Top 10 Beaches

We don't just have amazing beaches to look at and spend your summer days by the seaside. We are also lucky enough to have a designated UNESCO Global Geopark because of the unique geological formations.

With 22 miles of coastline and 20 beaches on offer, there's something for everyone. From long sandy beach walks to quiet picnic spots, charming secret coves to rock pooling and coasteering. Out of our 20 beaches, ten have recieved beach awards, including three winning the prestigious Blue Flag Award. Keep Britain Tidy, an environmental charity behind the national Seaside awards has recently announced that 128 beaches across the UK, including 10 in the English Riviera have reached the very high standards demanded. Britain has a total of 71 beaches with the Blue Flag, and there are a staggering 56 of these in the South West - so when are you coming to visit us?!

Keep reading to meet all of our award winning beaches. 

1. Oddicombe Beach

Blue Flag & Seaside Award winner 2024

Oddicombe beach, truly is a year round destination for locals and holiday makers alike, whatever time of year you choose to visit this magical little beach you're sure to have a great day. The beach has held the Blue Flag award for a very impressive 33 years, ever since the internationally recognised award was introduced! Take a fun ride down to this beautiful Blue Flag beach on The Babbacombe Cliff Railway, and discover a picture postcard cove with red sand, colourful beach huts, a traditional beach shop, toilets (including disabled facilities) and the Mediterranean inspired Three Degrees Bar and Bistro.

Oddicombe beach is situated very close to Babbacombe beach, which hosts the picturesque, Cary Arms & Spa. With the newly installed wooden walk-way between these two little coves they are now only a very short walk apart. The walk winds around the coast past a mini waterfall and over a wooden bridge. With this in place, it now offers a nice little circular walk - you could start from the top of Babbacombe downs, near the theatre, walk down the winding hill towards The Cary Arms & Spa, along the beach walk-way to Oddicombe and then take a ride up the Cliff Railway for ice cream at the top or visit the Babbacombe Model Village.

2. Anstey's Cove

Seaside Award winner 2024

Anstey’s Cove is a hidden gem nestled between Torquay and Babbacombe. As you descend the dramatic hillside path and steps towards the cove you’re surrounded by stunning woodlands and a wildlife reserve which attracts a variety of plants, butterflies and birds, perfect for keen photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. The spectacular views feature dramatic rocks and limestone cliffs which unfold before your eyes as you approach.

This quiet cove with its small shingle beach is one of the most picturesque spots on the English Riviera. Whether you are looking for a relaxing, secluded location to escape the crowds or fancy exploring the rugged landscape by foot, there really is something for everyone. Dogs are permitted all year round on the beach so all members of the family can be catered for. 

The charming beach café offers a wide selection of hot and cold snacks and drinks as well as hiring out kayaks and stand-up paddle boards for water sport enthusiasts.  With sunbeds and deckchairs also available to hire on the beach promenade, all of your beach requirements are catered for.

The English Riviera is known for its’ mild climate and on a calm day, the water is incredibly clear and it's no surprise to learn that the bay has again won quality awards.

Anstey’s Cove’s unique limestone cliffs and gullies are of significant international geological importance and form part of the English Riviera’s UNESCO Global Geopark. It is one of the best places for coasteering or ‘extreme rockpooling’.  If you’re feeling adventurous there are ample jumping spots and areas to free climb. There are also a number of ‘Coast Wise’ accredited coasteering companies offering group coasteering sessions.

3. Meadfoot Beach

Blue Flag & Seaside Award winner 2024

A mile from Torquay Harbour, Meadfoot Beach can be easily accessed by car or on foot.
Wheelchair users are able to access the beach via a slope onto the promenade and a slipway. With ample car parking facilities within walking distance of the beach this is a very popular location for locals and visitors returning to the English Riviera.

There is a grandeur about Meadfoot, with its’ elegant curve, echoed in the beautiful crescent of the Osborne Hotel, which overlooks the beach. There’s a historical link to the area too as Charles Darwin, author of ‘On the Origin of the Species’ stayed here in 1861 with the spectacular sea views as an inspirational backdrop.

From your reclined deckchair you can take in the majestic and uninhabited island, Thatcher's Rock, with the breathtaking coastal headland of Berry Head and Brixham in the distance.

It’s also a popular spot for fishing with some great rock pools exposed during low tide. You might see some paddle-boarders and divers in the waters as well. The divers are often out at the south end of the beach and organised by Dive Torquay.

This area is perfect for a shoreline dip or a more energetic swim along the rugged coastline for keen wild swimmers. The Blue Flag Award-winning beach is a safe spot for adults and accompanied children as the beach is supervised during the peak months of July and August with onsite services including a first aid and lost child centre, warning flags and patrol boats.

The colourful and contemporary beach chalets located on two levels at the south end of the beach can be hired throughout the year and the upper tiered chalets have their own balconies providing you with additional privacy and comfort. On the promenade the newly refurbished Meadfoot Beach Café serves delicious home cooked food with a view of the crescent shaped beach.

4. Torre Abbey Sands

Blue Flag & Seaside Award winner 2024

This is Torquay's main beach with a fantastic stretch of red sand, framed by the ultra-modern Abbey Sands development of waterside restaurants, bars and cafes at one end and the Victorian grandeur of The Grand Hotel at the other.

The long sandy beach west of Torquay harbour is easy to access as the main road from Torquay to Paignton runs alongside it. Torquay’s iconic spiral white seafront bridge is also a great viewing platform to take some holiday snaps to share with your friends and family at home.

The gently sloping tidal beach makes it very safe for swimming and perfect for families with young children wishing to paddle in the clear, blue sea and build a sandcastle or two.

For water sport enthusiasts this delightful sunny location has been designated a windsurfing area and a variety of water sport facilities are available in the summer months.  If you’re arriving by car with your own water sport equipment in tow, there’s plenty of street parking adjacent to the promenade and car parks within a few minutes walking distance. It couldn’t be easier!

After a relaxing day on the beach, there are plenty of other attractions nearby to visit including the Royal Terrace Gardens also known as ‘Rock Walk’ with its winding cliffside walk-way and illuminated staircase offering stunning views across the Bay.  The picturesque Princess Gardens, Princess Pier and Abbey Park and Meadows are also worth a visit. Complete your day at the seaside with a visit to Pier Point Restaurant & Bar, the perfect promenade location to have a drink as you watch the sun set and the world go by.

5. Preston Sands

Blue Flag & Seaside Award winner 2024

Preston’s red sandy beach is just a short walk from Paignton Sands.  This safe, clean family friendly beach is a very popular holiday hot spot and you can sunbathe, paddle and build castles in the sand. This is also a great place to go for a swim as Preston Sands has attained the prestigious Seaside Award.

Why not grab a fishing net and explore the rock pools at low tide at the northern end of the beach? The children will enjoy crabbing and spotting the sea life amongst the seaweed too.

Preston Green runs the length of the beach and is a safe area for the children to have fun.  The Green is a perfect location to play ball games and its’ equipped with great family friendly facilities including a children’s playground with climbing frames, a basketball court and outdoor fitness equipment. The long promenade provides a level walk to both ends of the beach and forms part of the South West Coast Path, ideal for keen walkers.

The brightly coloured beach huts, which you can hire for the day, line the green and the northern end of the beach towards neighbouring Hollicombe Green.   

There are several quaint seaside refreshment kiosks dotted along the promenade to buy your favourite ice creams, lunchtime snacks and drinks as well as the local’s popular The Boathouse Bar and Grill overlooking the water’s edge.

6. Paignton Sands

Seaside Award winner 2024

The beach at Paignton has everything you could possibly want from an English Riviera family seaside holiday with crazy golf, endless sand and shallow clear waters for safe swimming.

There’s so much to do here you’ll be spoilt for choice.  There really is no better place to admire the spectacular coastal scenery that the Bay has to offer than out on the still water so why not hire a pedalo for some gentle, leisurely exercise or visit the nearby harbour which offers mackerel or wreck fishing trips as well as sightseeing excursions.

Paignton’s iconic pier sits grandly in the middle of the beach and there’s an abundance of traditional seaside amusement arcade games to entertain all the family including nostalgic coin push, toy grabber and fruit machines from yesteryear to the latest video games. The end of the pier attractions includes outdoor bouncy slides, trampolines, and bumper car rides to keep the younger children amused. Why not capture your holiday memories with a family photo in one of the giant deckchairs?

There are plenty of beachside kiosks selling an array of snacks including locally sourced shell fish and seafood as well as many holiday goods including inflatables.  Taylor's Seafront Kiosk is Paignton’s oldest seaside Victorian kiosk.

The vast beach esplanade is lined with attractive Victorian shelters if you’re looking for some temporary shade from the sun sitting with an ice cream in hand people watching.

The day isn’t complete without a play session for the children at the Geoplay Park, a free adventure playground on nearby Paignton Green which boosts separate play areas for toddlers, juniors and teens as well as telling the story of the area’s geological time periods in history.

7. Goodrington Sands

Seaside Award winner 2024

Goodrington is one of the most popular beaches in South Devon, with both locals and holidaymakers drawn to the beautiful sandy beach and brightly coloured beach huts.

Youngsters and the young at heart will love the water adventure park at Splashdown Quaywest with its exciting flume rides and the daring Devil’s Drop attraction with a 15-metre vertical drop. Goodrington Sands is great for other water sport activities too and you can hire various water craft here. The Seashore Centre run by Reach Outdoors in partnership with Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust is the place to visit if you’re interested in sunset kayak trips, coasteering, rock pooling and snorkelling.

Just along from Goodrington Sands you’ll find Youngs Park, an established park land and a natural habitat for swans, geese and wild birds. The family attractions include bumper boat and swan boat rides on the manmade lake, crazy golf and amusement arcades. This is a great spot for family picnics or if you’re looking for a family run, dog friendly venue visit Cantina Kitchen and Bar, which offers a warm welcome, great food and a lovely outdoor seating area to enjoy the coastal views and mild English Riviera climate.  

Dog walkers can use the North Sands beach all year round and there are some delightful scenic routes to explore by foot. From Youngs Park and the sheltered promenade follow the winding slopes amongst Rock Walk Gardens uphill towards Roundham Head with its extensive and impressive views from the headland across the Bay towards Torquay.

During the summer season look out for the charming steam train running along the back of south sands beach to provide a touch of nostalgia to add to your holiday memories.

8. Broadsands Beach 

Blue Flag & Seaside Award winner 2024

Nothing says South Devon more than this delightful sandy red beach, surrounded by rolling hills and magnificent views across the Bay.

Nestled between the towns of Paignton and Brixham, Broadsands’ gently sloping gradient makes it a popular choice for families with children. This beach is a hidden gem and a great alternative to the busier main beaches of Torquay and Paignton offering the traditional seaside attractions. The surrounding idyllic rural landscape creates a relaxing feel and a sense of getting away from it all. The pretty pastel coloured beach huts and traditional seaside deck chairs truly enhance this tranquil and charming location.

The vast parkland area directly behind the beach is a perfect spot for ball games such as football, rounders or cricket. Within a short walking distance from the beach at the south end there is a nine-hole pitch and putt course with spectacular sea views from every hole.

The beautiful long sandy beach is a designated windsurfing area and with some sailing boats able to launch from the slipway this is the perfect place to test the water if you are looking for gentle and leisurely water-based pursuits.

The long promenade with its level walk-way to both ends of the beach leads to stunning grassed verges and even more spectacular view points along the coastal path.  Broadsands Beach also has a large pay and display car park.  You’re very likely to see the steam trains crossing Brunel’s remarkable viaduct from here too.  Dogs are permitted on the beach 1st May to 30th September.

9. Breakwater Beach

Blue Flag & Seaside Award winner 2024

Just a short walk from the picturesque Brixham harbour and the long breakwater, this gently sloping small, pebble beach is a real delight. With its calm warm waters, it is a popular spot for scuba diving with stunning underwater landscapes and an array of fish, seahorses and seagrass on display. The beach is also close to this quaint fishing town’s shops, cafes and thriving fish market.

The newly refurbished Breakwater Bistro is worth a visit to take in the breathtaking panoramic sea views across the bay.  This family run bistro provides the very best in service, atmosphere and a great menu with an extensive choice of locally sourced produce and Brixham caught fish dishes being firm favourites.

Shoalstone Seawater Pool is a ten-minute walk away from Breakwater Beach.  It is one of only a few remaining Lidos in the country and was built on a natural rock pool and opened in 1896.  There is no entry charge to use the pool and there is a picnic area to bring your own food and drink.

If you fancy a longer hike from the beach, why not make your way up to Berry Head Nature Reserve with its iconic lighthouse and Napoleonic Fort to take in even more stunning views? Look out for the wildlife on the land and swooping swallows and goldfinches, and guillemots on the cliffs and at sea. Dogs are also welcome on a lead here as well as at the charming and award-winning Guardhouse Café.

10. Maidencombe beach

Seaside Award winner 2024

Maidencombe is a little, secluded beach on the way out of the English Riviera, towards the neighbouring village of Shaldon. It is within easy reach of Torquay and just a few miles north of Babbacombe.

The beach is accessible from the South West coast path with a narrow path and set of steep steps leading down to this secluded getaway. From the top of the path there are far reaching views of the rugged red earthed coastline, showcasing some of South Devon’s finest landscape.

This sandy beach is surrounded by deep red sandstone cliffs providing shelter from the elements. Low tide exposes lots of interesting little rock pools where the opportunities for 'crabbing' are endless, don't forget to bring your nets along!  The beach has received the Quality Coast Award due to the excellent water quality and it’s safe swimming conditions making it a perfect choice for families and keen swimmers.

On foot you can easily head back up the road towards the picturesque village of Maidencombe and take in the quaint little thatched cottages.  A visit isn’t complete without sampling the delights on offer at the 17th century family run pub, The Thatched Tavern. This dog friendly, traditional Devon country favourite has a picturesque beer garden, bar and restaurant serving free range, organic and specialist ingredients using seasonally sourced produce from local businesses.  A delightful way to complete your day at the seaside.