Plan a short UK break online

Organise and book a holiday in the UK from your computer

When most people think of a holiday they think of sun, sand and, unfortunately, queuing at the airport.

Although it’s nice to go far away once in a while, a UK holiday can de-stress, save money and even help the environment.

Although it can be easily overlooked as a holiday destination, the UK has lots to offer.

Besides breathtaking scenery and miles of beautiful countryside, there are attractions to suit all the family ­ and even a proper English breakfast to start the day.

Better yet, when arranging a UK holiday there’s no need to book a package ­ why not put together a trip that’s personalised for you instead?

There are several websites that can help when planning a holiday in the UK, whether you’re looking for country hotels and cottages, beaches or adventurous sports. We’ll explain how to shop around and find the best deal on a UK holiday that’s perfect for you.

Stately roams
In a recent survey of UK internet users, research company Continental found that almost two-thirds planned to take a short break away from home.

Of these, more than four out of five planned to take this holiday in the UK. The company also found that nearly two-thirds of people believed that the UK had become a top holiday destination because of its scenery.

It’s hardly surprising, then, that over the past few years dozens of websites dedicated to UK holidays and attractions, from stately homes to nature reserves, have appeared on the internet.

The National Trust website is an excellent example. Not only does it give information about the stately homes that the organisation manages and events such as Heritage Days, it also allows people to arrange stays in accommodation and locations protected by the Trust.

Similarly, Enjoy England, the official tourist site for England, gives people wanting to travel around the UK a step-by-step guide to attractions. It can also locate accommodation, so those who know roughly where they want to stay can find hotels or bed-and-breakfast accommodation in the area.

Information Britain is another useful site. It holds records of more than 20,000 places to stay, ranging from cheap hostels to five-star hotels, and 20,000 attractions listed by town and subcategory.

For example, searching for ‘Bedford’ and clicking on Attractions will bring up a list of museums, castles and cathedrals in the county, along with opening times so you won’t turn up to find the gates closed. It also lists addresses for each attraction, making it easy to find accommodation nearby.

Ticket office
On the topic of attractions and discounts, pre-booking tickets to attractions online can often save money and queuing.

For example, booking tickets to the Tower of London online through official website Historic Royal Palaces will save you £1 on every adult ticket or £3 off the price of a family ticket.

Other sites, such as 365tickets, allow users to buy tickets online and print them out.

If you are prepared to be flexible it’s possible to find significant discounts here. For example, visiting the London Dungeon after 3pm can save you half the ticket price.

You can also find discounted tickets at Lastminute.com. At the time of writing we were offered tickets to Madame Tussauds for £17 rather than the £22 charged at the official website.

The site also sells combined packages that include, for example, hotel fees and tickets to a theme park ­ but before buying be careful to check that you can’t get a cheaper price booking them separately.

We found that when booking tickets to Madame Tussauds on a Tuesday with an overnight stay at the London Plaza hotel the combined price was £263, but we found that by booking separately the two cost just £223.

If staying in one place does not do enough to get your heart racing, there are a number of sites dedicated to walking holidays throughout the UK.

For novices, Bed Searcher is a good place to start. Type in the postcode of a location where you’d like to hike and it will produce a list of walks and places to stay nearby.

The site also gives weather conditions and a range of hints and tips to help ensure you go prepared with the correct clothing and accessories. It even labels every walking route with a difficulty rating.

Holidays in the UK includes a search engine that provides a range of guided and unguided walking trails in Scotland, England and Wales. It links to other accommodation websites so people can plan their own itinerary.

Seasoned hikers can also visit HF holidays, whose tours include several routes each day to suit walkers of differing experience and fitness levels.

On yer bike
Those with preconceived ideas involving muddy boots and arduous mountain hikes may be pleased to know that some walking sites offer more relaxing al ternatives.

Foot Trails sells several hiking holidays with a difference, including those that allow holidaymakers to walk between luxury hotels.

Those who prefer to travel on two wheels should check out Mickledore Travel.

It lists a range of cycling tours to attractions such as Hadrian’s wall and routes around the coast, and also allows holidaymakers to plan their own itinerary online.

If this sounds too mild, Proadventure offers energetic holidaymakers the chance to put together a UK holiday with a range of activities including bushcraft and survival, mountain sports and kayaking.

Those who think they need to go abroad for diving holidays may be pleasantly surprised to hear that several websites offer diving holidays throughout the UK.

The UK Diving Centre plans diving holidays in the Shetland Islands and Loch Fyne and has a forum for divers to share their experiences and discuss diving locations.

It’s Adventure gives links to a range of websites that offer diving holidays, as well as information on go-karting and visiting caves.

If catching fish is more appealing than swimming with them, various websites offer fishing holidays. Fisheries allows users to book angling holidays and hosts an online discussion forum. Other good sites include UK Fishing Holidays and Anglers Paradise.

If you love to fish but others in your family are not so keen on a day spent waiting by the water, there’s no need for anyone to miss out.

Some websites list a range of holiday parks with bungalow or chalet accommodation that offer fishing, horse riding and swimming. Try Center Parcs or Park Resorts. Remember that if you’re interested in doing a particular activity on your holiday it’s often best to book it in advance.

User reviews
The internet makes it easier than ever for holidaymakers to share their opinions of locations and tour operators, so before you book, why not check to see what other people think of a particular hotel or attraction?

Websites such as Trip Advisor and Holiday Watchdog rank hotels in each destination according to reviews written by thousands of holidaymakers.

Once you’ve found a hotel with good reviews, another way to save money in most cases is to have look at dedicated hotel discount sites. Late Rooms claims to offer up to 70 per cent discounts on UK hotels, and allows users to add reviews and even pictures from their stay. Booking.com and Expedia also offer similar services.

To make sure you get the best price possible it’s wise to search as many websites as is feasible but always check that the prices you see include any meals you want. For example, it’s not uncommon for websites to quote room rates that do not include breakfast as standard.

Don’t forget these websites are made far more useful by the reviews added by their users. When you return from your holiday, why not share your thoughts on the accommodation and attractions you visited?

A good review can help direct other internet users towards good hotels, helping them stay in business until you next decide to visit.

A poor review can warn other holidaymakers away from troublesome or unpleasant Fawlty Towers-esque experiences.

Getting there
When taking a package holiday abroad, the only transport to worry about is getting to an airport ­ although that itself can be an arduous task.

When holidaying in the UK, though, it’ll be up to you to find a way to reach your destination, which will normally involve a journey by road.

Fortunately there are websites to help, so with a little careful planning before you set out, there’s no need to get lost in the great British countryside, wrestling with an Ordnance Survey map by the side of a country road.

Streetmap provides online maps and allows you to search for a location by postcode, as does Google Maps. Alternatively Multimap can provide a list of turn-by-turn directions to help you drive between addresses, making it a good choice for those that don’t own, or don’t want to own, a sat-nav device.

The RAC Route Planner and AA Travel Watch work in a similar way but also allow you to pick from a range of options including the fastest possible route or one avoiding motorways, should you wish.

Both the RAC and the AA also provide traffic updates, making it easy to avoid known traffic hotspots and plan a quicker, less stressful journey.

Wherever you choose to travel in the UK, you should find fantastic scenery, and many locations offer marvellous cultural attractions. With so many websites available to help, you should already be on your way to a stress-free holiday at a bargain price.

Fare play
Not everyone has a car, and even those who do might want to leave the stress of driving behind them when on holiday. Fortunately it’s easy to get around the UK by booking tickets on the internet.

National Express provides a network of national coach services at low prices, while Greenline provides scheduled services around the Home Counties.

Those who prefer to travel by rail should check out The Trainline to check timetables, book tickets and reserve seats for any train operator on the UK mainland. Booking early can often net you cheaper tickets, and the site will advise you if booking two single tickets could be cheaper than a return ticket, for example.

If you are visiting London, consider one of Transport for London’s Travelcard tickets. As well as giving unlimited transport on the Tube, buses and trams, a current promotion means that these can also be used to get two-for-one entry to selected London attractions.

Living in a box
For many people, the idea of taking a holiday in the UK will immediately bring to mind caravans and camping. If you like to travel with your own accommodation in tow, there are dozens of websites full of useful information and advice.

The Camping and Caravanning Club has more than 400,000 members, and is a great place for members to discuss their trips, equipment or any other topics related to caravanning.

UK Parks is also useful, as it lists static caravan parks, places to hire a caravan and caravan parking sites throughout the UK.

Caravanning Holidays also gives information on caravan parks in the UK and nearby attractions. It hosts annual awards for the best caravan site.

Adults who don’t fancy staying on a family site can also visit Long Hazel Park, which is reserved for people over the age of 18.

Finally, Camping for the Disabled provides information and advice on camping for disabled people. It organises weekends and other trips, and membership costs just £2.50 per year for a family.