Browse the very best dog-friendly beach holidays out there, including cottages and holiday parks with direct access to sandy beaches.
A beach holiday is a special kind of break.
Whether you spend your day hiking between different rocky coves, tackling wild surf, or tucking into ice cream on the sand, beach holidays are packed with memorable moments. None more so than a beach holiday where your canine companion can tag along.
That’s where finding dog-friendly accommodation comes in. Thankfully, there is a wide range of dog-friendly coastal cottages that will let you experience the UK’s glorious coastline with your four-legged friends. Holiday parks also have cosy, dog-friendly boltholes, such as luxury lodges, caravans or even glamping tents. Packed with family-friendly facilities like swimming pools, restaurants, shops and crazy golf, they cater as much to kids as they do to dogs. No matter whichever accommodation you prefer the sound of, there is no end to the UK destinations that you and your faithful companion can scope out. Areas such as Wales, West Cornwall, South Devon, North Yorkshire, the New Forest and Scotland are all at your fingertips when you browse UK cottages or UK holiday parks.
8 Dog-Friendly Cottages for You and Your Four-Legged Friend:
1. Ty Gwyn Cottage (Caernarfon, Gwynedd)
2. Parkdean Resorts Ocean Edge (Heysham, Lancashire)
3. The Terrace View (St Ives, Cornwall)
4. Haven Reighton Sands (Filey, North Yorkshire)
5. The Coach House, Old Rectory House (Kilve, Somerset)
6. Haven Presthaven (Prestatyn, Wales)
7. Teal House (Lyme Regis, Dorset)
8. Parkdean Resorts Withernsea Sands (Withernsea, Yorkshire)
Ty Gwyn Cottage
Location: Caernarfon, Gwynedd
Best for: Those seeking pet-friendly cottages between the mountains and sea
Located just outside of Snowdonia National Park, the stone-built Ty Gwyn Cottage offers the ultimate West Wales location for a beach holiday. The pet-friendly cottage is just a five-minute drive from Aberdesach Beach, a dog-friendly beach in Caernarfon Bay with views of the mountains. South along the coastal path, the sandy bay of Traeth Nefyn and the Trefor Sea Stacks await, and to the north, the huge sandy bay of Traeth Llanddwyn lies in store too.
With the choice of the coastal path and the nearby Snowdonia mountains for hikes with the family and the dog, this is by far one of the most exceptional dog-friendly coastal cottages situated in West Wales. Wake up and take your four-legged friend for a sniff around the property’s 20 acres of farmland, before warming yourself up with a coffee in front of the woodburning stove. An afternoon at Ty Gwyn Cottage might involve fishing, horseback riding on the beach or following the coastal path southwards towards limestone sea stacks.
Facilities: Backing onto acres of the Welsh countryside with lush, long grass, Ty Gwyn Cottage is as scenic as it is cosy. The large, private garden has views of the Glyderau mountain range, and if you’re lucky, you might even spot its highest summit, Glyder Fawr. Three bedrooms accommodate families of seven and one pet, with a king, a double and three single beds up for grabs. Traditional features include exposed beams over the open-plan living and dining room and a large stone fireplace with a woodburning stove.
Parkdean Resorts Ocean Edge
Location: Heysham, Lancashire
Best for: A clifftop holiday park within driving distance of the Lake District
Just as the name suggests, Parkdean Resorts Ocean Edge is excellently located on the ocean’s edge in the lovely Lancashire town of Heysham. Based on the clifftops on the edge of Morecambe Bay with stunning sea views over the Irish Sea, the Parkdean Resorts site doesn’t consist of holiday cottages. Instead, fabulous caravans and luxury lodges can accommodate your four-legged friend.
A 10-minute drive from Morecambe and 20 miles from the Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the holiday park is in an excellent location for dog owners too. Northwards, the Heysham coastline has an unusual seaside chapel and dog-friendly beaches. Morecambe is a dog-friendly beach, so bring along a kite if the wind is strong, or simply pick up an ice cream from the promenade en route to the sand. Real ale and bistro-style meals can be tracked down in the town, while swing boats, trampolines, a splash park and a miniature train await at Happy Mount Park.
Facilities: Kick off a relaxing break by pampering yourself in the heated indoor pool and sauna at Parkdean Resorts Ocean Edge. If your stomach is growling after a few rounds of the pool, there’s a convenience store on site where you can grab breakfast ingredients to rustle up back at your accommodation. After a day out on the Lancashire coast with the family and the dog, you might look forward to a fish and chips takeaway or a meal in the beer garden at the Boathouse Bar & Restaurant. There are kids’ clubs available for any little ones, as well as numerous play areas, so the whole family should be very pleased with the prospect of a fun-filled break with ample sea views.
The Terrace View
Location: St Ives, Cornwall
Best for: A pet-friendly getaway in the creative seaside town of St Ives
Located just a few steps from the sea in St Ives, The Terrace View is the definition of a beach holiday. It’s not every day that you come across dog-friendly holiday cottages right on the coast of Cornwall. Likewise, it’s not every day that you come across pet-friendly cottages so centrally located in Cornwall’s creative coastal town St Ives. Just 50 yards from the centre of the town and a short walk from the working harbour and dog-friendly beaches, the cottage is ideally located for surfing, exploring coastal walking trails with your four-legged friend or sharing a freshly-caught fish dinner at a local pub.
At The Terrace View, there is room for up to nine guests and two dogs. Using the three designated parking spaces, guests at the cottage can easily track down hidden coves with golden sands or sand dunes, like Carbis Bay, Upton Towans or Gwithian. The Tate St Ives Gallery is also within walking distance of the cottage, a world-renowned, over 100-year-old gallery which features artwork from West Cornwall and global artists like Marlow Moss and Barbara Hepworth.
Facilities: The three floors at The Terrace View are packed to the full with home comforts, whether it’s the superior mattresses and linen provided in the three double bedrooms, one twin bedroom and one single bedroom or the original fireplaces and sash windows around the property. The outdoor area at The Terrace View is likely to play host to plenty of alfresco meals and games nights, as there’s a table and chairs surrounded by twinkling fairy lights. The enclosed garden lawn has sea views and clear views of the town’s roofs. Plus, dogs are sure to appreciate having the space to sniff around and do what dogs do.
Haven Reighton Sands
Location: Filey, North Yorkshire
Best for: A holiday park with direct access to a dog-friendly beach on the North Yorkshire coast
Located on the North Yorkshire coast, Haven Reighton Sands doesn’t disappoint when it comes to family- and dog-friendly holidays. Unlike dog-friendly beach cottages, staying at the Haven Reighton Sands holiday park has the added advantage of holiday park facilities such as a heated indoor pool and a heated outdoor pool with a lazy river. Daytime and evening entertainment is on-hand to entertain any pint-sized guests, while dogs will benefit from being just a stone’s throw from the dog-friendly beach of Reighton Sands.
Escape on the local clifftop walks, or take your four-legged friend for a doggy paddle in the beach shallows. When you have adequately explored the immediate beach area, Haven Reighton Sands is only a 10-minute drive from Filey, a seaside town which runs sailing lessons and beachfront pony rides. Further north, sojourn to Scarborough for even more sandy beaches. Robin Hood’s Bay, a fishing village that was once the playground of smugglers and gangs, is an hour’s drive northwards of Reighton Sands too.
Facilities: Whether you’re staying in a Bronze, Silver or Gold self-catering caravan, the holiday homes at Reighton Sands aren’t just cosy, they’re fully equipped with kitchen facilities too. They also have beach access. A nine-hole golf course and a crazy golf course mean that guests at the pet-friendly cottages can spend a day putting holes, whatever their skill level. On-site restaurants and takeaways are on-hand to treat any grumbling tummies following a swim in the sea or the swimming pools, and there’s a mini market too so that guests don’t waste any of their precious time having to track down the closest supermarket to the dog-friendly beach cottages.
The Coach House, Old Rectory House
Location: Kilve, Somerset
Best for: A luxurious cottage with a swimming pool in the Quantock Hills
The Somerset coast is seriously underrated. The Victorian seaside resorts, wetlands and fishing ports are often neglected in favour of the Somerset Levels or the moors. However, The Coach House, Old Rectory House is poised for guests (and their dogs) to take it all in. Compared to other dog-friendly holiday cottages, it’s especially luxurious. Days at the pet-friendly cottage might be spent flicking through a page-turner by the pool or clinking glasses in the sheltered hot tub, which has an exceptional view of sunsets over the rural Somerset hills. With four bedrooms and space for up to eight adults and two infants, large families and their two canine companions are easily accommodated.
Aside from The Coach House’s perfect location surrounded by the open countryside, and a short walk from Kilve Beach, the cottage is also only a short drive from other dog-friendly beaches, hidden coves and spectacular seaside towns. It’s located in the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where activities such as biking, hiking and horse riding are particularly scenic, throughout the oak combes and pink-tinged heathlands. Burnham-on-Sea is only a 45 minutes’ drive from The Coach House too.
Facilities: The Coach House is just as comforting in the winter as it is in the summer. There’s a woodburning stove and a games room for any drizzlier days. When the weather’s just right, families can gather around the heated 28-degree pool or the private enclosed garden. As well as having a woodfired hot tub with views of the open countryside, wild meadows and the distant ocean, there’s a pool house with a kitchenette, shower room and toilet facilities. Peel yourself away from the sunloungers to warm up the gas barbecue or the chiminea. If you fancy a firepit too, the adjoining Old Rectory House grounds have a firepit and a walled orchard and croquet lawn for post-s’mores strolls.
Haven Presthaven
Location: Prestatyn, Wales
Best for: A family-friendly holiday park with two indoor pools and beach access
If you’re considering booking one of the many dog-friendly holiday cottages along the North Wales coast, consider Haven Presthaven the perfect solution. In contrast to individual self-catering holiday cottages, the holiday park packs family entertainment and dog-friendly accommodation into one place. There are facilities that will entertain even the most restless of children, including two heated indoor pools and a water flume. The park is enviably positioned just a few minutes’ walk from the Gronant Dunes and the miles of golden sand along Prestatyn Beach, which is a dog-friendly beach with seasonal location-specific restrictions and a designated dog exercise area.
At four miles in length, it’s possible to take beach walks all the way to the other end of Prestatyn Beach. Continue onto the cycling route towards the Dyserth Waterfall, or detour to a beachfront restaurant or café for a bite to eat by the sea. In the nearby Prestatyn Hills, the 177-mile Offa’s Dyke Path can be accessed for long or short strolls. Rhyl, a 20 minutes’ drive away from Haven Presthaven, is another gorgeous seaside town. It has a miniature railway, shows at the Pavilion Theatre and a marine lake running sailing, wakeboarding and other watersports. That means charming towns with independent shops and dog-friendly beaches are both sorted nearby.
Facilities: If one of the first things you look for out of any dog-friendly holiday cottages is a wide selection of family-friendly facilities, Haven Presthaven will not disappoint. There are luxury minimalistic caravans set out over the holiday park, and they’re not just convenient for four-legged friends either. Kids can practice their front stroke in one of the two indoor pools in the holiday park or let off steam on the all-weather sports court. Other handy facilities in the park include a shop, bungee trampolines, a climbing wall, go-karts and a miniature golf course.
Teal House
Location: Lyme Regis, Dorset
Best for: An 18th-century cottage in historic Lyme Regis
Located in Lyme Regis, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the South West Coast, Teal House is a stone cottage that will bring a traditional atmosphere to any holiday. The 18th-century property sleeps up to six people, and better yet, it’s just a short walk from the beach in Lyme Regis. Whether you take your dog fossil-hunting or let them have a sneaky lick of your ice cream along the historic Cobb harbour, Lyme Regis is a dog-friendly destination at its core.
Charter a fishing boat from the harbour, or stroll directly onto the South West Coast Path from the town, which heads towards Charmouth Beach in the east. There’s a marine aquarium and fossil museum in Lyme Regis itself, but Charmouth is well-renowned as another fossil-rich destination for those searching for a unique souvenir to take back home. If that isn’t quite enough of the sea and sand already, Sidmouth and Seaton are also located a short drive to the west of the cottage.
Facilities: Prop your feet up in front of the woodburning stove in the living room. Encased by a stone fireplace, this sets the tone for the traditionally-decorated cottage. Some of the bedrooms feature exposed stone walls, while others have in-room sinks. Through the French doors, find your way to the large back garden, which has a lawn and a patio with a selection of picnic benches, rattan seats and a covered plastic dining set. Distant sea views will accompany any alfresco family meals, and dogs should also appreciate the spacious lawn.
Parkdean Resorts Withernsea Sands
Location: Withernsea, Yorkshire
Best for: Dog-friendly holidays in South Yorkshire
No need to leave your canine friend behind when you next visit South Yorkshire. Parkdean Resorts Withernsea Sands is a fantastic alternative to the many dog-friendly holiday cottages in Yorkshire, as many of the luxury caravans in the park’s range accommodate family members of the furry kind. Considering that the holiday park is based just 20 minutes’ walk away from the central promenade in Withernsea and its twin castle-like towers, as well as the mostly dog-friendly beach, it couldn’t be more convenient for dog owners seeking a beach break in Yorkshire.
Rise and shine with a quick trip to the indoor pool or a cooked breakfast in the Boathouse Bar & Restaurant, which are two areas that form part of the extensive family-friendly facilities on site. Then, hop in the car and alight in Hornsea, Skipsea or Bridlington, which are all seaside towns a short drive away. If you crave the city atmosphere at any point, Hull is just over half an hour’s drive away and has The Deep aquarium, the Streetlife Museum and the birthplace of William Wilberforce.
Facilities: After an essential morning brew, you might want to pick up the place a little. There’s an indoor pool to help with that, or an all-weather sports court and a miniature golf course. Withernsea’s many lunch spots might tempt you around midday. Follow them up with a nap or a gentle paddle on the beach. However long you stay out, make sure you’re back at Withernsea Holiday Park in time for the live evening entertainment, which might include giant pub quizzes, comedians, bands or tribute acts.
Discover Your Next Dog-Friendly Break with Breakfree Holidays
Wherever you wind up, a dog-friendly holiday cottage or holiday park is essential for those who don’t want to part with their four-legged friend this holiday. Handily, Breakfree Holidays has dog-friendly holiday parks all over the UK with facilities like swimming pools, beach access, restaurants and dog exercise areas. Our dog-friendly UK cottages are just as convenient and provide a self-catering option. Features might include large, enclosed gardens, hot tubs and outdoor seating.