2022 UK Travel Highlights And What To Book For 2023

Bonnie tells us about her calendar of events in the UK, from spring blossom and summer festivals, to pumpkin patches and Christmas igloos. 

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When tripr asked me to do a blog post on my UK travel highlights in 2022 and what I was planning to see in 2023, I was thrilled to take a nostalgic look back over the past year and start planning for the next.

Since Covid I’ve discovered so much more of the UK than I’d ever seen before, despite being born and brought up here. There are some annual favourites which I love to visit every year and there are definitely a few new places to add to my list for next year. So, here are my favourite places I visited in 2022…

Spring

After a hectic Xmas, I love to do a luxury spa getaway to recalibrate and get pampered in the cold months. This year I had a gorgeous weekend at Foxhill Manor in the Cotswolds. We indulged in brisk crisp countryside walks, followed by afternoon tea by the roaring fireplace, massages and movies. It was dreamy.

Chinese New Year is always a fun celebration. Head to Chinatown in London or Manchester in late January. There’s always amazing colourful dragon processions, music and of course delicious Chinese food to enjoy! 

Late February and early March marks the start of UK cherry blossom season. London’s Notting Hill, Kew Gardens and Regents Park look magical and awash with white flowers, check out Instagram to find out when it’s blooming! The following weeks the magnolia starts to bloom, followed by wisteria, and eventually the tulip fields in Norfolk and Kings Lynn burst into life at the end of April. So get your Instagram outfits at the ready!

Summer 

Festivals, festivals, festivals

For me, summer is all about festivals and events! Glastonbury festival always marks the start of the summer season and summer freedom for me! And there are lots of smaller hidden gem ones to look out for too!

Once Glasto is out of the way it’s open season for even more fun! Ascot racing is a lovely reason to get dressed up in dresses and hats and drink champagne on Ladies Day! And that’s followed by Wimbledon Tennis. Even if you don’t manage to get tickets to centre court, there’s such a great atmosphere in Wimbledon Village around this time. 

But there are hundreds of festivals going on up and down the country! My favourites include Glyndebourne, where you get to wear ballgowns and listen to opera outdoors, it’s all very posh and fabulous!

Followed by outright debauchery at Wilderness festival, where you can dress up as woodland fairies or Victorian steam punks, while dancing to electro, disco and folk music in the forest! It’s my favourite of all the festivals! 

Or if glamping isn’t your thing, there are plenty of one-day festivals such as Field Day and All Points East in trendy East London, or BST in Hyde Park, which pulls in the big global names. This year’s headliner is Guns & Roses!

Autumn

Once the kids have gone back to school, (and it’s quieter) I love to plan in a surf trip to Cornwall! Watergate Bay is a great place to stay and surf, but also Newquay is great too if you want to be in the centre of all the action. 

October is time to get the coats out of the wardrobe, and head to the pumpkin picking patches and drink pumpkin spiced lattes. I love the atmosphere and fun installations at Crockford Bridge Farm near London. But there are loads of amazing pumpkin farms up and down the country.

Winter

 Ice skating, igloos, Xmas afternoon teas, cosy dinners, winter terraces, wreath making and of course Winter Wonderland! There’s no end to festive activities once we get past Halloween!

London is awash with festive events and Xmas themed restaurants, but have you tried the Winter Wonderlands in Manchester and Nottingham? This year I went to Nottingham Winter Wonderland with my whole family and I loved it. It was smaller and cuter than London’s version and not as overcrowded! I definitely recommend it for a lovely way to end the year!

So that’s my highlights for 2022 and also some suggestions of places for you, for 2023! Where did you love this year and where’s on your UK bucket list for 2023? 

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