How often to visit seaside?

[helpmelosemybigbelly]

I feel sad cos it feels like we only go seaside for a week in the school holidays when we go away, DH never wants to go at the weekends when we are at home and as I don’t drive, train tickets are expensive and we live pay check to pay check I just settle on going every day of the one week we are away (we have 2 young kids)

is anyone else with young kids also in my situation?

I have epilepsy so not allowed to drive

FlixBus and National Express both do cheap coach trips to Brighton.

Also National Express to Whitstable,

It’s never really occurred to me to plan a trip to the seaside. I always assume it will be too cold/windy/pebbly - or alternatively too busy. I might be missing something but am very happy exploring inland destinations! That said if someone took me to the Med I wouldn’t object

FlixBus London to Folkestone

What part of London do you live in? South London, Southeastern have train services to lovely Kent beaches- Hastings, Margate etc.

Really? Wow. Now yes I live by the sea but the sea air is fantastic for mental health and the feel of sand on my feet is a pleasure every single time I do it. It can be cold and breezy like anywhere but honestly something so grounding about being on a beach. I couldnt live anywhere else as I need my vitamin sea lol

I agree! I absolutely love the seaside, even in winter there's something magical about the sun setting on the waves.

If you go for a week in the summer, it makes it special and exciting. I wouldn’t particularly feel any need to go regularly.

Friends and family Railcard cost £30 for a year. Gives you 15 per cent discount on train fares. Children under 5 go free. Its been a while since I brought a family Railcard though so might be worth checking the price/discount

Can't imagine never planning coast trips! I love how varied people are.

I love going to the ⛱️ beach.

I grew up in a coastal town and can now see the sea from my upstairs windows. I probably didn’t visit the beach for 30 years, and would still avoid it if I could.

What do you mean by you don't drive? Won't, or can't? If can't, why? How come you've never learned?

We tend to go for holidays.

I find day trips lacking and also the weather if it’s nice well the whole world is at the beach or it’s wet and windy, and expensive. Everyone then wants to go in an arcade, not a beach trip without donuts. Ah but you can’t go to the seaside and not get chips and so on 😅

So we book a couple of caravan breaks and make sure we we at least do a walk on the beach each day of those.

She said she has epilepsy.

Not that it’s really anyone’s business. I also can’t drive definitely safer for everyone else that I don’t, though fortunately dh does.

Op has epilepsy.
And not everyone wants to learn to drive i dont drive because I've never want to.

It's also reasonable to assume that if the OP is unable to afford the cost of train tickets, she's not going to be able to afford driving lessons, even if she didn't have epilepsy and the family has a car she's able to use.

A couple times a week but I can literally walk to 4 beaches from my house. If lived on London I'd probably go every couple of years.

What is it about the beach that you particularly like and want to do more of?

I wouldn't go on a day trip to the beach if I lived in London I don't think.

Plenty of free options in London.

I live in London and I go for a day trip to the beach at least twice a year. Usually to see something else too - I look for cheap deal rail tickets.

Why wouldn't you? It's really quick to get to lots of beach destinations on the train if you can afford the fare. And on the coach, as above, if you need to go more cheaply

Well no from London I would not expect to go often at all. There’s other things to do.
i actually lived within sight of the sea for ten years and I’d go months without touching sand!

Where is the lovely beach in Hastings and when did it move to Kent?

Hi op a different perspective

I was in London with small children and like you I thought about the seaside a lot! I mvoed to the seaside when my kids were still in primary and they have very little interest in the beach!

I am happy living here but to be honest I think a lot about how amazing London parks are and how much I miss them!

London has AMAZING parks/playgrounds/ paddling pools - so much better than you would find in a lot of coastal towns.

I would just focus on enjoying how lucky you are to have all that free cool London stuff on the doorstep. I miss it now ive left!

If you go at low tide there is a beach at the southbank its a lovely outing to do that.

If you don’t drive, can’t afford the train and have married someone who doesn’t really want to spend his weekends driving some distance to a beach, then the answer to your question is ‘not very often’.

Other people live close to the beach, drive themselves, get railcards, do coach trips or go with friends.

Going to the park, woods, river or canal can be just as lovely though and you wouldn’t necessarily need your husband to drive you to those.