Often when people think of going on holiday, they picture hopping on a plane and jetting to another country. However, the pandemic has made everyone reconsider pretty much everything they thought they knew, holidays included. Now, a staycation in the UK has become the norm, which isn’t an entirely bad thing. People are starting to appreciate the country we live in more, realising that there are amazing places to explore right on our doorstep. Here are the 50 best things to do in the UK (in no particular order).
1. London Eye
Visiting London is a must, so there are many places on this list that you will find in London, the first being the London Eye. The London Eye is a massive wheel situated next to the River Thames – the tallest one in Europe. It allows you to observe the city of London.
2. St. Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul’s Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in London. It dates from the late 17th century, designed in the English Baroque style by Sir Christopher Wren. It is one of London’s most famous and most recognisable sights.
3. Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London. It was built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry.
4. Big Ben
Big Ben is the nickname given to the Great Bell of the striking clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster. The nickname is more generally used for the clockface and tower. The tower was designed by Augustus Pugin in a neo-Gothic style.
5. Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace in the City of Westminster is the London residence of the Queen. If the Union Jack is flying, the Queen is there! So, head down to London, and if you’re lucky, you might be able to wave to our monarch.
6. Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum, located in London, has free entry, so it is definitely worth visiting. It can be found on Exhibition Road in South Kensington, along with the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum, which are also worth a visit.
7. Clifton Suspension Bridge
The Clifton Suspension Bridge crosses the Avon Gorge and the River Avon. It links Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods in North Somerset. It opened in 1864.
8. Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. It consists of standing stones, which are each 13 feet high, seven feet wide, and weigh 25 tons. They are thought to be 2 million years old.
9. Eden Project
The Eden Project is located near St Blazey in Cornwall. Its purpose is to educate its visitor’s about the natural world.
10. Durdle Door
Durdle Door is a naturally occurring limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast near Lulworth in Dorset, England. Its arch reaches 200ft above sea level.
11. Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. It takes place throughout August every year and has featured over 50,000 performances in past years.
12. Lake District
The UK has some beautiful National Parks. The Lake District is in Cumbria in northwest England. It is best known for its geographical features, including mountains, lakes and also its literary associations.
13. Peak District
Another National Park in the UK is the Peak District. Located in Central England, the park’s southern area is known as White Peak. Here you will find Dovedale, a limestone valley with its famed stepping stones. In the northern area, you will find Kinder Scout, the park’s highest point.
14. The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic
The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic is dedicated to European witchcraft and magic. It is located in the village of Boscastle in Cornwall, south-west England. Its collection has been described as the largest of such objects in the world.
15. Chesil Beach
Chesil Beach in Dorset, England, is one of only three major shingle beach structures in Britain. It runs for 29 kilometres, stretching from West Bay to the Isle of Portland.
16. Arthur’s Seat
Arthur’s Seat is an ancient volcano in Edinburgh. It is the main peak of the group of hills that form most of Holyrood Park.
17. Old Harry’s Rocks
Old Harry Rocks are a coastal geographical that you will find at Handfast Point, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. They consist of three rocks, including a stack and a stump. They are the most eastern point of the Jurassic Coast.
18. The Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway is an area of interlocking basalt columns. They resulted from an ancient volcanic fissure eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the north coast of Northern Ireland.
19. Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the United Kingdom. The summit is 1,345 metres above sea level. It can be found in Scotland, near Fort William in the western Highlands.
20. Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands, southwest of Inverness. There are lots of rumours surrounding it – who knows; you might find the Loch Ness Monster!
21. Stratford-Upon-Avon
Stratford-Upon-Avon is a must-visit since it was the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the most famous writer in the English language. Shakespeare is most well-known for his plays and sonnets. You can see these performed by The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-Upon-Avon, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre.
22. Warner Bros Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter is a walkthrough exhibition and studio tour in Leavesden, England. It is a must for any Harry Potter fan!
23. Hadrian’s Wall
Hadrian’s Wall stretches 73 miles from coast to coast, from Wallsend and Newcastle on the River Tyne in the east, to Bowness-on-Solway on Solway Firth in the west. It was formerly a defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia.
24. Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Scotland, which stands on Castle Rock. Humans have lived in this area since at least the Iron Age.
25. White Cliffs Of Dover
The White Cliffs of Dover face the Strait of Dover and France, on the southern coast of England. The cliff face reaches a height of 350 feet. Its appearance is due to its composition of chalk.
26. Blackpool Tower
Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It was opened to the public on 14 May 1894. It is most famous for its Ballroom dance floor.
27. Brighton Palace Pier
Brighton Palace Pier is home to fairground rides, bars, restaurants and deckchairs to enjoy the sea view. It was opened in 1899.
28. Henrhyd Falls
Henrhyd Falls can be found in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales. It is the tallest waterfall in southern Wales, with a drop of 90 feet.
29. The Needles
The Needles is a row of three stacks of chalk on the coast of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel. They rise about 30m out of the sea.
30. Cerne Abbas Giant
The Cerne Abbas Giant can be found near Cerne Abbas in Dorset, England. It is a hill figure which reaches 55 metres high, making it Britain’s largest chalk hill figure. It depicts a standing nude male wielding a large club in his right hand.
31. Jurassic Coast
I have mentioned many places along the Jurassic Coast on this list, so I thought I’d include the Jurassic Coast as a whole on the list since it has so many brilliant places to visit. It stretches from Exmouth in East Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset – a distance of 96 miles!
32. Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a royal residence found in Windsor in Berkshire. It is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. The Queen spends a lot of her time at this castle, including her private weekends.
33. Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle is a medieval castle that was originally built by William the Conqueror in 1068.
34. Angel Of The North
The Angel of the North, designed by Antony Gormley, is located in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England. It was completed in 1998, and it is the largest sculpture in Britain.
35. York Minster
York Minster, which is also called the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of Saint Peter in York, is one of the UK’s most beautiful pieces of architecture. It is one of the biggest cathedrals in Northern Europe.
36. Tate Art Galleries
There are four Tate art galleries in the UK that contain British, international modern and contemporary art. There are two in London: Tate Britain and Tate Modern. There is also one in Liverpool, and one in Cornwall.
37. Tyne Bridge
The Tyne Bridge links Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead. The bridge, which is a through arch bridge, was opened in October 1928 by royalty – King George V.
38. Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is in Nottinghamshire. It is most famous for its association with the legend of Robin Hood.
39. Snowdon
Snowdon, the tallest mountain in Wales, reaches a peak of 1,085 metres above sea level. It is also the highest point in Britain, excluding the Scottish Highlands.
40. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantsysiliogogogoch Train Station
On the coast of Anglesey in Wales, there is a town called Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. The town’s train station has become a popular tourist site because it features a plate with the town’s full name on it.
41. Barry Island
Barry Island is a seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. The island has starred on TV since it was the location that popular TV show Gavin & Stacey was filmed at, so if you are a big fan of the show, then it is a must-visit.
42. Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens, a botanical garden which can be found in southwest London, claims to house the “largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world”. It was founded in 1840.
43. Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. It is the only non-royal country house in England to hold the title of palace.
44. Explore The Cotswolds
This one is not a specific place to visit, but instead, a more general area of the UK that you should visit. The Cotswolds covers a huge area of five counties – Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire. Here is where you will find the best quintessentially English villages.
45. Eat Fish And Chips By The Seaside
Again, not a specific place, but eating fish and chips by the seaside is a must if you are visiting the UK. Enjoy a British delicacy in its freshest and tastiest form. Just watch out for seagulls!
46. Roman Baths
The Roman Baths can be found in the city of Bath, Somerset, England. They are the preserved remains of a religious spa, which still flow with natural hot water.
47. Smallest House In Britain
The Smallest House in Britain is a tourist attraction in Conwy, Wales. It is also known as the Quay House. It was built in the 16th century and lived in until 1900.
48. Abbey Road
This is one for music fans. If you want to recreate The Beatles’ iconic album cover, then head to Abbey Road Studios in the City of Westminster, London, England.
49. Guernsey
Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands in the English Channel, known for its beach resorts like Cobo Bay and its coastal cliffs.
50. Jersey
And not forgetting the other Channel Island (and the largest of the two), Jersey. It’s known for its beaches, walking trails, valleys and castles.
