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!

@clary what??? Oh wow! My HP obsessed daughter is going to love that!!

[quote redrise]@clary what??? Oh wow! My HP obsessed daughter is going to love that!! [/quote]
Well the shell house is not there any more, but that scene (at the end of one film and the start of the next IIRC) was filmed at the wonderful Freshwater West beach.

Last time we went there, there was a makeshift memorial to Dobby :)

This is Freshwater West

Have you thought about north Norfolk? Brancaster beach is amazing, very Sandy, huge creek if you walk along to the left. 15 minutes ish to Hunstanton which is a good seaside resort. The beaches between Hunstanton and brancaster also have lots of streams etc. 2 hours from London, nearer than Yarmouth.

Definitely Swanage. So lovely!

And there is a steam train!

OP: Freshwater West is a great beach, but it's too dangerous for swimming.

It's a perfect place to watch the sun go down in the evening

@Fifthtimelucky thanks for the heads up. We only paddle (well, up to the waist if feeling brave!) but I'm very wary about anything more than getting toes wet on beaches with no life guard. We've only had South/East coast holidays before so sunset over the sea sounds lovely. Perhaps an evening picnic is in order x

Yes you can't swim at Freshie West, too choppy! it's a great surfers' beach tho and is life guarded in the summer months.

Well worth a visit tho, one of my fave beaches.