably linked with Scandinavia. If you’re into your ancient civilizations this redditor in particular is raring to pay a visit and explore early Christian and late Druidic sites up there.
PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES
‘Who needs holidays abroad when Wales exists?’ exclaims one redditor. The southern zigzag of the Pembrokeshire coast darts west from Tenby (one of the best holiday destinations in the UK according to this redditor) is a strange mix of caravan parks, Ministry of Defence shooting ranges, spectacularly beautiful bays and gull-covered cliffs. Insight from Trainline shows travel to the resort town has shot up by more than 50%.
From Tenby, the coastal road passes through Penally, with its wonderful beach, and continues past idyllic coves, the lily ponds at Bosherston and the remarkable and ancient St Govan’s Chapel, squeezed into a rock cleft above the crashing waves.
The ancient town of Pembroke really only warrants a visit to its impressive castle and the fine Bishop’s Palace in neighbouring Lamphey.
GOWER PENINSULA, WALES
A fifteen-mile-long finger of undulating sandstone and limestone, Gower (Gŵyr) is a world of its own, pointing into the Bristol Channel to the west of Swansea. The winding lanes afford wonderful opportunities for exploration – in fact, not only will you find the most beautiful beaches in the world here, according to one redditor, but you’ll also find an up and coming to-die-for gastro scene; with a mix of traditional pubs and modern bars too.
The entire peninsula is fringed by sweeping yellow bays and precipitous cliffs, with caves and blowholes to the south, and wide, flat marshes and cockle beds to the north. Bracken heaths dotted with prehistoric remains and tiny villages lie between, and there are numerous castle ruins and curious churches lurking about.
YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND
It’s easy to be glib about Yorkshire – to outsiders it’s the archetypal “up North” with all the clichés that implies, from flat caps to grim factories. For their part, many Yorkshire locals are happy to play up to these prejudices, while nursing a secret conviction that there really is no better place in the world to live. In some respects, it’s a world apart, its most distinctive characteristics – from the broad dialect to the breathtaking landscapes – derived from a long history of settlement, invention and independence. Make your way to the rural market town of Otley, just north of Leeds; the perfect spot for amazing views, dog friendly walking trails and pubs according to one redditor.
If you find yourself in the south of the county stop by Roche Abbey – a 12th century now-ruined abbey situated in a valley landscaped by renowned gardener and landscape architect, ‘Capability Brown’ in the 18th century. The site has one of the most complete ground plans of any English monastery and the Gothic transepts still remain to their original height.
One redditor was sizing up the location for an upcoming race, and was pleased he brought his camera along to capture the beautiful site… and they’re not the only ones! The abbey has seen somewhat of a resurgence this past year, reaching its highest levels of popularity since 2005 according to English Heritage. The closest train station is Conisborough, where the number of passengers has grown by 74% since 2021.
As for Yorkshire’s other boasts (the beer’s better, the air’s cleaner, the people are friendlier) – anyone who spends any time here will find it hard to argue with those.
LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND
The historical county of Lancashire reached industrial prominence in the nineteenth century primarily due to the cotton-mill towns around Manchester and the thriving port of Liverpool.
Today, neither city is part of the county, and Lancashire’s oldest town, and major commercial and administrative centre, is Preston, though tourists are perhaps more inclined to linger in the charming towns and villages of the nearby Ribble Valley.
Along the coast to the west and north of the major cities stretches a line of resorts – from Southport to Morecambe – which once formed the mainstay of the northern British holiday. Only Blackpool is really worth visiting for its own sake, a rip-roaring resort which has stayed at the top of its game by supplying undemanding entertainment with more panache than its neighbours. If you’re after a super non-obvious place these two redditors are gushing over the town of Ormskirk, for being the perfect central location to anywhere in the North West. Data from Trainline shows that the number of passengers travelling to the town have increased by 127% in the last year.
