Take a look at these beach hut holiday ideas
Beach hut holidays have been a favourite of UK travellers ever since the Victorians raised their first coloured shacks along the pebbled shores of Brighton and Bournemouth in the 1800s. These days, the vintage beach hut has come a long way, now offering an enticing pad close to the sands and sea. And it’s not just in Old Blighty, either – you can also travel further afield to find dune-side stays that fit the bill.
Tips for finding cheap beach hut holidays
If you’re keen to save as many pennies as you can for surfboard rentals and dolphin-spotting boat trips, you might want to seek out the best bargains on beach hut holidays. There are plenty of ways to do that:
Book your beach hut holidays early for the summer
Waiting until the last minute to bag those shacks on the sand is never a good idea. You’ll find that the best deals tend to sell fast, especially in popular destinations such as Dorset, Essex and Cornwall. A little pre-planning goes a long way to reducing the cost of summertime beach jaunts, so you might want to start thinking about booking while the winter chills are still around.
Keep food costs low
It’s certainly possible to find beach hut holiday lets that come with small kitchenettes on site. That means you won’t have to spend precious parts of the travel budget eating out. Instead, consider hitting the local markets and delicatessens for regional produce to rustle up a picnic.
Think about how you’ll get around
You might be planning on bringing your own wheels. However, it could still be cheaper to use public transport, especially considering that beach hut holidays often mean having the main attraction right on your doorstep – a car could just be wasted cash when the waves are 5 metres from your bedroom.
Enjoy beach hut holidays in the UK
From Brighton to Bournemouth and beyond, the UK is a veritable hub of beach hut holidays. That’s all thanks to the long tradition of building these timber-clad shacks across England, Wales and Scotland – a tradition that goes way back to the Victorian era. These days, there are still plenty of enticing places to seek out beach huts by British shores.
Discover Devon on a beach hut holiday
Devon’s not just known for its tasty cream teas and scones. It’s also got 2 coastlines, on the Bristol Channel and the English Channel, which herald some excellent hunting grounds for those planning a beach hut holiday. Particular hotspots include Torquay, with its bobbing fishing boats, and surf-sprayed Croyde.
Cornwall’s coast is a haven for beach hut holidays
Cornwall is a county that really needs no introduction. Historic towns such as St Ives and Padstow have long magnetised travellers with their meat-packed pasties, fish-sizzling restaurants and slate-topped cottages. Meanwhile, huts and lodges in the areas around Polzeath – a favourite of surfers – and Porthcurno – a dramatic cliff-backed bay – are bound to be excellent choices.
Dorset is perfect for a beach hut holiday
With huge swathes of this coastal county designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty, it’s easy to see why Dorset’s beaches remain such a family favourite. Fossil hunters will love the fabled Jurassic Coast, while the walkers’ paradise of Chesil Beach runs for miles in a patchwork of pebbles and hills.
Be adventurous with beach hut holidays in Europe
Don’t feel limited to the UK when you’re planning a beach hut holiday. Europe also has its fair share of sands and coves dotted with places to stay:
Beach hut holidays on Croatian isles
Croatia comes with a good supply of sun, the sloshing, see-through waters of the Adriatic Sea and a whole host of gorgeous islands that are just begging to be in the travel brochures. You’ll need to catch a boat out to them from either Zadar, Split or Dubrovnik. Then, it’s just about choosing between the white-hued pebbles of Vis and the eucalyptus-scented inlets of Hvar.
Spain has beach hut holidays aplenty
While there should be plenty of beach hut holiday opportunities along the lively Costa Blanca, where you can laze close to aqua parks and golf courses, perhaps the most enticing options in Spain are located on the sun-splashed Balearic Islands. Formentera is a great pick, with secluded, pink-tinged beaches and some of the clearest seas in the Med.
Consider France for your beach hut holiday
France has a trio of coastlines that each offer their own unique beach hut holidays. Up north are Brittany and Normandy, where you’ll catch Gothic fortresses towering over blustery bays. To the west, the French Basque country runs into wine-doused Bordeaux and the lovely oyster farms of the Cap Ferret. In the south is the French Riviera, where the beach-side stays tend to be primed for jet setters just out of Cannes.