Steve from Universal Yachting gives some great advice on taking your boat further afield outside of your normal cruising grounds and what you should do to prepare for this. Among the things to take into consideration are the time of year, how long you're going for and who you're boating with.
Passage planning is vital to ensure that you're fully confident in areas you're not familiar with, tidal restrictions should also be known in advance, and the competence of your crew in unexpected situations. With some careful pre-planning, this will allow you to successfully navigate outside of your normal cruising grounds and experience new adventures in a fun and safe manner.