Looking for a top campsite near the coast?
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We do like to be beside the seaside ...
There's nothing like the fun and magic of a seaside holiday so we asked our editorial team and some of our contributors to share their favourite coastal campsites both in the UK and Europe.
Southfield Lane, Tunstall, East Yorkshire HU12 0JF
Tel: 01964-670403 Web: sand-le-mere.co.uk Open: 21 March – 7 November
Sand le Mere is a touring park with every imaginable facility on your doorstep. In fact £4 million was recently spent on building a new leisure complex with indoor pool, sauna, steam room, gym, soft play, a café, restaurant, bar and entertainment venue. This adds to the already impressive list of facilities which includes toilets, showers, a shop, takeaway, a play area and crazy golf.
“When the tide’s out Tunstall beach is a massive expanse of sand, perfect for family days at the beach,” says Claire Tupholme, Deputy Travel & Sites Editor. “But on windy days it can also feel rugged, with wild frothy waves – I could sit for hours just watching the surf, feeling like the only person in the world.” The beach can be accessed via a short path from the park and is definitely worth some of your time. It’s long, sandy and backed by low craggy cliffs. Four-legged friends are also welcome.
Camping Ca’Savio, Italy
Via di Ca’Savio 77, 30013 Cavallino Treporti, Italy
Tel: 0039-41-966017 Web: en.casavio.it Open: 26 April – 30 September
Set on the wide coast of Cavallino, Camping Ca’Savio is ideally placed for visiting Venice and enjoying a beach holiday.
“I stayed here a week and wished it had been a lot longer. We had mornings in the selection of swimming pools, afternoons on the glorious sandy beaches, intermixed with sightseeing in Venice just a short boat ride away,” said Peter Vaughan, Editor of Which Motorhome. “And in the village we ate the world’s best ever ice creams!”
This is a large site with around 1,500 pitches, which all have electric and are nicely shaded by trees and shrubs. There’s plenty to do here with two swimming pools, restaurants, a shop, entertainment and a takeaway all on site.
The star of the show here must be the beach – a kilometre of fine sand with pedalos available to hire. Venice is reached by boat from Punta Sabbioni which is under 3km away.
Trevornick Holiday Park, Cornwall
Holywell Bay, Cornwall TR8 5PW
Tel: 01637-832916 Web: trevornick.co.uk Open: 10 April – 13 September
“The rolling, sandy dunes of Holywell Bay, which is owned by the National Trust and is dog friendly, are the key to this site’s appeal,” says Andrew Baxter, MMM News Editor. That along with the multitude of things to do on site. There’s entertainment, arts and crafts, an adventure playground, a heated pool, a fun park, pitch and putt, a spa, fishing ponds and a choice of shops, restaurants and bars – there’s a really long list!
We love this site for its dog-friendly ethos – two touring fields welcome dogs, there’s a dedicated dog walking field and well-behaved pets are welcome in the fun park and some of the restaurants and bars. There are six types of pitch available over seven fields and the amenities include toilets and showers along with family bathroom suites.
Camping Pavillon Royal, France
Avenue du Prince de Galles, 64210 Bidart, France
Tel: 0033-559-230054 Web: pavillon-royal.com Open: 15 May – 30 September
Camping Pavillon Royal enjoys direct access to the beach between Bidart and Biarritz, which is just a few minutes’ walk from the pitches. The waters are popular for surfing, with a surf school next to the site. Four kilometres along the seafront in either direction will take you to the towns of Bidart and Biarritz, with a shuttle bus running between the campsite and Bidart town centre in high season. Pavillon Royal is ideal for cyclists, and walkers with a 32-hectare pine forest adjacent to the site. Facilities include a restaurant and bar, shop, spa room and swimming pool.
“My daughter was just a toddler when I stayed here, so the direct access to a good beach was perfect. Superb sea views are very much part of staying here, and the sunsets are just incredible,” says Peter Vaughan, Editor of Which Motorhome.
Oban Caravan & Camping Park, Argyll
Gallanachmore Farm, Gallanach Rd, Oban, Argyll PA34 4QH
Tel: 01631-562425 Web: obancaravanpark.com Open: 1 April – 10 October
This site, which is by the sea with views to the Isle of Kerrera, is spread over 340 acres. It feels like a rural hideaway but, just three miles down the road, is the popular visitor centre of Oban with plenty of handy facilities, shops and restaurants. There’s also a golf course and cinema. On site there are swings for children and the duck pond and free-range hens usually provide amusement for little ones. Facilities include toilets and showers, a laundry, TV and games room, and seasonal shop (May – September). The Puffin Dive Centre is just under a mile away and has equipment for hire.
“The site at Oban is fantastic as it’s spacious, has great views and is far enough from town to be peaceful and quiet. So it’s a perfect stop before jumping on a ferry to the Hebrides. It’s also right next to the Puffin Dive School – great if you come here for sub-sea adventures,” enthuses Martin Dorey, MMM travel writer.
Magherawarden, Portsalon, Co Donegal
Tel: 00353-749-159108 Web: knockallacaravanpark.com Open: 17 March – mid September
Just a short walk from this site you will find the stunning Ballymastocker Bay, which was voted the second most beautiful beach in the world by travel writers for the Observer magazine. The beach here is wide and sandy, with the tide levels making it perfectly suited for riding the white waves. “The views from this site take my breath away, and the beach, words cannot describe it. At Knockalla you’re a short walk from paradise, I didn’t want to leave,” said Claire Tupholme, Deputy Travel & Sites Editor.
Pitches are available on hardstanding with electric hook-up or grass and there are toilets and showers available along with a laundry. There’s also a handy shop, bakery and café, along with pool tables, a play area, tennis court and football pitch to keep children amused on site. Knockalla is ideal for walkers and there’s also a golf course nearby. Public transport is limited though and quite far away so you will need your own vehicle if you plan to stray far from this coastal idyll.
Croftlands Caravan Park, North Yorkshire
Church Lane, Fylingthorpe, North Yorkshire YO22 4PN
Tel: 01947-880850 Web: croftlandscaravanpark.wordpress.com Open: All year
This has just five pitches and is for Club members and adults only. The site is basic and you will need your own sanitation, but the reason it is one of our favourites is for the views over Robin Hood’s Bay. A 20-minute walk will take you to the Bay and there’s a longer coastal path to Whitby (with a handy bus back which stops in Fylingthorpe village). The village is only five minutes’ walk from Croftlands, with a great pub and beer garden enjoying more of the stunning coastal views. Hardstanding and grass pitches are available at the caravan park, along with electric, and pets are welcome.
“Croftlands is a small site with lovely views over the bay. It has basic facilities – no showers or loo – but that makes it perfect for the self-contained tourer looking for a quiet spot in a very pretty part of England. Great pub nearby too,” says Martin Dorey, MMM travel writer.
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