A “gorgeous” North East seaside town with miles of “golden sand” and “stunning” views has been ranked the third happiest place to live in the UK. 

Whitley Bay, in North Tyneside, made the podium in a national survey of 5,000 people to find the happiest places to live in 2024. 

Conducted by Furniturebox, the survey asked residents to rank everything from the beauty of their surroundings and affordable housing to access to schools and the offering of pubs, restaurants, cultural attractions, and shops. 

And it was this little pocket of Tyne and Wear that just missed out on being named number one - but did get the bronze medal. 

Whitley Bay beachWhitley Bay beach

Whitley Bay’s high ranking on the survey may come as no surprise to those who live there and frequently visit the “stunning” spot. 

Once known for its caravan parks and fairground rides, Whitley Bay has seen major refurbishments over the years and is firmly on the map as a favourite for North East residents looking for a trip to the seaside both in winter and summer. 

Whitley BayWhitley Bay (Image: GOOGLE)

The sandy beaches of Whitley Bay are a major draw for those who want to live and visit, with the beach itself being Blue-Flag certified every year since 1994. 

From taking a stroll along the promenade and taking in St Mary’s lighthouse to dining and drinking in the recently revamped Spanish City, there’s also plenty to do in the town.

St Mary's LighthouseSt Mary's Lighthouse (Image: Getty)

There’s also a “cool cultural vibe” in the area, thanks to the Whitley Bay Playhouse, plus a string os schools are rated outstanding by Ofsted, including Whitley Bay High School and Coquet Park First School.

Elsewhere in the survey, the North East and North Yorkshire had another few nods in the top 70 destinations, including Morpeth and Alnwick. 

The number one ranking fell to Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire, a medieval town known for being the birthplace of William Shakesepeare. 


In second place was Harrogate, known for its historic buildings, gardens, natural springs and food - with The Fat Badger and Harrogate Tap pubs being named as renowned. 

Here’s the full list of all 70 locations to make the list: 

  1. Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
  2. Harrogate, North Yorkshire
  3. Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
  4. Amersham, Buckinghamshire
  5. Chester, Cheshire
  6. Falmouth, Cornwall
  7. Bromsgrove, Worcestershire
  8. Chepstow, Monmouthshire
  9. Woodbridge, Suffolk
  10. Bray, Berkshire
  11. Almondsbury, Bristol 
  12. Aboyne, Aberdeenshire
  13. Malmesbury, Wilshire
  14. Eynsham, Oxfordshire
  15. Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
  16. Bingley, West Yorkshire
  17. Shepperton, Surrey
  18. Folkestone, Kent
  19. Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire
  20. Ampthill, Bedfordshire
  21. Morpeth, Northumberland
  22. Halifax, West Yorkshire
  23. Tamworth, Staffordshire
  24. Melrose, Roxburghshire
  25. Fulford, York
  26. Nether Edge, Sheffield
  27. Preston, Lancashire
  28. Clapham, Greater London
  29. Bangor, Gwynedd
  30. Newton Mearns, Glasgow
  31. Heanor, Derbyshire
  32. Wollaton, Nottingham
  33. Newport, Shropshire
  34. Penarth, West Glamorgan
  35. Chesterton, Cambridge
  36. Rye, East Sussex
  37. Brentwood, Essex
  38. Northampton, Northamptonshire
  39. Findon, West Sussex
  40. Kinross, Perthshire
  41. Devonport, Plymouth
  42. Burnham Market, Norfolk
  43. Dartington, Devon
  44. Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
  45. Meanwood, Leeds
  46. Hove, Brighton
  47. Boscombe, Bournemouth
  48. Taunton, Somerset
  49. Biggar, Lanarkshire
  50. Petersfield, Hampshire
  51. New Town, Edinburgh
  52. Dunfermline, Fife
  53. Swanage, Dorset
  54. Mossley Hill, Liverpool
  55. Wantage, Oxfordshire
  56. Leominster, Herefordshire
  57. Inverness, Invernesshire
  58. Dunblane, Stirlingshire
  59. Doncaster, South Yorkshire
  60. Bassett, Southampton
  61. Hilsea, Portsmouth
  62. Didsbury, Manchester
  63. Stamford, Lincolnshire
  64. Chippenham, Wiltshire
  65. Alnwick, Northumberland
  66. Loughborough, Leicestershire
  67. Frome, Somerset

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