Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Southsea Beach this summer. From where to eat, drink and park, and what to do when you’re on Southsea seafront too.

I want to introduce you to Southsea Seafront. During lockdown I must’ve walked it over 200 times, as it’s only a mile from my house. Portsmouth Southsea Beach is one of my favourites. It’s not as hectic as other English beaches (looking at Brighton and the sandy shores of Cornwall) but, has a unique character of its own.

Like all good beaches there are enough restaurants, arcades and places to get ice cream, yet it’s definitely not overwhelming. Southsea Beach is a great size beach to have nearby, and the fact that it’s shingle means that you don’t bring half of it home after a visit.

If you’ve never been to Portsmouth seafront before, then let me show you what to expect from a day out at Southsea Beach.

What is Southsea Beach like?

Southsea Beach is shingle, big stone shingle. As the waterline retreats in low tide you might see some sand in the right spot. Apart from that, Southsea does not have a sandy beach.

The sea on Southsea Beach can get deep pretty quickly. I wouldn’t recommend anyone but a really competent swimmer to go in more than a few feet. Especially if it’s cold as that cold can really give you a shock.

Southsea Beach is less than a mile south of Portsmouth city centre, making it the perfect place for a weekend with all the delights of the city not far away.

From Southsea Beach, you can see out to the Isle of Wight, and all the boats passing in front of you too. Amazing to see, but calming too, when you’re sat on the beach admiring the view.

Southsea Beach map

Here’s a map of our Victorian seafront, Southsea Beach. As you can see on the video, we have a clear beach road, a promenade for exercise, a run of restaurants and a pier too. Most of the buildings along Southsea seafront are residential, apart from the Royal Beach Hotel.

Watch my video to see more of Southsea Beach…

What to do on Southsea Beach

Southsea is on the southern shore of Portsea Island. The beach road along Southsea Beach makes it the perfect spot for riding your scooter and cycling, although if you’ve spent more than a day here you’ll realise it can be pretty dangerous.

Drivers parking up don’t look when they open their doors into the cycle path, pedestrians don’t look as they cross the road and speedy cyclists don’t stop at zebra crossings. It’s easy to get annoyed at people down here but I once nearly took out a cyclist with my paddleboard as I crossed over without looking properly, still makes me shudder to think of. He shouted some earned expletives at me and now I’m extra, super careful crossing there – as everyone should be.

I’ve also been a victim of rogue car doors when I cycle down, and pedestrians too involved in their ice creams to look where they’re going. Just watch yourself down here. I’m sure that cycle path was created with good intentions, but it’s a pretty hazardous part of Portsmouth.

Public Service Announcement over, let’s move onto the FUN to be had on Southsea Beach.

As you know, I love living in Southsea. Here are just a few of the great things you can do on the beach here.