A Trip Down Memory Lane: Nostalgic UK Holidays for Families
1 August 2025
It starts with a scent. Sun-warmed seaweed on a Cornish beach. Vinegar-drenched chips on a Brighton pier. The soft wool of a holiday jumper that doubled as your pillow on the drive home.
More than ever, families are embracing the art of nostalgic UK holidays - retracing steps from childhood and revisiting beloved places, but this time through the eyes of their own children.
It’s the travel trend known as the ‘nostalgication’, and it’s blossoming among families choosing holidays with meaning over novelty. These traditional UK holiday destinations offer more than just familiar scenery. They’re touchstones of time - places where memories are stored in rock pools, postcards and pub signs, ready to be awakened.
And nostalgia, it turns out, isn’t just sentimental. Psychologists have found that reliving joyful moments from the past can actually lift your mood and improve mental wellbeing. As such, revisiting your favourite family-friendly UK breaks might just be the most soul-nourishing way to travel this year.
From classic British seaside holidays to lush lakelands and wild Highland adventures, here’s where to revisit your roots in style - with PoB Hotels offering elegant, character-rich bases for luxurious UK multi-generational travel.
Brighton
For generations, Brighton has been the archetype of nostalgic UK holidays - a coastal cocktail of helter-skelter charm and Regency elegance. Who could forget the thrill of the ghost train, or sticky fingers after a sherbet dip from the pier’s sweet shop? Today, families still stroll arm-in-arm along the same promenade, only now with oat flat whites in hand and boutique shops to peruse. Just along the coast, Bailiffscourt Hotel near Climping is a hidden gem: medieval-meets-modern with its thatched roofs, indulgent spa and sprawling lawns that echo with laughter from past and present alike.
Cornwall
There’s something eternal about Cornwall’s golden beaches, bucket-and-spade spirit, and salt-air sunsets. For those reliving childhood holidays, it remains the jewel in the crown of best family UK staycations. Surf lessons in Newquay, cream teas in Padstow, and long sandy picnics are all part of the rite of passage. The Headland Hotel in Newquay overlooks Fistral Beach and brings a refined twist to family-friendly UK breaks - think sea-view suites, fine dining, and a spa worthy of the grown-ups while the kids rediscover rock pools and rolling dunes.
The Cotswolds
Sipping cider beneath a honey-stone pub sign or wandering through rolling, patchwork fields, the Cotswolds capture the essence of traditional UK holiday destinations - the kind of place where childhoods were spent building dens, not screen time. The Painswick brings a cool contemporary edge to the nostalgia, with velvet armchairs, award-winning cuisine and valley views that beg you to put your phone away. Perfect for UK multi-generational travel, it invites everyone - from toddlers to grandparents - to slow down and reconnect.
Jersey
Just a hop across the Channel, Jersey was once the height of glamour for British holidaymakers. Cycling to hidden coves, postcards of puffins, and the scent of sun cream on granite cliffs - this is the stuff of nostalgic UK holidays. The Atlantic Hotel offers five-star sophistication with panoramic sea views, manicured gardens and one of the island’s most celebrated restaurants. It’s a refined take on island life, ideal for family-friendly UK breaks that still include sandcastles, seafood and spectacular sunsets.
Lake District
For families reliving childhood holidays, few places rival the romance of the Lake District. Herdwick sheep dotting the hillsides, rowing boats on Windermere, and slate-roofed tea rooms serving the best Victoria sponge you’ve ever tasted. At Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, tradition meets tranquillity. Think lazy afternoons by the lake, garden games on the lawn, and fireside board games for all generations – with hot tubs, Michelin-starred dining and indulgent spa treatments for the grown-ups. A luxurious base for UK multi-generational travel with a hearty slice of Lakeland magic.
North Wales
If your childhood featured wellies, waterfalls and winding walks through misty valleys, you may already be a North Wales devotee. Eryri (Snowdonia) remains one of the finest traditional UK holiday destinations, offering outdoor adventure and timeless beauty. At Palé Hall, an opulent Victorian mansion on the edge of the National Park, grandeur meets green living. Meanwhile Bodysgallen Hall, set among formal gardens with views across Eryri (Snowdonia), invites the whole family to roam, relax and rediscover nature. Both are perfect for nostalgic UK holidays where tradition and elegance go hand-in-hand.
Devon
There’s a soft beauty to Devon - the rolling patchwork hills, clotted cream by the spoonful, and beaches framed by striped beach huts. Many will remember pebble-skimming and late summer swims here. Bovey Castle, nestled in Dartmoor’s dramatic heart, offers old-school grandeur and endless activities: falconry, horse riding, and a kids’ club that ensures every age is entertained. It’s one of the best family staycations the UK has to offer - a place where grown-ups unwind in luxury while little ones make new memories on the moor.
Dorset
For those reliving childhood holidays spent fossil hunting or skimming stones on the Jurassic Coast, Dorset still delivers that nostalgic glow. Sweeping bays, thatched villages and clifftop walks make it a favourite for nostalgic UK holidays. The Priory, on the banks of the River Frome in Wareham, is a hidden treasure. Expect candlelit dinners, croquet on the lawn and rowing boats at the ready. It’s the sort of place Enid Blyton might have dreamt up - timeless, tranquil, and perfect for a family-friendly UK break.
Scottish Highlands
Few places capture the wild romanticism of nostalgic UK holidays quite like the Scottish Highlands. Whether you remember summers spent skimming stones across lochs, picnicking beneath ancient castles, or boarding ferries bound for misty isles, the pull of Scotland’s great outdoors is as strong as ever. For a true UK multi-generational travel experience, the Highlands & Islands Break blends coastal escapes with cultural intrigue - from the floating glamour of Fingal in Edinburgh to the Victorian grandeur of Cromlix in Perthshire, once a playground for plant hunters and lairds. Venture west to the Hebridean Princess for a taste of classic British seaside holidays, sailing past colourful fishing ports and dramatic island shores, before heading south to Glenapp Castle, where wild glamping, private boating, and whisky tasting await.
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