Including beaches near Southampton and New Forest beaches
Whatever the weather, going to a beach in Hampshire is the perfect family activity. Pull on your wellies in the winter and enjoy a splash or grab your blanket and picnic all day by the sea in the summer months. The possibilities are endless!
If you are looking for more things to do outside? Then have a look at:
The Ultimate List of Walks in Hampshire That Are Child Friendly – These are the best walks to take with kids! We’ve included everything from flat paths to wood walking.
79 Playgrounds Near Me in Hampshire – These are the best playgrounds in Hampshire. How many of these have you been to?
The Best Lakes in Hampshire – Hampshire has so many beautiful lakes that you can explore with the whole family.
Things to do in Hampshire Guide
Wondering what to do today? Then our guide for ALL things Hampshire is for you!
If you are looking for things to do in Hampshire with kids then this guide is for you. We have over 200+ ideas that you can use to keep your whole family amused while exploring everything Hampshire has to offer!
This is an up to date spreadsheet, in activity order, that you can use when you have no clue what to do. We’ve included everything from country parks, to splash pools, lakes, castles, days out, playgrounds and walks.
Have a look at our huge Hampshire guide here.
(By joining giving us your email address you are consenting to us emailing you about our other travel, home and days out ideas. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of every email.)
The Best Beaches in Hampshire
Wherever you live in Hampshire, you are just a stones throw away from a local beach. Whether you’re looking for a scenic walk, water activities for the whole family or a perfect picnic spot to watch the kids play; you’ll find it hard to beat a Hampshire beach.
Have a look at A Mum Reviews blog post here on packing for the beach with kids.
South Hampshire
1.Royal Victoria Country Park (Southampton)
Victoria Country Park has a great stony beach that is perfect for a dip when the sun is out. Being right inside the country park, you can enjoy everything it has to offer including a huge playground, great cafe and wide open fields.
Read more about Royal Victoria Country Park here.
You can find Victoria Country Park at Netley Abbey, Southampton SO31 5GA.
2. Lepe Country Park (Southampton)
A stony beach with patches of sand, Lepe has lots to offer!
It was a tarmac path along the seafront and plenty of rock pools when the tide goes out.
There’s a huge car park right by the beach and a playground a short walk up the hill.
Read more about Lepe Country Park here.
You can find Lepe Country Park at Country Park Lepe, Exbury, Southampton SO45 1AD.
3. Weston Shore (Southampton)
Plenty of parking either end, this is a shingle beach with a playground on the beach and a tarmac path that is perfect for scooters and bikes.
There is a small cafe onsite and on a sunny day an ice cream van parks at the other end.
If you keep walking towards Netley, you will come across Victoria Country Park.
You can find Weston Shore at Southampton SO19 9TA.
4. Calshot Beach (Southampton)
Close to Lepe Country Park, this shingle beach is a great place to visit for the whole family. On a clear day you can see the Isle of Wight and the Spinnaker Tower. Keep walking along the beach and you’ll come to Calshot Castle which was built by Henry VIII.
You can find Calshot Beach at Calshot Close, Calshot, Southampton SO45 1BP.
East Hampshire
5. Browndown Point Beach (Gosport)
Looking over the Solent, Browndown Point is a sandy and single beach owned by the MOD. They do use it as a training ground from time to time but the public are welcome to explore it as well.
It is a bit of a walk from the main car park where the toilets are.
You can find Browndown Point Beach at Solent Beach Path, Lee-on-the-Solent PO13 9LR.
6. Eastney Beach (Portsmouth)
A long and wide pebble beach, Eastney is a hidden gem between Southsea Castle and Fort Cumberland.
In the summer months it’s a great place to cool off. Local facilities are near by.
It’s a really popular spot for windsurfers and water sport so great for the kids to have a dip in the sea.
Part of the beach is naturist friendly.
Parking, including disabled spaces, can be found along Eastney Esplanade, which runs for most of the length of the beach and offers visitors direct access to the shore.
Toilets can be found at the eastern end of the esplanade.
You can find Eastney Beach at Creek Rd, Hayling Island PO11 9FD.
7. Beachlands (Hayling Island)
This pebble beach is eight kilometers long on the western end of the seafront. With everything Hayling Island has to offer, Beachlands also includes a fairground and amusement arcades close by.
During the summer months dogs are restricted so please see the council website for updates.
Beachlands can be found at Hayling Island, PO11 0AG.
8. Hayling Island Beach (Havant)
This beach is over 3-miles long and is a mix of sand and shingles. You can easily see the Isle of Wight from here and watch all the ships pass.
There is parking close by and a few little shops and takeaway outlets to buy snacks from.
Hayling Island Beach can be found at Sea Front, Hayling Island, Hampshire, PO11 0AG.
9. Eastoke Beach (Hayling Island)
With parking close, this is a great beach with everything you need on your doorstep. It was a large grassy area, toilets and a playground all on the seafront.
Eastoke is mainly pebble with a few hidden sandy stretches.
It’s great for watching water sports but the tide does come in quickly, so please check the times before you go.
You can find Eastoke Beach at Creek Rd, Hayling Island PO11 9FD.
10. Hill Head Beach (Fareham)
Hill Head is a shingle beach with a tarmac walkway. It’s a great place to spot the boats coming in and out on the solent.
There is a cafe nearby and Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, which is home to a vast array of birdlife.
You can find Hill Head Beach at Fareham PO14 3JT.
11. Lee-on-Solent Beach (Gosport)
There’s always loads on at Lee-On-Solent. This is a shingle beach with a grassy area great for games and picnics. There’s a tarmac walkway right by the beach, perfect for bikes and scooters.
When the tide is out you can go crabbing among the many rock pools.
If it’s raining, have a look at the Hovercraft Museum which is open to the public on Saturdays.
Food wise; the beach is only a small road away from the town centre so there’s plenty of places to grab a bite to eat or get an ice cream.
You can find Lee-on-Solent Beach at Marine Parade E, Lee-on-the-Solent PO13 9LA.
12. Meon Shore Beach (Fareham)
Meon Shore is a shingle beach with a car park at one end. If you keep walking past the chalets then there is a fab spot with shingle and pebble that’s great for fossil or shell hunting.
You can find Meon Shore Beach at Fareham PO14 4HJ.
13. Old Portsmouth (Portsmouth)
With loads of parking and a great walk to Gunwalf through the old city, Old Portsmouth has it’s own small stretch of beach. Right by the harbour, it’s great if you want to crab and fish or take a dip in the sea.
All facilities are a small walk away.
14. Southsea (Portsmouth)
Southsea beach is a long shingle beach with slopes down to the sea.
At one end you have the fair and the other a big recreation area with green space and a huge canoe lake. There’s also plenty of parking and a playground and small water park on site.
Have a look at all the things there is to do in Southsea here.
You can find Southsea beach at Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea PO4 9RG.
15. Stokes Bay (Gosport)
Stokes Bay is a shingle beach with great views of the Isle of Wight. There’s a large grassy area right by the beach, with a place for barbecues or a picnic.
There’s loads of parking along the beach and a cafe and toilets nearby.
You can find Stokes Bay at Lifeboat Ln, Gosport PO12 2TR.
16. West Hayling (Portsmouth)
Mostly shingle with bits of sand, West Hayling is the home of windsurfing. Sheltered by the West Winner sand bank, you can walk a mile out to sea at low tide.
There’s a big car park and a kiosk for snacks nearby plus plenty of toilets.
You can find West Hayling at Hayling Island PO11 9HP.
17. Calshot Beach (Fareham)
This is a single beach that overlooks Portsmouth and the Isle of Wright. It’s a great place to watch passing boats and cruise ships and has cafes on the way which make for a great snack stop. There is plenty of parking right by the beach and on windy days its a bit sheltered.
You can find Calshot Beach at Calshot Close, Calshot, Southampton SO45 1BP.
Find More Things to do In Hampshire
If you are looking for ideas on what to do to entertain the whole family then why not join our free Resource Vault. We have over 20+ printables that you can download as many times as you like.
This includes themed ideas like treasure maps to going out ideas.
Join our free Resource Vault here
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Related Posts:
- The Ultimate Guide to Things to do in Southampton With Kids
- 9 Fun Walks in Hampshire That Are Child Friendly
- 33 Half Term Activities in Hampshire That Are Free
West Hampshire
18. Hurst Spit Beach (New Forest)
With lovely views of the Isle of Wright, this beach is lovely to watch the world go by. The cafe is limited so bringing lunch is a good idea. Parking is hard to come by too so visit early to make sure you get a spot.
You can find Hurst Spit Beach at Milford on Sea, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 0TP.
19. Tanners Beach (Lymington)
You can park really close to the beach. Watch the tide though as it can be rough for swimming at times. There are pond weeds too but if the kids just want to throw stones or enjoy a stony beach then this is perfect.
You can find Tanners Lane Beach at Lymington SO41 5SP.
Laura x
If you enjoyed this post and would like some more ideas on things to do in Hampshire then head over to the Things To Do section here on Things To Do In Hampshire With Kids where you’ll find over 50 day out ideas in Hampshire that the whole family will enjoy. You could also pop over and follow our Facebook page here or our Hampshire days out Pinterest boards for lots more ideas on what you can do as a family in Hampshire; Days Out For The Kids in Hampshire and Cheap and Free Days Out in Hampshire.
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