The best UK family holidays to take this year

The family holiday: that special adventure that’s both feared and revered by parents everywhere. While travelling as a pack is undoubtedly prime time for bonding moments, memories to be made, and wall-worthy portraits to be taken, the sudden change in location and schedule, along with the pressure for budgets and precious time together to be well-spent, can lead to all sorts of fresh hell within your camp (or camper van) of humans, too.

Fortunately, staying in the UK for a family holiday and dodging longer, more testing (and less eco-friendly) journeys abroad has never been more appealing. This is thanks to the wave of more child-friendly service and contemporary-meets-practical design that has spread through the UK’s formerly more formal period property family hotels over the last 15 years or so. Then there’s the well-documented staycation revolution that was ignited by the pandemic, a silver lining that has led to more families discovering and, therefore, investing in a wider range of outstanding destinations on their own islands. So here’s our pick of the ultimate places to take a UK family holiday in 2024.

The New Forest, England

Best for: busy woodland itineraries

This 219-square-mile National Park in Hampshire, just over a two-hour drive from London, offers a surprisingly big mix of oxygen-packed, fresh-air frolics. As well as the highest concentration of ancient trees in Europe (they may care more about that later in life), there are multiple farms, animal centres and riding schools, bike trails, the National Motor Museum, the 16th-century Hurst Castle, a water park, (brace) Peppa Pig World, and a nearby 40-mile “secret coast”.

Where to stay: New Park Manor. Part of the same group of hotels as Woolley Grange and Fowey Hall, which all aim to put families front and centre, King Charles II’s former hunting lodge is reopening following a mega renovation this May. It offers spa treatments for those from age three as well as one of the country’s only meditation pods.

The Cairngorms, Scotland

Best for: early ski memories

Many forget that it’s possible to gain your snow legs right here in the UK. Take the train for some sensational coastal views on the way up (keep your eyes peeled for sea views just after Newcastle, in particular), and book some lessons at one of the independent ski schools in the UK’s largest National Park, where there are plenty of green and blue runs to build confidence. There are plenty of non-snow-dependent backup outdoor activities around here, too, such as a nearby little dry slope, pretty reindeer herds to feed, tree-top rope courses, and boat trips out onto nearby lochs, including the mysterious Ness, under half an hour’s drive away.

Where to stay: The Fife Arms. This masterclass in creative hotel interiors from art-dealing A-listers Manuela and Iwan Wirth positively welcomes children with the likes of foraging and nature trails, art classes and star-gazing trips chased by hot chocolate inside exclusive Bothies.

Pembrokeshire, Wales

Best for: secret sandy spots

We discovered that coasteering means ‘careering off coasts into the Channel in a wetsuit’ while in Pembrokeshire – Wales’s sunniest region is that sort of outdoorsy, re-setting and life-enriching sort of a place. Buy an oggie, the country’s Cornish Pasty equivalent, and go picnic on one of the dozens of quiet, soft beaches between Telpyn and Poppit Sands on a slow-paced coastal road trip to remember.

Where to stay: Grove of Narberth. The idyllic, Grade II-listed countryside retreat offers 26 acres for kids of all ages to stretch their legs, go croquet-crazy and follow in fairy’s footsteps, as well as four cottages and a long house for clans who like to make their own din in peace.

Cornwall, England

Best for: Classic seaside towns

Thankfully, Cornwall, the UK’s poster child of family holidays, is no longer actively trying to dissuade people from visiting for fear of overcrowding as of 2020 – in fact, Visit Cornwall stated that ‘tourism normality’ has finally resumed in 2024. Mindful travellers should still consider visiting the county out of season to spread the economic love, as well as perhaps avoiding all-star spots such as St Ives, Newquay or Padstow in favour of lesser-known locations like Mousehole, Portwrinkle and Fowey instead.

Where to stay: Fowey Hall Hotel. Speaking of which… this hillside Victoriana manor (and real-life inspiration for Toad Hall) had a major renovation last year, includes 90 minutes’ of daily Ofsted-rated childcare and is just a short hop to dinky and delightful fishing town Fowey and its ice cream and fudge shops, estuary boat trips and surrounding scenic sandy coves.

Dorset, England

Best for: beautiful beaches nearer London

Under two-and-a-half hours’ drive from the capital lies more than 100 miles of stunning coastline, with some of the country’s cleanest and Blue Flag-awarded beaches, ideal for first paddles and sea swims. Then there is the wealth of natural wonders to spark imaginations and fossil hunts, the UK’s first ever area of outstanding beauty, the Jurassic Coast, Old Harry’s Rock and Durdle Door, plus ancient sites like Corfe Castle to roam around. Go to Mark Hix’s little Oyster and Fish House in Lyme Regis if you can – dare the kids to try the cockle popcorn before venturing to one of the town’s five beaches.

Where to stay: The Pig on the Beach. Open since 2014 and the fourth in the UK’s trailblazing string of eccentric-chintz boutique hotels, this piggie is located next to dreamy, dune-dotted and blonde-sand Studland Bay and a short drive from the sweet seaside town of Swanage, a place made for making charming childhood memories.

The Cotswolds, England

Best for: countryside stomping

With its undulating hills and iconic buttery stone, the Cotswolds has become short-hand for the English countryside at its most beguilingly beautiful. If the kids aren’t bowled over by welly-clad walks between village pubs, there will be something to entertain them amid the nearly 800-square-mile district’s many wildlife parks and bird farms, castles, museums, Model Village – and the real-life setting of Hogwarts in Gloucester Cathedral.

Where to stay: Temple Guiting Manor or Ellenborough Park. Multigenerational gangs or friendship groups of families should consider this six-bedroom 15th-century Grade I manor and multiple renovated outbuildings, with its secret cinema and Swedish hot-tub space tucked inside ancient dove coops, tennis court, pool and idyllic, field-backed lawn to run up and down. Ellenborough Park, a hotel from the same century over by Cheltenham Racecourse, meanwhile, was completely refurbished and opened a new private family lodge last year.

Suffolk, England

Best for: beach huts and fish and chips

Idyllic and yet curiously uncrowded, artsy-smart seaside towns such as Southwold and Aldeburgh serve up fresh fish, chips and saveloy so good it’s worth queuing almost-hours with children for. Dig some holes, collect pebbles in a bucket, walk up and down the pier and brave a toe in the water – it could still be the Fifties in this quaint destination, its holiday activities are so very wholesome.

Where to stay: Astondene, Southwold. With some of the best hotels in these parts found within cosy, beam-heavy old inn buildings or a little too high over the sea for our liking – Southwold and Aldeburgh are places to rent £1-million holiday houses for a few days and pretend like you live here. We loved the style and beach-facing location of Astondene, but there are dozens more options around town, judging by the Suffolks Secrets, Plum Guide and similar stickers seen in many windows. Our favourite was Cliffside Manor, the perfect size for a big family getaway with the allure of a country manor but views of the seaside.

London, England

Best for: cultural awakenings

It can be easy to discount the UK’s capital as too crowded, too expensive and just too much for a family holiday. But the truth is it offers character-forming experiences at every turn to keep young ones’ fertile minds happily occupied. As well as headline acts such as the Tate Modern, London Eye or Natural History Museum, remember to simply look up the nearest parks and green spaces – even locals won’t have noted the playgrounds moments’ from the likes of The Shard or in the heart of Covent Garden – plus free walking tours of kid-enchanting landmarks, such as the four Landseer Lions in Trafalgar Square.

Where to stay: Henry’s Townhouse or The Landmark London. The former home of Jane Austen’s favourite brother, Henry, is now a grand seven-bedroom Marylebone townhouse that can be entirely taken over by one family. Alternatively, the 300-room, Gothic-style Landmark London is the same area’s grand dame with an unparalleled indoor winter garden space, and in-room teepees, teddies and head torches for the kids.

The Causeway Coast, Northern Ireland

Best for: caves and castles

Explore waterfalls, mazes, forests and the visual splendour of the Giant’s Causeway on a road trip in Northern Ireland, as well as secret Ice Age-old caves that can be snorkelled around. The even more adventurous can hone their beginner’s driving skills at the nearby Mini Land Rover Experience at Glenarm Castle; the less so can flop on the nearby golden-sand beaches.

Where to stay: Ballygally Castle. Ideally located along the Coastal Causeway, this 17th-century landmark is a wood-burner warm road-trip pit-stop as well as a landmark to tour in itself. Yes, it may be said to be haunted by the spirit of the late Lady Isobel Shaw, but surely that only adds fuel to bedtime-storytelling fun? (And the junior suite beds are super king size to make space for spooked little ones too, should that backfire).

Bath, England

Best for: historic baths and parks

Demonstrating that they really are open to all, children under six can enter the renowned Roman baths of Bath for free (buggies are not advised; baby carriers are), while those up to 18 are welcomed in on a family pass. Once you’ve all dried off, the lawns within the Royal Crescent are ideal for summers’-day picnics with their countryside-merging-into-city views, while nearby Longleat Safari Park’s windscreen wiper-grabbing cheeky monkeys need to be witnessed to be believed.

Where to stay: Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Lucknam Park or Woolley Grange. Inside the city, nothing beats the Royal Crescent’s eponymous hotel, with its vast interconnecting suites, children’s afternoon tea, special gifts and rescue hedgehogs. Just outside, sprawling Lucknam Park and Jacobean manor house Woolley Grange both offer soul-edifying and supportive family-friendly stays.

Salcombe, Devon, England

Best for: learning to sail

As neatly turned out as a pair of Sperry boating shoes, Salcombe is one of the creamiest seaside spots in Devon, with colour-washed houses and the jostle of yacht masts in the harbour – if Julia Stiles’ Riviera ever relocated from the South of France, here’s where it would drop anchor. People have been coming to sail on the estuary here since the 19th century (try Salcombe Dinghy Sailing for lessons), a tradition reflected in regatta week every August and in the local Maritime Museum (smugglers ahoy), but you can also take to the water for canoeing, windsurfing and stand-up paddleboarding. Just the simple business of getting about here is huge fun, with sea tractors taking passengers across to tidal Burgh Island and to the South Sands ferry, while hiring a boat for the day opens up the small sandy beaches on the eastern shore, such as Sunny Cove and Mill Bay (though central South Sands is a Blue Flag beach). There’s also Blackpool Sands and Slapton to build a sandcastle on and Gara Rock Cove for the best rock pooling, while the waterfront at nearby Kingsbridge provides a handy counterpoint to Chichi Salcombe. Seafood hits include the Winking Prawn on North Sands, the waterfront Crab Shed and Dick and Wills. Away from the water, stride out on the South West Coast Path and play hide and seek among the banana trees of the clifftop Overbeck’s Museum and Gardens, former home of eccentric inventor Otto Overbeck – while Woodlands Adventure Park, Pennyhall Farm and the prehistoric caves at Kent Cavern are all popular family destinations.

Where to stay: South Sands has telescopes in its bedrooms to spy on the sea; Gara Rock has an outdoor pool, alfresco grill and cinema room; Soar Mill Cove is set amid rolling countryside in a National Trust-protected valley just outside Salcombe. A recent arrival is the Harbour Beach Club & Hotel, which has on-site babysitters, interconnecting rooms and a new spa, and can arrange family wild swimming lessons and RIB rides across the harbour. For more, see our guide to the best hotels in Devon.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Best for: storytelling

History has a habit of jumping out at you round every corner in the Scottish capital, particularly if you sign up for one of the ghost tours around the Old Town. For family holidays, it’s large enough for several days of exploring yet small enough that it’s never overwhelming. Where to start? Well, a traditional day tends to start at the Castle then a walk down the Royal Mile to a museum or a roam around Princes Street Gardens, perhaps followed by an easy walk up Arthur’s Seat, the volcano-turned-hill that gives you a panoramic view of the area from the top. But away from tried-and-tested classics such as the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions (six stories of visual trickery) and Holyrood Palace are lesser known distractions. Head to the Scottish Storytelling Centre to swot up on literary heroes, and the Museum of Childhood for dressing up and a vast collection of retro toys. And while the National Museum of Scotland has a flying hippo and whale skull called Moby (along with a family puzzle trail to download), the Museum of Edinburgh is quirkier and no less entertaining, while the Surgeons’ Hall Museums is grotesquely fascinating (from skeletons to the death mask of grave robber William Burke). Dynamic Earth, just on the edge of town, tells the dramatic, lava-spewing story of how the landscape was formed. Get your bearings by hiring bikes from Edinburgh Bike Tours, and stop for lunch at Scran and Scallie in Stockbridge for well-turned comfort food, Cold Town House for pizzas with castle views and Tupiniquim for takeaway Brazilian crepes. 

Where to stay: Kimpton Charlotte Square and Market Street Hotel are both bright, switched-on central hotels; Cheval Collection has a variety of smart central apartments, and The Dunstane Houses hotel has an in-room glamping experience. For more, see our guide to the best hotels in Edinburgh.

Abergavenny, Wales

Best for: hill walks and local feasts

Perched on the edge of the Brecon Beacons, this Welsh market town has traditionally been a stepping stone for energetic walks up Sugar Loaf and other peaks around the Black Mountains. But there’s plenty to do before lacing up the family’s hiking boots, with the pretty gardens at Linda Vista and a Norman castle to explore (ask for the Castle Explorers pack, with junior chain mail for protection). Nearby is Raglan Farm Park for llamas and trampolines, and the Brecon Mountain steam railway – while Monmouth and the Wye Valley are a short drive away. Abergavenny’s Food Festival takes place every September, but there’s very decent food to be had all year round: The Angel Bakery for sourdough, sausage rolls and Welsh deli goodies; The Chapel for salads and pumpkin pancakes, and The Gaff for more grown-up, globally inspired dishes.

Stay: As well as the hotel and bakery, The Angel also has several smart self-catering cottages, including the two-bedroom Sugarloaf Cottage, with castle views. Seven Hills Hideaway has canvas lodges sleeping up to six.

York, England

Best for: time travel

Much of the country has a collective memory – or at least a few dog-eared postcards – of the well-polished steam engines of York’s National Railway Museum or the recreated Viking settlement at Jorvik. Depending on how long ago you visited, both of those experiences have evolved in recent years, with a thrilling virtual train ride aboard the record-breaking Mallard and the dioramas of 10th-century York now viewed from moving carriages. In 2022, the sparkling Silverdale Hoard – dug up in Lancashire in 2011 – can be seen at Jorvik, which now has an offshoot experience called DIG in which children can try their hand at finding their own archaeological treasures. York seems like a microcosm of a certain type of Englishness, covered in crumbs from fruity scones at Betty’s and smeared in chocolate from its long association with cocoa. It’s a city best explored by foot, from the medieval walls – watch your step at times – past York Minster to the medieval shopping street of The Shambles, famously the inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley (if you get a chance, also wander down the indoor Victorian street recreated at the York Castle Museum). After that, some may want to experiment at The Potions Cauldron (Unicorn Essence for the kids, cocktails for adults) or the Hole in Wand mini golf. There’s also a new walking trail around the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, and longer walks to be had in the surrounding countryside – follow the River Ouse, perhaps, or take the Solar System walk that follows the old East Coast railway line, marked out with planets. The National Trust gardens at Goddards, former home to the Terry family of chocolate-orange fame, meanwhile, are a lovely just-out-of-town destination for a sunny day. York’s shipping containers now hold fried chicken burgers, plant-based tacos and other street food; The Star Inn The City for posh fish and chips with river views; Partisan café for brunch for all persuasions.

Where to stay: At The Principal, a former railway hotel (therefore very handy for the station), or The Grand, York, once the North Eastern Railway HQ, which has family rooms, children’s afternoon tea, cookery lessons and junior spa treatments. Newly opened No. 1 Guesthouse has tipis and bedtime books for families staying in its Large Guest Rooms.

Lake Windermere, Lake District, England

Best for: messing around on the water

One of the UK’s biggest staycation hits over the past two years, the Lake District is awash with the sort of outdoor hijinks that fill the pages of a certain children’s classic – though Arthur Ransome’s Walker crew sadly never got the chance to try their hand at treetop ziplines. Lake Windermere can get busy, but it’s an easy base for forays around other lakes, and even during peak season it’s possible to have a stretch of waterside or a mountain stream all to yourselves. As a voyage of some sort is virtually compulsory here, swot up at the Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories, which has Beatrix Potter’s rowing boat and the boat used in the 2006 film of Swallows and Amazons. Those with young children should download a fun walking route from Tale Trails; those with older kids might consider tackling the scenery behind the wheels of an electric bike or a four-by-four safari (through the team at Kankku) into Grizedale Forest. No matter the age, it would be possible to spend a whole week dipping in and out of Brockdale, an Arts and Crafts villa with many strings to its bow, from indoor caving and kayaking to a Treetop Trek through the oak forest and, of course, boats for hire. For lunches out, stop by The Swan at Newby Bridge at the southern end of Windermere, and Homeground Coffee in Windermere village itself. Before you cast off, visit the V&A’s new Beatrix Potter exhibition for inspiration.

Where to stay: Linthwaite House has family-sized rooms and hot tubs on a hill overlooking the lake, while Storrs Hall (with its Potter-themed afternoon family tea) and Low Wood Bay are right on the water. The Yan, a little further north, is a farm-to-fork bistro with bedrooms (and several cottages).

Cardigan, Wales

Best for: crabbing and wild watersports

With a castle right on the high street, Poppit Sands a five-minute drive away and the River Teifi flowing through, this western Welsh port town is perfectly adaptable for any type of holiday and age range. You can sit on the quayside with a crabbing line, swish through marshland at the Welsh Wildlife Centre in search of water buffalo, or wriggle on a wetsuit and actively connect with the area’s dramatic landscape – from SUP and kayaking to white-water tubing and leaping-off-rocks coasteering, which was invented on this coast. Nearby are craggy castle ruins at Cilgerran, abbey ruins (and cream teas) at St Dogmaels and small, gloriously unspoilt beaches further up the coast – Mwnt is a local favourite. Pick up coffee and picnic provisions at Cwst; settle down for small plates at Yr Hen Printworks and fireside pizzas at Pizza Tipi.

Where to stay: Cardigan Castle has spacious family rooms, Sea and Slate has several pretty cottages in the area, while high-end glamping can be found at Fforest, which is opening a hotel in spring 2022 on the Cardigan quayside.

Isle of Wight, England

Best for: freewheeling adventures

Usually associated with a hit of ’50s-era nostalgia – all those coloured-sand souvenirs, dinosaurs at Blackgang Chine and jokes about the Cowes ferry – this south-coast island was seemingly designed for holidays spent holding a crabbing line and being dragged around historic houses. But it’s also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with red squirrels and flurries of wildlife to be spotted in meadows, woodland and along coastal paths – at the Newton nature reserve, you may even see seals. The best beaches can be found on the south coast, including Compton Bay and Mottistone, although the pebble one at Bembridge Lane End has its champions, who pick up crab sandwiches at The Beach Hut afterwards. Elsewhere, you can learn the ropes at the Sailing Academy, and at Goodleaf Tree Adventure, behind Appleby Beach near Ryde, and – if it’s a first time – tick off island classics such as Queen Victoria’s Osborne House, the Royal Victoria Arcade at Ryde, the steam railway and the chairlift down to Alum Bay. Thankfully, much of the island’s food hasn’t stayed in a time warp but makes ample use of local ingredients: Smoking Lobster in Ventnor and the famous Hut at Colwell Bay are favourite pit stops. Getting here by train and ferry, or catamaran, is huge fun – a real journey to begin your holiday adventure.

Where to stay: Castlehaven by St Catherine’s Lighthouse, has a handful of old-school fixed caravans and a summer pop-up kitchen, while Tom’s Eco Lodge near Yarmouth has a variety of pods and cabins. The George in Yarmouth has family rooms and Solent views, while the Hillside in Ventnor is a lovely thatched cottage for rooms. National Trust Cottages has several characterful properties on the island.

North Norfolk coast, England

Best for: kite-flying

Few places in the UK feel as joyous, as freewheeling as the coastline here. It has big skies and big beaches, the sands stretching out for miles, tufted by marram grass and pockmarked by hoofprints, with windmills to tilt at on the horizon. Marshlands and tidal creeks form nature reserves, such as Blakeney Point, frequented by honking geese and myriad bird species alighting from across the water. While it can be wild, there are plenty of villages (that leave no doubt as to their location with ‘next-the-sea’ names) where you can be assured of a good lunch, a deli or two for provisions. Burnham Market is the smart option, with Joules and the Tuscan Farm Shop, while Wells-next-the-Sea is a little more down to earth, and Cromer has the Victorian seafront and end-of-the-pier show and amusements. As for the beaches, the one at Holkham is epic: skipping down boardwalks through pine forest until you emerge on the dunes and that great expanse of golden sand. After kite-flying/swimming/beach cricket take a look at Holkham Hall, a glorious all-year-round destination with Short Stories tours of its estate, cycle trails and playgrounds.

Where to stay: Plenty on the books at Norfolk Hideaways, including cottages on the Holkham Estate, while The White House can be rented in its entirety. NoTwenty9 in Burnham has rooms, better suited to those with a baby, Gunton Arms is a classic gastropub-with-rooms at Thorpe Market while The Harper, which opened in 2021 in the village of Langham, has travel cots and two sets of interconnecting family rooms. And Norfolk-based Amber’s Bell Tent Camping recently opened a new pitch on a barley farm just inland from the coast.

Ullswater, The Lake District, England

Best for: scenic steam cruises

Anyone who has visited the Lake District will tell you that you’d be hard-pressed to find a corner here that wasn’t postcard-perfect, but Ullswater is arguably the most charming part of the national parkland on offer here. Glistening between Pooley Bridge to the north and the village of Glenriddinh to the south, Ullswater Lake is flanked by a string of majestic fells, restaurants and trails that weave off up the hillside. Walking, of course, is on offer here, but so too is a whole host of watersports (from sailing to windsurfing and almost everything in between), as well as the ever-popular Ullswater Steamers, which chug across the lake daily, treating passengers to a unique perspective. It’s also a lot quieter here than Windermere, which - as the largest lake in the region - attracts a steady but sizable crowd all year round. Our advice? Base yourself in Ullswater and turn Windermere into a day trip.

Where to stay: If your phone-fixated clan needs to be lured outdoors, consider this newish hotel with a knockout location on tranquil Ullswater. Taken over and refurbished by Will Ashworth of surfer hotspot Watergate Bay in Cornwall, it reopened in 2017 and now offers all kinds of make-a-splash action, from swimming, canoeing and sailing lessons to raft-building and stand-up paddle-boarding. Wetsuits, thankfully, are provided. There’s a kids’ club in a wooden cabin (for ages three to seven) and a safari tent (for seven- to 12-year-olds), with drop-off sessions for when you want some downtime to read the papers on the sun-trap terrace.

Windsor, Berkshire

Best for: for a cheeky taste of fudge

The royal town of Windsor has received a lot of airtime over the past clutch of years – some of it for joyful reasons (the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for one, as well as the late Queen’s granddaughter, Princess Eugenie) and some more sombre occasions (the funerals of both the late Prince Philip and Her much-missed Majesty The Queen). The constant through it all though, was that this Thames-side town never failed to impress, from its Windsor Castle centrepiece, flanked by green lungs on either side of the Long Walk, to the people milling about its centre. Just an hour from London, it is a town that merges history with modern culture, an evolving foodie scene, a rich life on the water and, ever important on a family holiday, a myriad fudge shops. Jump on a Duck Tour (which drives you through the town and then, in Transformer style, turns into a boat and drives straight into the river), delight children with a visit to see Queen Mary’s Dolls House at Windsor Castle and tuck into hearty fare at the string of restaurants and pubs that line the water.

Where to stay: This is a big, shiny, show-off hotel, but in all the right ways. Windsor Great Park and Royal Ascot racecourse (as well as Legoland Windsor) are within trotting distance, which is appropriate to the equestrian theme that gallops good-naturedly through Coworth Park. Horse sculptures greet you in the huge lobby, and quirky racing prints and framed rosettes line the walls. Outside, there's a stable full of immaculate steeds. Riders of all ages are looked after by the jolly, efficient grooms, so even the most nervous beginner can enjoy a hack around some of the 240 acres of rolling parkland. Service is sharp, if sometimes overly attentive, and eating with children is fun and relaxed in the informal Barn, where pasta, wood-fired pizzas, cottage pie and sticky toffee pudding are served on plates with pictures of ponies (one wall is decked out with horsey accessories).

Perth, Scotland

Best for: exploring history, culture and letting off steam in between

Lazing alongside the River Tay, Perth in Scotland has much to recommend it as a city primed for UK family holidays. There’s a historic palace (Scone Palace, the crowning place of Scottish kings, where Macbeth, Robert the Bruce and Charles II were once crowned). Plus, a plethora of museums, an independent foodie scene and wide open green spaces, perfect for letting off some steam in between a packed schedule of sightseeing. Here, streets are pedestrianised, fair trade is a big focus and, as of 2021, Perth is the first UK city in over 400 years to be able to boast a community of wild beavers - best spotted from the railings of a river cruise.

Where to stay: Scotland’s grande dame, sprawling at the foot of the heather-flecked Ochil Hills, has been getting its bounce back ever since Sharan Pasricha’s Ennismore group (best known for The Hoxton Hotels) got its hands on it in 2015 and set about injecting some cool into its classic tweediness. Gleneagles 2.0 is big – stately, in fact, with new wings and vertical additions. But the beauty of it being so rambling is that alongside the two-Michelin-star restaurant(Andrew Fairlie) and the glamorous cocktail joint (the moody American Bar), the hotel can also be family-friendly, from the little dressing gowns to the stylish kids’ menu (smoked salmon, le petit steak frites) at plant-filled Birnam Brasserie. There’s tennis, Shetland pony rides, archery classes, falconry lessons with Harris hawks and pint-sized off-roading in shrunken Series 1 Land Rovers, as well as those three famous golf courses and a pitch ’n’ putt for budding Rory McIlroys.

Frome, Somerset

Best for: Exploring a quirky market town

A thriving market town since The Domesday Book in 1086, Frome is one of those rare British towns that still retains the chocolate-box charm of a historic village while spanning out far enough to really offer a wide range of things to do, places to eat and independent boutiques to browse. Recently dubbed one of the ‘best places to live in Britain,’ the interwoven streets of the centre are lined with historic beamed buildings, quirky galleries and guesthouses & taprooms packed with both personality and personalities. Longleat Safari Park is nearby, or, from March to December, the first Sunday of every month sees the famed Frome Independent Market pop up, with stalls full of local crafts, artisanal goods, and fresh street food.

Where to stay: Yes, Babington House is an obvious one, but how can you resist? Quirky, original, determinedly informal (suits are frowned upon), yet glamorous and indulgent, this Somerset country house is everyone's favourite cool cat, with standards that can be relied upon by the fussiest of urbanites.

It's just as much fun with children in tow. There's croquet on one of the many lawns, follies to hide in, bikes to borrow, ducks to feed. Best of all, last year the family suites were updated (a three-month process, showing just the right amount of efficient care). The interiors mix the Soho House group's signature vintage charm – whitewashed bunk beds with polka-dot blankets and owl-shaped cushions, a chalkboard draped with a wooden skipping rope, a sitting room full of soft edges and velvet cushions – with hi-tech gadgetry, including an Xbox. The bathrooms are particularly clever, with half-sized bathtubs and low-level sinks that even a three-year-old can reach.