“Love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage,” Sinatra crooned. Not exactly a current choice, but the song does drift to mind when asked about the merits of a bush-n-beach vacation—because that is one slam-dunk combination. Spending time in Africa’s primordial wilderness areas is always an eye-opener, from the ethereal sight of a valley filigreed in spider webs made visible by dawn’s dew to watching a leopard cuff a hyena as her cub scrambles up a tree, or pied kingfishers diving into reed-fringed pools deep with hippos. You never forget your first safari, and if you’ve booked in the right place, it’s unlikely to be the last. That said, the daily regime—from predawn wake-up calls to postprandial fireside chats—can be tiring. So following it up with a powder-soft beach—the lapping of a warm Indian ocean acting as your evening lullaby—is a pretty perfect ending. But where on this vast continent would you land? Here are some of our favorite safari-and-beach trip ideas that combine the best of both.

Grumeti Serengeti, Tanzania | Mnemba Island Zanzibar, Tanzania

Bush

Grumeti, in Tanzania’s western Serengeti, is archetypal Africa: savannah plains with flat-topped acacias under big blue skies—always gorgeous, always secluded, regardless of when you visit in the migration cycle. It’s also where you’ll find Singita Sabora Tented Camp, arguably the most opulent and romantic tented camp in Africa, and easily combined with Singita Sasakwa Lodge. A game-drive distance away, Sasakwa is perched on a hillock with expansive views; a lovely contrast with Sabora, and Singita’s mycelium-style service means the team here already know whether you prefer sparkling or still, cheese or dessert, sauvignon or chardonnay.

Beach

Just three clicks off the northeastern coast of fast-developing Zanzibar, Mnemba is long feted the most romantic beach lodge in East Africa, and a huge overhaul in 2024 has only cemented this. Its 12 “bandas”—all-natural cocoons privately located in the casuarina forest’s cool depths; tiny duiker antelopes foraging as you make your way along private pathways to a startlingly white beach—are hard to leave. And with modern conveniences, fabulous snacks, and a butler at your service, you really don’t have to.

Connectivity: Coastal Air offer an easy ride from Grumeti airstrip to Stone Town airport; you’ll likely stop to pick up passengers but there’s no disembarking, and should get there in three hours. From here andBeyond will be waiting to whisk you across to the north-east coast—a 1.5-hour drive at the most followed by a quick 10-minute boat ride.

More worth considering: Completely overhauled in 2022, andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti offers the kind of accommodation and service one expects from this class-act outfit, and combining it with more of their Tanzania or Kenya camps (all great) can offer significant savings. And keep an eye on Laba Grumeti Art Lodge. A contemporary-chic take on the tented camp, filled with contemporary artworks by 10 African artists, vintage Land Rovers adapted to run on diesel, ethanol and electric, elevated views, and no shortage of modern conveniences, it opens September 2025. Pair this with Zanzibar Sunrise, a perennial Zanzibar favorite, with its prime position overlooking a lush garden-beach cove, the best on Zanzibar’s east coast. Or head north to Matemwe, where the rustic-romantic Zanzibar Sunrise comprises 14 barefoot-chic-Crusoe-castaway bungalows, built right on the beach.

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia | Nose Be Archipelago, Madagascar

Bush

Named after the broad expanse of water that flows along its southern boundary, under pillowed clouds and crepuscular skies, South Luangwa National Park offers great game viewing (Zambia’s largest populations of lions; one of the highest leopard densities in Africa) alongside gorgeous landscapes, negligible visitor numbers, and one of the continent’s best walking experiences. It’s a true immersion in untrammeled wilderness, walking between any of Time + Tide’s camps—each only two to four hours apart, while luggage is transferred by road. Do opt to spend at least one night sleeping under the stars.

Beach

Combining the best of the Indian ocean—floating above a kaleidoscope of fish; swimming with turtles—with fascinating wildlife in the verdant forests (lemurs; chameleons; boa constrictors!), the Nose Be archipelago offers ‘bush and beach’ in one, and is relatively undeveloped and totally unmarred by tourism. Lucky then, to find one of the most special lodges on the continent: Time + Tide’s Tsara Komba on Nosy Komba, a forested mountain-island just a short boat ride from Nosy Be. Comprising eight timber cocoons, thatched roofs peeking out the lushly landscaped hillside overlooking a crescent of sand, the glittering ocean backdropped by the green hills of the mainland, the water warm, and calm—it is simply idyllic.

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.