Is living beside the beach every thing you hoped it would be?

[kippymcquick]

We live in the city and have busy lives here but we have a caravan in a seaside resort which I absolutely love. I adore the easy going lifestyle of being in a costal town. I mentioned to my DH about possibly moving there once we are older and the children are no longer living with us ( long way off atm)
He said surely it wouldn't be the same if you lived there permanently. Maybe that's true ?

Have you made the move and if so do ku have any regrets?

I grew up by the seaside in a west-coast village with no tourism and less than an hour commute to my dad’s job in the city. We moved when I was 16 and I still miss it. Im 53. I’m now on the city and I visit the coast with DS for camping trips. OH needs city life.

For me, living near a sandy beach is wonderful. Why wait for DC to leave home? Why not give than that experience?

Beaches are amazing year round.

I moved to a seaside town. It's lovely until the tourists descend. I know they're essential to keep local businesses going, but they leave rubbish everywhere, they're so loud and tbh I don't go to the beach during the school holidays.

Currently live a 10-minute walk from the beach. I grew up by the sea and moved away for 10 years to live in an inner city. I felt so hemmed in and like there was no where "proper" to go for a walk, especially in the summer. We love it all year round! We just wrap up warm :)

I live in a seaside town, short walk to the beach. Previously lived in a village very close to the sea, again a short walk which wasn’t as touristy in the summer

its a pebbled beach so not full of tourists but people come for the icecreams on the beach 😀 and the amusement arcade and the fish and chips

its still fully open in the winter but a much more bracing walk

only downside is if you forget to turn left out of our road in the summer….turn right and drive along the front and its slow going because everyone is crossing at the lights

It's lovely, and is still kovel after 15 years. Would never go back - so grateful

Oh should say, can’t imagine living away from the sea and dd who currently lives in london misses the sea

I think it depends on the place.
I grew up in a seaside town in the North East, not far from a city centre. I don't live there now but do visit family and friends. It's busier in the summer but nowhere like places such as Devon/Cornwall and quite a mixture of ages.
ILs moved to a Sussex seaside town which I just find depressing. Some lovely houses but the beach is crap; the population is a lot of older people, new middle class families and traffic is busy. It just feels soulless.

I regretted it but it was Brighton and not as easy going as some other places. I loved the idea of being by the sea but the actual place wasn't for me.

I flipping love it !
My 10 min ‘round the block’ dog walk takes me along a very popular north wales beach.
I took my daughter there after school throughout her primary school years.
I go with a bottle of wine for sunsets and bike rides home.
It’s 100% better when the tourists aren’t here (sorry!), and those sparking blue skies and empty beaches in September are a gift from god.

I live ten minutes' walk from the sea, but as it's a Melbourne suburb, it's not a tourist place: the bay is all beaches with the odd surf life saving club/cafe. I like it very much, and it was a stipulation for the place to live when we moved here.

I would imagine living in a seaside town proper such as is more common in the UK would be very different.

I live a mile from the sea, far enough away to avoid the hustle and bustle of busy times. But close enough to go when it’s quieter, It starts getting busy with tourists in spring and summer, every bank holiday, school holiday the place is rammed and parking is a nightmare. There is a decent bus and train service, just wish the tourists would make more use of them. Camper vans take over the prime position on the road facing the sea. Bone of contention with residents who live there.

I live on an island so beaches in all directions. I love it. Go to the beach most days, and sea swim all year round. I can’t imagine living away from the sea.

I live near the sea and could never move inland. There is a feeling of space that I can’t feel anywhere else.

I don't know that there's an easy going life but everywhere I have lived I've been able to get to the sea in 10 or so minutes. I would HATE to live much further away than that.

Depends on the person and what you like to do surely. I grew up near the sea but don't miss it now I live elsewhere. I don't like sand, swimming, salt water, and find the sea somehow threatening! Not all places by the sea are the same. Southend isn't Whitehaven isn't Mull isn't Christchurch.

I had to force myself to close my curtains tonight as it was just too beautiful looking out at the sea and the big open sky of reds, oranges and pinks. Simply breathtaking.

Like so many previous posters, I too love the beauty of the winter months.

It definitely impacts positively on my mental health.

Yes, I love it, I grew up in Birmingham and moved to North Wales in 2007 when I met my husband. I love that my kids are growing up with Mountains on one side and sea on the other, even if they dont fancy going to the beach tomorrow 😂 as they have paddling pools ready to blow up. This pic is from Monday, me and the DH enjoyed a hot chocolate and a walk along the pier, childfree for about 3 hours 🙂

Grew up in Cornwall Moved to an inland city in my 20s Came home 25 years later (now 65) and have never regretted it.
I avoid the stupidly busy areas in the silly season but can walk to my local beach. Love its wildness in the winter.
Friendly local shops, a great community spirit and enough culture in the nearest urban centre to keep my brain alive. Public transport is rubbish though.
This is the place I consider to be my beach this evening although I know I only have it on loan while I'm on this earth

Grew up beside the beach but have been in London for over 20yrs. Miss it so much and love going back to visit. Want to retire to the beach. I’d pick it any time over the city. My parents are resentful of the city people who have moved to the town. “So pushy!!!”😀

Absolutely yes. Escaped the rat race 5 years ago and live in a Devon seaside town. I can walk to the beach in less than 10 minutes. Tourist season is busy but you get to know what times of day to make your escape out of the town if you need to. Walking the beach in a winter storm (when the tides out!) is amazing too. Would never move back.

I’ve lived by the sea for a year now, having been raised as far from the sea in England as you can get.
I’m enjoying living by the sea more and more, I will never not live by the sea now.

todays beach discovery!

Pics didn’t attach

I live 100m from the beach and I love it. I walk my dogs there every morning and sometimes go dipping during the winter. Its a place I came to for day trips as a child.

We only have a few typical beach days each year where we take towels/picnic/games/bucketsnspades though. It's a coastal town so there's nice shops, bars and restaurants and it's 30 mins away from a major city for culture and other delights. We moved here from London and it's been the best decision we ever made.

Yes. The fresh air, the seaside walks, the birds, the ice cream , the bars .....love it

I live right by the sea, though I can't see it out the window I can see it after 30 seconds walking and reach it in 2 minutes. It's cold and windy a lot of the time and when it's wet and windy our windows get covered in salt scum. But I wouldn't be elsewhere. It's beautiful and I love the smell and the birds. Crucially it's also a nice town to live in - just the sea by itself wouldn't be enough.