What type of beach person are you? Whatever one of the UK’s beaches floats your boat (see what we did there?) you will find the perfect place along its 7,700 miles of coastline. If you’re looking for inspiration, these are the nine best places to stay by the sea in the UK.
1. Talisker Bay
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland
Best for: Sunsets
Top tip: Visit at low tide when you can explore the sea stack and rock pools
Everywhere on the Isle of Skye is breathtakingly beautiful. Nowhere is very far from the coast, which makes the tiny island a favourite for a seaside holiday. Talisker Bay is on the West Coast, close to Carbost village, where the famous whisky is distilled. The beach is just over a mile’s walk along a flat path from the car park. The unusual grey sand makes sense when you see the smooth rocks at the top, and there is a waterfall that cascades down the cliffs.
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2. Tenby
Location: Pembrokeshire, Wales
Best for: Family friendly days out
Top tip: Enjoy amazing sea views and escape the midday heat in St Julian’s Seaman’s Chapel
The appeal of Tenby is as strong as ever. Its beautiful Blue Flag beaches never go out of style and it has lots of amenities and a wide choice of accommodations to suit all budgets. North Beach is very recognisable, thanks to Goskar Rock, while Harbour Beach is famous for its colourful townhouses and boats. Continue to Castle Beach from where you can walk to St Catherine’s Island.
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3. Llyn Peninsula
Location: Caernarfonshire, Wales
Best for: Outstanding views
Top tip: Enjoy the rare natural phenomenon of the whistling sands at Traeth Porthor
The Llyn Peninsula is like a treat-filled Easter egg. The entire region is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with a centre of hilly countryside where rare plants and birds flourish. Southern beaches are calm, benefiting from the sheltered conditions of Cardigan Bay. Beaches on the North Coast of the peninsula face the Irish Sea and can have dramatic swells. You’re only a stone’s throw from Snowdonia National Park, and within a short drive of Porthmadog and Caernarfon for day trips.
4. Bamburgh
Location: Northumberland
Best for: Historic sites
Top tip: Visit St Cuthbert’s Cave where monks hid the saint’s body from invading vikings
The Northumberland Coast AONB is something special. Huge swathes of sandy beaches, sea air, big skies, and clear (if chilly!) waters make it a place everyone should experience. It’s hard to go wrong when deciding where to stay. If you can’t make a choice, go for Bamburgh. It’s one of the oldest inhabited parts of England, the birthplace of Christianity in Britain, and has staggering views from pretty much everywhere.
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5. Thorpeness
Location: Suffolk
Best for: Nostalgia
Top tip: Walk along the beach towards Aldeburgh for a selfie with The Scallop
Two miles north of Aldeburgh on the Suffolk Coast AONB, Thorpeness is a delight for the young and the young at heart. The village was built in 1912 as a holiday resort for well-heeled middle-class Edwardians. At its centre is a 60-acre boating lake dotted with islands decorated with miniature castles and Peter Pan-themed playhouses that you can reach by row boat. Shops and restaurants are within a few minutes walk of most holiday houses.
6. Brighton
Location: East Sussex
Best for: Nightlife
Top tip: Book a beach sauna session before you arrive
Brighton is a place in the UK where you can spend all night partying and the next day recovering at the beach. At the opposite end of the East Sussex coast to Camber Sands, this resort town has been party central since 1787 when Prinnie (George IV) built the blingy Royal Pavilion as his personal beachside bolthole. Stay in a penthouse or an artist residence Brighton, enjoy independent music with ice cream on the pier, and blend wonderful excess with well-being.
7. Padstow
Location: Cornwall
Best for: Foodies
Top tip: Go swimming at low tide in Trevone’s natural sea pool
You’ll love working up an appetite in Padstow. The modestly sized harbour town is rammed with fantastic restaurants with menus featuring local ingredients and succulently fresh seafood for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Grab scallops and chips to takeaway and sit on a bench at the Stil, tuck into afternoon tea or pack a bag for a romantic picnic and a sunset view at Trevone, Harlyn Bay.
8. Lyme Regis
Location: Dorset
Best for: Walking
Top tip: Book a fossil hunting walk through Lyme Regis Museum
Like Brighton, Lyme Regis was a top choice for Georgian holidaymakers. Jane Austen used the town as inspiration for ‘Persuasion’ during her stay on Broad Street. Lyme Regis is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast. Look up, and you’ll see millions of years of history on view in the cliffs, and down for fossils older than you can fathom. Follow the South West Coast Path east to Charmouth or west around The Cobb and Monmouth Beach.
9. Bude
Location: Cornwall
Best for: Watersports
Top tip: Reserve a beach hut at Summerleaze
Bude is not one beach but miles of coast encompassing Summerleaze, Millook, Black Rock, Widemouth Bay, Crooklets, Northcott Mouth, Sandymouth Bay and Duckpool. Whatever way the wind blows, there’s always a sheltered spot or a perfect swell with your name on it. The water quality is excellent, with many beaches having lifeguards in summer to help you swim and surf with confidence.