Our top ten Sussex beaches

Sussex boasts some brilliant beaches that offer something for everyone to enjoy. Here we pick our ten favourites - whether you are visiting with your family, looking for an action-packed adventure holiday or just some peaceful time away, these Sussex beaches will not disappoint.

1. West Wittering

Top of the list is West Wittering , a large, unspoilt white sand beach located near Chichester in West Sussex. It is the perfect place to spend time with the family building sandcastles or to enjoy a picnic in the sand dunes or on the grassy areas. The shallow lagoons are great for paddling in and this is a good swimming and watersports beach.

Set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the beach lies at the entrance of Chichester Harbour, so there are some wonderful views to be seen. Thanks to a mix of interesting habitats, there is an abundance of birds and wildlife to be found here so this is a good place for those looking for a peaceful and interesting walk. The beach has a good café and facilities with ample parking.

2. Camber Sands

Camber Sands in East Sussex is a huge sandy beach backed by magnificent dunes. This beach is quiet out of season and big enough that you can find a secluded spot even in peak season, so it is excellent for people who are hoping to relax a little. The sand here is amazing and the sea is clean so it’s a great spot for families. It’s a very popular beach for kitesurfing, kite buggying and kite landboarding thanks to good wind conditions. You can bring your dog to the beach outside of the summer season and the beach is also popular with horseriders.

3. Brighton Beach

Brighton Beach has all the traditional sea side conveniences you could need including an excellent pier full of great entertainment including plenty of restaurants and a funfair. There is a lot going on here and taking a walk along the busy promenade is a local tradition. At night, Brighton beach comes alive with bars and nightclubs so this is a perfect location to visit with a group of friends. As you move away from Brighton town centre, either towards Kemptown in the east or Hove in the west, the beach becomes a lot quieter and less hectic.

4. Cuckmere Haven

Cuckmere Haven beach is a hidden gem. Located at the end of the stunning Cuckmere Valley it is very quiet and secluded. There are lots of walks to the beach which follow the meandering river or come down over the cliffs. It is a superb pebble beach suited to walkers and people interested in seeing a little local wildlife. The beach is located within the Seven Sisters Country Park right next to the famous Seven Sisters cliffs so this, combined with the beautiful Cuckmere river valley, means there are incredible views on offer here. The beach has a country park centre and a nature reserve close by as well as toilets, a café and gift shop. Be aware that that even if you park in the nearest car park it is a 2km walk to the beach.

5. Birling Gap Beach

Located at the base of the Seven Sisters is Birling Gap Beach , a lovely sheltered spot of sunbathing. This chalk, shingle and sand beach has a number of pretty rock pools making it a good place for families with young children who can explore the pools and search for fossils. There are some excellent local walks in the surrounding 500 acres of open chalk grassland that provide spectacular views of the Seven Sisters. When the season is right the area is also wonderfully rich with a variety of butterflies.

6. Climping Beach

Climping beach is a pleasant shingle beach located south of Arundel in West Sussex. Dogs are welcome here all year round. This long empty beach is relatively quiet even in high summer compared to many of Sussex’s other beaches, so it’s ideal if you want to escape the touristy areas. The beach is suitable for families with children due to the shallow pools left at low tide as well as for those interested in kite-surfing or wind-surfing. The beach is also a place of scientific interest, thanks to the various species of wildlife that thrive here, so it’s also a good place to take a coastal walk to do some wildlife spotting. You can see amazing sunsets here.

7. West Beach (Littlehampton)

West Beach is found across the bridge from the main family beach at Littlehampton, and is much quieter. The beach is backed by a golf course and is part of a nature reserve, so this is the perfect place to take a gentle afternoon stroll amongst the sweeping, sandy dunes. You can find all the facilities you want on the main beach, but this beach is where you come for some peace and quiet.

8. Worthing Beach

Worthing Beach is a great place to enjoy some water activities such as sailing, wind-surfing and swimming as well as good fishing. The ideal place for a family, the beach has 5 miles of promenade lined with palm-trees and a wonderful pier housing a traditional seaside amusement arcade and the historic Pavilion Theatre at the end of the pier. Worthing beach is just a stone throw’s from the town centre which is full of great shops and places to eat out.

9. Selsey Beach

Selsey Beach (Selsey Bill) is located at the southern tip of Sussex in the small town of Selsey . This is a good family beach which has everything you could need, including places to eat, toilets and an array of shops to browse in the high street. The beach itself has little fisherman’s huts selling fresh seafood and a good café selling refreshing drinks and ice creams. There’s a play area for children and, despite being very popular in the summer months, there are excellent car-parking facilities.

10. Felpham Beach

Felpham beach is a great beach for families, sports enthusiasts and dog walkers. The beach is a large expanse of sand and shingle with a promenade that links the beach to the busier beaches in nearby Bognor Regis. There are good facilities including car parking, beach huts, 2 cafés, a tennis court and putting green so you’ll never be lost for things to do here. This is a nice place to come for some lunch and a stroll at the weekend.

Sussex has some fantastic beaches that all have something special to offer holidaymakers visiting Sussex. The stunning scenery, wildlife, traditional seaside resorts and ample opportunities to enjoy water sports and activities make the beaches of Sussex a perfect get away. Some of the beaches we have chosen above are really only visited by locals, allowing you to really get away from it all even in the middle of summer.