The UK's beach towns are bouncing back—here are 7 of the best

National Geographic

25-04-2025

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
At the turn of the century, a range of micro and macro factors, from whittled-down transport links to the availability of cheap foreign holidays, combined to lay waste to Britain's seaside towns. Precious few were to escape the ruinous effects of this retreat of the economic tide.
Fast forward to 2025, however, and it's a very different picture. Just as the decline stemmed from multiple factors, the resurgence is driven by a complex web of influences. The cost-of-living crisis, flight scepticism and the lure of the great outdoors are all playing a part. So too is the staycation boom, which was accelerated by the pandemic.
Sure, only the most misty-eyed nostalgist could fail to spot boarded-up shops and buildings with peeling paintwork. But around these have sprung up galleries and cutting-edge art installations, rich cultural and culinary offerings, thriving creative quarters and a renewed sense of community.
With totemic, big-money attractions such as Tate St Ives and the imminent £100m Eden Project Morecambe only adding to the momentum, these once-glittering jewels of the UK tourism industry are beginning to reclaim their lustre. Here are seven gems to visit this summer. Margate is Kent's crown jewel and home to stellar cafes, shops and attractions. Photograph by Alamy; AMS Images Margate
Overcoming the restrictions of seasonality is top of every coastal town's wish list. Margate, on the eastern tip of Kent, is the exemplar of this. When the weather sends visitors scurrying inland from the 656ft expanse of sand, there's a near-endless array of distractions: artistic, retro, retail or just good old-fashioned seaside fun. Culture, embodied by the Turner Contemporary, helped the town turn the corner — but it's the unshakeable sense of community that's driving the resurgence.
Why go? Dreamland, a century-old amusement park and outdoor events space resuscitated in 2015, goes from strength to strength. The Libertines, Texas and Basement Jaxx are among this summer's headliners.
Where to eat: Look out for open days at The Perfect Place to Grow, a training kitchen for unprivileged youngsters adjacent to Tracey Emin's TKE Studios. Angela's, in the atmospheric Old Town, is a tiny seafood restaurant and hotel, with a big reputation among locals.
Where to stay: No 42 by GuestHouse, opened in the summer of 2023, has an enviable location fronting the beach and opening on to the High Street to the rear. It's a well-heeled crowd, who come for the 21 stylish rooms and the brand's signature Pearly Cow surf-and-turf restaurant. Penzance
The resurgence of Cornwall's wild west hub has been incremental, rather than sweeping, with dozens of projects, revivals and openings nudging the town in the right direction over the past decade. Festivals have provided a focus. The Golowan — 10 days of parades, performances and art displays
— and the revived winter Montol ('solstice' in Cornish) are stirring affairs. The foodie scene has never been stronger and there's a ready supply of visitors via the Night Riviera sleeper train from London. Improved chopper and ferry links to the Isles of Scilly also bring the perfect twin-centre holiday within reach.
Why go? The spruced-up Penlee House Gallery & Museum runs workshops, film screenings and drop-in craft activities. The house is surrounded by semi-tropical gardens (that famous west Cornwall microclimate) and Cornish cream teas are served in the Orangery cafe.
Where to eat: Barbican Bistro is just an unloaded catch
away from Penzance harbour. Expect moreish tapas-style seafood dishes such as scallops with chorizo, and salt and pepper squid with harissa mayo.
Where to stay: Artist Residence Cornwall is the westernmost outpost of the chic-yet-homely bijou hotel group. It's set within a former Georgian inn with open brick work, heavy wooden beams and sea views from the highest of its 22 rooms. 'For mountain, sand and sea' is how the coastal town of Barmouth markets itself, which says it all. Photograph by Alamy; Philip Smith Barmouth
In the sprint to the better-known treasures of North Wales such as Eryri (Snowdonia) or the Llŷn Peninsula, it's easy to miss little Barmouth, reclining on the edge of the Mawddach estuary. 'For mountain, sand and sea' is how the coastal town markets itself, which says it all. The generous, west-facing strand is a sunset hotspot, and the peaks provide an arresting backdrop landwards. This is the sort of town that's full of visitors-turned-residents and it's that sense of pride and community that's powering its revival.
Why go? The battle to maintain the 2,690ft-long, Grade II-listed Barmouth Viaduct is never more than temporarily won. With the latest £30m restoration recently completed, it's a good time to stroll this engineering marvel, stretching like a wooden splinter across the estuary mouth. The more energetic might enjoy the annual 10k run in June, billed as the country's most scenic, which takes in its length.
Where to eat: Lobster Pot, on the Quay, is the place for dressed crab, seafood linguine, informality — and views of the hills massing across the estuary.
Where to stay: The town is full of striking properties made from the local grey dolerite and slate stone — and few are more robust or striking than Aber House, strategically placed equidistant between harbour, beach and shops. Scarborough
The North Yorkshire town has a decent claim to be Britain's first seaside resort; health-giving springs discovered here in the early 17th century started the cascade of coastal visitors. But its fall was long and sustained, and the rebound very much a work in progress. The strategy? To woo a diverse crowd with a beyond-eclectic blend of attractions and events, from poetry recitals to punk festivals, while continuing to cater to the deckchaired masses on sun-trap South Bay Beach or Blue Flag North Bay Beach.
Why go? The nostalgists will love strolling through the revamped Esplanade and Italian gardens, marvelling at the imposing silhouette of the Grand — the largest hotel in Europe when it was completed in 1867. The century-old 'OAT' (Open Air Theatre), which re-opened in 2010, now draws some of the country's biggest acts, often leaning into nostalgic revivals. A £20 million transformation of the West Pier is also on the horizon, set to breathe new life into the historic waterfront.
Where to eat: The unimproveably named BellyRub is an informal, dog-friendly craft-beer bar specialising in inventive comfort food such as black pudding, chorizo and bacon fries.
Where to stay: As the name suggests, Bike & Boot aims to court the outdoorsy crowd. It's lively and colourful with no-nonsense pizzas and burgers served in its hybrid Bareca bar/restaurant/cafe. Weymouth is a classic example of a comeback resort. Hosting the sailing for the 2012 Olympics put this coastal town back on the map. Photograph by Getty Images; Emma Asquith Weymouth
It's not exactly been plain sailing for the Dorset resort since hosting the sport for the 2012 Olympics, but it's certainly got wind in its sails. The sheltered, gently shelving beach has never looked better — it's raked every day in summer and there are new drinking fountains and free showers — while the town's smart Regency townhouses and elegant parks and gardens are rightly prized. Works equally well as a stand-alone holiday destination or a pit stop for hikers tackling adjacent Chesil Beach or the South West Coast Path.
Why go? The deckchairs and donkey rides reputation belies a fascinating cluster of historical attractions, led by the melancholic ruins of Henry VIII's Sandsfoot Castle and the award-winning Nothe Fort, with its newly unveiled nuclear bunker.
Where to eat: The harbourside Catch at the Old Fish Market serves inventive seafood dishes with stunningly fresh ingredients. Its Michelin Guide mention draws the crowds so book way ahead.
Where to stay: Standing a rather specific 'eight-second dash' from the beach, The Gresham is a listed townhouse stylishly converted into a four-star hotel with a dozen bedrooms and a fortifying breakfast. Whitley Bay
'This resort is riding a wave of regenerative spirit' was The Sunday Times's alliterative assessment of this North Tyneside town in 2024, when it named it one of the best places to live in the UK. It's not bad to visit either, with a packed programme of events during the summer, two miles of golden shore and some of the North East's best indie-store shopping in the trendy Park View area.
Why go? When that bracing wind whips in off the North Sea head for the domed Spanish City, a scaled-down version of Brighton's Royal Pavilion dating from the Edwardian era which was reopened pre-pandemic after a £10m restoration. There's award-winning fish and chips, fancy afternoon teas and top-notch restaurants. Next in the town's regen sights? The crumbling, century-old Empress Ballroom, which is set to be developed into an entertainment hub with food stalls, expansive roof terrace and live entertainment space.
Where to eat: Horticulture Coastal promises a 'canny vibe and locally sourced scran'. It's the sister restaurant of the acclaimed Coastal in thrumming Newcastle – just 30 minutes away by Metro.
Where to stay: York House Hotel is a boutique property with 14 rooms at the southern tip of Whitley Park and a five-minute stroll from the beach. North Berwick
Granted, there are coastal resorts that have suffered greater travails than this affluent East Lothian town. But it still had to endure a choppy few decades at the close of the 20th century as its 'Biarritz of the North' epithet slipped, hotels closed and local tensions around the courting of tourists grew. A healthy truce has since descended and visitors can enjoy a town that's lauded for everything from its long sandy beach to its nation-leading living standards.
Why go? Fringe by the Sea, founded in 2008, has become one of Britain's most sought-after cultural extravaganzas, with 10 days of comedy, live music and culinary masterclasses. Another big draw is the Scottish Seabird Centre, which is the place to learn all about puffins and the gannets that spray-paint the famous offshore Bass Rock white with their guano.
Where to eat: Berwick's foodie reputation is well deserved. Leading the charge are harbour-front Lobster Shack, serving the likes of lobster and crab rolls and smoked haddock and salmon fishcakes, and Drift, a cliff-edge medley of upcycled shipping containers with rousing Firth of Forth views and an indecently good brunch.
Where to stay: From the links course unfurling outside to the imposing baronial architecture, Marine North Berwick is a quintessential Scottish coastal hotel. The landmark building dates from 1875; the lavish refit, from 2021. Published in the Coastal Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK)
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