The best beaches in Suffolk
Aldeburgh and Southwold offer coastal chic in bucketloads, while places like Covehithe and Shingle Street are as far off the beaten track as you ever get in England.
Plus, there's a dash of kiss-me-quick charm in some of the places you would least expect it, like Felixstowe and Lowestoft.
The great thing is, nowhere is close to a main road or major transport route, so wherever you go, you feel a little bit away from things.
Lowestoft
Lowestoft doesn't spring to mind when you think of beaches, but it is both England's most easterly beach and also one of its best; a long ribbon of fine sand, backed by a classically English mixture of beach huts, pristinely manicured gardens and Edwardian terraces.
Getting there: Trains run from Norwich on the so-called Wherry Line from Norwich to Lowestoft's train station, which is handily placed near the seafront, just across the bridge from the pier and the main beach. By car, there are several car parks along the beach promenade.
Insider tip: Lowestoft is also the southern tip of the Broads National Park, so you can also enjoy freshwater adventures a little way inland at Oulton Broad, where you can rent your own boat for the day or take a river cruise. You can reach it by train in two minutes.
Covehithe
This unique spot, a slender strip of sand backed by low bracken-topped cliffs, is reachable via a footpath from Covehithe's ruined church. If you prefer your beaches empty, this is the one for you.
Getting there: Follow the signs to Covehithe off the main A12 from nearby Wrentham. Park your car by the ruined church of St Andrew and walk the rest of the way.
Insider tip: The church is very atmospheric, and there's a five-mile circular walk you can do just inland from here, north around Benacre Broad and back down the coast to the beach.
Southwold
Genteel Southwold has a lot going for it – a handsome town centre crammed with pubs, restaurants and cafés, an iconic lighthouse and brewery and one of Suffolk's best sandy beaches, famously backed by some of the most expensive beach huts in the country.
Getting there: The closest car park to the beach is the one just to the north of the pier, but there's another within easy walking distance, just the other side of the high street on York Road.
Insider tip: Southwold Pier is delightfully low-key, with a restaurant that's a cut above the usual seaside pier offerings, and attractions like the wacky Under the Pier Show.
Walberswick
Its annual crabbing festival was stopped a few years ago due to overwhelming popularity, but Walberswick remains the crabbing capital of the east coast. But that's not the only reason to come here: its beach (a mixture of sand and shingle depending on the tides) is lovely – not too crowded and backed by grassy dunes.
Getting there: The nicest way to reach Walberswick is on the quaint foot ferry across the river from Southwold's harbour, but it's also easy to reach by car and there's plenty of parking close to the river and beach.
Insider tip: Walberswick is home to two excellent pubs – the cosy Bell, closest to the beach, and the slightly better-known Anchor, on the main road into the village. Both have rooms and serve food, with The Anchor in particular a destination pub for dining.
Aldeburgh
Benjamin Britten used to gaze out over Aldeburgh's beach from his seaside cottage before he moved to the Red House on the other side of town, and he'd still recognise the view today; a lumpy pebble and shingle strand dotted with fishing boats that stretches the length of the town and is backed by huts selling the freshest fish and seafood.
How to get there: Aldeburgh is a 10-minute drive from the main A12 coast road. There's parking on the high street, which runs parallel to the beach, and car parks at either end of the town, right by the beach in both cases.
Insider tip: Take a stroll up the beach in the direction of Thorpeness to Maggi Hambling's impressive Scallop shell sculpture, inscribed with words from the George Herbert poem that inspired Britten's opera, Peter Grimes.
Shingle Street
Shingle Street is perhaps the most unique of Suffolk's beaches, and indeed one of its most remote spots, at the end of a minor road that leads across the marshes south of Woodbridge. The name is a bit of a misnomer, since there are no streets here whatsoever, just a line of holiday homes and seaside shacks behind a wide stretch of shingle that looks onto a lagoon.
Shingle Street never quite recovered after a World War II evacuation, and it remains an eerie and rather atmospheric spot, one more suited for contemplation than sun-worshipping.
Getting there: It's easy to get here by car – the road leads here and nowhere else. There are a couple of parking areas, but nothing official.
Insider tip: The beach is more of a nature reserve than somewhere for swimming, with seals basking on the shingle around the lagoon.
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is another Suffolk town that doesn't spring to mind when thinking of beaches, but it actually has a pretty good one – a four-mile stretch of Blue Flag sand and shingle with all the traditional trappings of a seaside resort – beach huts, a pier and a garden promenade.
How to get there: You can reach Felixstowe on the train from Ipswich, and the station is just a 10-minute walk from the seafront. Coming by car, there are car parks near the pier and leisure centre and at the other end near Arwela Road.
Insider tip: The Alex is a popular café, bar and restaurant that's open all day every day, and is right on the seafront road, not far from the pier and leisure centre.
How we choose
Every beach in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our destination expert, to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of areas and styles, from popular city beaches to lesser known corners – to best suit every type of traveller. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest openings and provide up to date recommendations.
About our expert
Martin Dunford
Dividing my time between East Anglia and London, I've always been a big fan of the Suffolk Coast and the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, and am never happier than when following old footpaths between medieval churches and ancient pubs.
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We found a room at the Holiday Inn Express Swansea East for a family of four on the same dates is £91. Teignmouth, Devon 15 Sun Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding hails from Devon, so she's got the inside scoop on the best seaside towns. She said: "With the myriad of seaside towns in Devon, some can get forgotten about and I often find this is the case with Teignmouth. "Perhaps trounced by the busy English Riviera towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham down the road, Teignmouth has a quieter, more community vibe. "But there is still plenty to do, and it has a great train station in the town centre. "Teignmouth beach itself sits right on the South West Coast Path and is long and sandy. "Growing up, this beach provided many different days out - swimming, dog walking and the ideal lunch spot. "Make sure to head to Devon Fish and Chips in the town, before heading to the beach. The chippy serves generous portions with a medium cod and chips costing around £10. 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