A wide arc of golden sand stretching south from the harbour along the esplanade, sheltered from the prevailing winds by the bulk of Portland and the peninsula. The beach is one of the best in southern England for families — the sand is fine, the water is calm, and the shallow gradient makes it safe for children.
The Georgian esplanade behind the beach is one of the most complete in Britain: a long terrace of bow-fronted houses facing the sea, dating from the period when George III made Weymouth fashionable. The beach huts, Punch and Judy shows, and donkeys give it an air of classic English seaside that manages to feel genuine rather than nostalgic.