A brand-new report by Parkdean Resorts reveals the top 10 UK destinations to buy a seaside holiday home, analysing a range of key factors that equate to the perfect location for a sun-drenched holiday home.
Buying a holiday home is becoming an increasingly popular choice for those looking to enjoy what UK staycations have to offer, and with 2020 teaching us that we have much on offer right on our doorstep, seaside hotspots are looking like the preferred choice.
At Parkdean Resorts, we know more than our fair share about seaside accommodation. We wanted to see whether it was worth investing in a new brick and mortar home by the coast, or whether you’d be better off buying a static holiday home on a holiday park that you can visit throughout the season.
We’ve created the Seaside Holiday Home Report, ranking every seaside resort throughout the UK and the world to see which option is best for sun, sand and sea. Below, we present the top three.
1. Swansea
The Welsh city of Swansea ranks as the best seaside town to buy a holiday home, with a Seaside Holiday Home Index score of 179. This city is best known for being the second-largest city in Wales and for its beautiful coastline views. Swansea scores the lowest on average house price at £146,657, meaning buying a second home by the coast could be an affordable option. Swansea also scores highly for its happiness rates, with an average score of 7.49/10.
2. Plymouth
In second place is Plymouth, a popular seaside town in Devon with a Seaside Holiday Home Index score of 173. This seaside town scored one of the highest in popularity, making this location one of the most searched for places on Google for those looking to buy a holiday home. Not only did Plymouth score highly for its popularity, but the locals also scored the seaside city an average of 7.51/10 for happiness.
3. Lytham St Annes
In third place is Lytham St Annes with a Seaside Holiday Home Index score of 172. This classic seaside resort on the coast of Lancashire offers a great social life for holidaymakers with locals scoring their happiness at an average of 7.44/10. Lytham St Annes also scored as the most affordable place to buy a holiday home, with the average house price standing at £147,244.
All three of these options, however, are much more expensive than the price of buying a static holiday home you can visit during the year. Getting away by the sea in your own static caravan or lodge in Lancashire could only set you back as much as £18,995, giving you ample funds left over for all the fish and chips you can dream of.
Overall, the top 10 UK staycation destinations, according to Parkdean Resorts, are as follows:
Ranking |
Seaside Town |
Average house price |
Population aged 65+ |
Quality of healthcare (%100) |
Popularity of location (0-64) |
ONS happiness score (0-10) |
Seaside Holiday Home Index score (0-256) |
1 |
Swansea |
£146,657.74 |
48,720 |
78% |
60 |
7.49 |
179 |
2 |
Plymouth |
£267,110.19 |
204,201 |
79.7% |
62 |
7.51 |
173 |
3 |
Lytham St Annes |
£147,244.96 |
253,027 |
77% |
21 |
7.44 |
172 |
4 |
Scarborough |
£226,332.03 |
152,657 |
77.2% |
60 |
7.61 |
171 |
5 |
Robin Hood’s Bay |
£226,332.03 |
152,657 |
81.2% |
34 |
7.61 |
169 |
6 |
Brighton |
£277,419 |
144,592 |
82.9% |
63 |
7.38 |
169 |
7 |
Whitstable |
£296,830.28 |
319,396 |
79.2% |
51 |
7.59 |
165 |
8 |
Beer |
£267,110.19 |
204,201 |
78.3% |
58 |
7.82 |
164 |
9 |
Aberystwyth |
£190,661.18 |
18,434 |
84.4% |
48 |
7.55 |
161 |
*Parkdean Resorts is a holiday park operator in the UK, operating 67 holiday parks across England, Scotland, and Wales.