Alternative Weekend Break Ideas
If you’re hoping to get away for the weekend and you don’t fancy the usual run-of-the-mill mini-break, why not try something new? Whether you want to find a low-cost break or just do something different, there are lots of out-of-the-ordinary breaks to be had.
Your location only needs to be restricted by ease of travel – it’s easy to get a flight to somewhere interesting from any budget airline, even at the last minute if you’re flexible about where you go. In a few hours you could be just about anywhere.
If you want to keep the costs down and get a little local knowledge on the city you’re visiting, there’s always the very popular couch surfing option. With a little luck you can find a friendly host to put you up for the weekend and maybe even show you around their home town.
If you’re looking for an unusual weekend break there are many ways to search for more unusual types of accommodation – why not try house swapping in a new city. You can either trade places with friends, or look into the many house swapping holiday sites online. This is a great way to have a weekend break without spending a lot of money on accommodation and car rental, and it can be a lot more comfortable than staying in a hotel. It can also save you the trouble of finding a pet sitter.
For an even more unusual holiday, go and stay in a tipi (tee pee), yurt or wigwam. These range in price from budget to luxury and have a huge advantage over camping in that you don’t have to pitch or strike your tent, leaving you free to relax and have fun.
If you fancy something a little more active, why not take a look at some of the many volunteering holidays available in the UK and abroad? You could get involved in canal restoration, species sampling, coppicing and many other activities. You can work off some energy, meet some nice people and make a difference, all in one weekend.
If you’d rather spend three days listening to live music, festival season has already started and there is something happening almost every weekend. Festivals range in price, with more and more free events appearing every year. Some have basic accommodation, some have luxury camping facilities and some of them are city-based, allowing you to combine them with couch surfing or house swapping, or you could just stay in a hotel.
Murder mystery weekends are another fun option. These are usually hosted in a hotel, where you can stay for the weekend and help solve an unfolding mystery, mixing live performance art with a bit of luxurious living.
Learning to do something new together as a family could be a great way to spend a weekend. There are lots of different things you could learn from skiing to sailing, pottery to weaving. Not only will you learn a new skill, but you will no doubt end up taking home wonderful souvenirs to give to friends and family on your return.
Take a more unusual break and you’ll come home feeling like you’ve been away for a week!