Beach hut hire in England – a complete guide

With so many more people choosing to holiday in the UK, beach hut hire has become increasingly popular. We have so many brilliant beaches with colourful huts lining the seafront in the UK. The huts really brighten up our seaside and offer a great hideaway on those days when our weather works against us.

However, with popularity comes the issue of availability. Many beach huts are booked out before some of us have even decided which seaside to visit. So I’ve put together this article which offers a guide to where to find beach huts across the UK as well as information about what to expect from your beach hut hire. And if you want to know some trivia about the crazy prices some people pay to own a little wooden seaside box, I’ve included a few of stories about those too.

Please note, I aim to keep this website as up to date as possible but if you click on a link and find that something is no longer available or needs updating, please do let me know. Thank you.

This page contains affiliate links which means if you click and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. This does not affect the price you pay.

Looking for holiday ideas and inspiration across the UK? Check out my article about the best UK beaches for families.

Read my guide to family adventure holidays in the UK – including activity breaks, wildlife trips and ideas to make family holidays fun for everyone.

What is a beach hut?

Beach huts are usually constructed from wood and generally measure around 6×6 feet. Some have a veranda thus increasing the overall “living space”. Some beach huts sit directly on the sand – or on a platform over a stony beach, while others are sited on promenades or grassy areas near the beach.

Beach huts date back to the 19th century when they were used as changing rooms (sometimes on wheels) for delicate Victorians taking a dip in the sea. It wasn’t until after the Second World War that beach huts really took off. Former fishermen’s huts and boat sheds, as well as purpose built huts, became popular for sheltering from the elements, storing beach gear and for preparing that all important cuppa.

There is somewhere in the region of 20,000 beach huts in the UK today – mostly in England – but this number is rising all the time. There’s an interesting history on the Bournemouth Beach Hut Association website – Bournemouth alone has around 2,000 beach huts on its seafront.

How much does it cost to hire a beach hut?

Prices for hiring a beach hut vary considerably. Swanage in Dorset has council-run beach huts for hire for as little as £10 per day, while nearby Avon Beach at Christchurch offers daily rates of up to £175. Meanwhile, on the Isle of Wight you can grab a beach hut in Ventnor for £20 a day.

Like anything in life, you tend to get what you pay for. Some private huts are real labours of love and will contain everything you could possibly need for a day at the beach. Council-run huts tend to be more basic – some might come with a table and chairs, others will be empty.

How much does it cost to buy a beach hut?

Well, that very much depends on where the hut is located. According to Rightmove, the average cost for a beach hut is £50,000, an increase of around £10,000 thanks to the pandemic.

Some huts – perhaps in need of some TLC – can go for as little as £5,000 but the BBC recently reported a Southwold hut going on the market with a price tag of £250,000.

The rare overnight hut will garner an even higher price – a 13ft by 10ft hut sleeping up to six at Mudeford Sandbank was on the market for £575,000 in 2021.

There tends to be a lot of competition when beach huts come up for sale in desirable locations and you’ll often see newspaper headlines exclaiming incredulously about hut prices. But are they a good investment? There’s a fairly hefty annual fee to pay to the council plus the cost of maintenance (which can be considerable if your hut is blown into the sea during a storm). Vandalism unfortunately can also be a problem. Beach huts do not have a good life expectancy.

If you are considering buying a beach hut and you aren’t a resident of the borough the hut is located in, bear in mind that you may be charged double the annual plot licence. This could be £1000 or more – with insurance on top of this.

Owning a beach hut is not like owning your house – there are rules to follow. For example in Hove, all huts must be painted the same colour – the council’s website stipulates the exact colour code (the doors of Hove beach huts can be any colour).

Some councils are planning to allow more beach huts to be built – the pandemic has revealed the huts to be a great source of income.

In some locations, it is merely the site which you lease and not the hut. The lessee has to built their own hut once they’ve managed to secure the lease. And it doesn’t necessarily end there. Some councils stipulate that huts can only be in place from April to October – over winter you have to dismantle your hut and store the pieces of wood somewhere.

Where can I hire a beach hut?

The greatest concentration of beach huts for hire in the UK are found on the southern and eastern coastlines of England, with Essex and Norfolk having the best choice for ad-hoc rentals.

Beach huts are either privately owned or owned by the council. Generally speaking, a private hut belongs to the owner and the land on which the hut stands belongs to the council. The hut owner pays the council an annual charge for this arrangement. They are also bound by a contract which might dictate the colour of the hut, what can or cannot be stored in the hut and how it should be maintained.

Each council has a different policy for beach hut ownership and beach hut rentals. Some huts are privately owned on a long lease and rarely come onto the market. Others are on an annual lease but the lessee renews each year. Many locations have waiting lists of many years.

Some councils have a rule that owners cannot rent out their beach huts – you’ll find this is the case in much of East Sussex. Other councils will ask owners to pay business rates if they wish to sublet their hut.

There are pockets of the English coast which are privately owned and there are one or two places – such as the excitingly named Westward Ho! in North Devon where the land and the hut are both owned freehold by the beach hut owner.

Beach huts near London

If you’re looking for a beach with huts near London, there is lots of choice and relatively good availability on the Essex coast. Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze both have a good selection – and both are accessible by train from Liverpool Street if you’d like a car-free seaside trip.

For more ideas on beach day trips from London, check out my article about the best sandy beaches near London by train.

Do beach huts have toilets?

No – generally speaking beach huts in the UK do not have toilets. As mentioned below, there are a few swanky beach huts which you can stay overnight in but the traditional beach hut is a very basic affair with no loo.

Do beach huts have running water?

Generally speaking, there is no running water at beach huts in the UK. Some huts are located close to a communal drinking water tap, others will require you to bring your water with you – particularly if you’ve hired a hut in wintertime when the water may be turned off.

Is it worth hiring a beach hut?

Such is the popularity of the humble beach hut that some remain in the same family for generations. Beach huts are a place to store your gear, shelter from the elements (more increasingly this may be heat rather than rain…), make a cuppa, or prepare a light meal.

A beach hut is a great “base” for your holiday – somewhere to meet family and friends, relax and create happy holiday memories.

Can I hire a beach hut to sleep in?

Most beach huts are for day use only. Of the more traditional style beach huts, it’s just Mudeford in Dorset where you’ll be able to stay overnight in a beach hut. By traditional I mean no running water or other home comforts and it tends to be quite a snug experience.

There are more upmarket “beach hut” experiences across the UK as you’ll see below.

Overnight beach huts for hire

Although traditional beach huts are generally for day use only, many UK beaches have cabins and chalets within a short walk of the sea. What follows are some of the best beach huts for overnight stays.

Toms Holidays in St Ives offers a wide range of Cornwall seaside accommodation including some beach front options. Quality and location vary.

Shaldon in Devon has a little group of luxury beach huts overlooking the Teign estuary with everything close at hand for a relaxing Devon seaside holiday. The huts sleep up to four guests – but it is a tight squeeze so it’s under 14s only on the sofa bed.

The Cary Arms Hotel and Spa overlooking Babbacombe Bay in Devon has a small collection of luxury huts and suites suitable for two guests.

Carswell Farm beach hut in Devon looks really special – there’s even a hot tub for when the sea is a bit too chilly! Only sleeps two.

Bournemouth Beach Lodges – sleep up to six, and overlook Boscombe beach in Dorset.

Mudeford Sandbanks in Dorset is the best place for that proper overnight beach hut experience – these huts are back to basics but do have space to squeeze a family of up to six. And you can all spill out onto the glorious sandy beach each morning. Note, these huts are not en-suite. I’ve detailed how to book these under the Dorset section of this article.

The Beach House and Sandy Toes on the Isle of Sheppey in Essex look like fabulous places to get away from it all.

Dunster beach chalets in Somerset offer a slice of beachfront life – great for dogs too.

Beachcroft beach huts at Felpham in Sussex are a luxurious choice for couples or families looking to have everything close at hand.

Margate beach house is a stylish option for four guests overlooking the beach in Kent.

The Fisherman’s Huts in Whitstable sit right on the Kent seafront – they were once stores for the fishermen but now they’re luxurious sleeping quarters for up to six guests.

Blue Cabin by the Sea along the coast from Berwick-upon-Tweed, is perfect for a family of four who enjoy each other’s company. The Northumberland setting, the peace and the tranquility look pretty unbeatable.

Alnmouth huts in Northumberland are some of the most appealing overnight huts I’ve come across. Set just outside Alnmouth town, with impressive sea views, the four huts are a great place to get away from it all. They only sleep two guests and they benefit from having a toilet and kitchen plus a log burner for cooler evenings.

Things to consider when hiring a beach hut

Not all beach huts are created equally! You’ll find some are well maintained and beautifully decorated whereas others are very much a practical base with simple furnishings and facilities.

• If you’re going somewhere popular – like Southwold or Bournemouth – you’ll need to book really far in advance.

• Prices vary – decide on where you want to be, how much you want to spend and whether you’re happy with a basic hut or if you’d like somewhere with character.

• Council-run huts tend to be basic whereas privately owned huts often come with lots of useful kit like cooking equipment and beach toys.
• Some huts can be hired for a day, others for a week, season or for the whole year. Others are leased to the same people each year with waiting lists as long as 15 years! (the chalets at Exmouth in Devon). However, some – on the Island of Wight for example – can be rented on the day, as long as it’s not August.
• Check how far the beach hut is from the car park and toilets.
• Some beach huts are not close to the seafront – they might be nestled in the dunes or behind another row of huts without good visibility. Worth bearing in mind if your kids are going to be splashing in the sea all day.
• Do you need step-free access? Some huts are suitable for wheelchairs but others are accessed via a flight of steps.
• Is there a water tap close by? Sometimes you’ll need to bring your own water.
• If you’re bringing your four-legged friend, ensure the section of beach permits dogs – some vary depending on the season. Check the hut accepts them too.
• If you plan to make hot drinks, check if the hut has a gas stove.
• If you’re travelling with children, some huts come with beach toys included so you won’t need to lug so much gear with you.
• Missed out on hiring a hut this summer? Why not try a beach hut in winter? While Walton on the Naze might not feel great out of season, making a hot chocolate at a beach hut at Wells-next-the-Sea is great fun on a winter’s day.

When to book a beach hut

As with most cool holiday experiences, beach huts need to be reserved as far in advance as possible.

A lot of councils will open their books for reservations in February or March. Some beach huts get booked up very far in advance – some families hire them by the year, some people camp out overnight to be the first to book a small number of huts on the day the booking window opens, other huts are privately owned and are never advertised.

If you’ve left it too late to book a hut and you’ve also not secured your holiday accommodation, it’s worth checking whether there are any holiday homes to rent which come with free use of a beach hut. This is sometimes the case in Norfolk and Dorset – I’ve tried to include as many of these as possible in the links below. If you own a hut and you’d like it to be featured here, please do get in touch.

If you find your preferred destination – Bournemouth or Southwold perhaps – have no availability, consider somewhere a little off the beaten track. The beaches of Essex – Frinton and Walton on the Naze for example – have excellent sand and swimming as well as great facilities for families, and their beach huts still have pockets of late availability.

How to book a beach hut

There are two very comprehensive websites which list beach huts to buy and rent, they both cover locations across the British Isles. They do overlap in some places and they also miss out a few key destinations – so if you can’t find what you are looking for on these two websites, hopefully one of the other links I list below should prove helpful.

Beachhuts.com

Beach huts 4 hire

Beach hut hire Cornwall

Bude beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs permitted in certain areas, check Visit Bude for details
• Council owned beach huts

Bude has a string of stunning beaches on Cornwall’s north coast, near the border with Devon. There’s also a huge tidal pool. The beaches face west into the Atlantic so this is a popular surfing area.

There are two Bude beaches offering huts – Summerleaze and Crooklets beach. Summerleaze is the main town centre beach. The huts at Bude can be booked for three, four or seven nights as well as seasonally or annually. Although the huts are hired for a certain number of “nights” they are for day use only – 11pm is your cut off time.

The council has a really helpful Bude beach website showing where each collection of huts is located so that you know exactly where and what you are booking.

Hayle beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs permitted in certain areas, check here for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts and chalets

These aren’t really traditional beach huts – there’s a series of holiday parks backing the Hayle beaches with some of the accommodation quite basic and similar to a beach hut. If you’re after a beachfront holiday, book early to secure one of these enviably-positioned chalets. The huts and chalets are privately owned so standards vary considerably – some look lovely.

Check out Toms Holidays and BeachHuts.com for a good selection.

Newquay beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs permitted – see Visit Newquay for more details
• Privately owned beach huts

Of the many Newquay beaches, it is Towan beach and Lusty Glaze beach where you’ll find small collections of colourful beach huts. The Towan beach huts are privately owned and only a few seem to be available for rent on a regular basis. Lusty Glaze is a private beach with huts available to rent annually – there’s a waiting list.

If you fancy something a little more luxurious than a simple beach hut, try the hotel-owned beach houses and cabins at Tolcarne Beach – they look very inviting.

Here are the websites offering beach hut hire in Newquay:

Beach Huts 4 Hire

BeachHuts.com

Tolcarne offers overnight stays in its luxury beach hut accommodation.

St Ives beach huts – Porthgwidden

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are restricted – see here for details
• Privately owned beach huts

Of the several lovely beaches in St Ives, it’s Porthgwidden which has beach huts – or “pods” as they’re known (although they are actually a terrace of little rooms). These 36 Cornwall beach huts are on two levels – balcony and terrace. Book a terrace pod if you need level access. They are booked by the week through Porthgwidden Cafe.

If you’re looking for that holy grail of staying within walking distance of the beach, check out the chalets and cabins at nearby Hayle Beach – Riviere Towans, Riviera Sands or Toms Holidays. Otherwise, try the luxury beach cabin stays at Three Mile Beach which are a short walk from Gwithian Towans beach.

Fancy getting off the beaten track in Cornwall? Read my review of the Lizard Peninsula.

Devon beach hut hire

Beer beach huts

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs are permitted with restrictions, see East Devon council for details
• Privately owned beach huts on council leased sites

Beer beach is a characterful destination for a beach break – once a smuggler’s cove, Beer is enclosed by cliffs and has colourful deckchairs for hire.

The beach huts at Beer are privately owned and there’s a waiting list to lease a site. However, it is possible to rent a hut on a short term lease from two concessions. Full details of both options can be found on the East Devon council website.

Brixham beach hut hire at Breakwater Beach

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs are restricted – see Torbay council for details
• Privately owned beach huts

There are just three beach huts at Breakwater Beach, next to Brixham Harbour. The site is rented annually through the council and you have to install your own hut – check out Torbay Harbour for more information.

Broadsands beach huts

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are restricted – see Torbay council for details
• Council owned and privately owned beach huts

Broadsands beach near Paignton is a great choice for families – a long sandy beach and shallow waters for paddling. There is a choice of weekly hire, seasonal site hire (bring your own hut) or annual chalet hire. You have a choice of sea-facing or, behind the beach a unit overlooking the green.

Take a look at Torbay Harbour website for more information.

Budleigh Salterton beach hut hire

• Beach type: pebbly
• Dogs are restricted – see the East Devon website for more details
• Council owned and privately owned beach huts

The pebble beach at Budleigh Salterton stretches for two miles with the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve at its eastern edge. The beach is backed by a decent seaside town with plenty of shops and eateries.

As well as the long term lease of beach hut sites which are found elsewhere in East Devon (lessees need to erect their own huts seasonally), Budleigh Salterton also has weekly, monthly and seasonal beach hut hire.

The long term lease sites have waiting lists of many years – you can find out more on the East Devon website. If you can’t face a five year wait, take a look at Love Budleigh for more immediate options.

Corbyn Head beach huts

• Beach type: sandy and shingle
• Dogs are restricted – see Torbay council for details
• Privately owned beach huts

This little sand and shingle beach has seasonal beach huts and a small café, all a twenty minute walk to the bright lights of Torquay. Beach huts at Corbyn Head are privately owned and can be put up and used between April and September – the site is rented annually through the council.

See Torbay Harbour for more details on Corbyn Head beach huts.

Dawlish beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy and pebbly
• Dogs are restricted – see Teignbridge council for details
• Council owned and privately owned beach huts

There are beach huts for hire in Dawlish at two separate locations – secluded Coryton Cove and Dawlish Warren.

Most of the Dawlish beach huts are privately owned and the land is on a long lease from the council with a predictably long waiting list for sites to become available. However, the council does have a few huts at each location which are available to hire on a daily or weekly basis.

See the Teignbridge website for beach hut hire details.

Eastern Kings beach huts, Firestone Bay in Plymouth

• Beach type: rocky and pebbly
• Dogs: no restrictions
• Council leased beach huts

This remote little spot is popular with swimmers – there’s a tidal pool and lovely views.

There are just five beach huts at Eastern Kings, leased on an annual basis. However, there is quite a long waiting list. For more information see the Plymouth Council website. There are also beach huts at Tinside but these also have a waiting list.

Exmouth beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are permitted with restrictions – see East Devon council for details
• Council owned beach huts and chalets

Unlike a lot of the beaches on the East Devon coast, Exmouth boasts a two mile stretch of sand along with rock pools so it’s a wonderful destination for a family holiday. You’ll find the usual seaside facilities backing the beach – arcades and ice cream shops plus there’s plenty of water sports on offer too.

There’s a mix of beach huts and chalets for hire at Exmouth, the latter set slightly back from the beach. Both are let annually but there is a waiting list – around three years for the huts and a whopping 10 to 15 years for the chalets! More details can be found on East Devon council’s website.

Goodrington beach huts

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are permitted with restrictions – see Torbay council for details
• Privately owned beach huts and council owned huts

Another great Devon family favourite – Goodrington Sands is great sandcastle territory and there’s lots of activities including water sports and a water park with slides galore.

Goodrington is made of two parts – north and south. The quieter north beach is where dogs are permitted year round. There are four different beach hut locations at Goodrington with both north and south beaches having huts to hire.

There are several options open to visitors wishing to enjoy a beach hut at Goodrington. You can try your luck and hire one on the day or pre-book and hire by the week. Also, hut sites are rented annually from the council and hut owners have to erect these huts themselves. More details on the Torbay Council website.

Meadfoot beach huts

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs are restricted – see Torbay council for details
• Annually leased and weekly chalet hire

This little shingle beach lies just to the east of Torquay, around twenty minutes walk along the South West Coastal Path. Much of the beach disappears at high tide but at low tide it’s a good spot for rockpooling.

The beach huts at Meadfoot are described as chalets. They sit on two levels and unusually they have an electricity supply.

See Torbay Harbour for more details on Meadfoot beach chalet hire.

Oddicombe beach chalets

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs are restricted – see Torbay council for details
• Annually leased chalets and private beach huts

This sheltered cove is backed by interesting red sandstone cliffs and woodland. The beach is reached either by steep steps or via the Babbacombe Cliff Railway – a fun adventure for little ones but bear in mind the car park is around half a mile from the beach. Nearby Babbacombe also boasts a model village and its own little beach complete with luxury huts which can be stayed in overnight through the Cary Arms Hotel.

For more information on beach huts and chalets at Oddicombe, see Torbay Harbour.

Preston Sands and Marine Parade beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are restricted – see Torbay council for details
• Annually leased and weekly chalet hire

Preston Sands is a red sand beach lined with beach huts and backed by a broad green. Marine Parade lies at its northern end while to the south the South West Coastal Path takes walkers to sandy Paignton beach with its pier and other entertainments.

There are rock pools at low tide at the northern end of the beach.

Beach huts are available per week or leased annually, see Torbay Harbour for more information.

Seaton beach huts

• Beach type: pebbly
• Dogs are restricted – see East Devon council for details
• Privately owned beach huts on council leased sites

Seaton is a long pebbly beach with Axmouth harbour at its eastern end and the seaside village of Beer accessible to the west via the coastal path.

Beach huts at Seaton are privately owned and erected seasonally. There is a waiting list of several years. Nearby Beer has a beach hut concession for short term hire. For both options, see the East Devon council website.

Shaldon

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs are restricted – see Teignbridge council for details
• Overnight luxury beach huts

Unlike much of Devon, at Shaldon you’ll have the rare opportunity to stay overnight in a beach hut. But don’t be fooled – these aren’t traditional huts but luxury beachfront houses, with a price tag to match! I believe it gets pretty busy in Shaldon during the peak summer months so this would be a great place for a cosy seaside break in winter or autumn (it’s on my radar to do this!).

Find out more about staying overnight in a beach hut at Shaldon.

Sidmouth beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs are permitted with restrictions- see East Devon council for details
• Council leased beach huts

There are two beaches at Sidmouth – the Town Beach and Jacob’s Ladder Beach, the latter so named for the wooden steps linking it to Connaught Gardens. Sidmouth is well known for its red sandstone cliffs and low tide reveals a red sandy beach, as well as rock pools.

Water sports are popular at Sidmouth with kayak and paddle boards for hire – it is quite a sheltered beach so this is a good location for families.

Beach huts at Sidmouth are leased annually on a three year rotation with a fairly long waiting list. More details on the East Devon Council website.

Tinside Beach

• Beach type: rocky and pebbly
• Dogs are allowed – see Visit Plymouth
• Council leased beach huts

The 21 beach huts at Tinside are in a great spot – there’s a lido just along the shore from the small pebble beach. As with the Plymouth beach huts at Eastern Kings, the huts at Tinside are let on a three year term from the council. Both have waiting lists.

For more information see the Plymouth Council website.

Westward Ho!

• Beach type: sandy and rocky
• Dogs are restricted, see here for more information
• Privately owned beach huts

Named after a Victorian novel which attracted tourists to the local area, Westward Ho! is the only town in England with an exclamation mark. This sandy beach has plenty for everyone – it’s great for rockpooling and even has a Victorian era sea water swimming pool nestled in the rocks.

As Westward Ho! faces the Atlantic it’s a good spot for surfing – there are surf hire shops and surf schools if you’re keen to learn.

Unusually, some beach huts at Westward Ho! can be bought on a freehold basis – with the actual plot of land included. All are privately owned and they cannot be rented out.

Woolacombe Sands beach huts

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs permitted with restrictions, see Parkin Estates for further details
• Privately owned beach huts

This beautiful three miles of sandy beach on the North Devon Coast has a long line of 70 colourful beach huts which sit right on the sand – perfect for families planning a day at the beach. Woolacombe beach has been privately owned since 1948 by family-run Parkin Estates.

Beach huts at Woolacombe are numbered one to 70 with hut number one located near the main beach entrance and 70 at the Putsborough end of the beach. They all have ladies’ names – so if you’re wondering what to call your baby daughter, why not wander along the row of huts for a bit of inspiration!

Beach huts can be booked for a minimum of four days through Parkin Estates.

Want to find out more about family holidays in North Devon? Read my article.

Looking for somewhere to stay in North Devon? Read this review of Torridge House Farm Cottages.

Beach hut hire Dorset

Dorset has some fantastic beaches for a family holiday and there’s a good selection of places to hire beach huts. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Dorset with kids, read my review of Rudge Farm – one of our favourites!

Beach hut hire in Bournemouth

• Beach type: all of Bournemouth’s beaches are sandy except for pebbly Hengistbury Head.
• Dogs permitted in certain areas, check Visit Dorset for details.
• Council and privately owned beach huts

There are around seven miles of sandy beach at Bournemouth with several hundred beach huts strung along the shore. Some of the beach huts in Bournemouth are privately owned while others can be rented through the council.

The council-run huts are rented on a 4, 9 or 24 week basis or as a winter let.

As well as the usual beach huts, there are also 59 more upmarket huts available for rent through the council at Boscombe beach in Bournemouth. These “beach pods” were produced by Hemingway Design as part of a project to regenerate the derelict Overstrand building. The building also houses a restaurant, surf shop and school along with showers and toilets. The pods come with mains electricity, kettle, microwave, table and chairs.

Boscombe beach also has some amazing looking overnight stay beach huts – the Bournemouth Beach Lodges – which sleep up to six guests. These come complete with private bathroom facilities.

Certain sections of the beaches at Bournemouth are dog friendly year round, check out the Lets Go Bournemouth and Poole website or this map for up to date details.

Here is a quick run down of the various beaches in Bournemouth from west to east:

Alum Chine beach: this is a great beach for families. There is a pirate-themed play area and a water park as well as tropical gardens to explore.

Durley Chine beach: this is another popular beach for families. There’s a pub and a café here.

Bournemouth central beaches, west and east: as well as the usual amusement arcades and ice cream shops, the beachfront in the centre of Bournemouth has the Oceanarium and the main Bournemouth pier. These beaches are backed by Bournemouth town centre.

Boscombe beach: this is the beach in Bournemouth for water sports as well as various land-based attractions including bouldering, table tennis and volleyball. There’s a pier at Boscombe and a surf school.

Southbourne beach (also called Fisherman’s Walk beach): slightly away from the hustle and bustle of Bournemouth town centre, Southbourne is reached via the Fisherman’s Walk nature trail. There are still good facilities – café, toilets, pub and ice cream kiosks. This beach is a mix of sand and shingle.

Hengistbury Head beach: this is the least developed of the Bournemouth beaches. Hengistbury Head is a pebble beach backed by cliffs. Sometimes the beach huts at Mudeford are referred to as the Hengistbury Head huts – I’ll provide details of these highly desirable overnight huts below.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts in Bournemouth:

Bournemouth council: the majority of the Bournemouth beach huts (250) are rentable through the council. Each hut comes with three deck chairs, a gas ring and a gas bottle. Access ramps can be provided for wheelchair users. The huts are rentable on a 4, 9, or 24 week basis or for winter lets.

Beachhuts.com: there’s a really good selection of beach huts available here across the various Bournemouth beaches.

Beach Huts 4 Hire: this website has separate pages for Bournemouth, Boscombe, Alum Chine and Durley Chine huts.

Avon Accommodation Witts End: this operator features a couple of properties to rent in Ringwood along with one beach hut in Bournemouth next to the West Cliff lift.

Airbnb: there is currently just one hut in Bournemouth listed through Airbnb. The best way to search for beach huts is to click on filters – then unique stays – and then nature stays.

Christchurch beach huts

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs permitted in certain areas, check Visit Dorset for details
• Privately owned beach huts, some offering overnight accommodation

Unlike neighbouring Bournemouth and Poole, the beach huts in Christchurch are privately owned. Some are also available for overnight stays – usually sleeping between four and six guests with communal toilets and showers.

The following beaches in Christchurch have beach huts to rent:

Mudeford Spit / Hengistbury Head: this is a long strip of sand which stretches across Christchurch Harbour, beach huts here are also called Hengistbury Head beach huts. The beach is accessed from Mudeford Harbour via a small ferry or you can take the land train (popular with families) from Hengistbury Head.

There are around 360 huts at Mudeford, all privately owned. You can stay overnight in these huts. The huts sleep between 4 and 6 (squeezed in). Some have solar power or gas – but not all of them. It pays to do a bit of research. Toilets and showers are communal.

Avon Beach: this privately owned beach is mostly sand and a little shingle. It’s a good choice for families as the beach shelves gently into the sea. There’s also plenty of water sports available too. There’s a shop, cafe, toilets and showers. Beach huts here sell out almost immediately and are pretty pricey.

The 130 huts at Avon Beach are much higher in price than your average beach hut – in 2022 a day’s hire was £70 in low season, rising to a whopping £175 in high season. There are also some “occasion” huts which have table and chairs to sit 12 guests – perfect for a celebration or big group day out.

Friars Cliff beach: this sandy beach, with some shingle, neighbours Avon beach but is publicly owned. This is the beach to go for in Christchurch if you’re looking for cheap beach huts which you can hire by the day or week.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts in Christchurch:

BeachHuts.com has a good selection including overnight huts on Mudeford (note that the filter on the link also covers other areas of Dorset).

BeachHuts4Hire has a small selection of day huts at Avon beach and Friars Cliff.

The Noisy Lobster handles most of the huts at Avon beach including the occasion huts.

Beach Hut Mudeford has one hut to rent – well equipped.

Booking.com currently has one Mudeford overnight hut on its books – I’ll keep an eye out to see if they add more (the search brings up various properties which are not huts! The one I found is called Star Gazing Beach Hut)

Airbnb has one or two huts on its site including overnight huts such as this one and this one.

Hut 252 sounds like a good overnight option

Welcome Cottages has a rustic looking overnight hut.

Mudeford-BeachHut.co.uk has a lovely looking hut on the spit.

Lyme Regis beach huts

• Beach type: sand and pebble
• Dogs permitted in certain areas, check Visit Dorset for details
• Council-run and privately owned beach huts

Lyme Regis is a really lovely seaside town with some great cafes and the interestingly-named Cobb harbour. The promenade is a lovely place to wander along with an ice cream and there’s a good RNLI shop to buy gifts in.

Lyme Regis – and nearby Charmouth – are the places to come for fossil hunters. Mary Anning, the famous fossil collector and palaeontologist, hails from these parts.

The town has a number of beaches – Monmouth to the west and Front beach which is centrally located are the beaches with huts. The section of Front Beach close to the Cobb has sand, everywhere else is pebble. Unfortunately for sandcastle builders, the huts back the pebble beaches rather than the sandy section.

The huts at Lyme Regis are a mix of council-run and privately owned.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts in Lyme Regis:

Lyme Regis Town Council rents huts on the pebbly section of Front Beach, the huts feature a small kitchen and two chairs.

BeachHuts4Hire has a small selection of huts to hire

Airbnb has a pretty vintage hut to rent

Facebook has a lovely hut on Monmouth beach listed

BeachHuts.com currently has one hut on its books in Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis Cottage is a rental property which comes with a beach hut (which cannot be rented separately)

Valentine Cottage with beach hut is another rental property in Lyme Regis which comes with a beach hut

Poole beach huts

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs permitted in certain areas, check Visit Dorset for details
• Council and privately owned beach huts

The Poole beach huts are rented in the same way as those in Bournemouth – a mix of council-owned and privately owned. The council-run huts are rented on a 4, 9 or 24 week basis or as a winter let.

Poole is famous for its huge natural harbour – within it are several islands including the National Trust-owned Brownsea island – birthplace of the Scout movement. Stretching across the entrance to Poole Harbour is the long spit of sand known as Sandbanks. This beach and the surrounding area has become a rather desirable place to buy property so as well as taking in the lovely sea views, it’s also fun to admire the lavishly built homes in this part of Dorset.

The following beaches in Poole have beach huts to rent:

Branksome Chine and Branksome Dene: these are the closest beaches to Bournemouth, bordering Alum Chine. Predominantly sandy, there are some shingle sections too.

Canford Cliffs: this beach is a little quieter than the other Poole beaches as it is less accessible – it’s reached via a series of paths and steps so it’s not suitable for wheelchairs and likely to be a bit of a hassle for buggies.

Sandbanks beach: often described as one of the best beaches in the UK, Sandbanks is a lovely long stretch of sand. As well as the beach, there are some well regarded restaurants at Sandbanks – feeding the affluent locals who’ve built impressive homes on this once-isolated stretch of land.

Shore Road: this section of beach sits between Canford Cliffs and Sandbanks.

Hamworthy Park: this sand and shingle beach is on the western side of Poole, near the ferry terminal.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts in Poole:

Poole council: as with Bournemouth, the Poole council beach huts come with three deck chairs, a gas ring and a gas bottle, Poole beach huts also come with a table. The huts are rentable on a 4, 9, or 24 week basis or for winter lets.

Sandbanks and Shore Road have premium and premium plus beach huts which, as well as the above facilities, also feature water, electricity and disabled access. The premium plus huts are twice the size – perfect for that extended family beach holiday!

BeachHuts.com: this website has around 100 Poole beach huts on its books.

Beach Huts 4 Hire: this website has plenty of Poole beach huts listed under the various beaches: Branksome Chine huts, Canford Cliffs beach huts, Flaghead Chine and Sandbanks.

Studland beach huts

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs are permitted on a lead: please see the National Trust website for full details
• National Trust operated and privately owned beach huts

Studland is more than a beach – there’s a vast nature reserve of heathland and coast including Old Harry Rocks. There’s four miles of beach to explore including a long section of sandy beach backed by beach huts. Studland also features a 900 metre naturist section on Knoll beach in case you fancy stripping off.

Studland beach is a great destination for families, offering good facilities as well as an unspoilt natural landscape. There’s a decent café, car park and toilets run by the National Trust at Knoll Beach plus further parking options and refreshments across the bay. Water sports are popular at Studland.

There are around 260 beach huts at Studland. 50 can be booked through the National Trust, the rest are private.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts at Studland:

To book Studland beach huts go to The National Trust website. These huts can be rented daily, weekly, seasonally and annually.

Swanage beach huts

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs are permitted on a lead: please see the National Trust website for full details
• National Trust operated and privately owned beach huts

Swanage is a traditional English seaside town – as well as the beach huts at Swanage, there’s a pier and amusement arcade plus plenty of water sports. There’s a steam railway which runs from Swanage to Norden via one of my favourite castles – Corfe Castle. And if you fancy staying close by, there’s a campsite – Woodyhyde – through which the train line travels.

Beach huts at Swanage are scattered along the coast in several areas. There are 60 council-owned huts along Shore Road (which is pedestrianised during the summer). The road is between the huts and the beach. The Shore Road beach huts are closest to the town and are the most popular option for families. Further along the road, next to Sandpit Field are the Spa Bunaglows and Spa Retreat huts. These are in a quieter area of Swanage.

There are more huts strung along the beachfront which are privately owned. A large concentration of huts can be found on the privately owned North Beach – some of these can be rented in conjunction with a holiday let (see below for some of the holiday accommodation options).

Here is a list of providers of beach huts at Swanage:

Swanage town council is the main option for beach hut hire in Swanage

Simply Sea Views features a couple of holiday homes which include use of a beach hut. Sea View sleeps four in one bedroom while Seascape is more spacious with three bedrooms.

Original Cottages has Hillcrest on its books which includes a beach hut in Swanage.

Airbnb features a holiday chalet which includes, in the summer, a beach hut at North Beach.

Looking for campsite ideas in Dorset? We had a great stay at Longthorns Farm near Lulworth Cove.

Beach hut hire East Sussex

Not sure what there is to see and do in East Sussex? Check out my guide to East Sussex with kids.

Bexhill-on-Sea beach huts

• Beach type: shingle with some sand at low tide
• Dogs are not permitted on the beach in high season, see council website for more information
• Privately owned beach huts

Lying between Hastings and Eastbourne, to the east of Brighton, Bexhill-on-Sea is a much quieter affair than some of its neighbours. It does have the direct train line from London so it’s a good bet for a sunny day trip from the capital.

The beach is mostly shingle with sand appearing at low tide. The beach huts at Bexhill are all privately owned so facilities will vary. The Bexhill beach huts are on East Parade, West Parade and Glyne Gap.

The Bexhill huts are let through two concessions and – in a break from internet traditions – to check beach hut availability you actually need to pick up the phone (Mr Doswell on 07976 306 059) or go in person to the Buxton Kiosk near the De La Warr lawns.

The following sites also have a couple of beach huts in Bexhill-on-Sea:

BeachHuts4Hire has a couple of huts to rent.

BeachHuts.com also has two huts on its books.

Airbnb and has holiday house in Hastings which comes with a beach hut at Glyne Gap.

Brighton and Hove beach huts and chalets

• Beach type: pebble
• Dogs: see council website for permitted areas in high season
• Privately owned beach huts and leased chalets

Brighton and Hove traditional wooden beach huts are found on the Hove seafront while the brick and concrete chalets are found along the shores of Brighton, east of the Marina.

Strict rules surround the beach huts and chalets of Brighton and Hove. Huts are all privately owned and cannot be rented out – there are one or two which come “complimentary” with a holiday let but these are few and far between. The chalets are leased on a five year term from the council. For both the huts and the chalets, owners must be residents of Brighton and Hove.

For further information on beach huts in Brighton and Hove, take a look at the council website.

Eastbourne beach hut hire

• Beach type: shingle with some sand at low tide
• Dogs: see council website for permitted areas in high season
• Council owned beach huts

There’s lots of offer at Eastbourne, aside from the beach. Tennis fans know it as the warm-up event to Wimbledon. Eastbourne has a decent pier, a miniature steam railway and a marina – plenty to do should the weather not be on your side.

Most beach huts at Eastbourne are available on an annual lease – there is a long waiting list however. There are some huts available on a daily or weekly basis too. Check out the Eastbourne council website for full details.

Hastings beach hut hire

• Beach type: shingle with some sand at low tide
• Dogs: see council website for permitted areas in high season
• Privately owned and council owned beach huts

Hastings has suffered from a bad reputation in the past but when we visited this seaside town a couple of years ago we had a brilliant time (and it was only February!) There’s plenty of attractions for children – our boys loved the fishermen’s museum along with the trampolines and little racing buggies on the seafront. A funicular railway takes visitors up to the top of the cliffs where you’ll find the caves of the Smugglers Adventures. Read more about the highlights of our trip to Hastings and East Sussex here.

The beach at Hastings is mostly shingle but there is sand exposed at low tide – check tidal times before packing your bucket and spade.

The extensive Hastings seafront stretches some seven kilometres taking in the beaches of Bulverhythe, St Leonards and Hastings itself.

The council-run huts are situated in St Leonards and can be rented weekly or by the season. The huts can be booked on the Hastings council website. Owners of private beach huts in Hastings are not permitted to rent out their huts.

Seaford beach huts

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs are restricted to certain areas of the beach, see council website for details.
• Privately owned and council-run beach huts

Seaford lies between New Haven and scenic Seaford Head (where you get those iconic views of the chalky Seven Sisters). There are lots of great walks in this part of East Sussex (bike rides too) so there’s more to this seaside town than its shingle beach. Check out Walk Seaford for more information.

There are three separate areas of beach huts at Seaford. West View Beach Huts can be rented from the council by the week. Martello Beach Huts are available for a three year lease to local residents and finally the Bonningstedt huts are privately owned. Full details on the Seaford town council website.

Beach hut hire Essex

Brightlingsea beach huts

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs: are not permitted in high season, see council website for exact details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Brightlingsea beach sits on the River Colne. Once an important port, it is now a popular sailing destination and there’s also a place to hire kayaks and SUPs. This is a good place for kids to play in the shallow sheltered waters – or if the weather isn’t great, crabbing off the town jetty is a good alternative. There’s also a 50 metre lido if you don’t fancy swimming in the sea. Brightlingsea Beach is a quieter alternative to nearby Clacton.

BeachHuts4Hire has a couple of Brightlingsea huts on its books.

BeachHuts.com has several huts for hire – note that if these are not available, the site shows availability of huts in nearby resorts.

Facebook has a listing for two huts next to each other

Mermaid’s Hut is available to book through Airbnb

Splash Point Beach Hut is another hut available in Brightlingsea

Clacton beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are not permitted in high season, see council website for exact details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Popular Clacton-on-Sea has plenty to offer aside from beach huts. There’s a long promenade, a pier with the usual money-shedding experiences and also a decent water park and adventure play area at Clacton Pavilion.

Note, there is a greater concentration of beach huts at nearby Holland-on-Sea (see below).

Here is a list of providers of beach huts at Clacton:

Tendring District Council has a couple of huts at Clacton which it rents out on a weekly basis.

BeachHuts.com has a few Clacton beach huts on its site, note that if none have live availability you’ll be shown other places close by which do.

Short Breaks Essex has a couple of wheelchair accessible huts for families registered with the organisation.

Community Voluntary Services Tendring has daily huts to rent

Dovercourt Bay beach huts (Harwich)

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs: are permitted in some areas, see council website for exact details.
• Privately owned beach huts

The beach of Dovercourt Bay stretches along the southern side of the Harwich peninsula. Although its proximity to a busy port might put you off a seaside trip to Dovercourt, there are several reasons to give it a try – there’s a long promenade, a boating lake and a skate park. The historical heart of Harwich is also worth exploring.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts at Dovercourt:

BeachHuts.com has several huts at Dovercourt on its books, note that if none have live availability you’ll be shown other places close by which do. Scroll down to see the huts without live availability – you need to contact the owner to check.

My Happy Hut offers two beach huts at Dovercourt

Thera Trust has a wheelchair accessible hut to rent

Frinton-on-Sea beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are permitted in some areas, see council website for exact details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Frinton is our “local” beach – a good hour and a half from where we live in landlocked Hertfordshire, but definitely worth the drive on a hot summer’s day. I have fond memories of visiting Frinton during the relaxing of covid restrictions in 2020. It felt like the best seaside in the world after all that time cooped up at home. And despite the crowds, there was still parking pretty close to the beach.

Frinton is like much of the Essex coast – a long stretch of sand and plenty of space for all. At high tide, the beach is completely covered up and everyone retreats to the grassy area above. This disappearing act only lasts for about half an hour and then everyone returns to the sand as the tide recedes.

Frinton has a decent chippie – time your visit as the queue snakes for quite a distance towards the end of the day.

There are lots of beach huts in Frinton, stretching along the seafront. Consider where you are likely to park (if you can) and where the nearest toilet block is.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts at Frinton on Sea:

BeachHuts4Hire has a good range of beach huts at Frinton

Daisy Beach Huts has one hut in Frinton (and 10 in Walton)

BeachHuts.com has plenty of huts on its books in Frinton

Beach Huts Frinton has a wide selection of Frinton beach huts

Bruff Cooper estate agent has a range of Frinton huts on its books

Cool Coastal Huts is a good option if you like your décor cool and contemporary

Airbnb has a lovely looking Friton hut which the owner has done a good job of describing!

Boydens estate agent has a range of Frinton beach huts to rent

Ebb and Flow is an attractive beach hut in Frinton

Host on the Coast has a lovely looking Frinton hut for rent

Holland-on-Sea beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are restricted, see council website for exact details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Holland on Sea lies between Clacton and Frinton – you can walk to it along the sea front from either of the neighbouring resorts. Holland on Sea is quieter than its neighbours – ideal for those looking for a more peaceful day out on the Essex coast.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts at Holland on Sea:

Beach Hut Bev currently has two beach huts in Holland on Sea

Beach Hut Hire Holland on Sea has three huts to rent

BeachHuts4Hire has a good selection of Holland beach huts

BeachHuts.com has a range of beach huts available.

Beach Hut for Hire has two Holland on Sea beach huts to rent

Bruff Cooper estate agent has a couple of huts in Holland (most are in Frinton).

Southend beach huts

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are not permitted in high season, see council website.
• Privately owned beach huts

Southend has a long string of beach huts along its seafront but they are all privately owned and not available to hire. However, I have seen one or two adverts while doing some research on the net.

Walton-on-the-Naze beach huts

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are permitted, see council website for exact details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Aside from plenty of sand for castle building, Walton on the Naze can offer all the fun of the seaside pier and also a nature reserve. The pier is said to be one of the longest in the country (and recently refurbished) while the Naze nature reserve is a good spot for fossil hunting. And if the weather forces you indoors and you’ve “forgotten” to bring any coins for the pier amusements, there’s also the Naze Tower which houses an art gallery, a museum, a tea room and a viewing platform.

Walton has a much more traditional seaside feel to it than the more reserved experience at Frinton. There are two beaches in Walton – head to Southcliff if you want to be in the heart of the action and Eastcliff if you’d prefer to be closer to the fossils of the Naze.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts at Walton on the Naze:

Ladybird Seascapes has three lovely looking Walton beach huts.

Walton on the Naze Beach Huts has a good selection to hire

Alice Beach Huts has a range of huts at Walton plus one at Frinton.

Millie’s Beach Huts has some lovely huts on its books.

BeachHuts.com has plenty of choice in Walton

Daisy Beach Huts has 10 huts in Walton plus one in Frinton.

BeachHut-Hire is another small outfit based in Walton

Red Beach Hut has two – red – beach huts on offer.

Walton Beach Hut also has two huts.

Sandy Retreat Beach Hut has some rather lovely beach huts to rent in Walton.

Airbnb has at least one beach hut to rent in Walton.

Daisy Chain Beach Hut is a site with just one hut to rent.

Magical Day Beach Huts has two huts in Walton and one in Mersea, each named after a Harry Potter character.

West Mersea beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs: are permitted, see Visit Mersea Island for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

If you’d like to feel like you’re really going on holiday – by leaving the “mainland” – a trip to Mersea Island can be a bit of an adventure, depending on the tides. Once a month or so (when tide is particularly high), the tide comes across the one road linking Mersea to the rest of Essex, cutting the island off for about an hour and a half, twice a day.

Mersea Island is just nine miles south east of Colchester. The island is flat and peaceful – particularly in the east. The west, where you’ll find the large expanse of sand and beach huts, is more developed with a fishing village, shops and restaurants – oysters are a regular feature on menus here.

The beach at West Mersea is a mix of sand and shingle with beach huts sitting directly on the sand or on grass behind. There is a wide selection and these are a fairly good bet if you’re looking for late availability summer beach huts.

Here is a list of providers of beach huts at West Mersea:

The Little Beach Hut Company has a selection of attractive beach huts at West Mersea.

The Little Beach House Mersea has two very lovely huts to rent.

BeachHuts4Hire has a good selection of huts in West Mersea.

Cool Coastal Huts has two beach huts in Mersea as well as one in Frinton.

BeachHuts.com has a decent range to choose from.

Mersea Mogo Beach Hut is a good choice, right on the sand.

Nannu Beach Hut is an attractive looking hut.

The Hut Mersea Island looks lovely with lots of vintage touches.

Magical Day Beach Huts has a bit of a Harry Potter theme to its three huts – one in Mersea, the other two at Walton.

Lily Lemon Beach Hut Hire has one hut at Mersea to rent.

Mersea Island Lions Club has a hut to rent with payment going to the charity.

Sandy Toes looks like a lovely beach hut in Mersea.

Hampshire beach huts

Barton on Sea beach huts

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs: are permitted, see Visit Hampshire for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts, not available to rent.

The New Forest District Council does not permit renting of beach huts at any of its four beaches (Barton, Calshot, Hordle Cliff and Milford on Sea).

Calshot beach huts

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs: are permitted, see Visit Hampshire for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts, not available to rent.

The New Forest District Council does not permit renting of beach huts at any of its four beaches (Barton, Calshot, Hordle Cliff and Milford on Sea).

Looking for days out in the New Forest? Check out my guide to the New Forest with kids.

Gosport beach huts

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs: are restricted, see Friends of Stokes Bay for more details.
• Council owned beach huts

There is a small number of beach huts at Lee on Solent and Stokes Bay which are rented on three year leases from the council to residents only of Gosport or Lee on the Solent.

More information available at Gosport council.

Hayling Island beach huts

• Beach type: shingle with some sand at low tide
• Dogs: are restricted, see Visit Hampshire for more details.
• Council owned beach huts

The beach huts on Haying Island are owned by Havant Borough Council and let annually. There is a waiting list of several years.

Hillhead beach huts, Fareham

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs: are permitted, see Visit Hampshire for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts, not available to rent.

Huts at Fareham’s beaches cannot be sublet.

Hordle Cliff beach huts

• Beach type: shingle, with a sand bar at low tide
• Dogs: are permitted, see Visit Hampshire for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts, not available to rent.

The New Forest District Council does not permit renting of beach huts at any of its four beach (Barton, Calshot, Hordle Cliff and Milford on Sea).

Milford on Sea beach huts

• Beach type: shingle (small amount of sand at low tide)
• Dogs: are permitted, see Visit Hampshire for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts, not available to rent.

The New Forest District Council does not permit renting of beach huts at any of its four beach (Barton, Calshot, Hordle Cliff and Milford on Sea).

Southsea beach hut hire

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs: are permitted, see Visit Hampshire for more details.
• Council owned beach huts

Southsea beach is pebbly and backed by a long promenade. There is a bike lane parallel to the road which runs along the seafront and it’s possible to cycle all the way to the little ferry terminal which takes you over to Hayling Island.

I wasn’t blown away (metaphorically that is, our February visit did see us nearly blown away in reality) by Southsea beach but we did visit it out of season. I’ve heard that swimming isn’t great for little ones as the water becomes deep quite quickly. However, there’s plenty of things to do in Southsea away from the beach – there’s a pier, the Blue Reef Aquarium and Southsea Castle all close by and Portsmouth has lots to keep families occupied – we loved the Historic Dockyard.

Beach huts in Southsea can be rented by the week through the council, see Portsmouth council website for full details.

Read my guide about things to do in Hampshire with kids

Find somewhere to stay in Hampshire for families

Isle of Wight beach hut hire

Isle of Wight beach huts are privately owned. Refreshingly different to most UK beach hut hire operations, some huts on the Isle of Wight can be rented out via concessions on a daily or weekly basis. I have detailed each of these below.

Colwell Bay beach huts

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs: are not permitted, see the Isle of Wight council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Colwell Bay is on the north west of the Isle of Wight. It’s a popular destination for water sports – including windsurfing and jet-skiing. Colwell is a good choice for families – there’s a decent range of shops selling the usual beach essentials. You can walk along the seawall from Colwell to Totland.

Colwell Bay Beach Shop rents out huts.

Airbnb has a Colwell beach hut listed.

East Cowes beach huts

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs: are not permitted, see the Isle of Wight council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

East Cowes is a small beach just east of the town centre. It is backed by an esplanade and woodland and there’s a children’s play area too. The sea swallows up most of the beach at high tide.

There is a small line of beach huts at East Cowes which are privately owned – I haven’t found any adverts for beach hut rentals here.

Gurnard beach huts, West Cowes

• Beach type: shingle and pebbles
• Dogs: are not permitted, see the Isle of Wight council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Gurnard beach lies west of Cowes and has a line of green beach huts on the seafront. These are all privately owned and I haven’t found any available to rent.

Ryde beach huts

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are not permitted, see the Isle of Wight council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

The popular seaside town of Ryde has miles of sand to enjoy, but like some other Isle of Wight beaches, much of this can disappear at high tide. Ryde has a boating lake and a pier – the UK’s oldest – and there are plenty of facilities for families.

The beach huts at Ryde are found at the Appley and Puckpool beaches in Ryde. I haven’t found any available to rent.

Sandown beach huts

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are not permitted, see the Isle of Wight council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Sandown has a lovely long sandy beach backed by a promenade. There’s the usual fun to be had at Sandown pier and plenty of shops and cafes in the town. There’s a decent walk or cycle along the seafront from Sandown to Shanklin which takes you through the quieter Small Hope Beach area.

We did a great bike ride to Sandown from Newport – the Squirrel Trail – which you can read more about in my family bike rides article.

Sandown beach hut hire can be arranged through Sandown Beach Huts and through Bayside Beach Hire.

Shanklin beach huts

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are only permitted in a small area near the Chine, see the Isle of Wight council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

The beach huts at Shanklin are at the Chine end of the beach. There is a small section of the beach near the Chine where dogs are permitted – however you’ll need to come at low tide to enjoy the sandy area as the higher part of the beach is pebbly.

Shanklin, along with Ryde and Sandown, offers the best traditional bucket and spade beach experience – there are deckchairs to hire, crazy golf and various entertainments along the seafront.

To hire beach huts at Shanklin, contact Mr Moorman on 01983 863958.

Small Hope beach huts (Shanklin)

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs: are not permitted, see the Isle of Wight council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Small Hope Beach is the quieter stretch of sand at Shanklin, to the east of the main resort – if you continue walking along the seafront past Small Hope, you eventually come to Sandown.

To hire beach huts at Small Hope beach, contact Alan Hawkins 07542 849917.

Ventnor beach huts

• Beach type: sand and shingle with rocks at low tide
• Dogs: are not permitted, see the Isle of Wight council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

Ventnor is a particularly lovely seaside town – there are attractive Victorian homes built into the steep hillside, all with luscious plants which thrive in Ventnor’s famous “microclimate”. I love having a drink in the characterful Spyglass Inn in the evening.

From Ventnor, there’s a lovely walk to Steephill Cove through parkland and along the sea wall – the views are great. There’s an excellent ice cream shop to reward tired legs and a tiny beach to relax on before heading back. It’s about a mile each way (and a bit hilly).

There is a small number of beach huts on the sand at Ventnor which can be rented by the day through Blakes Longshoremen – a family business dating back to 1830. Blakes also rents out deckchairs and sun loungers. Call them on 01983 857186 or evenings on 01983 852723 – or visit them at the beach!

Beach hut hire in Kent

Beach hut hire at Dover beaches

The huts at Kingsdown, Saint Margaret’s, Deal and Walmer are available to lease on a five yearly term through Dover council but the waitlist is currently closed.

Broadstairs beach huts

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs: are permitted on some Broadstairs beaches, see the Thanet council website for more details.
• Council owned and privately owned beach huts

The seaside town of Broadstairs boasts eight sandy beaches along the surrounding coastline. There’s a coastal walk linking all of the beaches.

The main beach at Broadstairs is Viking Bay, this is where you’ll find Charles Dickens’s Bleak House as well as a surf school and plenty of shops and cafes for that quintessential English seaside experience.

Broadstairs is on the Isle of Thanet, nestled between Ramsgate and Margate. If you’d like to explore the area by bike, there’s a brilliant mostly traffic-free cycle route – the Viking Coastal Trail. And in case you’re wondering, Thanet is no longer an island – it’s a rather low-lying peninsula (the channel which separated it from the rest of Kent silted up over the last 1,000 years).

The blue and yellow huts at the Broadstairs beaches are council run and available to hire, other huts are privately owned and cannot be sublet.

The council-owned beach huts at the Broadstairs beaches can be rented weekly, monthly, seasonally or annually through Your Leisure.

Folkestone beach huts

The beach huts at Folkestone are available to lease through Folkestone council but the waitlist is currently closed. They cannot be sublet.

Herne Bay

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs are restricted, see the Canterbury council website for more details.
• Privately owned beach huts

The beach huts at Herne Bay are available to lease through Canterbury council. They cannot be sublet.

Isle of Sheppey beach huts

The beach huts at Minster Leas and Leysdown can be rented long-term or purchased through Swale council but cannot be sublet.

Littlestone beach huts (Romney)

The beach huts at Littlestone beach in New Romney are leased from the council. You must be a resident of Folkestone and Hythe District. More information can be found on the council’s website.

Margate beach huts (Westbrook Bay)

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are not permitted in the summer months. See the Thanet council website for more details.
• Council owned and privately owned beach huts

Margate has undergone quite a transformation in recent years with the addition of the Turner Contemporary and the reopening of Dreamland. Although the traditional beach huts are found on Westbrook Bay, another indication of Margate’s continued advancement as a seaside town of the future is the rather fancy beach houses which line Margate Main Sands. These two bedroom houses – each overlooking the beach – sold for almost half a million pounds. There’s one Margate beach house available to rent through Airbnb.

Unlike some of the neighbouring beaches in Thanet, when the tide comes in at Westbrook Bay, some sand does remain.

The beach huts at the Westbrook Bay can be rented weekly, monthly, seasonally or annually through Your Leisure.

Minnis Bay beach hut hire (Birchington)

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are not permitted in the summer months. See the Thanet council website for more details.
• Council owned and privately owned beach huts

Minnis Bay is a small sandy beach in the village of Birchington, midway between Herne Bay and Margate. It’s part of the Viking Coastal Trail so you can cycle or walk along the seafront for many miles.

At low tide, the eastern side of Minnis Bay has rock pools and a tidal pool – all of which disappears beneath the waves as the tide comes in. Some sand remains on the western side of the bay even at high tide so it’s worth checking tide times before you set up base at the beach.

Beach hut hire at Minnis Bay, as with the other beaches in Thanet, is operated by Your Leisure.

Westgate-on-Sea beach huts

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are not permitted between 10am and 6pm, see the Thanet council website for more details.
• Council owned and privately owned beach huts

If you’re looking for something a little quieter than neighbouring Margate, the beaches of Westgate-on-Sea are a more simple affair.

There are two sandy beaches to choose from – West Bay and St Mildred Bay – linked by the esplanade. St Mildred is the more interesting of the two beaches as it has a tidal pool. Check tide times as the beaches disappear beneath the waves at high tide.

Beach hut hire at Westgate-on-Sea, as with the other beaches in Thanet, is operated by Your Leisure.

Whitstable and Tankerton beach huts

• Beach type: shingle
• Dogs are restricted, see the Canterbury council website for more details.
• Council owned and privately owned beach huts

Whitstable beach stretches for several miles either side of the town centre with wooden groynes at regular intervals. The beach directly in front of town is all about the oysters – swimming is not permitted. It is however a great place for sitting with a cuppa or a bacon butty while the kids collect shells and pebbles.

To the east of Whitstable is Tankerton beach backed by several rows of beach huts which sit on the grassy banks above.

The beach huts at Tankerton are privately owned and lots of them are offered on a short term rental. The beach huts at Whitstable Long Beach are run by Whitstable Harbour Board and let on an annual basis – there is a waiting list.

Whitstable also has some fishermen’s huts which can be slept in – most have two bedrooms and some can sleep up to five guests. They’re in a great location right in the centre of Whitstable and there’s a great cafe to grab a bacon butty from next door.

Find out more about Whitstable fisherman’s huts.

There are various websites advertising Tankerton beach hut hire:

Beachhuts.com has one Tankerton hut on its books

Beach huts 4 Hire has a good range of Tankerton beach huts for hire

Whitstable Dreams is a well placed front row hut opposite “the Street” – a pebbly spit of land which is exposed at low tide

Whitstable Holidays also has a front row hut

Airbnb has a hut to rent in Tankerton

Beach hut hire in Lancashire

Marine Beach Fleetwood beach huts

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are not permitted on Marine Beach but are allowed on other Fleetwood beaches, see Visit Fleetwood for more details.
• Council owned beach huts with a six or seven year lease.

The town of Fleetwood lies to the north of Blackpool on a peninsula which points towards Morecambe Bay. There are several beaches surrounding Fleetwood but it is Marine Beach where you’ll find the beach huts – close to Marine Hall.

Beach huts at Fleetwood are rented from the council on a seven year lease. They cannot be sublet.

St Anne’s beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are not permitted on St Anne’s beach but are allowed in other areas, see the Visit St Anne’s for more details.
• beach huts are privately owned and rentable by the day.

The twin resorts of Lytham and St Anne’s are the understated neighbours of Blackpool, lying just two miles to the south of the popular resort. Although less brash, Lytham St Anne’s still offers plenty of seaside traditions including the Victorian pier, boating lake and also an iconic windmill.

There’s a long stretch of sandy beach at Lytham St Anne’s and to the south is a nature reserve – perfect for walks if the weather isn’t quite suitable for sandcastle building.

Beach hut rental at St Anne’s is bookable by the day through St Anne’s Beach Huts. The 36 huts sit on the promenade overlooking the beach south of St Anne’s pier.

Beach hut hire Lincolnshire

Mablethorpe beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are not permitted at Mablethorpe, see East Lindsay council website for more information.
• Beach huts are owned by the council and let daily, weekly or seasonally. There are also some privately owned huts leased from the council.

Mablethorpe has all the usual seaside attractions – big sandy beach, plenty of traditional shops and cafes, along with a fairground too. Unlike the more lively resort of nearby Skegness, Mablethorpe is a little quieter and has the beach huts which Skeggy lacks.

Beach hut hire at Mablethorpe is run through Mablethorpe and Sutton town council with huts rentable by the day, week or season.

Sutton-on-Sea beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are restricted, see council website for more details
• Beach huts are privately owned and council owned

Sutton-on-Sea is the quieter neighbour of Mablethorpe but still with the impressive stretch of sand to build castles on.

Most of the beach huts at Sutton on Sea are privately owned and cannot be sublet. However, there is a small number of beach huts which are available for daily hire from the council. See Suttononsea.info for more details.

Beach hut hire Norfolk

Considering a trip to Norfolk? Have a read of our North Norfolk holiday highlights.

Cromer beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are restricted, see North Norfolk council website for more details.
• Beach huts can be rented at Cromer through the council weekly or annually.

Cromer is a really lovely seaside resort. It manages to sit somewhere in between the in-your-face experience of resorts like Hunstanton and the overly-gentrified seaside towns such as Southwold.

The town has a warren of streets to explore packed with independent businesses: art galleries, shops and cafes. Fishing is an important trade here and the Cromer crab appears on lots of menus. The Cromer pier features a theatre as well as the lifeboat station.

Cromer beach hut hire is through the North Norfolk council on a weekly or annual basis.

Looking for a campsite near Cromer? We had an amazing stay at Manor Farm Campsite – within walking distance of the beach!

Great Yarmouth beach hut hire (Gorleston-on-Sea)

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are permitted on certain sections of the beach, see Great Yarmouth council website for more information.
• Beach huts are a mix of annual hire and long lease.

Separated from the main sights and sounds of Great Yarmouth by the River Yare, Gorleston-on-Sea is a lovely sandy beach perfect for families. There’s a little row of shops at the northern end of the beach for that all important ice cream or some fish and chips. There’s also a splash pad for children and a boating lake.

Some beach huts at Gorleston are owned by the council and let annually while others are privately owned on long leases and offered out for rent.

For annual beach hut rentals, visit Great Yarmouth council website for more information.

BeachHuts.com has one hut to rent (Dickies)

Happy Days Beach Hut Hire has one lovely hut to rent in Gorleston – day or weekly hire available.

Berties and Bettie Boutique Beach Huts currently has four huts on their books for daily rent, call 07902 422546.

Mundesley beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are restricted to certain sections of the beach, see Visit North Norfolk for more details.
• Beach huts are rented weekly or annually through the council

We had our first holiday as a family of four in Mundesley – it’s a small, quiet village and there’s some lovely little cottages to stay in within walking distance of the beach.

The beach is long and sandy and it’s easy to access if you’re with little ones – we were able to push our buggy onto the hard sand, brilliant if you’re travelling with a very young sleeping baby as we were.

Weekly beach rental in Mundesley is Saturday to Saturday via the North Norfolk council website.

Old Hunstanton beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are permitted year-round, see Visit North Norfolk for details.
• Beach huts are privately owned

Not to be confused with the beach at the resort town of Hunstanton which has an amusement park and lots going on, the beach at Old Hunstanton is a more peaceful stretch of sand. Backed by dunes and its distinctively striped red and white cliffs, Old Hunstanton lacks the seaside trappings of its neighbour and it’s a long, wide beach loved by everyone.

The village of Old Hunstanton has some good clifftop walks – taking in the old lighthouse and the ruins of St Edmund’s Chapel. The village has several cafes and a couple of pubs along with a popular arts centre of Le Strange Old Barns.

Dogs are permitted year-round at Old Hunstanton. Unusually for Norfolk, this is a west facing beach so you can enjoy some good sunsets.

It’s worth noting that some of the beach huts for hire at Old Hunstanton are in front of each other so if you want an uninterrupted view of the sea, check your hut isn’t in the back row.

Looking for an amazing place to stay in Old Hunstanton? Before clicking on these links, it’s worth noting you’ll need to book WAY IN ADVANCE… you can stay at the Old Lighthouse or the Coastguard Lookout, both of which offer incredible views out to sea.

You can book Old Hunstanton beach huts through the following operators:

Beach Huts 4 hire currently has several huts to rent.

BeachHuts.com has just two huts at the moment.

Norfolk Hideaways has four beach huts in Old Hunstanton on its books – they look lovely.

Ocean Breaks is a small holiday cottage company with just a few properties – including a beach hut which can be hired by guests of the properties, it’s called the Soggy Dollar.

Sea Glimpse is a lovely looking holiday cottage which you can rent with the option of also renting their beach hut Sandy Bottom.

Keeper’s Cottage is another rental property which comes with a beach hut, bookable through Sowerbys Holiday Cottages.

West Norfolk Mencap has a beach hut available to people with a disability. The hut is close to the car park and comes with an “off road” wheelchair. There is no charge for the hut but a donation is suggested.

Time and Tide is another rental property – a ground floor apartment – with a beach hut, bookable through Barefoot Retreats.

Overstrand beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are restricted, see Overstrand parish council for more details.
• Beach huts at rented annually through the council.

Just as Old Hunstanton offers a peaceful change from neighbouring Hunstanton, so too does Overstrand from Cromer. It’s possible to walk between the two along the clifftop path – a distance of around two miles.

It’s important to check tide times for Overstrand. At high tide the beach disappears and you’re left with just the promenade (where the huts are) until the waters recede again. However, with Cromer just along the coast, perhaps this gives you the opportunity to stretch your legs!

Overstrand is a tiny village with a few cafes, a pub and a shop. There’s a beach car park, toilets and usually an ice cream van.

The beach huts at Overstrand are rented by the year through the council – there’s usually quite a waiting list.

Sheringham beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs
• Beach huts are rented through the council weekly or annually.

Like Overstrand, you need to check tide times at Sheringham as the sand disappears under the sea at high tide. When the water recedes it leaves rock pools in among the sea defence boulders.

The beach huts at Sheringham sit on the promenade so you can retreat to your hut for a cuppa when the tide is in.

Beach huts at Sheringham can be rented through the council on a weekly or annual basis.

Wells next the Sea beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs permitted year-round (small section is dog-free)
• Beach huts in Wells are owned privately.

Wells next the Sea is a wonderful long stretch of sand which seems to go on forever. Even in the height of summer, there is plenty of space for everyone. When the tide is out, it’s quite a walk from the huts down to the water.

Wells is extremely popular in the summer holidays. There can be huge queues for car parks in peak season so it’s worth staying in the town in a cottage or at the campsite – Pinewoods – if you’ve paid for a beach hut and you don’t want to worry about not being able to find somewhere to park. Either that, or arrive very early.

There’s a large car park next to the beach café (and toilets) and a smaller one on the edge of town not far from the playground. You can also park in the small parking area on Lady Anne’s Drive where the Lookout is located – the Holkham National Nature Reserve visitor centre (which has toilets). From here you walk through the pine woods and sand dunes to access the beach but the huts are quite a long walk away.

Wells is a great option if you’re looking for a dog friendly beach in summertime. There are huts in the dog section.

If you’re accessing the beach from town, there’s either an elevated walkway, around a mile in length, or a little train which runs alongside. It’s an enjoyable walk which our children always seem happy to undertake when the train isn’t running but some kids may find it a bit far.

The huts with the lower numbers are those closest to the main car park and cafe. The dog free section of the beach is the first 200 yards when accessing from this end. So if you want a dog-friendly beach hut, look for one of the higher number huts.

There are water taps along the beach but these are turned off from November until the end of April so if you want to make yourself a cuppa in the wintertime you’ll need to bring water with you – something to factor in if you’re hiring a hut which is a long walk from the car parks.

You can book Wells beach huts through the following operators:

Beach Huts currently has 10 Wells beach huts for hire, some of them are duplicated on other sites too.

Beach huts 4 hire has a selection of around six huts.

Pinewoods Holiday Park is in an enviable position within a short walk of the beach. It has a number of beach huts available to hire by the day or week.

The Happy Huts sells gift vouchers which sound like a great idea if you’re looking for an interesting birthday gift. I’d love to receive a voucher in case any of my family are reading this!

There are over 15 huts on their books – all look really well maintained and well equipped. They specify which huts are dog friendly.

Annie’s House and beach hut number 12 is an Airbnb three bedroom house which comes with a beach hut. The hut is situated at the Wells end of the beach.

The Den Beach Hut 82 is another Airbnb option – but you’re just getting the hut. It is well equipped with beach toys, beach furniture, tea and coffee. Dogs are permitted.

Beach hut 113 is an Airbnb beach hut which looks really pretty.

Norfolk Coastal Cottages recommends a local catering business – A Little Bit of Luxury – which can deliver a hamper to your beach hut – I love that idea! This cottage company has one hut available to rent in the dog-free area of the beach.

Sextons Place – Upper Deck – this is a local’s cottage and hut which can be rented together or separately. The beach hut – “Upper Deck” is close to Pinewoods, the carpark, toilets and water tap. The hut is well equipped with everything you’ll need for a day at the beach – even salt and vinegar for your chips!

Norfolk Hideaways is another cottage company. As well as a good range of properties all across Norfolk, they also rent out several beach huts – two in Wells (10 and 193) and the rest in Old Hunstanton. The huts in Wells are listed on quite a few other websites.

Sowerbys Holiday Cottages – hut number 5 – this is a really useful holiday cottage website as it lists cottages which are close to one another, ones which have a sea view and they have a “wow!” collection. There’s one beach hut on their books – number 5 – in the dog-free section of the beach, close to the car park.

Stay Next the Sea – number 82 – this website is a great one for couples – there are two properties available to rent in Wells which sleep two as well as a beach hut for hire. They can also arrange a delicious hamper from a local supplier in Holt.

Norfolk Holiday Properties – Blue Horizon Beach Hut – here’s another Wells beach hut in the dog friendly section of the beach. It comes complete with table and chairs and beach toys.

Visit East of England – beach hut 84 – this website is a useful resource for visitors to East Anglia with information on things to see and do across the region including a listing of places to stay. There’s one beach hut on the site – number 84. It comes with kettle, hob and water container – there’s a tap nearby. This Wells beach hut has to be rented by the week.

Tatty Tides – beach hut 63 -this is the website of a lifestyle shop in Holt. The hut is on the dog friendly side of the beach and comes complete with everything a person who shops at Tatty Tides might need – from champagne flutes to cake slicer.

The Grange Farmhouse – this is a large rental property near Fakenham (around 10 miles from Wells). It has a beach hut which can be rented in addition to the house. It is in the dog free zone of the beach.

Beach hut hire Somerset

Dunster beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs are permitted, see Minehead Bay for details.
• Beach huts – or chalets – at Dunster are owned privately and available for overnight stays.

Dunster beach is a quieter alternative to nearby Minehead. It’s very popular with dog walkers. The West Somerset Railway runs along the coast at Dunster – linking the north of the county to the south. There’s also an enjoyable multi-use trail – the Steam Coast Trail – linking Dunster to neighbouring Blur Anchor.

The 230 beach chalets at Dunster beach are suitable for overnight stays and are not day hire huts. The huts only sleep two people.

Dunster Beach Holidays owns the facilities and land around the chalets and rents out some of the properties too. There are lots of owners renting their chalets out with many websites duplicating one another so I decided not to list them all here!

Weston-Super-Mare beach hut rental

• Beach type: sand and mud
• Dogs are permitted in certain areas, see Visit Weston-Super-Mare for details.
• Beach huts are leased annually through the council.

The North Somerset seaside town of Weston-Super-Mare beach gets rather mixed reviews in the press. But if variable water quality and the low tide mud flats don’t put you off, there’s donkey rides and a decent playground with a water play area to keep families entertained, and of course there’s the pier too.

The beach huts at Weston-Super-Mare are rented through the council on an annual basis. There is a waiting list. See North Somerset Council for more details.

Beach hut hire Suffolk

Felixstowe beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs are permitted in certain areas, see Visit Suffolk for details.
• Beach huts are privately owned, beach chalets are let annually through the council.

Felixstowe beach stretches some four miles along the Suffolk coast with the Stour Estuary separating it from the Essex coast and the port of Harwich. The beaches at Felixstowe are named North and South, relating to their location either side of the resort’s pier, with the south offering more sand.

Felixstowe is the biggest containership port in the country, so there’s always plenty of huge ships on the horizon to look for – a handy diversion if the weather isn’t great and your children are a bit restless!

Felixstowe pier has been recently refurbished and South Beach is the more popular choice for families. The north is less developed and attracts water sports enthusiasts. The north also has the Felixstowe Seafront Gardens, which were restored in 2015. Dating back to Victorian times, these gardens – split into eight sections – cover around a kilometre of seafront.

There are beach huts on the promenade of both the north and south beaches and some also positioned directly on the sand. Quite a few of the beach huts at Felixstowe are located at Brackenbury Cliffs which is at the far end of North Beach, closer to Old Felixstowe.

As well as the traditional wooden beach huts at Felixestowe, there are also 77 concrete chalets. The Felixestowe chalets are located at Cliff House and Bath Tap. They are leased from the council annually and there is a waiting list of several years.

You can rent Felixstowe beach huts through the following operators:

BeachHuts4Hire has a good selection of Felixstowe beach huts to rent including a beach hut share scheme.

BeachHuts.com has a couple of beach huts in Felixstowe.

Airbnb features an attractive second row hut.

Ellie’s Beach Huts has one hut at Felixstowe (and one in Walton).

Lowestoft beach hut hire

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are permitted in certain areas, see Visit Suffolk for details.
• Some beach huts are privately owned and some are owned by the council.

As the country’s most easterly town, Lowestoft entices visitors with the promise of seeing the sunrise first. Lowestoft has two beaches – North and South. The South is where you’ll find all of the usual seaside attractions including two piers and formal gardens. The North is backed by sand dunes and is popular with dog walkers and birdwatchers.

Due to recent investment, the seafront East Point Pavillion has been refurbished and transformed into a street food destination. And the humble beach hut has undergone a reinvention at Lowestoft too – 72 architect-designed Eastern Edge beach huts were unveiled in July 2022. Some have been sold while others will be rented out from the council.

Beach huts at Lowestoft can be hired weekly or on a long let through the council.

Hire Beach Huts is the council’s dedicated website for beach hut hire in Lowestoft.

Pakefield beach hut hire

• Beach type: sand and shingle
• Dogs are permitted, see The Suffolk Coast for details.
• Some Pakefield beach huts are privately owned, others are on an annual licence.

Pakefield lies to the south of the main Lowestoft beach area, linked by the promenade. Pakefield is less developed and dogs are permitted year round. Backed by sand dunes and beach huts, Pakefield is ideal for those looking for a more rural seaside experience.

Of the beach huts at Pakefield, the large ones nearer to the Jolly Sailor pub can be sublet as they are privately owned. The rest are on an annual licence and cannot be sublet.

You can rent Pakefield beach huts through the following operators:

Pakefield Beach Hut has one lovely hut available to rent.

BeachHuts.com has a small selection of huts at Pakefield to rent.

BeachHuts4Hire has a few Pakefield huts on their books.

Beach.Hut.Style has a couple of good huts to choose from as well as a holiday cottage.

Mark G is a restaurant in Lowestoft which has a beach hut for rent at Pakefield.

Sizewell beach hut hire

• Beach type: pebbles
• Dogs are permitted, see The Suffolk Coast for details.
• Sizewell beach huts are leased from the council, there is a long waiting list.

There is a long waiting list to hire beach huts at Sizewell (there are only 12). See the East Suffolk Council for details.

Southwold beach huts

• Beach type: sandy
• Dogs are not permitted on the main beach but can use Denes Beach, see Southwold Tourist Information for details.
• Southwold beach huts are privately owned and can be sublet for daily hire.

Southwold has two beaches – the main Southwold Pier Beach where all the action is, and Southwold Denes Beach which is a quieter stretch of the coast lying to the south towards Walberswick.

Southwold is rather an upmarket kind of place, with a very lovely high street full of independent shops. Even the pier feels posh, but don’t worry, it still has dodgy arcades to loose your money in. And of course the price of Southwold’s beach huts reflects the affluence of the place – huts here can sell for over £200,000.

Most of the beach huts at Southwold sit on the promenade but there are one or two at the southern end which sit directly on the sand.

You can rent Southwold beach huts through the following operators:

Suffolk Secrets has a good range of Southwold beach huts to choose from.

Durrants Holiday Cottages also has a decent selection.

BeachHuts4Hire has a small range of Southwold beach huts.

Beach Huts Southwold has some good value huts to rent.

BeachHuts.com has a few Southwold beach huts to choose from.

Southwold Holiday advertises a holiday cottage with the option of booking a beach hut too.

Beach hut hire West Sussex

Bognor Regis beach hut hire (Aldwick beach)

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are permitted at Aldwick beach – see Bognor Beach website for exact details.
• Aldwick beach huts are privately owned.

Aldwick beach, to the west of the main Bognor beaches, is a pebbly beach which reveals sand at low tide. There’s an interesting wreck half submerged in the sand – part of a WWII floating harbour pontoon used by the Allies on D-Day.

There are 90 concrete beach huts at Aldwick which sit directly on the pebbly beach. They are privately owned and I haven’t seen any available to rent.

East Preston Beach huts (Angmering-on-Sea)

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are permitted at East Preston beach, see Arun District Council website for details..
• East Preston beach huts are privately owned.

This shingle / sand beach tends to be quieter than a lot of its neighbours as there is very limited parking. There is a collection of beach huts at East Preston which are privately owned.

Beach Hut Days rents out three huts at East Preston.

East Wittering beach huts

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are restricted at East Wittering beach but there are certain areas where they are allowed.
• East Wittering beach huts are privately owned.

There are a small number of beach huts at East Wittering and they are privately owned. I have seen one hut advertised for rent but due to the low number of huts, this is uncommon.

Felpham beach hut hire

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are restricted at Felpham Beach, see Bognor Beach website for exact details.
• Some Felpham beach huts are privately owned, others are leased long-term from the council.

Another bit of Bognor – while Aldwick sits to the west of Bognor Regis’s main beaches, Felpham sits to the east. As with Aldwick, if you’re keen to build sandcastles, check the tide times – the beach is sandy when the tide goes out.

There are two types of beach hut at Felpham – the traditional wooden huts and also some rather upmarket huts which you can sleep in. The overnight huts at Felpham are right on the promenade and owned by the Beachcroft Hotel. They can sleep two adults and two children (bunkbeds) and I imagine they sell out rather quickly!

Although dogs are not permitted on a large area of Felpham beach, there is a section to the east where they are allowed and this area has beach huts set slightly back from the beach on grass (great for paws on a hot day!). There are 100 beach huts at Felpham – some privately owned, others leased long-term from the council. I haven’t seen any available for short term rent.

More information on beach huts at Felpham can be found on the Arun council website.

Ferring

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are permitted, see Arun District Council website for more details.
• Ferring beach huts are privately owned

Ferring is a shingle beach with sand at low tide. The beach is backed by grass and a footpath. The beach huts sit in a cluster near the café and car park.

You can rent Ferring beach huts through the following operators:

Sussex Beach Hut features “Sandy Toes” beach hut at Ferring.

Beach Huts 4 Hire has one hut on its books for Ferring

Goring-by-Sea beach hut hire

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are restricted at Goring-by-Sea, see council website for exact details.
• There are private and council-owned beach huts and chalets at Goring-by-Sea.

Goring-by-Sea sits just west of Worthing. It’s another typical West Sussex beach with shingle giving way to sand at low tide.

Some of the beach huts at Goring-by-Sea are private while others are leased annually from the council. There is a long waiting list to lease a hut but there are a few available to rent short term through private owners.

BeachHuts.com has a few Goring beach huts on its books

Lancing beach huts

• Beach type: shingle with some sand at low tide
• Dogs: are permitted in Lancing, see council website for details
• Privately owned beach huts

Lancing beach is sandwiched between Worthing to the west and Shoreham to the east. As with other Sussex seaside towns, there are very few huts in Lancing to rent.

Littlehampton beach hut hire

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are restricted at Littlehampton Beach, see Arun District Council website for exact details.
• Some Littlehampton beach huts are privately owned, others are leased from the council.

Littlehampton has two beaches – East and West, separated by the River Arun. West Beach is the quieter of the two and permits dogs year round whereas the more lively East Beach has restrictions in place.

Littlehampton is a typical seaside resort – there’s amusements, pitch and put, plenty of shops and eateries and it even boasts the longest bench is Britain, now there’s a reason to visit! All this can be found at East Beach, backed by a decent grassy area with a play area, this is where you’ll also find the beach huts.

Some of the beach huts at Littlehampton are leased annually through the council while others are privately owned. Full details are on Arun council website.

BeachHuts.com has several huts to rent in Littlehampton.

Rustington beach huts

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are permitted year-round at Rustington Beach, see Arun District Council website.
• Rustington beach huts are privately owned.

Rustington is one of a series of beaches lying between the larger towns of Littlehampton and Worthing. As with other beaches on the West Sussex coast, Rustington is a shingle beach with sand at low tide.

There is just a small group of concrete beach huts at Rustington which are privately owned. I am not aware of any that are available for short term hire.

West Wittering beach huts

• Beach type: sand
• Dogs are restricted in certain areas of the beach, see the West Wittering Estate website for exact details.
• West Wittering beach huts are mostly privately owned, just seven are owned by the estate and leased annually.

West Wittering is a lovely stretch of sand backed by dunes, located to the east of Chichester Harbour. Although the beach is mostly left in a natural state, there is a café and toilets along with a water sports shop.

The beach huts at West Wittering are mostly private with just seven still retained by the Wittering Estate. The Estate huts are leased annually while the private huts can be rented out by the day or longer.

The huts at West Wittering sit directly on the sand with the car park close by – ideal if you don’t want to lug your beach gear too far.

You can rent West Wittering beach huts through the following operators:

BeachHuts.com has a small selection of huts at West Wittering.

BeachHuts4Hire also has several huts on its books at West Wittering.

Worthing beach huts

• Beach type: shingle with sand at low tide
• Dogs are restricted at Goring-by-Sea, see council website for exact details.
• Private and council-owned beach huts and chalets

Worthing has a bit more going on than some of its neighbours – there’s a pier with a theatre as well as plenty of water sports. Low tide reveals sand and rockpools so it’s a popular beach for families.

As with the other beaches in the area, the beach huts at Worthing are a mix of annual lease and privately owned so there are no ad hoc rentals. The annual huts have a waiting list.

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Have I missed anywhere off this list of beach hut locations? Please do get in touch if there is something I should add!