St Ives Named UK’s Happiest Destination in New Survey

A new survey has named St Ives as the happiest destination in the UK for a staycation, with Cornwall also topping the list as the nation’s happiest region.

St Ives Leads the Way

A survey of 12,000 UK travellers by holidaycottages.co.uk revealed St Ives as the UK’s ultimate ‘happy place’. The Cornish coastal town secured 436 votes, ahead of  Keswickin Cumbria and Whitby in North Yorkshire.

The UK’s top ten happiest places were:

1. St Ives

2. Keswick

3. Whitby

4. Tenby

5. Bamburgh

6. Newquay

7. Padstow

8. Ambleside

9. Wells-next-the-Sea

10. Bude

Cornwall Dominates the Rankings

Cornwall stood out as the UK’s ‘heartland of happiness’, with St Ives, Padstow, Newquay and Bude all securing spots in the top ten. The county’s golden beaches, world-class seafood and laid-back lifestyle helped it beat Devon and Cumbria to the top regional spot.

Why St Ives Wins Hearts

Described as a postcard-perfect town where “happiness comes with a sea breeze and a scoop of local ice cream”, St Ives offers visitors the chance to slow down and enjoy quality time with friends and family. Popular activities include strolling along the South West Coast Path, spotting seals at Seal Island, or dining on freshly caught seafood at The Porthminster Kitchen or The Razor Clam.

The Appeal of Coastal Towns

Coastal locations dominated the survey results, with Bamburgh, Tenby and Padstow all featuring in the top ten. According to the study, beaches bring joy for many, with the sound of the waves, salty air and fish and chips on the sand proving a winning combination.

Shared Moments of Joy

Sarah Pring, Digital PR Manager at holidaycottages.co.uk, said:

“Joy and happiness can be found in so many areas of life – whether that’s getting active in some of the UK’s most scenic locations, sharing a laugh with family over fish and chips on the beach, or seeing the wonder of wildlife through the eyes of your children. Although everyone’s happy place is different, we wanted to explore some of the shared moments of happiness experienced across the UK, in the hope of inspiring more travellers to discover their own.”

More details on the happiest places study can be found here.