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Bournemouth -

A premier south coast holiday destination, Bournemouth, seen here in 1880, is celebrated for its Victorian and Edwardian architecture. The town has two landmark piers and five beaches.

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Cowes -

Cowes, a coastal town on the Isle of Wight, is forever associated with yachting. In fact, it gives its name to arguably the world's oldest regular regatta, Cowes Week, which occurs annually in the first week of August. The town's esplanade is pictured in 1880.

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Weymouth -

During the Second World War, Weymouth was an important mustering for Allied troops preparing for D-Day. The town is pictured here in more peaceful times, around 1890.

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Blackpool -

When it was built in 1894, Blackpool Tower was the tallest building in the British Empire. The iconic structure, still standing today, is pictured in its inaugural year.

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Torquay -

Genteel Torquay is the centerpiece of the English Riviera. It found favor with Victorian society and remains a destination of choice for those seeking a fashionable resort getaway. The town is pictured in 1895, viewed from Waldron Hill.

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Brighton -

One of the most popular seaside resorts in Great Britain, Brighton was a fashionable Victorian-era vacation destination. Many of the town's major visitor attractions were built during this period, including the West Pier (pictured here in 1900).

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Hastings -

Hastings, on England's south coast, is known for the Battle of Hastings, which took place on October 14, 1066. Centuries later with the arrival of the railway, the town was again invaded, this time by Victorian sunseekers, seen here in 1899 on the beach with a collection of bathing machines—devices that allowed people to change out of their usual clothes into swimwear while protecting their modesty.

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Margate -

Crowds of smartly dressed people line the pier at Margate for their traditional afternoon seaside stroll. Completed in 1856, the pier collapsed in 1978 during a severe storm. It was never rebuilt.

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Scarborough -

Scarborough is the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire Coast and deserves its reputation as one of England's most famous seaside towns. This evocative image from 1911 includes the town's Grand Hotel, while on the hill in the distance is the ruins of Scarborough Castle.

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Newquay -

Fistral Beach in Newquay is today a world-class surfing destination. One hundred years ago, however, it was the haunt of well-dressed tourists seeking a spot of sun before a cup of tea. Newquay remains one of Cornwall's top vacation options.

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Southsea -

Four women on the beach at Southsea in 1929 are all eyes at sea as they watch the Schneider Trophy air race take place over The Solent.

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Morecambe -

Morecambe in Lancashire is known for its vast bay—the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom. The seaside town is pictured in its thriving heyday, around 1930.

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Southend-on-Sea -

The unusual beach attire of a pair of young ladies, strolling arm in arm along the promenade at Thorpe Bay in Southend-on-Sea in Essex, turns the heads of passers-by in this candid 1932 photograph.

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Shanklin -

Girls from the Russell Road London County Council Girls' School are seen in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight in September 1936 receiving tuition on the beach during a fortnight's holiday under the auspices of the School Journeys Association.

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Eastbourne -

A Victorina-era seaside town in East Sussex, Eastbourne derives a large and increasing income from tourism, as it has done since the 19th century. Walking the beach at low tide is a favorite pastime, as these children pictured in 1948 delightfully demonstrate.

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Weston-super-Mare -

Weston-super-Mare serves as a convenient standby for anybody out of nearby Bristol wishing to barefoot a carpet of sand. Funnily enough, Weston provided a home for the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel while he was supervising the construction of the Bristol and Exeter Railway in the area. In 1949 if the sea was a tad chilly, people could use the neighboring swimming pool.

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Southport -

Rarely performed these days, the Punch and Judy show is a traditional puppet show featuring Mr. Punch and his wife Judy. Held on beaches around Great Britain in front of a mainly young audience, this particular show was photographed in Southport in July 1950.

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Worthing -

The great British summer is often a damp and windy affair. In fact, it can get jolly cold. Which is probably why this family have the whole beach to themselves during a 1954 visit to Worthing in West Sussex.

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Great Yarmouth -

Great Yarmouth in Norfolk has enjoyed a reputation as a resort destination since the mid-18th century—long before the advent of the motorcar and certainly before the invention of this miniature bus, pictured in 1955 traveling along the seafront.

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Barry Island -

In this amusing 1936 snapshot, a hapless beachgoer snoozing in his deckchair is unaware of the incoming tide at Barry Island, near Cardiff in Wales.

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Llandudno -

Llandudno is the largest seaside resort in Wales. The town has been attracting holidaymakers since 1861. Pictured in 1937 is an acrobatic display taking place on the beach.

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Scarborough -

This young boy has clearly lost his head while clowning around on Scarborough Beach in August 1958.

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Margate -

Margate on the north coast of Kent is within easy day-trip distance from London, as this 1933 photograph of its overcrowded beach clearly testifies.

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Blackpool -

In 1879, the annual lights festival known as the Blackpool Illuminations was inaugurated. Blackpool Tower, seen here illuminated in 1949, was lit by 300,000 electric light bulbs, and attracted two million visitors during the first post-war illuminations.

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Southsea -

Southsea on the southern tip of Portsmouth, began as a fashionable 19th-century Victorian seaside resort. For many years HMY Britannia used Portsmouth as a departure point for numerous voyages. In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II reviewed the Coronation Fleet in The Solent. The event drew thousands to Southsea Beach, where deckchairs were at a premium.

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Newquay -

Smiling and laughing crowds hold out a large blanket to catch an entertainer jumping in the air during fun and games at Newquay in 1955.

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Llandudno -

While less popular now, donkey rides were once a traditional feature of seaside Britain, beginning during the Victorian era. This youngster at Llandudno, photographed in July 1958, seems unsure of what ride to choose...

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Margate -

Having holiday fun in the sun at Minnis Bay near Margate in 1960 are these two teenagers. The beachwear is typical of the period.

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Blackpool -

An August weekend scene taken from Blackpool Tower in 1966 captures thousands of beachgoers converging on the town's golden sands.

Sources: (CNN) (Pioneers of Flight) (Blackpool Illuminations)

See also: Cities with impressive beaches on their doorstep

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