The Isle of Wight has been named home to the most kid-friendly beach in the UK, according to a new study that ranks the nation’s coastlines based on their suitability for little ones.
Safest Shores: The UK’s Kid-Friendly Coastlines, created by Island Cottage Holidays, reveals the UK’s top beaches best suited for kids, based on a range of metrics including safety, entertainment, accessibility and lifeguard availability.
The study gathers data on safety and happiness scores, TripAdvisor ratings, transport availability and frequency, as well as kids menu availability and price data, to find the most accommodating coastlines for kids around the UK.
The study found it’s Ventnor Beach on the Isle of Wight that’s been crowned the safest and most entertaining coastline for families to visit.
Parents can have peace of mind while away on the Isle of Wight, as Ventnor Beach boasts the best safety score of all beaches analysed (5) and friendliness score of 7.59/10, and has a lifeguard on hand – proving to be the safest off all the beaches analysed in the study
The coast also proves to have top scores for entertainment value, earning 10/10 for available activities, based on TripAdvisor reviews and ratings. Top attractions include the Blackgang Chine Amusement Park and the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary.
And while Ventnor doesn’t have the best public transport availability of the coastlines analysed in the study, it makes up for it with a good food score of 4.3/10.
Woolacombe Beach in Devon came in second for most kid-friendly beach with a safety score of 1, 7.47/10 for friendliness, a provided lifeguard service, great public transport links and a wide availability of attractions – including Borough Farm.
Whitesands Beach in Pembrokeshire also made the top three best beaches for children with 2.2 for its safety score and 7.49/10, and is also equipped with lifeguard support and excellent transport availability and frequency.
The study also looked at the top activities available to children on coastlines, with steam railways proving to be the most popular activity overall, followed by aquariums and amusement parks, based on TripAdvisor review and rating data.
Shannon Keary, PR Manager and Island Cottage Holidays, commented on the study:
“With staycations on the rise and families once again looking to get away during half term now schools have reconvened, it’s never been more important to pick the right destination.
“While local safety is obviously a key factor, it’s interesting to see how popular beaches compare when it comes to other metrics, including entertainment value, accessibility and food provisions for little ones, to make sure they’re getting the most out of their trip away.”
To see the full results of the Safest Shores study and to see which beaches are the most child-friendly, visit https://www.islandcottageholidays.com/guides/kid-friendly-coastlines
