Have a city staycation: beach holiday at Camden and the South Bank
These days, going on an actual holiday requires a second mortgage, a third job or a fourth credit card. Luckily, you can find nearly every kind of great getaway right here in London. Let us take you on a trip without leaving the city.
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside, oh I do like to be beside the, um… ageing punks and stalls of T-shirts. Okay, so NW1 isn’t exactly Malibu, but a day lazing on the sands of Camden Beach sure beats an 11-hour flight to California. There are deckchairs, a tiki bar, barbecue grub and vintage seaside amusements for when you get bored of burying your mates’ stuff.
If the gentle lapping of waves is a must, the Southbank Centre’s Sandy Neighbourhood (along Queen’s Walk, until September 8) is where to get your lobster look on. A 50-metre stretch of sand comes with a Thames view, shady trees and concrete sculptures. Or stroll a couple of minutes east along to Gabriel’s Wharf and nip down the steps to the Thames real (yes!) beach. Get your Speedos on and break out your best muscle-beach poses. Now stop. David Clack