Things to do in Burnham-on-Sea
Situated on the mouth of the River Parrett and the Bristol Channel, is Burnham-on-Sea, one of the hidden charms of the Somerset coast.
Not as well-known as its near-neighbour, Weston-super-Mare, Burnham has many hidden charms, and is well worth a visit when you stay with us at Burnham-on-Sea Holiday Park! The park’s proximity to the town makes this an easy place to spend a day, and we’ve listed plenty of things to see and do, whatever the weather.
1. Stroll the sands on Burnham Beach
Burnham has a great, crescent-shaped sandy beach, which has lifeguard patrols to protect swimmers and paddlers throughout the summer. It’s a great place to walk, jog or simply wander, while looking out for landmarks like the pier or renowned ‘low lighthouse’, a Grade II-listed red and white boxlike lighthouse which dates back to 1832.
Burnham’s gently sloping sand warms the sea for swimming, and there’s a promenade to wander along too. Make sure you try the local fish and chips and sit on the sea wall to watch the distant fishing boats.
2. Apex Leisure and Wildlife Park
The Apex Leisure and Wildlife Park is another of Burnham’s outdoor highlights. Over 42 acres, you’ll find a skate park, a playground and three large, picturesque lakes which formed in abandoned clay pits. It’s home to thousands of waterfowl including swans, moorhen, geese, cormorants, ducks and, if you’re lucky a rare visiting tern or two.
The park is another great place to exercise your dog, and keen fishers can obtain a license for the lake from Highbridge Angling Association. There’s a BMX bike trail here too, and you might spot radio-controlled boaters racing their gadgets on the lakes too. The icing on the cake: car parking is free!
3. Visit Brean Down
Another great place to take a walk is the pointy piece of land between Burnham and nearby Weston. This rocky peninsula stands 318 feet above the waves and is protected by the National Trust, so it’s a beautiful place to walk or picnic on a sunny day.
Once home to a Roman temple and older still, neolithic remains of a woolly mammoth and rhino, Brean Down has lots of history to discover. A highlight is the Palmerston Fort, a fortification built to protect against Napoleonic invasion. History and natural beauty combine to create a great day trip.
4. Princess Theatre and Arts Centre
The Princess Theatre and Arts Centre programs a family-friendly selection of musical shows, film screenings and exhibitions by local artists. They also run lots of kids' workshops, science lectures and other entertaining and inspiring events. The theatre was built in 1869 and has previously been a fire station, market house and city council chamber.
The Hellend Café and Bar within the Centre offers great value breakfasts, cream teas and hearty lunches including chicken tikka, cottage pie, and veggie lasagne.
5. Burnham-on-Sea Pier
When you’re investigating the beach, make sure you leave time to visit the pier. It has the quirky distinction of being Britain’s shortest pier! Built in 1911-1914, it's one of the first concrete structures of its kind.
Inside you’ll find traditional seaside amusements, fish and chips and a great place to watch the sunset on a nice day.
6. Brean Splash Water Park, Brean
If you fancy a spot of aquatic adventure, head to Brean Splash, a ten-minute drive north from the Haven Burnham-on-Sea Holiday Park. It’s a fantastic water park with both indoor and outdoor facilities. Inside there’s a 25m heated pool with lanes for serious swimmers, a splash zone with flumes for older kids and a baby pool for the little ones.
The epic flumes and rides are outdoors, including the river ride, where you’ll join friends in rubber rings, the sinuous serpentine tube, and the adrenaline-fuelled turbo drop (which isn’t for the faint-hearted!) The seaside pool has smaller chutes and other splashy surprises. You’ll easily spend the day here and there’s a café to refuel the family too.
7. Brean Theme Park, Brean
Burnham’s neighbour Brean is also host to the UK’s biggest theme park, which features a host of both traditional and high-tech attractions including a go kart track, spinning rides, the Wildwater rollercoaster, dodgems, waltzers, and loads more.
You’ll need a whole day to visit Brean, which has quieter entertainment too, such as crazy golf and ‘terror castle’ (well, quieter save the screaming!). Wristbands come in three colours, based on the age and height of the patrons in question. Rides have a credit allocation, so you can choose which to try during your visit. One visit won’t be enough to do them all.
8. Animal Farm Adventure Park, Berrow
A little way inland at Berrow you’ll find this petting farm and adventure park which combines cute critters, slides and play areas. There’s plenty to entertain both adults and kids of all ages. From raccoons to llamas, goats to donkeys, you’ll find them all here, alongside miniature Shetland ponies and even guinea pigs and rats in the ‘cuddle club’ section.
Once you’ve managed to prise the little ones away from their furry friends, there’s a converted barn full of slides, ball pits, and climbing frames. You’ll also find a snack kiosk for when you get peckish after all that excitement!
9. Burnham and Berrow Golf Course
Why not take a round of golf on this excellent links course? It has been ranked the number one course in Somerset, and it’s easy to see why. Aside from its beautiful seaside location, the course offers 18 holes of challenging and varied terrain, a beautiful restaurant and is welcoming to visitors.
Burnham is a pretty seaside town, with plenty to see within a short drive and many attractive coastal walks to enjoy. It’s definitely one of Somerset’s underappreciated beauty spots.
10. Ritz Cinema
Burnham has a brilliant cinema - the Ritz. Its elegant Art Deco frontage was restored in 2004, and a third screen was added in 2015, giving the Ritz the chance to show a range of family-friendly films every day.
Romantic comedies, musical and animated films are the staples of the Ritz’s schedule. This is a beautiful venue in which to lose yourself in the silver screen.
Start planning your Great British break
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Important information
Site fees from as little as £125 a month with Let2offset at Burnham-on-Sea
Let2offset is a contractual lettings product that offers eligible owners a guaranteed letting income at a preferential rate (calculated each year) in exchange for a stipulated number of letting breaks. It also allows eligible owners to pay their site fees and receive their letting income in 12 equal monthly instalments; the monthly site fee amount charged by Haven will be after deduction of the letting income.
‘Site fees from as little as £125 a month with Let2offset’ is available at Burnham-on-Sea. The letting income received will vary by make, model and location. The monthly site fee payment does not include running costs e.g. utilities, rates & insurance. Offer is subject to availability.
“Site fees from as little as £125 a month with Let2offset” is applicable to new customer purchases of new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed or equivalent or superior grade holiday home purchases made through Haven where customers have also signed up to Haven’s Let2offset contract. It is not applicable to private sales and cannot be used in conjunction with our free Site Fee promotion. This offer is available at Burnham-on-Sea only and applies when letting a new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home (or equivalent or superior grade) for 15 weeks.
An example of how “Site fees from as little as £125 a month with Let2offset” operates under Let2offset is the purchase of an Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home at Burnham-on-Sea with a monthly site fee of £750.00 (includes purchasing discount of £20) and monthly letting income of £606.00. The monthly difference equates to £124 which will be billed to the owner's account monthly. Both letting income and site fees are subject to yearly pricing reviews and the monthly site fee costs and letting income shown in the example are based on 2024 figures.
Modelled assumptions on expected annual site fee and letting income charges over the 7-year lettable life of the Atlas Sahara 3 Bed indicate that under Let2offset it is anticipated that these customers will continue to receive a monthly credit during this period, however, this is not guaranteed. The modelled assumptions are based on the historical performance of Haven over the past 5 years of trading.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
Let2offset - make no site fee payments until 2031
Let2offset is a contractual lettings product that offers eligible owners a guaranteed letting income at a preferential rate (calculated each year) in exchange for a stipulated number of letting breaks. It also allows eligible owners to pay their site fees and receive their letting income in 12 equal monthly instalments; the monthly site fee amount charged by Haven will be after deduction of the letting income.
‘Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031’ is available at 33 Haven parks excluding Burnham, Cardigan View, Far Grange, Garreg Wen, Lydstep Beach, Riviere Sands and Seaview. The letting income received will vary by make, model and location. The monthly site fee payment does not include running costs e.g. utilities, rates & insurance.
“Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031” is applicable to new and existing customer purchases of new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed or equivalent or superior grade holiday home purchases made through Haven where customers have also signed up to Haven’s Let2offset contract. It is not applicable to private sales and cannot be used in conjunction with our free Site Fee promotion. It is available across 40% of eligible Parks and applies when letting a new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home (or equivalent or superior grade for 15 weeks.
An example of how “Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031” operates under Let2offset is the purchase of an Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home at Primrose Valley with a monthly site fee of £585.00 (includes purchasing discount of £45) and monthly letting income of £803.67. The monthly difference equates to £218.67, which will be credited to the owner's account. Both letting income and site fees are subject to yearly pricing reviews and the monthly site fee costs and letting income shown in the example are based on 2024 figures.
Modelled assumptions on expected annual site fee and letting income charges over the 7-year lettable life of the Atlas Sahara 3 Bed indicate that under Let2offset it is anticipated that these customers will continue to receive a monthly credit during this period, however, this is not guaranteed. The modelled assumptions are based on the historical performance of Haven over the past 5 years of trading.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.