Seaside stays where dogs are welcome year-round
Coastal towns and harbour cafés that don't ban dogs on the first sunny weekend of the year.
Most of the British coast lets dogs on the beach in winter; far fewer do so in summer. The seaside places worth booking are the ones that hold the line year-round — the harbour town where the chippy keeps a water bowl out in August, the cottage with a sand-rinse tap by the back door, the café that lets a wet labrador sleep under the table at four in the afternoon. We've verified each of the seaside stays on the directory by visit, in season, with a dog.
A few small things to pack make a coastal weekend easier. A long line for the times when the beach is busy, a thick towel for the walk home, and a check of the local council's seasonal dog ban map before you set out. Restrictions vary by parish and they change year to year — five minutes on the council website saves a long walk back to the car.