Five of the best beaches to take children to within an hour's drive of Manchester

From donkey rides to pedalos, here's where to get the most out of a trip to the seaside

The beach is a whole new experience once you've got children and sunbathing doesn't exactly feature in your typical trip to the seaside.

But it's not always easy to know where the best places are when you have little people in tow.

That's why we asked parents to recommend family-friendly beaches within an hour's drive of Manchester. And there are some great ones to choose from.

Read more: Outdoor water parks, splash zones and paddling pools for kids in and around Greater Manchester

St Annes, Lytham

The beach at Lytham St Annes is a firm favourite with families.

There's plenty of clean sand for little ones to play in and build a sand castle and there are donkey rides to keep them entertained.

Because it's so flat the tide goes far out and there are miles of sand to enjoy, but it also comes back in quick too.

Inside the nearby pier there are small children's rides, around £2 each, and other amusements, as well as places to buy food and drink.

Further along, but still within walking distance, is Boats and Balls, a man-made boating lake, where there's a cafe and water activities to enjoy including pedalos and zorbs.

There’s pay and display car parking at the front of and to the right of the pier and some on street parking along the front if you get there early enough.

If you get stuck, we're told Toby Carvery offers three hours of parking for a small charge.

The annual kite festival is always a popular event and this year's takes place from September 2 to 4.

St Annes beach, St Annes on the Sea, Lancashire, FY8 1LW.

New Brighton, Wirral

Another favourite within an hour's drive of Manchester is New Brighton beach on the Wirral.

There's a smooth walkway for buggies with a concrete hill type ramp that leads onto the beach.

It's a good place for crabbing and there are arcades for older ones to enjoy.

It was home to its very own pirate ship, the Black Pearl, but little of that remains there now.

There's a big free car park facing the Fort, or plenty of free on-street parking in the nearby roads.

And if the beach doesn't keep them busy for the day then lots of families head along to the Fairy Village at Vale Park, which is within walking distance of the beach and features lovingly crafted fairy houses and other creations.

There's a cafe at the park, but if your trip to the seaside isn't complete without fish and chips then we're assured the chippy at Brighton beach is well worth a visit.

Magazine Lane, New Brighton, Wirral, CH45 1.

Ainsdale, Southport

Families with babies and younger children love Ainsdale because it's so accessible and you can drive right onto the beach.

It costs £10 to do so, but most people are happy to pay that to get a good spot for the day.

A Blue Flag award winner, it currently holds a Quality Coast Award which ensures clean water and plenty of facilities.

As with the sea at St Annes, it goes far out, which gives plenty of place to play, but often means a long walk to reach the water.

Located between Southport and Formby, it's now recognised as one of the premier beaches in the UK for extreme kite activities, with zones set aside for kite buggy and landboard use and kitesurfing taking place on the sea.

Shore Road, Southport, PR8 2QA.

Formby, Liverpool

Another firm favourite for Manchester families is Formby Beach.

A National Trust site, it boasts a beautiful sandy beach, sweeping sand dunes, pine forests and grasslands.

Make the effort to climb to the top of the sand dunes for amazing views across the River Mersey and you might even see Mount Snowdon on a clear day.

Its red squirrel walk is a further draw for visitors and the place gets very busy at peak times.

The walk is under two miles long and takes around an hour to complete, but it depends how long your little ones want to spend spotting squirrels.

During the holidays and nice weather the car parks at Victoria Road and Lifeboat Road are often full by mid-morning and after that it's a 'one out, one in' system.

A Squirrel Coffee cart sells, you guessed it, coffee, as well as homemade cakes and this is located in the picnic site adjacent to the woodland car park at Victoria Road and open from 9.30am to 4.30pm on Wednesdays to Sundays during term time and everyday during school holidays.

During peak periods, ice creams, soft drinks and snacks are available from ice cream vans in the woodland and beach car park at Victoria Road, and in the car park at Lifeboat Road.

Victoria Road, near Formby, Liverpool, L37 1LJ.

Morecambe Beach, Lancashire

In the other direction, Morecambe is a popular spot for families.

A traditional seaside town, the award-winning seafront promenade overlooks a five-mile stretch of sandy coastline.

South Morecambe beach is perhaps better for children as there's more sand as opposed to the mud you'll find further up.

As well as the fun of the beach, kids can also enjoy the nearby Happy Mount Park, which has its own splash park, as well as an adventure playground, a train, golf and lots more.

For the park use postcode LA4 6AQ in the satnav. There is a pay-and-display car park on the promenade close to the park entrance.

Central Promenade, Morecambe, Lancs, LA4 4DB.

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