Beautiful horseshoe-shape beach near two Northumberland castles could make for the perfect school holiday outing

A gem of a beach with ‘protected waters and golden sandy beaches’ is a hit with visitors to Northumberland who describe it as a beautiful area to take both children and dogs, with one describing it as their favourite stretch of coastline in the entire UK. Beadnell Bay in Northumberland is a popular spot for building sandcastle, flying kites and kayaking while off the village harbour, which is awash with colourful fishing boats in summer, its waters are fished for wild salmon and trout.

Just an hour’s drive from Newcastle, Beadnell combines a bustling community life with ample opportunity for chill-out relaxation on its wide sands and a trip to the beach features on Trip Advisor’s 2025 list of the 10 best things to do in Northumberland with kids. It makes the high ranking thanks to comments from visitors seduced by its charms.

Several noted its cleanliness and stone-free sands ideal for sandcastles and one recent TripAdvisor reviewer, who thought it lovely for a walk and dog-friendly, said: “This is a hidden gem. It’s a long beach, soft sand and backed by dunes.”

Another also called it “a hidden gem with great access” and one fan wrote: “Having visited Beadnell Bay numerous times in the last 20 or so years, I can hand on heart say it is by far my favourite beach in the UK”. The review added: “With the carpark, toilets and ice cream van conveniently close to the beach, you only have a short walk from the car to the beach” and called the beach “stunning, with golden sand”, saying the sand dunes are “brilliant for the kids to enjoy tiring themselves out”.

As previously reported, Beadnell was named by travel experts earlier this year as one of the UK’s top destinations to enjoy a break as well as one of the best holiday spots to take pets and several TripAdvisor reviewers clearly appreciated the chance to take their dogs on the beach. Others noted handy ice cream and snack spots and one family review included: “The boys were happy digging and paddling all day.

“Toilets are available in the car park and there’s a cafe to get drinks and snacks. All in all a lovely day and would definitely return.”

Visit Northumberland describes Beadnell as ‘the sporty one’, calling it fun for sandcastle building, beach cricket and the likes of kite-surfing, kayaking and windsurfing. It adds: “With its protected waters and golden sandy beaches, Beadnell is a water sports paradise.”

Beadnell is less than a 15-minute drive from Bamburgh Castle to the north – which also makes the Trip Advisor list of things to in Northumberland with kids, taking top spot – and there’s another castle nearby too. Dunstanburgh Castle is about 20 minutes south; a short walk from Craster which itself has been described as a fishing village where time stands still.

Seahouses is also on its doorstep and just up the coast is Holy Island, making Beadnell a popular base for tourists too. Other Beadnell highlights include coastal pub The Craster Arms – which dates back to the 15th Century and incorporates a pele tower – and the adjacent Beadnell Towers Hotel where non-residents can dine too and where dogs are also welcome in its bar and reading room.

Other attractions to make the Trip Advisor list include Cragside, Vindolanda, Alnwick Castle, The Alnwick Garden, Andy Howeys Birds of Prey Centre, Northumberland Zoo and Kielder Observatory. With many families watching the purse strings, beach days can be an ideal option and packing a picnic will save money too.

For more ideas for where to enjoy free trips out with the kids over the summer holidays see here and find a round-up here of the Northumberland beaches rated best for a relaxing mindful walk.

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These summer hotspots are the most likely to become people’s final destinations.

Some of the country’s most idyllic summer vacay spots also have a darker side. With the summer travel season in full swing, maritime and resort injury law firm Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. has ranked the nation’s most dangerous summer vacation hubs of 2025 — finding that Sarasota, Florida topped the list in this regard.

Not to be outdone, upstate New York’s Lake George — the so-called Queen Of American Lakes — also placed 7th on the countdown, notably boasting an inordinate amount of drowning and watercraft-related deaths, overall injuries and boating accidents. Meanwhile, the seaside paradise of Asbury Park, New Jersey, was the third safest vacay hub in the US, per the survey.

Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. determined the nation’s most dangerous vacation destinations by analyzing dozens of travel hubs and then ranking them according to the US Centers For Disease Control (CDC) and Coast Guard data on recreational drownings, boating accidents, alcohol-related deaths, and extreme heat.

They then gave each place an overall risk score out of 100 based on these metrics.

The study comes amid rising safety concerns among summer travelers.

While Google searches for “best summer destinations USA” have surged 110% in the past week, terms like “summer travel warning” and “dangerous vacation spots” are also trending, signaling that travelers are anxious about avoiding these idyllic danger zones.

“As summer and vacation season kick off, Google searches are rising dramatically for top summer destinations, but many ports and resorts lack proper safety enforcement, leading to potential dangers,” warned Jason R. Margulies, Board-Certified Admiralty & Maritime Attorney and Co-Managing Partner at Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. “Make your adventure fun, but also keep in mind awareness of your safety on land with criminals targeting tourists and excessive heat, as well as in the water, to avoid a tragedy.”

The “Florida man’s” courageous rep might be justified. The Sunshine State boasted the top three spots on the list: Sarasota (90), Clearwater Beach (89.6), and Key West (86.8).

Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (78.6) and Ocean City, Maryland rounded out the top five (75.4) with the latter hub boasting the highest recreational drowning and watercraft deaths score in the countdown.

The top ten most dangerous summer vacation spots in the US for 2025:

1. Sarasota, Florida – 90.0

2. Clearwater Beach, Florida – 89.6

3. Key West, Florida – 86.8

4. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – 78.6

5. Ocean City, Maryland – 75.4

6. Lake Chelan, Washington – 74.0

7. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin – 70.0

7. Lake George, New York – 70.0

8. Daytona Beach, Florida – 69.0

9. New Orleans, Louisiana – 68.6

10. Newport, Rhode Island – 68.0

Thankfully, there are plenty of US travel meccas where tourists can relax in relative safety. Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. also listed the top ten safest summer destinations in the US for 2025.

These cities had the lowest composite risk scores when it came to drowning deaths, boating incidents, alcohol-related fatalities, and extreme heat.

Top 10 Safest U.S. Summer Destinations in 2025

1. Lake Tahoe, CA – 23.00

2. Hampton, NH – 29.20

3. Asbury Park, NJ – 31.00

4. Kennebunkport, ME – 32.80

5. Santa Barbara, CA – 37.40

6. Rehoboth Beach, DE – 38.00

7. Miami, FL – 42.80

8. Santa Cruz, CA – 43.20

9. Virginia Beach, VA – 45.00

10. Sullivan’s Island, SC – 48.00

Those who’ve already booked trips to one of these hazard hubs can maximize their chances of enjoying a safe getaway by following some basic safety tips, according to Margulies.

These include wearing a lifejacket while participating in water sports, keeping an eye on the weather, drinking responsibly, familiarizing oneself with watercraft, and only booking reputable tour companies.

“The park was great and had things to do for all ages of children.”

Scotland is not short of popular holiday parks and camping sites. From the Scottish Borders to the northern Highlands, there are countless staycation destinations perfect for a family trip.

If you are currently stuck on where to head, there is one holiday park that is in a stunning position and features a wide range of facilities. It has also received very positive reviews from visitors who have stayed there.

Brighouse Bay Holiday Park is situated on the Dumfries and Galloway coast. It looks out over the waters of Brighouse Bay, and features a sandy beach beside the site.

The holiday park is home to a wide selection of hardstanding and grass pitches for tents and trailers. It also offers a range of holiday cottages, lodges, and caravans

According to holiday website Pitchup, Brighouse Bay Holiday Park features a “private beach”. The beach is just a short walk from the site and is the ideal spot for a picturesque walk or a spot of sunbathing.

In terms of facilities, the holiday park features a leisure centre with a heated indoor swimming pool. There is also a separate toddler’s pool, as well as a jacuzzi.

The Brighouse Bay Holiday Park is also home to a bar where visitors can enjoy food and drink. Meanwhile, The Brig restaurant offers a selection of lunch and evening dishes—including an extensive pizza menu.

Meanwhile, there is also an 18-hole golf course that offers stunning sea views that take in Wigtownshire, the Isle of Man, and the Lake District. There is also a putting green and a six-bay driving range where guests can hone their skills.

Also available to guests is an on-site licensed shop that sells essentials such as bread, milk, rolls, and ice-cream. Additionally, buckets and spades, gifts, gas bottles, and much more can be purchased.

Completing the facilities at Brighouse Bay Holiday Park are two children’s play areas and two toilet blocks. There is also an all-tide slipway where visitors can take part in kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing, and rowing.

On Pitchup, Brighouse Bay Holiday Park has earned an overall rating of 8.6 out of 10.

The park has received 376 reviews on the website, with 88 per cent of visitors stating that they would recommend it to a friend.

One holidaymaker posted: “Park was clean and tidy, toilets and showers were clean, washing up facility for dishes was good and the dog bath worked wonders for our dogs to cool them down when it was really hot. Will definitely be back.”