Regional Guide
The Best Beaches on the North East Coast
The North East has one of the finest coastlines in the country — mile upon mile of clean golden sand, from the surf beaches on the doorstep of Newcastle to the vast empty sweeps of the Northumberland coast. Several fly the Blue Flag for water quality and facilities. Here are the best, starting with the beaches beside our own towns and heading north into Northumberland, with tips on what makes each one special and where to plan your day.
Along our coast
The town beaches of Tyneside and south Northumberland — easy to reach, most by Metro.
Tynemouth — Longsands & King Edward's Bay
Tynemouth, North Tyneside
Blue Flag · surf · RNLI lifeguarded
The heart of the region's surf scene. Longsands runs for over a mile below the town and is one of the North East's RNLI-lifeguarded beaches, patrolled through the summer, with surf schools out on the sand. Around the headland, tucked beneath Tynemouth Priory and Castle, the little cove of King Edward's Bay is a sheltered sun-trap. Both flew the Blue Flag in 2025.
Plan a day in Tynemouth→Whitley Bay & St Mary's Island
Whitley Bay, North Tyneside
Blue Flag · St Mary's Lighthouse
A long, easy stretch of sand backed by the restored Spanish City dome, with the whole beach walkable at low tide. At the northern end sits one of the coast's great landmarks — St Mary's Lighthouse, completed in 1898 on a tiny tidal island reached by a causeway when the sea is out. Whitley Bay South held its Blue Flag in 2025.
Plan a day in Whitley Bay→Sandhaven & Littlehaven
South Shields, South Tyneside
Golden sand · dunes
South Shields' main beaches sit either side of the pier. Sandhaven is a broad sweep of soft golden sand backed by dunes, busy with buckets and spades in summer; quieter Littlehaven, tucked by the Groyne, looks out over the mouth of the Tyne and its landscaped dunes and sculptures. Both are an easy Metro ride from Newcastle.
Plan a day in South Shields→Marsden Bay
South Shields, South Tyneside
Marsden Rock · seabirds · the Grotto
A dramatic bay a little south of the town, framed by magnesian-limestone cliffs and the great detached sea stack of Marsden Rock — a summer home to kittiwakes and cormorants. Carved into the cliff face is the Marsden Grotto, a pub and restaurant reached by a lift down through the rock, with a smuggling legend all of its own.
Plan a day in South Shields→Blyth South Beach
Blyth, Northumberland
Blue Flag (new 2025) · beach huts
A wide, dune-backed beach with a long promenade and a colourful row of beach huts, looking out to the offshore wind turbines. In 2025 it was a Blue Flag newcomer — recognition of a beach that has quietly become one of the south Northumberland coast's best days out.
Plan a day in Blyth→Further up the Northumberland coast
The big Northumberland sands — worth the drive for a proper day out.
Druridge Bay
between Amble & Cresswell
7 miles of sand · country park
One of the great sweeps of the English coast — roughly seven miles of golden sand and grassy dunes running south from Amble to Cresswell. Behind it, Druridge Bay Country Park adds a lake, woodland, a café and a play area, and the whole bay is a haven for birdwatchers.
Alnmouth
near Alnwick, Northumberland
Estuary bay · AONB village
A wide sandy bay at the mouth of the River Aln, within a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with the pretty village of Alnmouth and its clutch of elegant red-roofed houses spilling almost to the sand. An easy pairing with a day exploring Alnwick.
Plan a day in Alnwick→Bamburgh
north Northumberland
Sand beneath the castle
Perhaps the most photographed beach in England — an expansive stretch of golden sand running toward Seahouses, all beneath the towering silhouette of Bamburgh Castle. See our castles guide for the fortress itself.
Beadnell Bay
north Northumberland
Watersports · natural harbour
A wide horseshoe of golden sand curving to a small natural harbour, with sheltered, shallow water that makes Beadnell a favourite for kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing. Grassy dunes back the bay, and the village sits just behind.
Make a day of it
Many of the North East’s beaches sit right beside a castle or a seaside town. Pair a walk on the sand with our guide to the best castles and market towns of the North East, plan a day out, browse the full Visit the North East guide for parking and where to eat, or see what’s on this weekend.