The seaside city has been topped the UK’s prime staycation vacation spot for 2026 by Parkdean Resorts, due to its Blue Flag seashores, world-famous Elvis pageant and 7 distinctive seashores
Porthcawl is a beautiful seaside spot (Picture: Getty) This text comprises affiliate hyperlinks, we are going to obtain a fee on any gross sales we generate from it. Study extra
As Brits search one thing thrilling to stay up for amid the gray and soggy climate that has characterised the beginning of this yr, the best UK vacation vacation spot has been topped.
Parkdean Resorts has named the seaside city of Porthcawl in Bridgend, Wales, as the very best vacation vacation spot for 2026.
Celebrated for its excellent water high quality, wealth of actions – together with the world’s largest Elvis pageant – and abundance of cafés, eating places and unbiased retailers, this charming and welcoming city delivers the final word traditional British seaside expertise.
Porthcawl boasts a powerful seven distinct seashores, starting from bustling sandy stretches to secluded rocky coves. Relaxation Bay and Trecco Bay maintain coveted Blue Flag standing and are agency favourites amongst surfers and watersports lovers, while Pink Bay options putting marbled pink rocks.
The realm has seven seashores (Picture: Grey Freeman through Getty Photos)
For these looking for a quieter, sandy retreat, Sker Seaside is the right selection. Boasting three miles of soppy golden sand, this rural slice of coast has in some way managed to flee the vacationer limelight – regardless of being a stone’s throw from the insufferably crowded Morfa Seaside. It is an idyllic spot, one that may make you are feeling such as you’ve found your personal tropical island and is nice for these desirous to spend the day absorbing the solar or braving the cool, cobalt waters.
However, with no direct automotive park, attending to Sker Seaside is not any straightforward feat. In actual fact, you possibly can solely entry the shore on foot, by strolling from Relaxation Bay or the Kenfig Nationwide Nature Reserve. It is a 20-minute stroll from Relaxation Bay and a 40-minute stroll to the closest rest room – so be sure to come ready.
“At low tide, a plaque in reminiscence of all of the lives misplaced on the S.S. Santampa and the Mumbles lifeboat is seen,” defined Bridgend County Borough Council. “At very low tides, wreckage can nonetheless be discovered.”
The city itself actually has one thing for everybody, with thrilling experiences on provide at its new Watersports Centre and the celebrated Royal Porthcawl Golf Membership, alongside conventional seaside delights akin to funfair rides and ice cream alongside the seafront Esplanade, or peaceable sundown views from its waterfront cafés.
It is a actually pretty place (Picture: steved_np3 through Getty Photos)
Down on the harbour sits the RNLI station and Wales’ oldest listed bonded warehouse, the Jennings Constructing, now a vibrant waterside vacation spot full of cafés and eating places. For these with a bit extra power and rhythm of their step, Porthcawl additionally performs host to the annual Porthcawl Elvis Competition — broadly thought to be the world’s largest celebration of The King, drawing tens of 1000’s of devoted followers and lots of of tribute acts to the city for a weekend full of competitions, performances and festivities.
One festival-goer wrote: “Elvis Competition Porthcawl was precisely what it mentioned on the tin – an excellent, chaotic, barely aft, love-in for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The city went full Elvis, the followers purchased the fireplace, and the tribute acts delivered from begin to end.”
Andy Edge, Chief Advertising and marketing Officer at Parkdean Resorts, which operates a vacation park in Porthcawl, revealed that nostalgia is proving a big driving drive behind households’ vacation selections this yr.
He commented: “Nostalgia has been a key theme for 2026 already and our knowledge suggests journey is reflecting this too. This yr we’re seeing an actual resurgence in a few of Britain’s most beloved coastal and countryside areas with travellers gravitating in direction of locations like Porthcawl, Cayton Bay and Poole. These cities provide the right steadiness of conventional seaside appeal, lovely environment and simple accessibility – all key elements for folks planning a staycation this yr. For households, the very best holidays are all about steadiness, someplace with loads of leisure to maintain everybody busy however stress-free sufficient for all to recharge. Common seaside locations akin to Newquay, Torquay, and Porthcawl proceed to be agency favourites due to their seashores, points of interest and family-friendly actions. These areas are perfect for making reminiscences collectively, whether or not that is seashore days, coastal walks or traditional arcade enjoyable.”
If you happen to fancy a visit to Porthcawl, Sykes Vacation Cottages has loads of locations to remain within the space. Among the many choices is the charming Kenfig Farm cottage and the spectacular, trendy Hyperlinks.
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Wales is a superb staycation vacation spot, residence to snowdonia Nationwide Park, the attractive resort city of Llandudno, seashore city Porthcaw and far else. You could find the very best accomodation to your subsequent journey with Sykes Vacation Cottages.
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Not all is totally properly in Porthcawl, nonetheless.
Coney Seaside Pleasure Park graced the city for greater than 100 years, after the historic seaside amusement park was established in round 1918. Following a sale to the Welsh Authorities in 2023, the park closed completely in October 2025 to make manner for a brand new housing improvement, with demolition starting in early 2026.
The honest’s closing season was not with out incident – in August, a cart on the Wacky Worm trip derailed with 13 youngsters and one grownup receiving minor accidents.
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