Barry Island Beaches Guide! 4 BEST Beaches in Barry To Visit!

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Most of us know Barry Island because of Gavin & Stacey, Barry Island Pleasure Park, the colourful Barry Island Beach Huts and Barry Island Beach which overlooks all of this.

But did you know that there are more Barry Island Beaches to visit which take you away from the slot machines and funfair rides to golden sand beaches and coastal walks?

Barry Island is one of the most loved seaside towns in Wales and although it is very commercialised, it offers a lot of easy and fun entertainment for families all year round!

Despite the bright signs for cafes, fish and chips, ice cream, arcades and rides, it is a very clean town with clean beaches, some of the best beaches near Cardiff in fact!

Whether you’re looking for typical British seaside fun in Barry Island, or you want to visit beaches near Barry that are a bit quieter and go on a coastal walk, you can find all of this in and near Barry Island!

Let me tell you how in this post about the best Barry Island beaches! I’ll also tell you where to park for all of these beaches in Barry and things to do in Barry Island.

Barry Island Beaches

Barry Island Map

Here are the best beaches in Barry that I have detailed below so you can see where they are and plan your trip to Barry!

1. Whitmore Bay Beach

– Barry Island Beach

The main beach in Barry Island’s real name is Whitmore Bay! This is the most popular beach in Barry, and one of the most popular beaches in South Wales and it gets very busy in the summer!

Whitmore Bay Beach in Barry is a beautiful crescent-shaped beach made up of soft golden sand and when the tide is out there is plenty of beach to play on and relax on.

In the summer months and on popular bank holidays like Easter there is lifeguard patrol on Whitmore Bay Beach throughout the day making it a safe place for children and adults to swim in Barry.

Barry Island Beach Huts

One of the most iconic things about Whitmore Bay and Barry Island are the colourful beach huts that line one side of the beach.

These Beach Huts can be hired and at a really reasonable price! For information on Barry Island Beach Hut hire including prices and how to book a beach hut, click here!

Barry Island Pleasure Park

The other iconic thing about Barry Island Beach and easily one of the top things to do in Barry Island is the Pleasure Park and all of the funfair rides along Barry Island Seafront!

These make Barry Island one of the best places to visit in South Wales for family fun and a day out in Wales!

Barry Island Pleasure Beach literally backs Whitmore Bay Beach so it is easy to visit both at the same time along with the many rides and things to do in Barry like mini-golf and arcades that also run along Whitmore Bay!

2. Jackson’s Bay Beach

Jackson’s Bay is a 5-10 minute walk from Whitmore Bay Beach in Barry Island via the coastal footpath on Nell’s Point which is one of the lovely walks in Barry.

Although it’s close to the centre of Barry Island, it feels a million miles away as it is a much quieter beach in Barry and much less visited than the main beach.

Jackson’s Bay is a small cove but it still has plenty of space, especially when the tide is out.

It is a beautiful sandy beach with a gentle slope into the water making it a good beach for swimming in Barry Island, although there is no lifeguard control.

For dog-friendly beaches in Barry Island, Jackson’s Bay is a good one because Vale of Glamorgan advises that dogs are allowed here all year round.

The facilities for Jackson’s Bay Beach in Barry are minimal but that’s probably what keeps it quiet and clean. There are toilets close to the beach but the closest food and drink places are in Barry Centre and by Whitmore Bay.

3. Watch House Bay Beach

-Watch Tower Bay

Watch House Bay Beach is also known as Watch Tower Bay is one of the quieter beaches in Barry because of its location.

It is still very to Barry Island however to walk there from Whitmore Bay takes about 25 minutes because you have to go around Barry harbour.

If you want to visit Watch House Bay in Barry, it is best to park closer and I have given parking for Watch House Bay below.

When the tide is out Watch House Bay Beach is a huge beach! Even bigger than Barry Island Beach I think. It is all golden sand with rocks around the edge when the tide is out.

This is a great beach in Barry to visit if you want to pop into Barry Island for some fun but you don’t want to stay on the crowded beach and instead want a quieter and more remote beach to visit!

Nearby are some good parks to walk around and you can easily head to the last beach on this list of Barry Island Beaches – Cold Knapp Beach, or Pebble Beach as it’s also known as.

-Friars Point

Because Watch House Bay Beach is a good 25-minute walk from Barry Island centre so if you just want to see a view of the stunning beach near Barry and do a nice walk around Barry,

I suggest walking along the footpaths from Whitmore Bay Beach to Friars Point!

4. Cold Knap Barry

– Pebble Beach

Cold Knap Beach, also known as Pebble Beach on Google Maps is the furthest beach from Barry but it is still located within Barry!

It is a long stretch of beach however this beach is all pebble as the name suggests.

It is a quieter beach in Barry but it does still get busy on warm days and in the summer months as it is a favourite for locals to visit.

Backed by Birch Grove Nature Reserve instead of Barry Island Pleasure Beach it has a very different feel to Whitmore Bay Beach down the road.

There is no lifeguard control on this beach and despite its more remote location, dogs are not allowed on the beach all year round.

Barry Island FAQ

Does Barry Island have a beach?

Yes, the main beach in Barry Island is called Whitmore Bay which is a beautiful present shaped beach with golden sand and safe ocean to swim in.

How many beaches does Barry have?

Barry Island has 4 beaches in total which include the main Barry Island Beach plus 3 more beaches near Barry in walking and a short driving distance.

Is Barry Island Beach sandy?

Yes, Barry Island Beach is a beautiful, big, sandy beach!

Can you swim in Barry Island?

Barry Island is good for swimming and Barry Island Beach has life guards on the beach during the summer months for safety.

Is Barry Island an Island?

No, Barry Island is no longer an island and driving here feels like you are driving anywhere in South Wales. Barry Island used to be an island which is how it got its name but the docks now link the gap which used to isolate Barry Island as an island.

Is Barry Island a good place to visit?

To be honest, I thought Barry Island would be really tacky and although it is in parts, it is a very clean place and there are ways you can easily escape the commercialism of the town so I think it is a good place to visit for everyone depending on what you like!

I hope you know which of the Barry Island Beaches you should visit now!

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• For more of my South Wales posts for more ideas and to plan your trip see:
• TOP 20 Things To Do In Cardiff, Cardiff Bay & Near Cardiff!
• 16 GREAT Day Trips From Cardiff In Wales & England!
• 10 Direct City Breaks From Cardiff For An Easy Holiday from Cardiff!
• How To Visit Three Cliffs Bay on Swansea Gower!
• How To Do The Brecon Beacons Waterfalls Walk to 4 Waterfalls!
• How To Do Pen Y Fan Walk in The Brecon Beacons!