Can anyone recommend a great UK seaside resort, maybe something a little different from the usual?

No.

Categorically there is nowhere 'great' in Great Britain.

Get yourself abroad.

Thanks for the positive feedback. Where do you suggest? Do you live in a country that you would like to recommend?

Contrary to snow's icy response (pun definitely intended) there are some great places in Uk to visit, depends where you are coming from and how far you are prepared to travel.
The North devon coast is dramatic with long golden sandy beaches, sand dunes for jumping off, waves to surf in (or boogie board) - Wales also has some great beaches as does the south coast. Sea is a bit warmer than rest of UK coz of the gulf steam.
For a mini las vegas try Blackpool - great beach loads of nightlife. Scotland is beautiful but not many beaches and decidedly cooler than further south.
Obviously we are dependant on the weather but dont write off the whole of the UK because of that. With the climate changing it wont be long and we'll have no need to go abroad at all. And quite frankly we wouldnt need to....

Thanks very much for your response Gel, we live in the south west but have spent most of our holidays abroad, would just like somewhere a bit different for a long weekend break. Have done Blackpool a few times, fancy something a bit different to the norm & want to go in a month or so, hopefully the weather will be kind to us!

Have you ever been to centre parcs? You dont need to be sporty, if you like to indulge then there are brilliant spa treatments to pamper yourself with and they do certain treatments for couples too.
If you go outside school holidays you can still do it quite reasonably. Had a girlie break at Longleat last sept and totally relaxed in the spa for a day.
We're thinking of going with our friends (all families with differing ages of kids) so the kids can do their sport, guys can do their golf and the gals can get pampered. hire a 4 bed and split the cost.

Consider the East and North Yorkshire Coast from Hornsea to Whitby. Plenty of options there from small seaside villages such as Robin Hoods Bay, Staithes and Filey to the more full on resorts of Bridlington and Scarborough. Dramatic cliffs and sweeping beaches within a few miles of each other. The North Yorkshire Moors are also a lovely part of England.

The North Norfolk Coast is very nice too. Sheringham is a nice quiet town with lovely cliffs and a nice sandy beach, and 3 miles up the coast from there is Cromer which is a tad more commercialised but still a nice town with nice beach. there are also several villages further up the coast, such as mundesley, bacton, trimmingham etc, which are great for lovely quiet sandy beaches.

Thanks guys, lots to consider!

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Originally posted by MiffyB:
Thanks for the positive feedback. Where do you suggest? Do you live in a country that you would like to recommend?

Well, there's pleanty I could recommend for you abroad, but to avoid the concept of me being a little shit for my previous response, I'd like to state my possibilities for you:

-North Devonshire coast, in my opinion the best beaches in the UK. Plus, the best ice cream in the worls.

-Helensburgh. Certainly not a typical seaside town (no beach for example), this is possibly the most breath takingly beautiful place I've been to in Europe, the walk around the harbour is the most relaxing walk you can hope for. And Loch Lomond is only half an hour away.

-Hopton. About ten minutes south of (not so) Great Yarmouth, it feels about ten light years away. A lovely sand beach, few visitors as it is a residential kind of town as much as anything and access to lots of attractions, including Pleasurewood Hills theme park, a must for familes with young kids.

A few of my more desirable places close to home, if you can though, get yourself off to Nepal, it's where I'm going soon!

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Originally posted by MiffyB:
Can anyone recommend a great UK seaside resort, maybe something a little different from the usual?

Its not in the UK but i would recommend the Isle of Man, there are loads of beaches including secluded ones, and if ur thinking of going for about a week, theres a lot to do...

some (all!) of th cornish cast is gorgeous. we were round their last year and thought Porthcurno was lovely.

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions, we ended up going to Paignton in South Devon and had a great time. We had gorgeous weather which helped, we'll definitely be returning!

Glad to hear you had a good time MiffyB

To Miffyb and other interested parties. If you've never done it before, next time you go away for a few days, try Jersey in the Channel islands. I first went in 1976 and have tried to get back at least once a year ever since. I usually manage to get two or three times a year and have been over forty times in total. It has just about every type of terrain possible, including moonscapes, fantastic beaches, lava flow type rocks, cliffs, you name it and Jersey has it. The pubs are normally ancient and do great real ales and most have excellent food at very reasonable prices. Contrary to what many people believe, both drinks and food are cheaper than where I live in the UK. Accommodation can be cheap as well and all hotels and Guest houses are strictly monitored by the Jersey Tourist Board who ensure that strict standards are maintained. Last March, I paid £50 for a return flight from East Midlands and paid £20 per night in a hotel which boasted three bars, two restaurants, large function room, jacuzzi, Sauna, indoor and out door swimming pool and all the usual services and room refinements that you would expect of a large hotel. My wife and I went again around Easter time and had a deal where we paid nothing for the hotel, provided we had all of our meals in the hotel restaurant off the alle cart menu. This cost around £45 each per day but..wow the food was to die for. I've never known anyone who's been come back dissatisfied. Let me know if any of you give it a try and how you went on. A note of warning... I went to Guernsey once expecting it to be just like Jersey, I came home after three days (I'd booked for seven) bored to tears.

Thanks Gully & wackydodger - We've only visited Jersey for a day so didn't see much of it but definitely want to return soon, I've heard great reports, which are the nicest areas to stay?

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Originally posted by MiffyB:
Thanks Gully & wackydodger - We've only visited Jersey for a day so didn't see much of it but definitely want to return soon, I've heard great reports, which are the nicest areas to stay?

In many ways it does'nt really matter as everywhere is reachable within a twenty minute drive. All areas have someting to offer. St. Brelades is great for the best and safest beaches (good for kids and water sports) but the hotels are a little more expensive. St Ouens beach is great for surfing and sports, St. Peters is handy for the airport and is only a five minute drive fron St. Helier (The main Town) If you like night clubs its best to stay in St. Helier or Grouville bay which is a couple of minutes drive or a ten minute walk away. The last twice i've been i've stayed at Grouville bay. The Hotel De Normandie and the Omaroo and as i said before, the deals were really good. I've stayed all over the Island and never had a bad experience yet. But as I said if you take your vehicle or hire a car it doesn't really matter. Try and book over the net as package deals can be a bit expensive in comparison. Out of season, i.e. November to May some hotels offer great deals just to hang on to their key staff and not have to close. Obviously the sun bathing not too popular this time of year though. Last year I looked at renting an apartment inside Elizabeth's Castle (The one you see as you come into St. Helier harbour) as they were really cheap but then I realised why. When the tide comes in you need a boat to reach the shore and they stop running when it gets dark so your stranded until daylight. But for a couple who like to spend their evenings around the fire with a bottle of wine they would be perfect. I'm sure if you go you will really enjoy it. Let me know if you ever do.

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Originally posted by wackydodger:

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Originally posted by MiffyB:
Thanks Gully & wackydodger - We've only visited Jersey for a day so didn't see much of it but definitely want to return soon, I've heard great reports, which are the nicest areas to stay?

In many ways it does'nt really matter as everywhere is reachable within a twenty minute drive. All areas have someting to offer. St. Brelades is great for the best and safest beaches (good for kids and water sports) but the hotels are a little more expensive. St Ouens beach is great for surfing and sports, St. Peters is handy for the airport and is only a five minute drive fron St. Helier (The main Town) If you like night clubs its best to stay in St. Helier or Grouville bay which is a couple of minutes drive or a ten minute walk away. The last twice i've been i've stayed at Grouville bay. The Hotel De Normandie and the Omaroo and as i said before, the deals were really good. I've stayed all over the Island and never had a bad experience yet. But as I said if you take your vehicle or hire a car it doesn't really matter. Try and book over the net as package deals can be a bit expensive in comparison. Out of season, i.e. November to May some hotels offer great deals just to hang on to their key staff and not have to close. Obviously the sun bathing not too popular this time of year though. Last year I looked at renting an apartment inside Elizabeth's Castle (The one you see as you come into St. Helier harbour) as they were really cheap but then I realised why. When the tide comes in you need a boat to reach the shore and they stop running when it gets dark so your stranded until daylight. But for a couple who like to spend their evenings around the fire with a bottle of wine they would be perfect. I'm sure if you go you will really enjoy it. Let me know if you ever do.

Just a post script. Crime on the Island is very very low and is normally confined to a little pilfering or a scuffle outside of clubs on a Friday night. There is NO penalty at all on Jersey for car theft because it has never happened. As we walk through the town we're always amazed to see expensive open top cars with parcels and bags left on back seats. Can you imagine that here?

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Originally posted by FGG:
The best beach I've ever been to in the Uk is Gwithian in Hayle, Cornwall..........its so good we've ended up going back for the last 4 years.

Well worth a look

Sounds great, will definitely keep it in mind! Thanks for your reply!

Fantastic thanks for the help, will try it out of season as suggested, although flying would be an easier option than taking a car, and I quite fancy the idea of being stranded until daylight! Thanks again

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Originally posted by MiffyB:
Fantastic thanks for the help, will try it out of season as suggested, although flying would be an easier option than taking a car, and I quite fancy the idea of being stranded until daylight! Thanks again

Your welcome. I should get commission from Jersey tourism.

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Can anyone recommend a great UK seaside resort, maybe something a little different from the usual?

apparently eastbourne just won an award for 'best seaside resort in britain' at some national tourism awards.
well i live here and it's sh!t: hell on earth. which must say a lot for the rest of the country if this is the best. either that or some of the councillors paid off the judges...

try spain.

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Originally posted by stuckinpommyland:

apparently eastbourne just won an award for 'best seaside resort in britain'

Was it the "Eastbourne" tourist awards?

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Was it the "Eastbourne" tourist awards?

it beat brighton, blackpool, etc etc...
don't ask me???