Blueclaw
04 May 2021
There’s nothing like soaking up the sun whilst you’re away and snapping a picture to document the staycation on social media - but how do you decide where to venture first after a year of staying at home?
If you’ve spent the last year watching friends, family and influencers partake in the latest online trends and wished you could get stuck in, now’s your chance; your next getaway could be the perfect opportunity to see what all the fuss is about.
Whether you’re a parent trying to find a destination that your teens will enjoy, a social media enthusiast looking to take on-trend holiday pics, or just intrigued about what’s popular online at the moment, we’ve got you covered.
Trendiest Staycations pulls out the most-searched trends across key categories: food and drink, holidaymaking, interior decor and pop culture, and matches them to key locations across the UK, to help make sure your next holi-stay is trendier than ever.
If you’d like to make the most of the great outdoors in between drinking dalgona coffees and exploring aristocratic architecture, check out our Peak District holiday cottages.
Food and Drink: Trendiest Locations
Compiling a list of popular food and drink items featured in articles over the last year and sorting them based on annual search volume reveals that the UK’s top five trends are:
- Banana bread
- Overnight oats
- Mochi
- Dalogna coffee
- Yuzu
The popularity of some food and drinks - particularly overnight oats, mochi and dalgona coffee - can be attributed to the viral videos circulated on TikTok, which saw restaurants diversify their menus in order to capitalise on the trending items.
Therefore, to find the best-matched locations for each trend, we looked at TripAdvisor data around each food item to determine where in the UK boasted the highest ratings when averaged across the number of reviews, as well as including the most mentions of each specific food.
The findings showed that for those looking to try the best banana bread in the UK, York is the best staycation shout, while overnight oat enthusiasts would be best trying the local eateries in Winchester.
No holiday planning would be complete without considering cost - the study also found that the average cost to visit Yorkshire for one week stands at £237pp, based on annual tourist spend and visitor figures as reported by the House of Commons.
Holidaymaking: Trendiest Locations
Compiling a list of popular holiday types featured in articles over the last year and sorting them based on annual search volume reveals that the UK’s top five trends are:
- Villa holidays
- River cruises
- Beach holidays
- Train holidays
- Walking holidays
It’s not surprising that holidays which celebrate the great outdoors are proving more popular than those that focus on indoor activities - such as spa breaks - due to restrictions across the hospitality industry over the last year.
To identify which parts of the UK should be the go-to hot spots for Brits looking for a particular type of getaway, we looked at TripAdvisor ratings, reviews and relevance across key related activities - such as local hiking trails, railway trips and river cruises.
The study found that the Peak District is the best place in the UK for walking holidays, as the national park boasted the highest rating when measured against the number of reviews and included the most cumulative mentions of ‘walking holidays’ as opposed to other areas.
Tourism data suggests that it costs £188pp for a week's trip, while it costs around £225 to enjoy a villa holiday, river cruise or beach holiday in the South West.
Interior Decor: Trendiest Locations
Compiling a list of popular interior decor trends featured in articles over the last year and sorting them based on annual search volume reveals that the UK’s top five trends are:
- Pampas grass
- Bauhaus
- Cottagecore
- Houseplants
- Maximalism
Most of these trends - such as pampas grass and houseplants - have seen a resurgence over the last year due to their prevalence on Instagram home accounts, which in turn saw retailers introduce product lines focused on botanical patterns and warm neutral tones. Similarly, Cottagecore’s popularity stemmed from TikTok and has seen a substantial rise in interest over the last year.
To find the best-matched locations in the UK for each trend, we analysed the plant density of pampas grass across the UK coast, and looked at TripAdvisor data around botanical gardens, classic architecture and picturesque farm cottages.
This research found that South Devon is home to the most pampas grass in the UK and will set Brits back around £225pp to visit for a week, while fans of Bauhaus architecture should visit Sea Lane House in West Sussex. Meanwhile, for those looking to get a plant-packed selfie that’s sure to prove popular online, the botanical gardens in Stirling should be the top choice.
Pop Culture: Trendiest Locations
Compiling a list of top pop culture moments featured in articles over the last year, and sorting them based on annual search volume, reveals that the UK’s top five trends are:
- Line of Duty
- Royal family
- Self-care
- Evermore, Taylor Swift
- Bridgerton
Line of Duty, the royal family and Netflix hit, Bridgerton have been dominating our screens over the last five months, so it’s no surprise that these come out top in the UK. Taylor Swift’s ‘Evermore’ - released December 2020 - is continuing to prove popular among music fans, while the concept of self-care is still going strong.
We determined which locations were the best match for each of these trends based on TripAdvisor reviews data, filming locations and the most relevant attractions, such as Buckingham Palace for the royal family.
The study showed that for Taylor Swift fans looking to recreate the ‘Evermore’ album cover, it’s the picturesque forests in Elveden that make the most appropriate backdrop. And for those of us wanting to emulate the period drama Bridgerton, Cheltenham is home to the best-rated regency era architecture.
Regardless of what you’re looking to enjoy while on holiday this year, there are plenty of aesthetic and exciting Insta-worthy places in the UK just waiting to be discovered. If you’re looking to plan a relaxing break to the Peak District, find somewhere to stay with our Peak District holiday cottages.
Key sources used in the study include TripAdvisor, Architectural Digest, Britain Express, NBN Atlas and tourism reports from The House of Commons.
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.