Aldeburgh
The upmarket seaside town of Aldeburgh - which grew on the site of an old medieval fishing and ship building centre - appeals to a wide cross section of people - from families, writers, artists and music aficionados to city folk in need of a quick, cultured getaway and that invigorating salty North Sea breeze.

Ultimately, if you thrive on good old-fashioned English seaside charm and unspoilt natural beauty then this is the place to come to with not a flashing neon light in sight and many a delightful pastime to partake in.

Where else can you enjoy watching the fisherman haul their boats onto the shingle as they prepare to sell the day’s catch from their rustic huts? Beyond the beach Aldeburgh also has a chic side with an eclectic mix of mainly individually-owned shops, boutiques, cafés and restaurants – not forgetting a sprinkling of wonderfully atmospheric pubs and nationally-acclaimed fish and chip shops to indulge in the most delicious fish and chips you might ever eat.

Where to park: Suffolk Coastal District Council car parks are at Fort Green, Thorpe Road, Oakley Square, King Street (all long stay Pay & Display) and Slaughden Quay - free.

What sort of beach can I expect? A long stretch of predominantly shingle beach shelving quite steeply to the sea with a wide promenade running alongside – perfect for relaxing strolls at sunset. Note that there are some sandy areas too (these are particularly exposed at low tide.) To read Aldeburgh's entry in the Marine Conservation Society Good Beach Guide 2007 click here

Activities for the children: There’s a notable absence of amusement arcades in Aldeburgh, not that the children will mind when they’re busy flying their kites and sailing their model yachts on the boating lake.

Thorpeness
Built in the 1900s, this quirky seaside village (located a stone's throw to the north of Aldeburgh) holds fairytale appeal, having been created by local landowner Glencairn Stuart Ogilvie as a fashionable resort “for people who want to experience life as it was when England was Merrie England” after he purchased the Sizewell Estate back in 1910.

So began the process of transforming a sleepy fishing village called Thorpe into a somewhat quaint but utterly charming resort called Thorpeness, complete with predominantly Tudor-style architecture and a 64-acre, one-metre deep Meare. This remains one of the village's key attractions and was dug by hand on the site of a silted up mere that once served as Aldeburgh's northern harbour.

Like Aldeburgh, you're guaranteed to find the usual mix of creative types in Thorpeness and family members young and old will relish an opportunity to soak up its unique atmosphere, which is so very different to that offered by your run-of-the-mill seaside destination.

Where to park: If you're approaching Thorpeness on the Aldeburgh Road the main Pay & Display car park is to be found on the right hand side. Another suggestion is to park in Aldeburgh and stroll northwards along the coast for a mile or so, taking in Maggi Hambling's famous Scallop sculpture on the way.

What sort of beach can I expect? The beach consists of steeply shelving shingle, with some sand at low tide. Dunes and low cliffs start to the north of Thorpeness, whilst the southern end forms the Haven Nature Reserve.

Activities for the children: The village has all-round appeal for children, who will love exploring the Peter Pan inspired islands of the Meare by rowing boat and witnessing what appears to be a House in the Clouds (another of Ogilvie's architectural legacies, originally designed to provide storage capacity for a basic water supply to the village.)

*The Good Beach Guide is published by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) - the UK charity dedicated to the protection of our seas, shores and wildlife. It is the biggest and best beach guide available with a description, photo and map for each of 1,200 beaches in the UK and Ireland. For further details visit www.goodbeachguide.co.uk