3 Alternatives to Going Abroad During the Six Week Holidays

The summer holidays have arrived at a strange time in 2020, we’re slowly easing out of lockdown and can do more than what we’ve been used to over the past six months so we’ve got some alternatives to going abroad during the holidays.

Some of you may have been at home with your kids for the past four months as they’ve been off school, and you’ve either been working from home or been furloughed.

Some smaller children did go back to school around 3-4 weeks ago, so you may have been lucky enough to get back to work or have some time without the pressures of looking after your kids.

While holiday restrictions were lifted at the beginning of July, many holidaymakers have struggled with refunds and don’t want the hassle of taking their kids abroad with all the limitations and safety concerns.

Here are our alternatives to going abroad this summer:

1. Book a Holiday in the UK

If you’re still on furlough, but you think you could afford to get away for a week, then going on holiday could be an option. Also, if you’ve cancelled a holiday, you may want to think about replacing it with something a little closer.

The important thing is to check the logistics of the trip. If you drive 200 miles to find that all the on-site entertainment isn’t on and there isn’t much to do in the local area you could end up quite bored for a week.

Have a look what’s open and make a few calls before you book anything online as some companies may not have updated their websites, especially if they’re acting as a third party.

Also, check with your employer and ask if they anticipate you coming back to work anytime soon.

2. Go & Visit Family

While it’s not necessarily a holiday, it’s always great to catch up with the ones we love, especially as we haven’t seen them for three to four months.

If your kids have grandparents, they’ll want to catch up with them too. Be mindful of who you’re going to see. For example, if you’re going to visit an older person, you’ll want to assess the risk of going before you make plans.

Ensure you take measures to stay safe by washing your hands and avoiding any family members that have Covid-19 symptoms.

3. Camp Out in Your Back Garden

If you’re concerned about going away or don’t have the funds to, you can cut costs by setting up a camping space in your back garden.

Your kids will love being able to stop out in the back garden, and you won’t have to buy too much gear because they’ll be able to come inside.

You could buy a paddling pool or some garden toys to make it feel like they’re on a proper camping trip. You could even get the marshmallows out if you have some equipment to make a fire.

Whatever you do, watch out for those muddy feet if it’s raining!

You should not:

• socialise indoors in groups of more than two households (anyone in your support bubble counts as one household) – this includes when dining out or going to the pub
• socialise outdoors in a group of more than six people from different households; gatherings larger than six should only take place if everyone is from exclusively from two households or support bubbles
• interact socially with anyone outside the group you are attending a place with, even if you see other people you know, for example, in a restaurant, community centre or place of worship
• hold or attend celebrations (such as parties) where it is difficult to maintain social distancing, besides small wedding celebrations as outlined above
• stay overnight away from your home with members of more than one other household (your support bubble counts as one household)

For a full list of government guidelines, click here.

Here are some tips for staying safe when you leave your household.