Staycations are making a U-turn this summer, as new research from car insurance provider 1^ST CENTRAL reveals parents are putting the brakes on holidays abroad and taking a trip down memory lane.  Nostalgia is driving nearly two thirds of parents (58 per cent) to keep family traditions alive by taking their kids back to the UK holiday destinations of their youth.

The research reveals a new trend for road trips going retro. From stopping at the same service station they used to as kids (28 per cent) to recreating old family pictures in exactly the same spot (25 per cent), parents are giving their kids a snapshot into their own childhood this summer.

Mapping holidays based on memories rather than GPS, parents are quite literally taking a trip down memory lane, but this often results in them getting lost. More than a third (34 per cent) of parents have taken the short cuts their parents used to and as a result, have wound up getting lost after forgetting the route.

Parents admit that road trips are an opportunity to not only reconnect with their kids, but also to enforce a digital detox (23 per cent). Old school car games are the perfect solution for nostalgic parents and bored kids.  Unsurprisingly ‘I spy’ has survived the test of time and is still in pole position as the most popular game to play on a road trip.

Top 5 retro road trip games:

1. I spy
2. Spotting yellow cars
3. Who can see the sea first?
4. The number plate game
5. 20 questions

Andy James, Chief Commercial Officer and UK CEO at 1^ST CENTRAL, said: “Taking your family on a trip down memory lane is a great way to bond with your kids and re-live a little of your own childhood. With UK staycations continuing to grow in popularity, the resurgence of retro road trips is putting the pleasure back into driving. It’s important to ensure that these moments and memories are protected so families can relax this summer and enjoy their time away.”