Staycation is the term recently popularized for holidaying within the UK. It’s the idea of not having to travel too far while still getting a change of scenery to spend time with friends or family. Once considered “second best,” the staycation is becoming a respected part of British holiday culture, taking Brits to some of the most beautiful parts of the UK. Here in the UK, we really are spoilt for choice: hiking in the Lake District, surfing in Cornwall, wild camping in the Hebrides. There are endless ways to engage with the outdoors while on a staycation.
Despite the staycation often being viewed as the alternative to a holiday abroad, traditionally the staycation has been much more popular. Records suggest that from as early as the 19th century people have been holidaying on the British coast. Since the introduction of the first August Bank Holiday in 1871, seaside towns have become a go-to destination for day trips and weekend breaks. As the UK’s railway system developed in the 20th century, it became easier for people to travel to the beaches for a summer getaway. Coastal towns thrived with attractions like Punch and Judy shows, promenades, and bathing beaches. Post–World War II saw the introduction of arcades and amusement rides, and seaside holidays began to offer a wide variety of activities and fun.
Seaside holidays once thrived. So why is it that lots of seaside towns now appear to be abandoned and neglected? After WWII, overseas holidays slowly became more affordable. The 1960s saw the arrival of package holidays, allowing families to swap Blackpool for Benidorm. As tourists left, the coastal towns suffered. Businesses closed and, with the lack of jobs, people started to move inland, leaving seaside towns deprived with many abandoned buildings. The growing popularity of staycations is starting to shed light on this deprivation, and it seems to be the solution. With the staycation market in the UK projected to almost double from 25 million in 2025 to around 45 million in the next ten years, hopefully the increased investment will help return these towns to their former glory.
While the popularity of the staycation originally appeared to be a product of COVID, they seem to be becoming a part of UK culture, with people attracted to the cost and sustainable elements of the staycation. In 2025, 8 out of 10 Brits had a holiday in the UK, with 52% planning one for the next year. People are choosing to staycation for a few key reasons:
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Cost
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Ease
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Flexibility
By nature, staycations are cheaper, cutting out the price of flights. Cheap travel options being available by using coaches, trains, and car shares. Accommodation can also be made more affordable by booking self-catering options or camping.
Staycations are also easier. There are no airports, no long waits, no transfers. Most people will drive to their staycation, which allows them to go directly to their accommodation. It also means they have a car for their holiday, making it easy to visit the surrounding area.
Staycations have a flexible nature by being able to select from a wide range of landscapes and accommodations. People can really tailor their holiday to their own needs, allowing them to holiday with pets. It also means you’re no longer limited to packing just a suitcase—you can pack as much as you can fit in your car.
Those who go on staycations appear to have a level of ownership over their holidays, tailoring them to their specific needs. But where are they going?
Sykes Holiday Cottages conducted research based on bookings for the summer of 2025 to gauge where Brits are travelling on these staycations. Results showed Cumbria, Cornwall, North Yorkshire, Devon, and Gwynedd (Snowdonia) are the most popular spots. This indicates a diversity in staycations between mountain getaways and seaside holidays. With a growing popularity in hiking, more Brits are going to popular walking spots to experience new challenges and see new views. Seaside staycations let people experience the sea in fresh ways, like surfing, which is a popular staycation activity on the southwest coast of England. Brits are also exploring new locations. Some of the destinations that are growing in popularity are the Northumberland coast and the Derbyshire countryside. City breaks are also a popular form of staycation, with people visiting cities like Liverpool, Manchester, and Brighton to experience a new city dynamic and culture. With coastal and mountain holidays growing in popularity, those on staycations tend to be engaging more with nature than on other holidays.
With more people going on staycations, there is a growing effect on the outdoors. As people travel to places of natural beauty, there are both positive and negative effects on the outdoors itself.
Unfortunately, littering is becoming a growing problem. As Brits flock to national parks, they are leaving their rubbish behind. Campaign for National Parks is a UK-based charity that is finding that a combination of lack of environmental awareness and personal responsibility is to blame for the increase in littering. As wild camping has also become more popular, people tend to be doing what is described as fly camping (which means they are not taking everything they came with and not leaving the national parks as they were when they arrived). This waste not only affects the natural beauty of the land but also is dangerous to both plants and animals. There is a growing concern surrounding the littering at the popular staycation spot, the Lake District, where sheep and birds have been ingesting litter, leading to health problems. Rubbish often ends up in mountain streams and tarns, which is having a negative effect on aquatic life. Fix the Fells is a group of volunteers active in the Lake District trying to prevent the damage done by this littering. They believe through vigorous planning and hard work they will be able to prevent a large proportion of the damage caused by this litter. However, it should not be their responsibility to protect this land. If those visiting these places of natural beauty cleaned up after themselves, it would dramatically help keep the wild places wild.
Tourists can also disturb wildlife through loud noises, dogs being off lead, and sometimes even just human presence can disturb nature. The Farne Islands in Northumberland are home to over 20 species of birds, and in the summer, there can be up to 100,000 breeding pairs on the islands. Boat tours and many visitors to the islands can heavily disturb these animals, which is why the National Trust has applied heavy restrictions to visits during the breeding season. With increasing visits to national parks, there is a growing pressure on the ecosystems. Sensitive habitats can be affected by trampling, camping, or water sports. It is important tourists remain conscious of where they are and how they can respect the land.
Despite placing more stress on the environment, holidaymakers provide financial support to preserving these areas. Through money spent on entry fees, car parking, and spending in gift shops, organisations are able to fund conservation programs. The National Trust owns 620,000 acres of UK land that will regularly be visited by those on their holidays. As an organisation, they plan to plant 20 million trees to help tackle climate change. Focused on protecting animals and plants native to the UK, their stewardship of British land has protected many species from extinction, allowing those on staycation to appreciate the natural beauty of the UK. The National Trust is not alone; the Eden Project (Cornwall), English Heritage, and many other organisations use finance gained through tourism to conserve British land, often educating tourists on the matters that are putting pressure on the environment. Those on staycation leave with a better understanding of how they can protect the environment, allowing them to protect the places they have visited for those who come after them.
With increasing popularity, staycations seem as though they are here to stay. With the staycation market growing, there appears to be hope in restoring seaside towns to their former glory. Staycations are allowing Brits to immerse themselves in the outdoors, which can unfortunately put pressure on the environment. Its great that more people can experience the natural beauty of the UK and with increased education and awareness the environment can be protected at the same time. Its encouraging to see conservation projects working so hard to protect the outdoors and the beauty of the UK.
