For those wanting to plan an itinerary to not-so-popular destinations (and some that do draw lots of tourists), here's a reminder that you can subscribe to free emails from Discover Britain that give illustrated summaries of a range of "Great British Days Out" every month or so.
Note I am not affiliated with Discover Britain. I simply enjoy being an armchair tourist reading their ideas, imagining that one day I'd like to have the resources to visit many of the places described.
I’ve never understood why some people can be obsessed with going to ‘non-touristy’ places. I can show you some great places like that: Middlesbrough, Barnsley, Scunthorpe. They’re not known to tourists for a reason.
If I were to give a serious answer to the above question, I’d probably say somewhere like the Peak District or Saltburn. As a general rule if it’s not accessible from London/Edinburgh by day trip and it’s not been featured in a book/film/TV series then it counts as a ‘hidden gem’.
Thanks for the heads up epltd, I love getting email newsletters about travel, especially GB because it's still on my bucket list. If and when I do get there, I will want to see some interesting off the beaten path places in addition to the long list of 'beaten path' sites I have on my list. A nice mix of tourist crowds and relative peace and quiet always make for a better trip.
akkejakke, I only suggested this for those who may be interested (not "obsessed"). Your point that some places are deservedly unpopular is certainly well taken.
I've found over the course of a year or more that the Discover Britain emails provide descriptions of a mix of destinations and "day out" experiences, some well known to US tourists and some hidden gems.
@ akkejakke
I don't think the suggestion is for tourists to visit the likes of Middlesborough, Hull or Swindon but rather highlight the less known sites and to move away from the well trodden Bath-Cotswolds-Stonehenge-Oxford path. There's a wealth of places to visit in the UK that are off the radar to most tourists and many will view them as "off the beaten path" or "non touristy". I can think of some gorgeous villages near me that would very much appeal to many visitors and they are anything but touristy and certainly give The Cotswolds a run for their money.
what's wrong with Middlesbrough, Hull or Swindon?
Middlesbrough - neat architecture of a flying bridge - called The Transporter Bridge - who wouldn't want to see that?
Hull - home of John Prescott and white phone booths - who wouldn't want to see that?
Swindon - home of the Magic Roundabout, a huge chalk horse, and the spiritual home of the GWR (and a most excellent railway museum) - who wouldn't want to see that?
Thank you for this tip, though I am unfortunately bound to train or possibly short bus trips.
I like to go to places that are a bit less touristy to get a feel for what daily life is really like in the country that I'm visiting. I have a BA in anthropology so these things are interesting to me. When we went to London half of the population seemed to be from some other country. The one time we actually spoke with people actually born and raised in the UK was on a trip to Eastbourne. I really enjoyed that part of the trip. It was relaxing and refreshing. I also dislike crowds.
I would call it a preference rather than an obsession.
The tourist office of Spain also has a newsletter it sends out with a plethora of information; both popular and lesser visited places. I’m certain most countries offer similar newsletters one can subscribe to. Great resource when planning trips.
I would recommend Hull to anyone but I am biased.
We are just back from a two week England trip and loved Lacock. I think a scene from a Harry Potter was filmed there a few years back and there is the Fox Talbot Museum and home. But the village was our favorite with a lunch at Sign of The Angel. Some Downton Abbey scenes were filmed there also.
