Manchester is well-known for its excellent nightlife, which includes the bohemian Northern Quarter and its iconic Gay Village. However, if you love getting away from it all and exploring nature, Manchester is also a great place to visit. These 10 beaches near Manchester are the best coastal escapes from the city.
Best seaside resorts near Manchester
Located on England’s west coast and the Ribble Estuary, Manchester is one of the best destinations in the UK to find classic seaside resorts. Whether you’re looking for a family holiday or a romantic break, these beaches near Manchester have it all.
1. Blackpool Beach, Blackpool
- Distance from Manchester: 50 miles (1 hour)
Blackpool Beach is, for me, one of the best UK holidays for families, with its iconic pleasure beach, fairground rides and picturesque promenade. Visitors in Blackpool can go for a paddle on the sandy shorefront, test out the rollercoasters on the South Pier or take a ride on the Central Pier’s Big Wheel.
Kids will love the classic seaside activities, like donkey rides or a trip to Blackpool Aquarium. You’ll find plenty of great places to stay near Blackpool Beach and the local theatres offer a wide range of evening entertainment.
Blackpool is the nearest major seaside resort to Manchester, making it a popular holiday destination for locals. It takes around an hour to reach Blackpool by car or around one hour and 40 minutes by rail, making it one of the best beaches near Manchester to reach by train.
Once in Blackpool, you can get around easily by tram, meaning you don’t need a car to enjoy the seaside attractions. Blackpool is an ideal spot for a summer holiday, though you’ll generally get on the fairground rides faster and face shorter queues out of season.
2. Llandudno Beach, Wales
- Distance from Manchester: 87 miles (1h 40min)
Llandudno Beach in Conwy, north Wales, offers both a vintage seaside resort and a more rugged beach that’s great for walks. It’s the perfect location for a couple’s weekend away or a relaxed solo trip. Llandudno has a long pebble and sand beach with a classic Victorian esplanade and plenty of places to eat and drink. If you’re visiting with kids, you can stroll along Llandudno Pier and visit the Deck Amusement Arcade or go for a donkey ride on the beach.
You can also visit West Shore Beach on the opposite coast of Llandudno. This beach has a more rugged feel and is located close to Gogarth Great Orme Country Park, which offers coastal hikes and stunning views from the Great Orme Tramway and cable cars. Llandudno takes roughly an hour and 50 minutes to reach by car from Manchester. You can also take the train and get there in around two hours and 40 minutes.
3. Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
- Distance from Manchester: 55 miles (1h 5min)
Lytham St Annes is located slightly south of Blackpool and takes just over an hour to drive to. Once there, you’ll find a wide expanse of sandy shoreline perfect for picnics, sunbathing and sandcastle competitions. There’s also a kids’ paddling pool and splash park nearby where little ones can take a dip.
Swimming in the sea at Lytham is not advised because of the strong currents and rapidly changing tides. When I’m visiting Lytham, I always make a note of the tide times before venturing too far along the beach as the tide comes in fast and can cut off certain areas.
Lytham Beach has great facilities, with paid public toilets and parking close to the seafront. It’s a lovely beach to visit in summer as all the attractions are open; this is also when the sandy beach is at its most charming.
Best beaches near Manchester for nature walks
Manchester is home to a range of striking beauty spots and has some of the best beaches in the UK right on its doorstep. These stunning coastal areas are perfect for long walks in nature and offer breath-taking wild scenery.
4. Formby Point, Liverpool
- Distance from Manchester: 45 miles (1 hour)
Formby Point in Merseyside is the nearest beach to Manchester by car, located just over an hour’s drive from the city. This makes it a great beach to visit if you’re travelling for a weekend in Manchester and want to spend some time outside the city. Formby Point is also located around a 40-minute drive from Liverpool. There you’ll find a pristine natural landscape, with pine forest trails, sandy dunes and a vast unspoiled beach.
Beautiful in summer, Formby Point is also a scenic spot for a winter walk. You can search for prehistoric animal footprints in the sediment beds around the beach and book a guided tour of the beach’s two historic shipwrecks. Remember to take your wellie boots with you, as you’ll be walking out onto wet sand.
The beach is maintained by the National Trust and has ample paid parking that’s free for National Trust members. Dogs are also allowed and you’ll find accessible public toilets nearby.
5. Sandscale Haws, Cumbria
- Distance from Manchester: 100 miles (2h 20min)
As it’s a bit of a drive to Sandscale Haws in Cumbria, I like to pack a picnic and make sure I take a raincoat in case the weather changes while I’m out. Sandscale is located on the edge of the Lake District National Park, making it an ideal place to visit if you’re going on a hiking holiday in the Lake District. The nature reserve is home to Roanhead Beach and is managed by the National Trust.
Roanhead offers sweeping dunes and long sandy stretches that are perfect for dogs to race around on. Wildlife enthusiasts can also visit the ringed plover preserve on the reserve’s south tip and look out for other wading birds in the area. The beach has a small car park, and toilets are open on-site during the summer.
Best beaches near Manchester for outdoor activities
Looking for active day trips from Manchester? These beaches offer exciting outdoor activities for an adventurous day out.
6. Traeth Lligwy Beach, Anglesey
- Distance from Manchester: 115 miles (2h 30min)
With vast sandy shores and clear waters, Traeth Lligwy Beach is a popular spot for swimming, windsurfing and kayaking. You can camp by the beach at the tent and caravan site, and public toilets are available nearby. Traeth Lligwy also has a car park, making this an ideal spot for a road trip.
Hikers will love exploring the area, as the surrounding cliffs are home to various historical landmarks and photogenic lookout points. You can visit numerous other coves and beaches along the coast, with scenic spots including Traeth Y Ora and Porth y Mor. Fishing enthusiasts can cast a line at the Llyn Blodyn Fishery nearby and the area has lots of guesthouses and B&Bs to stay overnight.
7. Silecroft Beach, Cumbria
- Distance from Manchester: 66 miles (2h 15min)
If you’re looking for outdoor activities in Manchester, a day trip to Silecroft Beach is a great idea. The beach is a short drive from a motocross dirt bike track and has a cliffside golf course. Meanwhile the wide dunes and sandy shores are perfect for long walks.
Facilities at the beach include free parking and public toilets. Light refreshments are also available from the car park cafe. If you’re keen on hiking and camping in the area, the Haverigg campsite and nearby Millom Beach are around an hour and 30 minutes’ walk away.
Best beaches near Manchester for day trips
Sometimes a quick trip out to the beach is just what you need to blow away the cobwebs. These seaside locations are some of the nearest beaches to Manchester by car and by public transport.
8. Fleetwood Beach, Lancashire
- Distance: 58 miles (1h 25min)
Fleetwood Beach is located just outside of Preston. The stylish esplanade and scenic sandy beach make it an ideal location for a family day out or a short trip to the coast. Visitors can explore the winding paths up to the quaint Mount Pavilion or tuck into some fish and chips at one of the nearby cafes.
Fleetwood seafront also has a manmade boating lake that’s home to geese and swans, where you can go kayaking. The long esplanade is great if you want to take bikes or get the kids’ roller skates out. Fleetwood seafront also has multiple car parks, beach huts and public toilets.
9. Southport Beach, Sefton
- Distance from Manchester: 44 miles (1h 15min)
Located on the south side of the Ribble Estuary, Southport is a beach resort similar to Blackpool but slightly closer to Manchester. Apart from driving there, you can catch the Blackpool North rail service which takes around an hour and 45 minutes, making it one of the best beaches near Manchester by train.
As well as long sandy stretches of coast, Southport Beach also boasts a classic amusement arcade on the pier and a bustling theme park. Wildlife enthusiasts can visit the nearby area of RSPB marshland, which is home to a wide variety of birds and beautiful marsh flora. Southport Beach also has loads of great places to eat and has a car park near the Marine Lake.
10. Crosby Beach, Sefton
- Distance from Manchester: 42 miles (1 hour)
If you love beautiful scenery and art inspired by nature, you don’t want to miss out on Crosby Beach near Manchester. One of the main draws at Crosby Beach is artist Antony Gormley’s sculpture installation, Another Place, which features cast-iron statues leading out to the tideline. This striking outdoor exhibition is free to visit and is located right on the shore.
Be aware that swimming at Crosby Beach is considered dangerous and the fast-moving tide means you should stay close to the seafront at all times, including when viewing the exhibit. Don’t try to walk out to the statues near the water line as there’s a chance of being cut off by the tide.
Crosby Beach is located around an hour’s drive from Manchester and takes around one hour and 30 minutes to get to on public transport. There are several car parks close to the beach and nearby pubs and coffee shops.
Before you start your adventure
With more than 15 beaches located around Manchester, there’s something for every type of coastal explorer near this bustling Merseyside city. Whether you’re looking for summer fun in the sun or atmospheric winter walks, these coastal spots are well worth checking out.
For a well-prepared vacation, don’t forget to check out our tips for a fantastic road trip, fun road trip games, and our guides on how to travel with your furry companion by car or train.
