The UK has no shortage of beaches worth visiting, from Scotland to the south of England, and visits don’t need to be reserved for summer.
Research has ranked coastal destinations based on visitor ratings and reviews to find Whitby Beach as the UK’s top seaside spot.
Edinburgh’s Portobello Beach and Scarborough Beach secured second and third positions respectively in the analysis by mother and baby retailer JoJo Maman Bébé.
The study examined each location’s proximity to shops and restaurants, calculating an overall beach score out of 100 based on Google Maps data, visitor ratings and review numbers.
Brighton made the list
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Whitby Beach emerged as the clear winner, achieving a near-perfect beach score of 98 out of 100. The beach has an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars on Tripadvisor.
Those who have visited left reviews. One wrote: “Pretty beach with nice views. The historical landscape makes it special. No litter and not overly commercial. Nice for children.”
Another said it is “a wonderful seaside town”, while a third added the “views were great”.
The Yorkshire coastal destination earned an impressive 4.7 out of 5 rating from visitors, with 6,699 reviews contributing to its top position.
The beach’s accessibility by both train and car was highlighted as a key factor in its ranking, making it an ideal choice for families seeking seaside adventures.
The high score reflects the beach’s strong performance across all measured criteria, including its proximity to local amenities. Edinburgh’s Portobello Beach claimed second place with an overall beach score of 94, backed by 6,307 reviews and a 4.6 visitor rating.
The Edinburgh destination’s high ranking is particularly noteworthy as the city was also named the best family-friendly UK city in the study.
Scarborough Beach secured third position with a beach score of 91.6, featuring a 4.6 visitor rating and over 5,000 reviews. Located near top-ranked Whitby, Scarborough Beach’s accessibility by train contributed to its strong performance in the rankings.
The Yorkshire coast’s double presence in the top three highlights the region’s appeal for family beach visits.
The study also highlighted several notable beaches along Britain’s southern coastline, with Brighton Beach ranking fourth with a score of 89.5.
Bournemouth Beach secured sixth position, achieving a strong 4.7 rating despite having fewer reviews than the top-ranked destinations.
Cornwall’s Porthgwidden Beach and Newquay’s Great Western Beach both featured in the top 10, with identical visitor ratings of 4.7.
Other high-performing locations included Liverpool’s Formby Beach in fifth place and Sunderland’s Roker Beach in seventh position.
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Bournemouth Beach ranked highly
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Swansea Beach rounded out the top 10, achieving an impressive 4.7 rating despite having the fewest reviews at 235.
Top 10 coastal towns and cities
- Whitby, Whtiby Beach
- Edinburgh, Portobello Beach
- Scarborough, Scarborough Beach
- Brighton & Hove, Brighton Beach
- Liverpool, Formby Beach
- Bournemouth, Bournemouth Beach
- Sunderland, Roker Beach
- Cornwall, Porthgwidden Beach
- Newquay, Great Western Beach
- Swansea, Swansea Beach
