The UK's best beach bars – with DJ sets, sunset views and signature cocktails
Sykes Holiday Cottages has handily put together a list of the best beach bars in the UK and they are all over the country from Brighton to Anglesey.
7 The top beach bar is OHSO Social in Brighton Credit: Alamy
7 The bar is right on the front of Brighton Beach Credit: Alamy
At the very top of Sykes Holiday Cottages' list of '10 Best Beach Bars in the UK' is OHSO Social in Brighton.
The bar is right next to Brighton's Palace Pier. It has a large outdoor terrace that leads straight onto Brighton Beach, and makes for a wonderful place to look over the sea.
They have beer and cider on tap, 11 signature cocktails as well as soft drinks.
It's open seven days a week and hosts the occasional live event too.
Across the coastline is the next best beach bar, called The Beach Deck in Eastbourne.
The Beach Deck is on the front of Eastbourne Beach, and for anyone with kids, it's next to Treasure Island Adventure Park.
It's the perfect place to stop if you've tackled the 13 mile Seven Sisters Coast Path between Seaford and Eastbourne.
They offer breakfast, lunch, dinner and in the winter months, have Sunday roasts too.
You can also pop in for an ice cream – it's £2.50 per scoop and you get chocolate or strawberry sauce as well.
As for drinks, they have a large selection of wine, Prosecco, spirits and mixers.
UK beach named one of the top 100 in the world
7 You can sometimes see across the coast from Tavern on the Bay
7 Surfside offers 90 different types of rum Credit: Surfside
Sykes Holiday Cottages has put Surfside in Polzeath at number three.
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The bar that opened its doors in 2017 is on the northern coast of Cornwall.
In 2022, the bar went through some upgrades including an extension so it can serve customers all year-round.
Two years ago, Surfside was honoured in Tripadvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards, which recognises businesses that consistently receive good reviews.
For any rum fans, it's the place to be as it has 90 different variations.
And the dining area stretches over three floors with panoramic views of the bay so you can see the sea from wherever you sit.
Another favourite is Tavern on the Bay in Benllech, which is on the Isle of Anglesey.
There are views across North Wales coast, and on a clear day you can see as far as Llandudno and the Great Orme.
On Monday-Thursday and Sunday the bar is open until 9.30pm, on Friday and Saturday it's open until 10.30pm.
There's plenty of time to try a cocktail and sit back while listening to the resident piano player.
7 The Pier Tavern is a popular boozer in Norfolk Credit: Alamy
The fifth best beach bar is The Pier Tavern on Britannia Pier in Norfolk.
It's right next to Great Yarmouth Beach, one of the most popular UK beaches.
The Pier Tavern is a family friendly bar where you can have a quiet drink during the day.
In the evening it gets a lot louder with karaoke and live DJ sets which takes place seven nights a week during the summer months.
Also on the list is Revo Kitchen in Weston-super-Mare, which is home to a huge bar and regularly hosts a line-up of live entertainment, from jazz musicians to local indie bands.
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Number seven is Jeromes & Pavilion in Bridlington which is both a bar and cafe.
You'll find it inside a restored Victorian building and the best part is the huge outdoor terrace that's perfect for the summer evenings.
The Watering Hole in Perranporth came in eighth – and it claims to be the only bar in the UK that's officially built on a beach.
It first opened in 1978 and has become one of the most popular beach bars in Cornwall.
Don't forget Hive Beach Café in Burton Bradstock which is found on the Jurassic Coast.
Sykes Holiday Cottages calls it 'one of the region's best-kept hidden gems'.
For anyone exploring the coastal path, it's a great place to stop and relax with a pint.
7 The Watering Hole claims to be the only bar 'built on the beach'
The last is Porthminster Beach Café which is found in Carbis Bay just outside of St Ives.
This is a Michelin-accredited beach bar with most of the ingredients for food being sourced from its cliffside garden and the rest of the local area.
It boasts a six page wine list and picks a favourite for each month.
Here Are The Top 10 Beach Bars
Here's the full list of the top beach bars from Sykes Holiday Cottages OHSO Social, Brighton The Beach Deck, Eastbourne Surfside, Polzeath Tavern on the Bay, Benllech The Pier Tavern, Great Yarmouth Revo Kitchen, Weston-super-Mare Jeromes & Pavilion, Bridlington The Watering Hole, Perranporth Hive Beach Café, Burton Bradstock Porthminster Beach Café, Carbis Bay
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National Geographic
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National Geographic
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This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Running down the country's southwestern flank, from the city of Vlorë in the north to the village of Ksamil, the Albanian Riviera has been proclaimed the Maldives of Europe. It's true that countless white-sand beaches dot a coastline of dazzling blue waters, from busy stretches backed by modern resorts to secluded coves. But the Riviera is about more than just the sea; there are traditional villages clinging to hillsides covered by centuries-old olive groves, and ancient ruins alongside remnants of the country's communist past. Reaching the area is now easier than ever thanks to an increasing number of direct flights connecting the UK with Albania's capital, Tirana, a two-hour drive from Vlorë. You can then head south along the SH8, the Riviera's main coastal road, keeping the glistening Ionian Sea in your peripheral vision almost all the way. 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Many of the rundown houses are being rebuilt using materials reclaimed from other abandoned properties, to preserve the village's original aesthetic. Alleyways lead to panoramic viewpoints, overlooking either the coast or mountain valleys. Get back on the SH8, hugging the hillsides above the sea, before turning onto an unpaved track (immediately before the 'Lukove' road sign) leading to Buneci Beach. The gentle waters here are ideal for plunging into from the stone jetty, or exploring via kayak or standup paddleboard (rentals are available from the middle of the beach). Afternoon: Follow the track along Buneci as far south as it will go for a lunch of grilled sea bream under the straw roof of Taverna Nikolas. Then, divert away from the coast to the Blue Eye spring. It bubbles up from deep below the Bistricë river, creating an iris-like dark pool within the blue-green of the shallower surrounds. Once, only former dictator Enver Hoxha and senior Communist Party officials were permitted to visit, but it's now one of Albania's more popular sites (expect it to get busy in summer). A 20-minute walk from the car park leads to an observation deck giving the best views down into the abyss. Swimming in the Blue Eye isn't permitted, but you can brave the bracingly cold river just a short walk downstream. Evening: Return towards the coast, making for Lake Butrint. Its shallow, brackish waters are perfect for growing mussels, and farmer Soraldo Nebo runs boat tours to demonstrate how the shellfish has been harvested here for centuries. Afterwards, watch him prepare the molluscs — steamed in a garlic broth, or salted and grilled — and put some to the test, accompanied by a glass of Albanian white wine. See out the day a half-hour drive away on the private beach of Kep Merli resort, hidden away on the fringes of busy Ksamil village. Only a strict number of day visitors are allowed at the beach bar; book ahead to sip cocktails lounging on the softest sand of the Riviera. Over 2,500 years of history are layered over the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the southern end of the Riviera Photograph by Getty Images, Master2 Three archaeological sites to visit Orikum On the road to Orikum, at the southern end of the Bay of Vlorë, there's little to suggest a historical site lies just ahead. Fragments of communist-era bunkers pile up at the roadside, repurposed as coastal defences; horses graze near abandoned barracks. But that's quickly forgotten as you turn into the park, once an important trading port, where successive empires have left their mark since the sixth century. Crumbling blocks of a Hellenistic harbour sink into the lagoon, backed by perimeter walls reinforced during the Byzantine era. Hillside paths link Roman houses to a Greek theatre. Even Julius Caesar was here in 48 BCE, overseeing the post during his civil war campaign against Pompey. Finiq Occupying a hilltop position close to the city of Sarandë, overlooking the surrounding valleys and plains, Finiq was a major centre of the ancient Greek kingdom of Epirus. It sees fewer visitors than other archaeological parks in the area, but it's blessed with natural beauty, with a blanket of wildflowers blooming yellow, pink, white and blue among the ancient blocks. A curving Hellenistic theatre sits within a fold of the hill, once perfectly positioned acoustically; today, it echoes the clang of goat bells across the valleys. Contrasting with the remnants of antiquity, a small complex of communist-era bunkers, connected by a network of tunnels, makes for an interesting subterranean scramble. Butrint Over 2,500 years of history are layered over this ancient city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the southern end of the Riviera. As is the case with Orikum, invading empires built on top of what had stood before, creating a mix of cultures and styles. Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian buildings are all scattered within the enormous limestone perimeter walls, with more being unearthed every year. At its peak, as many as 16,000 people lived here, making use of Roman baths, a forum and a nymphaeum (structures dedicated to nymphs). Most impressive are the remains of the Roman aqueduct, which once extended far across Lake Butrint, bringing spring water from distant hills. How to do it , with a small pool, sleeps five in Qeparo Fshat. From £190. Local specialist Albanian Trip can provide bespoke itineraries and guided tours. This story was created with the support of Fly directly via RyanAir or WizzAir to Tirana from London, Edinburgh or Manchester, then it's a two-hour drive to Vlorë. Alternatively, fly to Corfu and catch a 45-minute ferry to Sarandë. Buses serve the SH8 down the Riviera, but renting a car or travelling with a private driver gives more flexibility. Villa Bougainvillier , with a small pool, sleeps five in Qeparo Fshat. From £ specialist Albanian Trip can provide bespoke itineraries and guided story was created with the support of Albanian Trip National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click Published in the July/August 2025 issue of(UK).To subscribe to(UK) magazine click here . (Available in select countries only).
