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UK road trip map – courtesy of Google maps
Ultimate Road trips in the uk- places to visit on a uk road trip
We have a love for travel. Who doesn’t? The world is an amazing place to escape, explore and experience and there are some amazing road trips in the UK to try. We visited some wonderful places and didn’t think twice about a long haul flight even for just a week but now we love nothing more than a campervan road trip, and in particular a campervan trip exploring the highlights of the UK. It didnt take us long to realise there are some amazing self drive tours in England – There are so many beautiful places to see that are right on our doorstep. Cue our camper van purchase. Now we love to take a road trip, campervan holiday or weekend camping trip, exploring what UK and its best places to visit.
If you are looking to hire a car for your roadtrip, Did you know that Auto Europe specialises in international car rental and campervan hire in countries all over the world. The work closely with a number of well-known global rental car companies, as well as national and local ones, to help you find your perfect vehicle to explore your holiday destination.
We are always on the look out for new places to visit and explore. There are some really wonderful places to visit in the UK. It offers beautiful scenery, culture, heritage and some wonderful cities and areas of outstanding natural beauty. Look hard enough and you will find those UK hidden gems; a place that may be off the beaten track and Britain’s best kept secrets. I wanted to put together an epic UK road trip – a post filled with wonderful places to to visit, explore, or just pass through. We have visited some wonderful places over the last three years in our campervan, but there are so many places still yet to visit, and places we have not even thought of. In addition to my recommendations, I have turned to my fellow UK family travel bloggers for advice, tips and a spot of inspiration….. so here is what we have come up with!
Scotland
We visited Loch Ness, and Loch Lomond as we explored Scotland on our Scotland Road trip. It is a beautiful part of the world with spectacular scenery, breathtaking views, and activities aplenty.
The West of Scotland is ideal for a Scotland road trip. Take the ferry over to Isle of Skye, or discover the sandy beaches of the Outer Hebrides!
If a city break is more your thing, then Edinburgh is a must. Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital and offers culture, history, shops, parks and sweeping views. We enjoyed just 7 hours in Edinburgh yet we didn’t even scratch the surface.
You may enjoy our Scotland road trip itinerary
Northumberland
England’s most northerly county, Northumberland, lies next to Scotland in the north east coast of the country. Famous for its unspoilt beauty, it offers beautiful beaches, historical sites, vast landscapes and wildlife. Penny at Parentshaped Travels has written a lovely post about their moments in Northumberland which involved glamping, and a visit to Hadrian’s wall.
Sam over at Travelling with Our Kids has also spent a week in Northumberland and managed to visit Holy island, Dunstanburgh Castle, Ford and Etal, Cragside, Bamburgh Castle all in one epic week!
Lincoln
Lincoln is a city in the East Midlands and it is known for the medieval Lincoln Cathedral. Sarah over at Family Travel Times has recently explored Lincoln and was really surprised by how picturesque and beautiful the City is. Lincoln offers so much for families, including a wonderful Cathedral, Lincoln castle, a museum and ample places to eat, drink and shop the day away.
Yorkshire
Have you ever visited Yorkshire? From the natural beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, to the beautiful beaches of the Coast the charm of York’s ancient cobbled streets to the cosmopolitan vibe of Leeds there really is something for everyone. Sam at North East Family Fun recommends a break in Richmond after A weekend break in Richmond North Yorkshire with her family. Richmond has been described by some as a hidden gem, and Sam managed to squeeze a walk along the river, a visit to Richmond Castle and Richmond museum and a spot of shopping all in to one lovely weekend.
Erin over at Yorkshire Tots recently visited the North Yorkshire Moors Railway with her family and had an unforgettable day out. She has shared five things to know before you ride the North Yorkshire Moors railway with kids .
Photo Credit -Yorkshire Tots
Lake District
The Lake District is a particular favourite holiday destination of ours, and over the years we have visited Lake Windermere, Keswick and in just three weeks we are off to explore Ullswater. The Lake District is a region and national park in Cumbria in northwest England that is known for its beautiful lakes, wonderful mountains and literacy associations. (Beatrix Potter anyone!?) Any UK toad trip just has to include this beautiful part of the UK. From walking, to climbing, sailing to zorbing there is something for everyone. There is so much to do and so many attractions to choose from in the Lake district including castles, museums, aquariums and wildlife parks, and cruises on the lake.
If you are visiting the lakes, Karen at Mini Travellers highly recommends a visit to Lowther castle. The castle sits within 130 acres of hidden gardens, enchanting woodland and with breath-taking views and a new playground, it is sure to encourage families to visit for a day out.
Peak District
Photo Credit – A Bavarian Sojourn
The Peak district is an area of outstanding natural beauty with picturesque towns and villages. The Peak District is located in the central part of England, covering parts of the counties of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and South Yorkshire. Emma at A Bavarian Sojourn has spent a week in the Peaks visiting the beautiful market town of Bakewell, Buxton, Chatsworth House, Curbar Edge Matlock Baths and Lyme Hall.
Wales
Have about a visit to North Wales? Abersoch is a popular coastal resort on the east-facing south coast of the Llŷn Peninsula and is somewhere we have visited every year. It holds many childhood memories for me. Abersoch has a variety of shops, bars, restaurants, cafes and hotels and offers water sports aplenty with boat trips around St Tudwal’s Islands to see the seals and other wildlife. It is also popular for its close proximity to Snowdonia National Park.
Over the Menai bridge, Anglesey offers beautiful landscapes, unspoilt coastlines and idyllic towns and villages. There are many scenic walks, cycle paths and water based activities to try out. Kirsty at Family Adventure Project has shared her Tales of the Unexpected in Anglesey & Beaumaris. Be warned – you will want to try out the rib boat ride on the Menai Strait!
Moving further South is the wonderful Brecon Beacons. The Brecon Beacons is a wonderful place to visit with walking, biking, horse riding, forests, and colourful towns on offer. Laura at Have Kids Can Travel outlines a six day plan for an outdoors Family holiday in the Brecon Beacons.
Daisy at Dais Like These has enjoyed a family adventure on the Gower Peninsula. The Gower Peninsula in South Wales is a perfect choice for a family trip, offering award winning sandy beaches, beautiful unspoilt countryside, smugglers covers and shipwrecks.
Photo credit – Dais Like These
We have recently enjoyed a few days visiting Pembrokeshire and found five memorable places to visit with kids. We fell in love with the sorbet colours of Tenby, attempted the few many steps to find the beautiful Church Doors Cove, and surfed the waves at Manorbier beach.
The Cotswolds and Surrounding Areas
The Cotswolds covers five counties – Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire. The best thing about visiting the Cotswolds is being able to explore the different areas, stumbling upon quintessentially English villages, admiring traditional ‘chocolate box’ cottages, exploring castles, country houses, lively market towns; and visiting some of the country’s greatest palaces, castles and country houses. There are also some wonderful walks in the Cotswolds, gardens and woodlands to explore.
Stratford-upon-Avon is famous as the birthplace of the English language’s greatest playwright, William Shakespeare. It has old medieval charm. Check out 11 of the best things to do in Stratford upon Avon by Lisa at Travel Loving Family. We recently visited Stratford upon Avon and enjoyed a family walk along the river, and a family friendly visit to Stratford upon Avon The butterfly farm.
The iconic Stonehenge in Wiltshire is somewhere I have wanted to visit for quite some time. It has been on my bucket list and we had the opportunity to enjoy a wonderful family day out in Stonehenge to try to unravel the mystery of those epic stones.
Warwick is in the heart of England and borders the northern extremities of the Cotswolds. Cathy at Mummy travels visited the capital town of Warwickshire and enjoyed a family day out at Warwick Castle.
The Forest of Dean is on the border of England and Wales, a geographical, historical and cultural region in the western part of the county of Gloucestershire, England. The Forest of Dean offers something for everyone with cycle tracks, kayaking, trains, walks castles and cathedrals. Gretta from Mums Do Travel recommends a day out at Puzzlewood in Forest of dean.
Norfolk
Penny over at Parenshaped spent a weekend in North Norfolk and fell in love with the place. They squeezed in a couple of coastal walks, stayed in a boutique hotel, enjoyed a lazy gastro pub lunch. The afternoon ramble navigating the salt marsh followed by a hot chocolate seems perfect to blow those cobwebs away. On the mid-east coast of England, Norfolk offers miles of unspoilt coastline, countryside, the Broads National Park and beautiful market towns.
London
You can’t do a UK road trip without stopping off at our one and only capital city, London.
The River Thames running through capital is home to some of London’s biggest attractions – museums, historic buildings, walks and activities. Mummy Travels describes 22 things to do on the Thames
Have you ever stopped off in Camden? I always think of colourful markets, street foods, and trendy boutique shops when I think of Camden. Camden offers food, culture, shops and wonderful canal boat rides. Donna at Like Love Do has shared her day in Camden in her recent post how to entertain kids in Camden
If you are short on ideas of what to do while you are in London, Nell over at Pigeon Pair and Me has put together the ultimate guide to London family fun to inspire you, and even better it covers all budgets.
Photo Credit- Pigeon Pair and Me
Kent
Photo Credit -Pigeon Pair and Me
If you are heading to the South Coast of England, Nell at Pigeon Pair and Me has enjoyed a memorable long weekend in Deal, a small seaside town in Kent. It has been decided that is is their favourite coastal town to visit to escape the hectic city life. It offers old school seaside charm, a beach, quaint shops and a castle. Whats more it is under two hours by car from London…..
East Sussex
Photo credit – Mummy Travels.
Home to rolling countryside and a beautiful coastline, East Sussex is a corner of England that attracts Londoners looking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life for a weekend. Cathy at Mummy Travels spent a long weekend in East Sussex and wondered why she hadn’t visited sooner. Cathy explored Rye Harbour, Hastings, Camber Sands , over four days, and took the opportunity to slow down, gaze out to the horizon and ponder just how the next sand fortress should look….
Dorset
Dorset is a county in South West England that offers countryside, coastline, attractions and activities to suit everyone. Think of ‘chocolate box’ cottages and you will find them in Dorset. Dorset offers the spectacular Jurassic coast, a World Heritage Site of hidden bays, stunning beaches and cliffs. Bordered by Somerset, Devon, Wiltshire and Hampshire it makes an excellent base for visiting and exploring the Southwest.
We recently enjoyed a wonderful weekend break glamping in Dorset, visiting Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove – an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Exeter
Photo Credit – Tinbox Traveller
Claire describes Exeter as a vibrant West Country city packed full of Roman and Medieval history. It offers shops ample restaurants, bars and cafes and makes for a great city break. Claire at Tin Box Traveller has spent lovely childfree 24 hours in Exeter enjoying a spot of shopping in the many high street shops and department stores, a stop off at Exeter Quay, Exeter Cathedral and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
Cornwall
Photo credit – Tin Box Traveller
If you have not visited Cornwall before then you really need to include in in your road trip. Think clotted cream and thick meat pasties. Cornwall offers the perfect family holiday and boasts a magnificent and unspoilt coastline. Admire rugged cliffs, beautiful beaches, and participate in a array of water ports. Or how about a weekend in cornwall? According to the locals the sun always shines in Cornwall, and Spring comes early.
So there you have the ultimate UK road trip.
Are any of these places that are a favourite of yours? Do you have a place to add to this ultimate road trip list?
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