Meet lions and tigers or go wild on a desert island. Here are some of the top family-friendly getaways around our coast.
Words – Amy McPherson
1. Best for car-free freedom – Tresco, Isles of Scilly
There are endless adventures to be had on Tresco, starting with stunning aerial views if you travel there by air – fly direct with Penzance Helicopters (penzancehelicopters.co.uk). This year, the island is working with Hut 62, which has sailing boats, motorboats, dinghies, kayaks and paddleboards for hire – perfect for keeping the entire family entertained. You’ll find lots of beautiful sandy beaches to explore, and older kids will enjoy paddling around and seeing the world from the water. Learn about sea creatures and their habitat on a rock-pooling safari, and enjoy a bike ride without the stress of traffic. In peak season, a Traditional Cottage sleeping up to four costs from around £2,790 for seven nights (tresco.co.uk).
2. Best for animal encounters – Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve, Port Lympne, Kent
Go on safari without leaving your room, by booking a short break package at the Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve – part of a partnership with international conservation charity The Aspinall Foundation. Located near the Kent coast, each luxurious lodge is set within the conservation reserve and features a huge glass wall. This looks out onto an enclosure, so you can wake to find yourself face to face with animals including lions, tigers or wolves. The lodges are great for a family break with an educational purpose, and they help to raise funds for the charity, supporting its efforts to rescue endangered and rare species from Indonesia to Congo through breeding and release programmes. Glamping Forest Hideaways cost from £499 per night in high summer, sleeping two adults and two small children on a sofa bed, with animal viewing lodges costing more (aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne/short-breaks).
3. Best for a beach escape – Barwick, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall
Barwick, a five-bedroom house right by Mawgan Porth Beach, has its own private swimming pool and games room. Try surfing, or play mini golf just up the road. There’s a handy village shop and café in Mawgan Porth, and you can access the South West Coast Path nearby. This is the perfect place for the entire family to do a lot or nothing at all, surrounded by coastal views, and with enough space indoors to enjoy individual quiet times. Barwick sleeps up to nine and costs from around £6,070 per week (beachretreats.co.uk).
4. Best for an easy island getaway – Ocean Blue Coastal Retreats, Ventnor, Isle of Wight
A holiday on the Isle of Wight is great for kids of all ages and interests, as the island offers a wide array of family-friendly activities. For the younger ones, meet alpacas, llamas, miniature donkeys and other farm animals at West Wight Alpacas, before encountering prehistoric creatures at Dinosaur Isle near Sandown. Active children can enjoy an arboreal adventure at Goodleaf Tree Climbing, while those who love trains will have fun dressing up as drivers and guards of the past at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s Train Story attraction. Stay at Ocean Blue Coastal Retreats – its spacious self-catering cottages can accommodate between two and eight people, making them the perfect family base for exploring the Isle of Wight’s many attractions. Summer prices for a cottage sleeping up to four start from £1,700 for seven nights (oceanbluecoastalretreats.co.uk).
5. Best for friends and family – Ladram Bay Holiday Park, Budleigh Salterton, Devon
Holidaying with the grandparents, or other families and/or friends? With accommodation ranging from luxury lodges, apartments with sea views, glamping tents and pods to fully serviced camping and caravan pitches, the family-owned Ladram Bay Holiday Park is ideal for multigenerational or multi-family groups. It has a private beach – perfect for sunbathing, fishing and rock-pooling, and guests can hire a boat or a kayak, and enjoy a drink and snack at the Beach Shack. There’s plenty to amuse the kids – an adventure playground and crazy golf or, if the weather is bad, an arts and crafts studio where they can try their hand at pottery or making a teddy. A Holiday Home sleeping up to six people costs from £1,399 for seven nights in August (minimum two-night stay applies). Prices vary depending on the dates and type of accommodation booked (ladrambay.co.uk).
6. Best for a traditional seaside holiday – Astondene cottage, Southwold, Suffolk
If your dream summer is all about fish and chips by the beach, arcade games and pedal boating, head to Southwold. On the pier, get a little silly posing in front of the Wacky Walk of Mirrors, see the Water Clock splash once every 30 minutes, browse for souvenirs, and battle each other at air hockey. There are fantastic places to eat in town, and all this is only a short beach walk from Astondene in East Cliff – a holiday let with cosy interiors and all you need for a great family stay by the sea. From around £1,020 for two nights in high summer, sleeping up to eight (sykescottages.co.uk).
7. Best to support the community – Ty Cwch Boathouse, Cwmtydu, Ceredigion
Outdoor adventurers will love a stay at the Ty Cwch Boathouse in Cwmtydu, a secluded cove on the beautifully wild Cardigan Heritage Coast in Ceredigion. The area is a great place to walk, swim, kayak, paddleboard and enjoy being in nature – seals and dolphins are often seen – and yoga and wellbeing retreats can also be booked. The bunkhouse-style accommodation was built using shipping containers, along with local materials, knowledge and experience – here, supporting the community is a top priority. Three cabins each sleep four, and guests share a well-equipped kitchen and living space. Cabins start at £136 per night (for a minimum of two nights), with discounts for longer stays – or book exclusive use of the full site for up to 12 people (tycwch.wales).
8. Best for dolphin spotting – West Beach Caravan Park, Hopeman, Moray
Does the sight of a dolphin leaping out of the water bring delight to your family? If so, book a holiday at West Beach Caravan Park. Located in Hopeman in the north of Scotland, the park partly occupies the site of the old railway station which overlooks and includes West Beach – an area popular with walkers and cyclists. The best thing is the beach itself, which has regular sightings of dolphins as they swim and play among the waves. Not a fan of caravans or tents? No problem. With two bedrooms, sleeping two adults and two children, the excellent beachfront lodges provide a self-catering alternative that is comfortable for all the family, costing £860 for seven nights’ stay (westbeachcaravanpark.co.uk).
9. Best for kids-only fun – Bawdsey Manor, Bawdsey, Suffolk
PGL Adventure Camps offer thrilling sleepover holidays for kids aged eight to 16 who love their independence – and the Bawdsey Manor centre on the Suffolk coast has outdoor activities galore. Kids are split into three age groups to encourage better social interactions, and the experiences include everything from climbing and raft building to archery and canoeing. They’ll also eat three nutritious meals each day, with special diets catered for. It’s a chance to make new friends in a safe environment, without the pressure of parents by their side. Packages range from two nights to a week, starting at £199 per child for two nights (adventureholidays.pgl.co.uk).
All prices in this feature are based on a stay in July or August 2025. Availability and prices were confirmed as Coast published, but these can vary week by week.
For more inspiration for coastal weekend escapes, visit our travel section, discover the best child-friendly beaches to visit or pick up the latest copy of coast magazine.
