Not all UK road trips need to look like this; instead you can get that seaside image back. Here are some destinations for the ultimate road trip in the UK:

The Lake District

The Lake District has to be one of the most beautiful areas in the UK. Nestled in the far north west of England, this is the area that many of our hard workers drive off to for a weekend away. Whether you are planning on driving their and not using the car until your journey home, or you plan to drive your way round the lake district, it is the perfect holiday.

The Lake District national park is home to England’s highest peaks and some of its most striking scenery. The encapsulating views you will see on your journey will stay with you forever. It is known that The Lake District is often the home for inspiration for aspiring writers – Wordsworth and Coleridge.

Lake District, England, UK by Maciej Lewandowski

The Yorkshire Moors

Another of England’s national parks, and yet another beautiful area of the world. The Yorkshire Moors are not quite as popular as The Lake District – but for this reason, it can make it an even better place for a road trip.

The roads tend to be quieter and you will get to enjoy some time to relax and soak up the beautiful views. As well as the attractive national park to visit, you can also visit some of the seaside towns on the east coast of England.

The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds is one of the most beautiful parts of the UK, now currently homing many A-list celebs. More celebs are discovering the beautiful scenery that The Cotswolds have to offer.

As well as having the opportunity to cruise down some spacious, scenic roads. You can also get the time to relax in some of the most stunning areas in the world. Sit back, and watch the world go by as you adjust to nature.

Cotswolds, England, UK by W. Lloyd MacKenzie

The No Entry Roads

As well as considering the must go road trip destinations, it is also worth mentioning the places you should avoid.

Some roads in the UK are nothing but havoc, such as the M6 from Birmingham to London – by using this road, you are running the risk of sitting in standstill traffic for hours on end. To avoid getting stuck in hours worth of traffic or in the dingiest areas of the UK, here are the areas that you should avoid:

London & Birmingham

Although London is a beautiful city and the home of our Royal Family, you do not want to be driving into London City Centre. There are great transport links around the city, the bus and the tube, that will offer tourists an easy way to get around the city without having to wait.

If you decide to drive through London, you are putting yourself at risk of sitting around in traffic for hours on end as well the risk of someone carelessly bumping into your car as they fight their too often road rage.

Quite similarly, the second city of England, Birmingham, is another no-go area. The city will offer nothing but one way complicated roads, as well as traffic in every direction possible. If you are after a city visit, you are much better dumping your vehicle for good old public transport.

Kerry planned a road trip for the summer. Rather than taking her unreliable motor, she chose a personal car leasing option from UK Car Contracts Ltd. She drove her luxury car with joy through the Cotswolds for the week.

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With so much to do, see, and explore; vacationing here with your family is a great way to have a trip you’ll remember forever. Here,  we look at 5 of the best family friendly vacations in Europe; perfect for those that love exploring, and those that love a little bit of relaxing:

1. Italian driving holiday

Road trips don’t have to be for college kids. In fact, you can take your family on a driving holiday and we promise there won’t be any cries of ‘Are we there yet?!’.

Positano, Amalfi Coast, Italy by Rome Cabs

The Amalfi Coast in Italy provides one of the most romantic and breathtaking backdrops to a driving holiday, and is the perfect vacation for thrill seekers. Widely considered to be the most scenic stretch of Italian coastline, cruising down these winding roads can make anyone feel like a superstar.

You can stop off at some of the most whimsical hotel locations ever, sample delicious local cuisine, and bathe in the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. It is recommended that you drive this coastal route during the peak of tourist season to get the best vacation possible.

2. Villa in Spain

If you’re still looking for a week of complete relaxation but want to avoid the crowds, why not hire a villa in Spain?

Forgot the main tourist areas, and explore off the beaten track; whilst still unwinding by the pool and spending time as a family. A villa break acts as a great base to explore from, and gives you the freedom and isolation you don’t get in a hotel.

Just be sure to hire a car, and explore some of the hidden areas Spain or the Spanish islands have to offer.

Villas in Spain (Santa Pola Life Resort, Alicante) / Photo by Claire for Europe Explored

3. Camping in the Lake District

England has some of the most beautiful countryside in the world, and makes for a family friendly vacation spot with a twist. If you love being ‘at one’ with nature, and have a real adventurous spirit, you should consider a camping holiday in the Lake District.

This vacation will provide you with some real, quality ‘family time’; away from all the distractions of modern life. Hire some bicycles and go exploring; go fishing; and eat around the campfire.

There are a plethora of stunning locations to choose from, and so much to do in the Lake District; it’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular destinations for people all around the world. You should also look into hiring a car and exploring the surrounding area too!

Red Pike, Lake District, England, UK by Phil and Pam

4. Euro Disney

Children of all ages love theme parks; and children of all ages love the magical world of Disney. So why not hop across the pond, and take your family to Euro Disney?

Situated in the romantic city of Paris; Euro Disney is a mini version of the Florida theme park but offers much the same experience. Your little ones can enjoy collecting signatures from their favourite characters, watch the spectacular shows, and ride some of the great rollercoaster’s.

Whilst over in France, be sure to head to all the sights such as the Eiffel Tower for a once-in-a-lifetime tourist experience.

Disneyland Paris, France by Randal Sheppard

5. Skiing in Austria

If active vacations are more your thing, why not consider going skiing in Austria? This kind of trip is ideal for families that want action and adventure; and not lounging around on the beach.

Whether you know how to ski or want to learn together, this is a great family-friendly vacation with a difference. There are a whole host of locations and slopes, suitable for all ability levels, and there is plenty to do when the skiing is over.

Austrian Alps by Edward Simpson

Europe is home to some wonderful locations for family friendly vacations. If you’re looking for a trip with a difference, why not give it a try? You might be surprised at what you discover.

Core Assets Fostering help vulnerable children to find a safe and happy home with a caring family. Find out more at www.coreassets.com/fostering

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• Lake District
• Loch Lomond
• Dartmoor
• New Forest

There are plenty of different destinations for you to choose from and some of the national parks maybe very close to where you love. For more information, you can check out the website of the national park you are interested in visiting.

The Lake District

The Lake District is a massive national park which has lots of things for you and the family to do and enjoy when you visit. Throughout the year, there are lots of different events and shows on throughout the area where you can visit and also join in. From the Black Combe Walking Festival n May to the various agricultural shows throughout the summer, there is something to keep everyone interested. You can even take your bicycles with you and go out for a ride with the whole family. There are also various hiking trails that you can follows as well. There is a wide range of accommodation available from Self Catering Chalets, B&B’s to static Caravan parks as well.

Lake District National Park, UK by Chris Perriman

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is a beautiful location in Scotland, boasting the largest inland stretch of water in the UK. There are plenty of activities to keep you busy such as hiking, cycling and kayaking as well. Windsurfing, water skiing and also fishing are in offer as well as the more traditional swimming. Also in 2013 Europe’s biggest open water swim series is coming to Loch Lomond so you may wish to time your visit with this. Although it is bound to be very busy as over 2000 people are expected to take part. There is a lot of different type of accommodation available within the area, and you will be amazed at some of the jaw dropping natural beauty available in Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond, Scotland, UK by baaker2009

Dartmoor

If you are looking to try and get the best weather when you go away, you may wish to think about Dartmoor. Being located in Devon, so being quite far south, you are more likely to get better weather than some of the other national parks around. There are plenty of things to do just the same as other national parks, so plenty of walking, cycling, and animal watching as well as local events and festivals. A famous landmark is White Horse Hill in Uffington which is a prehistoric white figure in the hillside and is about 110 meters long. Being so far south you do tend to see a lot more people visiting in the summer months so you may need to book accommodation in advance, even if you are just pitching your tent or pulling your caravan up.

Dartmoor National Park, Devon, UK by Miles Wolstenholme

The New Forest

The New Forest is a little further north than Dartmoor and is very popular with an estimated 10 million people a year visiting the forest for just the day. There are plenty of activities to do as well as some awesome scenery to take in as well. The forest was first set up about 1000 years ago by William the Conqueror in 1079. It was set up for the sole purpose of hunting, and lots of different species of deer and also wild pigs were kept in the area, so there were plenty of animals to hunt. There is an awful lot of history on show in the New Forest ad you will be able to explore this by visiting the many sites throughout the forest and getting the information available from the various information points dotted about the park. You can also visit the information centre where there is a lot of information for visitors. One thing is for sure that when you visit out national parks in Britain, you will be able to appreciate the natural beauty of the area and also explore some of our history as well. You may just have your best holiday yet and want to come back again!

New Forest National Park, England, UK by Hardo Müller

Ted Hunter wrote this article for Travel Republic. Ted is a keen history buff and enjoys exploring local history and sharing his finds in the articles that he writes. He loves reading reviews too about cheap holidays from Travel Republic.

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If you are going to rent your property out when you and your family can’t be there then it’s important to research the most popular places and the places that will bring you the best income. If you have a small budget then it will make it hard to purchase a property on the beachfront of a central tourist attraction so your budget is a big thing to take into account.

Grasmere, The Lake District, UK by Richard Barrett-Small

When you’re thinking about investing in a holiday home there are a number of things that you should take into account such as, where do people you know like to go on holiday?, would you prefer to be near a beach or a city?, will your property be close to pubs and entertainment?, will the property be preferred by young or older people? And will the property be easily accessible? There are many popular areas throughout Britain that become home to holiday makers every year; some of the most popular include, the Lake District, York, Kent, Isle of Wight, Yorkshire Dales and Moors, Snowdonia, Anglesey, the Scottish Highlands and Edinburgh. Of course there are many more popular destinations but, for a getaway, these are usually the first places that people will think of.

Because these areas are popular, the property can also be pretty expensive which can be a huge let down to buyers with a low budget. If you wish to buy a home in one of these areas but the budget won’t stretch then a nearby town or village is usually your best bet as although these are popular with the tourists that visit the main areas, the house prices are nowhere near as high. Although your property may not be in the centre of the tourist world you don’t want it to be too far away as this will be a put off for potential rentals. You should make sure your property is easy to get to via public or personal transport and it shouldn’t be more than a 15 minute drive from popular tourist spots – after all, how many people want to spend their holiday driving?

David Sprice shares his interest on Internet Cottages and what they have to offer as a holiday escape.

The post Advice On Buying A Holiday Home To Rent In The UK appeared first on Europe Explored.

Cottage in Longparish Road, Wherwell / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Anguskirk

Location

Cottage holidays can be enjoyed in very different parts of the country. Many holidaymakers opt for Devon, Cornwall and the Cotswolds for their flat scenery and wide range of cottages and homes, while others prefer the more mountainous Lake District. Decisions can often be made in terms of how isolated a trip you want to enjoy, or whether you prefer to be close to a major town or village. Cottages in Sussex are recommended for the latter, as they offer quick access to London. By contrast, the rural Scottish Highlands can give you great peace and quiet in the Northernmost part of the country.

Timing

When you choose to book a holiday cottage will make a big difference to the overall experience. Christmas bookings tend to go very fast, and need to be booked far in advance to avoid both high costs and places selling out. This approach is particularly important to take if booking on behalf of a large family or a group of friend. Many holiday cottages also tend to sell out around school holidays and bank holidays, so check your calendar beforehand. You might also find that some holiday cottages can be booked during off peak season at a reduced cost.

Manor House at Great Dixter / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by antonychammond

Local Activities and Features

It is always important to look into whether a holiday cottage can offer any specific features and activities. A cottage might be self catering or catered, or might include special bathroom and living room facilities like a hot tub or video games. At the same time, the cost of a holiday cottage may or may not include charges for Internet use. When viewing a holiday cottage, try to think about whether you can access any specific local activities like horse riding or sailing. It is also worth exploring the potential of a day trip to a neighbouring village or town.

Family and Pets

Many holiday cottages will have specific rules about the number of children and pets that can be brought to a location. Problems might arise in terms of having the facilities to cope with a lot of small children, and visitors may have to bring their own equipment. However, by checking ahead and doing your research, it is possible to see unique parts of Britain, while enjoying the best facilities and activities of an area.

Habs is a traveling enthusiast working with Cottages Direct. I love taking breaks in the UK and abroad. But most of all, I love to share my vacation experiences.

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