Staying in the Cotswolds doesn’t mean giving up on beach day, relaxing on the sand, exploring the shops and enjoying fish and chips on the seafront. From Budding, Tull, Gatehouse, Hillbyre, Pipehouse, Peiprads, Bath Lodge, Catchpot Nursery, and Home Farm Byre, you might be surprised how close you are to the coast, and there’s even one excellent inland alternative.
Find the perfect cottage for your group by browsing our full collection of cottages to compare.
Weston-super-Mare
The classic choice, and for good reason. Weston-super-Mare offers a traditional seaside experience, with a long sandy beach, a working pier, arcades, and plenty of places to grab fish and chips. It’s the easiest option if you want a full seaside day complete with all the trimmings, and it’s perfect for families.
Clevedon
A quieter alternative to Weston, Clevedon’s beach itself actually sits on the tidal waters of the Severn Estuary, but the real draw is its Marine Lake. This large tidal pool lets you swim in clean, contained sea water regardless of the tide, giving you that seaside feel without relying on the tide.
Portishead
One of the closer options, with an easy-going, understated character. Instead, Portishead is a lovely spot for a coastal walk, a look at the Victorian pier, which is favoured by anglers, and a relaxed afternoon by the water.
Severn Beach
A smaller, more low-key stretch of coastline, brimming with wildlife, making it popular with birdwatchers. It’s also one of the more accessible options if you’re if planning a day out by train, with a direct connection making it an easy, flat walk from the station to the water’s edge.
Brean Sands and Berrow Beach
Further afield, but worth the extra drive time if you want an uninterrupted beach day. Brean Sands is a wide, sandy beach, ideal for sandcastles and beach games, while neighbouring Berrow Beach stretches for over six miles of dune-backed coastline and is a popular spot for dog walkers and horse riders, also making it a good choice if you want a long, uncrowded walk rather than a packed seaside town.
Looking for something different? Try Cotswold Water Park
Sometimes you don’t fancy a long drive, and we get it. Luckily, the Cotswold Water Park near Cirencester offers a genuinely convincing alternative. Expect a soft, sandy inland beach set beside a lake, a supervised paddling lagoon in peak season and a watersports lake for kayaking or paddleboarding. It’s open April to October, with tickets best booked in advance, and it means a beach day is possible without leaving the Cotswolds at all.
Making a day of it
Most of these options sit within an hour to 90 minutes’ drive of our cottages, making any of them a comfortable day trip and a perfect opportunity to explore new places along the way. Pack a picnic, check the tide times if swimming or paddling is the plan, and you’ve got a full day that pairs coastal air with the countryside you came for. Ready to plan your own? Check availability and book your stay.
Drive times vary depending on which of our cottages you’re staying at. We’d recommend some pre-planning from your specific property before setting off.