Aberdeen Beach is a two-mile arc of sand running north from the harbour mouth at Footdee. It is a proper beach — wide, clean, and exposed to the full force of the North Sea when the wind picks up — rather than a resort beach. Swimming is possible in summer, and the water is colder than it looks. On a clear summer evening, with the light low across the water and the city visible to the south, it is one of the more surprising sights in Scottish urban geography.
The esplanade runs the length of the beach with the usual seafront cafes and amusements. The seafront cafes — including the long-standing Inversnecky Cafe and Berni's — serve Aberdeen's traditional tea-and-fry-up culture rather than artisanal anything. The Links golf course, Pittodrie Stadium (home of Aberdeen FC), and the Linx Ice Arena are all nearby.