I’ve scoured UK’s top seaside towns & these resorts are best on a budget – from cheap chippies to all-day parking for £4

THERE’S no better place than the beach to keep the kids entertained during those long, hot summer holiday weeks – but even supposedly cheap days out can start to add up before you know it.

Fortunately, as a mum-of-two and expert travel writer, I’ve scoured the UK’s top seaside towns for years and know exactly where to look to find the best budget chippies, brilliant free attractions and hidden gem bays perfect for a paddle.

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The great British summer has begun – but where to go that won’t hurt the wallet?[/caption]

Helen Wright

Mum-of-two and travel expert Helen Wright loves taking family days to the English seaside[/caption]

The UK has almost 8,000 miles of coastline, so with the weather on-side, you can enjoy fun days out to the seaside with the family without spending too much.

It’s one of the more affordable options during the holidays – the children love building sandcastles, paddling in the water and playing beach games like volleyball and football.

But while a day out at the beach doesn’t cost as much as going to a theme park or tourist attraction, inevitably the kids always want an ice cream and snacks or to play in the arcades. 

Plus some beach towns charge a lot for parking, or you have to get there by train – and tickets vary in price depending on when and where you go. 

Cafes and kiosks along the seafront can also be more expensive in some beach areas, so it’s worth doing your research beforehand. 

Here, I share my favourite cheap seaside days out in the UK.

These stunning seaside towns have plenty of affordable options, including dinner for £3.80 and £1-a-ride theme parks.

And some cost under £25 for a family-of-four, for a whole day, including food and parking.

Lowersoft, Suffolk

Lowersoft’s largely unspoilt and rugged coastline juts out into the English channel, with over 30 miles of golden sand beaches.

These sandy stretches are perfect for families and often less crowded than nearby seaside towns Great Yarmouth and Southwold.

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Lowestoft has over 30 miles of golden sand beaches[/caption]

Lowersoft’s unique location at the most easterly point of the British coast means it’s the first place in the UK to see the sun come up.

So, if you are a family of early-risers, you can be up and at them at the break of day.

When we want to be in the action, we find a spot on Lowersoft South Beach, which is popular but has lots of amenities like beach huts and public toilets. 

Better still, parking at the Claremont Pier car park near South Beach costs £4 for the whole day.

Everyone goes to Sunrise at Zaks, a family-run coffee shop on the beach. 

They do a great ham toastie for £3.30 or bacon and egg baps for £3.20. In the afternoon, grab a cup of coffee for £2 and a slab of Millionaires Shortbread or a jam scone for £2.60.

Before heading home, dinner has to be from the aptly named ‘The Chippy’, just a short walk from the beach.

This proper fish and chip shop serves a big bag of golden chips for £3 and a bag of cod bites, which the kids love, for only £2. For meat lovers, a saveloy is only £1.90.

For days where we want to switch off and get away from it all, we drive 20 minutes further south to the more remote Covehithe Beach, which is a stunning bay that is only accessible by foot. 

Parking here is free on the grass verge at the top, but you will have to walk down the steep beach path, so pack light. 

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There’s plenty of budget beach fun to be had in Suffolk[/caption]

There are no facilities here, but we bring a cooler with food, drinks and snacks for the day, which is the cheapest way to do it and the beach is beautiful.

Both South Beach and Covehithe Beach are perfect for families.

The sand is soft and fine and the shallow water is ideal for a swim or a paddle.

Kids can also search for shells and little fossils along the coast.

There is plenty to do in Lowersoft, including the Pleasurewood Hills theme park (entry from £19.50 if you pre-book) and East Anglia Transport Museum, where you can ride on vintage trams and vehicles (entry £12 adult, £7 child). 

But the beach is so nice, you’ll definitely want to stay all day. It’s a brilliant budget day out. 

Great Yarmouth, Norfolk

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Great Yarmouth’s beach and pier is perfect for a day at the seaside[/caption]

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The Marine Parade is where all the cheap arcades are[/caption]

Great Yarmouth is about as quintessential a British seaside as you will get. 

The city’s famous ‘golden mile’ is a picture-postcard of cheerful cafes squeezed in between bucket and spade stalls, penny arcades and fish and chip shops.

There is even a children’s theme park, Joyland, right on the seafront that has been in operation since 1949.

This classic beach town has it all.

The sandy beach is huge, but it can still get busy in the summer holidays. 

However, there are a few spots that are less crowded than others and we usually head to the North Beach, which is a bit further away from the arcades and attractions, but with less people squeezing onto the sand.

You have to pay for parking, coming in at £8 for the day. The car parks do get busy, but you can usually get a space.

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Sandcastle duty in Great Yarmouth is non-negotiable[/caption]

To save money, we eat breakfast before we get there, but the best-value breakfast is the Egg and Tots at The Beach Hut, a cafe close to the promenade.

A bowl of crispy potato tots and two fried eggs is £5.50 and a cup of tea to wash them down is only £1.80.

There is a lot to do here, so it’s no surprise that Great Yarmouth is one of the most popular places in the UK for day trippers.  

In fact, Great Yarmouth is home to one of the oldest theme parks in the UK and it’s free to get in.

Joyland has been here since the 40s and is the epitome of wholesome family fun.

Rides are priced separately, but it’s only £2.50 to ride the Super Snails, which is the park’s most iconic attraction. 

There is also a pier, a model village and fun, family activities like crazy golf and a Dotto train. 

We always love having fish and chips on the beach, but due to Great Yarmouth being such a popular spot, it’s not the cheapest option.

Instead, go to Grelly’s on the front and have a hot sausage roll and chips for only £3.60. You can still have a chippy picnic on the beach, but it’s half the price of the cod.

Clacton-on-Sea, Essex

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Clacton-on-Sea pier is full of brilliant amusements[/caption]

Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, has been attracting holidaymakers since 1871 and is one of the sunniest spots on the Essex coast.

With its wall-to-wall souvenir shops, crab shacks and ice cream stands, it’s not the prettiest beach of the bunch.

However, what it lacks in character it makes up for in atmosphere and is one of the most fun seaside day outs in the south of England.

Clacton has a great pier with amusement arcades and rides, including a classic Helter Skelter, which is £1 a ride.

The beach is sunny and sandy and budget-friendly prices from local businesses and shops make it an affordable day out for families. 

One of the most popular things to do in Clacton is go crabbing on the pier.

However, it does cost £9 for a ‘fishing licence’, but if you walk along the coast toward Holland-on-Sea, you can take your own bucket and spot crabs and cockles between the rocks. 

Helen Wright

Helen’s daughter, Isobel, enjoys the beach in Essex[/caption]

On the way is our favourite place to stop for lunch.

Flags Cafe has a really interesting menu for a beach stop – including curry, vegan options and fantastic cakes. The setting couldn’t be better, right on the beach.

A cheese toastie and a drink is less than £5. 

The kids also love the vegan ice cream options, £2 for a cone. 

Swimming in the sea at Clacton is not recommended, as water quality around the pier is poor, but Holland-on-sea is marked safe for a dip or a nice paddle to cool off.

For dinner, we always stop off at the Toby Carvery on the way home.

Even if you don’t want the full roast dinner, the Toby Tasters menu, where you can get two small plates for £5.99, is excellent value.

The Loaded Mac & Cheese is plenty for my kids to share.

Barry Island, Wales

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Whitmore Bay, Barry Island, is popular and affordable[/caption]

Holidays don’t get much more jolly than at Barry Island, in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. 

As well as the perky promenade, with children’s rides from £2.50 each, candy floss shops and face painting (£6), there is a surprisingly lovely beach. 

Right at the front of Barry Island, Whitmore Bay is a huge crescent of golden sand. It’s ideal for families to have fun in the sun, with shallow water and a gentle tide. 

You don’t have to go far for lunch and it’s a bargain too. The delicious pizza from the ‘Pizza Boys’ at Ffwrnes is only £8 and easily shareable. 

Ice creams on Barry Island are excellently priced too. £1 for a scoop, £1.50 if you want a flake. 

The promenade with its columned colonnade is very Instagram-friendly and if you want to spend a bit more, you can take your pick of busy cafés, burger bars and fish and chip shops. 

End the day on the 2p machines at the arcade. It’s a simple activity, but I give my kids £1 each to change up and they are in there for ages!

Scarborough, Yorkshire

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Scarborough is the largest holiday resort on the Yorkshire coast[/caption]

There’s now’t more wholesome than a day at the seaside in Scarborough.

The sandy beach, tucked neatly in a half-moon bay, is a sweet spot on the Yorkshire coast. 

In summer, it can get busy here. The beach is only an hour from York. 

South Bay is best for families, with souvenir shops, fresh seafood shacks, ice cream parlours and amusement arcades lining the seafront. 

Breakfast is always at the Seastrand, a cute cafe and artist residence that is inside the old Funicular railway station. 

Inside is charmingly decorated, with work from local artists and you can grab a cup of tea and a homemade flapjack for £3.50. 

The South is also home to Scarborough’s harbour.

The kids love wandering through and spotting boats with unusual names. It’s a great way to pass the time and keep them entertained, especially when the weather is iffy. 

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Scarborough’s colourful harbour[/caption]

Overlooking the bay you’ll also spot the famous Scarborough Castle. 

The beach itself is lovely, with thick golden sand.

Due to being slightly protected in the bay, water here is very clean and safe to swim in. During the summer season, the beach is patrolled by an RNLI qualified lifeguard service.

Take your pick of ice cream shops along the front. Peaches and Cream is our favourite.

A little cafe parlour inside a beach pavilion, they have some crazy flavours, such as Banoffee Pie and Peach. It’s £2 for a cup and sprinkles and sauces are included in the price. 

They also have fabulous Vegan ice cream too – you can’t taste the difference. 

You can rent one of the newly refurbished Victorian beach huts here for only £50 a day.

As well as being a huge part of Scarborough’s history, these are operated by North Yorkshire council and are ideal for extended families or friendship groups.

They have electricity, somewhere to keep all your stuff and offer some shade on really hot days. 

Plus, save money on lunch and dinner by making your own. That will compensate for the parking hare, which is on the pricey side at £10 for the day.