13-05-2025
Scotland's 'most boring' seaside towns named as dull beach destinations ranked
Scotland is blessed with thousands of miles of beautiful beaches, but some of them are less exciting than others.
With warmer weather encouraging thoughts of seaside getaways, many Scots will be looking forward to a day at the beach. But for those still considering where to go, a new study has named Scotland's two "least exciting" coastal towns.
Scotland boasts a stunning 11,602 miles of coastline, dotted with hundreds of towns and villages offering diverse experiences, from quiet hidden gems to lively resorts. However, according to the team at SuomiCasino, some notable spots fall short on traditional entertainment metrics.
The boring beach list analysed 26 UK seaside towns based on factors including amusement parks, live music venues, bars and restaurants, casinos, landmarks, beaches, and escape rooms.
And the study branded Dunbar as the "most boring beach town" in Scotland and the fourth most boring in the entire UK.
Their analysis highlighted Dunbar's lack of amusement parks, live music venues, and casinos as reasons for its low ranking, along with counting just 27 bars and restaurants in the town.
Yet, this statistical assessment appears to overlook the considerable appeal of Dunbar, a town located a mere 50 minutes by car from Edinburgh city centre.
Far from being dull, it is celebrated as one of the finest destinations on Scotland's attractive east coast, proudly known as the sunniest town in Scotland due to its high levels of sunshine.
Visit Scotland describes Dunbar as "a pleasant town on the North Sea coast of East Lothian, about 30 miles east of Edinburgh," praising its "renowned... high sunshine record, rugged coastline and attractive countryside."
The town's deep history is also a draw. It was "one of the most important Scottish Fortresses in the middle ages," and its ruined castle, which "stands guard over the town's twinned harbours," famously "once sheltered Mary Queen of Scots when she fled Edinburgh after the murder of Rizzio."
Beyond history and scenery, Dunbar provides significant recreational opportunities. Visit Scotland points to family attractions like East Links Family Park, a farm based activity park suitable for all ages with numerous activities including a tree level fortress.
For water based thrills, Foxlake Adventures is Scotland's first wakeboard cable tow and offers a unique ropes challenge over water. The town also features a leisure pool with a wave machine and flume, plus a health suite and gym.
Meanwhile, St Andrews, famous globally as The Home of Golf and site of Scotland's oldest university, placed tenth in the study's UK-wide ranking, which would make it the second-most boring seaside town north of the border.
It scored better than Dunbar due to having 9 music venues and 103 bars and restaurants. Also, its 42 landmarks dwarf any other towns on the list.
Rank
Location
No. of water /amusement parks
No. of live music venues
No. of bars/ restaurants
No. of casinos
No. of landmarks
No. of beaches
No. of escape rooms
1
Morecambe
0
3
51
0
8
3
0
2
Southwold
0
3
28
0
6
4
0
3
Filey
1
2
58
0
7
3
0
4
Dunbar
0
0
27
0
9
5
1
5
Whitstable
0
10
91
0
9
3
1
6
Whitby
0
10
140
0
21
3
2
7
Swanage
1
10
63
2
18
4
0
8
Aberystwyth
0
1
78
0
25
8
1
9
St Ives
0
9
100
1
22
5
2
10
St Andrews
0
9
103
0
42
3
0
Given its iconic status within the world of golf and its historical significance, it is no surprise that it scores well for landmarks. The main surprise is that the legendary town, whose beaches are world-renowned, features on the list at all.
Welcome to Fife notes that the constant stream of visitors contributes to St Andrews' "lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere with a large dash of history."
St Andrews offers rich historical experiences at the ruins of its Castle and Cathedral, and the ancient Dunino Den. Golf enthusiasts flock to The Old Course, the world's oldest and a regular Open venue, and the award winning World Golf Museum.
The coast provides active options like paddle boarding and surfing at Blown Away on St Andrews West Sands, where Beach Wheelchairs ensure accessibility.
Family fun awaits at nearby Craigtoun Country Park with its miniature railway and adventure playground, complemented by St Andrews' excellent shops and wide choice of places to eat and drink.
Family fun awaits at nearby Craigtoun Country Park with its "miniature railway, glorious gardens, adventure playground and the magical Fairy Glen," complemented by St Andrews' "lots of great shops, along with an outstanding choice of places to eat and drink."
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