Seaside break ideas

[Summertimeandthechangesareeasy]

Looking to book a break for a special birthday 60th ...by the coast. Where is nice and posh!! not too big...good facilities, nice beach anywhere in uk other than places that need a ferry to get to!
Thanks

Sidmouth

PortMeirion, Burgh Island, the Isles of Scilly (by plane or helicopter), the Channel Islands.

Aldeburgh. Voted the uk’s best seaside town by the Times. 20 of the best seaside towns in the UK for 2026

https://www.thetimes.com/article/6e707b99-9d7d-4745-b5dd-d9239ab883a8?shareToken=06b69d756546e3d45dcbdc3f429e556e
also Whitstable is lovely

Shame about the ferry because I was going to recommend Seaview Isle of Wight. The island is beautiful and the ferry is only an hour or so from either Portsmouth, Southampton or Lymington.
https://seaviewhotel.co.uk/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22618684042&gbraid=0AAAAACAqAzinm3PlOKmnCqRwwBQv6nxqK&gclid=CjwKCAjwsfzSBhB5EiwAOGyqSdNuifgzw2HGP_oI783J5_7g7YUQWxDXQxB2zJTgopacUU1_W1FtsRoC4psQAvD_BwE

Thank you to all who replied. I think this may be a winner! I know its a ferry ride, but I might couple it with a stay in Lymington.

Thank you!!!

The isle of wight is lovely! (It IS a ferry though!)

have a lovely time

I know!!!!! @BluePoet posted a link to a list and Lymington came up and you can get the ferry from there..I never knew this...assumed they went from Portsmouth! Both look lovely!

Honestly great suggestions on here..many I haven't been to but are now on my list to go!

Southwold

https://saltmoore.co.uk/

Cornwall. St Ives. Or Padstow for better restaurants.

Lymington is a great base as you have the sea and the forest or how about staying either the Pig in Brockenhurst or Chewton Glen for lovely stays or even better The Pig at Studland as fab views and beach is on the doorstep.
This just outside Lymington.
https://thenici.com/new-forest/stay/bedrooms/

Bamburgh in Northumberland

The Victoria Hotel lovely and The Potted Lobster restaurant is great

Fabulous beach and Bamburgh Castle

Museum there about Grace Darling

Alnwick Castle and gardens not far

Woolacombe in Devon. The Woolacombe Bay Hotel is wonderful. Great beach too

St. Ives cannot be beaten imo

Southwold would be my pick for a quintessential seaside break that’s a bit more upmarket than the usual

Would we call them posh? I'm not sure I would! Nice perhaps, but not posh.

The Swan in Southwold, it’s the only hotel in East Anglia to have a Michelin key, you have a butler and a bottle of gin in your room to take home. It’s amazing!

Have a look at the Woolacombe Bay Hotel in Devon.

Penarth / Cardiff Bay - some very fancy hotels - we are just back 😀

Source: Explore Norfolk UK https://share.google/d5HNUUHAUoBa6QVlG

North Norfolk Coast is beautiful

Seaview Hotel is good, as is the Harbour Hotel, Sidmouth.