Your Favourite Holiday Destinations in Your Own Country

Ok, so a lot of us have been to some pretty obscure places in far flung corners of the globe (not that globes have corners, but...).

So, for a change, I thought we could share our thoughts on our favourite holiday destinations in our own countries.

My childhood memories bring up places like Paignton, Poole, Blackpool, Westward Ho! (the only place in Britain with an exclamation mark in the name, no less), Scarborough, Skegness, Caister, Great Yarmouth, Bournemouth, Mablethorpe and the Isle of Wight.

Having revisited some of these places as an adult, I can form my top 3.

In reverse order...

3. Mablethorpe

Having been so many times, it feels like an old friend. Just up the road from its more famous cousin Skegness*, Mablethorpe is the quiet and understated old friend. A decent enough beach too, by English standards.

2. Scarborough

I just like the seafront and promenade in Scarborough with the castle overlooking the bay. Some good nights have been had interacting with the classy Yorkshire women there too.

1. The Isle of Wight

Many people like to travel a long way for their holidays. For me, the Isle of Wight is like travelling back in time. Beautiful landscapes, lovely old hotels and pubs and such a laid back atmosphere. Most British seaside towns are a throwback to a different time but the Isle of Wight is more than just one town and is something special for me. If I didn't like Asia so much, the IoW would be the perfect place for my retirement (in about 40 years).

* Skeg... I once went to a Northern Soul weekender in Skeg and it was great. Not enough to put it in my top 3, but great nonetheless.

So, how about you?

Have to put Scarborough at the top of the list - my grandparents lived there, so I know the place like the back of my hand.

Other great places:
North west Scotland - Around Ullapool. Fabulously remote with stunning landscapes. Only downside is the weather.

Dorset - Lulworth Cove. Often bypassed by tourists going further south-west into Devon and Cornwall, but has its own charm.

Norfolk Broads.

to be fair Derbyshire is very nice, ive been twice, up in the peak district, and its very nice

Top of my head:

St Ives down in Cornwall is nice.

Top of my list is probably the lake district, though, a beautfiul place with some fantastic old pubs and some great walks can be had.

Only went on holiday in England when I was a kid.

Went to Falmouth, enjoyed it.

Living in Bournemouth I'm lucky as mentioned above there are nice places not far away.

Been to lots of other places for weekends a way, be it for shows with the girlfriend, or lads week ends aways(not holidays so dont count.)

From Nottingham down to Plymouth.

One of the places I enjoyed alot(ok not england) was Edinburgh, lovely city.

westisbest wrote:Only went on holiday in England when I was a kid.

Went to Falmouth, enjoyed it.

Living in Bournemouth I'm lucky as mentioned above there are nice places not far away.

Been to lots of other places for weekends a way, be it for shows with the girlfriend, or lads week ends aways(not holidays so dont count.)

From Nottingham down to Plymouth.

One of the places I enjoyed alot(ok not england) was Edinburgh, lovely city.

Off topic from my original thread, but I have to agree that Edinburgh is wonderful.

Originally from North East Midlands so I’ve done the East coast to death! Skeg, Ingoldmells, Chapel, Mablethorpe, Thrusthorpe, Cleethorpes, Filey, Scarborough, Whitby – we took holidays in them all whilst I was growing up (and also with the lads in my early twenties). Good times and places but not really my favorites.

I’m guessing people will see a couple of these and think why the hell did he pick them?

In keeping with Il Gialloblu’s tradition of counting down my favorites would be

3 – Padstow. Just a beautiful place, really reminds me of a typical English fishing town.

2 – York. Just a great place with so much history. Been loads of times and never got board with it. Decent restaurants and pubs help as well.

1 – Manchester. Started going up there on a regular basis in my twenties as the particular music / club scene was strong there. Just a great city with everything – never tired of going up for the weekend. Also spent many New Years Eve’s there.

Honorable mention to The Isle of Wight – used to do some sea sailing around there in my teens. Also will add to the mentions for Edinburgh - used to gave to go up there for work, had many a hangover there after one or two too many in the local drinking establishments.

B91212 wrote:Originally from North East Midlands so I’ve done the East coast to death! Skeg, Ingoldmells, Chapel, Mablethorpe, Thrusthorpe, Cleethorpes, Filey, Scarborough, Whitby – we took holidays in them all whilst I was growing up (and also with the lads in my early twenties). Good times and places but not really my favorites.

I’m guessing people will see a couple of these and think why the hell did he pick them?

In keeping with Il Gialloblu’s tradition of counting down my favorites would be

3 – Padstow. Just a beautiful place, really reminds me of a typical English fishing town.

2 – York. Just a great place with so much history. Been loads of times and never got board with it. Decent restaurants and pubs help as well.

1 – Manchester. Started going up there on a regular basis in my twenties as the particular music / club scene was strong there. Just a great city with everything – never tired of going up for the weekend. Also spent many New Years Eve’s there.

Honorable mention to The Isle of Wight – used to do some sea sailing around there in my teens. Also will add to the mentions for Edinburgh - used to gave to go up there for work, had many a hangover there after one or two too many in the local drinking establishments.

We mainly went to Mablethorpe but how could I forget Chapel and Ingoldmells?

You say you're from the North East Midlands, B91212. I'm from Mansfield. It seemed that every time we went to Skeg or Mablethorpe we'd bump into someone from home. Usually stuffing their faces with chips or sliding endless amounts of 2 pence coins into the slot machines, trying to get lucky and win anything up to 50p!

I remember going camping with friends in Bridlington a couple of times in my 20's too. I bumped into Dave Penney (ex-Doncaster Rovers manager) in a pub there and watched a play-off final with him. Nice bloke.

One thing that sticks in my mind is texting my mother to tell her that we had arrived ok and were at Flamborough Head. She replied with "Ok. Be careful that you don't get blown off."

I'm still not sure if she realised that what she wrote had another meaning...

Il Gialloblu wrote:

One thing that sticks in my mind is texting my mother to tell her that we had arrived ok and were at Flamborough Head. She replied with "Ok. Be careful that you don't get blown off."

I'm still not sure if she realised that what she wrote had another meaning...

Quality

By the way I'm originally from Skegby

Some of my favourite holiday destinations in Oz:

Crescent Head, South-West Rocks, Hat Head (mid-north NSW coast)
Byron Bay used to be lovely but now is too crowded and expensive for my liking.

The south coast of NSW has some beautiful seaside townships - Tathra and Mossy Point being my favourites.

In Victoria - I love the country towns like Bendigo, Ballarat and Wangaratta. Also Albury-Wondonga (border town with NSW) has come a long way. These towns have very nice old public buildings (by Australian standards) which was due to their wealth in the gold rush era. Some wonderful parks and botanical gardens too.

In WA - I've always liked Perth and especially Fremantle. It has a grand air about it and there is an interesting maritime history to the place.

Love Qld too - I still get a buzz when travelling through the Gold Coast but I prefer the Sunshine Coast more. Noosa Heads was once less crowded but the main street has a very upmarket feel to it now. The beaches around there are wonderful... and the water is just right; crystal clear and the perfect temp for swimming.

The Lake District has to be one of my favourite places. Spent a large chunk of my childhood holidays there and it holds as much appeal now as it did then.

Northumberland is beautiful in a deserted and bleak kind of way. A place to lose yourself in.

I'm incredibly lucky and live right on the edge of the Peak District, which is utterly stunning. I'm guilty of taking it for granted far too often but I do get to regularly drive on spectacular roads like this

Spoiler:

From my childhood:

3) the peak district, near where I lived so we went there camping many weekends.

2) Devon, always preferred it to cornwall, seemed more quiet.

1) Bournemouth, the ultimate seaside town in England imo.

Nowadays, seen as my home country is now Italy my favourite holiday destination is definitely Sicily, got just about everything there: beautiful beaches, mountains, big cities, desolate wilderness etc.

Linebreaker wrote:Some of my favourite holiday destinations in Oz:

Crescent Head, South-West Rocks, Hat Head (mid-north NSW coast)
Byron Bay used to be lovely but now is too crowded and expensive for my liking.

The south coast of NSW has some beautiful seaside townships - Tathra and Mossy Point being my favourites.

In Victoria - I love the country towns like Bendigo, Ballarat and Wangaratta. Also Albury-Wondonga (border town with NSW) has come a long way. These towns have very nice old public buildings (by Australian standards) which was due to their wealth in the gold rush era. Some wonderful parks and botanical gardens too.

In WA - I've always liked Perth and especially Fremantle. It has a grand air about it and there is an interesting maritime history to the place.

Love Qld too - I still get a buzz when travelling through the Gold Coast but I prefer the Sunshine Coast more. Noosa Heads was once less crowded but the main street has a very upmarket feel to it now. The beaches around there are wonderful... and the water is just right; crystal clear and the perfect temp for swimming.

I thought Byron Bay was ok, but I was there in 2007 as a tourist so expected it to be touristy. The day out to Nimbin was nice though. Again, very touristy but... sorry, what was I saying? Hehehehehehehe... I'm hungry now...

As for country towns, I went down the coast from Cape Trib to Wollongong, across to Adelaide and then took the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne. And my favourite week in Oz?

The week when we went from Wollongong to Adelaide through Gundagai, Hay and Mildura. The country towns in Oz were, for me, far far better than the coastal places.

I went through southern NSW recently and it looks very nice and green after all the rain. The roads are heaps better too.

However, I'll never forget travelling from Sydney to Adelaide in the early 80s in the middle of a drought... and locust plague. You could see trucks approaching 10km away on the straight roads - a cloud of dust which got bigger and bigger. Boy it was hot!

Cornwall

New Forest is a good place to go on holiday.

1. Burnham On Sea, Somerset - Love the place, been going there since i was a little lad, have a lot of family living in Somerset, but just love the small seaside town of Burnham.

2. Perenporth, Cornwall - 10 minutes away from Newquay, but IMO its the best beach in this country. Loved every second of my holiday down there, i believe i was 13 at the time.

3. Blackpool - Never been there before but it looks class.

Great Yarmouth

Said no-one. Ever

LivinginItaly wrote:From my childhood:

3) the peak district, near where I lived so we went there camping many weekends.

2) Devon, always preferred it to cornwall, seemed more quiet.

1) Bournemouth, the ultimate seaside town in England imo.

Nowadays, seen as my home country is now Italy my favourite holiday destination is definitely Sicily, got just about everything there: beautiful beaches, mountains, big cities, desolate wilderness etc.

I'd pretty much agree with this list apart from the top spot, which I'd give to the Lake District.  It's a close run thing with North Devon, though.  Exmoor and the surrounding countryside is spectacular.

Weymouth - Love the area, and beach.

St Ives - Beach to die for.

New Forest - Great place to drive around. One problem is, Bournemouth is the nearest nice beach (to my knowledge).

Cornwall's a nice place.

You wouldn't want to live there though.

Duty281 wrote:Cornwall's a nice place.

You wouldn't want to live there though.

No, they don't like 'outisders'. The film 'Straw Dogs' always comes to mind when thinking of rural Cornwall.

Stella wrote:

Duty281 wrote:Cornwall's a nice place.

You wouldn't want to live there though.

No, they don't like 'outisders'. The film 'Straw Dogs' always comes to mind when thinking of rural Cornwall.

And it's awfully quiet here. Far too peaceful for my liking.

Since, for now, Scotland is technically still part of the same country - I'll chuck in Edinburgh.

Lovely city, absolutely beautiful, plenty to do, lots of personality, great nightlife.

After that I'm struggling as, as a general rule of thumb, I hate 'staycations'.

Keswick, York and Edinburgh. Love all three of them to bits and go to each of them as regularly as I can.

Honorable mention to Oxford and Cambridge too. Tophat you off to the fringe again? I'm taking a couple of friends from bicester up there next year. Planning already.

Hi Spence

Yeh, expect to get up there again. Was only in the city 24 hrs for it this year and with only half the number of people as usual so pretty sure I'll be trying to get support for the usual larger group to get up there 2014.

Trying to arrange an NYC trip also, plus always end up going away for 10 days in Oct/Nov and a couple of mates are keen to get back to Iceland - I can see 2014 turning into an expensive year!! :S