With almost half of Londoners not having taken a holiday this year and two thirds having their planned getaway cancelled, new research has revealed that Londoners are now turning to the humble road trip getaway.

The majority of holiday-seeking Londoners are looking to stay in the UK for a summer break but are only prepared to travel an average of 98 miles – shorter than the distance of the M25! While Londoners are keen to stay the closest to home throughout the nation, Zipcar UK has put together the ultimate list of hotspots and hidden gems for those summer road trips.

With over a third (38%) of Londoners choosing a beachy getaway for their UK road trip, the iconic Brighton Beach can be reached in 82 miles, while you can find yourself in Kent’s Botany Bay in a bit less travel time with 78 miles. While a fifth of Londoners were keen to head to the mountains, they’ll be hard pressed to get there as the nearest peak is Pen y Fan in Wales at 182 miles.

Another fifth were keen for some camping and The Cotswolds can be reached well within Londoner’s limits with a journey of about 84 miles. For those wanting to stick down South, you can get yourself to New Forest in 82 miles. Campervan insurance specialists Comfort Insurance have also highlighted an increasing search trend for UK staycations and have reported 73% of UK adults plant to holiday within the UK once lockdown restrictions have eased

Over a third preferred the idea of a quaint cottage getaway with Winchester (68 miles), Oxford (56 miles) and even Isle of Wight (97 miles) making it within Londoner’s limits.

Visiting a well-known UK gem was also on the top of a lot of Londoner’s wish lists and while Stonehenge can be reached with 88 miles, Brits will be missing out on the Snowdon peaks as that will take more than double a Londoner’s limits at around 246 miles. Shakespeare’s birthplace of Stratford-Upon-Avon will also be just out of reach for Londoners with a journey of 101 miles. Many will also miss out on trip to the kooky tourist hotspot of The Smallest House in Great Britain as that’s about 259 miles away! A third of Londoners also chose the Lake District as a popular destination to visit but they will be falling short of making the road trip by around 171 miles.

TOP DESTINATIONS YOU CAN REACH FROM LONDON IN 98 MILES

• A quaint cottage getaway in Isle of Wight (97 miles)
• Camping in The Cotswolds (84 miles)
• A woodlands adventure in New Forest (82 miles)
• A beachy break in Botany Bay (78 miles)
• The iconic tourist attraction of Stonehenge (88 miles)
• A historical visit to Hastings (72 miles)
• An architectural trip to Oxford (56 miles)
• An old-fashioned seaside trip to Margate (77 miles)
• A royal visit to Warwick Castle (96 miles)
• A trip to the cathedral city of Canterbury (62 miles)

TOP DESTINATIONS YOU CAN’T REACH FROM LONDON WITHIN 98 MILES

• Stratford-Upon-Avon (101 miles)
• Bournemouth Beach (108 miles)
• Durdle Door (120 miles)
• Devon (174 miles)
• Lake District (261 miles)
• Brownsea Island (127 miles)
• Bath (115 miles)
• Norfolk Coast Path (124 miles)
• The Wash National Nature Reserve (117 miles)
• Brecon Beacons (174 miles)

The research also revealed that 2020 is not the year for city breaks, as Londoners aim to avoid crowded, built-up areas with over a third citing that they would be nervous to do so due to the virus.

However, many will certainly need their Sat Nav. Although Brighton Seafront ranked fifth in the top 20 most visited places in the UK, a worrying 43% didn’t recognise the infamous Brighton Pavilion destination as being in England.

The survey also identified Londoners’ best and worst road trip companions, with Michelle Obama topping the list for the ultimate passenger seat pal, while they won’t be frequenting Barnard Castle anytime soon as a certain Mr. Cummings was the least favourite choice.