Lady’s 5 Bank Holiday Weekend Ideas

Today I want to share 5 bank holiday weekend ideas with you. Whether you stay in London or travel somewhere in the UK or abroad, there’s a lot you can do with three or four days.

Bank Holiday Weekend Ideas

If you’re looking for ideas for what to do over the May bank holiday weekends or the August one, the Easter bank holidays or the Christmas ones, there are a lot of things to choose from.

London always has a lot going on over the bank holidays, from events to festivals and special exhibitions.

There’s no shortage of places you can travel with the extra day or two to extend your trip, too. Domestic and international destinations are both ripe for the picking.

1. London Bank Holiday Events

If you’re planning to be in London for the bank holiday, there are loads of bank holiday weekend ideas to suit your interests.

If it’s the Easter bank holiday weekend, you can take advantage the city’s many Easter egg hunts and other themed events.

If it’s the August bank holiday, the annual Notting Hill Carnival is one of the best events in the city. Europe’s largest street festival, it’s always full of color and fun.

2. Things to Do in London

If events aren’t your thing, there are still plenty of bank holiday weekend ideas that will appeal to you. These include ideas of your own making.

Dust off that London bucket list and do the things you keep putting off, or play tourist in your own city. What have you never done that you’ve always wanted to?

The museums alone can keep you entertained for days, and the parks and gardens are great places to soak up the sun (if we’re lucky enough to get it!). My lists of things to do in London and free things to do in London can help.

If all else fails, treat yourself to afternoon tea or go explore an under-the-radar London neighborhood or secret place in London. And if you don’t live in London, head to the capital for a few days of fun.

If you need inspiration, here are a few ideas for things to do in London over the bank holiday weekend:

11 Best Parks in London
5 Best London walks
9 Best Views of London
12 Best Riverside Pubs in London
14 Best London Markets
Best Places to Eat near London’s Top Attractions
London’s Hidden Museums and Secret Museums
London’s Best Afternoon Teas
London’s Secret Gardens

If you want to explore new London neighborhoods, take a look at the map below. You can click on the red pins to learn more about each place and see my blog posts about them.

3. Day Trips from London

If you want to get away and need bank holiday weekend ideas, there are plenty of great seasonal day trips you can take.

I’ve written about spring day trips from London for the Easter and May bank holidays, summer day trips from London for the August one, and winter day trips from London for the Christmas ones.

University cities like Oxford and Cambridge, seaside classics like Brighton and Margate, and pretty English towns like Rye and Henley all make great days out.

For a break from the urban chaos, the New Forest and the Cotswolds are good choices. I’ve even created a map of Cotswold villages that can help you plan your trip to the latter.

There’s history galore in Canterbury and Stratford-upon-Avon, too. If you need more inspiration, take a look at my blog post about the 15 best day trips from London.

4. Bank Holiday Weekend Trips in the UK

If one day just isn’t enough, there are plenty of good weekend trips in the UK that make great bank holiday weekend ideas.

From Northumberland to the Scilly Isles, bank holiday weekends are the perfect opportunities to travel that extra distance.

If you like city breaks, Edinburgh and Glasgow are great choices, and if you like the opposite, the idyllic island of Sark doesn’t even have cars.

If you love food and wine, Kent has no shortage of options, and if you like the outdoors, surfing in Cornwall or walking in the Peak District, the Lake District, or the Yorkshire Dales is just the thing.

If you need inspiration, take a look at my blog posts about the 16 best weekend trips in the UK and weekend getaways from London.

5. International Bank Holiday Weekend Breaks

If the bank holiday weekend idea of staying in the UK makes you want to hide under your umbrella and cry, there are a lot of exciting European and international travel destinations you can choose from.

Sun worshippers can head to the Greek islands or Abu Dhabi, both of which have an abundance of places to visit for a long weekend.

City lovers can hop on the train to Paris, Brussels, Lille, or Amsterdam, or fly to famous capitals like Budapest or Riga.

Island lovers can hopscotch along the coast in Sardinia or Croatia, and culture vultures can take in Easter celebrations in places like Malta and Jerusalem or Christmas markets in Paris and Cologne.

If you need more bank holiday weekend ideas for international travel, take a look at the map below. You can click on the red pins to see my blog posts about each country.

Best Bank Holiday Weekend Ideas

I hope these bank holiday weekend ideas help you get a feel for your options and inspire you to make plans. Whether you stay in London or travel somewhere else, I’m sure you’ll enjoy your long weekend.

So tell me…what are your plans for the bank holiday weekend?

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