To think we can find a seaside town to suit us all?

[redrise]

I feel I'm going around in circles trying to find a UK holiday destination both children will like. It should be easy but it isn't. Can anyone help?

1. Needs a sandy beach with a small stream running across it (or water outlet/pipe will do!). My 15 year old son is autistic and loves to create canals and divert water and would happily spend all day doing this.

2. Needs to be near a proper seaside town with lots of amusement arcades for my daughter. She loves places like Great Yarmouth but a little smaller would be okay.

The beach for my son and arcades for my daughter don't need to be in the same place, just within driving distance. I can Google seaside towns but I get nothing when googling "beach with stream" so hoping someone with local knowledge can help. Thank you!

Saundersfoot was our favourite when children were young. The other towns mentioned, Amroth, Manobier, Tenby etc are all so close you can go somewhere different every day.

I live in South Devon with easy access to loads of beaches in Devon and Cornwall and I'd still say Saundersfoot beat them all.

Weymouth?

Another vote for Tenby - and many of the other beaches along that coast will suit your dam request! Broadhaven South and Freshwater East for example, all within a short drive of Tenby.

Tenby itself is lovely, and has plenty to do, plus lots of places to stay around there.

@Bmidreams I was just about to suggest freshwater West, or better still, broadhaven south

Isle of Wight has a variety of beaches

Blackpool

@SallyTimms

Sandsend is a small place on North Yorkshire coast has a large inlet pipe in the middle of it and is a 20 min walk on beach to whitby

That's where I was going to suggest. Fits your criteria exactly.

Mumbles in South Wales. Caswell Bay has the pipe/stream and mumbles has a cute arcade on the pier.

Not sure if north east is too far. Likes of south shields, north shields, tynemouth, Whitley bay

3 cliffs bay on the gower peninsula for water on the beach. Not sure about arcades nearby but there's a pier/seaside town etc at Mumbles

St Annes on Sea has the quiet quaint vibe, going up to Lytham also, plenty of beach with tide variety, sand dunes. Then it's just next door to Blackpool for the amusements

Tynemouth long sands beach has everything you’ve just described. Stay at the Grand Hotel. It’s awesome

Barry island ?

I was going to suggest Sandsend and Whitby too. Fraisethorpe and Bridlington are also good. If you headed to Scarborough, you could easily access all.of these.

[quote Historydweeb]@Bmidreams I was just about to suggest freshwater West, or better still, broadhaven south[/quote]
I love Freshwater West and Broadhaven south but - unless they have been transformed since I last went - they're not going to appeal to anyone who wants to spend time in arcades !

Definitely the Gower. As pp suggested, Caswell has the stream but there are lots of other lovely beaches and Port Eynon has great rockpools that I’m sure your son would enjoy.

Woolacombe in N Devon would be perfect for your son but the town itself might be too quiet for your daughter - there is an amusement place. There is a lot to do in the area but a drive away.

Saunderfoot is great, got the stream on the beach, small arcade, your son will love manobier, Tenby is great, and many areas around for activities/arcades, Hetherton, Folly Farm, dinosaur park.

Wells next the Sea, Norfolk, plenty to do, there's an estuary which mine paddled in for ages. Near to Cromer etc

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Camber Sands. There are cottages for rent right on the beach and unless the tide is fully in, there are always channels and tidal pools to be played in. There are amusements at the local holiday park that your daughter could access as well as trampolines and other things on the beach itself. A short drive away is Dymchurch where there are full on amusement arcades too. First thing in the morning and every evening the beach is virtually empty and when we've been there, my children have loved following the 'rivers' up to the mouth of Rye Harbour. Rye fits the bill of quaint town for you too.

Playdale Barn near Filey is a nice kids day out too

Holywell bay.

There is a caravan site just near that has arcades on. Plus a pub whose garden area backs onto tge beach area. Newquay is around 3 miles away.

Probably one of fave places in the uk.

Hollicombe beach in Torbay is a quiet beach (it's hidden from the coast road and accessed through the park so tourists often miss it) with a tiny rivulet that runs into the sea, and a park. It's little more than a trickle a few cm deep that splits into lots of smaller trickles as it heads towards the sea but it's perfect for making canals and dams in the sand. There are plenty of arcades in Paignton and on the pier (and children's rides), and in Torquay.

There are lots of other family attractions - the zoo, 2 steam railways, Cockington village (a thatched village with a manor house, craft shops, horse carriages, lakes and a river path), the model village, the funicular railway at Babbacombe beach, a water park, children's go karts, even more if you have a car and can travel further afield eg a rare breeds farm, otter sanctuary, Woodlands family theme park. Some of the other beaches have beach huts available for day hire.

Woolacombe, north devon. Beautiful sandy beach with a large stream running down fo the sea. Seaside shops and amusements in the small town. We love this whole area - ilfracombe is also lovely x

I have many happy memories of the stream at Caswell Bay but think that the Gower is going to be dull for your DD. If you can afford it then Bedruthen Steps Hotel at Mawgan Porth is great - a super outdoor pool for older kids and a warmer one inside. The hotel has a surf club for lessons and it is possible to drive into Newquay and Padstow - and there is a bus service if she is old enough to go on her own. There are 2 streams one at each end of the beach.

Should also say that the hotel is only 10 minutes from Newquay Airport - I used to take the car sick one on the plane whilst DH and the other child drove down starting very early in the morning.