Rugged, clifftop-type coastal towns have their charms, but there’s something special about a town with a proper beach. Beyond how pretty a beach looks, having such recreational luxury just a few steps from hotels, bars, restaurants and ice cream shops makes a place feel like a bona fide holiday destination.
Here at Time Out we love Britain’s beaches and seaside towns – we even named Folkestone the country’s best place to visit this year – but we don’t actually have a specific ranking of beach towns. Enter: National Geographic Traveller. The travel publication has just published a list of the UK’s top sandy (or rocky, or pebbly) coastal settlements.
Nat Geo’s Duncan Craig picked out his favourite seven British beach towns to visit this summer, saying the UK’s seaside towns are experiencing a ‘resurgence’ right now. Craig explains that this boom is due to a huge range of factors, from the cost-of-living crisis and ‘flight scepticism’ to the ongoing pandemic-assisted staycation boom.
So, what towns make the cut? First up was Margate, which Craig said has ‘a near-endless array of distractions: artistic, retro, retail or just good old-fashioned seaside fun’. Find Time Out’s best things to do in Margate here and the Kentish town’s top restaurants here.
Cornwall’s Penzance was next mentioned, which got a nod for its festivals, food scene and improved transport links, followed by Barmouth in north Wales – praised for its community and strand sunsets.
Scarborough was next, with the Yorkshire resort apparently aiming to ‘woo a diverse crowd with a beyond-eclectic blend of attractions and events’ while still ‘continuing to cater to the deckchaired masses’.
Craig then picked out two more towns at polar ends of England: Weymouth in Dorset and Whitley Bay in Tyneside. In Weymouth, the ‘sheltered, gently shelving beach has never looked better’, while Whitley Bay boasts ‘award-winning fish and chips, fancy afternoon teas and top-notch restaurants’.
The last town in National Geographic Traveller’s list is North Berwick. Often named the UK’s top seaside town and in 2024 crowned the country’s top place to live by the Sunday Times, the East Lothian spot was commended for its Fringe by the Sea event and restaurant scene.
The UK’s top beach towns to visit in 2025, according to National Geographic
- Margate, Kent
- Penzance, Cornwall
- Barmouth, Gwynedd
- Scarborough, Yorkshire
- Weymouth, Dorset
- Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
- North Berwick, East Lothian
You can find out more about each choice on the National Geographic website here.
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