16-25 Railcard's definitive guide to staycationing this summer

To help you decide where to go over the next few months, 16-25 Railcard has teamed up with award winning** independent UK travel journalist, David Atkinson, who regularly writes for Wanderlust, CNN Traveller and several national newspapers, to give you a guide to the top five places to get away to this summer, all within easy reach by train.

David comments: “Not going abroad doesn’t mean you should have any less fun this summer. The UK has an amazing array of vibrant, fun and exciting places to visit, and by taking advantage of practical money-saving tools like the 16-25 Railcard, you can do it all without breaking the bank. Let’s just hope that the predictions ring true and we get that barbecue summer this year.”

Newquay
The surf capital of Cornwall has been a beacon for waxheads since the British Surfing Association first formed there in 1966. Today there are heaps of surf schools operating on the swell-washed beaches and lots of good-value hostels to crash in on a weekend surf binge.

Watergate Bay is a top place for beginners, with a two-mile sandy beach and good low-tide conditions, while Fistral Bay is the best-known beach in Britain for fast waves and big swells. Sign up for a half-day class (around £30) and you'll be on your feet within two hours.

Newquay's nightlife has always been a bit more brazen than your average Cornish fishing village, but some cool new openings are moving the vibe away from stag parties to a more sophisticated night out. Top-name DJs now regularly spin headline sets at the clubs.

So dive in. Besides, nothing clears a bad head like an early-morning dip in the swell.

Brighton
Free-spirited Brighton is a perennial favourite for its combination of funky places to stay, eat and party - all a short train ride from London. It's compact but packed with a sense of cosmopolitan culture, from the thriving gay scene to the best vegetarian food in the southeast. Check out Zilli’s, a seafood restaurant within the cool myhotel Brighton.

The essential Brighton trip include fish n' chips and fairground rides on Brighton Pier, followed by paddling along the peddle beach. For something more cultural, the redevelopment of the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery showcases fashion, style and 20th century art. Otherwise, just head for The Lanes and indulge in some serious browsing with around 350 quirky, independent boutiques and cafés.

By night, Brighton comes alive with a clubbing scene to rival anywhere in the UK. Fatboy Slim still lives here and can be found DJing south coast beach parties, while bands like the Go! Team and the Kooks have broken through from the local gig circuit.


Edinburgh
Stately Edinburgh may at first appear a little more serious and reserved than its gregarious cousin, Glasgow, but give it time. The huge student population (there’s no less than three universities within the city) keeps a lively urgency, the cultural attractions are truly cosmopolitan, and the pub scene unrivalled.

In August the Edinburgh Festival engulfs the city with a cultural tsunami. The Festival spans several concurrent events, including the International Festival, The Fringe Festival and Edinburgh Book Festival. Think free street performances by day, bands and theatre by night, before ending up at Late and Live, a late-night Fringe favourite for a few beers and a chance to catch big-name comedians in an off-duty performance.

Manchester
These days Manchester positively glows with civic pride. The erstwhile industrial capital of the north was reborn after the 2002 Commonwealth Games and, today, is all cool hotels, buzzing bars and stylish restaurants.

It hasn't forgotten its roots, though. The Old Grapes, co-owned by Liz Dawn, better known as Vera Duckworth from Coronation Street, still serves a decent pint of Boddingtons.

For the hippest hang-outs, head for the boho-chic Northern Quarter with its slew of bars and boutiques. Check out Afflecks Palace for vintage gear and make time for a swiftie at Odd Bar, an award winning bar that is, well, ‘odd’ in its appearance, but offers a fantastic selection of beverages from around the world.

This summer's hot ticket is the Manchester International Festival, running July 2 to 19, which features Prima Donna, the debut opera by Rufus Wainwright, amongst others. For a place to crash, try Velvet, the new boutique hotel just opened in the Canal District, where the decor is supremely louche. Rufus will love it.

Cardiff
The Welsh capital is currently a huge building site with the sprawling St Davids 2 development opening up a mass temple of retail in October. To escape the cranes, catch the Aquabus water taxi over to Cardiff Bay for some sun-kissed strolling around Mermaid Quay. Grab some food or check out the Dr Who Up Close exhibition in the Red Dragon Centre. They may even be filming the new series of Torchwood by the Wales Millennium Centre.

To accompany the urban renaissance, Cardiff has seen an explosion of cool new places to stay, eat and drink. Jolyons Hotel in Cardiff Bay has budget-boutique accommodation and serves great pizzas downstairs in Bar Cwtch. Check out 10 Feet Tall a hip venue over four floors for food, drinks and performances, and Glo, a chilled-out cafe-bar for coffees, tapas and DJs.

The quintessential night out, however, remains a trip to Clwb Ifor Bach, which started as a venue for Welsh-language bands and has survived the Cool Cymru backlash. Drop in to catch the next big thing before anyone else even knows about them. Tidy.

16-25 Railcard
For only £26 a year, the 16-25 Railcard offers holders aged between 16 and 25 an epic 1/3 off the price of adult train tickets. Also available, online only, is the 3-Year Railcard for just £65, which saves cardholders an extra £13 on the cost of renewing for three consecutive years.

Aside from saving money on travel, there are now a number of high-profile Railcard partner companies from which 16-25 Railcard holders can get great offers and savings on food, accommodation, film and days out. With big names across the variety of sectors, there are amazing deals guaranteed to appeal to everyone.

* Source: The Guardian, 22.05.09 **Best Guidebook, British Guild of Travel Writers Members' Awards, 2007.

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Notes to editors:

• 16-25 Railcard partners currently include: Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Express by Holiday Inn, YHA, Bella Italia, Caffe Uno, STA Travel, Mobyko, Orange, LoveFilm, Toptable, Howies
• A 16-25 Railcard is for ages 16 to 25 (plus some mature students)
• 16-25 Railcard holders saved an average of £127 on rail fares in 2008/09
• Visit www.railcard.co.uk for more information
• All Railcards cost £26.00 and can be purchased online or at your local station ticket office

For more information please contact Richard Wisniewski or
Anna Corfield at Clarion Communications on 020 7479 0910