6 British Seaside Towns to Visit This Bank Holiday

From sleepy fishing villages to towns with buzzy boutique hotels, these idyllic locations will make for the perfect getaway.

Britain’s coastal resorts boomed in the Victorian era, however became neglected in the 1970s with the rise of cheap package holidays to Europe and a subsequent lack of investment. Seaside towns had a reputation for being tired and rundown, however over the past decade or so Brits have been rediscovering the joy of a weekend escape to the sea.

Several coastal towns have experienced a significant revamp, which has been driven by a number of factors – the pandemic led to a new appreciation for staycations, while at this time many creatives choose to leave London to live by the sea. In Margate, the booming art scene brought a new lease of life to the kitsch seaside town, while in Deal a number of popular eateries positioned it as a foodie getaway.

Whether you opt for a traditional British seaside experience, with afternoons spent in the arcade on the pier and dining on vinegar-slathered chips, or want to unwind in one the UK’s buzziest new boutique hotels, we can’t think of a better way to mark the end of summer than a Bank Holiday escape to the coast.

Whether your priority is antique-hunting or traversing chalky cliffs, the below seaside towns will make for an excellent day trip or three-day holiday.

1. Margate

With a thriving art and restaurant scene, Margate in Kent has transformed from a neglected seaside town into a nostalgic, hipster playground by the sea. Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall might have had their wedding reception at Nayland Rock Hotel in 1990, however it was the launch of the Turner Contemporary gallery in 2011 and the blossoming creative scene that spear-headed the regeneration of this tired seaside town.

In 2023 Tracey Emin, who grew up in Margate, opened her gallery TKE Studios and an artist residency program. There is a string of buzzy restaurants and boutique hotels that will appeal to Hackney tourists, however for the Bank Holiday we would recommend a swim in the Walpole Bay Tidal Pool, seafood at Angela’s and a drink on the rooftop at the newly opened No.42 GuestHouse hotel.

2. Eastbourne

Eastbourne in East Sussex is an hour and a half train ride away from London and is in many ways a typical Vitorian seaside resort, with a pier (complete with a chippy), grand terrace houses, a blue bandstand and a lot of tea rooms. It might have a reputation for being a retirement haven, known as “God’s waiting room”, however in recent years this demographic has been steadily shifting.

The Turner Prize, run by the Tate Britain, hosted here in 2023 was a signal that Eastbourne is the latest seaside town on the up. Boutique hotel, The Port, quite literally stands out along the seafront thanks to its modern, black facade, and is the perfect place to retreat to after a day hiking along the rugged coastline – either for a roast dinner or soak in a free-standing tub. The chalky cliffs of Beachy Head and Seven Sisters are magnificent, if not a little blustering, and have featured in many on-screen British beach scenes, from Atonement to Harry Potter.

3. St Ives

This fishing town in Cornwall, right at the South Western tip of the UK, is the ultimate postcard coastal town, thanks to its cobbled streets and spectacular beaches. Porthminster Beach was the inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s To The Lighthouse. If you like an active holiday, the surf schools and beautiful coastal walks will keep you busy, and you can refuel in the afternoon with Cornish pasties, Cornish cream tea and lots of ice cream. The town has a thriving art scene, as in the ’20s and ’30s artists and potters formed a creative community, and the town still has as many galleries as souvenir shops – Turner, Barbara Hepworth and Henry Irving are some of the artists who have lived (and worked) here. The Tate Modern and Tate Britain have a sister gallery along the coast, The Tate St Ives, and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and sculpture gardens are well worth a visit. If the weather holds out, eat lunch outside the terrace at Porthmeor Beach Café, watch the surfers and maybe even spot a seal or two.

4. Whitstable

When it comes to Bank Holiday day trips, Whitstable in Kent is a popular choice with Londoners as the train takes less than an hour and a half. It is a charming, unpretentious seaside spot, with pick-n-mix hued beach huts, an active fishing harbour and no shortage of fish and chips. Popular spots include Wheelers Oyster Bar (it was founded in 1856, however the pastel pink and blue shop front has made it Instagram famous) and the Lobster Shack, which is right on the sea and brews its own beers, making it the perfect spot to soak up the end of summer rays.

5. Rye

Rye is positioned next to Camber Sands on the Sussex Coast and is a charming, mediaeval village that is more historical than some of the kitsch seaside resorts on this list. There are a number of boutique hotels drawing a crowd to the area, including The Gallivant and The George.

Further in from the coast, Tillingham Winery is a 70-acre estate with home-grown produce and natural wines, whether you can either stay in the elegant hotel rooms or a bell tent in summer. Rye has an arty community with a number of independent interiors and antiques shops that are excellent for a rummage – visit McCully and Crane, Merchant & Mills, Alex MacArthur Interiors, The Confit Pot, Strand House and Puckhaber Antiques.

6. Deal

Deal lies on the Kent coast, neighbouring the white cliffs of Dover, and has become a popular weekend break, with a slower pace than Margate or Brighton. Boutique hotel The Rose is the place to stay, housed in a converted pub that blends Victorian seaside character with a mid-century, playful aesthetic, and is one of the spots luring a foodie crowd to this stretch of the coast.

The food scene is a bigger draw than the pebble beach in Deal, proving the coast can offer a lot more than fish and chips – spots like the Blue Pelican, which serves Japanese-inspired dishes overlooking the pier, and small plates favourite Frog and Scott will make you want to revisit Deal.

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From sleepy fishing villages to towns with buzzy boutique hotels, these idyllic locations will make for the perfect getaway.