UK destinations to visit in 2020

‘Travel starts at home.’ 

This is what I always say to people who are wondering where to go on holiday. You don’t necessarily need to go abroad to go travelling. How about going to UK destinations instead? There’s rich history, outdoor experiences, off-the-beaten track trails and ultimate experiences to enjoy in the UK. 

Find out everything RexyEdventures in his UK destinations here: RexyEdventures in the UK

What’s more, becoming a ‘flashpacker’ myself, there’s nothing I like better than to stay at a lovely hotel after a long day of exploring in unexpected destinations. There’s loads of quirky hotels to stay in to make your holiday a memorable one. In these times, we still need to think about when we can go travelling around the UK once the lockdown is over, how about searching for last minute deals for hotels to get your started?

I take a look back at my previous UK destinations that I visited and a couple of other destinations that I had a fleeting visit to give you a round up of my UK destinations to visit in 2020. There’s so many places to visit that’s for sure!

Let’s start.

London

London is always a must destination to visit in the UK for your quirky destinations and you can even spend a whole week there. If you want to avoid the tourist crowds of Oxford Street, Leicester Square and central London, you can always go out slightly to find the best places to see in London: 

You’re probably likely to call into London Kings Cross if you’re travelling by train. But before you hit out for the suburbs, check out the unexpected delights of this quaint area behind the station. With a museum dedicated to Charles Dickens, an extremely yummy alternative food stall area, beautiful canals to sunbathe and walk against, there’s loads more to do here to spend a morning or afternoon. Check it out here: Unexpected things to do in London Kings Cross

If you’re looking for adrenaline, strike out to Stratford in London to find yourself at the tallest slide in the world – The ArcelorMittal Orbit. Racing at speeds of 15mph, you’ll have a whizz of a bird’s eye view of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as you scream!

Find out more: Tallest slide in the world

Or perhaps if you are looking for history in a grandiose setting, Hampton Court Palace is for you. Situated on the River Thames, south-west of London, this stately home and its beautiful gardens was the seat of the Royals of Britain, most famous of them all is King Henry VIII. I do recommend that you take a river cruise from Kingston Upon Thames to get a feel of what it would have been like to be a Royal on a barge. Definitely worth a day out here!

Find out more here: Rexy in Hampton Court Palace 

But if you’re finished in Hampton Court Palace, why not take a stay in Kingston Upon Thames on your return? This quirky market town has a secret that changed the world. I’ll leave for you to find out…

Read more: How Kingston Upon Thames Changed the World

If you’re looking for a high-class affair, test your head at heights by strutting your stuff at the top of London’s tallest building – The Shard. At the top, you will see wonderful views of London to make you feel like an Olympian god, whilst quaffing on a cocktail. Definitely recommend doing this at sunset – perhaps for a romantic getaway? 

Read more: The View from the Shard

Perhaps you’re looking to escape from the hustle and bustle of traffic for a day? Explore Europe’s biggest urban park at Richmond Park. You can sightsee wild deer, take high tea at the beautiful tea rooms and reach your 10,000 step limit for the day by taking a circuit round the park. I recommend doing this for a good morning to blow the cobwebs away and finish off having brunch with some lovely scones!

Read more: Exploring Richmond Park

If you’re a big foodie, London has so many food tours to take part in. But where better than the multicultural district than the famous Brick Lane. A fusion of culinary delicacies, you can take a tour with Eating Europe Tours to sample a range from your traditional fish n chips, curries and more. 

Check out my favourite foodie place in London: Grabbing a bite to eat in London

Brighton

Ah, gay Brighton. How much I love you. 

I lived here for a few months and I still can’t believe how many activities there were to do in this delightful seaside town. Whether that’s taking a stroll on their world-famous pier, hitting up the LGBTQA bars, exploring extravagant Brighton Pavilion, sightseeing the street art or sunbathing on their beaches, it’s a great weekend out there. 

Check out Brighton here: Top Ten Places in Brighton you must absolutely see

York 

If you’re thinking of old England, York may immediately spring to mind. You’re not wrong as you stroll along the Old Shambles streets, checking out the fun and interactive museums and exploring the city walls. A grand day out for all seasons!

Read these articles: 

Easter in York

An autumnal day in York

Edinburgh

You can’t say you have visited Britain if you don’t include Scotland on your list. The capital of Scotland gives you a great insight into Scottish history and culture whether by undertaking (I think) the best walking tour in the world with Sandeman New Europe Tours. You may also want to check out Edinburgh Castle and hear Shannon the Cannon roar out over the city, or potentially you can scale an extinct volcano – Arthur’s Seat. There’s plenty to see and do here and a good port of call to start your week in Scotland with a weekend in Edinburgh. 

Read more: Rexy in Edinburgh

Manchester 

If you’re looking for a cosmopolitan break in the UK, Manchester is your best bet. You can spend a whole weekend here in hipster Northern Quarter drinking the finest craft ale, exploring the industrial canals, marvelling at the Victorian and Georgian architecture in the centre, chilling out in Cathedral gardens, dressing up at the People’s Museum, browsing through food markets and shop at the finest stores. Does that get you excited? Me too, I’m hoping to visit Manchester as soon as the lockdown lifts. 

Read more: A Weekend Guide in Manchester

Northern Ireland 

Don’t forget you can fly or sail to Northern Ireland for your best outdoor experience in the UK. Full of untouched wilderness, you can start from Giant’s Causeway, full of folklore, and make your way around the coast to take part in adventure sports or check out the Game of Thrones filming locations, before finishing up in Belfast. This capital of Northern Ireland boasts so much history and where better than the Titanic Museum. A definite highlight of your list UK destinations to visit. 

Read more: Wilderness of Northern Ireland

Wales 

Ah, Wales. For a proper scenic break in your list of UK destinations, I thoroughly recommend all of Wales with a focus in the North. I went there in Spring and I was bowled over from what I saw including: 

• Driving through Snowdonia National Park from Brecon Beacons National Park 
• Speaking Welsh in Caernarfon and its brilliant castle on the Menai Strait
• Walking on the Walls of Conwy
• Feeling Italian in the villa like Portmeiron 
• Trying to pronounce the longest place name in Europe (I still can’t do it!)
• Watching the RAF planes soar through between mountains in the valleys 
• And loads more!

Get inspired in Wales:  

Springtime in North Wales

Caernarfon is where I found my Welsh Heart 

Taste of Italy at Portmeirion

Longest place name in Europe

Welsh nature at its best 

Other UK destinations to visit 

I could be here all week trying to tell you all the UK destinations to visit! But I do recommend that you research destinations to visit the style of holiday/break that you want whether they are outdoor, shopping, cosmopolitan, history and more. 

To give you another idea for a destination to visit, how about Liverpool for their music scene? 

I’m certainly inspired to go back to Liverpool! 

There’s Cornwall, Devon for their beach style holidays, North West for hiking in the Lake Districts, The Lochs in North Scotland and so much more!

Your Local UK Destination

Perhaps in the list of UK destinations for people, how about telling me about your local area? I would love the chance to visit your home town/city and write up all about it. 

How about it? Let me know in the comments below!

For more RexyEdventures in the UK, check it out here: UK Destinations