UK Holidays: The 20 best beaches in the UK to visit for upcoming bank holiday including Brighton & Skegness

With just over a week left in August and one bank holiday to go (Monday, August 28) before the new school year begins and the summer fades away, there’s still some time to head to the beach and relax in the sunshine. With around 1,500 beaches in the UK, it can be a tricky task to pick just one beach.

Luckily, the team at car rental company SIXT has collated a list of the top 300 beaches in England from TripAdvisor and ranked them. They listed the top 20 in the UK, based on several factors, which included: water quality, visitor rating, number of cafes and car parks within 400m (5-minute walking distance), and whether there’s a lifeguard and on-site toilet.

Mablethorpe Town Beach came out tops. SIXT said: “Boasting miles of golden sand and a Blue Flag award, the picturesque Mablethorpe Town Beach in Lincolnshire ranks top of our list of England’s best beaches.

“Backed by a promenade and offering a traditional beachfront funfair, the town has a long history of tourism and a stunning coastline that sets it apart from many others in the country. Visitors to this lively beach town can rest easy with an on-duty seasonal lifeguard within flagged areas, and public toilets just walking distance from the shoreline during the summer months.

“Other handy amenities that gave Mablethorpe Town Beach its ranking status is its vast number of cafes and car parks just 400m away.” Here are the top 20 beaches in the UK to visit this summer, according to the research.

Top 20 beaches in the UK to visit - full list

1. Mablethorpe Town Beach
2. Cromer Beach
3. Whitley Bay
4. Shanklin Beach
5. Filey Beach
6. Skegness Beach
7. Perranporth Beach (Perran Sands)
8. Exmouth Beach
9. Seaford Bay
10. Brighton Central Beach
11. Porthmeor Beach
12. Dovercourt Bay
13. Gyllyngvase Beach
14. Southwold Pier Beach
15. Bexhill Beach
16. Camber Sands
17. Porthtowan Beach
18. Avon Beach
19. Branksome Chine Beach
20. West Runton Beach