Lytham St Annes sits between the green rolling countryside of western Lancashire and the Irish Sea. The town grew in popularity as a place of rest and restoration, amongst the factory workers from the famous mill towns of industrial Lancashire.

The sights and sounds of Blackpool are just along the coast, with its famous tower, illuminations and 3 piers. Blackpool is a town whose reputation proceeds it, and whilst it may need no introduction, it has made several significant changes over the last few years. The football team are sitting high in the premiership, and although the efforts to bring the supercasino to Blackpool ultimately failed, the town still has grand visions for a renaissance for much of its more salubrious areas.

Lytham St Annes - what of it?.

The town has long been a haven for the retired, looking to settle down after a working career, in the quieter and refined surroundings of this picturesque place. Lytham is famous for its shopping and boutique stores, as well as its bustling cafe culture. St Annes is the place to for hotels however, and has a fine range of quality hotels to choose from.

North Promenade is home to most of the St. Annes hotels, with a fine range all lined up near the Victorian Pier overlooking the Irish Sea. Many of the hotels in St Annes are great destinations for family holidays, long weekends or business functions, but like all businesses they have to move with the times and provide new and different services to their customers. A lot of the hotels rely on the golf trade, with the town’s many golf courses bringing in visitors from far and wide. Others now feature leisure facilities and spa packages.

One thing is for sure, and that’s that the local hotel owners know exactly who their customer baseis and how to attract them in. St Annes hotels generally appeal to a different demographic than their Blackpool equivalents, and certainly people visit the two towns for different reasons. Most Blackpool hotel owners would agree that their peak times are during the illuminations in October and November and the busy summer months, and the town can be eerily quiet outside those times.

Lytham St Annes continues to thrive as a destination for holiday makers and day trippers alike, and with such a fine range of hotels, shops and attractions right on its doorstep, there is no reason why this shouldn’t continue for many years to come.

With very little travel and time expenditure, UK tours can encompass both ends of the tourism spectrum.

Although tiny compared to countries like the United States and Australia, the UK more than compensates with the diversity of its cities and countryside.

City Breaks

The UK has a plethora of options for the city-breaker, ranging from modern metropolises to sites dating back to the 11th century.

There are no fewer than ‘66’ official cities in the United Kingdom, a wealth by any country’s imagination.

In London it has a city of international recognition, with a population of over seven million and an unrivalled history and culture.

The abundance of city options means research is well and truly essential when planning your tour.

A stop in Liverpool should be considered on all trips, a city which has gone from strength to strength after hosting the 2008 Capital of Culture.

Out to the Country

The UK’s size means you can go from city to countryside in a matter of hours.
Those tours based in London are granted easy access to Kent, the so-called ‘The Garden of England’. Kent’s rolling countryside and stunning orchards have made it a must-stop on UK tours in the south of England.

All UK tours that touch the north of England should encompass a stop in Cumbria and the Lake District. The Lake District plays host to a stunning range of lakes, meres, waters and tarns; as well as some of the most stunning views on offer in the UK.

Why not try take on the Three Peaks Challenge, where participants try to scale the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales.
Whether it’s a one week break or a two month getaway, the diversity of the UK’s cities and countryside can accommodate every kind of traveller.

Newcastle in the North East part of England is a favorite location for people looking for a short break. There are lots of different things to do and see as you would expect in most cities with a good selection of shopping, evening entertainment and eating places.

Newcastle has very good nightlife with ample clubs as well as a converted ferry which is now a night club providing seven areas of different types of music. There is a good choice of dining options providing outstanding food of different types ranging from the usual Indian and Italian to excellent small bistros. If you do not want to go clubbing there is normally other options either a large music or show event in the Metro Radio Arena or one of the other favorite venues.

Shopping in Newcastle city center is acceptable however nearly all serious shoppers will go to nearby Gateshead to the Gateshead Metrocentre, which is by far the largest shopping area in the region. You will discover all the usual major brand stores as well as many other local ones so you will not be short of options.

Traveling to Newcastle is simple as there are a number of alternatives to get you there. Bus is usually the best priced choice and will take you to the bus station in Newcastle center. Traveling by rail is also a possible choice however it tends to be more expensive than the bus. Traveling by train is non-stop from London and any other main rail station on the East Coast train line. The other option for a visit to Newcastle from within the UK is to travel by car. Newcastle is only around a three hours drive from Manchester and you can get there from Leeds in about two hours.

Getting to Newcastle by air is normally the quickest alternative and in many cases if you get a low-cost airline ticket it could in reality work out similar to the rail fare. This is subject to when you reserve your flights and the days when you travel.

There are lots of different accommodation alternatives in Newcastle and it is simple to find a great deal for a hotel in the heart of Newcastle providing you with access to all that Newcastle has to offer. Make the most of your trip and plan ahead you will not only save cash but you will have a better stay.

Make the most of your stay in Newcastle and find the best Newcastle flights and accommodation with tips from travel expert Brian Bain of travel web site Travel Bites