Aberavon Beach

Three miles of golden sand stretches along Port Talbot's seafront, and Aberavon Beach delivers exactly what you'd hope for - proper seaside without the pretension. The promenade runs the full length, lined with cafes and fish-and-chip shops that actually know what they're doing, and the beach itself is wide enough that you won't feel sardined in even on a decent summer's day.

It's a family beach, plain and simple. The sand is fine, the water's clean enough for swimming, and there's a gentle slope that means toddlers won't disappear into a hole. Teenagers might find it a bit quiet, but walkers will appreciate the long, flat promenade - perfect for a morning stroll before heading elsewhere. If you're staying at Swansea Marina Tourer Park, it's a straightforward drive or even a bus ride.

Don't expect dramatic cliffs or rockpools. This is a working seaside town beach, not a postcard moment. What you get instead is reliability - decent facilities, a proper arc of sand, and the sort of place where locals actually come to swim rather than just Instagram it. Summer weekends get busy, so a quieter weekday morning or shoulder season visit will be far more enjoyable.

The whole area has been smartened up in recent years, and the promenade cafes are genuinely decent. Worth an afternoon, especially if the weather plays along. Nothing revolutionary, but a solid day out.