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SEA YOU THERE?
Three best seaside towns in the UK for Brits to visit in 2024, according to beach expert
And three Sun writers reveal the best things to do there
A BEACH staycation is still one of the most popular holidays for Brits wanting a break on a budget.
Yet this wasn't always the case.
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The Sun's Head of Travel Lisa Minot explained how seaside towns became popular during the late 19th century, with the UK gentry flooding to the coastline.
This resulted in new hotels, attractions and restaurants opening.
She said: "People started to go to the coast on mass. The hey-day was the 50s and 60s, the post-war era."
"That was the era of Billy Butlin and holiday camps."
Sadly, the cheap package overseas holiday in the 1970s killed off the UK staycation.
Yet in recent years, especially during Covid, seaside towns in the UK are on the rise again - for both tourists and people moving there.
Lisa added that while the hey-day of UK seaside resorts is unlikely to ever return, there is hope.
She said: "We've still got - as we saw in the pandemic - a real demand to explore our own coastline.
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"It needs investment and quirky thinking."
Madeleine Bunting, author of The Seaside: England's Love Affair, told Sun Online Travel: "A lot of these places are really beautiful places to live, and there is no reason now why these cities can't reimagine a new future for themselves."
She shared her three UK resorts that are the best success stories for rejuvenating the coastline.
"Brighton & Hove is a great success story. Bournemouth is a great success story,
"Margate has still got some challenges but it's changed a huge amount."
Here's everything you need to know about the three seaside resorts, if you're planning a visit there.
Brighton
The Sun's Associate Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski recently visited Brighton for a day trip.
She explained: "As we weaved our way up and down the uneven cobbles [of Brighton] each twist and turn through the labyrinth reveals a new row of colourful shops with misshapen signs swinging from old doorways.
"Most of the houses here date from the 16th century, so no surprise some are a bit askew, with slanted walls and roofs weathered by years of salty sea winds.
"We stayed at The Southern Belle, a characterful boutique hotel further west along the seafront.
"The brilliant thing about Brighton is it may be a seaside town, but it doesn’t matter if the weather takes a turn as there’s so much else to keep you busy."
"The Rockwater Hove is the place to go for unbeatable views of the ocean and delicious fresh seafood, or closer to the centre is The Salt Room, another seafront restaurant."
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Bournemouth
The Sun's Daniel Hall found both history and an adrenaline rush while visiting Bournemouth.
He explained: "The pier, built in 1880, has an extreme sports haven, the all-weather RockReef centre with 28 themed climbing walls inside.
"Those looking for a more sedate seaside jaunt are still spoilt for choice on Bournemouth’s seafront, with the Oceanarium aquarium or Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf Course.
"If it’s history you’re after, the grave of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley sits in St Peter’s churchyard, and you can follow up with a drink at the Mary Shelley, a Wetherspoons pub across the road.
"And my digs for the weekend was the Bournemouth Sands Hotel, a few hundred yards back from the West Cliff with a small sun terrace out front and a new one at the rear over the restaurant."
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Margate
As the Sun's Deputy Travel Editor, I'm the most qualified to talk about the up-and-coming town of Margate, having lived there myself until recently.
The main draw of the town is Dreamland, the huge theme park which has featured in both Hollywood blockbusters and Sky dramas, and is set to welcome some huge names in music this summer.
New hotels are popping up every month - there is the Fort Road Hotel, which opened last year, as well as as Selina and boutique hotel Guesthouse No. 42.
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The Old Town is full of multicoloured shops selling artisan knick knacks, and you are spoilt for choice with the award-winning Sargasso and seafood Dory's for food options.
Want some mystery? Head to the Shell Grotto, made of millions of shells - and no-one knows why.
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