Beach days are a fantastic way to spend the day. But choosing which one can be a tough decision if you don’t know the area well.

Using my decades’ worth of experience exploring the beaches in and around Abersoch, I’ve put together my favourites for families. Those listed below are in no particular order. And if you’re staying for the week, I’d definitely recommend visiting a few on the list! Enjoy.

1. Traeth Llanbedrog

Parking: Llanbedrog car park approx. 1 minute walk from the beach via some steps.

Good to know: Public toilets are directly across from the car park steps, just before the beach. At the beach entrance is Llanbedrog Beach Bar for hot and cold food and drinks, real ice cream, plus their beach shop for buckets, spades and other beach essentials. The beach is sandy (as opposed to rocky or shale) and has a child-friendly stream that runs from the village into the sea.

Dog friendly? Yes

Distance from Tawelfor holiday cottage? Approx 470 yards, a 3-5 minute walk.

2. Abersoch Beach

Parking: Abersoch Beach car park approx. 30 second walk from the beach via flat road.

Good to know: Public toilets are close by. At the beach entrance is a small café and shop for snacks, drinks, real ice cream, and beach essentials. If you want to eat out, there are small restaurants and cafes either end of the beach, and in Abersoch centre which is a 5-10 minutes’ walk from the beach car park. Abersoch is also a nice sandy beach with a colourful border of beach huts.

Dog friendly? Yes

Distance from Tawelfor holiday cottage? Approx. 9-minute drive to the car park.  

3. Traeth Porthor

Parking: National Trust Car Park Porthor, approx. 4 minute walk down the road to the beach (down a mid-steep hill).

Good to know: Public toilets are at the car park. There is a small café on the beach which sells food, drinks, ice cream and beach toys. Porthor is smaller and often more sheltered than the other beaches on this list, with calm shallow water and sandy shore. Walking back up the big hill at the end of the day might be tiring for little legs and those with prams.

Dog friendly? Yes

Distance from Tawelfor holiday cottage? Approx. 27-minute drive to the car park.  

4. The Warren Beach

Parking: Either Quarry Car Park (the Llanbedrog end) or on the main road near Fach Farm (the Abersoch end). Both provide access just a few minutes’ walk from the sand.

Good to know: The Warren is a large beach with over a mile of soft sandy shore. Toilet facilities can be found at the centre of the beach, at Sand Bar restaurant. This will be a good 10 minutes walk from either end of the beach. The Sand Bar is a full restaurant bar, and you can hire toys and equipment including paddle boards and kayaks from the large wood cabin next to it. The ice cream van makes its way across the entire length of the beach in high season, so even if you don’t want a walk to Sand Bar, you won’t miss out on ice cream!

Dog friendly? Yes

Distance from Tawelfor holiday cottage? Approx. 5-minute drive to either car park.  

5. Morfa Nefyn

Parking: National Trust Car Park - Morfa Nefyn.

Good to know: There is a small café and ice cream shop at the car park. Public toilets are just before you come onto either of the two beaches - main Morfa Nefyn Beach or Traeth Porthdinllean. You can easily walk the full length of both at low tide when their shores join.

For the main beach, you’ll want to head left from the National Trust car park entrance and follow the road down to Morfa Nefyn. Or walk through Nefyn Golf Club course and pop onto Traeth Porthdinllean, a more secluded part of the shore, home to the Tŷ Coch Inn. The Tŷ Coch Inn as you might expect sells an assortment of food and drinks and has even been named one of the UK’s best pubs!

Dog friendly? Yes

Distance from Tawelfor holiday cottage? Approx. 20-minute drive to the car park.  

6. Traeth Criccieth

Parking: Criccieth Esplanade Car Park, on the beach front.

Good to know: Public toilets are around the middle of the car park line that borders the beach. This beach is more shaley than the others on the list but offers a long stretch to go at. Head towards the castle to Caldwalders Criccieth for hot and cold food and drinks, real ice cream and desserts. Dylan’s Criccieth (restaurant) is also a popular choice with both indoor and outdoor seating.

Dog friendly? Partially (depending on time of year)

Distance from Tawelfor holiday cottage? Approx. 23-minute drive to the car park.  

More family fun

See my whole list of family activities including castles, fun fairs and more: read my How to keep the kids happy in Abersoch post.

As always, thanks for reading and feel free to share on social media, with family and friends.

Speak soon,

Charlotte x

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