From child-free escapes to 'extreme' day trips: The trends redefining Britain's summer holidays

• Brits are breaking the holiday habit, with 71% planning to visit somewhere new this summer.*
• Shanghai is the hottest global summer trending destination, with searches up 88%.**
• Interest in the 'extreme' day trip is booming with over half (58%) of Brits wanting to travel to a dream destination and back in a single day.***
• Child-free escapes are on the rise, with 30% of parents saying they'd rather holiday without the kids.***
• Tripeden.com's Summer Getaway Report reveals the trends reshaping how Brits holiday in 2026. 

Britain's summer holiday is getting a makeover.  Nearly three quarters (71%)* of Brits are planning to visit somewhere they've never been before, according to Tripeden.com's Summer Getaway Report - and the data shows a nation hungry for new experiences and bigger adventures.

Spain still tops the charts as the UK's favourite summer destination - leading both Tripeden.com search data and holiday wishlists (32%)*** - but travellers are looking further afield. Tripeden.com search data shows Shanghai, China is this summer's fastest-rising global destination for Brits, with searches up 88% year on year.**

Closer to home, there is a fresh demand for UK breaks too, with Morecambe (+106%), Carnforth (+86%) and Exmouth (+76%) among the fastest-rising staycation spots, and rounding out the top five summer trending destinations alongside Shanghai and Santa Barbara.**

Trending Global Getaways for summer 2026**

1. Shanghai, China (+88%)
2. Santa Barbara, USA (+57%)
3. LA, USA (+26%)
4. Kemer, Turkey (+25%)
5. Santa Maria, Cape Verde (+24%) 

Trending European Escapes**

1. Budva, Montenegro (+56%)
2. Dublin, Ireland (+48%)
3. Durres, Albania (+42%)
4. Peschiera del Garda, Italy (+38%)
5. Kotor, Montenegro (+34%) 

Trending UK Staycation Hotspots**

1. Morecambe (+106%)
2. Carnforth (+86%)
3. Exmouth (+76%)
4. Penzance (+45%)
5. Stratford- upon-Avon (+42%)

The rise of the ‘extreme’ day trip

Forget the weekend break. Brits are looking to embrace a bolder approach in the 'extreme' day trip.  Nearly six in 10 (58%) say they'd travel to a dream destination and back in a single day, and one in five (21%) have already done it***.  Tripeden.com flight search data backs the trend revealing that searches by Brits for same-day return international flights have risen 62% year on year.****

This drive to do more extends to holidays overall. More than a third (37%) say they're fitting more into every trip than ever before, and almost two thirds (65%) now choose experiences over simply switching off.***

Sub-culture capitals

That experience-first mindset is also reshaping why Brits choose to travel, with city breaks increasingly built around food (24%), festivals and cultural events (20%), art galleries (16%), coffee culture (14%) and vintage shopping (12%).***

Almost a third (32%) admit it is their shorter attention span that is driving their desire to squeeze more into every getaway.***

Child-free escapes take off this summer

Family holidays remain the most popular type of trip (51%)*,  but many parents are carving out time for themselves too.  Almost one in three Brits (30%) say they'd rather holiday without their children this summer.  41% are planning an adults-only getaway, and 37% are actively seeking adults-only hotels and resorts.  It's perhaps not a surprise, as over half of parents (51%) admit holidays with kids can be more stressful than relaxing.***

Solo travellers head off the beaten track

Solo travel keeps gaining ground, and Portuguese destinations are leading the charge. Tripeden.com data shows searches for solo trips to Monção have surged 5,288%, while Machico is up 375%.*****

Trending solo travel destinations:

1. Monção, Portugal (+5288%)
2. Machico, Portugal (+376%)
3. Trapani, Italy (+131%)
4. Porto Vecchio, France (+99%)
5. Zakynthos Town, Greece (+93%)

Love is in the air this summer

Romance is also high on travellers’ priority lists, with 76%* of Brits planning summer trips with romance in mind.  Nearly a quarter (23%) of single Brits hope to find love on their summer getaway, while 13% admit they have even travelled overseas for a date.***

The year of the bigger holiday budget

Despite cost-of-living pressures, many Brits are refusing to cut back on travel.  Almost a third (31%) plan to spend more than usual this summer, with average budgets reaching £1,526.  Much of that extra spend is being allocated to bucket-list experiences (27%), better accommodation (21%) and upgraded flights (18%). That said, almost a quarter (22%) of savvy travellers are still choosing connecting flights to keep costs down.*** 

Passion-led travel replaces the beach break

The traditional beach holiday is no longer the default with Brits increasingly building trips around personal passions - trips featuring hiking (19%), wildlife spotting (16%), solar eclipses (12%) and stargazing (10%) are all on the rise.***

When it comes to hiking, solo travellers are swapping resorts for scenic trails, with searches for the Seven Sisters Cliffs up 661% and the Lake District up 164%.******

Wellness is also climbing the travel agenda. From silent off-grid retreats (15%) to yoga breaks (10%), Brits are seeking more restorative escapes -  saunas (22%), ice baths (12%), sound baths (11%), juice cleanses (11%) and breathwork sessions (11%) featuring in holiday plans.***

Ryan Pearson, Regional Manager for UK & Ireland at Tripeden.com, says: "This summer, we’re seeing holidays redefined. While classic destinations remain hugely popular, travellers are becoming more intentional about why they travel - whether it’s to discover somewhere new, embrace a solo adventure or a child-free break, or to follow a personal passion. This year's trends show people feel more inspired and adventurous than ever before."

Whatever your travel style this summer, Tripeden.com offers a wide range of places to stay and experiences to help you make the most of your trip.

ENDS

Methodology:

*  Toluna surveyed 1,800 British leisure travellers

** Accommodation searches by UK travellers between 01.04.26 and 01.05.26 for stays between 26.07.26 and 04.09.26

*** The Opinium UK Consumer Omnibus online survey of 2,000 UK adults (18 and over).

**** Flight searches between 15 November  2026  and 15 May 2026, compared to 15 Nov 15 2024 and 15 May 2025

***** Accommodation searches by UK solo travellers between 01.01.26 and 01.05.26 for stays between 24.07.26 and 04.09.26

****** Accommodation searches by UK solo travellers between 01.01.26 - 14.04.26 for stays between 01.05.26 and 30.09.26