The ultimate UK travel bucket list for 2024
3 January 2024
The ultimate UK travel bucket list for 2024
If ticking off a travel bucket list is a major part of your New Year’s resolutions, the Great British Isles offer a myriad of fabulous destinations and unforgettable attractions that are more than a match for the most popular destinations in Europe and beyond.
With staycationing tipped to remain one of the coolest travel trends for 2024 and slow travel the greenest way to enjoy new cultural experiences, there are many good reasons for creating a UK travel bucket list to explore your home turf.
Whether you adore ancient architecture or modern wonders, have a passion for the great outdoors or the arts, we’ve selected some of the best things to do in the UK…
1. Visit Stonehenge
Few experiences are as awe-inspiring as witnessing the ancient stone circle at Stonehenge — one of the top things to do in the UK. The famous prehistoric monument located near Salisbury in Wiltshire is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting visitors from around the globe who come to marvel at this powerful testament to human ingenuity.
For an unforgettable opportunity to get up close without the crowds, take the Stone Circle Experience, which allows you to stand inside the circle and discover the secrets of the stones from an expert guide.
Visits last for around an hour and take place in the early morning or evening, outside normal visiting hours, with a maximum of 30 people per session.
How on earth did the people who lived here 4,000 years ago manage to move such heavy stones, and what was the true purpose of creating this site? These and other burning questions are tackled in the extraordinary Stonehenge Exhibition, where you can ‘meet’ a 5,500-year-old man, view 250 archaeological treasures from pottery to jewellery discovered in the landscape, and step into a Neolithic village to find out if you have the muscle power to move a mighty Sarsen stone.
Where to stay: For fairytale guestrooms and Michelin-star dining experiences, check into Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, a spectacular country house hotel set within 500 acres of lush parkland in Wiltshire. From £350 per night.
2. Explore the Scottish Highlands
When it comes to cool-cationing, Scotland’s majestic Highlands tick all the right boxes. Immerse yourself in stunning landscapes: it’s a world of rugged mountains, serene lochs, and picturesque glens, and you’ll wonder what took you so long to land here.
Go monster hunting in Loch Ness; walk up Britain's highest peak, Ben Nevis; visit historic Urguhart Castle; marvel at the Falls of Foyers waterfall, or watch dolphins frolicking in the Moray Firth. And if you love high energy pursuits, you’ll be in your element — the Cairngorms National Park is a hotspot for hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and off-road driving experiences. It’s quite simply one of the very best travel experiences in the UK.
Where to stay: Ness Walk is the must-stay hotel in Inverness, with bright, contemporary styled guestrooms, fine dining and concierge services for a wealth of sporty and sightseeing activities from fishing to helicopter tours. This gated five-star hotel located in the heart of the city is also your gateway to great fresh-air adventures. From £145 per night.
3. Attend the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
The world's largest performance arts festival, The Edinburgh Festival Fringe hosts thousands of performers who gather in the Scottish capital to showcase theatre, comedy, music, and more every August. This must-visit calendar event was established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival and has since grown to epic proportions in both scale and reputation —and now bills itself as ‘world's greatest platform for creative freedom.’
The entire city of Edinburgh comes alive during the event and the friendly vibe makes it one of the very best experiences in the UK — simply hanging out with friends and family and soaking up the atmosphere is an absolute delight.
The annual event usually spans approximately 25 days and in 2019, it featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 different shows in 322 venues. This year’s fiesta will run from 2-26 August —and you can book tickets 24 hours a day at edfringe.com or on the EdFringe app.
Where to stay: Sea dog or landlubber? If you fancy a few nights in a fabulous floating hotel, Fingal is your dreamboat hotel (From £300 per night). Or if you prefer a boutique hotel with bags of style, make haste to Prestonfield House, a beautiful 17th-century Baroque mansion. From £375 per night.
4. Take a Harry Potter Studio Tour
If you’re enchanted by J K Rowling’s wizarding world, a visit to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter in London should be high on your UK travel bucket list for 2024. It’s a spell-binding chance to see the original sets, costumes, and props from the beloved film series, and the highlights of the guided Experience Tour include stepping onto iconic film sets like the Great Hall, Professor Sprout’s Greenhouse, Diagon Alley and Platform 9 ¾ for Hogwarts Express.
You can also see your favourite props; get up close to the characters’ costumes, and enjoy incredible ‘behind-the-scenes’ glimpses of the art department and explanations of the technological wizardry and special & visual effects that bring the stories, creatures and settings to life.
The venue is located just outside Watford and if you travel by train there’s a free shuttle service (with electric buses) from Watford Junction station. And to make a day of it, onsite dining options include the Chocolate Frog Café which serves sweet treats, and the Food Hall — a dining room complete with the floating candles inspired by the iconic Great Hall ceiling.
Where to stay: Just a short drive from the Studio, Sopwell House combines classic Georgian splendour with two luxurious spas.
5. Visit Bath's Roman Baths at sunset
Situated in the heart of the spa city, Bath’s Roman Baths invite you to immerse yourself in 2000 years of history. This iconic site was created during the time of the Roman Empire in Britain and is regarded as one of the finest historic sites in Northern Europe.
Once one of the most important religious spas of the ancient world, the site was a vibrant meeting place for the people of Roman Britain who came to worship the goddess Sulis Minerva and bathe in the therapeutic waters of the natural thermal springs, which still flow with hot water.
The highlights of the visit include walking on the original Roman pavements; seeing the ruins of the Temple of Sulis Minerva, and taking a tour of the museum collection which exhibits amazing Roman artefacts. While it’s a great experience at any time, sunset tours during the summer months when the site is open until 10pm and the Great Bath is illuminated by torchlight, are particularly beautiful. And you’ll also get to enjoy a drink under the summer evening sky at the pop-up prosecco bar.
Where to stay: Arguably the very best luxury hotel in Bath, The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, situated on the iconic curved street of the same name, is the place for elegant retreats with pampering and fine dining in Regency splendour.
6. Climb Mount Snowdon
For those seeking a high octane challenge that puts your stamina to the test, scaling the highest peak in Wales should feature on your travel bucket list for 2024. And when you reach the summit of Eryri, also known as Mount Snowdon, — which is 1,085 m (3,560 ft) —you’ll be rewarded with breath-taking views of Eryri National Park.
Take your pick of six main routes to the top, which range from 11km -14.5km round trips, and can take anywhere between 4 to 7 hours, depending on your level of fitness, experience and weather conditions. Always research the route before you start, making sure that you have selected the best option for you and have all the necessary clothing and kit.
For safety and fun in numbers, you can also join guided walks with a pro, or treat yourself to an experience such as Snowdon by Night, to explore the mountain by moonlight, with a guided sunrise, sunset or dark skies walk.
Where to stay: Palé Hall Hotel, a Grade 11 listed Victorian country house, is a five-star haven and your gateway to all the great outdoor activities on offer in Eryri National Park. Here, you can feast on fine cuisine and fall into a luxurious bed when you return from the mountain. From £303 per night.
7. Hike the Jurassic Coast
For hikers and history buffs, a walk along the Jurassic Coast — a 95-mile long stretch of coastline in southern England, running from Old Harry Rocks at Studland Bay in Dorset to Exmouth in East Devon — is a feat not to be missed. A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for its outstanding cliffs and rocks, fossil-rich beaches and coastal views, it’s one of the top things to do in the UK.
Its great geological claim to fame? The Jurassic Coast is the only place on Earth where rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods can be seen in one place, representing a whopping 185 million years of history.
The South West Coast Path runs along the length of the Jurassic Coast and is a great way to see the amazing landmarks and pretty seaside towns such as Swanage, Lyme Regis and West Bay, as well as enjoying fossil hunting along the way.
Where to stay: Set on the banks of the River Frome in Wareham, not far from Studland Bay, Grade II listed The Priory Hotel has history, quirk and charm in every inglenook and corner.
8. Attend Henley Royal Regatta 2024
A day out at Henley for the famous boat races where the energy, the cheers, and the shared passion for rowing make the banks of the Thames come alive, is arguably one of the most quintessentially English summer experiences you could add to your travel bucket list. The Henley Royal Regatta is the best-known regatta in the world —a highlight of both the summer sporting calendar and the social season.
Visited by more than 300,000 people each year, Henley Royal Regatta boasts over 300 races across six days with crews including Olympic rowers making this an elite sporting competition. The atmosphere is electric and spectators are never very far away from a feast of delicious food and drink laid on by the organisers.
This year’s event takes place on 2-7 July, so book your tickets and prepare to watch the boats sail by while sinking chilled glasses of Pimms.
Where to stay: The Relais Henley is a sophisticated boutique abode on the banks of the river in Henley-on-Thames — and one of the most sought after places to stay during Henley Regatta. From £220 per night.
9. See a Shakespeare play at the Globe Theatre
If you’re a big fan of The Bard, it’s high time you entered the world of Shakespeare by watching one of his plays performed at the reconstructed Globe Theatre in London.
Situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, Shakespeare's Globe is a brilliant reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, the Elizabethan playhouse first built in 1599 which was the primary stage for William Shakespeare’s plays.
As per the original theatre, it’s open-air and the show goes on whatever the weather, so be sure to dress accordingly. Performances experiment in many different ways with the original playing conditions of Shakespeare’s theatre and the venue is best known for its authentic standing area, where spectators can buy cheap, unreserved standing tickets to watch a performance as "Groundlings".
Where to stay: Take your pick of three of the very best luxury hotels in London — The Hari, a glamourous townhouse hotel in Belgravia, The Capital Hotel, Apartments & Townhouse in Knightsbridge, home to stunning original art and antique furniture, and The Athenaeum Hotel & Residences, an Art Deco beauty in Mayfair. From £400 per night.
10. Explore the Lake District by boat
If you enjoy messing about on the water, set sail on one of the many lakes in the Lake District, such as Windermere or Ullswater, to fully appreciate the stunning landscapes that inspired many literary greats.
One of the top tourist attractions in the UK, The Lake District comprises more than 16 lakes and numerous tarns plus a stretch of coastline, making it a paradise for sailing and enjoying a plethora of watersports from wind surfing to paddle boarding.
You’ll find a wealth of local specialist operators offering boats for hire, along with kayaks, and canoes but if you’re not a seasoned sailor there are also many wonderful cruise options available. Windermere Lake Cruises offers a range of cruises from 45 minutes to three hours on Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake. Departing from Bowness, Ambleside and Lakeside, the voyages take you through secluded bays with magnificent views of mountain scenery.
Where to stay: One of the finest luxury hotels in The Lake District, Gilpin Hotel & Lake House in Windermere exudes contemporary chic and is home to Michelin-starred restaurant, SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel. From £235 per night.
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