Most popular UK seaside towns revealed

Beaches worth checking out as temperatures soar

Bournemouth is one of the most popular seaside towns (Getty/iStock)

With temperatures set to swell to 34C this weekend, it’s a given that many Brits will want to hit the beach.

New research from hotel chain Best Western shows that the two most popular seaside spots in the UK are Bournemouth and Weymouth, both in Dorset; followed by Portsmouth in Hampshire, Eastbourne in East Sussex and Folkestone in Kent.

The hotel group reported that bookings overall were up 5 per cent this summer compared to the same time in 2018 as UK holidaymakers embrace the staycation.

Seaside towns that have seen the biggest increase in bookings in the last 12 months include Morecambe, which jumped 129 per cent.

This year the Lancashire town announced it would soon be home to a northern outpost of the Eden Project, which is expected to revitalise the area.

Work will likely begin next year, with the aim of opening to the public in 2022.

“The vision is of a seaside resort for the 21st century includes reimagined lidos, gardens, performance spaces, immersive experiences and observatories,” said Eden Project International.

Other beachside destinations that have surged in popularity include Folkestone, which has seen booking growth of more than 50 per cent; Scotland’s Isle of Arran, which has upped bookings by 47 per cent; and Aberavon in Swansea, where stays are up 37 per cent.

Most popular seaside towns 2019

1. Bournemouth, Dorset 
2. Weymouth, Dorset
3. Portsmouth, Hampshire 
4. Eastbourne, East Sussex
5. Folkestone, Kent
6. Newquay, Cornwall
7. Hove, West Sussex
8. Isle of Arran, Scotland
9. Hunstanton, Norfolk
10. Blackpool, Lancashire

Up and coming seaside towns 2019

1. Morecambe, Lancashire
2. Folkestone, Kent
3. Isle of Arran, Scotland
4. Aberavon, Swansea
5. Blackpool, Lancashire
6. Eastbourne, Sussex
7. Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
8. Skegness, Lincolnshire
9. Torquay, Devon
10. Portsmouth, Hampshire