where is the nearest beach to London(by car!)?

[rinol]

Hi,
Live in NW London and would like to take my dds to the beach...Thinking of Brighton but rather far by car...anywhere nearer and similar to Brighton?....

Nice beaches on North Norfolk coast - Hunstanton etc. Probably still as far as Brighton though?!

Clacton? Trains go from Liverpool St. Very sweet traditional town, sandy beach, pier etc. Went there on holiday last year and DCs loved it.

Littlehampton on the South coast.

Southend in Essex.

Is Littlehampton a sandy beach, if not what's the closest sandy beach to London on the South coast?

I thought there was a beach in London, on the Thames somewhere. They brought in the sand and made one there. Not sure if it's still there mind you!

Maldon in Essex is a pretty little town with a big splash park, children's climbing areas, huge sand area and promenade with a few amusements etc. Not really seaside but certainly feels it. The London cabbies descend on mass with disadvantages children for a day out there once a year too.

Otherwise Southend is your typical tacky seaside town.

But if you want quiet, no amusements or icecreams and just nature then perhaps try somewhere like Bradwell-on-sea which we often visit in the summer as a contrast to Southend.

What kind of beach/seaside experience are you wanting?

Brighton's probably the easiest to get to, or Southend. Littlehampton's not that sandy and it's stuck in a time warp (went there on a class trip last month).

Message withdrawn

Was at Worthing today.
Pebbles but with FANTASTIC fair there at the moment, for next couple of weeks. Arcades, Little rides for little people. Scary ones for Adults.
Nice Ice Cream. Chips and good selection of not your usual shops.

I grew up in Clacton and always thought Walton had the better pier. That was a long time ago so don't know what its like now.

Helps to know the tide times cos most of the beaches at clacton get covered at high tide and all the daytrippers end up on the few left exposed near the pier.

you could go by train. dh took dds to Sandbanks today near Poole. only one change from SW london - possibly more from where you are