10 Unmissable Day Trips From Birmingham To Seaside Destinations
Read on to discover the best seaside destinations from Birmingham!
Birmingham is one of the UK’s major cities, but with it being located in the centre of England, you may be craving a day trip to a nearby seaside destination!
As a local to Birmingham (I’m close by in Wolverhampton) I’ve often researched and travelled to the best seaside towns and have discovered there are some awesome options for day trips.
Whether you want to escape to beautiful sandy beaches, discover fascinating castles or stroll around hidden gem seaside towns, this guide will give you the 10 most unmissable seaside locations from Birmingham.
⌚ Short on Time? My Top Seaside Tour Recommendations:
✅ City Sightseeing Llandudno Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
✅ The Blackpool Tower Eye Admission Ticket
✅ Gavin and Stacey TV Locations Tour of Barry Island
Best Day Trips From Birmingham To Seaside Destinations
So without further ado, here are my 10 best day trips from Birmingham to seaside destinations, in no particular order:
1. Llandudno
Distance from Birmingham: 125 miles – 2 hrs 50 mins by train
Considered one of the best coastal towns in Wales, Llandudno is a delightful place and an ideal beach escape from Birmingham.
I visited Llandudno as recently as May 2024 and was really surprised with just how pretty it is and how many interesting activities there are to do there.
The beach is lovely and there is a pier (the longest in Wales) which is full of amusement rides and arcade games which are fun for youngsters.
It’s a very historical town too – the architecture is very impressive, with many buildings along the seafront dating back to the Victorian times, which is totally opposite to the modernity of Birmingham.
👉 Travel Tip: I highly recommend taking a tram ride all the way up to the summit of Great Orme when visiting Llandudno. The tram ride is a lot of fun and takes you up some very steep streets. The panoramic views at the summit of Great Orme are completely stunning.
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Llandudno: Bella Vista
2. Blackpool
Distance from Birmingham: 125 miles – 2 hrs 18 mins by train
Blackpool is the UK’s most famous seaside town, based in the north of England and easily reachable from Birmingham.
Although it has been a much maligned place for being somewhat tacky and stuck in the past, it has experienced a resurgence in recent years with British holidaymakers choosing to stay here for their holidays.
It is the perfect place for families with so many cool activities, from the iconic Blackpool Tower to amusement parks and three piers full of arcade games, making for a fun day out.
I visited Blackpool not so long ago with my family and had an absolutely fantastic time, with Blackpool Tower providing the highlight of my trip – the view from the top is breath-taking!
➡️ Experience the views at the top of the Blackpool Tower!
Book your admission ticket by clicking here
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Blackpool: Imperial Hotel
3. Tenby
Distance from Birmingham: 155 miles – 4 hrs 56 mins by train
Although it may take a few hours to reach from the West Midlands, Tenby is one of the best options for a day trip to a seaside destination.
One of the top rated coastal towns in the whole of the UK, it’s located in the south west of Wales. The views of the quaint harbour are very pretty and the town is full of spotless sandy beaches.
It’s also full of history, with the town featuring medieval walls dating back to the 13th century, making Tenby a perfect getaway for a day trip or longer (a long weekend would be ideal!).
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Tenby: Giltar Hotel
4. Weston-Super-Mare
Distance from Birmingham: 113 miles – 2 hrs 15 mins by train
Another well known and popular British seaside resort is Weston-Super-Mare, based not too far away from Bristol on the west coast of England.
It’s famous for it’s 2 mile long sandy beach as well as the Grand Pier. There are plenty of amusement parks and activities to do here for the family, and it’s easily reachable from Birmingham in a short time, making it a good option for a day trip.
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Weston-Super-Mare:
Lauriston Hotel
5. Brighton
Distance from Birmingham: 177 miles – 2 hrs 40 mins by train(s)
The best UK beaches are not only found in Wales. In my opinion the best beaches can be found in the south of England, and if you’re willing to venture a little further from Birmingham then you’ll be greatly rewarded.
Travelling from Birmingham all the way to the south coast of England via London may sound too far, but it’s a pretty easy trip via trains and a journey that I’ve done effortlessly countless times.
With the likes of Bournemouth, Cornwall and Weymouth, knowing which place to head to in England’s south coast is not an easy choice.
I personally would recommend Brighton – it’s my favourite UK city having lived there for several years. It has a pebbly beach but don’t let that put you off!
👉 Travel Tip: Don’t miss out on the North Laines when visiting Brighton! The Laines feature independent stores selling everything from vintage clothes to jewellery – my favourite shop to explore here is ‘Snooper’s Paradise‘ – which is full of antique oddities!
Brighton is one of the UK’s most culturally rich cities, full of diversity, history and unique places to explore. It’s well worth a day trip from Birmingham or anywhere else in the world for that matter – it is one of the best reasons to visit England!
There’s so many interesting things to do in Brighton, here are my top places to visit when in this fantastic seaside city:
📍 The Royal Pavilion – this is a beautiful historical monument with stunning Asian inspired architecture, and the surrounding gardens are lovely to stroll around.
📍 Brighton Pier – this is the iconic pier on Brighton’s beach and is a fun place (especially for families) to explore, with great views of the sea.
📍 Brighton i360 – if you want the best views in all of Brighton then if you have to take a ride on the Brighton i360 – a unmissable huge tower that takes you 162 feet high inside of an observation pod.
The city has a fantastic youthful energy about it (more so than most other UK cities), it’s a colourful place with so much fantastic street art worth checking out as well.
There are also some beautiful nature places nearby worth checking out too – such as the Seven Sisters Cliffs.
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Brighton: New Steine Hotel
6. Aberystwyth
Distance from Birmingham: 122 miles – 2 hrs 59 mins by train
Aberystwyth is another Welsh seaside town that is hugely popular with tourists, especially during the summer months.
It’s a University town and a lovely place to explore for a day or longer. I’ve taken a day trip to Aberystwyth before from Birmingham and found it to be a lovely quaint place with some impressive views.
For the best views of all of Aberystwyth, I recommend climbing up to the cliffs, either by walking or via the cliff railway – you’ll find very dramatic views of the Welsh coastline at the top.
If that sounds like too much effort then just going for a stroll along the Victorian Promenade is a peaceful activity along the seafront.
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Aberystwyth:
Helmsman Guesthouse
8. Cardiff Bay
Distance from Birmingham: 124 miles – 1hr 49 mins by train
Taking a train or coach from Birmingham to the Welsh capital is a fast option for a day trip (you can get there in under just 2 hours) and one I highly recommend.
I’ve visited Cardiff from Birmingham several times and it is well worth seeing; it’s a lively, historical place and climbing Cardiff Castle is a must do activity.
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Cardiff Bay: Staybridge Suites
Just a short walk or bus ride from the city centre is Cardiff Bay, which is Europe’s largest waterfront area and is full of interesting places to visit and things to do such as the Wales Millennium Centre.
I love visiting Cardiff Bay – the views here are just gorgeous, and I recommend taking a stroll along the Bay Barrage and visiting some of the many top quality restaurants and bars in the area too.
7. Barry Island
Distance from Birmingham: 138 miles – 2 hrs 38 mins by train
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Barry Island: The Mount Rooms
Based in the south of Wales is one of the most interesting seaside resorts in the whole of the UK – Barry Island.
It’s a vibrant and popular small place with a beautiful golden beach and plenty of interesting museums and an amusement park which will keep your kids occupied for hours.
It’s also famous for being where the hit TV comedy series: ‘Gavin and Stacey‘ was filmed, and it’s possible to take a tour of all the filming locations of the show, which is makes for a memorable day trip for fans of the TV show.
➡️ Take a Tour of the Gavin & Stacey TV Locations!
Book your ticket by clicking here
9. Conwy
Distance from Birmingham: 123 miles – 2 hrs 28 mins by train
If you’re not overly keen on visiting a beach or if the weather forecast isn’t looking great, then you might want to visit a historical monument as an alternative destination instead.
My recommendation would be to visit Conwy, located just a few miles south from Llandudno.
This small but pretty market town is a lovely place to visit and is most famous for being home to Conwy Castle, a walled fortress that is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
I visited Conwy Castle for the first time recently and was in awe at how well preserved and in tact the site is. I really wasn’t expecting a lot but loved exploring the castle and learning all about it’s history.
It’s a fascinating place to wander around for an hour or more and you can also climb one of the towers for spectacular panoramic views of River Conwy, Snowdonia and beyond.
It is one of the best castles you’ll find in all of Europe and a must visit when in north Wales. I also took a boat trip around River Conwy which I recommend and other oddities in the town include the Smallest House in Great Britain!
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Conwy: The Castle Hotel
10. Thurstaston Beach
Distance from Birmingham: 96 miles – 3 hrs 6 mins by train
And last but most definitely not least on this list of the best seaside destinations from Birmingham, is the beautiful and lesser known Thurstaston Beach.
Situated near Birkenhead which is right next to Liverpool, this is a well secluded beach that is very clean and quiet, making for a perfect place to relax away from the crowds.
If you’re visiting Liverpool and want to escape to a quiet beach for half a day or longer then Thurstaston Beach is simply a must.
➡️ My Hotel Recommendation for Thurstaston Beach:
Upton Village Guest House
Map of Seaside Destinations
Check out this interactive map of all the seaside destinations mentioned in this blog post:
Day Trips From Birmingham To The Seaside FAQs
Still not convinced about going on a day trip from Birmingham to one of the top seaside destinations mentioned above? Well, let’s answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this topic:
What’s the cheapest travel option from Birmingham?
If you fancy a day trip to anywhere from Birmingham and you’re on a tight budget, then coaches are the cheapest option and you can reach a lot of great destinations via coach, including those mentioned in this post.
However, some destinations may take longer to reach via coach compared to trains, depending on how direct the train line is and how much traffic you may endure on a coach ride.
A coach ride from Birmingham to London for example may be cheap, but as you reach the capital expect a lot of traffic – I much prefer trains and would recommend this option if you don’t mind paying a little bit extra.
When is the best time to visit seaside destinations?
Obviously the summer months is the best period to visit a seaside destination and you should (hopefully) experience nice sunny weather, though that is never a given in the UK.
However, the summer months is the peak holiday period so accommodation will be more expensive and a lot of the destinations mentioned in this blog will be busy with families and holidaymakers.
I would instead recommend visiting a seaside resort either side of the summer months in late spring or early autumn to avoid the crowds and to enjoy some peace and quiet.
What is the closest seaside resort from Birmingham?
A lot of the seaside resorts mentioned in this blog post are around 2-4 hours away via train from Birmingham.
The closest seaside resort is Weston-Super-Mare, which is the nearest place to reach and easy to get there especially by car. Cardiff is the fastest option by train, taking around just 2 hours.
Conclusion: Best Seaside Destinations From Birmingham
So that concludes everything you need to know about the best seaside destinations from Birmingham. There really are some beautiful coastal towns worth visiting if you’re in need of an escape from the second city.
Whether you want to experience quiet Welsh coastal towns, hidden gem beaches or lively cities like Brighton or Cardiff, you can easily do so in one day and experience all that they have to offer.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading through all my recommendations for the most unmissable day trips from Birmingham to seaside destinations and are now inspired to go travelling!
➡️ Check out more blog posts about Birmingham here
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➡️ Planning your trip? Here are my favourite resources:
🏨 Accommodation: I recommend using Booking.com
🚙 Rental Car: Use Discover Cars for the best car rental prices
❤️ Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
✈️ Flights: Use Kiwi.com for the best prices on flights
