The British Isles has a coastline of over 11,000 miles. As one of the longest in Europe, it boasts its fair share of places to visit.
British seaside towns are deep-rooted in the nation’s culture and identity, with Union Jacks adorning streets, colorful deck chairs lining the beachfront and seagulls surrounding fish and chip suppers.
Towns rooted in the past, yet with a firm foot in the future, have transformed the traditions. The best of British seaside towns now include stylish boutique hotels, eco-seafood restaurants and unique museums and art galleries. As locals, we’re sharing our favorite spots and things to try.
St Ives, Cornwall
Cornwall epitomizes the crème-de-la-crème of British seaside towns, and St Ives: the jewel in the county’s crown. A working fishing settlement since the 1700s, visitors can still watch boats departing from the town’s harbor, while the more adventurous can join a charter.
Art is another staple of the town, rooted in the town’s past inhabitants, reflected in the town’s
many art galleries and attracting artists to this day: all thanks to the infamous ‘light’.
Drawing a typically younger crowd, St Ives is also renowned for its surf scene. Year-round, the surf swells against the shores of Porthmeor Beach and occasionally reaches right round into the harbor. Interested parties can either head for the board hire on the beach or the adjacent café: a prime spot for wave watching.
Where to stay in St Ives, Cornwall:
Trevose Harbour House
22 Warren TR26 2EA
Open year-round
Cost: Nightly rates range between £245 and £385, depending on the season
Facilities:
- Snug with open fire
- Two patios
- Newspapers, magazines and books
- Honesty bar
- Picnic hampers
- Private parking
With an emphasis on sustainability, the local economy and organic produce, Trevose offers six bedrooms in award-winning accommodation. It’s centrally located, the breakfasts are wonderful and the beaches are just around the corner.
Carbis Bay Hotel
Carbis Bay Beach TR26 2NP
Open year-round
Cost: Nightly rates range from £200 to £1000, depending on accommodation and the season
Facilities:
- Five restaurants, including a cocktail bar, a beach club and a deli
- Spa and swimming pool
- Fitness studio and yoga classes
- Privately owned sandy beach
Whilst not in St Ives town itself, the Carbis Bay Hotel is both a short distance and a whole other world away. Located on a private beach, with the Southwest coastal footpath passing through its grounds, it offers beautiful accommodation with the perfect excuse to enjoy the coastal trail into town.
Where to eat in St Ives, Cornwall:
The Fish Shed
Porthmeor Beach TR26 1JZ
Open seasonally, check website before visiting
Cost: Nibbles from £3.50, small plates from £11 and main meals from £14
With a prime position on Porthmeor Beach, The Fish Shed serves fresh, local and sustainable, you guessed it, fish. Because what else would you be eating in a fishing town?
The Cornish Deli
3 Chapel Street TR26 2LR
Open seasonally, check directly before visiting
Cost: Take-away sandwiches from £6, brunches, lunches and dinners from £12
Whilst it would be all too easy to join the tourists dining on tapas on the harborfront, we recommend heading to this hidden gem instead. Incredible local produce, insane all-around quality, and innovative, mouth-watering menus. Their takeaway sandwiches will transform your beach days.
Where to get your culture fix in St Ives, Cornwall:
Tate St Ives
Porthmeor Beach TR26 1TG
Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10-16:20pm
Cost: Members, local pass holders and under 18’s go free. Concessions are £11 and full-price adults £12.50
Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden
Barnoon Hill TR26 1AD
Open Tuesday – Sunday, 10-16:20pm
Cost: Members, local pass holders and under 18’s go free. Concessions pay £7 and full price adults £8
Visitors to St Ives are spoilt for choice when it comes to art galleries and museums, but these are our top two. The Tate combines modern art and traditional classics, with a prime beachfront location and café with panoramic views. Barbara Hepworth is worth finding too, the garden is idyllic.
Where to have some fun:
Enjoying the town’s selection of glorious beaches is a given, but here are our two favorites for other fun things to do in St Ives, Cornwall.
Shanty Baba St Ives Storyteller
A selection of guided walks and shows are on offer but we only have eyes for the Lantern Ghost Storywalk. Wrap up warm, bring your sense of humor and get ready for “The darker side of St Ives”.
Harbour Amusements and Pool Club
It wouldn’t be a trip to a British seaside town without visiting an arcade, and this one comes with a pool club and bar above. Save your pennies for a rainy day and enjoy the old-fashioned machines that expel tickets you can exchange for prizes.
Lyme Regis, Dorset
Lyme, as locals know it, is situated in the heart of the Jurassic coastline: a 95-mile stretch, famed for its fossils and land formations. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the only place in the world where rocks from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods can be seen in one place, representing 185 million years of history.
Whilst most visitors to the town focus on fossil hunting, Lyme has a lot more to offer. A bustling high street, a thriving food scene and a wide range of other activities. Here are our top picks on how to visit, and what to do while you’re there.
Where to stay in Lyme Regis, Dorset:
Dorset House
Pound Road, Lyme Regis DT7 3HX
Open year-round
Cost: Nightly rates range from £170 to £230, depending on season
Facilities:
- Award-winning breakfasts
- Fully stocked bar
- Drop off/unloading
With a focus on local, organic and homecooked breakfasts, and beautiful accommodation that offer a real home-away-from-home, visitors can’t go wrong with a stay at Dorset House.
Monmouth House
4 Monmouth St, Lyme Regis DT7 3PX
Open year-round
Cost: There is a minimum stay of two to three nights depending on the time of year and total cost ranges from £340 to £710
Facilities:
- Fully equipped kitchens
- Dog friendly
- Free offsite parking
Monmouth House is a Georgian property in the heart of Lyme that can be booked as a whole or as five separate apartments. They’re self-catering, fully equipped and incredibly dog-friendly.
Where to eat in Lyme Regis, Dorset:
The Oyster & Fish House
Cobb Road, Lyme Regis DT7 3JP
Open seasonally, check their website before visiting
Cost: Prices range from £12.50 for starters to £65 for mixed fish to share
You can’t miss this restaurant perched on the hill overlooking the bay. With a large outdoor terrace, panoramic views and a menu that changes twice a day depending on what the fishermen find: it’s the place to eat in Lyme Regis.
Millside
1 Mill Lane, Lyme Regis DT7 3PU
Open seasonally, check their website before visiting
Cost: Prices range from £9.95 for small plates to £85 for a seafood-sharing platter
Set within the Old Mill courtyard, we love dining here on a summer’s evening. The atmosphere is as wonderful as the food.
What to see in Lyme Regis, Dorset:
The Townmill and Malthouse Gallery
The Town Mill, DT7 3PU
Open daily, 11-3/4pm
Cost: Free
Located on the same site as the Millside restaurant is a whole host of other places to visit. An ancient watermill, a town gallery, a microbrewery and a tapas restaurant. It really is the creative heart of the town.
Lyme Regis Antique and Craft Centre
Marine Parade, DT7 3JH
Open: daily, 11-4:30pm
This seafront treasure trove is worth a mention, and a visit. Shop here for the epitome of British trinkets – just don’t get lost inside!
Where to have some fun:
Fossil hunt
Monmouth Beach has been renowned for finding fossils since the 1800’s, and many visitors are still lucky to this day. Bring your patience and good eyesight!
Lyme Regis to Uplyme walk
Follow the River Lym footpath that leaves Lyme town and leads you along waterways and through meadows to the settlement on the outskirts of town. Watch out for the goats!
Salcombe, Devon
The town of Salcombe is situated on the banks of the Kingsbridge estuary and it’s not hard to see why the area is named one of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The rolling countryside and bright blue waters, scattered with sailing boats and local ferries, is as inviting as the little local pubs on the waterfront. This is the place to spend an idyllic week in South Devon.
Where to stay in Salcombe, Devon:
Gara Rock
East Portlemouth TQ8 8FA
Open year-round
Cost: Nightly rates range from £195 to £1,125, depending on accommodation and season
Facilities:
- Restaurant, bar and lounge
- Spa and swimming pool
- Cinema room
An iconic clifftop hotel, backed by countryside yet overlooking the ocean. It’s remote, but that’s half the fun. This is the place to stay near Salcombe for a real treat.
South Sands Hotel
Bolt Head TQ8 8LL
Open year-round
Cost: Nightly rates from £150 to £850, depending on accommodation and season
Facilities:
- Free parking
- Dog-friendly
- Restaurant and bar
This has to be the best place to stay on the waterfront, you couldn’t get any closer if you tried. Hop off the ferry and straight into your bed for a unique stay in the heart of Salcombe.
Where to eat: best restaurants in Salcombe, Devon:
Crab Shed Salcombe
Gould Rd TQ8 8DU
Open daily 12-2:30pm and 6-8:30pm
Cost: Prices range from £9.50 for starters and up to £158 for a seafood platter for two
The speciality here is sustainably harvested, hand-picked crab meat – fresh from the fishing boats. Enjoy your meal overlooking the water or take some shellfish to go.
The Winking Prawn
Cliff Road TQ8 8LD
Open seasonally, please check website for details
Cost: Prices range from £7.50 for breakfast, £10.45 for lunch and up to £24 for dinner
What to do and what to see in Salcombe, Devon
Salcombe Maritime Museum
The Old Council Hall, Market Street, TQ8 8DE
Open seasonally, please check website for details
Cost: Free
This tiny museum is well worth a visit on a rainy day and visitors will get a real feel for Salcombe’s sailors of the past and present.
Overbeck’s Garden National Trust
Sharpitor TQ8 8LW
Open seasonally, March – October
Cost: £9.50
On the cliffs above Salcombe lies Overbeck’s subtropical gardens and house, best accessed via the Southwest coast path. A true hidden paradise.
Where to have some fun:
Salcombe to Kingsbridge ferry
Open seasonally and tide-dependent, please check website for details
Cost: Adults £12 each way, children £5
When in Salcombe, it’s practically obligatory to get out on the water. Time it right, and enjoy a trip down the waterways to Kingsbridge.
Salcombe to East Portlemouth ferry
Open seasonally, please check website for details
Cost: Adults £2.30 each way, children £1.70
Taking a trip just across the estuary will provide access to coastal footpaths and sandy coves. The perfect day out from Salcombe.
