Whitley Bay Beach
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Whitley Bay
What it’s like
A free, wide stretch of sand with room for surfing, kayaking and a long promenade walk with North Sea views.
There's no entry fee and no gate, just miles of sand and a promenade that runs along the top of it. Kids can have a go at surfing or canoeing and kayaking if you fancy getting them into a wetsuit, or you can skip the water altogether and just walk the length of it with the sea on one side. It's open all day, every day, which takes the pressure off any particular start time.
The wind is the thing to plan around. Coming straight off the North Sea, it can be properly bracing, so a windproof coat matters more than sun cream most days. There's parking, a café and a restaurant nearby along with toilets, and the site is wheelchair accessible, so it works for a buggy or a wheelchair without much drama.
Parking is the main catch in summer. It gets very busy in high season, so if you're driving over on a warm weekend, get there early or expect to circle for a bit. The beach is easy to reach by car, bus or the Metro, which is worth remembering if driving looks like a faff.
If you've got a dog, check where you're walking. Dogs are welcome on the beach north of Panama Gardens all year, but banned on the rest of the beach between 1 May and 30 September, so the same walk that's fine in winter needs rerouting in summer.
Facilities
Need to know
- Dogs
- Allowed north of Panama Gardens
- Getting there by bus or train
- Easy to reach by car, bus, and local Metro transit service
- Parking gets busy fast on warm weekends, so aim for an early start
- The sea wind can be bracing, pack a windproof layer even in summer
- Dog rules change with the season, so check which stretch you're walking on
- Surfing and kayaking are both options if you want to get in the water
Plan your visit
Is it free to visit?
Yes, there's no charge to get onto the beach.
What are the opening hours?
It's open 24 hours, every day, so there's no closing time to work around.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's a café and a restaurant nearby, so you don't have to bring everything with you.
Can we bring the dog?
North of Panama Gardens, dogs are allowed all year. On the rest of the beach they're banned from 1 May to 30 September.
Is it accessible with a buggy or wheelchair?
The site is listed as wheelchair accessible, which makes it easier for a buggy too.
How do we get there without driving?
It's easy to reach by bus or the local Metro if parking looks like too much bother.
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