West Wittering Beach — Attraction in Chichester

West Wittering Beach A Must-Visit (but Read the Parking Info Closely!)

Spent the day at West Wittering Beach recently with a group of 18 of us, and honestly – it was one of the best UK beach days we’ve had. Here’s a full rundown of the pros and some heads-up advice you’ll thank me for later:

✅ Pros: Great Location: Easy to get to and absolutely stunning. Proper postcard views – soft sand, clean waters, and that fresh coastal breeze you never knew you missed until it hits you.

Parking System (read this bit): You must book online before you go – it’s cheaper that way and guarantees your spot. No booking = no entry if they're full. And they do get full. If you enter your reg properly when booking, the barriers open automatically like magic – no faffing about.

Grass Parking Area: Huge win! Means you’ve got space to play cricket, chill on blankets, or fire up a BBQ without the sandy chaos. You can eat without finding sand in your hummus. Bring rubbish bags though – use them first, then chuck them in the provided bins.

Close to the Beach: A short walk and you’re right on the beach – no marathon treks carrying half your house.

Excellent Facilities: Toilets and outdoor showers (separate for men and women) are clean and well-kept – just be prepared for cold water! Handy little taps to rinse sandy feet in the car park too.

Scenic & Spacious: The beach itself is beautiful. We went on a Saturday so it was busier near the main brown building, but the further down you walk, the quieter it gets.

⚠️ Cautionary Tale (You’ll Want to Read This): The car park is locked at 8:30 PM – you'll be able to go past the automatic barriers, but a second gate creeps up. This isn’t a “suggested” time – they will lock it and they will leave. We found this out the hard way: around 15 cars, including ours, were stuck inside at 8:30. I rang the number on the gate and was met with a very blunt “it’s closed, there are signs everywhere”. True… but not super obvious for first-timers that they will be locked in - (anyone can assume 8:30pm is when they stop letting people in not out)

We explained that there were children, elderly, even a newborn and a pregnant woman with us, and eventually they said (and I quote):

“Okay, I’m doing this once. I’ve got your reg plates – if it happens again, you’re staying in there.”

Spoiler alert: it’s not happening again. We’ve learned our lesson. But the other 20+ cars? No clue.

So here's the advice: Get out of both barriers well before 8:30 PM. Don’t think you can just pack up at 8:29 – the second gate is the real boss level.

Final Verdict: Despite the parking drama, this place is a gem. Clean, organised, family-friendly, and really well looked after. We ended up having a laugh with other stranded families, sharing food and blankets – someone even joked we were camping overnight.

Also Life Guards are super chill - they will tell you not to go any further in the water - no matter how many times its with a smile

10/10 would go again. Just... with a timer set...

West Wittering Beach is a beautiful, unspoiled stretch of coastline that's well worth a visit if you're in the area. The beach is located in West Sussex, just a short drive from Chichester, and is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

One of the standout features of West Wittering Beach is its natural beauty. The beach boasts crystal-clear waters, golden sands, and stunning views of the South Downs in the distance. It's a great place to go for a long walk or to simply relax and soak up the sun.

Another thing I loved about West Wittering Beach is the range of activities on offer. There are plenty of water sports available, including windsurfing and kitesurfing, as well as options for horse riding and cycling. There's also a large car park, a café, and toilet facilities on site, which makes it a convenient and enjoyable day out.

The beach is well-maintained, with plenty of litter bins and recycling facilities, and the water quality is consistently good. The staff are friendly and helpful, and there's a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere throughout.

Overall, I would highly recommend a visit to West Wittering Beach. It's a stunning location with plenty to see and do, and it's a great place to spend a day with friends and family. Whether you're looking for an action-packed adventure or a peaceful day by the sea, West Wittering Beach has something...

Based on our visit on a Sunday of a long weekend- WOULD NOT recommend, on a busy day! Pros - plenty of parks, nice enough beach. Cons - extreme ques from the road and then to get in and out of carpark, not very well managed. Very packed on the beach.

It might have been the record number of visitors or the new traffic management system, but we will not go back - we spent 2 extra hours stuck in a barely moving traffic cue to get to the beach (car park). The last few miles took us longer than the rest of the entire drive! We eventually arrived at 5.30pm, once we were in, at least the car park is massive so there was enough space for us to park. Had a nice time on the beach, but it was shorter than we hoped, as we hoped to get out before more ques. Unfortunately to leave was an even worse nightmare- we got in the car at 7pm, hoping to get out early because we had parked very far away from exits. In one hour we had only moved part way through the car park. We got in the car with full sunlight and watched the sun set behind us as cars joined the ques from left right and centre - 2 hours of waiting, bot very good traffic control and a lot of angry drivers later, we managed to exit the car park at about 9.30pm! Then had to find a petrol station to make the drive home - a very unpleasant end to a few nice hours of sunshine...