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Sandhaven Beach, South Shields: parking, dogs, lifeguards and facilities

Sandhaven is South Shields' main beach: a long stretch of sand backed by dunes and a promenade along Sea Road, NE33 2LD, between the pier at the river mouth and Trow Point to the south. (Visit South Tyneside: Sandhaven Beach; Shields Gazette: annual Sandhaven dog ban; checked 10 Nov 2026) It holds Keep Britain Tidy's Seaside Award, and The Sunday Times named it UK beach of the year in its 2022 best beaches guide. (Visit South Tyneside: Sandhaven Beach; checked 10 Nov 2026)

Dogs · Parking · Lifeguards and safety · Toilets and access · Food nearby · Next to the beach

Can you take a dog on Sandhaven Beach?

In summer, take dogs to Littlehaven Beach next door or Marsden Beach, where dogs are allowed all year. (Visit South Tyneside (council): Visiting our beaches; checked 10 Nov 2026) More: Beaches and dog rules and Dog-friendly places.

Parking for Sandhaven

Prices and codes from the council's car park pages. (South Tyneside Council: Pierhead car park; South Tyneside Council: South Promenade North car park; South Tyneside Council: South Promenade South car park; South Tyneside Council: The Dragon, Bents Park car park; checked 3 Nov 2026) A ticket bought in one designated seafront car park is valid in the others, and Blue Badge holders park free. (South Tyneside Council: South Promenade North car park; South Tyneside Council: Pierhead car park; checked 3 Nov 2026) The council warns of fake QR codes in its car parks: it does not take payment by QR code. (South Tyneside Council: South Shields seafront car parks; checked 10 Nov 2026) Full list: Parking in South Shields.

No car? The seafront is about a ten-minute walk along Ocean Road from the town centre, Metro and bus station. (Visit South Tyneside (council): Visiting our beaches; checked 10 Nov 2026) See Getting here.

Lifeguards and safety

RNLI lifeguards patrol Sandhaven (Centre) beach in the summer. In 2026 they were on duty daily from 23 May to 6 September, 10am to 6pm. Swim between the red and yellow flags. (RNLI: Sandhaven (Centre) Beach; RNLI news, 20 May 2026: lifeguards start daily patrol in South Tyneside; checked 3 Nov 2026) The 2027 dates are not yet announced. There are no lifeguards now (November).

Beach safety zones at Sandhaven and Littlehaven keep watercraft away from swimmers. In an emergency, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard. (South Tyneside Council: Staying safe at the coast; checked 3 Nov 2026) Seals sometimes come ashore to rest: keep your distance and don't approach them. (Visit South Tyneside (council): Visiting our beaches; British Divers Marine Life Rescue; checked 10 Nov 2026) More: Lifeguards and Tides and rock pooling FAQ.

Plastic pellets (nurdles) from a ship collision in the Tyne on 19 July 2026 have been washing up on the South Tyneside coast. The council asks visitors not to handle them and to keep dogs on leads in affected areas. (Visit South Tyneside: Sandhaven Beach; Shields Gazette, 10 Oct 2026: nurdle protest; checked 3 Nov 2026; checked 10 Nov 2026)

Toilets, access and things to bring

• Seafront toilets (except at the amusement park) are open 9am–4pm until 24 March 2027, then 9am–6pm from 25 March to 30 September 2027. Locations include the Amphitheatre, South Promenade, Bents Park and South Marine Park (Beach Road). (South Tyneside Council: Public toilets and opening times; checked 3 Nov 2026)
• Beach wheelchairs: Beach Access North East lends adapted wheelchairs for the sand and sea free of charge, picked up from Sandhaven. Book on 0300 999 4444. The store is a blue container at the south end of the South Promenade, near the Sand Dancer, with a wide ramp onto the beach. (South Tyneside Council: Adapted wheelchairs for the sand and sea; Beach Access North East: South Shields; checked 4 Nov 2026) South Promenade South car park, the closest to the store, is free with a disabled badge. (South Tyneside Council: South Promenade South car park; checked 3 Nov 2026) More: Accessible South Shields.
• Barbecues: only disposable barbecues are allowed on the resort beaches. Use the bins. (Visit South Tyneside (council): Visiting our beaches; checked 10 Nov 2026)
• Volleyball nets go up in summer, and South Shields Surf School offers surfing and paddleboarding lessons and hire. (Visit South Tyneside: Sandhaven Beach; checked 10 Nov 2026)

Food and drink by the beach

• The Sand Dancer, Sea Road, on the beach itself. The venue says it is dog friendly. (The Sand Dancer (venue website); checked 10 Nov 2026)
• Colmans Seafood Temple, Sea Road, NE33 2LD: Mon–Thu 12:00–19:30, Fri–Sat 12:00–20:30, Sun 12:00–17:00. (Colmans Seafood Temple: FAQs and hours; checked 3 Nov 2026)
• Minchella & Co, Elevated Walkway at the Amphitheatre: ice cream and coffee, 9:00–17:00 daily. (Minchella & Co: The Elevated Walkway; checked 3 Nov 2026)

More places: Food with a view and Ocean Road restaurants.

Next to the beach

Ocean Beach Pleasure Park, The Dunes and South Marine Park, with its miniature steam railway, are all alongside the beach. (Visit South Tyneside: Sandhaven Beach; checked 10 Nov 2026) In November, Ocean Beach opens its laser tag and arcades on Fridays 2–6pm and weekends 11am–6pm. (Ocean Beach Pleasure Park: events and opening; checked 8 Nov 2026) The Dunes has soft play, ten-pin bowling and arcades. (Visit South Tyneside: The Dunes; checked 4 Nov 2026) For a walk, the council's "Seafront Saunter" starts at Pierhead car park and takes in Littlehaven, the pier and South Marine Park: 1.75 miles (or a 1-mile short version), about an hour to an hour and a half, on paved paths. (Visit South Tyneside: Seafront Saunter, Sandhaven and beyond; checked 10 Nov 2026)

More beaches: Littlehaven (north, at the river mouth) and Marsden (south, below the cliffs). Ideas: Family days out, Things to do.

Sources for this page

1. Visit South Tyneside: Sandhaven Beach, checked 10 Nov 2026
2. Shields Gazette: annual Sandhaven dog ban, checked 10 Nov 2026
3. South Tyneside Council: Dogs on the beach, checked 3 Nov 2026
4. Visit South Tyneside (council): Visiting our beaches, checked 10 Nov 2026
5. South Tyneside Council: Pierhead car park, checked 3 Nov 2026
6. South Tyneside Council: South Promenade North car park, checked 3 Nov 2026
7. South Tyneside Council: South Promenade South car park, checked 3 Nov 2026
8. South Tyneside Council: The Dragon, Bents Park car park, checked 3 Nov 2026
9. South Tyneside Council: South Shields seafront car parks, checked 10 Nov 2026
10. RNLI: Sandhaven (Centre) Beach, checked 3 Nov 2026
11. RNLI news, 20 May 2026: lifeguards start daily patrol in South Tyneside, checked 3 Nov 2026
12. South Tyneside Council: Staying safe at the coast, checked 3 Nov 2026
13. British Divers Marine Life Rescue, checked 10 Nov 2026
14. Shields Gazette, 10 Oct 2026: nurdle protest, checked 3 Nov 2026
15. South Tyneside Council: Public toilets and opening times, checked 3 Nov 2026
16. South Tyneside Council: Adapted wheelchairs for the sand and sea, checked 4 Nov 2026
17. Beach Access North East: South Shields, checked 4 Nov 2026
18. The Sand Dancer (venue website), checked 10 Nov 2026
19. Colmans Seafood Temple: FAQs and hours, checked 3 Nov 2026
20. Minchella & Co: The Elevated Walkway, checked 3 Nov 2026
21. Ocean Beach Pleasure Park: events and opening, checked 8 Nov 2026
22. Visit South Tyneside: The Dunes, checked 4 Nov 2026
23. Visit South Tyneside: Seafront Saunter, Sandhaven and beyond, checked 10 Nov 2026