Top Beaches Day Trips from Liverpool
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Beaches Day Trips from Liverpool include Meols Beach, Thurstaston Beach, Caldy Beach, Cubbins Green Beach, Prestatyn Beach, Ffrith Beach, Kinmel Bay Beach and Llanddulas Beach.
Liverpool sits on the Mersey, but some of the finest sands in the northwest lie only a short drive across the water. Head over to the Wirral peninsula and you reach a run of open shores in quick succession: Meols along the breezy north coast, then Thurstaston, Caldy and Cubbins Green strung along the wide Dee estuary near West Kirby, all looking across to the hills of North Wales.
Carry on a little further and the Welsh coast opens up. Prestatyn and neighbouring Ffrith greet you with long resort sands and a promenade, while Kinmel Bay stretches out near Rhyl on a flat, family-friendly shore.
Push west along the Conwy coast and you find Llanddulas, a quieter pebble beach with sea views and a coastal path. Whether you fancy estuary birdwatching, kite buggying on the flats or a proper bucket-and-spade day, there is a beach here to suit.
Each one makes an easy outing, close enough for a morning start and home by evening. Here are eight beaches for a day trip from Liverpool.
Meols Beach
Photo: Colin Park via Geograph.org.uk
Meols Beach Around 11km northwest of the city on the Wirral's north coast, Meols runs between Hoylake and Wallasey, facing Liverpool Bay and the Irish Sea. Shingle at high tide gives way to a broad spread of sand and mudflats when the sea retreats, all backed by the promenade of the North Wirral Coastal Park.
It is a breezy, open shore where people take to kite buggying, sand yachting and winter birdwatching, with sunsets settling over the water. The beach has a long past, too: erosion has turned up thousands of finds over the years, from Roman brooches to Viking weapons, marking it as a place lived in since ancient times.
Thurstaston Beach
Photo: Raymond Knapman via Geograph.org.uk
Thurstaston Beach A little further round the Wirral, about 13km from Liverpool, Thurstaston sits on the eastern shore of the Dee estuary, backed by crumbling cliffs of red sandstone and boulder clay with wide views across to the hills of North Wales. It forms part of Wirral Country Park, whose clifftop visitor centre offers a cafe, bird hides and picnic areas, and it lies roughly halfway along the Wirral Way, a walking and cycling trail on a former railway line.
The foreshore is muddy and sandy, better suited to walks and birdwatching than to bathing, and the tide reaches the cliffs at high water. Do note there are no lifeguards here.
Caldy Beach
Photo: Eirian Evans via Geograph.org.uk
Caldy Beach Just south of West Kirby, about 13km out, Caldy is a quiet stretch of shore on the wide Dee estuary, much less busy than the larger sands nearby. A path leads down through Caldy village to the shore.
At low tide the estuary opens into a vast expanse of sand and mudflats reaching toward the North Wales hills, while the wooded sandstone slopes of Caldy Hill rise behind. This is a place for an unhurried walk with big estuary views, watching the birds on the flats and the light shift over the water.
Little has been built here, keeping a calm, out-of-the-way feel. The tide comes in a long way across the sands.
Cubbins Green Beach
Photo: Jeff Buck via Geograph.org.uk
Cubbins Green Beach Also at West Kirby, and a shade over 13km from Liverpool, Cubbins Green sits on the Dee estuary side of the Wirral in Merseyside. Sea defences and the green open space that gives the beach its name back a wide foreshore of sand and mud, covered and uncovered by the tide.
At low water the sand and flats stretch far out toward the estuary. You will find it near the marine lake at the northern end of West Kirby, right on the Wirral Way, making it easy to pair with a longer walk along the old railway path.
Prestatyn Beach
Photo: Jaggery via Geograph.org.uk
Prestatyn Beach Cross into North Wales and, roughly 28km from the city, Prestatyn opens out as a long, flat, sandy resort beach in Denbighshire, backed by a promenade and part of a run of beaches along the town's front. Wide sands appear at low tide, gentle enough for families, with a cafe, toilets and seasonal lifeguards at the central beach, plus sailing and windsurfing on offer.
It is best known as the northern end of the Offa's Dyke Path, the long-distance trail that follows the Welsh border all the way from the Severn, and the Wales Coast Path also runs along the seafront here.
Ffrith Beach
Photo: Eirian Evans via Geograph.org.uk
Ffrith Beach A touch beyond Prestatyn, about 31km from Liverpool, Ffrith forms the middle stretch of the town's long seafront, sitting between the golf course and the main town beach. A promenade doubling as part of a coastal cycle route runs along the back, with a car park close by.
The old funfair and leisure site that once stood behind the sands has long since closed and been cleared, now awaiting a new use. From here the sand carries on along the seafront in either direction, so it is easy to stroll on to the neighbouring beaches and make a longer afternoon of it.
Kinmel Bay Beach
Photo: Stephen McKay via Geograph.org.uk
Kinmel Bay Beach Further west along the flat North Wales coast, about 37km out, Kinmel Bay, sometimes called Sandy Cove, lies near Rhyl on the far side of the river mouth from the town. A promenade and sea defences back the shore, and a wide stretch of sand opens out at low tide with a patch of dunes alongside.
A large car park, toilets and cafes serve the beach, so a family day here needs little planning. Through the summer it becomes a busy family beach on this open, sandy coast, good for a straightforward paddle-and-picnic outing well within reach of Liverpool.
Llanddulas Beach
Photo: Mat Fascione via Geograph.org.uk
Llanddulas Beach Furthest along, roughly 45km from Liverpool on the Conwy coast, Llanddulas is a quiet pebble-and-rock beach between Colwyn Bay and Abergele, with some sand showing at low tide. A surfaced path forming part of the North Wales coastal route runs beside the shore and is well used by walkers and cyclists taking in the sea views.
Caravan and holiday parks sit behind the beach, and there is free parking and a public toilet, with a couple of cafes not far off. Dogs are welcome here all year round, which makes it a good pick if you are bringing the family pet along for the trip.
FAQs
How far are the beaches from Liverpool?
The nearest, Meols on the Wirral, is only around 11km from Liverpool, while the Wirral's Dee estuary beaches sit close behind at roughly 13km. The North Wales beaches range further out, from about 28km at Prestatyn to 45km at Llanddulas, so allow a little more driving time for those.
Which of these beaches are best for families?
Prestatyn and Kinmel Bay near Rhyl are the most family-friendly, both offering wide sands at low tide, car parks, toilets, cafes and seasonal lifeguards. They are an easy drive from Liverpool for a bucket-and-spade day on the North Wales coast.
Are the Wirral beaches good for swimming?
Not really. The Wirral shores near Liverpool, such as Thurstaston and Caldy, are muddy, sandy estuary beaches better suited to walking and birdwatching, with the tide reaching a long way and no lifeguards at Thurstaston. For a proper swim, head on to Prestatyn in North Wales.
Conclusion
From the estuary flats of the Wirral to the resort sands of North Wales, Liverpool is well placed for a proper day beside the sea. The Wirral shores at Meols, Thurstaston, Caldy and Cubbins Green suit slow walks, birdwatching and big skies over the Dee, all within a short hop of the city.
Cross into Wales and the mood changes, with Prestatyn and Ffrith offering promenades and family sands, Kinmel Bay adding dunes and easy parking near Rhyl, and Llanddulas keeping things quiet and dog-friendly along the Conwy coast. Keep an eye on the tide times on the estuary beaches, pack a flask for the breezier spots, and pick the shore that matches your mood.
Whether you want peace and mudflats or buckets and spades, these are the beaches for a day trip from Liverpool.
