UK’s best seaside destinations revealed – with small English resort making the top 10 for the first time

WHICH? has revealed the UK’s best seaside destinations – with a new contender making one of the top spots.

Bamburgh, the Northumberland village topped the list for the fifth time in a row.

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Bamburgh received a perfect five stars for its beach and seafront[/caption]

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Bognor Regis came at the bottom end of the table[/caption]

However Bognor Regis, home to beaches, a huge pier and a Butlin’s resort, came at the bottom of the league table.

In a new survey, Which? asked over 3,800 people about their experiences of UK seaside destinations in the last year.

Each shared their view on the quality of the beaches, scenery, food and drink, accommodation, tourist attractions and value for money. 

Which? then compiled all the information into a table and found Bamburgh to be the best seaside town and Bognor Regis the worst.

Yet for the the very first time, the Devon fishing village of Beer has been named as one of the UK’s best coastal destinations.

The village on the Jurassic Coast came second which is a huge change after coming in 18th place last year. It’s surrounded by white chalk cliffs, the a beautiful beach lined with fishing boats.

One visitor told Which?: “Beer is charming, with beautiful coastal scenery and is full of history.”

But if you fancy going to the very best, Bamburgh is known for its beautiful beach with its famous castle on the adjacent hilltop.

In terms of scores, Bamburgh’s beach got five stars, it also received the highest score for the seafront, scenery, and peace and quiet; the overall destination score came in at 84 per cent.

Meanwhile, Bognor Regis got one and two stars across the board and got an overall destination score of 36 per cent.

The affordable seaside town of Bognor Regis is a favourite for Sun readers because of its stretching East Beach that’s a mix of shingle and sand, and of course it’s home to a huge Butlin’s resort.

One visitor said they loved the ‘lights along the pier at night’ and some survey respondents suggested that, with investment, it could recover its glory days.

Bognor Regis has several developments in the works including an £8m regeneration of The Arcade shopping centre that Which? readers believe will give the town a boost.

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel said: “From beautiful coastlines to peaceful walks and charming traditional bucket and spade resorts, the UK seaside offers something for everyone – whatever the weather.”

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Beer in Devon came in second place on the table[/caption]

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Bangor in Wales was also marked lowly by Which? readers[/caption]

Rory continued: “While you may have your own favourite destination, as well as the top spots in Devon and Wales, our survey shows there are still plenty of beautiful hidden gems across the UK to explore.

“Some seaside resorts offer better value for money than others, so it is worth looking at surrounding areas of popular spots if you are looking for a cheaper overnight stay.”

Other popular seaside towns were Poirtmeirion, the town in Wales inspired by Italian architecture.

Sidmouth, Aldeburgh and Robin Hood’s Bay also scored highly.

Nearer the bottom of the table were the likes of Skegness, Cleethorpes, Clacton-on-Sea and Bangor.

Plus, one Sun Travel Writer reveals these cheap UK seaside towns she loves, where a day out for the whole family costs from just £25.

And the seaside town that is Time Out’s best UK place to visit in 2025.

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Which? readers gave their verdict on the best and worst seaside destinations in the UK[/caption]