Portmeirion Beach (approx. 9.5 miles away)
At low tide an expanse of sand extends into the estuary of Afon Dwyryd, below the village of Portmeirion.
Carreg Wen Beach
Porthmadog LL49 9UF (approx. 12 miles away)
A beautiful little beach in Tremadog Bay overlooking the estuaries of Afon Dwyryd and Afon Glaslyn. There are strong currents and no lifeguard so swimming is not recommended. The beach is popular with walkers and bird-watchers. Dogs are allowed all year. Facilities and parking are at nearby Borth y Gest.
Morfa Bychan Beach (Black Rock Sands)
Porthmadog LL49 9YB (approx. 13 miles away)
A sandy beach, approx. 2 miles long, with rocky areas: rock pools and caverns. There is direct vehicular access onto the beach via a slipway and designated bathing and boat launching areas. There is no lifeguard. Dogs are allowed on some sections all year round. The nearby village of Morfa Bychan has shops and places to eat.
Harlech Beach
Harlech LL46 2UG (approx. 14 miles away)
4 miles of sandy beach, popular for walking, beach combing, kite surfing and bathing (though there is no lifeguard). The beach is accessed by a 10-minute walk from the carpark below the castle. The Morfa Harlech Nature Reserve is on the northern side of the beach and Mochras (Shell Island) promontory is on the southern side. Leatherback turtles have been spotted offshore occasionally.
Llandanwg Beach
Llandanwg, Harlech LL46 2SD (approx. 15 miles away)
This sandy beach is close to the Afon Dwyryd estuary and accessed by a path through the dunes that leads from the car park, or by following the trail from Cardigan Bay. The beach offers beautiful views of the Rhinog mountains and at low tide reveals a causeway to Mochras (Shell Island). It is less windy than other beaches so good for bathing, though there is no lifeguard. Part of the beach allows dogs all year round. It is good for kayaking/canoeing, sailing and surfing/windsurfing and popular with fishermen.
West End Beach (Marine Beach)
Criccieth LL52 0HL (approx. 16 miles away)
There are two beaches on either side of Criccieth Castle; this is the West Side. It is mainly shingle but is popular with bathers due to the gulf stream passing nearby which gives it a milder climate than other beaches in North Wales. It also offers lovely views of Tremadog Bay and Snowdonia national park. Seals, porpoises and dolphins can sometimes be spotted. For walkers there is a footpath behind the beach that goes around the bay to Pwllheli. Criccieth hosts tea rooms, restaurants, quirky shops, a promenade and car parking (as well as the ruins of a 13th century castle).
There are other beaches in the region that are worth visiting but require more driving to get there! These include: Barmouth and Fairbourne beaches (26 miles away); Whistling Sands, Pwllheli (39 miles away); Aberdaron (39 miles away). Whistling Sands is an exceptionally pretty beach on the Llyen Peninsular, named after the noise made by walking on the unusually-shaped sand grains. Barmouth offers a lot of families with a land train, amusement arcade, boat trips and many shops and pubs in easy walk of the beach. Fairbourne has the remains of some WW2 defences and is popular with surfers on the West-facing side. Aberdaron is within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Llyn Heritage Coast and contains 1 mile of pristine sand. It hosts a sailing regatta every year and there are lots of carparking options, shops and cafes near the main village.