If you are looking for a way to spend your summer vacation, hire a car and head to one of the English beaches.  The best beaches in England are sandy coves located in many coastal regions of the country. 

We've prepared a list of the best spots for your beach vacation. Whether it's a secluded getaway, family fun, or just stretches of soft golden sand to relax on - pick your favorite destination and go!

Bournemouth Beach 

With beautiful green hills all around, Bournemouth Beach is an 11-kilometers-long stretch of golden sand located in Dorset. Access to the coast is provided by lifts in the rocks. The bottom is sandy, while the descent into the water is gentle. 

The long shallows of Bournemouth Beach are very convenient places for families with children. There are numerous colorful beach huts along the coast. You can use these huts to store sun loungers, umbrellas, towels, or rugs, but it’s necessary to book them. 

In terms of activities, the beach offers a variety of water sports including kayaking and boating. Bournemouth Pier also has innovative activities such as a zip line and a climbing wall. There’s a parking lot near the beach, so you won't have any problems with finding a safe place for your hire car.

Fistral Beach 

Fistral Beach is located in Cornwall and many know it as the best surfing spot in the UK. The easiest way to get there is by plane. Take a domestic flight to Newquay. Then pick up Newquay airport car hire and in just half an hour you will find Fistral Beach. 

The waves here are sometimes very strong, which attracts surfers. However, it’s just a great beach holiday destination even if you are not a fan of this sport. 

Fistral Beach is covered with soft sand and surrounded by rocky hills. There are many restaurants and bars where you can eat. For full relaxation, head to the Headland Hotel Spa, providing a wide range of procedures and a fantastic view of the coastal strip.

Woolacombe Beach 

Surrounded by beautiful dunes, Woolacombe Beach is located in Devon. In order to get there in your hire car, keep on your way to Barnstaple. This is the only major city in the area from where you can reach the beach in 20-25 minutes. 

A very wide strip of beach, covered with soft golden sand, stretches for 5 kilometers. Huge waves of the ocean surf and not the warmest water spoil the first impression of the beach. However, it’s extremely popular with surfers and couples. It has a smooth entrance to the sea, which is very convenient. There’s a good infrastructure, including everything you need for a beach holiday, plus pubs and restaurants, numerous kiosks with ice cream, and soft drinks.

Whitby Beach 

Whitby in Yorkshire is an interesting seaside town with quayside arcades and beautiful scenery. This is a small place located on the edge of the North Yorkshire moorlands. You can come there in a hire car at any time of the year, but only in the middle of summer you can swim in the sea. 

Placed at the very end of Whitby Beach, Sandsend village is one of the most popular holiday destinations in England. Here you will find traditional British summer activities: donkey riding, all kinds of water sports, and ice cream vans. By the way, you can stay in colorful beach huts located right on the beach.

Blackpool Beach 

Perhaps someone will consider this English beach not the most beautiful in the country. Covered with light beige sand, it stretches along a very beautiful embankment, which is illuminated with thousands of lights at dusk. 

There’re three piers with restaurants, shops, and entertainment establishments. In recent years, this city beach has become even more popular with the Sandcastle water park being built nearby. Your children will be delighted with a huge amusement park with pools, water rides, and slides. Getting to the beach in a hire car will not take long. The nearest major cities to hire a car are Liverpool and Manchester.

Bamburgh Beach 

Located next to an imposing Norman-era castle in Northumberland, Bamburgh Beach is also a perfect spot to spend your summer vacation. It’s suitable for the fans of secluded rest who enjoy strolling along the seashore in order to escape from the problems of the modern world. 

The beach is washed by the North Sea 32 km south of the Scottish border. The water temperature is not always very comfortable, but in summer you can swim there anyway. Surfers also often choose this beach. In addition to relaxing on the beach, you can take part in an exciting tour of the nearby Bamburgh Castle.