The Welsh seaside resort named the best in the UK

According to a YouGov survey, three-quarters of Brits plan to holiday in the UK this year and with the peak holiday season fast approaching, the top 10 best seaside locations for an entertainment-filled staycation have been revealed – and Tenby tops the chart.

The Pembrokeshire resort topped the ‘Holiday Entertainment Index’ to profile the best destinations to mark for a visit this summer.

The index considers the number of activities per location including amusements, the cost to stay there, average weather patterns, and more, using data from Tripadvisor, Google, and Kayak.

You can view the full research HERE

Factors considered as part of the scoring included:

Number of pubs, restaurants, museums, parks, zoos and aquariums, water and amusement parks, arcades, beach review scores, hotel prices, Google searches, average temperature, average rainfall, and local train stations.

Scoring 7.71 out of 10, Tenby has 6.4 pubs per 1,000 people and 2.4 featuring live music, so for such a small town, there’s decent nightlife for visitors. Similarly, it has 19.3 restaurants per 1,000 people, the second-most on the list.

Top 10 UK Seaside Holiday Destinations

1. Tenby, Pembrokeshire
2. St Ives, Cornwall
3. Lyme Regis, Dorset
4. New Brighton, Wirral
5. Swanage, Dorset
6. Southwold, East Suffolk
7. Whitby, Scarborough
8. Hunstanton, West Norfolk
9. Cromer, North Norfolk
10. Filey, Scarborough

What else has the study told us about the UK’s best seaside holiday entertainment?

Amusement arcades and slot machines are such a feature of British seaside towns, with a mixture of traditional and modern games. Great Yarmouth has the most overall, with 16. In second, Bridlington and Blackpool both have 14 arcades each.

The most popular seaside town on Google is Blackpool, with over 81,000 searches in the last year. Blackpool is renowned for its vibrant history and iconic landmarks like Blackpool Tower, the Pleasure Beach, and the Illuminations.

If you appreciate a pint at the local pub during your seaside holiday, Southwold has the highest ratio, with 11.6 per 1,000 people. The town’s tiny population means that it has an exceptionally high density of pubs for its size, including the Sole Bay Inn, the Lord Nelson, and the Harbour Inn.

Steve Madgwick, Editor-In-Chief at OLBG.com, has profiled the findings of the Holiday Entertainment Index.

“The Great British Summer is finally here, and although the weather isn’t always destined to deliver the perfect UK getaway, many of the best seaside towns across our shores are jam-packed with indoor and outdoor entertainment – from arcades to pubs, and more!

“Using various data sources such as Tripadvisor and Google Maps, OLBG has created the ultimate ‘Holiday Entertainment Index’ to determine the best places for seaside fun in the UK – including the best amusement locations.

“Arcades are there for all the family and amusement arcades and slot machines are a staple of many of the best UK seaside towns – Blackpool, Southend-on-Sea and Scarborough just to name a few. Our research has found that these destinations rank amongst the top five arcade destinations in the UK – but Great Yarmouth and Bridlington pip them to the post with 16 and 14 recorded arcades in the respective areas.

“Perhaps more understated is Hunstanton in West Norfolk, with 1.4 arcades per 1,000 people, the most of our destinations profiled. Hunstanton Pier is famous for its amusements, with traditional coin push, toy grabber and fruit machines.

“Every seaside town has its own charm to attract visitors from both the UK and worldwide, but if you’re looking for some fun on your adventurous trip, our final index scores have named Tenby the best UK seaside town for holiday entertainment. From the town’s highly-rated Castle Beach to a great selection of pubs and restaurants for the best nightlife experience, it’s hard to look past marking a trip to Tenby in your future calendar!”