UK's 'most beautiful seaside town' that has an 8-mile beach and hardly any tourists

For those looking to swerve the heaving airports this summer and instead opt for a quintessential English to holiday at, you are in luck. That's because a charming seaside spot has been hailed as being among the best and is the proud recipient of a host of impressive awards. Found in the historic North Riding of Yorkshire, Saltburn-by-the-Sea was originally a Victorian spa town and is famed for its historical features.

Commonly referred to as Saltburn, the charming town boasts a pristine eight-mile beach, with one of the most impressive stretches of coastlines in the UK, which, best of all, has hardly any tourists. The town also includes traditional huts, a pleasurable pier and even a picturesque enchanting water-powered cliff tramway and well deserves a spot on your next UK adventure bucket list.

Saltburn is found prettily perched on dramatic cliffs that overlook the North Sea.

The town has managed to retain its Victorian charm over the years and is home to a plethora of dreamy landscapes, all ideal for a holiday.

Whether it be a sunbath on its stunning beach, a picnic in its woodland area or a simple stroll through its formal gardens - ways to fill your days here are a cinch.

The Saltburn Cliff Lift adds to the town's charm and is a novel and unique way to visit its beach, which according to an index that looked at over 400 beaches, was found to be the best beach across all of the UK.

This was according to UK booking company holidaycottages.co.uk which looked at a variety of factors to come to this conclusion and included a beaches dog-friendliness, availability of parking, toilets, cafes, water quality, lifeguards, accessibility and water sports available; with Saltburn taking the crown of having the UK's best beach.

But the prestige doesn't end there for Saltburn, as the charming coastal spot was also named the "most beautiful seaside town" in 2024, the "top seaside town to visit" the same year by The Sun and also was found to be the "best town for a seaside staycation in 2024" by Simply Seaviews.

Another popular feature in Saltburn's is it's stunning pier, ideal for those leisurely strolls soaking up the endless magical sights and was constructed all the way back in 1869.

Visitors can either enjoy this iconic pier with either a cheeky ice cream in tow or better yet, tucking into a local fish and chips at Seaview Restaurant, which is said to be among the tastiest around.

As for activities found in Saltburn to keep you entertained, the Valley Gardens is ideal for anyone to simply unwind and features ornamental ponds with an array of vibrant flowers.

Saltburn's most unique attraction and a family favourite is the Saltburn Miniature Railway, a 15-inch gauge railway listed as one of the UK's most famous railways.

"The pier at Saltburn is a lovely blast from the past & serves as a reminder of the old days at seaside resorts in England," wrote one review on TripAdvisor.

With another adding: "Amazing place with super views that's well organised and clean. It has been a great experience for all the family."