When the summer sun strikes it’s hard not to crave the sand between your toes or a fresh breeze of salty sea air. Forget packed airports, jammed roads and package holiday disappointments and head out to some of Britain’s best beaches instead. Here are our collective gorgeous beaches in South East England all handily accessible by Southeastern. No thinking required…
Brighton
For most people Brighton is synonymous with seaside antics and it does not disappoint! Brighton is unique among most seaside cities in that it offers the vibrancy and energy of the city combined with the laid-back cool of a seaside resort. For those who are interested in more than just lounging around, there is the stunning regency architecture to marvel at or a shopping trip to the famous ‘Laines’. However, a trip to Brighton would not be complete without a spin around the famous Brighton Wheel which, offers the most breath-taking panoramas of the coastline, surrounding landmarks and ocean. Not bad for £8! Get there by rail from London in less than an hour and soak up all the sunshine before returning to the city.
Rye Harbour Nature Reserve
This one is more for the animal and nature lovers than the sun worshippers but few visitors leave Rye Harbour feeling underwhelmed. The area is a myriad of natural habitats for flora and fauna, ranging from wetlands to sand dunes, therefore offering unique and diverse walking routes and great opportunities for bird watching. The most popular area to visit is Camber Sands which is a vast expanse of sandy beach with an array of sand dunes to explore. This versatile resort offers opportunities for walking, cycling and boating as well as lots of historical and military background and intrigue. Rye Harbour is easily accessed by train. There is truly something for everyone at Rye.
Deal Beach
The beach at the historical city of Deal is picturesque with a 1950’s style pier with a café and fishing decks at the end, punctuating its long stretch of pebbly sand. Once the busiest port in England, it is now a popular seaside resort with no end of amenities. The town is home to a spectacular castle commissioned by Henry VIII which, is definitely worth a visit if you can pull yourself away from the sandy beach. It also has been immortalised in literature from Dicken’s Bleak House and Austen’s Persuasion but perhaps most impressively, it was the setting for the James Bond film: Moonraker. Undoubtedly they serve a shaken Martini at the bar at the pier end, so embrace your inner Bond at Deal!
Broadstairs
Broadstairs is a charming seaside town in Kent of postcard proportions that is home to fabulous stretches of sandy, crystal waters and a blue flag. The town offers everything from music festivals to charming cafes. Don’t forget to drop into the Royal Albion Hotel for a drink as it was a favourite spot for Charles Dickens and is located on the waterfront with stunning views of nearby Viking Bay. Enjoy an ice-cream from the retro parlours or take a surf lesson or simply stroll along the sandy beaches, clifftop paths or along the beautiful bays. The town itself is home to a wealth of history and heritage which is evident in every stone of its nostalgic streets. Sure, if it’s good enough for Charles Dickens, it’s good enough for us!
Littlehampton
This pleasant little harbour town is located in West Sussex and was once owned by the French during the 1400s which, explains the certain je ne sais pas that permeates the air of this small, quaint seaside town. Despite it’s size, Littlehampton is home to the world’s longest bench which, stretches over 300 metres from the East Beach Promenade and was designed to encourage different views of the landscape which, it definitely achieves. It is also worth taking a stroll around Norfolk Gardens or taking a ferry trip around the sights including the Isle of Wight but however, you decide to spend your time in Littlehampton, don’t miss out on having a coffee or something to eat at The East Beach Café which, opened in 2007 and is designed to represent the effects of the unyielding ocean.
St Mildred’s Bay
Located within walking distance of Margate, St. Mildred’s Bay is a beautiful cliff-lined, sandy bay which, has perfect swimming and water sports conditions. Aside from the obvious beach attractions, there are also tennis courts and golf courses nearby as well as designated walks along the cliffs which have been declared a site of special interest. The opening of the Turner Contemporary in Margate, the hometown of Tracey Emin, should cement Kent’s coastal status as a fashionable destination. There is plenty to attract visitors with all sorts of interests but mainly the scenery makes one feel like they have been immortalised in a postcard.
With foreign travel becoming more like a necessity than a luxury, it is easy to forget the beautiful locations our own country has to offer. So once the sun shines, jump on the train and hit some of these fabulous beaches and trust us, you will feel like you are on the Riviera, darling- just without the airport hassle, baggage allowances and currency exchange!
23 Comments
Beeches Holiday Lets
11 January, 2016 at 2:22 pmWhoop we’re thrilled to see our lovely town, Broadstairs, in this list. We have seven golden sandy bays here, the one in the picture is Viking Bay, just a short walk down the High Street from the train station, 1hr20mins from London on the new HS1 service, the closest sandy beaches to the capital. The coast all round here is very special. 🙂
Ali Shamaan
13 August, 2015 at 5:09 amThey all look like great destinations, who knew the South East had such great beaches?
Chanel | Cultural Xplorer
5 August, 2015 at 4:33 amI was not aware that there were so many great beaches in England. The only name that I had heard of on this list was Brighton (and that is because we have a Brighton Beach here in NYC). The next time I get back to England I will have to check some of these out!
Linzi Clark
26 July, 2015 at 8:00 pmI was at Deal beach this weekend, hiking from Dover. Some great suggestions here, I would also add Hastings to the list.
Becky Moore
1 August, 2015 at 8:29 pmThanks Linzi yes another great South East beach destination!
Nicola Devizes
21 July, 2015 at 1:13 amWe travel from Plymouth to Deal Beach regularly and love it! The shingle is a bit painful but the kids have plenty to do even without building sandcastles!! Such a lovely, clean beach where dogs are banned entirely. You pay to use it (price goes down throughout the day but it is still less than you would pay for parking anywhere else). The cafe is really nice with absolutely no chips on the menu which is refreshing!
Becky Moore
22 July, 2015 at 8:40 pmThanks for sharing Nicola seems like Deal Beach is a popular choice!
Lorraine
23 August, 2016 at 10:52 amDeal is lovely Nicola! Great to hear you travel there from Plymouth. Come up the coast just a few miles next time you’re there and see Broadstairs too, we’re so close and the (also dog-free) beach here is sandy! *waving*
Scott
20 July, 2015 at 2:22 pmYou can’t beat Brighton, such a fun place to visit! Although very crowded sadly!
Becky Moore
20 July, 2015 at 4:35 pmYes we all love Brighton!
Emma
20 July, 2015 at 2:11 pmWhat a great selection, St Mildred’s Bay looks incredible!
Becky Moore
20 July, 2015 at 4:35 pmThanks Emma!
Shikha (whywasteannualleave)
19 July, 2015 at 10:25 pmKent has so many great beaches and they’re really easy to get to from where I live and yet, I’ve not been to any of the ones on this list! I’d love to visit Littlehampton too – seems so charming ☺
Becky Moore
20 July, 2015 at 4:36 pmLittlehampton is very charming, you’ll definitely have to pay a visit one day!
Pammi
17 July, 2015 at 11:09 pmWould have to agree, we have have really good beaches here in the South East!
Becky Moore
20 July, 2015 at 4:37 pmVery true, we’re very lucky to have them all so close! 🙂
Sand In My Suitcase
12 July, 2015 at 8:59 pmIn summer, we too like staying put here in Vancouver, if possible. There’s so much to do, we like playing tourist in our own city – swimming in freshwater lakes, beach picnics, hiking forest trails, bicycling. It sounds like the same is true in southern England. There’s no need to jet away when some of the best beaches and playgrounds are right in your own backyard :-).
Becky Moore
20 July, 2015 at 4:38 pmYes although we wouldn’t mind trying out some of Vancouver’s beaches too! 🙂
Suze The Luxury Columnist
9 July, 2015 at 10:38 pmWhat brilliant suggestions Emma, I’ve heard great things about Broadstairs and would love to visit. I’d also add Whitstable even though the beach isn’t all that amazing but the town is so quirky
Becky Moore
20 July, 2015 at 4:38 pmThanks for the suggestion Suze! 🙂
Beeches Holiday Lets
11 January, 2016 at 2:24 pmdo come to Broadstairs Suze! and both Margate and Ramsgate, our sister towns, also have fantastic beaches. the fast train from St Pancras takes just over an hour to get down here. 🙂
Marc
9 July, 2015 at 2:53 pmGreat looking beaches you have there Emma. I have been to Brighton several times and I absolutely loved the beaches there. I don’t know how they look like now since I haven’t been to England for the last 10 years. Hope they look the same.
Becky Moore
20 July, 2015 at 4:39 pmNot much has changed although Brighton is probably a bit more crowded now!