A summer holiday often includes navigating airports at a time of peak season madness and then flying off to share a crowded beach with thousands of other getaway tourists.

Although it is easy to book flights, cars and hotels through online services offered by companies such as American Express travel you can also use your credit card for more unusual and alternative ideas.

In the past whole generations of British holidaymakers would simply enjoy what the UK has to offer.  So when it comes to choosing the perfect alternative summer holiday it might surprise you to know that there are many ways to explore the UK and enjoy a really unique experience.

Destinations

When it comes to having a wealth of different landscapes and terrain, the UK is hard to beat as a tourist destination, which is one of the reasons so many people visit the country from overseas.

The individual history of the British Isles ranges from the Neolithic Stonehenge to the more recent architecture of the Victorian Age, right through to modern attractions such as the London Eye and The Shard.

However, getting off the beaten tourist track is where the really alternative gems lie.

Transport

Choosing an unusual method of transport helps access experiences that might otherwise pass you by. The main railway commuter routes are a great way of getting from place to place quickly, but there is little excitement or romance involved.

Fortunately the UK has many so called ‘project railways’ that can take you back to a bygone time of the steam trains. These lines are often run by enthusiasts for love rather than profit, and examples such as The Bluebell Line in Sussex are a delightful way to explore a locality.

Canals

The interlocking network of canals that runs through much of England’s heartland is another great legacy of the Victorian Age. Travelling by barge is a truly unique way to see the countryside from literally a different angle and hiring a canal boat is both a mode of transport and also overnight accommodation.

A canal holiday doesn’t just mean being in rural areas as most of the old industrial centres of major cities including Manchester, Birmingham and London are included on the networks. In fact, a great deal of regeneration has happened in recent years meaning the canal districts of most cities are some of the most interesting and vibrant.