What's a really great UK seaside city or large town to live in?

[LAHallucinations]

As the title says really. I've lived in a small town in the Home Counties all my life and I'd like to move to the coast within the next year. The trouble is I have very few restrictions/criteria for where I could move, so I'm struggling with very bad choice paralysis. Whenever I do find somewhere I think would suit me, I search for threads about the place on here, and inevitably they'll be a handful of comments saying what a shithole that place is, which just sends me back to square one (even if most other comments are very positive).

So no negativity please, just places that you think are really good to live in.

The only essentials are:

• Must be by the coast (doesn't need to have a sandy beach, just some good coastal walks)


• Must be a big town or a city (I don't drive so I want everything nearby and plenty of things to do/opportunities to meet new people)


• Mustn't be somewhere really 'rough' or rundown

I work from home, I don't have children, and I have a large budget, so none of those things are an issue.

Where would you recommend?

@Dspx

I mentioned Southend but was being a bit snobby about it! However, a few years back a friend and I visited on a very very hot day. We had a great time and managed to get an ice cream before the stuff literally melted away!!

Much as I love St Andrews it is a University town and filled with students most of the year. There is also the constant flood of tourists. Spent many years there ages ago and the weather is a downside. I now would only stay in the South of England as the weather is just so much better. The South coast can be very expensive though eg I have my eye on a 2 bed flat in Hove with a sea view but I haven't got a spare 1.1million. People are moving out to Worthing and further as someone else said to Shoreham which I also love but it's not a young scene. Brighton is that place but blighted by endless hen and stag parties, the Green Party and politics and some of the worst high house prices as in poor value for money. Hove however is lovely. Going further West are places like Poole.

Brighton or Hastings - think Hastings a bit more alternative now. Or Margate/Rye. Weather is better than any of the northern places suggested. (I live in the north west in a seaside town).

North Berwick or Elie in Scotland

Has anyone said Hull yet?

Berwick on Tweed

It's pretty obvious you haven't been to Swansea for a long time. The marina has been transformed. Swansea itself has a great beach and is well connected by train. Sure, the gower is easier to access with a car, but there are bus services to lots of places & a train line to west Wales which gives access to places like Tenby.

Chichester has an important theatre, good access to Portsmouth, Southampton, London. Beautiful places nearby like the Witterings, Bosham, South Downs. Goodwood nearby if you fancy the events that go on year round.

Exeter.
Lovely river walks, and trains that go along the coast, worth a trip for the scenery alone.
The Quays area has good pubs and restaurants overlooking the river, and there's a good town with a beautiful cathedral too.

Whitley Bay
Cullercoats
Tynemouth

I live in Swansea. As I type I’m sitting in my living room with views over Swansea Bay. So many people have this view in Swansea most take it for granted. The council here have attracted huge investment and the city centre is being transformed.

in your shoes I would look at living in the Mumbles area of swansea. Lots of independent shops and bars, a bookshop, pier etc and a 5 mile sea front you can use to cycle/walk into the city centre. Plenty of buses; the university has campuses on the seafront so they are well connected.

i commute to Cardiff some days and from my house I can be parked and on platform in 10 mins and then it’s only 53 minutes to Cardiff Central.

from a healthcare perspective we have a regional hospital on our doorstep and thanks to our labour govt in wales, free prescriptions.

I agree with Tynemouth. You're on the Metro so can get into Newcastle easily and Newcastle station for getting to other parts of the country. Less rain than the north-west 😉Good sized beach too.

Chichester is lovely but it doesn’t have a beach. The nearest beach is a 20 minute bus ride away. There’s no point in wanting to live at the beach and then moving somewhere that’s not at the beach.

Eastbourne. Or maybe Exmouth (near to Exeter to get to).

Exmouth is like a mini community and has lots of the other East Devon villages and small towns nearby.

Eastbourne still a bit villagey but coming up and getting trendier.

Whitstable is nice but gets busy. Broadstairs also nice but gets busy (two of my friends live there, one has DC and is single mother) the other is living with her partner but has stepson.

Not sure I'd recommend places like e.g. Folkestone.

Margate maybe?

Agreed with Exeter, been there and to Exmouth which is nearby for a good few years seeing friends and Exeter is a lovely sized town with good amenities, community etc

My son thinks Folkestone is great, he says the beach is lovely and there are lots of arty shops and cafes. People forget about it because of the ferry port.

Those suggesting The Wirral... as beautiful as it is, without driving you are defo limited to a few places if you want close beach/coast walks AND a reasonable sized town.

Public transport is... ok. But you are defo not 'jumping the tube' into L'pool/Chester
And getting to anywhere 'nice' in N'Wales on the train can be painfully long and expensive.
(soooo many wasted hours at Bidston)

I 2nd/3rd/ + North L'Pool. Crosby, Formby etc. Small towns but so close to L'pool and it's mainline station to beyond.

How exciting for you. We're stuck in costless N'Wales for the time being. But your search criteria is almost the same as mine once the kids have flown.
Minus the budget

Old Portsmouth if you have a huge budget. Southsea if not.Proper city, with transport, southsea beach and common are right in the city or ferry to Ryde on the IOW for the beach/change of pace

Unless there's been a massive amount of coastal erosion in the last 3 years, Rye is NOT a seaside town It's the opposite - it used to be by the sea some centuries ago! I like Rye but it doesn't really meet the OP's requirement for a large town, or being close to one.

And St Andrews has no railway station, so no good for a non-driver (unless the bus links are good). Also not a lot there: golf course and ruins. It has to be the most overrated place in the UK.

Yes Portsmouth is a really interesting place and has great transport links.

St Andrews is a beautiful Scottish town. It has everything you are looking for. Nearby Crail is gorgeous too.

Although I love it (and love Scotland) if I had a big budget I would most likely head South for the milder weather.

Ilfracombe in Devon might be a good option. Newquay in Cornwall.

As a Scot I would NOT associate Edinburgh as a coastal city or town.

Some of these suggestions are rather strange! A village of 600 people will not have great public transport. We live in one and there is one bus a day at 1400.

I agree re Brighton. Train station into London and lots of vibe.

Definitely Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, Cullercoats.
Lived in Monkseaton for many years and loved it. Into Newcastle very quickly on the excellent metro system - never needed a car as the transport was really good. Good connections from Newcastle Central station too.
And then you're at the beach in no time at all and I used to love walking up and down the coast, sometimes there and back but sometimes just hopping on the metro on the way back.

Edinburgh, Aberdeen