Please suggest a UK beach holiday!

[beachtimeagain]

Last year we had the best holiday ever and it was all thanks to a suggestion by you lovely people! Hoping you can do it again!

Needs to have:

For DS a Sandy beach
For DD some shops and an arcade or two
For DH no more than 3 hours from Winchester
For me .... be pretty!!

Places we've loved have been Minehead, Lyme Regis, Tenby and Whitby

Been to the Bournemouth/Poole area on day trips but it's all too built up to feel like a holiday to me.

Hope you lovely people can work your magic again!!

(Oh, sadly can't do Isle of White as DD won't go on a boat)

Thank you!!

For an extra 30 minutes I'd go to Cornwall, the beaches are amazing, Perranporth has rock pools big enough to swim in, there are arcades in Newquay and Truro is good for shopping.
You won't find a bad beach along the coastline, beautiful cliffs, big waves, sandy beaches and sunsets over the ocean.

Torquay is a real seaside resort with a sandy beach (and lots of it - or walk a bit further along the coast to Meadfoot which has a sand/shingle beach as well as a park). In the summer the bus running along the coast road through Torquay is an open top one. Babbacombe (just up the hill from Torquay) has a model village, a little theatre, great fish and chips, a funicular down to the beach, and gorgeous views. Cockington country park is within walking distance of Torquay - cute cottages, open space, crafty things, horse and carriage rides. Brixham harbour (there's a boat that goes from Torquay) has (a model of) the Golden Hind (the beaches around there are shingle more than sands). There's a steam train from Paignton to Dartmouth. Lots to do and see.

*St Ives has everything on your list, apart from it has a longer travel time. But it is lovely and there is plenty to do. Park your car when you arrive and you won't need it again.
*Padstow has some of the loveliest beaches in the country but no arcades (though there plenty just down the coast in Newquay).
*Southwold is also a bit too far.
*Broadstairs has been suggested.
*Hastings Old Town?

I’d go Cornwall too but it’d be Polzeath/Rock/Daymer Bay for me although I can’t be sure on amusements. Short hop on the passenger ferry to Padstow with loads of shops and restaurants.

Exmouth. Beautiful Sandy beach. Small town centre. Bowling, mini golf, cinema and only short distance to Exeter for bigger shops/activities.

@beachtimeagain where did you go last year?

Another vote for Swanage! There is so much to do there and I think the Carnival week is back on this year too - have seen the Red Arrows there and there are fireworks and fun events for the children and live music every night. We enjoyed Durlston Country Park, getting the steam train to Corfe Castle and the open top Breezer Bus into Bournemouth, plus boat trips. The beach, shops, mini funfair and arcade and toilets are close by and very clean. It's good for small children.

Swanage