The great British summertime can usually be summarised thus: grabbing our over-packed Samsonites and fleeing towards the nearest available plane out of the UK. And yet a new study proves that, rather than hot-foot it to Hvar or endure a 10-hour flight to Antigua, 55% of adults will stay put in the UK this summer, pumping £17billion into the economy.

Those 55% are on to something, because we now have more than we could ever need on our own doorstep – this summer alone, you’ll find world-renowned culture at the 70th anniversary of Edinburgh Fringe Festival, cult US hotels and restaurants opening in London’s Shoreditch (howdy, Nobu Hotel and Harlem’s Red Rooster) and 300 artists from 30 countries flying in for Bristol’s Upfest street art and graffiti festival. From the fashion elite decamping to Soho Farmhouse to the coastal havens of Margate and Fife, Britain is vacation cool.

There’s a loyalty factor involved too. More than a third of us specifically say that we want to holiday at home this year to support the British economy over Brexit. And there’s a comfort factor too – wanting to seek the familiar after the untold political upheaval of the snap election and its surprising results as well as the many national tragedies we’ve recently endured. “Whenever we’re going through a period that feels traumatic and changeable we seek reassurance,” explains psychologist Dr Megan Arroll. And that means sticking to home soil.

Staying at home reminds us of simpler times too: seaside holidays as children, country walks and the roadtrips of our teens. “Studies have shown that triggering nostalgia boosts positive self-regard and mood,” says Dr Arroll. “The multi-sensory effects from the sound of the waves, the smell of fish and chips and the taste of ice cream is a powerful set of triggers that tap into that emotional sense of wellbeing.”

Whether you’ve got a long weekend or a glorious fortnight to spare, here is Stylist’s indispensable guide to the best things to do this summer in good old Blighty – Nobbly Bobbly optional.

The ultimate guide to having a great British summer