Two/three nights by the sea in the south- where would you choose?

[gerbo]

We'd like 2/3 nights by the sea this Easter school holiday. Our budget is not huge, we'd probably book a 2 bed apartment on booking.com or find an air bnb.

There are 4 of us, children are 9 &12.

We're in Hertfordshire so somewhere we can access in a few hours. I'd prefer somewhere (town/large village) with some character/buzz about it, with a beach nearby.

Where would you suggest?! Thanks in advance!

Weymouth and Portsmouth are nice. Plenty to do.

Hastings or Broadstairs

I really like Bournemouth - pretty, nice vibe, plenty to keep you busy.

Swanage?

Huge choice.
Brighton if you want somewhere lively but I’d be more tempted by Southsea with children and enjoy the delights of Portsmouth such as historic dockyard. Southsea has fabulous restaurants.

Alternatively Isle of Wight as there is so much to do and the ferry makes it fun.

Whitstable (v close to Canterbury) or Margate / Broadstairs / Ramsgate

Isle of wight.

Alum chine in Bournemouth has a great play park at the beach next to a coffee place. Win win.

Or mudeford, same combination plus crabbing.

If you go for IOW go for Cowes, Seaview or, Ryde. Avoid Sandown and Shanklin. The other side of the island is nice but takes longer to get to.

Southsea (Portsmouth)

Brighton & Hove or Swanage

Whitstable or Rye. Both beautiful with lots of things to do with your family. Enjoy

Brighton

Loads of food for thought, thanks.

Does anyone have opinions on or knowledge of Woolacombe?

Or any other coastal Devon towns?

In north Devon? That area is nice though Croyde or Saunton Sands beaches are the nicer ones. Further away than the other options mentioned.

Personally I would go for somewhere in north Norfolk if travelling from Hertfordshire. Wells-Next-the-Sea is a lovely town, and you are close to many other nice towns/villages dotted along the coast.

Barry island.. loads to do
Porthkerry country park next door is beautiful
St fagans and welsh museum in Cardiff all free

Bournemouth

Yeah Wells or blakeney or similar in Norfolk. Gorgeous big skies and loads of crabbing and rockpools and seals. If south, another vote for Whitstable which is very charming indeed.
Brighton is full of wankers and, crucially if you have a young family, pissheads. Really, so many drunk people. And it's dirty.

Lyme Regis

Someone suggested Hastings. I definitely wouldn't!

Isle of Wight definitely

North Norfolk is lovely as PPs have suggested, and straightforward to get to from Herts. In addition to the places above, Cromer is a lovely traditional seaside town with a pier and great beaches. Or Hunstanton, which has the Sea Life centre for any rainy days.