I want to live by the seaside...

[Jibber Jabber]

...but where??

South coast preferable.

Ideally within a 2.5 hour drive of London due to family and perhaps one day work (I currently work for myself). This could be flexible.

I'd prefer a busy area with a few bars/restaurants within walking distance.

Any thoughts on Poole as an area? There are some nice apartments in Poole Quays but I have no experience of the area.

Any other areas I'm obviously missing aside from the Bournemouth/Brighton towns? Any hidden gems along the coast. Sea view a must.

Thanks

[Monkeylegend]

Sandbanks is very nice, depends on your budget.

[PhilboSE]

2.5 hours to London takes you to the Suffolk coast as well, which is completely different from the South Coast in all sorts of ways. Your money will go an awful lot further as well in general.

Southwold and Aldeburgh are the high spots on that stretch of coast.

[Adenauer]

Poole used to be nice years ago, but having been away for a number of years, I went back in July and thought it was an utter sthole.

[Adenauer]

PhilboSE said:

Southwold and Aldeburgh are the high spots on that stretch of coast.

I'd second that.

[ewenm]

French coast not too far from Calais?

[valais]

Monkeylegend said:

Sandbanks is very nice, depends on your budget.

Average detached price: £1,116,250

[Puggit]

PhilboSE said:

Your money will go an awful lot further as well in general.

Southwold and Aldeburgh are the high spots on that stretch of coast.

But not in these 2 towns. Lively in the summer when full of families (many with kids in boarding school), but much quieter out of season because at least half the properties are rentals!

[anonymous-user]

Adenauer said:

PhilboSE said:

Southwold and Aldeburgh are the high spots on that stretch of coast.

I'd second that.

I'd also add Thorpeness to that mix - and in my opinion, the area is far, far nicer than the south coast. Driest part of the UK too!

[Puggit]

All the East Coast fans are neglecting to mention that wind...

[zcacogp]

valais said:

Monkeylegend said:

Sandbanks is very nice, depends on your budget.

Average detached price: £1,116,250

True that it's not cheap, but it's about the best bit of coastline to live on in the UK and prices like that look reasonable when compared with similar areas abroad in the US or the Caribbean.

We love it.


Oli.

[Bluebarge]

ewenm said:

French coast not too far from Calais?

Getting caught up in the French tax system might not be a great idea at the moment. Wait till Hollande has gone.

[12v3pot]

Pfft - Aldeburgh and Southwold are for rich folk - your money will go a looooonnnnggggg way in Jaywick.

[UncappedTag]

Poole quay is nice, unfortunately let down by the residence from the local estates.

How about Wool as it has a train station straight in to Waterloo?

[longblackcoat]

12v3pot said:

Pfft - Aldeburgh and Southwold are for rich folk - your money will go a looooonnnnggggg way in Jaywick.

Jesus! I will never forget the winter I spent in Jaywick. So cold in our house that polar bears were tapping on the window asking if we were OK.

[Adenauer]

UncappedTag said:

Poole quay is nice, unfortunately let down by the residence from the local estates.

How about Wool as it has a train station straight in to Waterloo?

Pool quay is nice, I'll give you that. But as soon as you cross the street and start to walk into town it's like walking onto the set of a 70's based council house shopping centre drama, truly awful. I used to live in Parkstone and visited Poole regularly, when I went back there in July it actually made me feel pretty sad, it was that run down.

[kVA]

Jibber Jabber said:

I'd prefer a busy area with a few bars/restaurants within walking distance.

Anywhere on the East Coast? Really? Ha ha...

I suppose if you are not bothered about sharing them with the fossils (or chavs in Clacton, etc)... and I second that about the winters, having spent many a freezing cold Christmas in Aldeburgh, with the ex's Outlaws!

How about the Isle of Wight? PITA having to get the ferry to commute, but doable... Get a lot more for your money and Cowes is brilliant in the summer, if you want a bit more 'life'...

[sparks_E39]

I live in Poole. It's pretty rubbish to be honest. Not a sthole but not that nice. Wimborne is 10 minutes away and is much nicer. They only show the nice parts of Sandbanks on TV...

[Pixel Pusher]

West Wittering?

[PhilboSE]

Puggit said:

All the East Coast fans are neglecting to mention that wind...

I just mentioned that the East Coast was different from the South, wasn't saying it was flawless ;-).

Though I have to say, on Sunday the sea was like a millpond, clear blue skies, sitting outside the hut catching some Autumn rays while the kids played on the beach, was a pretty perfect day.