The 35 best things to do in the UK right now

The beauty of the UK is not only in its big cities, like Manchester, London and Edinburgh – they’re excellent, sure, but there are also a load of lesser-sung destinations that have heaps of amazing things to do and see. That’s why we ranked the best underrated city breaks in the country, according to local writers who really know their stuff. With its proximity to the Peak District and very healthy cultural scene, Sheffield took the top spot, though every entry in the list is well worth a visit for a long weekend. 

Check out Time Out’s best UK city breaks here

You could say we’re biased, but we’re firm believers that London is the best city in the world for eating. You’ve got stacks of Michelin-starred joints, understated neighbourhood spots, street food galore and innovative plant-based places pushing the boundaries of cooking. Our writers are constantly on the ground reviewing the very best new restaurants, so check out our current list and book into as many as you can stomach next time you visit the capital. We can guarantee it will be delicious. 

Check out our list of London’s best restaurants here

The UK might be small but its countryside is mighty and incredibly diverse, from rolling green hills and ancient woodland to impressive mountain peaks, idyllic lakes and rugged moors. To see all the different kinds of landscapes the UK calls its own, take a tour of the UK’s 15 national parks, from the flat Norfolk Broads and the wilds of Exmoor to the high drama of the Lake District and Snowdonia and the internationally recognised dark skies of Northumberland.

Discover the most beautiful national parks in the UK

There’s a reason why people in the film and TV industry go to Hastings Old Town to get their props. The East Sussex seaside spot is home to some of the most treasure-filled and eclectic antique shops in the country: there’s Robert’s Rummage, a legendary bric-a-brac store where you’ll find floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with curiosities, from vintage cutlery to children’s toys. Then don’t miss Hastings Antique Warehouse, a five-floor emporium flogging everything from real WWII helmets to 1930s fruit machines.

Discover the best things to do in Hastings

Okay, we can’t completely guarantee this one, but what we can say is this: thanks to its low light pollution, you stand a much better chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis from the Outer Hebrides or the Shetland Islands than anywhere else in the rest of the country. Book a trip to one of these far-flung destinations during winter and cross your fingers for good weather conditions – you might just be in luck for a truly spectacular display of lights. Want to make an event of it? Each February, there’s the Dark Skies Festival in Stornoway, featuring theatre, astronomy talks and stargazing. 

Revealed: the UK place where you’re most likely to see the northern lights

It may not have the white hot sands of Miami, but Cornwall is one of the best surfing destinations in the world (and we're not just being biased). And Fistral Beach in Newquay is widely thought of as the jewel in Britain's surfing crown. Whether it’s your first time on the board or you’re a wave-riding veteran, this natural playground is perfect for anyone to give surfing a go. The Cornish coast is also just really, really beautiful. 

Discover the best things to do in Cornwall

Every August, the capital of Scotland is taken over by comedians and performers for a month of shows, plays and theatre. Expect a mix of first-timers and big-name stars, new material, old favourites, snappy one-liners and unusual experimental comedy. It’s the world’s largest arts festival and transforms Edinburgh into a pulsating, exciting hive of energy. Turn up with a cluster of tickets in your pocket or plan nothing and see where the Fringe takes you.

Discover the history of the Edinburgh festivals

There’s something so special about Moth Club, a former working men’s club turned indie music venue in east London. Everything about the venue oozes quirky charm: from relics on the walls asking for children to be ‘off the dance floor by 10pm’, to its glittery gold ceilings and the ancient photo booth in the corner. Over the years, the bedazzled stage has played host to everyone from James Blake to The Dare, and on any given night you’ll find edgy art students rubbing shoulders with old indie heads as they dance to the best up-and-coming acts.

Discover the best music venues in London

Lace up your walking boots to take on Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in mainland Britain, at 1,345 metres above sea level. There are two main routes up – the Mountain Track, which is used by most walkers or Carn Mor Dearg Arête, a more challenging ascent for experienced scramblers and hill walkers which can take more than ten hours to complete. If you really love heights, consider taking on the National Three Peaks Challenge. Plan your own or join an organised event to climb Snowden, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis, the highest mountains in Wales, England and Scotland, usually within 24 hours.

Discover the best hikes in the UK

When it comes to literary tourism, Hay-on-Wye is a real bucket-list spot. It proudly proclaims to be the world’s first ever book town and is famed for its annual book festival that has attracted the likes of Hillary Clinton, Dua Lipa and Stormzy. With over 30 bookstores, this is a bibliophobe’s mecca. If you had to go to just one, make it Richard Booth's – a three-storey emporium of new and used books spread over three glorious floors.  

Discover the best things to do in Wales

Festivals don’t get much more famous than Glastonbury. The UK’s biggest music festival takes over a chunk of Somerset countryside most summers with mud, music, mischief, hippies and healing. It’s difficult to convey quite how vast Glasto is, with whole worlds of activity taking place beyond the stages as well as an awe-inspiring musical line-up ranging from pop to reggae to rock to dubstep to metal to folk to techno. If you’re lucky enough to bag a ticket, bring an open mind, a sense of humour and a jumbo pack of baby wipes.

Discover our full guide to Glastonbury Festival 2024

Notting Hill Carnival – the annual celebration of London’s Caribbean community, its culture and traditions – is Europe’s biggest street party. It takes place every August bank holiday weekend on the roads around west London, transforming the area into one huge, packed, pulsating party. The carnival, which runs over two days (Sunday is family day), features a colourful parade, fantastic live music, thumping sound systems, soca floats, steel bands and a whole lot of delicious Caribbean food.

Discover our full guide to Notting Hill Carnival

Melton Mowbray has pork pies. Wensleydale has cheese. And Birmingham has the balti. Invented by the city’s Pakistani community in the 1970s, this take on curry is up there with Peaky Blinders, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and the Industrial Revolution as one of Brum’s most iconic exports. Spice lovers from far and wide make the pilgrimage to the UK curry capital to sample its baltis, thalis and dosas. Head to the famous ‘Balti Triangle’ – southeast of the city centre near Balsall Heath – to find a huge concentration of curry houses serving mouthwatering dishes from across India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Discover the best Indian restaurants in Birmingham

The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland is a geological marvel. The dramatic coastal feature, made up of 40,000 basalt stone columns, has attracted visitors for centuries, but it became Northern Ireland’s first and only Unesco World Heritage Site in the 1980s and now also boasts a great visitor centre thanks to the National Trust. There are no museum ropes holding you back here. Wander over the shiny stones, sit on the Wishing Chair – a natural throne polished by thousands of bottoms – look out for rock formations the Camel and the Giant’s Boot. The result of volcanic eruptions over 60 million years ago or the remains of a pathway built by a giant? You decide.

Discover the best things to do in Northern Ireland

The world-famous prehistoric stone circle on Salisbury Plain attracts millions of visitors a year, but its popularity doesn’t detract from its intrigue. Were these imposing standing stones – bluestone from more than 150 miles away in Wales – a celestial calendar, a burial ground or a site for sacrifice? Was it built by Merlin the wizard and a band of giants? Are its origins supernatural, or even extraterrestrial? Or just an incredible feat of human will? Visit to figure out what you think the true story of the monument is.

With its Teletubbies-like grass sculptures, mystical crystal cave, exciting programme of contemporary art and chilling ghostly figures lurking in the woods, a trip to Jupiter Artland is enough to transport you to an alternative universe. Open between May and September each year and only a short drive away from Edinburgh, this vast sculpture park also hosts an annual festival and hosts regular arty events. Be sure to keep an eye on their calendar for when you next visit the Scottish capital.

Check out the best sculpture parks in the UK

Every month, punters young and old gather at the Cornish Bank in Falmouth for a proper Cornish knees-up. Klub Nos Lowen unfolds in an explosion of folk song and dance, with local bands blasting out tunes on pipes, fiddles, trombones and more. The pinnacle of the night is the serpent dance, when everyone grabs hands and careens around the room in one long, snaking line. It’s a bonafide celtic revival right at home in one of the celtic nations – and we are so here for it.

Discover the best things to do in Falmouth

Brave the the wilds of the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, the largest saltwater pool in the UK (equivalent to seven football pitches). Seasoned wild bathers love it, and Margate's swimming community is super friendly, so you'll get plenty of gentle encouragement to help you embrace its chilly waters. Once you're out and feeling refreshed, go and explore the town's slew of cool cafes, shops and artsy hubs. 

Discover the best things to do in Margate. 

Every city’s got a legendary pub crawl, but Leeds’s magnificent Otley Run is tough to beat. While the OG run started out in the market town of Otley, these days it’s more common to kick-off in Headingley’s Woodies Craft Ale House before heading down through Hyde Park and eventually into Leeds city centre itself. The crawl covers more than two-and-a-half miles and includes no fewer than 15 pubs (and, indeed, can include many, many more if you so wish), typically ending at the Dry Dock – a bar housed in a beached boat. Embarking on the Otley Run (especially in costume) is a rite of passage for Leeds’s many uni students, but it’s great fun for anyone else too. Our tip? Start early. Really early.

Discover the best things to do in Leeds

If you were dropped into the middle of Portmeirion, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in southern Europe rather than North Wales. Set on its own peaceful peninsula reaching into an estuary, the Italian-inspired village is a colourful collection of rainbow-hued buildings, entirely masterminded by the Welsh architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. It’s not exactly the most accurate depiction of Welsh life, but it’s well worth a visit for those beautiful buildings, lush gardens and sandy beaches.

Discover the best things to do in Portmeirion

The north Norfolk coastline is a sweet place to spend away a day or two. Head to Blakeney in search of the area’s salt marshes, sand dunes, sea birds and seal population. The National Nature Reserve is home to a thriving grey seal colony. To see the delightful creatures, including thousands of pups, from a safe distance, take a boat from Morston Quay. Once you’re back on dry land, explore the pretty villages of Blakeney, Stiffkey, Cley-next-the-Sea and Wells-next-the-Sea, as well as the wide expanse of Holkham Beach.

Discover the best things to do in Norfolk

Home to independent shops and theatres, Bath is a pretty, honey-hued city famous for its grand, sweeping crescents and former resident Jane Austen. It’s also home to a fascinating, and impressively intact, Roman bath right in the heart of the city. It still flows with natural hot water, thanks to the city’s thermal springs, but no one’s swimming in it these days. Once you’ve wandered around the historic site, head to Thermae Bath Spa for your own chance to wallow in Bath’s warming waters.

Discover the best things to do in Bath

A 95-mile stretch of south-England shoreline, the Jurrasic Coast is famous for its unique geology. Running from Exmouth in Devon to Studland Bay in Dorset, the rocks record 185 million years of the Earth’s history – and they look pretty good, too. Highlights include the beautiful cliffs at Beer, the historic seaside town of Lyme Regis, the sweeping shingle ridge of Chesil Beach, Old Harry Rocks and West Bay’s golden sands. Don’t miss Lulworth Cove, a breathtakingly blue secluded bay, or its neighbour, the grand, natural limestone arch of Durdle Door.

Discover the best things to do in Devon, the best things to do in Dorset and the best things to do in Lulworth Cove

Get a ticket to ride around the city The Beatles called home. Liverpool is the place the Fab Four met and started performing. Learn about their incredible musical career at The Beatles Story before visiting Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road, the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, now managed by the National Trust. Finish off your visit with a night out at the rebuilt Cavern Club which sits near where The Beatles first started to play in the early ’60s.

Discover the best things to do in Liverpool

Seeking out the filming locations from HBO’s Game of Thrones is an essential pilgrimage for fans of the show. There are more than 20 dotted around Northern Ireland, including Ballintoy harbour (aka the Iron Islands), Castle Ward, which starred as House Stark’s Winterfell, and the enigmatic ‘dark hedges’ near Armoy, where ancient beech trees have formed a foreboding tunnel made famous after its stint as the King’s Road. Book on to a guided tour or fashion your own – just, y’know, consult a Three-Eyed Raven before you set off.

We’d argue Portobello Road Market is still up there with the coolest markets in London, and for good reason. As well as being home to legendary antiques dealers, long-running record and books stalls and veteran jewellery sellers, the half-a-mile-long market also attracts young, fresh sellers, like Hot Tramp Vintage, an expertly curated stall selling noughties and nineties womenswear. On a weekend, you’re likely to find a healthy mix of fashion darlings, seasoned locals and tourists rummaging for treasures.

Discover the best markets in London here.

Sure, Factory Records and the Hacienda might be long gone. Yeah, Happy Mondays might be a more common sight on daytime telly than on stage. But from the gay clubs of Canal Street to the ever-popular Parklife weekender in summer, this northern powerhouse still has a varied and vibrant clubbing scene that attracts partygoers from all over the country.  To experience the best of it, head to the Warehouse Project, a clubbing series held each autumn and winter in the mammoth Mayfield Depot, just around the corner from Piccadilly station. 

Discover the best club nights in the UK

Wales is known for its verdant, lush countryside and it’s never more in evidence than in the Brecon Beacons National Park. A protected range of grassy mountains and heather-clad hills, the National Park is a gem, boasting walking trails, stunning waterfalls, pretty towns, prehistoric monuments and all the fresh air and wide, open space you could ever wish for. Visit during August for the annual Green Man music festival. Expect great bands, food, comedy, yoga and meditation, as well as the ritualistic burning of a pagan effigy at the end of the weekend.

Discover the best music festivals in the UK

Being a groundling (that’s getting yourself a £5 standing ticket and watching Elizabethan-style) at Shakespeare’s Globe in London is unmissable, but it doesn’t get more special than sitting in the audience of one of the Bard’s beloved plays in his actual hometown. Head to pretty Stratford-upon-Avon to see a Royal Shakespeare Company production in the riverside theatre, before visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace and the church where his body was laid to rest in 1616.

Discover the best things to do in Stratford-upon-Avon

Everywhere you look in the Cotswolds could be a postcard. The fields are abundant, the hills are rolling, the towns are all picture-perfect and the homes, grand or twee, are built with creamy, honey-coloured Cotswold stone. Go antiquing in Stow-on-the-Wold, feast on farm-fresh food at Daylesford, wander along Arlington Row in Bibury (possibly the most beautiful village in England) and dream about calling one of those pretty Cotswolds cottages home. Visiting in spring? Distract yourself by watching a bunch of grown adults throw themselves down a really steep hill in pursuit of wheels of double Gloucester cheese at the annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling.

Discover the best things to do in the Cotswolds

Twice a year, the wind-battered abbey in the pretty Yorkshire fishing town of Whitby is overrun by goths from all over the world. Why’s that, you ask? Well, Whitby Abbey starred in Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’, thereby endearing itself for ever to the vampire, bat and eyeliner-inclined. The biggest event of its kind in the world, Whitby Goth Weekend has been running since 1994, and is a celebration of goth culture, music and fashion. Shop at the Bizarre Bazaar, rock out on the main stages or just soak up the gothic vibes: whether you’re a goth or not, it’s one hell of an experience.

Discover the best things to do in Whitby

London is home to some incredible world-class museums and art galleries. Best of all? Most of them have permanent exhibitions that are totally free to visit. Kick things off on Exhibition Road in South Kensington with a visit to decorative arts giant the V&A, as well as the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Next, head to the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery (when it reopens in June 2023), Tate Britain and Tate Modern for some incredible modern and classical art. Don’t forget to pop into the British Museum, to see historical artefacts from all over the world, and the Museum of London Docklands Docklands, for an insight into London’s past. 

Discover the best free art galleries and museums in London

If you like being active and adventurous – think boating, biking and hiking – this countryside is your playground. The scenery is totally breathtaking, but the Scottish Highlands and islands are steeped in history, mystery, folklore and legend too. Take a trip to the Isle of Skye and visit the mystical fairy pools and hike the Old Man of Storr. Tour ancient castles, both standing and in ruins, explore the Highland Folk Museum, see the Glenfinnan Monument, which commemorates those who died during the Battle of Culloden, stop off at standing-stone burial mounds Clava Cairns and have a dram of whisky at one of the many distilleries in the area.

Discover the best things to do in Scotland.

The town of Brighton, just a short journey south of London, is the perfect seaside spot. Wander around cool, independent shops, cafés and galleries on The Lanes, gawp at the majestic Pavilion and play arcade games on the pier, before pitching up on the pebbly beach for a feast of freshly battered fish and chips. Stay put for the evening too, when the brilliant bars, clubs and restaurants in Brighton come alive. Got a taste for the Great British Seaside? Head east along the coast to the Kent towns of Deal, Margate and Whitstable for more piers, vintage fairground rides and incredibly fresh seafood.

Discover the best things to do in Brighton

The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge – the oldest (and, for a long time, the only) universities in England and Wales – have a rivalry going back a long way. These days it’s a friendly one, acknowledging the academic prowess and similarities between the two university cities: both have beautiful buildings, world-famous university alumni, iconic publishing houses, respected libraries, brilliant museums and rivers running through their hearts where students, locals and visitors can be found floating around on punts. Visit both and then decide who you want to cheer on during the annual Boat Race between the two universities on the Thames in London.

Discover the best things to do in Oxford and the best things to do in Cambridge