As the UK endures darker and colder days, many people will be looking towards next summer with excitement. Some may even be looking to book trips to seaside resorts across the UK to help give them something to look forward to.
While most tourists opt for more well-known towns such as Brighton, St Ives, Bournemouth and Lyme Regis, travel guides are recommending a certain seaside city in 2026. National Geographic has named Hull as one of the “best places in the world to travel to in 2026”. The recommendation comes as the port city, located in East Yorkshire, is set to benefit from a £27.5 million investment project focused on promoting its proud maritime history.
The project will be wrapped up in 2026, which is set to make Hull particularly appealing to tourists. This includes the reopening of the Hull Maritime Museum, which has been shut since 2020, in the spring, showcasing exhibits from its 800-year history.
The exhibits will include a ship model of maritime art as well as a 40-foot whale skeleton. Hull’s modern maritime history will also be highlighted throughout the museum in a bid to inspire future generations.
Other new sites include the North End Shipyard visitor centre and two permanently docked museum ships – the 1960s Arctic Corsair cod trawler and the Spurn lightship. They will open to the public in stages, finishing by the summer.
A new Maritime Heritage Trail will also open in the city’s Georgian Old Town. The trail will highlight green spaces and public art inspired by the city’s ties to the sea.
As well as the cultural and historical attractions, the Fruit Market area of Hull has also been transformed in recent years. It has become a hub for independent cafes and restaurants, with a number of street food markets on offer to visitors.
Humber Street, located near the marina, houses a range of trendy independent clothing shops. There is also an art gallery and a host of homeware stores ideal for browsing.
Hull is also considered one of the UK’s cheapest place for beer. The Minerva pub at the top of the marina is well-known for its cheap booze and sweeping views over the Humber.
On the project, Maritime Hull said: “Hull Maritime is jointly funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. It’s a heritage-driven, transformational project drawing on Hull’s unique spirit and sense of place. It aims to promote and protect Hull’s incredible maritime history, architecture and collections.
“As a major scheme in the heart of Hull city centre, the project is born out of the success and aspiration which was embedded in Hull during 2017, the start of its tenure as UK City of Culture. It will build on the benefits that City of Culture brought, confirming continued regeneration and investment and creating a world-class visitor attraction of the future.
“Telling the story of Hull’s remarkable journey as a global powerhouse for trade and cultural exchange, this project will highlight the city’s connections to the rest of the world through its role as a major port.”