By Zoe Chamberlain
Here in landlocked Birmingham, we can’t resist a beach – of any form, be it lakeside or manmade. There’s just something so lovely about sitting in a deckchair, listening to laid-back tunes, enjoying a cool drink whilst the children make friends, building sandcastles and playing in the golden sand. The good news is that there are lots of manmade beaches popping up around the West Midlands this summer – and they’re free for all, making them ideal for a lovely day out when the weather is nice. Read more: Summer 2025 things to do in and around Birmingham Read next: The 10 best beaches for families less than two and a half hours from Birmingham Many host free activities and events to make it even more fun for families, from live entertainment to dinosaurs! Here are the latest beach announcements around Birmingham … We are thrilled that Northfield Beach is back for 2025 after it was cancelled in 2024 due to a lack of funding. The community rallied and has raised enough money for Northfield Community Partnership to host the event again.= It will take place in Victoria Common, Church Road, Northfield from July 24 to 27 and there will be lots of activities too – the organisers are still raising funds for this and you can donate via the Crowdfunder page here The beach is back at New Square Shopping Centre in West Bromwich from July 21. It will be open every day throughout the school holidays, right through to August 30. Families can enjoy the sandy beach for free – there’s buckets and spades for the kids to play with and deckchairs for grown-ups to relax in. And there will be free extra activities on selected days too, which will be announced via social media closer to the time. Listen to our beach guide on the Brummie Mummies Podcast for lots of ideas on great days out this summer: Costa del Solihull is back for 2025 and packed with free entertainment throughout the summer holidays. This year, it’s dinosaur themed to coincide with the new Jurassic World Rebirth film. Touchwood Beach is set to open on Saturday July 19 and will remain open each day until Sunday August 31. The beach is in Theatre Square in the centre of Solihull, next to the Core Theatre and Library. If you fancy travelling a little further, you can enjoy the lakeside beach at Cotswold Country Park and Beach , where you can go wild swimming and paddling in the lake as a family. There’s also the chance to ride a pedalo, have a barbecue, have lunch at the cafe and challenge friends and family to a round of mini golf or brave the AquaVenture inflatable aqua park. Said to be the UK’s largest inland, there are two beaches – Main Beach on the South Lake and the Children’s Beach Lagoon – plus an adventure playground and junior climbing walls situated right by the beach. Entrance prices start from around 拢3.50 for pedestrians and cyclists and 拢10 for a car of up to five people, depending on whether you go in low, mid or high season. It’s open now until the end of the season in September and is on Spratsgate Lane, Shorncote, Gloucestershire – around 90 minutes from Birmingham. To keep updated on exciting family things to do, follow our Brummie Mummies Facebook page and Instagram page, sign up to our Brummie Mummies newsletter and listen to our podcasts Birmingham’s closest Blue Flag status is set upon a picturesque lake at Rutland Water in Leicestershire. It’s free to use, you just have to pay for parking at this Anglian Water site, which is also suitable for swimming and paddling. From Monday June 30 to Friday July 18, the beach will open from 12pm-5pm on weekdays and from 10am to 6pm on weekends. It’s on Sykes Lane, Empingham, where you’ll also find mini golf, an adventure playground, an aqua park, laser tag and a cafe.