Where do I want to go on holiday next summer?

[PassTheTwiglets]

I want somewhere on the coast, prefereably walking distance to a beach. Don't want a pebbly/shingle beach and not a beach with amusement arcades/donkey rides and so on. Ideally a beach with rockpools or soemthing for kids to explore once sandcastle-building is done with :) I'm in the South East and don't really want to travel further than Devon. Oh and beach needs to be kid-friendly. So as you can see, I don't want much :)

For the last few years we've been to Norfolk but feel like a change. What is Dorset like? I went to Padstow once and loved it but, aside from being quite a trek, I seem to remember there is a dangerous current at the beach there?

isle of wight oh i love the iow

Goodness, I'd never even thought of that! Will Google it now...

Dorset is FAB.

Loads of interesting beaches, some of them Blue Flag beaches so clean and safe to swim.

IOW St Helens Duver beach rock pools and sand.

Dorset is lovely, you could base yourself around Corfe Castle, fantastic rock pooling at Kimmeridge with fossils thrown in, plus Studland is an amazing sandy beach, lost of things to do if the weather is inclemment.

Northumberland if it is not too far for you. Have just booked for third time to farm near Seahouses, across the road from an amazing deserted sandy beach. Love it there and so does the dog! Loads to do in Alnwick, Bamburgh, even Newcastle. Only 2.5 hours from me as a bonus.

Northumberland too far from us, sadly. Kent? Hmmm, never thought of that as a holiday destination; I didn't even realsie they had beaches there! That is easily doabnle from here so will check that out. Thanks!

Salcombe?

Sherbert 37 - don't suppose you would like to give detail of place you stay at? We went Northumerbland for weekend few months ago but the place was busier than expected - your farm on deserted beach sounds ideal. IF you can post details would be appreciated. K

Pembrokeshire in West Wales? Its only an hour and ahalf from Cardiff. We have been to Bluestone twice last year and just loved it.

Anothjer vote for the Isle of Wight

Coombe Mill (Cornwall) is 25 minutes from the beach - so not as close as you'd like, but we quite liked being able to 'escape' back out to the country in the evenings. Lots of space here and nice for the kids to start the day feeding animals on the feed run, spend the day at the beach, then return to the farm in the evenings. There is so much space there, you can just relax while the kids run around the farm and gardens, without having to worry about them! Bit of a hike from Sussex, but definitely worth it!!

We've been going to Coombe Mill for 3 years now (and going back this summer). Thoroughly recommend it - our girls loved it and really look forward to the holiday every summer. There are another couple of families who are there every year in the same weeks, so they've made some friends! We brought the grandparents last year, so we stayed in a slightly bigger cottage. Very spacious though, it meant my parents had a bedroom and their own bathroom on the ground floor.. so nobody got under anyones feet!

iow here also.