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When Sebastian Dollinger and his colleagues first drove into Yosemite National Park, they felt like they were entering the world at its finest — a prehistoric beauty of hulking rocks with every waterfall flowing in the valley.

It reminded Dollinger, who lives in Sweden, of the Swiss Alps in summer.

The moment didn’t last long.

As the group, in the park in early May for a fashion shoot for California luxury brand Robert Talbott, neared Mirror Lake in Yosemite Valley, Dollinger’s party felt like it had been overtaken by a massive swarm of bees as droves of other tourists buzzed around them, he said.

A tourist stands in front of an overlook near Yosemite Valley during a sunrise in mid-June in Yosemite National Park.

Tourists wait at the Yosemite Falls bus stop.

“I could have taken up climbing and gone up El Capitan just to escape the people,” Dollinger said, referencing Yosemite’s famous rock wall, “but I’m just a creative director.”

This summer, Yosemite is seeing a significant uptick in visitation, driven by the park’s internationally known splendor, its popularity on social media and a lack of its politicized reservation system. As droves of tourists flock to Yosemite, it raises the question: Is it still possible to have a fun time there despite the crowds?

Hopefully, yes, but that answer comes with a few heavy asterisks. Park-goers and local business owners say it’s crucial for those venturing into Yosemite this summer to plan their excursions outside peak times to avoid the worst of the crowds, and even then, pack their patience. The best-laid plans can still result in visitors facing significant lines at the park’s gate and restaurants, crowded hiking trails and a relentless search for parking.

By the end of June, Yosemite had seen at least 183,000 more visitors than last year, according to preliminary park visitor data. Just over 2 million people visited the park by the end of June, a 10% increase compared with last year’s visitation data.

Crowds pose for photos on the Mist Trail.

The increase in visitors is, in part, because the National Park Service is not using a timed-entry reservation system this year.

The National Park Service announced in February — after the agency under the Biden administration studied extensively how to best implement a reservation system — that officials would instead use “targeted management.” This has included sending congestion alerts to visitors’ mobile phones and encouraging visitors to venture outside the valley, as it represents only a fraction of its almost 1,200 square miles of parkland.

When asked how the agency planned to address overcrowding in Yosemite this summer, a National Park Service spokesperson who declined to give their name to The Times said in an emailed statement that temporary traffic delays can occur during peak times but aren’t evidence of “operational failure.”

“They reflect the reality of managing one of the nation’s most visited national parks while keeping visitors safe and protecting park resources,” the spokesperson said. “Claims of widespread ‘overcrowding’ are not an accurate characterization of current park operations. Visitors have benefitted [sic] from expanded access for months now, and we are seeing operational efficiency from managing traffic only when and where necessary, rather than blanketing the park with restrictions for entire seasons.”

Dozens of tourists hike their way up the Mist Trail in mid-June, one of the more popular trails in Yosemite National Park.

Visitors like Dollinger say this new approach is not working.

“After we hiked for about three hours, we met a couple from Japan, and when I talked to them they were almost in tears,” said Dollinger, who has visited other state and national parks in California. “They saved for five years to do this trip, flew to San Francisco from Tokyo, stayed in San Francisco and hired a car, and went to the park for five days, which I can only describe as hell.”

Not every Yosemite visitor that The Times spoke to for this story had as bad of a time as Dollinger, but no one disputed crowds being an issue.

Chidumebi Ajaero, who lives in L.A., said he was “very concerned” when he and his friends left for their trip in mid-April over how crowded the park would be.

It was Ajaero’s first time to visit Yosemite after moving to California about 2½ years ago from Houston. He has been to other national parks and said he knows they can get “quite chaotic” when busy.

Tents set up in Upper Pines Campground on a June weekend in Yosemite National Park.

Ajaero and his friends arrived in Yosemite on a Friday afternoon and were surprised to find there was no line to enter the Big Oak Flat entrance.

They set their campsite up at Upper Pines, a campground in the valley, and headed out early on the Mist Trail, which takes hikers to Vernal and Nevada falls via its large stone steps. There were a considerable amount of people on the trail with them, he said.

“It’s not until you get to the waterfall itself and you have the steps, and everybody is taking pictures,” Ajaero said. “There’s actually a line to move up. You’re just waiting for your turn to step up” to capture the waterfall.

Ajaero said he’s glad he went before Memorial Day, when visitation started to increase more significantly.

But because of how curated Yosemite Valley is, with a grocery store, souvenir shops and restaurants, Ajaero said it felt more like an amusement park than his trips to Joshua Tree National Park, where visitors are far more on their own.

Hikers walk on a boardwalk designed to prevent erosion in sensitive meadows.

“I didn’t love it as much as the other because of the commercialized feeling of it, and just the fact it never felt you were alone in Yosemite,” he said. “I think there’s too much going on.”

How developed Yosemite should be for its visitors has been a debate since the park’s existence.

Michael W. Childers, author of “The Mountains Are Calling: Tourists and the Unmaking of Yosemite National Park” (Nebraska), said people often use the metaphor of not wanting to turn the park into Disneyland, but a more apt comparison is how closely Yosemite resembles a resort.

Concessionaires have been in Yosemite since its beginnings, as the federal government didn’t have the money to construct its own amenities in the 1850s, he said. Yosemite Hospitality, a subsidiary of hospitality giant Aramark, manages much of Yosemite’s lodging, dining and activities (including the park’s Starbucks inside the valley).

Childers, an associate professor of history at Colorado State University, said his concern is that, since the late 1970s, conservative intellectuals have pushed to privatize the park even further.

He said the chaos being created by the Trump administration through cutting park staff and ending the reservation system is “very intentional” in the quest to argue the only way to manage the park is to privatize Yosemite.

“If you privatize the entirety of a national park, that means that your only one measuring stick is profit, and arguably, national parks are not solely designed for profit,” said Childers, an environmental historian of the American West. “They’re for experience. They’re for democracy. They’re for preservation of natural resources.”

Vehicles stop to pay the fee at the El Portal entrance gate.

Vehicles line the road near El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

One of park officials’ most significant management challenges started when tourists began entering Yosemite by automobile. Since 1913, people could enter in a personal vehicle, but visitation numbers remained reasonable until 1926 when the “All Year Highway,” a segment of the 140 Highway, opened.

This new thoroughfare created an easy and direct route to reach the park by car that avoided steep mountain roads, according to park history. The road’s opening resulted in a near doubling of total cars visiting the park in just one year, park staff said in an Instagram post.

“The summer of 1927 has clearly demonstrated that parking is one of the most urgent, menacing problems of the entire Yosemite Valley,” said Don Tresidder, president of the Yosemite Park & Curry Co., that year, according to the park.

And has thus remained for 100 years.

The first attempt in recent years to get a handle on car traffic was the reservation system, implemented initially to spread guests out during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 but rolled out in 2021, 2022 and 2024 as the park service tested how to best employ it to cut down on traffic and help more visitors enjoy the park.

“Over the past decade, many parks have seen significant increases in visitation and crowding in popular areas, especially during peak seasons,” the agency wrote in 2024 as it sought public comments on park management. “In some parks, the level of demand is exceeding the capacity for which infrastructure was designed or is outpacing the National Park Service’s ability to sustainably support visitation.”

The park service planned to use visitor feedback and research to guide how reservations would be rolled out in 2025. Environmental and park advocates argued for the reservation system, saying that it not only protected the wildlife and land, but also that it was popular among guests.

But when Trump started his second term in office, not only did park management strategy change, so did the way the federal government viewed the park service. Hundreds of park workers were laid off, although some got their jobs back. Others took buyouts, and overall there was a 24% decline in permanent workers, according to the National Parks Conservation Assn.

One of the reservation system’s biggest critics is Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove), who said the system was decimating the economies of local gateway communities, the term used for the small mountain towns around Yosemite.

Parking lots are filled to capacity during peak hours, creating traffic congestion in Yosemite National Park.

“This is not to say that crowding in the valley hasn’t been a big problem, but the solution is better management and more capacity, not restricting access,” McClintock said on the House floor in June, noting the park had more parking, rooms and campsites before the 1997 flood destroyed infrastructure that he said wasn’t replaced.

Under the timed-entry system, visitors could still enter the park without a reservation if they arrived early — before 6 a.m. in 2021 and 2022 and 5 a.m. in 2024 — or after 4 p.m., and would be required to pay an entry fee for a three-day pass allowing them to reenter outside of peak hours.

But entering the park early or late in the day still wasn’t doable for everyone, including Ronny Shields, a father of two children from Ventura.

Shields, a lifelong Southern California resident, struggled to book a reservation when Yosemite implemented the system until he finally snagged one in 2024. His family had a great time and was eager to return.

In early June, Shields, his wife and kids, ages 4 and 7, made the trek back to Yosemite, staying outside the park at Tenaya at Yosemite in Fish Camp. Shields had researched and found information online suggesting the nearby southern entrance was less crowded.

His family arrived on a Saturday afternoon and entered the park without a wait. They found the valley was quieter than they’d ever seen it as people left.

Tourists stand in a meadow with a perfect view of Yosemite Falls.

For the rest of their trip, they entered the park before 8 a.m. or after 3 p.m., except for one day when they entered later in the morning and waited 40 minutes to enter. The other times, they found no wait.

Once inside the park before 8 a.m., their first stop was the Bridalveil Fall Trail, a short trek that takes visitors right to the base of the thundering cascade. When Shields and his family left the trail about 9:30 a.m., they noticed other guests couldn’t find parking.

They faced the same problem after they went to get food and then tried to park near the Lower Yosemite Falls trailhead. After 20 minutes, they found a spot — and joined the masses.

The trail “doesn’t feel like a hike — it feels like you’re in a crowded mall, but I think that’s the nature of the beast because it’s very short and very scenic,” Shields said.

Comparing his two visits to Yosemite, Shields said he preferred not having to deal with the reservation system, but that came with some caveats. He noticed far more visitors, although he’d expected even more. He saw more trash, several guests going off trail and trampling plant life, and far fewer park rangers to tell them to stop.

He said he didn’t see any park staff in the outdoor areas, and instead, he and his wife made sure to take their kids into the park’s buildings so they could speak to the rangers.

Tourists swim and play in the Merced River in Yosemite National Park.

“It’s nice for the kids to be able to ask questions and learn from people that love it,” Shields said. “Even I learned something.”

Jennifer Liu, a Moreno Valley resident, was at the park the same time frame as the Shields family and was able to mostly avoid the crowds on her backpacking trip through the park’s backcountry.

Liu meandered through the park using a few different trails, including the Sunrise Lakes route, to reach her ultimate destination: Half Dome on her birthday. She left her backcountry campsite about 4:30 a.m. to reach Half Dome by 6 a.m., catching the sunrise at 8,800-feet elevation from the granite monolith.

“I got lucky — the clouds cleared out and there was a nice sunrise,” she said.

Not in a hurry, Liu stayed at the top for four hours. Her fellow hikers sang her happy birthday, and she witnessed a couple get engaged.

Sunset over the Half Dome lookout in Yosemite National Park.

“By 10, when I headed back down, that’s when the crowd was starting to pick up,” Liu said, adding that she was grateful there was still space to navigate the dome’s cable system without being rushed by others.

As a means of crowd control, the National Park Service has attempted to funnel people out of the valley, where the majority of tourists spend their time and into its less frequented locations.

Park officials have tried to rebrand Hetch Hetchy, a massive reservoir surrounded by glacier-carved rock walls, by claiming that “many have compared Hetch Hetchy’s grandeur to the more well-known Yosemite Valley,” according to a recent update on the park’s website. (Previous versions of the Hetch Hetchy page made no such claim, according to archived versions of the website viewed through the Internet Archive.)

The park service doesn’t cite a source for such claims. California naturalist John Muir compared the two valleys’ beauties, but that was before Hetch Hetchy Valley was transformed by the O’Shaughnessy Dam into a massive reservoir.

“John Muir lost the fight over Hetch Hetchy, and the dam was built. And people who live in San Francisco today drink the water of Hetch Hetchy,” historian William Cronon said in the Ken Burns national parks documentary. “Muir died feeling that he’d been defeated by that, and that was a great tragedy at the end of his life.”

Still, Hetch Hetchy has long been whispered among Yosemite regulars as a place to find a little quiet.

That’s changed too.

An empty road under El Capitan in Yosemite Valley National Park.

“We used to have these secret spots we could tell people about,” said Elisabeth Barton, owner of Yosemite Basecamp in Groveland, which offers lodging, trips by local outfitters, gear and more. “‘Go to Hetch Hetchy,’ you’d say quietly and look over your shoulder. ‘Go to this waterfall’ or ‘Do this hike.’ … One of the things we’re noticing is, very quickly on a weekend, [the park] is sending out that alert that Hetch Hetchy is full or that Hetch Hetchy has ‘extreme visitation.’ It’s weird.”

Barton, whose company runs a visitor center in downtown Groveland, said there’s not much she and her team can recommend for people coming Thursday through Sunday into the park. It will be crowded regardless.

On a recent Saturday, Barton met a hiker who was devastated he couldn’t easily enter the valley without dealing with crowds. Barton let him in on a less popular trip that involved a great swimming hole, fish tacos at Whoa Nellie Deli, an adventure around Mono Lake and a drive through a stunning mountain pass. She recommended that he take a long way to reenter the park, enabling him to see the valley at a time he’d miss the crowds.

He called her a week later and told her to never recommend that to anyone ever again. He’d had a great day until he tried to reenter the park and instead waited four hours at the Tioga Pass in a line that stretched for miles. “You’re right, it was beautiful,” he told her, “but to what end?”

“I just wasn’t prepared for that,” Barton said. “It just broke me.”

Even sacred sites — with signage directing visitors away from the area — have been trampled by crowds.

The American Indian Council of Mariposa County, also known as the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, fought for decades to establish Wahhoga Village, which is an ancient village site and the last place that Indigenous people lived in Yosemite Valley before being driven out by the National Park Service.

Today, Wahhoga Village includes a traditional roundhouse, traditional cedar bark houses known as umachas and the only cabin that the park service didn’t burn when it evicted the remaining families from the site in 1969.

Wahhoga is not listed on Yosemite maps and is not intended to be used by those who aren’t either authorized or invited by the council to be there, said Deborah Tucker, a council member whose father advocated for years for Wahhoga.

But, Tucker said, in recent weeks, tourists have been found picnicking in the site. Hikers were tromping right through the middle of the village, led by a user-generated route on a popular outdoors adventure app, she said.

And while there, someone peed all over the village’s grinding stones, which are used for processing acorns into flour, along with other foods, said Tucker, whose father is Paiute and Shoshone and her mother was Choinumni, a branch of Yokut, tribes indigenous to the region.

Tourist beat the heat and float on tubes in a river in Yosemite National Park.

Under the current administration, “it’s a free-for-all,” Tucker said. “You can come up there and do what you want, park where you want and you’re disrupting not just sacred sites but other park sites that the park service has [established],” leading to littering and other pollution, noise that harms the birds and speeding cars that threaten the safety of bears and other wildlife.

Tucker said because the current administration seems fixated on money over conservation, she hopes that when people visit the park this summer, they will at least hold themselves accountable, showing respect for the land and its inhabitants.

“Clean up after yourself, maybe clean up after one another, and don’t take anything home with you that you didn’t bring,” Tucker said when asked what she’d say to the park’s visitors. “Enjoy that experience, and [you’re] welcome to come back again.”

LONDON is getting its very first ‘amazement’ park – and it’s set to be Europe’s largest immersive art experience.

Visitors to its other UK venue have dubbed it ‘dystopian Disney‘.

Wake The Tiger has announced it will open at London‘s Westfield on October 15.

The new indoor attraction will spread over two floors across 80,000sqft.

The experience is called Absurd City and will transport visitors to different districts which will be a “surreal, parallel world of imagination, transformation, and otherworldly art”.

Through the experience, visitors will discover secret passageways and see the new installations all in a makeshift cityscape.

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In a previous statement, Luke Mitchell, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Wake The Tiger, said: “This is a culmination of over 20 years of creative world-building, from the ground-breaking Boomtown Fair Festival to a new genre of immersive visitor attractions in Amazement Parks®.

“The space in Westfield London has totally blown our mind. It’s as if it was created for us and we can’t wait to transform it into an alternate dimension.”

Tickets have been released today and can be bought from £27.

On its website, the experience has also teased that ‘After Hours’ adult-only sessions will be held which will be on Thursday and Friday evenings.

It’s not the only one in the UK – the very first Wake The Tiger opened in 2022.

It calls itself the world’s first ‘amazement park’ and previous guests have raved about the attraction, with some comparing it to Disney.

One person who said he used to work at Disney said: “The Imagineers who create the rides would be in awe of this also.”

Another said: “Felt like a dystopian Disney land.”

In the Bristol venue, visitors can explore the world of Meridia which has 27 unique art installations including strobe lighting, hidden portals and doorways, and rooms with moving parts.

Tickets at the Bristol venue start from £16.50 for adults and £13.50 for children.

Kids under five go free.

A FRESH-WATER lido set in the heart of the capital will open this week – and it’s completely free.

The open-water area offers stunning city views and a host of water activities.

The Royal Docks lido, in Central London, will open its long-awaited Summer Splash event this Friday (July 24).

Located at Royal Victoria Dock, this urban oasis will return for three weeks this summer, running until August 16.

The family-friendly experience features lifeguard-supervised open water swimming, paddleboarding, and wakeboarding, as well as sandpits, deckchairs and areas to relax in.

And for less confident swimmers – children aged 7 to 14 will be able to take part in Swim Safe Water Safety sessions, to learn essential skills in the open water.

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So for those looking for a chance to cool off, or simply keep the kids entertained during the school holidays, this could be the perfect spot.

Open from 11am to 5pm daily, the lido also forms part of the At The Docks 2026 programme which continues until September 13.

More than 150 free events, ranging from live music sessions and outdoor art exhibitions to world-class sporting events will be available to families and visitors along East London’s famous waterfront.

Other events include the T100 Triathlon, the Formula E-Prix and the Ensemble Festival – a two-day event packed with circus, theatre and music performances.

Once London’s gateway to world trade, the Royal Docks opened in 1855 to introduce commerce to the capital.

Although the docks closed to commercial traffic more than 120 years later, in 1981, the area has now become a successful example of regeneration.

Airports have warned that kids could be forced to leave the items behind

Parents are being told to leave certain children’s toys at home. If kids bring them to the airport, they may be taken from them at security. There is a high chance that items like NeeDoh cubes and other popular ‘squishy’ toys could be flagged and confiscated.

Even at airports using advanced scanners, gel-filled toys look highly unusual on security screens. This frequently triggers a manual bag check, causing travel delays, and some staff will not take the risk with these items going any further into the airport.

Travel specialist Kate Donnelly (@Thedonnelllyedit) said: “From my own personal experience, [squishy toys] do tend to come under closer scrutiny when passing through airport security. My top tip for parents this summer, pack these items in your whole luggage.

“There is a high chance that if you put these in your hand luggage, they will get confiscated. There are absolutely no markings on them to let you know exactly how much liquid is contained within them, and therefore, they are very easily removed.

“This means that you have upset children and you will have to pay out for a whole new load of toys when you get to your destination.” She suggested that the best thing to do is to pack toys safely in your main suitcase that gets checked into the hold, as this allows more liquids than hand luggage does, helping you avoid delays and reduce the risk of them being confiscated.

Posting online, Luton Airport confirms that any squishy toys, including NeeDoh cubes, that contain a gel or liquid must comply with the strict liquid rule when packed in hand luggage. The airport said: “As the quantity of gel contained within these items cannot be accurately verified during the screening process, they are not permitted through security in hand luggage.”

Manchester Airport also said: “Things like squishy toys contain liquid – this includes NeeDohs, which use malt syrup. Smaller versions of the toy are under 100mls, but larger versions are not.

“The problem is that, as they don’t have measurements printed on them, security staff have to estimate their size. Our advice is that all but very small squishy toys should be placed in hold baggage.”

As a result, kids could be forced to bin their favourite toys before going on holiday. The issue is that there is often no way to verify exactly how much ‘liquid’ is inside one of these objects.

Not all UK airports follow the same rules about liquids in 2026 due to a staggered rollout of new high-tech 3D CT security scanners that allow the 100ml rule to be relaxed. Different locations are at different stages of upgrading, with a pause currently in effect this summer to avoid disruption over peak travel times.

Below is a list of what airports are following the new (2000ml) rules. At the airports accepting two litres in hand luggage, the scanners also mean people do not need to empty their bags, as scanners are powerful enough to detect these items, as well as electronics:

• Belfast City
• Belfast International
• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Edinburgh
• London Gatwick
• London Heathrow (All terminals)
• Teesside International

These airports are still following the original (100ml) rule:

• Aberdeen
• Bournemouth
• Cardiff
• East Midlands
• Glasgow International
• Glasgow Prestwick
• Inverness
• Isle of Man
• Leeds Bradford
• Liverpool
• London City
• London Luton
• London Stansted
• Manchester
• Newcastle
• Norwich
• Southampton

BUDGET flights are set to be cheaper this summer, which means you could go on your dream break for less.

Ryanair recently announced that its profits have fallen dramatically as a result of the war in the Middle East forcing jet fuel prices to rise.

However, the airline has also said that it expects summer prices to be slightly lower than last year.

With that in mind, there are some bargain breaks you can still get for this summer – so here are our best picks for Greece and Spain:

Andalucia, Spain

For a Spanish break, you could head to Líbere Córdoba Tendillas in Andalusia.

The four-star hotel sits in the centre of Cordoba, making it the ideal spot to explore the city.

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The hotel features 22 air-conditioned apartments, with kitchenettes and smart TVs.

Near the hotel, you can head to Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba or even a Roman Temple just two minutes away.

You’d fly from Bournemouth Airport on July 31 and land at Malaga, and then return on August 5, costing £159 per person.

Rhodes, Greece

On Rhodes, you could stay at the Kassandra Family Aparthotel & Spa. All rooms at the aparthotel have their own balcony, as well as a kitchenette and dining area.

As for things to do on site, there aren’t one but two outdoor pools, with loungers and there is even a smaller pool for little ones.

Parents needing some R&R can head to the spa too, where they will find a sauna, steam room and hot tub.

There’s also Greek-themed evenings for the family with karaoke and the beach is less than a 10 minute walk away.

You’d fly from Edinburgh Airport to Rhodes on August 10 and return to Glasgow Airport on August 15, for £229 per person.

Madrid, Spain

Ramada by Wyndham Madrid Tres Cantos is a great spot for those wanting to explore the Spanish capital, while staying out of the hustle and bustle.

The centre of Madrid is a 22-minute drive away, so it’s not too far.

But at the accommodation you can enjoy air-conditioned rooms, an on-site restaurant with a continental breakfast each morning and even a coffee shop.

For families seeking some fun, there are a number of sports facilities including tennis, volleyball and mini golf.

You’d fly from London Luton Airport on July 31 and land at Madrid, and then return on August 5, costing £219 per person.

Crete, Greece

If you fancy a Greek island, you could head to Valentina Apartments on Crete, which are surrounded by olive groves. Each room has its own kitchenette as well as balcony or terrace.

You can head to the swimming pool area, where you will also find loungers and a poolside bar.

The hotel also boasts a restaurant and weekly barbeque nights.

And if you fancy a beach day, it takes just 10 minutes to walk there – the same amount of time it takes to walk to the town centre where you’ll find restaurants and bars.

You’d fly from Liverpool Airport to Heraklion on July 31 and return to Manchester Airport on August 5, for £299 per person.

Majorca, Spain

For a trip to Majorca, you could stay at Playa Moreia, which overlooks the sea.

The hotel boasts a large pool, as well as a playground and onsite entertainment.

Rooms have a separate living room area, and most have a balcony as well.

You’d fly from Bournemouth Airport to Palma on July 30 and return on August 4, for £240 per person.

Corfu, Greece

For another Greek break, you could head to the Oasis Beach Club aparthotel in Corfu. The beach is just a short walk away, ideal for soaking up the sunshine.

As for the accommodation itself, there are 32 rooms as well as an outdoor freshwater pool for a dip and then a poolside bar and even BBQ facilities for when you want a bite and a tipple.

Then for families looking for an activity, there are also table tennis tables and darts at the hotel.

The centre of Kavos is a few minutes away as well, where you’ll find more restaurants, bars and cafes.

You’d fly from Manchester Airport to Corfu on July 31 and return on August 5, for £289 per person.

Tenerife, Spain

Or perhaps you want to go to Tenerife? Well, then you could book into Parque Carolina.

The apartment complex boasts its own pool and the beach is less than 500 metres away.

In the surrounding area, you can also head to a waterpark.

You’d fly from Glasgow Prestwick Airport to Tenerife South on August 26 and return on September 2, for £170 per person.

Victoria Vigors’ holiday of a lifetime was left in tatters at the airport

A family’s dream holiday costing £6,500 was left in tatters after they were turned away at the boarding gate. Victoria Vigors, 41, arrived at Gatwick Airport ready for their all-inclusive two-week break to Hurghada, Egypt.

Victoria, who was with children Riley, 15, and Roxie, nine, checked in online for their easyJet flight. But problems emerged when staff scanned their boarding passes at the gate and noticed Roxie’s passport didn’t meet Egypt’s entry requirements for remaining validity.

“My stomach dropped, and I felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach,” Victoria, from Kent, told creatorzine.com.

“The kids crumpled and I burst into tears. I begged the staff but there was nothing they could do. We had to be escorted back to get our luggage off the flight. It was so embarrassing.

“The kids were devastated, Roxie kept saying it was her fault and we were so disappointed. It was a really bad day.”

Victoria had saved up for two years for the trip, which she described as the “holiday of a lifetime”. The 41-year-old said it would have been their first two-week trip abroad together, and their first time staying at an all-inclusive resort.

Roxie’s passport expires on January 4, 2027. However, Victoria said she hadn’t realised that could still prevent travel. UK government foreign travel advice states British passport holders must have at least six months’ validity remaining from the date they arrive in Egypt.

Because Roxie’s passport did not meet that threshold, Victoria said the airline refused to let them board. She said she hadn’t known the rules and believed everything was in order.

“I wasn’t aware of the rules. I was given her passport the day before we flew by her dad. In my head, it was six months anyway, so I didn’t think there’d be an issue. For people like me who don’t always travel and it’s the first time with my children, I wasn’t to know.

“I would have thought when I put her passport details in to check in that would tell me it wasn’t valid. That would be a simple system to install so save this agony and heartbreak. It’s crazy.”

Victoria said the family is now trying to secure an emergency passport in the hope they can still get away for at least the final days of the trip, after being told they can’t get a refund.

“I’d been saving up for two years. We were incredibly excited as we’d never had a two-week holiday abroad together or been to a resort like this. It was going to be the holiday of a lifetime.”

‘Can you hear that?” my guide Andrea Wellmeyer asks as I sink a little deeper into the wet ground, cold mud seeping between my toes. When the wind drops, I detect a faint but distinct crackling, similar to the rustle of a sweet wrapper or the bubbling of sparkling water. “That’s the Wattknistern,” she says, “a natural phenomenon caused by the tens of thousands of mud shrimp that live here.”

We’re standing in the Wadden Sea mudflats on Norderney, an island just off Germany’s North Sea coast. It’s Friday evening at low tide. In the town centre, bars are pumping with music, but here, just 15 minutes along the southern edge of the island, it’s a completely different story.

“A lot of the flora and fauna is found under the surface,” Andrea says, showing me the tree-like tops of sand mason worm casings and the tips of marsh samphire growing upwards like tiny asparagus. Flipping over a cluster of wild oysters, she startles a crab that raises its pincers in the air before wriggling out of sight once more. Orange-beaked oystercatchers scurry back and forth on the exposed seabed and a pair of spoonbills wade gracefully through the shallow water beyond.

Norderney is one of the seven inhabited islands that make up the East Frisian islands (Ostfriesische Inseln) in Germany. The others are Borkum, Juist, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spiekeroog and Wangerooge. Stretching more than 50 miles from west to east, they are a popular holiday destination, known for their unique coastal landscapes and diverse wildlife, from grey seals and migrating birds to the creatures found in the mud.

Each island has its own identity, from upmarket Juist with its horse-drawn transport to the historic red brick houses of sleepy Spiekeroog; but all have vast sandy beaches, grassy dunes and tidal mudflats. The islands belong to the larger Wadden Sea Unesco world heritage site and have been part of the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea national park since its formation in 1986.

Norderney was one of the first German seaside resorts in the North Sea. Today, historic seaside villas and retreats founded on the health benefits of briny sea air sit next to modern hotels and restaurants, such as Inselloft Norderney and Michelin-recommended Oktopussy, where summer scallops come with a caramelised miso-cauliflower purée. My favourite spot quickly becomes Marienhöhe, a dune-top pavilion built more than 100 years ago, where I eat delicately battered fish with warm potato salad.

Despite being one of only two East Frisian islands where cars are permitted, the best way to explore Norderney is by bike. Leaving the town in the west, I zoom along the bike lanes that run through the dunes, stopping at a popular stretch of beach called Weiße Düne, before heading south towards the island’s tallest building, a lighthouse constructed between 1872 and 1874.

Soon after, roughly halfway across the island, I reach a sign that says I can’t go any further on my bike. This is a Ruhezone (quiet/restricted zone), a highly protected area where you can only walk on a couple of marked footpaths. A rusty shipwreck lies on the sand and seals bask in the sun at the far end.

There are strict rules governing access in several sections of the island, part of a quest to let nature be nature. Heading out with an official guide helps you see and learn more. Alongside Wattwanderungen (mudflat hikes), you can also book salt marsh walks, birding excursions and boat trips to see the seals. The newly renovated visitor centre at Norderney harbour also has extensive information about the local ecosystems.

My next stops are Spiekeroog and Langeoog, two calmer, car-free islands to the east. On Langeoog, I join a tour to learn more about the birds I have spotted over the last few days. “Many species need the Wadden Sea as the focal point of their migration, as a place to rest,” national park guide Fiona Wettstein says. “When they first arrive, they have completely burned through their fat reserves and practically drop down here.”

Setting off with bikes and binoculars, we spot red knots, redshanks, avocets and sandpipers, as well as squeaking lapwings with long crests and a short-eared owl swooping through the grasses. Geese with fluffy chicks in tow strut around the island, hissing loudly if you get too close. More than 10 million birds make a pit stop in the Wadden Sea every year, with spring and autumn the best time to see them. The shoulder season is also a good time to visit to avoid the summer holiday crowds.

I stay at Silt & Sand, a bright and airy design hotel just behind the dunes that opened last year. The expansive (almost 9-mile-long) beach on the other side is dotted with Strandkörbe, traditional hooded wicker armchairs found on beaches along the German coast.

Despite the chain layout of the islands and their close proximity to one another, it isn’t possible to “hop” between them. Instead, you have to return to the mainland and make your way along the coast to a different ferry terminal each time, the exception being Juist and Norderney, which have a shared departure point in Norddeich. It is possible to walk from the mainland to some of the islands at low tide, but only with a certified guide.

After my first few hours on Norderney, I give up on the weather forecast and start operating on a cloud by cloud basis instead, dark moody skies moving on as quickly as they appear. More reliable is the wind, churning the sea, bending the trees and blowing a fine mist of sand over the compact layer below. Having biked eastwards with ease, I’m met by a roaring resistance on my return, a fierce gust wrapping around my hat and prising it off.

“This connection to the elements is part of the experience,” says Andrea. “Your entire system is challenged and pushed out of its comfort zone, something that doesn’t happen so often these days,” she adds as we make our way back to the familiarity and ease of the town.

The trip was provided by Tourismus Marketing Niedersachsen and the German National Tourist Office. Doubles at Inselloft Norderney from €160 and at Silt & Sand from €141 room-only. Book ferries through individual websites: Norderney and Juist; Spiekeroog.

IF you’re yet to book your holiday this summer, then there are a bunch of islands that are set to be the next big thing.

Expedia has launched its 2026 Island Hot List list – not based on their temperatures, but the ones that are trending right now.

Expedia created its Island Hot List from the spots around the world that have seen the biggest increase in traveller interest between September 2025 and March of this year.

At the very top of that list, is beautiful St Lucia in the Caribbean.

Over the past year, the island has seen a huge 125 per cent increase in searches.

It’s no surprise really, as St Lucia is a tropical paradise with stunning scenery from jungles to volcanoes and its mix of white and black sand beaches.

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One Sun Writer who visited a few years ago hiked through its rainforests and sunbathed on the golden sands of Reduit Beach.

He added: “With beautiful scenery, indulgent food and plenty of adventure, it’s not hard to see why St Lucia has stolen the hearts of the young and old as well as families and honeymooners.”

For anyone who wants to visit, the best time to visit is between February to May – and there are some affordable winter packages.

It’s not just far-flung islands that topped the list – plenty in Europe did well too.

Second on the list is Porto Santo, a small Portuguese island in Madeira.

Expedia said it’s “a quieter alternative to Funchal and mainland Europe’s busiest beach destinations, known for its golden sands and relaxed pace.”

It’s been called a ‘golden oasis‘ by Visit Madeira and has enormous sandy beaches – despite being the smallest inhabited island on the archipelago.

It also has sea coves and the waters are great for diving and snorkelling.

To get to Porto Santo, Brits will have to fly directly to Funchal and then it’s a quick 25-minute flight to the neighbouring island.

Also in the top 10 is Syros, a Greek island that’s much lesser-known than its neighbour, Mykonos.

There’s lots to do there from exploring its main town of Ermoupoli, to the village of Kini, which is known for its seafood restaurants.

Of course there are plenty of beautiful beaches too.

It might not be the hot escape that’s usually associated with islands around the world, but the Lofoten Islands are a trip worth considering.

The Lofoten Islands is an archipelago consisting of roughly 80 islands in Norway.

The main islands include Austvågøya, Gimsøya, Vestvågøya, Flakstadøya, and Moskenesøya.

In fact the Lofoten Islands are so beautiful that with its frozen backdrop, colourful fishing villages, and craggy mountains that it’s said to have inspired the landscape for Disney‘s film Frozen.

From mid-May to the end of July, the sun doesn’t set there – it’s called Midnight Sun, when the sun doesn’t drop below the horizon.

Other islands soaring in demand include Praslin which is the second-largest island in the Seychelles.

Here, interest has increased by a whopping 80 per cent.

Here’s the full list of Expedia’s ‘Island Hot List 2026’…

1. St Lucia
2. Porto Santo, Madeira, Portugal
3. Praslin, Seychelles
4. Syros, Greece
5. Lofoten Islands, Norway
6. Palawan, Philippines
7. Culebra, Puerto Rico
8. Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
9. Phu Quoc, Vietnam
10. Fiji

WANT sun, sand and zero compromises this summer holiday? A solo break could be just the ticket.

As editor of 101 Singles Holidays, Tracey Davies is seeing more folk wanting to go away alone.

Skyscanner’s Global Travel Report shows an 83 per cent rise in bookings from the solo travel search filter compared to last year.

Want to go exploring on your own? Here are Tracey’s picks . . . 

A PASSAGE TO INDIA

Mercury Holidays’ ten-day Essence of North India for Solo Travellers tour is a great introduction to the country.

Take a rickshaw ride around Old Delhi, visit the “Pink City” of Jaipur and explore the historic Amber Fort.

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And right now, you can save £200 on the tour departing on 22 September.

GO: Essence of North India for Solo Travellers is £1,549, including flights, excursions and most meals.

See mercuryholidays.co.uk.

DIVE IN TO THE DOLOMITES

A solo holiday doesn’t always mean travelling alone.

HF Holidays specialises in group walking trips in the UK, Europe and further afield.

This summer, you can save £100 on its guided walking holiday in the Dolomites in northern Italy.

Staying at the charming Regina Elena hotel in Caderzone Terme, the week-long holiday includes scenic walks around the Genova Valley and day trips to Lake Garda and Lake Nero.

GO: Walking in the Dolomites & Lake Garda is now £1,349, including flights, guided walks and most meals.

Departs August 22.

See hfholidays.co.uk.

LIVE IT UP IN LATVIA

Regent Holidays’ five-day tour explores the Baltic capitals of Latvia and Lithuania.

Landing in Riga, you will spend two days exploring Latvia’s atmospheric capital, where a highlight is the food tour of the Central Market, housed in an old Zeppelin hangar.

Then take a first-class train ride to the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius and enjoy the delights of its Old Town, staying two nights in the music-themed Rock’n’Roll Hotel.

GO: The Discover Riga & Vilnius tour is from £990, including flights, transfers, a room with breakfast, first-class train ticket and guided tours.

See regent-holidays.co.uk.

MARVEL AT MARRAKECH

Bag a bargain in Marrakech with easyJet Holidays, staying at the Diwane Hotel, which has an onsite spa and a pool.

Shop in the souk, mooch around the Medina and see snake charmers in Jemaa el-Fnaa square.

GO: A four-night B&B Morocco holiday is from £402, including flights from Gatwick on August 25.

See easyJet.com/en/holidays.

GREEK GETAWAY

Solo travel specialist Friendship Travel hosts brilliant HouseParty holidays in destinations across the Med, including this one in Corfu.

Apollo Studios is a small and friendly hotel, just moments from the beach in Ipsos.

Relax by the pool or book a Jeep safari or sunset cruise.

It’s a great way to meet and mingle with like-minded folk.

GO: A seven-night break in early September is £1,070, including flights, transfers, a studio room, plus many meals.

See friendshiptravel.com.

ENGLISH RIVIERA ESCAPE

Bob along the gorgeous English Riviera with singles holiday specialist Solos on this three-night break based at the beachfront Mercure Paignton Hotel.

Enjoy a scenic steam train ride to Kingswear, potter around Dartmouth and relax on a cruise down the River Dart to Totnes.

GO: Half-board breaks in September are from £649, including dinner each night and excursions.

See solosholidays.com.

SOMETIMES all you want is a great nights sleep – enter The Akyra Bangkok 11.

Here’s everything you need to know about staying at the new Bangkok hotel (and rooms are as little as £40 a night).

Where is the hotel?

The hotel is in the Nana district of Bangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 11. It is a short drive to the city centre by taxi.

There is also a complimentary shuttle to the BTS Skytrain.

What is the hotel like?

Having only opened earlier this year, it feels extremely fresh and new. It’s simple in design, but still feels like a boutique hotel.

From the outside, it is unassuming – on the inside it is clean designs with a touch of warmth.

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Akaryn Hotel Group founder Anchalika Kijkanakorn said: “We designed it as a place where people can connect with each other and with themselves while still enjoying the pulse and possibilities of Bangkok.”

What are the rooms like?

The hotel’s ethos is to offer the best night sleep – with loads of features within the 100 rooms.

This means blackout curtain and even a “sleep butler” night time ritual.

My Deluxe room had a very comfortable king size bed, as well as a Smart TV, hair dryers, dressing gowns and a coffee making station.

Even in the muggy heat of Bangkok, I slept so well thanks to the easy-to-use air conditioning and the quiet location of the hotel.

Rooms start from THB 1870 (£41). See aleenta.com/akyra-bangkok.

Upgrade to Club and get early check in, late check out and a free evening drink and snacks.

What is there to eat and drink there?

The hotel restaurant E/R/N is where you will find everything from breakfast to dinner.

The extensive breakfast menu ranged from unique fantastic coffees to smoothies, as well as acai bowls and egg Florentine.

Dinner is Med inspired – I was seriously impressed by the massive juicy scallops, as well as my fruity house cocktail.

What else can you do there?

Wellness experiences can be booked for in your room, including massages and relaxing evening rituals.

You can also book experiences with the hotel from street food tours to canal boat trips.

Deals include free IV drips when staying two nights or more, or free signature experiences when staying three nights or more.

Make sure you save time for a dip in the swimming pool too.

Is it family friendly?

The hotel has 18, two-bedroom family rooms with interconnected access.

Is the hotel accessible?

Yes, there is lift access and accessible rooms with more spacious layouts.

A SPRAWLING new bounce house dubbed the “world’s biggest” has opened in a major UK city – and it’s just in time for the school holidays.

This is the first time the attraction has made an appearance in the country.

The world’s biggest bounce house, Mega Bounce, debuted in Brentwood Village, Essex, on July 18, and is set to remain open until August 31.

The sprawling new site spans more than 270,000 sq ft and features obstacle zones, giant characters, dedicated bounce areas and inflatable slides – all in one location.

This marks the touring attraction’s first appearance in the UK, having initially launched in Dubai more than 10 years ago.

Guests can enjoy unlimited access to Mega Bounce during 60-minute slots, with an all ages session running from 11am to 7pm everyday, complete with party music, DJs and festival-style food.

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For those wanting a more relaxing experience, a quiet session will also be offered between 10am to 11am, featuring a lower-capacity environment without music or announcements.

Lastly, for adults wanting to escape the kids, Mega Bounce will also host 18+ slots from 7pm to 9pm, with a bar offering a full range alcoholic drinks.

Josef O’Sullivan, centre director at Braintree Village, said: “We are thrilled to unveil a first look at the Mega Bounce making its UK debut, right here at Braintree Village.

“Feedback from last night’s media preview was overwhelmingly positive, with guests describing Mega Bounce as a standout attraction that brings something genuinely fresh and unmissable to Essex this summer.”

General admission tickets are priced at £18 each, although a booking fee is payable per ticket.

Children must also be at least one meter tall to join in on the fun, and aged five years or above.

Travelling on a sleeper bus might not be a comfortable journey, but one woman was pleasantly surprised by her entire experience when she went from Amsterdam to Zurich

We’re always on the lookout for cheap travel, given the fact we’re still in a cost of living crisis. Recently a woman travelled from the UK to Spain without flying and left everyone surprised by the total cost.

Claire’s Footsteps is known for her travel content where she shares low-budget alternatives for holidays. And after she trekked from London to Malaga without stepping foot on a flight, she decided to take things to another level by boarding Europe’s first sleeper bus. Now we know what you’re thinking – a sleeper bus surely can’t be that comfortable, well you’ll be surprised. Claire rode the bus from the Netherlands to Switzerland where she enjoyed complimentary Wi-Fi and a full reclined sleep for a decent snooze.

The traveller recently posted a video on her Instagram and TikTok pages to give viewers a genuine insight into what the trip is really like.

Inside Europe’s First Lie-Flat Sleeper Bus Experience

Travelling from Amsterdam to Zurich overnight can set you back between €29 and €160+ (roughly £25 to £136) per person one-way, depending on your chosen level of comfort.

The direct ÖBB Nightjet (train NJ402/NJ403) leaves Amsterdam Central at around 20:30 and pulls into Zurich HB the following morning at 08:20.

In the clip, she began: “I’m about to take this business class lie flat sleeper bus from Amsterdam to Zurich. This is the Twilighter Europe’s first sleeper bus with seats that you can fully recline and get a good night’s sleep on.”

Describing the journey in detail, Claire continued: “I boarded the coach and we headed south through to Netherlands, I was given a bag with my bedding and had a look at the seat functions which had tray tables and charging facilities.

“Downstairs there’s a toilet and a separate changing room with atmosphere lighting and luxury soap, plus a snack bar with free tea and coffee.

“There is also complimentary Wi-Fi which stayed strong throughout my whole journey. I headed back to my seat to make my bed up for the night, all you need to do here is press two buttons to fully recline.”

Claire finally settled in and stretched out flat on the bus, ready to enjoy a decent night’s sleep. She said your seatbelts must remain fastened through your entire sleep and there’s a bag specifically for your feet to stay secured.

Affordable Eco-Friendly Travel: The Final Verdict

Then after catching up on some sleep, Claire woke up to find herself in Switzerland.

She continued: “I woke up in Switzerland and headed back downstairs to refresh and grab a coffee and all too soon we arrived in Zurich and it was time to disembark.”

Concluding her post, Claire issued an honest verdict about the trip and scored it a 9.5 out of 10.

In the comments section, people rushed to ask her for the guide on the adventure, while others said it was “amazing” and “looked great”.

Someone was intrigued by the bathroom situation as a person queried: “Was the toilet clean and do you have to queue up?” To the person’s surprise, Claire said the loo was spotless with “no queues”.

In terms of the sleeping situation, Claire “slept well throughout”.

A BELOVED ferry that has been connecting a remote island to UK mainland is preparing to make its final voyage after 49 years.

The Scillonian III began sailing between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly back in 1977.

It will make its last trip in November before being sold. A replacement vessel is almost near completion in Vietnam, according to the BBC.

During its near 50- year stint on the water it has helped transport people to the stunning island, which has been known for its Maldives- style beaches.

A trip on the boat from Penzance to St Mary’s will take around 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The trip can cost up to £115 if you book in August. It drops to around £77 if you book in September or October.

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It’s the third ship to bear the name The Scillonian and it is operated by The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group.

The 223ft boat has sailed the same route more than 10,000 times and welcomed its five millionth passenger on board two years ago.

“This ship is part of the furniture in Penzance and has a really special place in people’s hearts,” the group’s chief Stuart Reid told the outlet.

“Some people have been working on board all of their working life.”

“When she does sail off into the sunset for a new adventure, all of us will certainly be a little bit sad,” he added.

The new Scillonian IV entered the sea trials phase just a few weeks back and is expected to make its way to the UK this winter.

Once complete, the new boat will carry up to 600 people, a 24% increase on current levels and also reduce journey time.

There are few pastimes more relaxing than messing about on the river. Whether it’s paddling along an urban waterway, navigating a historic canal in a narrowboat, spotting the wildlife on an estuary walk, or a towpath bike ride, we’d love to hear how you like to spend time on your favourite river or canal in the UK or Ireland.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

The competition closes on Monday 27 July at 10am BST

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

Read the terms and conditions here

If you’re having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.

A VERY popular destination in Italy has permanently banned tourist coaches.

The announcement comes after a fatal crash in 2023 – but locals aren’t happy about the changes.

The ban will affect villages along the Amalfi Coast where coaches often take tourists up the steep and windy paths.

The two roads that will be under the ban are the SR 373 which connects Ravello to Scala, and the SR 366 linking Agerola to Amalfi.

The new rules have been implemented following a crash in 2023.

The incident was on the SR 373 and resulted in the death of driver when his tourist bus broke through the barrier on a hairpin bend on the road.

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Afterwards, the regional government temporarily stopped vehicles heavier than five tons from the road.

Now, the Province of Salerno has signed a total and permanent ban on all these large vehicles – including tourists buses.

The nearby village of Ravello which sits high on a hilltop at over 1,000 feet has since opposed the ban.

For years, coaches have ferried visitors up winding roads to the village, and the ban has not been well-received as it heavily relies on tourism.

Instead, it has asked for road repairs, speed limits and permission for service vehicles and public transit to use the roads.

Talking about the ban, Paolo Vuilleumier, the mayor of Ravello, said: “It is unsustainable and doesn’t take into account the dramatic repercussions it will have on the community. 

“Blocking scheduled vehicles means denying the right to mobility to students, workers and residents, as well as decreeing a total halt to international tourism that chooses our destination.”

Ravello is often considered the quieter neighbour to Amalfi and Positano but still sees around three million visitors each year.

THE UK’s most popular paid-for attraction in the UK is about to get a huge glow up costing millions.

Dating back over 1,000 years, the Tower of London has revealed plans for some huge new additions.

As part of the £70million project, the Tower will open new community spaces as well as two learning centres.

According to the BBC, the Waterloo Block – which is home to the Crown Jewels – will be turned into a three-storey learning centre, with a broadcast studio and sensory room.

There will be a new ‘green classroom’ as well, which will be located in the Tower’s moat.

The new facilities will mean that the Tower can handle 200,000 people a year, up from 125,000.

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The historic attraction’s architectural archive will be opened to the public as well, which includes more than 25,000 drawings of designs, the building and conservation work.

Once the project is complete, there will be workshops led by actors in costume as well as live broadcasts in the Tower.

The scheme, which is dubbed ‘Tomorrow’s Tower’, will take place over a year.

Though an exact date for when works will take place has not yet been revealed.

Brigadier Andrew Jackson, governor of the Tower of London, said: “For over a thousand years, the Tower has been many things — fortress, palace, prison and garrison – but throughout its history it has always brought people together.

“By opening up new spaces for learning, community and discovery, we are ensuring the Tower’s stories continue to resonate, reaching more classrooms, more communities and the millions of people from around the world who visit each year, while carefully protecting what makes this extraordinary place so special.”

The Tower of London attracts more than three million tourists a year, making it the most popular pay-to-visit attraction in the country.

It was even named the top tourist attraction for people heading to London by a study conducted by Travelodge.

WHETHER you fancy a retro 80’s disco weekender, a relaxing spa staycation, or a cocktail masterclass and overnight stay – we’ve found your next British break.

Best Western has launched a massive wave of budget-friendly summer staycation and hotel deals across the UK.

Click below to browse all Best Western hotels offering free breakfast, from gorgeous country manors to bustling cities across the UK.

To sweeten the deal, if you lock in your getaway before July 31, you can bag a FREE breakfast with your break at selected hotels.

Best Western has 200+ hotels across the UK. Click here to browse which ones are offering free breakfast.

To make a proper weekend of it, the hotel group have also rolled out their exclusive ‘GEM’ packages – which stands for Great Escapes, Memorable Stays.

Instead of just booking a hotel room, these thoughtfully crafted breaks combine your stay and food with unique activities perfect for couples or families.

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To save you the scrolling, we’ve tracked down some of the best value hotel packages on offer right now.

From dancing the night away at 80’s weekenders to serene wellness stays by the sea, here are our top Best Western staycations to book this summer.

Seaside escape to Bournemouth

Explore the best of Bournemouth and indulge in some serious pampering with a three-night escape to BW Signature Collection Hotel Collingwood.

This glamorous hotel also packs in the perks with a 24-hour hop-on, hop-off bus ticket so you can cruise around the seaside town easily.

When you aren’t out exploring, you’ll have unlimited access to the heated pool, sauna, and hydrotherapy facilities at the on-site Eden Spa – plus a generous 25% discount to use on treatments.

Not only this, but you’ll also enjoy a delicious three-course dinner in the evening and a hearty Full English breakfast in the morning – plus access to the classy Bubble Lounge Bar for a late-night cocktail.

Stay from £180 per night (for two)

Swing and Stay golf break at Southcrest Manor Hotel, Redditch

If your idea of a perfect weekend involves playing on a championship fairway before soaking in a hydrotherapy hot tub, this one’s for you.

The “Swing & Stay” deal gets two people onto the greens of the prestigious Redditch Golf Club for a full 18-hole round, with the flexibility to play on either your arrival or departure day.

Once you’ve finished playing you can retreat to this grand 1901 manor house, which sits inside 10 acres of gorgeous countryside grounds. The package also includes access to the hotel’s spa, which has infrared saunas to soothe those aching arms.

Wake up to a cracking breakfast in the morning, and tuck into delicious cakes and traditional afternoon tea at the on-site Laura Ashley Tea Room.

Stay from £238 per night (for two)

VIP Jazz and Blues Festival break, Birmingham

This VIP package lets you drink your weight in bottomless Prosecco while live jazz bands play right in front of you but instead of standing in the crowds, you’ll be lounging in reserved VIP seats for an in-house hotel performance from Birmingham‘s Jazz & Blues Festival.

You won’t even have to stand up to get a refill, thanks to a personal waiter serving bottomless Prosecco, draught lager, and wine for a glorious two-hour window.

Stay at a grand 1704 Victorian mansion in leafy Edgbaston: Best Western’s Plough & Harrow Hotel. And of course enjoy that cooked breakfast in the morning.

After enjoying the music and drinks, you can chill out on the garden terrace or catch a quick tram into the city centre to explore.

Stay from £166.95 per night (for two)

Cocktail Masterclass and countryside escape, Canterbury

Countryside manor Abbots Barton Hotel in Canterbury is swapping traditional quiet country weekends for something with a bit more kick.

With Best Western’s ‘Art of Mixology Escape’ package, you’ll check into a gorgeous hotel surrounded by two acres of stunning, manicured lawns before heading out into Canterbury.

Guests will then step into The John in Canterbury for a hands-on cocktail masterclass. A welcome glass of bubbly gets the session started, and you’ll soon be shaking and stirring your own custom creations.

The deal also lines your stomach with a fresh stone-baked pizza dinner at the hotel, and includes a full English breakfast the next morning.

Stay from £229.49 per night (for two)

80’s party night – The Hatfield Hotel, Lowestoft

Dust off your neon leg warmer for Lowestoft‘s 80’s party weekend. The event takes place over the weekend of September 26–27, and you can secure a free ticket by booking this stay with Best Western.

Stay at the seafront Hatfield Hotel and spend Saturday night on the dance floor boogieing to DJ Chica’s 80’s playlist.

The night is packed with everything from rock and roll anthems to cheesy power ballads.

Your booking covers your event ticket, a double room right at the seafront hotel and a free cooked breakfast the next morning.

Stay from £103.68 per night (for two)

Prices correct at the time of publication.

He said choosing the wrong option could automatically add 10 per cent to what you should be paying

A travel expert has warned Brits going away that they are going to be ‘ripped off’ unless they make the right decision when paying for things on holiday. Simon Calder, who is a travel expert at the Telegraph, said it was essential that people going away paid for things in the local currency rather than pounds if they were using their credit card.

He said choosing the wrong option could automatically add 10 per cent to what you should be paying. It is something which catches out many travellers, with people unsure of which option to choose when given the choice between paying in pounds or the local currency.

Mr Calder explained why you should choose pounds, and why it can cost you if you choose the wrong option. He said: “Just at the start of the summer rush, I need to warn people about dynamic currency conversion.

“You’re in a foreign country, you’ve got your credit card, you come to pay, the shop assistant, the waiter says, ‘Okay, here’s the card terminal and look, do you want to pay in Euros or in good old British pounds?’

“And you might be tempted for thinking, ‘Well, I’ll pay in Sterling of course, then I’ll know how much it costs’. The one thing you will know is that you are going to be ripped off to the tune of typically 10 per cent.

“So, on a £20 lunch, you pay an extra £2, which you will never get back. Leave it for the waiter instead. So, just remember, paying by credit card, always pay in local currency.”

Withdrawing money abroad

The dynamic currency conversion (DCC) that Mr Calder is warning people about is also a topic money-saving expert Martin Lewis has discussed. However, he used a similar example at ATMs, urging people to use the local currency when abroad.

He said that when an ATM or card terminal enquires whether you wish to pay in pounds or euros, it is essentially asking you who should perform the currency conversion.

“If it’s euros, do you want your card company to do the conversion? If it’s pounds, we will do the conversion for you and then charge your card,” Martin said.

According to consumer group Which?, DCC permits foreign retailers and ATM operators to convert a transaction into pounds at the point of sale, yet the exchange rates on offer are frequently far worse than those provided by banks and card issuers.

Mr Lewis even warned that ATMs abroad often try to convince the individual to use pounds due to the unfavourable exchange rate and even added withdrawal fees.

“I want euros, please. Are you sure? We won’t do the conversion. Are you absolutely sure? Yes, I want euros,” he said. “The ATM… they are desperate to persuade you to let them do the conversion because they make a lot of money from it.”

IF you were planning to head to the capital this weekend, you might want to check your train journey.

London will see two train stations close this week for major revamps.

Both Charing Cross and Waterloo East train stations will close on Sunday, July 26, for three weeks.

The two stations, which handle millions of passengers between them each year, will undergo a £20million glow-up.

The stations will then both reopen on August 16.

Across the 22-day closure, all services will be cancelled, with commuters instead having to go to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Cannon Street, or London Blackfriars for alternative services.

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Upgrades include structural repairs to the 175-year-old Hungerford Bridge, which trains head over the River Thames on.

Later this year there will also be two weekend closures – one between August 22 and 23 and another between October 10 and 11.

Travellers will be able to use tickets on alternative routes including the Underground and buses, for no extra charge during the closure period.

Scott Brightwell, train services director at Southeastern Railway, previously said: “The £20 million investment we are delivering will see 1990s track and platforms upgraded to make journeys safer and more reliable, and Victorian- era structures strengthened to remain fit for the future.

“By consolidating the work into a 22-day closure, supported by preparation and follow-up weekends, we can complete the work more quickly and with less disruption overall than the alternative options of 60 weekend closures or four to five, nine-day closures.”

He added: “We have planned the closure for the summer, when passenger numbers are around 20 per cent lower and schools are closed, to help manage the impact on customers.”

Travellers are urged to plan ahead and check before they travel.

IF you’re planning to jet away this summer, Amazon has got the perfect cabin bag.

The bargain buy can fit everything you need for your trip away and is now cheaper than ever.

Amazon shoppers can now pick up the Flymax Carry-on Suitcase for just £16.69.

Weighing just 1.3kg, this luggage offers a whopping 33 litre capacity so you can bring all your summer holiday essentials.

It comes in black, blue, light blue, green, red, grey, and purple, and features one main compartment, a large front pocket, a side grab handle, skate wheels, and a telescopic handle.

And as well as saving on the price, you are also guaranteed to avoid any dreaded baggage fees as this case is designed specifically for easyJet’s 45x36x20 free hand luggage allowance.

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It also fits within the guidelines for other major airlines such as British Airways, Jet 2, British Airways, Virgin.

The case can also be carried on to Emirates, Vueling, Lufthansa, Klm, Wizz Air, Tui, Qatar, and Gulf flights.

Shoppers will want to be quick to nab this limited-time deal, which is valid until Saturday, August 1.

This cabin bag includes a one-year manufacture warranty.

With the summer holidays set to be one of the busiest travel periods, everyone needs to be aware of the different rules when it comes to taking a nifty gadget on board flights

Before jetting off abroad this summer, it’s vital to understand the little-known gadget rule that varies by airline.

For most of us, packing a power bank for our holiday is top of the list, whether it’s to use at the airport or while exploring a new city. But there are strict rules for carrying the nifty gadget onboard.

Earlier this year, the International Civil Aviation Organisation amended its rules on passengers carrying power banks, along with lithium cells or batteries, onboard any aircraft. The changes came into effect on 27 March, limiting how travellers pack and use their power banks, with a cap on the number that can be taken on board.

The amended rules from the ICAO stated that power banks:

• Must be carried in carry‑on baggage
• Must be individually protected when not in use
• Must not be recharged on board the aircraft
• Should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices on board the aircraft
• Maximum of two power banks per person

There have been various reports of power banks causing hazardous issues onboard, with safety experts at the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) explaining that lithium batteries found in power banks can be dangerous on planes, primarily because they can enter “thermal runaway.” This is a process in which a battery experiences a rapid, uncontrollable temperature surge, potentially leading to fires, explosions, and the release of toxic fumes.

In accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation rules, most airlines allow passengers to carry two power banks per person on board. However, they cannot be used during the flight and must be taken on board in their hand luggage.

What airlines allow two power banks?

• Asiana Airlime
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• China Airlines
• easyJet
• EVA Air
• Jet2
• Lufthansa
• Korean Air
• Loganair
• Qantas
• Ryanair
• Singapore Airlines
• Starlux Airlines
• TUI Airways
• United
• Vietnam Airlines
• Wizz Air

While these airlines allow two power banks on board, they also outline their own additional rules, including the permitted watt-hours and the required device condition. So it’s vital to check your airline’s specific power bank rules before jetting off abroad.

What airlines only allow one power bank?

While most airlines allow travellers to take two power banks on board, Emirates restricts customers to just one power bank per person. They state that it must be under 100 watt-hours, carried in hand luggage, and cannot be used to charge devices on board.

The airline also outlines that the power bank should not be placed in the overhead lockers, but must be placed in the seat pocket or in a bag underneath the seat in front. For full details on Emirates’ power bank rules, visit their website.

What airlines allow more than two power banks?

Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic permits passengers to carry up to five power banks or spare batteries per person. However, it depends significantly on their watt-hour (Wh) rating.

They also need to be stored in hand luggage and cannot be used during the flight. For full details on Virgin Atlantic’s power bank restrictions, visit their website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

ANOTHER family missed their flights home and were forced to spend nearly £2,000 due to massive airport queues abroad.

Matthew Wilson, his wife and their son were travelling home to Manchester from Milan back in April.

They were returning to the UK after a nine-night holiday when they got stuck huge passport queues due to the new European entry rules.

Talking to the iPaper, Matthew said that despite easily getting through security, they were then stuck in another queues for 90 minutes, in which they only moved about 10m in that time.

Frustratingly, he family were then told by ground staff that their luggage had been removed from the plane as the flight was going to depart while they still stuck in the queue.

They were then forced to wait three hours before easyJet, who the family were flying with, offered the family a flight back home – but this was six days later than the original flight.

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Rather than waiting, Matthew spent £1,969 on new flights from Barcelona, taxis, food and accommodation.

This was on top of the money they had already paid on the flight they missed which had cost £377.

Not only that, but their travel insurance provider also said they were unable to recuperate his costs.

Matthew said: “It was very stressful – we will think twice before travelling in Europe again.”

The airport operator apologised, adding that EES “requires more complex operations than before and longer processing times”.

Not only that, but it said that on the day the Wilsons were due to fly home (April 12), there were malfunctions at the automatic gates due to issues connecting to the border systems.

This resulted in “particularly long waiting times” as passengers had to be manually checked at passport control.

The Wilsons weren’t the only ones to miss their flight on this day – in fact 100 easyJet passengers were left behind in Milan Linate Airport.

The flight to Manchester had been held for nearly an hour “but it had to then depart due to crew reaching their safety regulated operating hours”, explained easyJet.

There have been warnings over wait times because of EES – and it’s only set to get worse.

Rafael Schvartzman – the vice-president for Europe at the International Air Transport Association (Iata) – warned queue times could stretch to as much as six hours this summer.

Mr Schvartzman said: “What we are seeing is a very hard risk of really challenging times or waiting times, talking about expectations of three, four, five, six hours which is unacceptable.

“We know for a fact there are many cases where people have lost flights or their connectivity.”