10 Best Beaches on the South Coast

Perranporth Beach is home to miles of golden sand and waves that make it popular with surfers and families. Besides surf and sand, it boasts dunes teeming with wildlife, ancient tin mines, and a hidden bathing pool at Chapel Rock. Walk 2 miles along the beach to Ligger Point for some of the area’s best views.

When you need a break from the sun, you’ll find plenty of bars, cafés, restaurants and independent shops in the town of Perranporth. Alternately, you can enjoy food and beverages in the shade at the Watering Hole, which is right on Perranporth Beach and features live music.

Award-winning Weymouth Beach is a sandy stretch lapped by clear waters and backdropped by a Georgian promenade. Activities for the kids include donkey rides, Punch and Judy puppet shows, and a fairground. For families, there are pedalo rentals, a seaside theater throughout summer, and deckchairs and windbreaks for hire.

From May to September, Weymouth Beach is kept safe by RNLI lifesavers and beach attendants. If you fancy a walk away from the crowds on the sand, you’ll find adjacent shingle beaches at Preston and Greenhill. While you’re here, you might want to treat yourself to an ice cream from Rossi’s Ices, which has been serving scoops since the 1930s.

Dawlish Warren Beach is known for its sandy stretch complete with beach huts, traditional family attractions, and sand dunes that provide a home to a diverse array of flowering plants and wading fowl. Throughout summer, the beach hosts open-air events and firework displays. Surfers may prefer to visit for the waves in winter, particularly in January.

Near the beach, you’ll find accommodations options ranging from self-catering cottages to large hotels, and activities such as go-karts and amusement rides can keep the kids entertained. Head to the Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve Visitor Center to learn about the local wildlife.

At Camber Sands, you’ll find a wide strip of golden sand that stretches for over 8 km, as well as the only sand dunes in East Sussex. While the beach is ideal for sunbathing and bathing, adventure-seekers might prefer activities like kitesurfing, windsurfing and beachcombing. The kids can enjoy making sandcastles with the wet sand revealed by the retreating tide.

If you’re new to water sports, head to a school such as the Kitesurf Center for professional lessons. Thanks to being supervised by RNLI lifesavers, Camber Sands is an excellent place to practise a new hobby. Dogs are welcome year-round, but they’ll need to be kept on a leash during the summer season.

Flanked by towering chalk cliffs, Ramsgate Main Sands is a popular beach resort with families, home to fair rides, clean seawater, and traditional dining options including ice cream and fish and chips. Adjacent to the beach is the UK’s only Royal harbor and marina. You’ll see a Victorian-style promenade behind the beach.

Ramsgate Main Sands is an ideal beach for bathing and sunbathing as well as activities like windsurfing, jet-skiing and fishing. Facilities include deckchair hire and a seasonal lifeguard service. There’s also parking space for around 200 automobiles plus a range of accommodations options nearby.

West Wittering Beach is a large sandy stretch that offers views of the Chichester Harbor and the South Downs. The beach has remained largely undeveloped, but facilities include toilets, colorful beach huts, and a café. The shallow waters by the shore are ideal for paddling youngsters, while water sports are popular depending on the season.

Be aware that some water sports on the beach are reserved for West Wittering Windsurf Club members only. Take a stroll along the beach to find the nearby sand dunes. You can reach the beach by cycling along The Salterns Way path. Parking is available but usually needs reserving ahead of time.

Brighton Beach boasts Blue Flag-standard waters that are excellent for sports like wakeboarding, kayaking, windsurfing and standup paddleboarding. The beach is covered in fine pebbles rather than sand, but you can still top up your tan from the comfort of a deckchair, and there are lots of activities nearby. 

Brighton Beach is backed by a 4-mile-long promenade that’s bursting with life year-round. When you need a break from sunbathing, you can visit a Victorian pier with a fairground, eat fish and chips from a waterfront takeout, or explore the city’s museums, galleries and shops. In the evening, you can watch street performances near the beach in the Fishing Quarter.

Littlehampton West Beach is a sand and shingle beach that stretches for about 1 mile. Its calm waters, fairground and promenade make it ideal for youngsters, who enjoy searching for fossils when the tide goes out. Nature lovers can explore the nearby dunes and take in views as far as the Isle of Wight on a clear day.

While visiting Littlehampton West Beach, you might want to check out the ruins of Littlehampton Fort, which was built in 1854 to protect against a possible attack by Emperor Napolean III. Running along the seafront, you’ll find one of the UK’s longest benches, which stretches for over 300 meters.

Also known as Torre Abbey Sands, Torquay Beach is just one of over 20 beaches that fringe the area commonly known as the English Riviera. The beach, like many of its neighbours, is known for its Blue Flag waters, quality facilities, water sports, and traditional seaside attractions. You’ll find the sandy strip just to the west of the Torquay Marina.

During your stay in Torquay, you might want to visit historical landmarks such as the Medieval Harbor, the London Bridge Arch and the Clock Tower. Other nearby Blue Flag beaches include Meadfoot, Broadsands, Oddicombe, Paignton, and Brixham Breakwater. If you want to learn about the area’s history, head to the Torre Abbey or Torquay Museum.

Worbarrow Bay is home to an unspoiled beach flanked by the Purbeck Hills near the village of Tyneham, which was abandoned during WWII. Its geology dates back as far as 80 million years, featuring chalk cliff faces and Portland limestone features. The bay forms a part of the Jurassic Coast, one of the UK’s only natural UNESCO sites.

Because the Ministry of Defense manages Tyneham, Worbarrow Bay is usually only accessible on weekends and school vacations. While Tyneham is a ghost village, there are facilities such as toilets and parking spaces. You can also reach Worbarrow Bay by following the South West Coast Path from Kimmeridge or Lulworth Cove.