IF you’re looking to explore a new corner of Britain, the UK’s best staycation destinations have been announced.

With things like the happiness rating of the area and what you can do there taken into consideration, Harrogate in North Yorkshire was named the best place to head.

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The list was put together by the AA, who took over 30 locations in the country and scored them on six factors. These included:

• Things to do in the area
• Places to stay
• The happiness rating of the area
• The number of car parking spaces
• The number of petrol stations
• The number of EV chargers in the area per 100,00 people

Harrogate took the top spot on the list because it has one of the highest happiness ratings (7.8/10).

The motoring company said happiness is a good indication of how nice a place is to visit.

There are also plenty of EV charging spots and petrol stations to keep you on the move.

And after a long drive up there, there’s plenty to do.

Harrogate’s a wellness resort and there are many spas in the area to be pampered at.

Its history as a spa town dates back to the 16th century when William Slingsby, an English soldier, discovered a medicinal spring in the area. 

In the centre of the town is Turkish Baths Harrogate, a moorish-style bath house that was built in the 19th century with three hot rooms, a steam room, and a plunge pool.

Rudding Park Spa, on the outskirts of the town, is also very popular with its rooftop spa and garden.

Aside from working up a sweat in the sauna, Harrogate has lots of shops, high street retailers and independent stores, and many restaurants offering different cuisines.

Some of the top restaurants include Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant, close to the Turkish Baths, and La Feria, a chic restaurant and bar with a terrace that offers traditional Spanish cuisine.

Harrogate is also an ideal location to explore a bit of nature, such as Brimham Rocks on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales – collection of huge natural rock formations around a 20 minute drive away.

Some of the rocks are safe to climb on and incredible views of the surrounding area can be seen from the top.

Less than half an hour drive north of Harrogate is Lightwater Valley theme park, which was a finalist for the Best Value Theme Park award in the 2023 UK Theme Park Awards and voted Yorkshire’s Best Value for Money Family Day Out on Tripadvisor.

The theme park, in North Stainley, has over 40 rides and attractions.

The popular ones include The Ladybird, a family-friendly roller coaster which is ladybird themed, Dragon Drop, a drop tower ride, and Skyrider, also known as the ‘chair swings’.

Ticket prices start from £11.25 depending on the day you visit. If you’re under 90cm entry is free.

I grew up near Harrogate – here are three things you need to do if you visit

Harrogate is just a 15-minute drive from the historic market town Knaresborough where travel writer Katrina Turrill grew up.

If you spend a day in Harrogate here are three things she reckons everyone should experience:

Visit Bettys Cafe Tearooms and pick up a Fat Rascal

If there’s one thing Harrogate is famous for, its Bettys tearooms. There’s always queues to get in at the weekends and I consider them experts in afternoon tea. If you don’t have time for a sit down meal, you can bypass the queue for the cafe and just visit the shop, where you have to pick up a Fat Rascal – a cross between a rock cake and a scone. If you just can’t face how busy it can get, there’s a slightly quieter Bettys tearooms at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, less than a 10-minute drive away.

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Enjoy a stroll through Valley Gardens with the family

Valley Gardens is a lovely space in the town centre of Harrogate with lots going on. There’s a cafe where you can pick up hot drinks and ice-cream, a play area for children, a skatepark, beautiful flowers to admire, and plenty of quiet spots to sit and relax.

Go shopping or enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants around Montpellier Quarter

The quarter is very picturesque with its cobbled streets, floral hanging baskets and independent businesses that include art galleries, antique shops, fashion boutiques, cafes and restaurants. It’s a short walk away from Vallery Gardens and great if you like to shop independently.

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MABLETHORPE, near Skegness, is often slated as a seaside town.

It came bottom of the list for England’s seaside resorts this year in a Which? survey but I find it hard to believe, having visited it both as a child and now as a mum.

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The little coastal gem always delivers all the fun in the sun you’d expect at the Great British seaside.

I grew up going to the Lincolnshire coast every year for my family’s annual trip to the seaside and I still love taking my boys back now. 

One of my earliest holiday memories is riding a tandem in the sunshine with my parents and my brothers and going to watch the Care Bears Movie, around the time that Mablethorpe’s cinema was reopened as the Loewen, which is still going strong.

Mablethorpe’s beach stretches for miles and there’s two little trains that run you along the front if you’re staying further out at one of the holiday parks like Haven Golden Sands and want to get into the centre.

The trains are known as Landy and Sandy as one runs on the road and the other on the beach.

Tickets for Landy are £2 each, while Sandy costs £3 per person return or £1.50 for a one way trip and then you can amble back along the sandy shore, paddling in the sea if the tide is right. Under threes travel free and dogs are welcome aboard.

The trains are just one of the attractions run by Jacksons of Mablethorpe, which also offer a beachfront arcade with a mix of machines to keep all ages amused.

As the company is on the cusp of celebrating its 100th anniversary next year, it must be doing something right and there’s plenty of visitors like my family who keep coming back year after year.

If arcades and bars aren’t your thing, my top tip would be to check out the seal sanctuary at North End Beach over the road from the Haven park if you love wildlife or take a trip down the coast to charming Sutton-on-Sea if you fancy a change of scene. 

Golden Sands is a great place to stay, with indoor and outdoor pools and loads of kids activities like archery, climbing, high ropes and a free soft play.

It’s consistently rated as one of the most popular Haven sites and we’ve had loads of brilliant breaks there, meeting up with friends and having a blast.

My favourite time of year to visit is actually the October half term as I’ve often bagged a bargain as the holiday season comes to an end.

It’s fun checking out who’s decorated their caravan for Halloween and holiday parks can be a great place for traffic-free trick or treating.

And Lincolnshire is perfect for a staycay if you want to keep things cheap as chips as it’s not a big holiday hotspot, other than for Midlanders, so the prices are lower than at other seaside spots.

The irony of Mablethorpe’s surprise rating of just 46 per cent in this year’s Which? survey is that it’s only a year since it was named England‘s best beach in research commissioned by car rental firm Sixt, beating the likes of Cromer in Norfolk.

It was judged on water quality, parking, nearby amenities and whether there’s lifeguards on duty.

I’d be far more inclined to agree with last year’s rating, although if you’re looking at Mablethorpe town centre as a whole, there are bits that do look like they need a bit of TLC, like entertainment complex Spanish City, which was recently spotted on hit TV drama Sherwood.

Last year, it was neighbouring Skegness that came joint bottom of the Which? seaside survey, so it just goes to show that fortunes can change overnight.

If you’re looking for an alternative to the hustle and bustle of Skegvegas, the golden sands are what make Mablethorpe a must-visit in my eyes.

What are the Sun team’s favourite seaside towns?

The Sun’s travel team share some of their favourite English seaside towns

Folkestone, Kent

With views of France (on a very clear day), the main attraction is the Harbour Arm, sitting at the edge of the converted train tracks and selling hand-crafted goods and amazing food.

The multicoloured high street with shops and restaurants can’t be missed, my favourites being Burrito Buoy for some amazing margaritas and The Folkestone Bookshop for some novels.

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You’ll need to pack your beach shoes as it has a stony beach over a sandy beach – but after a few drinks at the much loved pilot bar, you’ll hardly care.

Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor

Mousehole, Cornwall

The small sandy bay has retained it’s chocolate box charm, crammed with weathered fishing boats and backed by pokey cafes and airy art galleries where seaside-inspired works hang from the walls.

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For impeccable views of a wild sea and homemade grub, head to Rock Pool Cafe which sits atop a craggy cliff and order a ‘make it yourself’ hot chocolate.

There are some impressive coastal walks – but be warned it can be hilly.

Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor

Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire

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Accessible on a spit of sand when the tide is out, this quirky little community art project is made up of driftwood, flags and mementoes from those who have visited to admire the huge swathes of golden sands and sparkling waters.

Sadly the original was destroyed in a fire in 2023 but an enthusiastic band of local volunteers are slowly re-building the landmark.

Lisa Minot, Head of Travel

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GLASTONBURY’S poshest ‘tent’ where guests can enjoy a luxury festival experience is taking bookings for 2025 from today – at a cost of £28k.

The team behind the luxury pop-up say bookings are at an ‘all time high for this stage of the year’ given the festival’s planned fallow year in 2026.

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The Tipi Tenthouse Suite offers up to five double bedrooms with a dining area and en-suite shower room which will set glampers back £27,999.

While on-site, guests can enjoy the bar, an a la carte restaurant, live performances and a spa complete with hot tubs, complimentary yoga sessions, a swimming pool, and saunas.

The site also works with Voler Aviation Services to offer helicopter charter flights and has a fleet of all-electric Audis to offer eco-friendly ground transport.

The luxury accommodation boasts a flushing toilet, a boujee carpeted floor for comfort and deckchairs for lounging outside.

Those who hate the camping part of the festival have a home away from home with wooden doors, a dining table and large windows.

The site lies a 10-minute walk from the festival’s pedestrian gate D.

Prices vary from £2,999 for a classic room, and the Tipi Tenthouse Suite is priced at £28k for up to 10 people – it features an en-suite shower room and a dining area and furnished living space.

It is billed as a place which will “allow you to share your experience with those closest to you whilst giving you your own space too”.

The rooms even come with mood lighting and car parking passes included so guests can skip the hassle of fighting in queues for somewhere to park.

Guests can also treat themselves to visiting the Wellness Spa for the hot tubs and a pool as well as a beauty salon offering booked treatments.

There is even a concierge service and 24 hour private security.

Mark Sorrill, Managing Director of The Pop-Up Hotel, explains: “Since launching in 2011 as the first luxury glamping accommodation, we’ve evolved to deliver an unparalleled festival experience for our hotel guests during Glastonbury matched with a 5* service found at any international boutique hotel.

“There’s certainly a reason why it’s a sell-out success every year.”

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