For us, the most important thing about a caravan holiday park is whether it's near a beach. 

So, we've picked out 10 near the coast which don't require you to bundle your circus of children and relatives into a car every day on holiday.

We've chosen beachside holiday parks from a range of popular seaside resorts and counties including Cornwall, Devon, Isle of Wight, Dorset, East Yorkshire, Blackpool, Norfolk and Skegness. Some are run by big names like Haven or Parkdean whilst others are family-run independent parks with more basic facilities.

We made our choices by comparing location, facilities, price and customer review.

So, slap on the suncream and prepare for a week of removing sand from your bedsheets...

1. Ladram Bay Holiday Park, Devon (private beach with watersports, indoor pool, lots to do)

Ladram Bay Holiday Park is a highly rated family caravan park just along the coast from Sidmouth in South Devon. 

It makes our guide to beachside holiday parks because it's right on the South West Coastal path and it's got its own private beach. It also scores an impressive 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor and gets a similar score on Hoseasons.

The owners make the most of its location with kayaking and paddleboarding available at the beach, plus there's a lot to do at the park including an indoor swimming pool, crazy golf, indoor soft play, adventure playground as well as entertainment for kids and grown ups (if that's your sort of thing). You have to pay extra for some things.

If you want to explore a bit further it's not too far to the Jurassic coastline in Dorset or Exeter is close enough for a day out.

Price: £1045 for a week in a caravan for 2 adults and 2 children in August 2019 (for our price comparison we look for the cheapest accommodation at the time of searching).

Also consider: Haven's Devon Cliffs near Exmouth or Surf Bay Holiday Park in Westward Ho!

2. Hopton Holiday Village, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (sandy beach, indoor pool, great facilities)

​**Winner: best value beachside holiday park**

We reckon Hopton Holiday Village in Norfolk is one of Haven's best caravan holiday parks. It gets very strong reviews (4.5/5 on TripAdvisor) and is right by a sandy beach.

Facilities at Hopton Holiday Village include indoor and outdoor swimming pools as well as minigolf, a bowling green and sports (some cost a bit extra). Fans of such things can take up the kids' clubs and evening entertainment and there are also places to eat.

It's a big site and there's a wide range of different grades of caravan. My advice is to take a look at recent reviews, as some of the 'standard' options were scoring better than some 'deluxe' options when I checked.

It's half way between Lowestoft or Great Yarmouth so you'll need a car if you want some classic English seaside tat.

Price comparison: £946 for a ‘standard caravan’ for a family of four in August 2018 (2019 wasn't available when we searched).

Also consider... Park Resorts' California Cliffs (indoor pool, north of Great Yarmouth)

3. Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Isle of Wight (sandy beach, indoor pool)

Whitecliff Bay is one of my favourite Isle of Wight beaches. If you squint a bit on a warm day you can convince yourself you're in a foreign country with its sandy beach and (you guessed it...) white cliffs.

Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park is run by Away Resorts, which has half a dozen family holiday parks. It's got direct access to the beach down a very steep slope (just about manageable with a pushchair with a lot of puffing and panting).

Onsite there are indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Other sports and activities include table tennis, crazy golf, soft play and entertainment. During the summer they sometimes do outdoor cinema. 

The site is on the east of the Isle of Wight, half way between the seaside towns of Ryde and Shanklin. We like the quieter West Wight but nowhere is very far away on the Isle of Wight if you fancy exploring.
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Reviews average about 7.5/10 on most sites. Some people say the swimming pool needs an update, although other parts of the park have been upgraded recently. Take a look at different caravan ratings on Hoseasons. 

Away Resorts will also book the Isle of Wight ferry for you, which can work out as considerably cheaper than going direct to Red Funnel or Wightlink.
Price: £1026 for a chalet for a family of four in August 2019. Bell tents were available for a bit less and they also do posh lodges.

Also consider: Park Resorts' Nodes Point Holiday Park is right by St Helen's beach on the Isle of Wight

4. Porth Beach Holiday Park, Newquay, Cornwall (sandy beach, basic facilities)

Cornwall's got a choice of a few holiday parks with easy access to beaches, but Porth Beach Holiday Park is certainly worth considering.

It's just along from Newquay but is a bit quieter and the beach is very nice and is nearby.

It doesn't have the non-stop entertainment and facilities of some other caravan parks on this list, but it's well located in the centre of the county for a few days out. You can get to Bude in North Cornwall or Penzance in South Cornwall in about an hour. 

Reviews for the park average around 9/10 and the small range of individual caravans also get solid reviews from visitors. 
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Price: £1060 for 2 adults and 2 children for a week in August 2019 in a 'Rio' caravan

Also consider... Perran Sands near Newquay (busy Haven park near a beach)

5. Sandhills Holiday Park, Dorset (beachside, quiet park, outdoor pool only)

Sandhills Holiday Park is in a prime spot between Friars Cliff Beach and Christchurch Harbour. 

It doesn't have loads to do onsite, but it's walking distance to the beach and reviews are very good (4.5/5 generally). 

The park has an outdoor swimming pool during the warmer months, a bar, gym and a playground. Perhaps the bar will serve you a strong drink to get over the outdoor swimming pool...

For days out, you can easily get to Bournemouth or the New Forest is nice for a bit of a cycle.

Sandhills has caravans, lodges and apartments depending on your budget.

Price: £1178 for a week's holiday in August 2018 in an apartment for a family of four.

6. Greenacres, North Wales (between beach and mountains, indoor pool, busy family park, beachside)

Greenacres Holiday Park sits alongside a wide open beach in North Wales - the sort of place that is good for kite flying or allowing excited children to burn off energy.

It's another one operated by Haven and we think it's the company's best in North Wales. The location is also good if you want to explore Snowdonia whilst you are in the area, although I'm not sure my children would get far up a mountain without lifting their arms hopefully and saying "I'm tired".

Greenacres is big and well equipped with indoor and outdoor swimming pools. There are various sporty activities too including archery, fencing and minigolf. There's also a bar and restaurant, pool tables and lots of water-based activities in the swimming pool for children.

Reviews are positive, averaging 4/5 on most sites.

Price: £1079 for a standard caravan for a week in August 2018 for a family of four (2019 wasn't available when we checked) 

7. ​Barmston Beach (outdoor swimming pool only, beachside)

**Winner: cheapest beachside holiday park in our top 10**

Reviews of Barmston Beach near Bridlington aren't quite as strong as some on this top 10 guide to beachside holiday parks, but it's got a lot going for it. It's  also one of the cheaper coastal holiday parks we've found.

The main downside is that it only has an outdoor swimming pool, unlike lots of similar holiday parks run by Park Resorts/Parkdean Resort.

​However, some of the caravans are so close to the wide open beach that you might end up with wet feet in bed. Barmston also has an adventure playground, amusements, a small soft play area, bar and restaurant as well as evening entertainment.

If you want a day out, Bridlington is about 15 minutes in the car.

​Reviews of the caravans vary quite a bit, so I would look at the individual reviews. The more expensive caravans were getting better reviews when I checked (which isn't always the case as some parks update their stock gradually).
 
Price: £649 for a 'longshaw' caravan for a family of four in August 2019.

8. Marton Mere Holiday Park, Blackpool (indoor swimming pool, short drive to beach)

Marton Mere is a bit of an exception on our list, as you can't actually walk to the beach unless you've got an hour to spare and willing children. 

We've included it because it's one of the closest holiday parks to the beach in Blackpool, which remains a popular choice for a bucket-and-spade-and-a-stick-of-rock English holiday.

It's a busy Haven park with an indoor swimming pool and an outdoor 'splashzone' as well as lots of things onsite, including play areas, a sports court and crazy golf. They also do more unusual things like pottery painting, archery and fencing which you pay for.

Reviews aren't as glowing as some Haven parks (about 7 or 7.5/10 generally) but it's also a bit cheaper than some others.
 
Price: £841 for a standard caravan for a week in August 2018 for a family of four.

9. Richmond Holiday Centre, Skegness (indoor swimming pool, 20 minute walk to beach)

Richmond Holiday Centre isn't slap bang next door to the beach, but it's just about close enough to walk and it gets good reviews. You can walk it in 20 minutes assuming you aren't carrying three children and a beach tent - and of course it will take another 20 minutes to reach the water at low tide...

Anyway, it's an independent park which keeps pace with the big names in the family holiday park business with a good range of facilities onsite. There's an indoor swimming pool, as well as evening entertainment and kids' entertainment, a playground and sports court.

They also have something called an 'alternative therapy centre' and it has the added advantage of being quite near to the railway station in Skegness.

Reviews are very good, averaging about 8.5 or 9 out of 10. Skegness is generally one of the cheaper places in the UK for holiday parks.

Price: £669 for a week in a bronze caravan for a family of four in August 2019.

10. Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park, Scotland

Nairn Lochloy is a stress-inducing 10 hour drive from London, so perhaps one for those living in the North of England or Scotland.

Once you get there you've got the choice of the beach or the Highlands. Cairngorms National Park and Loch Ness are both a 40 minute drive away, so you can visit Balmoral Castle or pretend you've seen the Monster. 

The park is run by Parkdean Resorts and has got an indoor swimming pool, crazy golf, adventure playgrounds and somewhere to eat. Reviews are about 8 or 9/10.

Price:​ £699 for a week in a 'Shetland' caravan for a family of four in August 2019

Price comparison of 10 of the best caravan holiday parks near beaches

We just looked for one week in August for a family of four (two adults, two children). We carried out searches in May 2018 and looked for holidays in August 2019. If that wasn't available, we looked for 2018 instead. We looked for the cheapest accommodation available.
  1. ​Barmston Beach, East Yorkshire - £649
  2. Richmond Holiday Centre, Skegness - £669
  3. Nairn Lochloy Holiday Park - £699
  4. ​Marton Mere, Blackpool - £841
  5. Hopton Holiday Village, Norfolk - £946
  6. Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Isle of Wight - £1026
  7. Ladram Bay Holiday Park, Devon - £1045
  8. Porth Beach Holiday Park , Cornwall ​- £1060
  9. Greenacres, North Wales - £1079
  10. Sandhills Holiday Park, Dorset - £1178​

Other guides from the Holiday Park Guru

Holiday-Park-Guru-Don't-Blame-Us-Disclaimer: All the information on this page is accurate, as far as we know. However, facilities at holiday parks change so please check with the park before booking.