Bucket & Spade List

Vote for the 2025 Bucket and Spade list

Voting is now open for the 2025 Bucket and Spade top seaside experiences. Choose from the shortlist of seaside favourites and remember to cast your vote by 30 August 2025. The winners will be revealed at our 'Big Day In' online event on Saturday 6 September.

  • A red and white funicular tramway midway up the cliff in Scarborough, with green trees and the top station showing
    © Scarborough Central Tramway

    Central Tramway, Scarborough

    Central Tramway is Scarborough's iconic cliff railway full of character and charm, where you'll always get a warm Yorkshire welcome. The company was established in 1881 in the heart of this picturesque seaside town, and is committed to preserving the tramway's Victorian heritage, whilst maintaining the highest standards in modern engineering and operational safety. As one of the country's busiest cliff railways and a site of local historical significance, the company shares its rich social and industrial history through educational talks, tours, and books. The tramway also offers a companion scheme for local residents to access reduced fares and updates.

  • A sunny seaside pier with colorful banners, a building to the right, and a clear blue sky reflecting on the calm water.

    Deal Pier

    Deal’s post-war pier is a fantastic monument to Mid-Century Modernism, replacing an earlier Victorian pier which was itself a replacement for the original wooden pier of 1838. During the Second World War the pier had to be demolished by the army and once rebuilt it was opened by the Duke of Edinburgh in November 1957. The pier was designed by Sir William Halcrow who specified reinforced concrete to encase the steel piles and provide the pier with its distinctive modern style. Today, Deal Pier is operated and owned by Dover District Council and remains a focal point for residents and visitors to the town, hosting a variety of events, including Morris dancing, shanty singing, and the iconic Boxing Day dips. Kelly Green, Town Centre Manager, Dover District Council says, ‘the pier is part of Deal’s community history, plus it has magnificent views of the pretty, colourful town of Deal and out to sea, where you can see France on a good day’.

  • A horse-drawn tram with passengers travels along a seaside road, bordered by flowers and a grassy area, under a clear blue sky.

    Douglas Bay Horse Tramway

    A living piece of Victorian engineering, the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway has been a popular tourist attraction on the Isle of Man since 1876. As one of the last surviving horse-drawn tramways in the world, it stands as a testament to endurance and heritage, delighting both visitors and locals alike. Each summer, the tramway carries passengers along Douglas Promenade on a route stretching 1.5 miles from Derby Castle to Broadway, offering a picturesque coastal journey with convenient access to local landmarks, including connections to the Manx Electric Railway. In recent years, the original tramcars have undergone careful refurbishment. They are drawn by powerful and gentle Clydesdale and Shire horses, affectionately known as "trammers", who have an average working life of 15 years, after which they enjoy their retirement at the Home of Rest for Old Horses in Douglas. A special and unique Manx attraction, the tramway has carried many thousands of happy passengers, including Queen Elizabeth II, the late Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret.

  • Hand holding a lemon-topped ice cream cone in front of Pacitto's shop with a brick facade and vintage signage.

    Lemon Top ice cream, Redcar

    No trip to Redcar is complete without trying its legendary treat: the ‘Lemon Top’ ice-cream. This traditional seaside favourite features creamy vanilla soft-serve ice cream topped with zesty lemon sorbet, striking the perfect sweet-tangy balance. The Lemon Top originated in Redcar with Pacitto’s Ice Cream Parlour, which is located on Redcar’s Esplanade, and has been serving freshly made Lemon Tops for over 100 years. So, whether you’re reliving childhood memories or tasting it for the first time, enjoying a Lemon Top is a must when visiting Redcar.

  • Cartoon image of a traditional fisherman dressed in a black waterproof hat, red scarf, blue jumper, white trousers, and wellington boots. The fisherman is smoking a pipe, and running along the beach with his arms outstretched. The poster caption is 'Skegness is SO bracing'.

    Jolly Fisherman Poster, Skegness

    The Jolly Fisherman poster and its accompanying slogan is regarded as one of the most famous holiday advertisements of all time. The original oil painting was created by artist John Hassall in 1908 after he had been commissioned by the Great Northern Railway to produce a poster to promote Skegness. Hassall was paid 12 guineas for the picture of a smiling, pipe-smoking fisherman bounding along a sandy beach and the slogan “Skegness is SO bracing” was added by an anonymous railway employee. The original paintings are now on permanent display in the Tower Gardens Pavilion in Skegness for all to enjoy.

  • Art Deco-style cinema building with beige tiles, blue "Plaza" sign, and ticket booth. Posters and lights adorn the entrance.

    Plaza Cinema, Weston-super-Mare

    The Plaza first opened its doors in 1911 as The Electric Cinema, and in 1935 was redeveloped as an Odeon Theatre, one of four to be designed by architect T Cecil Howitt. Its stunning Art Deco Compton Organ is one of only two still working in the UK today. In 2023, the cinema was sold to its current owners, Merlin Cinemas, a chain that began in West Cornwall in 1990 and now operates 21 locations across the UK, many in historic town centre buildings. Since re-opening Weston’s oldest cinema, Merlin has seen a big uptake from family audiences seeking affordable cinema-going with tickets starting from just £2.50 for older releases and £4 for new films. The Plaza has also seen several film screenings with live organ preludes featuring the original organ which have been very well received by seaside cinema fans.

  • People enjoying a sunny day in a large outdoor swimming pool, with a colorful building and flags in the background.

    Stonehaven Open Air Pool

    Opened in June 1934, Stonehaven’s open air swimming pool was designed to consolidate the town’s position as a leading holiday resort on Scotland’s North East coast. It quickly proved popular and visitor numbers rocketed after installation of a system to heat the water was installed in 1935. The pool continued to be a big attraction after the war but falling attendance figures and soaring maintenance costs meant that closure loomed. A campaign to save it led to creation of the Friends of Stonehaven Open Air swimming pool in 1996 and this volunteer group has been running it in in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council ever since. A fun and welcoming place to swim, Stonehaven pool celebrated its 90th anniversary with a royal visit in 2024 and is looking forward to a bright future as a much-loved example of Scottish seaside heritage.

  • Colorful beach huts on wooden stilts line a sandy shore, with trees and a clear blue sky in the background.

    Wells-next-the-Sea beach huts

    The beach huts at Wells-next-the-Sea date back to the early 1900s and are a beloved part of North Norfolk's coastal heritage. Perched on stilts along golden sands and framed by the towering pines, these colourful huts offer more than just shelter, they provide a peaceful escape into coastal paradise. Originally built to serve Victorian beachgoers, they have evolved into cherished retreats for locals and visitors seeking their very own slice of seaside heaven. Their lasting appeal and contribution to the coastal landscape make them a must-see when visiting North Norfolk.

  • Coastal scene with a café, the Lagoon, and colorful play area surrounded by lush greenery and purple flowers under a partly cloudy sky.

    Hove Lagoon

    Hove Lagoon, a historic art deco leisure park near Brighton and Hove’s seafront, is a vibrant family destination. Once a saltwater hollow called Salt Daisy Lake, it became a model boating lake in 1930. Today, it hosts Lagoon Watersports, and a playground, paddling pool and fairground amusements for children. The dog-friendly, The Big Beach art deco café serves food and drink and is little changed from when it was built in 1930. The Model Boat group continues to set sail every Sunday. Local volunteers, the Friends of Hove Lagoon, help maintain the area and organise events, keeping this unique gem active and welcoming for locals and visitors of all ages, as it has since the 1930s!

  • Colorful amusement park ride featuring a smiling green snail with a red bow tie and antennae. Bright and playful setting.
    © Joyland, Great Yarmouth

    Super Snails, Joyland, Great Yarmouth

    Joyland has been delighting families on Great Yarmouth’s seafront since 1949, and the iconic Super Snails ride is at the heart of its charm. A rare survivor of vintage seaside engineering, the snails gently glide through whimsical gardens and bumps, enchanting generations of children and adults alike. Lovingly preserved and still operated using the original mechanism, the Super Snails are a nostalgic treasure and a unique part of Britain’s coastal heritage. With their colourful shells and timeless appeal, they continue to bring smiles year after year – a true symbol of joy, tradition, and the magic of the seaside.

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