These are the best UK staycations for road-trip lovers

We’re quite lucky in the UK – we’re compact. Even driving from the very bottom of Cornwall to the tip top of the Highlands is possible given only a couple of days and a dedicated motorist. What’s less lucky is that given the current cost of existing, many of us won’t be able to head abroad anytime soon. 

Although it’s always fun to get on a plane and head somewhere where sun is actually promised in July, there’s a silver lining to being stuck in Britain: you have an excuse to really explore this island. If you’re planning a staycation for this summer, insurance company AA have discovered, on your behalf, the very best places to visit on road trips in the UK.

Each place was judged based on quality and variety of places to stay and things to do, availability and cost of parking spaces, local happiness ratings, and accessibility of chargers for electric vehicles. They really did think of it all. 

So where is the best place to head on your car-based adventure? Well, according to AA’s research, it’s Harrogate. With an average local happiness rating of 7.8 out of 10, 62 highly rated things to do, and plenty of parking spots to boot, the northern village should be top of your list for your next long weekend. 

Second was Shakespeare’s birthplace Stratford-Upon-Avon, which, despite having more electric car chargers per 100,000 people, had a very slightly lower happiness rating, at 7.6. Heading down south, Newquay took home the bronze, commended for its high number of quality places to stay.

Here’s the top ten places to visit in-vehicle this July. 

1. Harrogate, North Yorkshire
2. Stratford-upon-Avon, West Midlands
3. Newquay, Cornwall
4. Horley, Surrey
5. Richmond, West London
6. Poole, Dorset
7. Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
8. Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
9. Anglesey, North Wales
10. Abergavenny, South Wales

You can have a look at the AA’s full report, including stats on each location, here. Have fun, road trippers. 

Staycations and Road Trips according to Time Out

AA aren’t the only ones who can recommend a great holiday. Here’s our favourite UK road trips, and some of what we consider to be the most beautiful places in the country. We’ve also got guides to the most romantic locations in the UK, and some pretty cool castles you can stay overnight in.

Did you see that these are the UK’s most congested cities?

Plus: two British airlines are the best in the world.

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